Chapter 8 - Investing In The Future
When Clint woke up the next morning, Natasha was already awake, though she hadn't moved from where she was, either. He was always slower to wake up anyway, though usually, she just went on with her day.
He figured she was still reeling from the funeral, so he turned to face her and kissed her shoulder. "Ain't a shrink, but I approve of this mourning mechanism."
"Shut up," she said, shaking her head at him.
"Already did that," Clint pointed out, smirking harder.
"Good." She turned to face him properly. "Then you won't be opposed to doing this until we get a little one."
Clint froze. "I… what?"
"If you mind terribly, we can do things in order. I can have the paperwork drawn up-"
"Nat." He blinked a few more times, though he kept smiling wider the longer he watched her. "I mean, sure."
"Unless you think I need to find someone else entirely."
"Um, no?" Clint stared at her, one eye closed in a wince. "But, c'mon, Nat. You want a family, you should, I mean, I'd want to be more than just DNA?"
"That's what I was hoping for," Natasha replied. "You didn't seem overly sure about yourself though, so I thought I'd give you an out."
"You…. sprung it on me," Clint said, shaking his head with that same disbelieving smile as before.
"I thought you liked surprises," she said with one eyebrow arched up slightly - teasing him.
Clint shook his head and let out a laugh. "I do. I just - are you sure this isn't just because of Logan? I know you weren't okay, and I don't want you to wake up in a year regretting it…"
"All teasing aside, I know exactly what I'm doing, Clint." She shrugged lightly. "Besides, it was James that got me thinking. Not Logan."
"Yeah?" Clint pulled her over to tuck into a snuggle and kissed the side of her head. "Hate to break it to you, Nat, but we'd probably have a blonde or a redhead."
"That's not what I was talking about and you know it."
"Just had to make sure you knew what you'd be getting," Clint teased. "Might be a little blonde girl and then we'd just have to try again for a little boy just for you."
"I didn't say we had to have a boy."
"Mmm, that's what I heard," Clint said, grinning at her. "No take-backs. We'll have five girls and the fifth will have a twin brother."
Natasha tipped her head to the side and narrowed her eyes for a moment. "No … there are no twins in my family. That won't work."
"Triplets, then," Clint said without missing a beat.
"If it's triplets, you can carry them."
"There's my Tasha," Clint said with a laugh. He pulled her into a longer kiss this time. "I'm on board, Nat. For all of it. You know I can't say no to you."
"You thought about it," Natasha accused.
"Um, vaguely?" Clint shook his head. "When I was thirteen and it was the princess and we were gonna have a dozen circus brats?" He shrugged. "Then I grew up and figured no one in this biz would settle for me, so hey, I'm lucky you kiss me. Let alone this."
"I'm not settling, Clint, you need to get that straight right now. Settling would be talking to Bucky out of the blue about this."
"So you did have a backup plan."
"That would have been like … plan 'D'."
"Steve beat him out. He'll never live it down," Clint teased.
"By a mile," she said, keeping her serious expression but smirking to herself all the same.
"Who was Plan C? Please tell me it wasn't Stark, because I just - I can't."
"Oh, no, of course not," she said, shaking her head. "There's a very sad little X-Man …"
Clint let out a disbelieving sound. "Cyclops? Seriously?"
"He's got three sweet little kids clinging to him - one of which belonged to my Logan," Natasha defended. "And his daughter has red hair and green eyes and calls him out all the time."
"Ready-made family for you, huh?" Clint shook his head. "He's Plan A, isn't he?"
"No, if he was plan A, I would have stayed."
"Well, small miracles," Clint said and then kissed her again. "Let's work on those kids, huh? We'll get to the paperwork after coffee."
"I can backdate it if we're busy," she said with a smirk.
"That's my Nat."
The echoes of the jet leaving hadn't even settled before Kitty and Bobby made good on their plans to head out to Japan looking for trouble - and a means to finish Logan's business there, which left Storm to decide which path she wanted to take. Though Erik's offer to stay in Genosha was a generous one, Ororo simply couldn't turn her back on Charles' dream. Not when she'd put so much of her life into it, living and breathing it as much as Scott had since joining the team.
But … the team was defunct. They'd lost so many important members, and Scott … seeing what had happened to Scott was too cruel for Ororo to forgive, and too horrible to ignore, so when the time finally came to make a decision, it should have shocked no one when she and Mia packed up and went to New York with Hank to the Avengers.
She couldn't sit on the sidelines - not for long, anyhow - and she knew out of all of her options that the Avengers were more than likely the safest option for her little girl who had already lost too much so early in her life.
At first, the Avengers were sure to give her whatever space she needed, though it seemed like every time she crossed paths with Hank, the sweet fuzzy blue doctor would drop everything to give her one of his warmest and most heartfelt hugs.
Which … was more or less exactly what Mia needed. It wasn't the same as snuggling up with her papa, but … Hank was certainly fuzzy and warm and more than happy to entertain her.
It wasn't an instant fix, of course. There were still times that Mia was fussy and angry and nothing could calm her down except her papa - until she was too worn out and fell asleep anyway. But watching Mia with Hank, it was at least a little easier to hope that the youngest of the surviving X-Men would be able to move on to a healthy, happy life.
What's more, little Mia had the entire roster of Avengers practically wrapped around her little blue fingers once she and Storm moved in. While the team had been giving Storm room to mourn on her own terms, Mia was still too little to want to be alone. Sure, she was upset and unhappy without her father, but she needed the contact of other people to play with instead of space.
Which was entertaining to Ororo in itself, because the Avengers had never had such a little one around before - since Wanda had gone to Genosha before having her twins. And they all had different ways of adjusting.
Thor was the easiest. He would just scoop Mia up and play with her to her heart's content. Whatever she babbled to him, he'd run with it, and it took no time before Mia figured out that she could rope him into all kinds of trouble.
Steve, on the other hand, seemed completely unsure of what to do with a little one underfoot - until he started simply picking her up when she would come close and just doing everything one-handed while she talked to him.
Tony wasn't as noticeable - but Ororo saw how quickly the Tower was baby-proofed and how many new toys would magically appear in the playroom he'd designed for her.
Natasha was interesting as well. She liked to be around Mia and would go out of her way to sit with the little girl and help her with the little things like opening her packet of snacks or putting on her coat to go outside. She was just quietly there.
Jan and Clint, on the other hand, were almost as terrible as Thor. If Mia wasn't having a dance party with Jan, she was with Clint, who would get on all fours or lie on the floor to be at her level and play pretend for hours on end.
So yes, the Avengers Tower had been an excellent choice. For many reasons.
But eventually, it was Natasha who approached Ororo with an offer of a 'soft' mission. "I know you've been through it, and you can of course say no," Natasha said. "It's honestly a favor to Clint - some old mobsters in the neighborhood where he crashed for a while are causing trouble."
"As long as it's actually something simple, I suppose I could stand to get a bit of fresh air," Ororo replied. "The roof is fine, but …"
Natasha nodded. "I always feel better when I've put a few men through walls, but that might just be me," she said with a soft smirk.
"No, no, the ones that ask for it … that does make a girl feel like she can walk more upright."
Natasha smiled and nodded. "Well, these are your regular low-lifes. Running extortions and harassing people. Nothing world-ending, and I can handle them myself if you decide when we get there you're not ready for a fight." She smirked. "I've been instructed to low-ball you."
"If we get there and I don't feel like fighting, then the fight will be over soon enough," Ororo said with a little smirk.
"Then we'll get along just fine," Natasha said, gesturing with one hand to lead the way.
It wasn't a long drive out, really. All they had to do was get to the other side of the city, away from the tower and the well-to-do houses and toward the inner city, where the artwork jumped out from every wall and there was a pickup basketball game not far from where they parked.
"Clint had a place near here when we were working together when we first met," Natasha explained as they walked together. "He keeps it up as an escape. Mostly, I use it to crash between missions if I don't feel like dealing with people."
"Perhaps I should consider a place like that," Ororo said, almost to herself.
"You're welcome to use ours," Natasha said. "Like I said, it only really sees use when I'm doing a job outside of the Avengers. And Clint hasn't used it in ages."
"We'll have to see when we get there," Ororo said, smiling almost wistfully. "Jean and I had a place in the city just the two of us years ago …"
"To get away from the boys. Yes, I know the feeling."
"They can't help themselves," she laughed.
"Oh, I barely tolerate that excuse from them," Natasha said. "Make them do better - that's what I say." She was smiling as they rounded the corner - and very nearly ran into a little girl, about three, with wide eyes and mismatched clothes that she'd clearly put on herself. The little one had very nearly barreled into them, and when Ororo reached out to catch her, she yanked her arm back quickly.
"No!" the girl shouted. "No touching!"
"Calm yourself, little one," Ororo said, looking concerned as she tried to catch her gaze. "Who has you so scared?"
"I don't wike 'em," the little girl insisted. "I don't wike this new house!"
"Who?" Ororo asked, finally crouching down to her level.
"Funny men with funny voices and funny clothes," the little girl said. "I don't wike 'em."
Ororo reached out to rest her hand on the little girl's shoulder just as a small group of ill-dressed men rounded the corner.
"Oh, you find our girl!" one of them said Ororo's way.
Ororo raised one eyebrow as she stood up and pushed the little girl behind her. "Who are you and what do you want?"
The men, all of them in tracksuits, glanced at each other before the guy who spoke up shrugged easily. "We run this block, yes?"
"No," Ororo said. "I don't think so."
"You must be new," the guy said. "This block? Is our block. We protect it, you pay, is all good."
"Natasha," Ororo said, looking for just a moment down to the cowering little girl. "I think I can handle this just fine."
"I won't stand in the way of a goddess," Natasha said, making it a point to give Ororo space to work. "I'll be here."
Ororo turned back toward the men and tipped her chin up. "What do you want with the little girl?"
"She part of the family now," the man in charge explained. "We take her in, yes? After whole project goes up in flames."
"Do you want to go back to them, little one?" Ororo said, smiling sweetly at the little girl.
The little girl shook her head and held onto Ororo's shirt. "Nuh-uh."
"Would you rather go with us?" she asked.
"I guess," the little girl said quietly.
"Then please," Ororo said. "Hold on to Natasha's hand for a moment." As soon as the little one stepped back from her even the tiniest bit, Ororo whirled around to face the still advancing men and took a step forward … before she started to float off the ground - the winds around her lifting her up as her eyes clouded over. "Go back to whatever rock you crawled out from under. I won't ask again."
"Is kidnapping, lady," one of the others broke in. "We get little girl."
"I doubt you're her legal guardian," Ororo said as the clouds started to crackle and grow darker over head. The moment one of them took a step toward them, a loud crack split the air and a bolt of lighting hit just in front of the group of criminals.
To their credit, the guys seemed to realize how outclassed they were and scattered quickly, and Natasha let out a little laugh as she picked up the little girl so she could be at their level. "You were right. It was a fast fight."
"It always is with men like that," Ororo replied as she turned and floated back down to the two of them. "Are you alright, little one?"
The little girl nodded, though she looked nervous as she held onto Natasha. "I don't wanna go to the smelly house," she said.
"You don't have to," Ororo promised. "We have a very nice-smelling place you can go to, if you'd like."
The little girl looked between the two of them. "That's what the funny guys said when they got me from my dance class."
Natasha tipped her head at that. "Your dance class?"
"Uh-huh." The little girl twirled her hair with her finger. "I'm real good. But then the funny guys said my mommy and daddy got burned up!" She let her lower lip quiver. "I don't wanna get burned up!"
"I don't think you need to worry about that anymore, sweet one," Ororo said with a decidedly down tone.
"Okay, but you made lightning," the little girl said. "Poof!"
Ororo nodded and then took a moment to hold her hand out and make a miniature raincloud right at the little girl's eye level - and let it start sprinkling down showers. "That's not all that I can do."
"Oh wow," the little girl said, leaning nearly out of Natasha's arms to touch the cloud. "Wow, wow, wow!"
"My name is Ororo," Storm said. "But my favorite people have always called me 'Ro."
"My name's Katie," the little girl said. "I like your name!" She turned to Natasha expectantly, which got a little laugh.
"Natasha," she said.
"I like that too," Katie said.
Natasha smiled and then turned toward Ororo. "Well, I don't know about you, but I did just tell Clint I wanted a family, so if you're not claiming her…"
Ororo smiled lightly at that. "I think that decision should be up to Katie."
"We'll see," Natasha said, though her tone was clearly teasing. "The way Clint is with Mia? I'll still get what I want."
"I won't stand in your way," Ororo said with a little smile.
Natasha smiled a little wider as the two of them headed back to her car - and in short order, Katie had a milkshake and clothes that suited her before they got back to the tower.
"Oh, okay. Um. Hello," Tony said when the two of them walked into the main area with Katie holding each woman's hands and skipping between them. "I thought you were going to deal with those weird Russians…?"
"Yes, we were," Natasha said. "And the weird Russians decided to snatch up a little girl. So, here we are."
"Uh huh," Tony said, before he made his way over and took a moment to frown a little at Katie. "What's your name, princess?"
"I'm Katie!" she sang out happily.
"Katie what?" he asked before he offered her his hand. "I'm Tony Stark."
Katie grinned up at him and drew herself up, putting on a prissy sort of attitude. "Katherine Elizabeth Bishop," she sang.
"That .. is quite the name for such a little girl," Tony said.
"It's pretty!" Katie insisted.
"It is," Tony agreed, nodding his head. "And I think I know exactly who you are. Did you know you were famous?"
"I am?" Katie gasped and danced in place. "Like a superhero?"
"Not yet, but in this crowd? Give it time," Tony said. "Who's your favorite superhero?"
Katie giggled. "All of 'em!" she declared happily. "But 'specially I like Spidey! He's funny and I saw him after dance once!"
Tony made a face at that and drew himself back up to his full height. "Gonna have to work on that."
"I like 'Ro too," Katie said. "She gots a whole storm in her hand! Didja know that?"
"You know that's her hero name, too?" Tony said. "She goes by Storm."
"I like that!" Katie said. "I like Tasha too. She's a dancer like me! She said!"
Tony nodded at that and then picked Katie up so he could walk her around the place. "That's not all she is. You tell her who you are yet, Nat?"
Natasha smirked as she caught up to them. "I may have been waiting to tell her I was an Avenger until she could meet Hawkeye too."
Katie gasped delightedly. "Oooh! Yes please!"
"Got news for you kiddo," Tony said. "You're surrounded by Avengers."
Katie giggled delightedly and squirmed to be let down so she could run in a small circle and generally get overly excited about everything - which gave Natasha a chance to pull Tony aside. "You know who she is?" she asked. "I was going to look her up when I had a moment alone…"
"You don't have to," Tony said. "Her dad was a big, dirty publisher. Big money, big trouble, too."
"She said her family burned up," Natasha said. "Considering the Phoenix debacle, I had to wonder…"
"You can look into it. Name's Derek Bishop. Guy was a piece of work and about as dirty as they come."
"I will," Natasha said, then smiled over at Katie. "In the meantime…"
"If you want to keep her safe, I'll get my legal team on it to make sure no one pulls anything shady."
"Please and thank you," Natasha said. "I think I'll have to tease Clint about this one. Dark-haired and sassy…."
Tony nodded at that and didn't make it more than another couple of steps before he'd pulled out his phone to get the ball rolling. "We'll fill in names later," he promised. "I just want to make sure no one can use her for leverage or anything like that."
"Absolutely. And what safer place to be than the tower?" Natasha said. "I have full confidence."
"Try telling that to the first X-Man hiding."
Natasha let out a breath. "That's different, Tony. You know it is."
"I know it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."
"That family has every reason to be paranoid," Natasha said. She tipped her head toward Katie. "This is just dirty money, not … that."
Tony had the phone to his ear as he followed Natasha's focus. "Don't make me take her for a flight."
"Hey. I've actually put in the paperwork to marry mine and do this properly. You can wait your turn."
"Yeah, not happening," Tony said, ducking out of the way for the hit he knew was coming. "She'll have a little Iron Teddy bear before you can stop me."
"Ah, but I can teach her ballet!" Natasha sang out. "You lose, Stark!"
"Armor with a tutu," Tony teased.
"Just accept defeat gracefully!"
"Nope! Never gonna happen!" Tony called out as he headed off to finish his call.