Chapter 7: Bridesmaid
October 12th, 2013
Natasha was in the Bride's room of the wedding venue, getting the final touches prepared for the ceremony coming in front of her. She was already in her dress sitting and watching Pepper get the final touches put on her dress and freaking out about the ceremony to come.
The only piece of jewelry Natasha had on was the silver arrow necklace that Clint gave her, just because she never took that off. She rarely took off Steve's dog tags, but they just looked too blocky with the rest of the outfit. So she placed them safely away in her underwear drawer, knowing Steve wouldn't take them back because he knew she loved them.
She had come to a relative agreement with Pepper and Tony the last couple weeks. She knew that Tony hadn't forgiven her and it would take some time if it ever happened, but they fell into a professional relationship, working for Pepper and not spending a lot of other time together.
Otherwise, the last couple weeks or so were just about perfect in Natasha's opinion. She still had her pizza nights with Clint, Facetimed Laura as well when Steve was out and got an update on the kids. Little Natasha was going along just great, growing up nice and strong. The rest of the time she spent with Steve though, except for the time she was doing bridesmaid stuff. They caught a Knicks game, went to that diner, caught a couple of movies, just a whole bunch of domestic stuff. And what was weird, was Natasha loved every second of it. Steve stayed over some nights, which was just fine with Natasha. He could move in with her at this point and she would be alright. She fell hard and fast for the soldier, and their nights together were the best she had ever had in her life.
She only did two other things without Steve, and the first was to have a particularly infuriating meeting with Fury and Hill. Apparently, the new Shield had already started up behind the scenes, just like she thought it would. Fury called her just to get some recommendations on agents for the new 'A' team that Shield would have. Natasha had provided the names of Barbra Morse, Melinda May, Lance Hunter, Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons, and Mack Makenzie. Fury then said that the new director had also picked up another addition to the team. Natasha had originally wanted to ask who it was, but then stopped herself and asked who the new director was. Fury said that he wanted to stay behind the scenes and Hill was already a part of Stark Industries, probably working closely with the Avengers when they went after the remainder of Hydra. So, the new director was Phil Coulson.
Natasha didn't think she could curse that long and hard at Fury and Hill, but when she got into Russian, it was really simple to last for a while. She didn't try to understand how it worked, but she was going to meet with the new members of Shield a couple days after the wedding, and she was going to have a lengthy conversation with Phil Coulson about his little 'death'.
"-And are the musicians in position? I know they had trouble getting here..." Pepper said, taking Natasha out of her thoughts.
"I talked them through it, they are on the stage and ready," Terra replied, trying to keep Pepper calm.
Pepper nodded with relief as the seamstress adjusted the parts to her wedding gown. She'd hired a wedding coordinator so she could actually enjoy her wedding and worry about... less things, and it was partially working. Pepper would admit she was very capable and felt she could push aside her anxiety at making sure everything was perfect.
The wedding coordinator, Alice, smiled with reassurance at Pepper. "Everything is on schedule. I am going to check on the groom, okay? Be back in a jiffy."
Alice walked out, talking into her walkie-talkie on the way. Pepper blew out a slow breath and looked down at her dress. It was rather beautiful and her style. It had a low back and was satin, jewels embedded on the straps to the simplistic jewel belt around her waist. The gown was graceful in not being too blown up, and Natasha had to admit it was one of the finer wedding dresses that she had ever seen. Her hair was twisted in an intricate up-do style with the veil tucked in and trailing down to the floor.
"Oh Virginia! You look beautiful, dear!" Pepper's mother said from the doorway, one of the many surprises that Terra had prepared for Pepper and swore Natasha to secrecy.
Pepper looked over to see her mother dabbing at her eyes with a tissue at the doorway.
"Oh, if only your father could see you," Mrs. Potts murmured waveringly.
"Mom," Pepper blinked back her watering eyes. "Don't make me cry, I'll ruin my make-up," she complained weakly.
"Oh, sorry!" her mom said.
Terra walked over to the nearby vanity, carrying three velvet boxes balancing on top of each other. Her hair was swooped to the side in soft waves, a french braid on the opposite side to pin it down.
"Alrighty," Terra bumbled excitedly. "So, as requested, we have your something old, something new, and something blue." She set the boxes down side by side before picking up the closest one. "This is from your mother," Terra explained before opening the box to reveal a crystal ladybug brooch.
Pepper's mother sniffed emotionally before picking it up delicately. "Your grandmother wore this to her wedding and I wore it to mine. You don't have to wear it, of course, but it's passed to you now," she smiled wistfully before putting it in Pepper's hand.
"Thank you, mom," Pepper murmured before pinning the brooch to the right side near her strap.
Her mother excused herself to freshen up in the bathroom in a choked voice.
"Next, your something new." Terra said, gesturing to Natasha who managed this one.
Natasha smiled and went to get the second box, looking over at Pepper with a smile. "You already know what they are though." Natasha said and opened the box to reveal Pepper's wedding shoes. They were white closed-toe heels with a steeled toe. "Just in case you need to kick Tony if he messes up his vows," Natasha joked and it made Pepper smile a bit.
"Thank you Natasha," Pepper said. "For doing all of this. I know it hasn't been easy, but I appreciate everything. It's all perfect. And the something blue?" Pepper asked, not having any idea of what it was. The CEO raised a brow when Terra suddenly looked a bit nervous.
"Okay, yeah. It was my job to pick it, as your esteemed maid of honour-" Pepper rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "-But, uh, the thing is, your something blue is something...red," Terra finished a bit sheepishly.
"Red," Pepper repeated.
"Red," Terra confirmed. "Blue is overrated anyways. And I wanted you to have something meaningful, but it turns out you have no blue meaningful things that are wedding appropriate-" She rambled.
"Terra, just show me."
The former negotiator opened the third box. Inside was the necklace made from Tony's shrapnel that he gave her, the small, simple, and red crystal heart laying centre. Pepper sighed fondly at the memory and picked it up. "But, how did you-"
"Oh, Bruce told me. He was there when Tony was making it." Terra said.
Pepper put it on, tapping a finger against the heart. "Thank you, Terra. It's perfect to wear today," she said gratefully.
Alice opened the door and poked her head in. "Ladies, it's time."
Natasha got up and headed out with Terra and the other bridesmaid that was there, who was Pepper's personal assistant at the time. Natasha would be going in second after the assistant, and before Terra. Pepper's mother would be walking her down the aisle.
"Alright, the men are running a few minutes late but this was anticipated," Alice said calmly to Pepper, preparing for a breakdown. Pepper, however, remained composed and just sighed in resignation. "It was bound to happen."
They got to the hallway outside the chapel and saw Happy standing there.
"Good to go," Happy said. "Everyone in one piece."
"Everyone ready?" Alice checked, finger on her headpiece. Pepper swallowed nervously, fiddling with her bouquet of red roses. She looked to Terra who placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling with reassurance. "It'll be great, Pepper. Take it in, and breathe," the negotiator said.
Pepper nodded and exhaled slowly. Alice ordered in her mic for the band to cue the music, gesturing for the bridesmaids to get in line with Terra first. "Ready?" Alice asked with a small smile. Terra nodded, clutching her bouquet of white roses. Alice stepped aside and gestured for the two men at the doors to open them.
The assistant walked in and then it was Natasha's turn. She entered the chapel and made her way down the aisle, looking at Steve who was standing third in line at the altar, Rhodes to his left, and Bruce standing next to Tony as his best man. Natasha smiled at Steve who gave her a big smile back, and she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like should Steve and herself be in this position at some point in the future. Natasha took her spot in line and Terra followed her a bit after, and then came Pepper.
The guests all stood up, and Pepper entered, walking down the aisle and smiling, eyes never leaving Tony. Natasha smiled at her reaction, very happy for the both of them. Pepper and her mother reached the altar and Pepper's mother put her daughter's hand in Tony's before taking her seat in the front row, sniffing.
The CEO stood level to Tony, squeezing his hand lovingly. "You're late," she whispered with a blissed-out smile, not sounding mad at all.
"And you're marrying me anyway," Tony said, trademark smirk on his face.
The justice of the peace went through the ceremony and it eventually came to the vows. Tony cleared his throat. "So, um, I figured I'd wing this, since, well, I wing everything else and that seems to turn out good in the end. I mean, it led me to you, right? So that's... significant. Um." He fidgeted on the spot, forcing himself to keep eye contact with Pepper. "Pepper... I love you. So much. I coudn't- You mean- You mean the world to me.
"When everyone else took my shit, you didn't. When everyone told me I was right, you didn't. When everyone betrayed or left me, you didn't. And I'm so... thankful. I'm so grateful for you, Pep. To you. I don't- I don't know what I'd do without you. I don't even think I could tie my shoes without you." He gave himself a mental pat on the back for that callback. "Even though I don't own shoes with laces."
The audience laughed.
"I still don't know my SIN number. I don't know who's who at parties. I'm still not punctual, or polite even. I'm not chivalrous or sentimental-"
The audience laughed.
"That- that wasn't a joke."
There was some awkward coughing.
"Anyway," Tony pressed on. "I'm not trying to say that I use you for those things - even though I do. What I'm trying to say is... You make me a better man. In every possible way. I'm a futurist. Everyone knows that. So it must mean something when I can't see a single future without you in my life."
Pepper cleared her throat, clearly touched and trying to keep it together, and passed her bouquet to Terra, turning back to hold both of Tony's hands tightly. "I, um, had something memorized. I rehearsed it, and revised it. Twice," she added, trying to tape down her anxiety about going off book. But she knew it felt right. "But with all of the things I take care of for you, it was you who taught me to improvise."
"Everyone... told me I was insane to work for you," she laughed a bit, not able to hold back her grin. "They were right. But one of the greatest pleasures of my life was slowly and surely understanding you. Of course, you still do things where I will never understand the thought process behind them," Pepper said with a slight roll of her eyes and the audience chuckled. "But you keep things interesting that way."
This time, she looked Tony deep in the eyes, giving his hands a squeeze. "Everyone keeps asking me why I'm with you. It's because I know you. And the more I got to know, the more I fell in love. And I don't love you despite your flaws," she said firmly, raising a hand to cup his cheek. "I love everything. I promise there won't be a day where I don't love you as much as I do right now."
There probably wasn't a dry eye in the room as the justice of the peace asked for the rings. Terra passed the bouquets to Natasha and she dug in her dress pocket for the satin pouch of rings. She passed them to the justice, who handed them to Pepper and Tony. "Do you, Virginia Anne Potts, take Anthony Edward Stark as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, through sickness and health, till death do you part?"
A tear slipped past, falling down her cheek but she was smiling with all the love in the world. "I do."
"And do you, Anthony Edward Stark, take Virginia Anne Potts as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, through sickness and health, till death do you part?"
Hell, yes." He didn't even wait - couldn't wait. He surged forward and kissed her, pulling her waist as tightly to him as he possibly could. The crowd cheered loudly. Rhodey whooped. Bruce slyly wiped away a tear of his own. Steve smiled, heart swelling in his chest, and Natasha could only look on with her own smile, feeling so happy for the couple.
The audience clapped as Tony and Pepper left together and everyone started making their way out of the chapel and towards the reception hall that was just across the street. Natasha filed out and met up with Steve as they went to fulfill their obligations to the pictures and headed to the reception hall themselves.
Natasha grabbed her present for the bride and groom on their way there, and this was the second trip that she had taken the last couple of weeks.
Natasha extended some of the most expensive resources she had. She had to dip into her web to get this gift, but she was hoping it would continue to mend the completely torn down bridge. Inside a small box were three things. The first was a picture of Ho Yinsen and his family. She had to go back to where she kidnapped him in his home and track where the belongings went. The original frame was cracked, so she put it in a new one. The second was very tricky. They were Ho's eyeglasses he had in the cave. She went and found the last cell of the Ten Rings and threatened them pretty severely for information. She found where Stark was held and where the bodies had been very crudely buried. She found his eyeglasses and took them with her, and gave what she could only assume was Ho a proper burial. She owed him that much. The last thing was a USB of the conversations Tony had with Ho during his capture. She got everything from their first encounter to their last. The last part of the gift was tricky, but she hoped Stark would appreciate it.
The card inside was pretty simple. It read:
Tony,
You hate me, and I understand why. I just hope this keeps us on the track to repairing us so we can trust each other when we go after Hydra.
-N
The reception was a pretty common reception with some upsides. The food was great and there was an open bar with free drinks all around. The cake was glamorous and delicious. She sat at the front table next to Steve, as the seating chart allowed for the couples to sit together. She had a great time, she had to admit that. Granted it was the first wedding she had attended that wasn't her being undercover for the Red Room or Shield.
The best man and maid of honor speeches were great and soon enough Tony and Pepper were out on the dance floor for their first dance. Natasha leaned a bit on Steve's shoulder as the music played and she felt his hand wrap around her waist. Nothing could ruin this moment.
About ten minutes later, the floor opened up for other couples and Natasha got up and dragged Steve over there. They started to slow dance and Natasha almost had to laugh at how awkward and clunky Steve looked, practically staring a hole in her shoes as he tried not to step on her feet.
"I, uh... My mom... She... she used to dance with me in the kitchen kind of like this," Steve said, trying to make conversation as they kept dancing.
Natasha listened thoughtfully and chuckled at his awkwardness as he kept looking down at their feet.
"Steven, relax," Natasha said. "Take a breath. Pull me close."
Natasha shifted Steve's hand position a bit and snuggled up tighter to him, her chest pressed against his. She rested her arms around his shoulders as she moved his hands to her waist.
"Now take one step," Natasha said, much gentler with Steve than she was with Clint a couple years ago.
She moved with him, slowly so he would get it, but in perfect harmony. Her body fit almost perfectly with his, and they were in sync like they've known each other for decades.
"Keep your eyes locked on mine," Natasha said as he glanced down again. "And let the music be your guide."
Natasha had shut the world out around her, only focusing on Steve. Not noticing Terra and Bruce nearby talking to Terra's family. Not Tony and Pepper dancing across the floor. Not Clint, looking on proudly from the head table as he watched his best friend start falling for someone hard. Just Steve.
"You know I danced a lot," Natasha said, bringing up more conversation as they danced, getting Steve to calm down even more. "The cover for the Red Room was a ballerina school, and we were given dancing lessons. They were for cover, but also to give us grace and balance in the field. But I loved them. They were my escape from my awful life. Where I could just be Natalia Romanova and not a Black Widow. I still dance today, whenever I'm feeling down. It relaxes me, reminds me of times when I was the happiest."
Natasha took a breath and gave him a genuine smile, one she didn't give to many people.
"But this has been the best dance of my entire life."
"Me too," he said softly he said after a minute, perhaps not loud enough to be heard over the music, but he knew she could read his lips. Feeling a little bolder, he dared to pull her just a smidgen closer. "Until our next one."
Natasha smiled as she looked over her shoulder to see Terra and a young girl dancing. She immediately felt sorry she couldn't have that, couldn't give Steve that, but she was going to try.
"You know," Natasha said, building up a lot of courage. "A lot of people don't want to see us together. The media doesn't want it, they think I'm a criminal. Shield probably doesn't want it, or whatever is left of it, including Fury. Terra said she was happy about it, but the whole speech she gave me had a decently dark tone to it. Stark would probably kill you if he found out. It just seems like it's not in the stars for us to be together."
Natasha took a deep breath.
"But you know what, I'm starting to not care. I know what Serena did to you, I read up on it and know that she hurt you. It must have been really hard, and I'm warning you that there might be a time where I'll shut you out the same way, that's just me. But, I'll get better at it. I'm going to try to get a lot better at it. I know I'll never be Peggy Carter, but I'm hoping to be something different."
Natasha smiled and gestured behind her to the children dancing.
"I'll never be able to give you a family, but I'll start checking into it. For you, for us. And I don't think we need to hide anymore. I'm the Black Widow for God's sake, I need to start acting like her."
Steve could only pull her close and kiss her in answer. He pulled away and gently leaned their foreheads together. "Let's do it," he said.
A/N
Chapter contributors: A Velvet Rose & SarahCon. Reviews are always appreciated!