Clint was very very close to his breaking point. Natasha was having her baby at this very moment and here he was watching his idiotic friends.

"For the last time, how did you guys do this?" He snapped as he watched Tony trying to free himself.

"He told me I couldn't steal from the vending machine so I told him to do it. Once he stuck his hand up the slot I stuck him there." Wanda said calmly. More calmly than Clint wanted.

"Tell her to let me go!" Tony begged. He jerked his hand again but the metal twisting around his fingers was too tight.

Clint ran his hands over his eyes.

"Wanda," he started calmly, "will you please just let him go?"

She shook her head stubbornly, "he deserves it."

"Guys! Natasha- woah. What happened here?" Bruce looked confused as he took in the scene. Tony with his arm in the vending machine while Wanda sat nearby reading a magazine. He took one look at the murderous look on Clint's face and knew not to push it.

"Um, never mind, I don't need to know. What I was going to say was Natasha had her baby!"

"What?!" All three of them immediately forgot the problem and looked eagerly at Bruce.

"Is it a girl?" Tony demanded.

He smiled, "come see for yourself."

Clint took off at a run with Wanda close behind him. As Wanda got distracted her hold on the metal trapping Tony loosened. He pulled himself free and hurried after them.

When they got there Steve met them at the door, practically bursting with pride.

"Did she do it? Is she alright?" Clint instantly demanded. Because if she wasn't he was going to-

"Oh she's great! Better than great!"

Clint raised an eyebrow, Steve was practically vibrating from joy.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course! Although, maybe just one at a time because she is still pretty tired."

Clint laughed. Had he been single he would have felt annoyed at this new bossiness. However as a father to three kids he knew just what it felt like to have a new little human in his life.

Quickly following him in he almost immediately saw her. Well, the littler her.

"Clint!" Natasha exclaimed. She grinned at him, "you came!"

"Of course I came, there was no way I could miss out on my best friend becoming a mother. Now you can join me and Laura in the sleepless nights club."

"Hey! I want at least another couple of hours of bliss before you start telling me about your kids as babies." She joked.

Shrugging, he moved to her side and paused as he saw the baby. Glancing up at Steve he nodded.

"She looks like you both."

And she did. She was small like, her mother, with the same nose but the bright blue eyes and mouth were purely Steve.

Bending over he smiled at her.

"Hey there little one. I'm Clint, the better uncle, so don't let Tony tell you otherwise."

Natasha rolled her eyes at the same time her daughter made a little grunt of displeasure.

Clint laughed, he couldn't help it. Like mother like daughter.

After a couple of minutes of talking to Natasha he decided it was time to take his leave. Everyone was bound to be pretty tired by the whole ordeal and he wanted the new parents to have some time together before the rest of the Avengers came in.

Quietly exiting he filled everyone else of the good news and informed them that they should wait before going to see their newest addition.

•••

It was during the night he returned.

He didn't especially want to go to into a brightly lit building with lots of people in it but Natasha was worth the sacrifice.

Slipping through the halls he managed to get up to the level she was on unnoticed. When he reached the common room he felt an unexpected smile tug his lips up. The rest of the Avengers were all there, asleep on and around the furniture.

Quietly he went around them and entered the room Steve had told him she would be in. He saw her almost immediately. She was still awake despite the late hour and as he watched she gently rocked her baby.

He must have made some sort of noise though because she looked up. Spotting him she smiled.

"I wondered where you were."

He moved further into the room, "I didn't want to intrude."

"Nonsense. You're always welcome."

Raising his eyebrow at the last sentence he changed the subject.

"I see you've had your baby. Is it a girl or a boy?"

Natasha wasn't fooled by the subject change. Still, she couldn't resist showing off her new daughter.

"She's a girl. Here." Beckoning him closer she held her out to him.

His eyes widened as he took in what she wanted him to do.

"I can't do that."

"Yes you can. Don't worry she's tougher than she looks."

"Like her mother." He murmured but still refused to take her.

"Come on, you won't hurt her, I know you."

The baby, growing colder began to whimper and Bucky looked panicked as her small face scrunched up with displeasure.

Natasha gave him a stern look, "you have to do this soon before you wake up Steve."

Bucky hesitated for a second more before finally scooping up the small unhappy bundle. Holding her delicately he stared at her and then looked anxiously at Natasha when she continued to whimper.

"You have to take her back!" He whispered frantically.

She shook her head, "No! Just talk to her and rock her."

Bucky, looking extremely uncomfortable, thought quickly before carefully lifting her up and whispering something into her ear.

Gradually her cries grew quieter and she stared up at him with interest.

Natasha was impressed, "what did you say?"

"I told her she needed to be quiet or else her father would wake up and then her mother would be disappointed."

She glared. "Uh huh, at least she likes you or else you would be dead."

Shrugging he returned his gaze back down in time to see her reach out a small hand that, coincidentally, rested on his metal arm.

Rocking her he watched as her eyelids slid closed and she went back to sleep.

This time when he offered her back to Natasha, she gratefully took her back.

He smiled as she fussed over her for a second before relaxing and settling her in close to her side.

"You're a natural at being a mother." He said.

Looking up she made a face, "maybe. But you'd be a good father, the way you talk to her calmed her instantly."

His expression, which had been soft, hardened slightly and he turned away slightly.

"Have you picked a name?" He asked stiffly.

She watched him sadly. When would he realize he wasn't just the assassin that Hydra had made him to be?

"I have, do you want to hear it?"

He looked tempted for a moment before looking over at Steve. Considering him for a long moment he turned back to her and shook his head.

"You should tell her father first."

And then he was gone.