Author's Notes: Shannon K: Thank you for the kind words. My intention was to make this story emotional so I'm glad it's having the desired effect.
The next Friday afternoon after school, Lila found herself bored.
Even among the expansive compound.
She was currently in her room.
She had a sketchbook in her lap.
A pencil in her hand which she twirled between her fingers.
Colored pencils on the pillow next to her.
Trying to come up with some new designs for her trick arrows.
Using her dad's old designs as inspiration.
She had downloaded them onto her laptop when Nat gave them to her.
Which was opened on her bed next to her on her on the blankets.
She was laying on it with the windows open.
A warm breeze flowing through the curtains inside.
She was currently sketching one where the arrow split into two arrows and then the arrow tips split again.
Making four arrow tips that would strike the targets which she drew as people.
The fourteen year old sighed and took off her plaid shirt which she wore over her t shirt.
Tossing it near the end of the bed.
When she was isn't in here she was either outside at the targets, shooting.
Reading from the seemingly endless selection of books in the library.
Hoarding more and more of them on her bookshelves.
And swimming in the pool or diving off the regulation board.
She knew the school had a swim team and since she was going to be in 9th grade next year she wanted to try out.
Kate had texted her saying they had a fencing team as well.
Along with the decathlon team.
The hole in her heart was still there.
The one left by her parents and brothers.
The hole that would never be filled again.
But Nat was right.
She needed to say goodbye.
And seeing her Aunt who she always loved and idolized for being so strong… for showing how just she missed them too with her.
She had seen her cry twice now.
She still showered her with love and affection.
Just like she always did for as long as she remembered.
But she noticed her trying to make up for the love she would never get again.
And she did feel something change in their relationship since they left the farm.
She wasn't just her aunt anymore.
No.
Not like she was before even though she promised her nothing would change between them.
But still, something changed in their relationship.
She drove her to school every day.
Asked about her schoolwork, genuinely interested in what she was learning and offered help.
Cooked her meals and packed her lunches.
Was there any time, day, or night, for her the past year when the grief and sadness became too much for her to bare over the past year.
She tapped the pencil against her sketchbook when it dawned on her.
Her eyes growing wide in realization.
She was technically her adoptive mom but she had said that was just so she could stay with her.
But now but the way she treated her was just like her mom treated her… until…
The way she treated her from the first day had made it so clear.
She saw her as her mom now.
She didn't obviously didn't have children of her own.
"Until now…" she muttered, sinking back into the pile of pillows against her bedframe.
She saw it clear as day.
But she didn't want to ask her about it.
At least not yet.
She loved what they had currently and didn't want to scare her.
If she had disappeared…
She couldn't even think about a life without her.
She was her daughter now.
A knock on her dad snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Lila, it's me. Can I come in?" she heard Nat's voice on the other side of the closed door.
"It's open." she replied and Nat opened the door.
"Hi sweetheart." she greeted with a smile while walking in.
"Hi." she smiled back.
"Working on new designs?" Nat asked while nodding down at her sketchbook.
"Yeah, just trying to evolve from dad's old arrows." she held it up for her.
Nat took while sitting down at the edge of the bed and began to go through the book.
Flipping each page at the surprisingly advanced designs drawn by the teenager.
"You are your father's daughter." she said amused.
Lila smiled faintly.
She flipped through more of the pages until she came across designs for an outfit.
She felt Lila tense while her eyes glanced between the black armor over a sketch of her.
Her head protected by a helmet with her bows strapped to her.
In a jumpsuit similar to what she always wore.
Nat opened her lips but closed them instantly.
Unsure what to say.
She did not want Lila to follow her and her dad's old life.
But she was still young so she decided to not raise the topic.
"Why black?" she finally asked.
"It's threatening. I'm a girl with only a bow and arrow" she shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't even have that, Lila." Nat stated.
"Yeah but people know who you are though." she argued.
Nat frowned, unsure how to take that.
She looked down at the well detailed design of the armor but closed the book and placed it in her lap.
"So I was thinking we take a little trip for the weekend? Get out of the compound for a bit?" she asked and Lila nodded.
"That does sound good. What did you have in mind?"
After the two packed their bags for the weekend, they loaded up the SUV and began the drive to the Catskills farther upstate in the late May sunshine.
Nat had the destination in the GPS on the screen.
Driving to it along the country road.
It was hilly as they drove farther upstate with thick mountainous green forest going by them quickly.
Seeing she was the only driver on the road the entire way there.
Passing lakes and trail heads.
Normally the roads and mountains would be filled with campers and hikers on their weekends in the mountains.
Not anymore, she noticed with a shiver.
She looked over to Lila in the passenger seat with her still there.
With headphones on, looking down at her phone in her hands and took a deep breath to calm herself.
Gripping the steering wheel with both her hands.
Saying she was surprised by the destination would be an underestimate.
And the call for the invitation the day before even more.
From… Tony Stark.
Inviting her and Lila to their new house in the Catskills for the weekend.
Granted, she figured the invite was more from Pepper than him.
Considering she knew he hadn't forgot or forgave her for betraying him at the airport in Leipzig.
She remembered how angry he was at Steve when he came back.
And at her at the hospital after Rhodey fell.
But still despite the enormous size the compound felt claustrophobic after spending months at a time in it she accepted the invitation.
Driving up farther into the Catskills, the GPS directed her off a smaller country road that twisted and turned through the mountains.
She turned down a smaller, narrower road which she saw was highlighted on the screen.
After a few miles, the road became a dirt road,
"You have arrived at your destination" was heard from the navigation but Nat looked up to see the dirt road going farther into the forest.
Lila looked up from her phone and took off her headphones.
"Are we there yet?" she asked her.
"Should be…" Nat answered while looking between the screen, it no longer showing the road but a lake.
The trees suddenly cleared to a well-manicured lawn with a large, secluded cabin like house with a wrap around porch and the lake behind it.
She pulled up to the end of the drive and the two got out.
The dust settling around them while they walked to the back and grabbed the bags.
Nat closed the hatch while Pepper walked off and down the steps to greet them.
"Hey Nat. Lila. Thank you for coming." she greeted warmly.
"Hello Pepper. Thank you for inviting us. Your home is lovely." Nat said kindly.
"Oh, thank you. It's good to see you again. You too, Lila." Pepper gave her a warm smile.
"Ms. Potts." she nodded.
Tony walked up behind them, getting their attention was the cries of an infant in his arms.
"Uh… Pep, Morgan is hungry…" he said as the baby cried and stretched her small arms in her onesie.
"Oh here I'll take her…" Pepper said while walking back to take her Lila eyeing Morgan with unease and tensed.
"And you can show them to their rooms." she smiled at Tony.
"Sure…" he sighed but nodded.
Pepper walked past him and inside the house while Tony past her to the two who watched them silently.
Nat failing to hide the surprise on her face.
"Tony…" she greeted with a nod.
"Romanoff." he nodded back but looked over to Lila who was right next to her.
"Lila…?" he asked unsure.
"Lila is fine. It's nice to meet you." she replied.
"You too. I'll uh show you two the house."
Tony showed them a brief tour of the house before heading upstairs.
He showed Lila her room, leaving just her and him while they walked down the hall.
"You look better, Tony." she said, breaking the awkward silence between them.
"Yeah well, it's hard to get any worse than my brief near death trip to space after having a moon thrown at you." he quipped sardonically.
Nat sighed.
"Listen… Tony… about what happened…" she began but they reached her bedroom door.
He turned to face her.
She saw the greying begin to appear in his hair and beard while he stared at her.
"Honestly, Romanoff, after everything that has happened.
I'm trying to not be resentful about it. I have more important things to worry about." he indicated.
"Thank you Tony. And I'm happy for you. Truly." she replied honestly.
"Yeah, well my sleep would disagree with you Romanoff."
After dinner, the four were out on the porch on rocking chairs.
The sun was setting behind the lake and the tree line along the shore.
The sound of birds chirping and bugs filling the air.
Loons were heard on the lake and fire flies began to fill the air.
Lila often found herself just staring at Morgan.
Memories of her brother Nate when he was younger flooded her mind when he was born.
Nat and Tony were talking in the rocking chairs.
Morgan was in Pepper's lap.
Lila watching her play with toy colorful keys.
She had her phone out, browsing mindlessly at it.
Trying to keep her mind off of Nate when Morgan tossed the key right by her sneakers.
Morgan began to cry but she reached down to grab them then got up to give them to her.
"Here you go, it's okay." she said in a calming voice.
Shaking the keys in front of her face playfully.
Morgan grabbing them with her small fingers and looking up at her curiously.
Pepper noticing how at ease she was with Morgan.
"Do you want to hold her?" she asked.
"Uh…" Lila said but found herself nodding.
Pepper smiled faintly before Lila held out her arms and Pepper lifted Morgan up to them.
She took her, supporting her head in the crook of her arm before sitting down in the empty chair next to her.
Nat glancing sideways, nervously with her eyes while she and Tony talked.
Morgan staring up at her curiously, grabbing her nose.
Lila smiled, taking one of her fingers so Morgan can grasp it.
Pepper noticing this wasn't the first time she held a baby.
"You're good with her." she complimented, seeing how at ease she was.
"Yeah, I helped out a lot with my brother…" she said but swallowed at the unease.
Nat worryingly looked over at her which Tony noticed.
"Nate. He was four…" was all she could say.
Doing her best to not break down right there but she held her emotions down.
Pepper gave her a sad smile.
When she arrived at the compound originally she had asked the spy who Lila was.
She told her and what happened to her.
And when they lost she felt sorry for the teenager for her loss.
"Well, Morgan seems to like you and she's very picky with who she likes." Pepper joked.
Lila smiled faintly before looking back down at Morgan who seemed to be suddenly interested in the collar of her shirt.
Grabbing it and she smiled.
Nat smiled to the side of her.
"Want another drink?" Tony asked her.
She looked down to her empty glass of whiskey and nodded.
"Yeah. Thank you." she handed him the glass and got up to follow him back inside.
They walked inside the kitchen where Tony reached for a bottle high up on top of the fridge.
The two gathered around the island where he opened the bottle but sighed.
Nat seeing how tired he was.
"Morgan keeps you up at night doesn't she?" she asked and he nodded.
"Yeah. She's fine for the most part during the day. I'm surprised she hasn't been crying out there." he joked, nodding out back towards Lila.
"She's good at calming a baby. Nate loved her more than Laura." she said fondly.
"Her younger brother, right?" Tony asked.
"Yeah. Was…" Nat said, shuddering.
Tony frowned, seeing her unease while pouring her drink.
She downed it instantly.
"I'm sorry about the kid. Lila. Barton. Her whole family. God…" he sighed.
Downing his glass as well.
Refilling his and hers again.
"She's… been strong." was all she can say.
"Kids are surprisingly resilient." Tony replied.
He leaned against the sink, across from her.
"Yeah…" Nat said, unsure what else to say.
The awkward silence filling the room.
"So, got any advice for me?" Tony asked.
"Advice on what?" she asked back, taking a sip from her glass.
"On raising a girl. God I can only imagine how much of a handful Morgan will be when she's Lila's age. You're the parent here, anyway." he joked.
"I'm not her parent Tony…" she corrected.
"Look, Romanoff. I'm clearly not an expert at this. I'm still trying to figure this out. But from what I see what you and Lila have clearly isn't just an honorary Aunt relationship, anymore. Just an observation from me, anyway." he said, walking back outside before Nat could respond.
She heard the screen door close, leaving her along with Tony's words.
Even though he didn't say that word she knew what he meant.
A mother.
Was she a motherly figure to Lila now?
She would always have Laura.
She didn't wanna replace her.
But still she wasn't blind to see a change in their relationship.
Especially since the farm.
How could she be?
This unnerved her.
It felt like something unspoken was beginning and she thought back to how the two interacted with each other the past year.
And how she clung on to her.
It became as clear as day now.
Overtime she had become Lila's mom.
Tony was right.
Night had fallen and everyone had taken their leave.
Lila was in her guest room.
One of the lights were turned on.
It was past 1 am and she was awake.
In a pair of sweatpants and a t shirt with her hair down and headphones on.
The nightmares had stopped… for the most part.
But she still struggled when it came to sleeping.
When Auntie Nat noticed and asked her she just said she was fine.
Even after her persistence since she knew Auntie Nat knew she was lying about it.
She just couldn't get her mind to turn off.
Especially at night when she wanted to sleep.
She reached for her glass of water at the end table and drank it.
Shifting off the bed while taking off her headphones which were wrapped around her neck, she opened the door to the darkened hallway.
Seeing Nat's door closed, she walked down it and the down the stairs towards the kitchen.
She heard Tony talking to a female voice and raised an eyebrow.
That voice wasn't Pepper or Auntie Nat.
"Processing…" she heard the feminine voice.
"Render complete." she peaked between the banister and the ceiling to see him by a holotable.
It projecting a holographic of one of his Iron Man suits.
He looked up to see her at the bottom of the stairs and she cringed.
"Sorry. I was just getting some water…" she held up her glass awkwardly..
"No. It's fine. FRIDAY just hasn't been considerate of our guests." he joked.
"Unlikely. Perhaps if you worked at normal hours…" the A.I. quipped back.
Lila smiled.
Slowly walking up to the table.
"FRIDAY, is an A.I. right?"
"Correct. Lila Barton. " FRIDAY answered.
"What are you doing?" she asked Tony curiously.
"Oh, nothing. Just tinkering." Tony said simply.
Lila frowned, looking up and down at the holographic of the suit.
"This is nanotech, right?" she asked.
"Yeah. I've been working on it for a few years. Had the first test run with it last year." he indicated and she nodded in understanding.
"Nanotech repairs itself right?" she asked.
"Yes…" he said, slightly surprised which she noticed.
"I've been working on dad's trick arrows. I have his bow now." she shrugged her shoulders.
"Oh, so you're the archer now?" he asked amused.
"Yes. Yes I am." she tilted her chin up proudly.
Tony smiled.
"So what are you doing up? Can't sleep?" he asked her who shrugged.
"I don't sleep well anymore." she said quietly.
"Me neither. That's why I work when Morgan is asleep." he said while reaching for a bowl of nuts.
Taking a handful while offering Lila some who took a handful herself.
"So where do you keep the nano particles?" she asked curiously.
He enlarged the holographic to his chest piece and highlighted it.
"Oh…" she said, feeling slightly stupid in front of the genius.
"Relax. It's fine. Your Aunt told me about your designs. I'm impressed." he complimented.
"Really?" she asked surprised who nodded.
"I've got my sketchbook upstairs if you wanna see them." she offered.
"Sure, why not. I don't think either of us are going to sleep anytime soon." he smiled.
She smiled back and quietly went back upstairs to retrieve her sketchbook.
The two spent some time going over her dozens of designs.
Tony offering his input which she eagerly accepted.
It was past three in the morning now and she yawned.
"We can pick this back up in the morning." Tony offered.
"Yeah. Thanks." she said but thought of an idea.
Turning back to him who raised an eyebrow.
"Have they ever made a bow out of nanotech?"
The rest of the weekend flew by for Lila.
She spent most of it with Tony by the holotable.
Working on the blueprints for a new bow.
And when Tony saw her armor he offered to make it out of nano tech as well.
She even offered some advice with the nanotech and his suit.
He suggested engineering as a career path for her when she graduated in four years.
Something she never considered before.
Nat often observed the two.
Loving to see Lila so engaged on their projects.
When she wasn't working with Tony she spent time with Pepper and Morgan.
Offering to help out with the infant.
The next thing Lila knew she was saying their goodbyes by the SUV.
Nat shook Tony's hand while she hugged Pepper who was holding Morgan.
"Bye Pepper. Thank you for inviting me." she said politely.
"Oh, you're welcome. Don't become a stranger." she offered.
"Not with Morgan I won't." she smiled.
Cooing the baby who smiled at her.
Melting her heart.
She clenched her tiny fingers gently before letting got. Her and Nat shifting positions.
"So I'll send you dad's designs if you want. I have them on my laptop." she offered to Tony.
"Sounds good. We can work on the bow over video chat. And I'm serious about engineering. You have a brain for it. Keep your grades up and an internship at Stark is in your near future. And for college consider MIT." he offered with a handshake which she took.
"I already have straight A's. Thank you Mr. Stark." she nodded.
He nodded back approvingly.
"Bye Hawklet!" he joked.
She smiled, liking the nickname.
Nat glancing to her with concern about her the reference to her dad's old name but relaxed, seeing her smiling.
"Goodbye, Mr. Stark."
She and Nat got into the car while Tony, Pepper and Morgan watched Nat back up the car.
Lila waved at them as Nat turned the car around and drove away.
She turned her head to Lila who was looking back through the two seats to get one last glance at Morgan before they disappeared behind the line of trees.
"Have a fun weekend?" she asked her who turned around and looked over to her.
Still smiling.
"I did."
