Chapter 15: Shattered
December 31st, 2013
Avengers Compound, Upstate New York
Natasha stepped out of the shower as she was getting ready for the New Year's Eve party that Tony was throwing at the Tower. The last month had been crazy and hectic. She had fought with the Avengers and Steve for the better part of this last year since DC happened, but she couldn't say she was really used to working with a team yet, so the drilling each day was still new to her.
She had been able to keep up on all of the workouts and had weekly checkups with Helen to make sure the baby was progressing nicely. The few missions she went on in the last month she always had an extra layer of kevlar over her stomach and luckily no one seemed to notice.
The big event was meeting Ava Orlova, for real. A while back, she had rescued a young girl that was the subject of various Red Room experiments and gotten her into Shield custody. The young girl, Ava, was connected to one of the Red Room's top generals, Ivan Somodorov. Next to Dreykov he was one of the top people, and when Natasha took out Dreykov in Budapest those years ago, he had most likely taken back over.
Ava had been frantically searching for her and reaching out and Natasha had finally listened. She wasn't really the big sister type, but the recent months made her realize exactly what it meant and she reconnected with Ava.
The young girl was pissed at her for sure, Natasha hadn't been in contact since she rescued her and Natasha couldn't blame her. But, they managed to work together and take down Ivan once and for all. Since then, Natasha brought Ava back to the Compound to stay there with them. Along with Natasha's lessons to Wanda, she had also spent some time training with Ava and honing her skills and powers. Natasha had an idea to start a program for young people with powers. To get them the proper training they needed and a safe place.
For tonight, she had a party to attend, as she went to her closet in her and Steve's shared apartment in the Compound and picked out a dress. She was going to tell the team tonight about the pregnancy, and she had a way to surprise them all, she just needed something until then. She picked out a nice black dress that hugged her form very well and looked very good on her. She knew she wouldn't be able to wear stuff like this for much longer and she was going to take every advantage of it.
She clipped on some earrings, made sure Steve's dog tags and her silver arrow necklace were on, and clipped on a nice silver watch that Steve had gotten for her shortly after she told him about their baby, as a gift to her.
He had recently started collecting watches as Natasha knew he needed something to do in his spare time aside from sketching and working out, so she suggested that. It was working well for him. The cleaning and slight tinkering kept him busy, plus he looked very good in them with a suit.
She walked out of their room and saw Steve sitting on the couch, dressed in a nice black suit and ready to go.
"You look great," he commented, smiling and standing up to greet her.
"You look pretty good yourself," Natasha said, walking over and adjusting his tie a bit till it was up to her standards.
Natasha looked up at him and decided to run her plan through Steve before just springing it on him tonight. She walked over to a box she had on the table and glanced back over at him.
"So for the party tonight, I want to tell the team about the baby," Natasha said, getting the shirt out. "I think this is creative enough."
Natasha turned around to show Steve the shirt. It was a simple gray one, with a Captain America shield around her stomach where the baby would be, and the text read 'Future Avenger On The Way'.
"What do you think?" Natasha asked.
His eyebrows raised of their own accord. "Are you sure? I mean, I'm happy that you want to tell them - I'm really, really pleased - I just- I love the shirt. It's great. I mean, are you sure that you want to tell them? Tonight?"
Natasha knew that Steve had always advocated for telling the team. They deserved to know things that could affect the mission and their team members, not to mention the fact that they were some of their closest friends. But Natasha had always wanted to play it close to the chest.
"Of course I'm for it. I just wonder... what brought this on?"
"Besides the fact that Wanda probably already knows and is just being polite," Natasha said, smiling. "I mean she can read minds and with all the private training I've been giving her, I'm sure she's picked up on it."
Natasha had taken responsibility for the majority of Wanda's training, even though Steve and Terra were the leaders. She had decades more combat experience than both of them, and Wanda needed a very specific touch with her powers, so Natasha volunteered. They both went to the team workout in the morning, and then Natasha and Wanda went off to do the private training while Steve and Terra did more specialized training with the other members. It had been going very well so far, Wanda was getting better control on her powers and Natasha had even been teaching Wanda ballet to help her get some grace to her movement. It was a hard workout and also had good practice outside and in combat, and Wanda was excelling because of it.
"Plus I'm trying to learn how to be in a team," Natasha continued. "This changes how I would fight in the field, I mean I already have an enhanced suit to protect that area, and the team needs to know that. And I hate to admit it, but we probably need to talk to Pepper or someone that has a good relationship with the press about revealing our relationship and impending child. Someone is going to find out eventually, I mean I'm not a big person, so when I start showing I'm going to show. I'd rather it be on our terms than some tabloids."
Steve was smiling by the end of her speech. Unable to help himself, he tugged her closer and kissed her firmly on the mouth. "I think it's a great idea," he reiterated when they broke apart. He then bent down to press a light kiss on Natasha's stomach. "I can't wait to tell the whole world about you," he whispered to the baby. "I know they'll love you almost as much as I do."
"I'm glad you like my idea," Natasha said, adoring how Steve talked to her stomach. "And I doubt they'll love the baby more than you."
Natasha just basked in the adoration for a bit then. She would have never guessed she'd have anything like this in her life. Now she was here, part of a cohesive team, with a loving boyfriend and a child on the way. Something she knew she would sacrifice everything for, and she knew she couldn't say that about anything just about a year ago. Whatever deity was out there, if there even was one, certainly smiled upon her this year.
"We should probably get going," Natasha said. "To put it in Stark's words, the others will think we're playing hide the zucchini.
"Maybe we were," he said suggestively and kissed her stomach once more before standing up. "That's none of their business. We're not late. Not yet, anyway." He slid his hand in hers and led her out the door.
Stark Tower
They arrived about 20 minutes later, walking into the penthouse where most of the parties took place and surveyed the room. Wanda, Vision, Tony, Pietro, and Pepper were already there. They knew Bruce, Terra, and Sam would be coming as well. Rhodey was visiting family for the holidays so he wouldn't be able to attend. They headed over to the bar where there seemed to already be a conversation going
Wanda shook her head fondly, her smile for once not hidden by a curtain of hair since she'd pulled it back for tonight. She was wearing a very nice navy dress that went very well with her hair. "We really need to have a talk about that," she was saying to Vision. Steve and Natasha had just missed the context of this conversation.
"A talk about what?" Asked Steve. He hopped onto one of the barstools by Pietro and pulled one out for Natasha politely.
"Vizh keeps walking through walls," Wanda explained.
Tony was rummaging around in the cabinets to get the bar set up. "Yeah, wouldn't want him to walk in on anything... untoward." He placed a cocktail shaker on the counter with a smirk. "Friday, let's get this party started!"
Party type music began to play as Natasha settled in on her stool and smiled as she listened in on the conversation. Pietro nearly dropped his drink from the sudden start of the music while Vision remained unphased and Pepper just jumped a bit. She really should be used to this.
"I do recall it being a problem as Terra said I 'scared the living hell out of her' when she didn't hear me come in the training room," Vision admitted a tad sheepishly as he walked to join everyone at the bar. He took a seat on the other side of Pietro.
Pietro gave him a pat on the back. "Don't worry my magic phasing friend, I use the doors and still get in trouble," he joked, referring to the times he's sped into a room and had given quite a few people a startle.
The elevator opened and Terra, Bruce, and Sam walked out. Most amusingly, Terra had decided to dress up as a spitting image of Tony and Natasha bit back a laugh.
"Sup nerds," she greeted, jerking her head a bit to let the sunglasses slide down from her head to over her eyes.
"How long did you practice that?" Sam teased.
"None of your goddamn business," Terra retorted cheekily with finger-guns.
"Hey, Earthy!" Tony waved enthusiastically from behind the bar, the cap to a bottle of vodka lodged between his fingers. "Digging the look."
Steve was already nursing Tony's first served drink of the night (a glass of whiskey) and snickering at Terra's costume. "If there's a contest, you definitely win."
"Contest?" Wanda's ears perked and she settled into the fourth and final bar stool next to Natasha. "Was there a contest?"
Everyone turned to look at Tony, who waved one hand while pouring vodka into shot glasses with the other. "Nah, this was just good fun. But not as much fun as this." He slid one of the shot glasses to Pietro and another to Natasha.
Natasha caught the glass and looked down at it. She couldn't drink this, but if she didn't people would know what was going on. She wracked her brain on what to do and glanced over at Steve with an apologetic look before moving forward so the surprise would still be intact.
"Actually before we begin these rounds," Natasha said. "Since everyone is here, Steve and I have an announcement."
Natasha stood up and took a couple steps back. She opened the box and turned to put on the shirt. She took a breath and turned back around to read the room's expression. The room went dead silent as everyone took in what was on Natasha's shirt. Well, silent except for Pietro choking on the shot of vodka he inhaled. Wanda, having known for a while, simply smiled.
Steve was grinning. Actually, he seemed to be glowing, and if anyone had any doubt about who the father was, all it took was one look at Steve to lay those fears to rest.
Wine sloshed over Tony's fingers. He jumped and righted the bottle he'd forgotten that he'd been in the middle of pouring when Natasha made the announcement. He cursed under his breath and dabbed at the mess he'd made with a cloth napkin. He poured out the first couple sips of the over-full glass so that it wouldn't spill even more and then handed it off to Pepper, whom the drink was actually for.
"OH MY GOD!" Terra blurted out over Pietro's harsh coughing. "A b-baby! Tiny person!" She tugged on Sam and Bruce's sleeves as if they weren't seeing what she was seeing right now.
"Tiny person," Sam agreed slowly, still getting over the shock of it.
"Congratulations," Pietro choked out. Vision echoed the sentiment.
Pepper smiled softly. "That's so wonderful, congratulations you two," she said kindly, but Natasha could hear a tinge of slight jealousy in her voice and Natasha could very much understand.
Steve had told her that she and Tony were having trouble conceiving, and to see someone on the same team get pregnant by basically accident couldn't be easy to swallow.
"This is so great! Absolutely amazing!" Terra cried, throwing her arms around Natasha to hug her. "I'm so happy for you guys! You're gonna be such great parents! Ugh, so amazing!" She rambled, moving on to Steve to bear hug him. "Look at you! You're gonna be a dad, Stevie! What the hell!"
Bruce approached Natasha almost shyly after Terra had moved on to Steve. "Congrats," he said, smiling softly. "The two of you deserve a little bundle of joy." Being the awkward bean that he was, he very gently punched her on the arm in a moment of rare initiated contact.
Thank you," Natasha said, taking in the abrupt hug from Terra and then the more gentler touch from Bruce.
"Steve deserves this more than me," Natasha said with a smile to Bruce. "This is something he's always wanted, I'm just glad to be able to give it to him."
Natasha wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was terrified about all of this. Worried that her past would come back to haunt her and take the baby away. That the vision that Wanda gave her would come to life and she would be cut apart again. It was an awful thing to think about, so she pushed it down when she was around the team and confided in Clint and Laura when Steve was away and couldn't hear her.
"Congratulations," said Tony carefully but honestly. He raised the shot of vodka. "Any takers?"
"Yes! Shots! Let's drink for the baby and Natasha and Steve!" Terra chirped, still hyper on good news and taking the offered shot from Tony. She requested a few more and passed them along to Sam, Wanda, and Vision, those who didn't have a drink in their hand. Pietro looked like he was good for now and Bruce didn't partake. "To a growing family!"
Cheers were given and shots/drinks were thrown back/sipped. Vision's was slightly delayed as he had never taken a shot before but mimicked the others. Once congratulations were had and drinks were passed around, Tony suggested they all move to the sitting area where the couches were long enough to accommodate everyone.
Natasha had helped herself to some water and followed everyone to the couch. She took a seat on the edge seat on one of the couches across from Tony and smiled as the conversation continued on. She mostly just listened in, enjoying the camaraderie and still flying high on the emotions of her announcement.
She kept stealing glances at Tony and Pepper, however, and their reaction to the news. They seemed a little distant around that subject, and Natasha could only guess why. They had been married for a while now and no doubt wanted kids, and they were still unsuccessful, and yet Natasha had been dating Steve for just a couple months and now she had moved in with him and a child was on the way. It wasn't fair to them, and they probably thought that she didn't deserve this, and they would be right.
Natasha shook off that feeling however, and decided to focus on the positives of the entire thing. She was having a baby, and it was going to be the best damn baby alive.
Natasha returned to her thoughts when it sounded like people were discussing their favorite horror movies. Natasha smiled, knowing she was one for the classics and nothing could beat Halloween in her opinion. The movie Ouija was thrown out there and Steve had a confused look on his face.
"What's a wee-jee board?" Steve asked. Natasha knew he'd been around long enough to be caught up on everything important and lots of pop culture, but seventy years was still seventy years. There would always be something he had missed or something he didn't know.
"It's a board with the alphabet printed on it that people use to converse with the dead," Wanda explained with a straight face, although Natasha could tell that there was maybe a story behind that, since she kept glancing at Pietro.
"Cap, I'm disappointed in you." said Tony, uncrossing his legs and leaning forward. "Were horror movies not in your little notebook?"
Steve shrugged. "Not these ones, I guess."
Tony rubbed his chin in thought. "Wonder how much you do know. Hmm. You up for a challenge, Cap?" There was a promising gleam in his eye.
Steve, who had long finished his drink, grinned. "What did you have in mind?"
"By context, Tony seems to be fishing for a trivia contest," Natasha said, a smirk on her face. "But I feel that preying on someone who's spent the majority of his life in the 40s is kinda cheating. How about doubles to even it out?"
Natasha hoped by her friendly tone that Tony would go for this and not repel it immediately because of their tumultuous relationship.
Sam stood up from the couch, amused. "Yeah, you guys have fun with that." He walked around and nudged Terra, who wasn't really paying attention and munching on an ice cube from her drink. "Terra." She looked up, sunglasses a tiny bit crooked on her face. "What does that pool table look like to you?" Sam gestured to said table.
"Um." She took a long sip of her drink and smacked her lips before answering. "...A pool table."
"A beer pong table," he corrected with a grin.
She pursed her lips. "It's not regulation-sized."
"We won't be having regular players."
Well, he certainly wasn't wrong. "Save me a game to whoop your ass then. If we're doing doubles for trivia, Bruce will need a partner to fill in the very small gaps of his knowledge," she chirped, patting her boyfriend lightly on the head.
"Or you just secretly like trivia," Sam coughed and walked away.
"Lies!" she lied.
Pietro went over with Sam to set up the cups for beer pong on the pool table. He sure as hell wasn't going for trivia. Wanda wanted to watch her brother "get crushed in this American game" as she put it and Vision wasn't long after, leaving only the three couples on the couch.
"Friday can ask us questions about pop culture," Tony said, laying down the rules. "Anything in the last 110-some years is fair game, even if it was before Steven was born. First team to six points wins. Answers are first come, first serve. No buzzers. Just answers. Friday will know who was first. Any questions?"
"We making this interesting?" Natasha asked, feeling like putting some money down on something tonight. "Money, dares, anything for the winners or losers?"
"Ohmygod, yes!" Terra eagerly agreed, loving the stakes raised. "Money for the winners, dares for the losers? Winners can decide the dares?" She suggested.
"Sure, how much should we put in?" Pepper asked, never setting the price for the pool herself because it would be... too high.
"Um, how about however much we have on us? Stop if it's over $100." Terra was mainly directing that at Tony and Pepper.
Pepper put in $100 on the coffee table.
Terra put in $85 and two sticks of mint gum.
Steve reached into his back pocket and pulled out a well-used leather wallet. He tossed a couple of twenties and a five on the table accompanied by some ones for a total of $50. Natasha tossed in a couple of twenties and ones, plus a starbucks gift card as well. Bruce pulled a twenty from his breast pocket and placed his neatly on top of the pile. Tony put in his own $100 and then rubbed his hands together.
"Alright, boys and girls, let's get this show on the road. Music!" He pointed at the ceiling. On cue, some game show-sounding track began to play with heavy use of trumpets. Friday kept it brief and faded it out to speak over the party music that was still playing quietly in the background.
"First question," she began. "What popular science fiction movie was released on July 4th, 1985? You have unlimited guesses."
Tony's fingers itched for his phone so he could Google it but he held himself back and thought hard.
Bruce blinked, trying to remember where he was in 1985.
Steve began going down the list of the sci-fi movies Terra had watched with him.
"The Terminator?" Tony guessed.
"Incorrect."
"Robocop?" Steve also guessed.
"Incorrect."
It didn't take Natasha long to find the answer, she frequently watched American movies to perfect her accent during her time in the Red Room and while the Cold War was winding down, there was still the threat of war.
"Back to the Future," Natasha answered, waiting for her guess to be correct.
"Correct!" Friday chimed. A triumphant chorus played before ending abruptly, resuming the game show music playing before. "That's one point for Natasha and Steve."
Pepper finished off her glass of wine before setting it down audibly and rolling her shoulders. "Okay. Time to get serious now," she muttered. She never liked trying for the first question, she needed to test the waters, feel the game out.
"Next question," Friday began. "What is the name of the coffee shop where the cast of the sitcom 'Friends' always meet?"
"CENTRAL PERK!"
Pepper and Terra had shouted it at the same time a millisecond after Friday finished, Pepper half out of her seat - the adrenaline of trivia was kicking in.
"I said it first, Terra!" Pepper growled.
Terra swirled her glass smugly, which just had ice in it now. "Nooo, I don't think you did," she tittered. But she really had no idea who said it first, it sounded so in sync.
"Terra said it first by 3.4 milliseconds," Friday reported. "That's one point for Bruce and Terra."
"We're not friends anymore."
Terra bit her lip to keep from laughing, knowing Pepper obviously didn't mean it. "What if I refilled your glass, would I be your friend again?" She joked, standing up and picking up her glass. She needed to refill her own anyway.
Pepper hmphed and raised her chin, fighting back a smile. "Only a little."
The former agent laughed and walked to the bar. "Go on without me, I have faith in you, Bruce!" She called back.
"Next question. In the Harry Potter series, which character has an otter as a Patronus?"
"Oh! Um..." Bruce smacked his own head as if that would make him remember more quickly.
"Hermione Granger," Steve blurted right as Bruce opened his mouth to say the same thing.
"Correct!" Friday chimed, playing the triumphant chorus again. "That's a total of two points for Natasha and Steve."
Bruce looked put-out while Steve held up his hand for a high-five from Nat, which she readily gave him, very proud that he beat Bruce on a book question.
Tony playfully nudged Steve on the bicep. "Terra got you hooked, huh?"
"Yeah," Steve replied, remembering the time he and Terra and Bruce had each discussed their Hogwarts houses while in a SHIELD safe house. Tony had been dealing with Mandarin issues at the time. "One of the first things she showed me."
"Next question," Friday announced. "Which member of the band 'The Beatles' crossed Abbey Road first on the cover of their album of the same name?"
"John Lennon!" Tony sat forward on the couch so fast that he spilled a little of his drink. He cleared his throat to tone down his excitement. "A classic album." He smoothed down the front of his now wrinkled shirt.
"Correct!" chimed Friday. "That's one point for Tony and Pepper."
Natasha scoffed and leaned back at this question. She didn't have a popular opinion, but she didn't like the Beatles at all. What she wasn't going to mention to anyone here is that she met every one of them, and may or may not have had a hand in Lennon's assassination. Still wasn't a proud couple years of her life, but she was still working for the Red Room full time at that point.
The KGB wasn't a fan of what the Beetles were preaching, especially John Lennon, so they had her organize an assassination that wouldn't lead back to them.
"I hope you don't like them too much," Natasha whispered to Steve. "We would have to have an uncomfortable conversation about the assassination of Lennon then."
Steve turned back to Natasha while waiting for Friday to ask the next question, a slightly confused and shocked look on his face at her revelation. "They weren't my favorite band or anything," he assured her.
"Next question: What famous Broadway musical is based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and takes place in 1950s New York?"
Bruce twisted around to face the kitchen. "Terra! I need you!"
Terra had been collecting her and Pepper's drinks and rushed over to the couches. She climbed from the back to plop herself down beside Bruce, miraculously not spilling a drop from either drink. "Repeat the question, Friday!" She passed Pepper her glass of wine.
"Don't repeat it, Friday!" Pepper called but Friday was already repeating it.
"What famous Broadway musical is based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and takes place in 1950s New York?"
"Oh!" Terra flapped her hands, the theater enthusiast in her beaming. "West Side Story!"
"Correct!" chimed Friday. "That's a total of two points for Bruce and Terra."
"Woo!"
"Next question: Who was on trial during "The Trial of the Century"?"
"That is such a hard question to quantify," Natasha said with an eye roll. "The definition of a trial of a century is just a trial that the media is in a frenzy over and makes a big deal about."
Natasha shook her head and continued on.
"But the answer you're probably looking for is OJ Simpson," Natasha said.
"Correct! That's three points to Natasha and Steve."
Tony snapped his fingers in lieu of saying "damn it". "Gotta admit: I wasn't expecting the Capsicle and the KGB assassin to have this much knowledge."
"I wasn't expecting the good doctor to be this oblivious," Steve teased, leaning further back into the couch and stretching his arms along the back of it.
Bruce made a distasteful face. "If these questions were about classic literature, I'd be kicking all of your asses."
Steve and Tony laughed, nearly missing Friday's next question.
"Which sports team won the 2011 NBA championship?"
Steve blinked. "Is that basketball?"
Bruce threw his back onto the couch, resigning himself to another point lost.
Tony tapped his fingers on his glass, lips pursed in thought. No harm in taking a guess. He was more of a hockey fan. "Uh, Miami?"
"Incorrect."
"Oh oh oh!" Pepper perked up, slamming down her already half-empty wine glass. "Dallas Mavericks!"
"Correct! That's two points to Tony and Pepper."
"Yes!" The CEO hissed in victory and lightly hit Tony's arm. "We had a viewing party for it, Tony!" Not that anyone was really devoted to basketball, just an excuse to have any kind of party.
"Next question: In the book 'To Kill a Mockingbird'-"
Terra's eyes widened and looked at Bruce with a raised brow. Classic literature.
"-what are the nicknames of Atticus' two children?"
Bruce's head popped up from where it had been lying on the back of the couch. "ScoutandJem!" He shouted, his lips tripping over themselves to get the words out as fast as humanly possible. Half a heartbeat passed during which Bruce did not breathe. Then he added: "Their actual names are Jean Louise and Jeremy Atticus Finch, more commonly known as Scout and Jem." He had the strangest urge to push up his glasses when he wasn't wearing them.
Sounding vaguely amused, Friday awarded him the point. "But there is no extra credit in this game, Bruce."
He looked at the table and scratched his head bashfully. He briefly entertained the idea that Friday had given out a literature question out of pity but quickly dismissed it. A point was a point.
Steve, who had known the answer but hadn't been fast enough, simply smiled.
"Next question: How many actors have portrayed James Bond?"
Floundering, Tony threw out a random number. "Twelve?"
"Incorrect."
"Seven?"
"Incorrect.
"Nine," Natasha said in an excited tone, as the character was a favorite of hers. "Asking a spy about the greatest fictional spy of all time, they just want to give us points."
The quiz though was turning out to be extremely easy, which is why she was holding back a bit. When you have been through history since 1929 and forced to learn pop culture to be able to blend in anywhere in the world, it didn't make games like this too hard. She wouldn't give up that one though, she did absolutely love James Bond.
"Correct! Steve and Natasha lead with 4 points!"
Pepper muttered a soft 'unacceptable' before taking a sip of her wine.
"The board so far is Steve and Natasha with 4 points, Terra and Bruce with 3 points, and Pepper and Tony with 2 points," Friday summarized. Terra rubbed her hands together. They were only a point behind, not so bad.
"Next question: 'I see dead people' is a quote from what movie?" Following the question was soft thunder for a spooky effect.
"The Sixth Sense," blurted Tony casually.
Steve merely shrugged. As had been established right before the game began, he was not up to speed on horror movies. He wasn't even sure The Sixth Sense was a horror movie. He'd made the assumption based on the "dead people" part of the quote.
"Correct!" A trumpet doot-doot-dooted. "Next question: In which city were the 1972 Summer Olympics held?"
Everyone looked really stumped, and Natasha was about to notch another point when Terra beat her to it.
"Munich, West Germany," Terra answered with a little less gusto as per normal. She took a long sip of her drink.
"Correct!"
Natasha was really upset she didn't get the Olympic question because she was in attendance for those games. More than a few diplomats went missing then, thanks to her. She wasn't proud of it, yet she was there and still didn't beat Terra to the answer.
"Impressive," Pepper admitted, raising her glass to Terra and definitely starting to feel the expensive wine working its magic.
Terra went back to smiling and pretended to examine her nails. "I just know things," she chirped with mischief.
"Next question: In the Star Wars movie franchise, R2-D2 is classified as what type of droid?"
Terra slumped in her seat. "Except this," she grumbled.
"Astromech," Natasha called out. "And you know Terra, I'm upset you beat me to the last one. I mean I was there after all."
"Oop, I'm sorry," Terra chuckled although it was a sarcastic one, lifting the sunglasses off her eyes because wearing them indoors was starting to give her a headache. "But I can't go easy on you, Natasha. I don't trust any of you with dares."
"Next question," announced Friday. "Norma Deloris Egstrom, born in 1920, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress, in a career spanning six decades. What was her professional name?"
Steve perked up, realizing that he knew the answer not because he'd studied hard to learn it but because he had listened to her music a lot right before he had been accepted into the military. "Peggy Lee," he answered, smiling.
"Congratulations Steve and Natasha! You are the winners!" Friday declared with 'We Are The Champions' playing in the background. "Terra and Bruce come in second, and unfortunately, Tony and Pepper come in last."
Natasha burst into a smile and leaned over to press a big kiss on Steve's cheek for winning the game.
"Nice job soldier," Natasha said, leaning forward to collect their winnings off the table. "The baby thanks you all for your donation. This will be buying a copious amount of diapers in the future."
Natasha had already set up a savings account for the baby and was adding to it when she found money here and there. Steve knew about it too and put some of his military pension in there. It would serve to buy baby supplies at the moment and would turn into the child's savings account one day.
The rest of the team groaned in defeat, although it was good natured all around.
"Well, wonderful job, Steve and Natasha. It was a win well deserved," Pepper admitted, competitive but not a sore loser.
Terra stretched. "I can live with second place," she said, riding a cozy tipsiness. "Congrats, we don't completely suck!" She raised her hand for a high-five with Bruce.
Shoulders sagging in relief, Bruce high-fived a tipsy Terra. "We have low standards!"
Steve smirked and raised his eyebrows at Tony, who held up his hands in defeat. "Well, shit. I'm never gonna hear the end of this."
In a good mood from winning the game, Steve simply said, "Language," accompanied by the aforementioned smirk.
"I let you guys win," Tony said in a tone that suggested that he and everyone else knew very well that he did not. "Congrats, Cap, Romanoff. So what's the dare?"
"Well I know you have all the Avengers merchandise in the tower, cause Stark Industries approves most of it," Natasha said, with a slightly mischievous smile on her face and getting a little inspiration from Terra's gag of dressing up as Tony from earlier. "Which means you have the official Black Widow and Captain America costumes. You also have a hundred million plus followers on all of your social media accounts. I think you have to dress up like us and post on there."
Natasha leaned back, taking her glass of water and drinking a bit.
"Tagline," Natasha said, putting her hand out in the air to make it a headline. "Starting the new year right by dressing up as the smartest Avengers."
Terra covered her mouth to stifle the giggles and Steve smiled at the suggestion, knowing it was a very good dare.
"Did you want the Captain America costume or the Black Widow costume?" Pepper joked with Tony, knowing it would be some good fun for social media and showing team unity.
Tony just rolled his eyes as he and Pepper left to change into the costumes and everyone started to mingle. Natasha glanced over at the beer pong table progress and it looked like everyone was pretty effectively wasted at this point.
"We're gonna have to make sure the Maximoffs get back to the compound safe tonight," Natasha said, leaning into Steve and relaxing on the couch. "I'll help Wanda through the inevitable hangover and puke fest that will go on. I really like her, she's taking well to her training."
"I'm glad you two are bonding," Steve said. "And I'm sure at least one of the Maximoffs will be fine. Pietro's metabolism probably doesn't let him get drunk. We should start a club. Invite Bruce and Tony. Call it the Designated Drivers Club."
Tony and Pepper returned at that point, garnering cat calls and cheers from the surrounding Avengers. Pietro started singing the Captain America theme song from the war bond tours and Terra whistled.
"Pepper looks hot," Terra announced confidently, her hand that wasn't holding her drink braced against the wall. "Like a sizzlin' chilli-pepper...'' she paused to take a sip of her drink. "...in the desert," she finished.
Pepper and Tony blushed and took the compliments and walked over to the center of the room in front of the couches.
"Alright let's get this over with," Tony said and Sam came over with the camera phone that Pepper had given to him to take the picture.
Not knowing that she and Steve were very visible in the shot, Natasha looked towards Steve.
"I'm gonna take Wanda home," Natasha said. "I'll meet you back at the compound."
Natasha leaned over and kissed Steve on the lips, shirt announcing the pregnancy in full view, in an action that would change their lives forever. Steve returned the kiss as the picture was taken.
"Perfect," Sam commented on the picture, not looking at it closely, passing the phone to Pepper so she could post it to her and Tony's accounts. Pepper snickered at the photo but otherwise didn't examine it too closely before she attached the agreed-upon caption and...
Posted!
"Dare completed," Pepper clapped her hands together before sitting back down on the couch, not noticing the phone in her pocket blowing up with notifications
"C'mon Maximoff," Natasha said, getting up to head over to where Wanda was laying on the couch, and preceding to lift her up off the couch. "Let's get you home so you can puke your guts out."
"Which Maximoff?" giggled Wanda, thinking she was being clever even as she let herself be pulled off the love seat. "Bye, Vizh!" She waved enthusiastically at Vision.
Natasha passed Tony and Pepper on the way out.
"Thanks for hosting," Natasha said. "This was a great party. I'm glad I could be here."
"Getting some mothering in early?" Tony teased, eyeing a very drunk and probably very lightweight Wanda. Then something in his posture softened. "Congratulations, Romanoff. I really mean that."
"Thanks Tony," Natasha said with a genuine smile.
Natasha gave Tony and Pepper another smile before heading out of the building to her car, knowing Steve would catch a ride back with Sam. This was a big night for her and Tony, and maybe they had mended the rift that had been there since she told him about Yinsen.
January 1st, 2014
Avengers Compound
1 Hour Later…
Natasha arrived at the entrance of the compound only to be met by hundreds of reporters.
"What the hell?" Natasha said, looking at the mob that had arrived.
"What's happening? Why is everyone here?" Wanda asked, still semi-lucid due to all the drinking that went on.
"I have no idea," Natasha said as she made her way slowly through the crowd.
As she got closer to the point to where the guards were holding them back she managed to catch some of the questions.
"How long have you been dating Captain America?"
"You think that with your past you deserve this?"
"When is the baby due?"
"No fucking way," Natasha breathed, eyes going wide and wondering how this news leaked.
They got past the fence and Natasha drove into the parking garage. She stopped the car and just sat there for a minute, heart sinking in her stomach at this.
Wanda suddenly threw open the door and hurled out the side of the car, straining against the seatbelt she had forgotten to unbuckle. It was clear that she had been holding it for a while and couldn't anymore. Gasping for breath, Wanda fumbled for the button. When it released her, she nearly fell out of the car but just managed to grab hold of the frame and then heave again.
Natasha snapped out of her funk when she heard Wanda heaving and quickly got out of the car.
"I'm sorry Wanda," Natasha said, picking her off the ground and heading inside. "Let's get you inside."
Natasha led Wanda inside the compound and to her apartment. She put in her code and entered, making a beeline for the bathroom. She set Wanda down by the toilet and went to grab a glass of water. She quickly fired off a message to Ava and told her to meet her at her apartment. She came back into the bathroom and grabbed Wanda's hair and held it back.
"Just let it out," Natasha said, pushing her own thoughts aside for the moment.
"Too much vodka," she grumbled, trying to make the room stop spinning. "Too many people." She could still hear them, the reporters outside. She was doing her best to block them out but they were like cicadas in her ears. "Please make it stop."
Natasha didn't know what to do when Pietro showed up. He must have heard something or decided to turn in early and run back. His metabolism looked like it burned off any alcohol he had and he was coherent enough.
"Pietro," Natasha said. "Get the press out of here. Threaten them with trespassing or something."
"I'll get rid of them," he assured her and sped off to do just that.
"This hasn't started happening to you, has it?" Wanda asked Natasha, cracking the smallest of smiles. She was clearly referring to morning sickness, and probably trying to take Natasha's mind off of what was happening. "I don't envy you. This is terrible."
"I'm sure it's coming," Natasha said, forcing a smile as she held back Wanda's hair. "And when that time comes, you'll owe me at least once."
There was a light knocking at the door and Natasha looked up to see Ava standing there. Pietro was back within a matter of seconds as well.
"Your brother is gonna take good care of you now," Natasha said. "I've got to go check on something, but I'll be back."
Natasha got up and went over to Pietro.
"Keep her hair held back and make sure she drinks a lot of water," Natasha said. "Try and get her to sleep somewhere other than the bathroom floor okay?"
Natasha patted Pietro on the back and headed out with Ava, towards the training room.
Another punching bag flew off its hinges as the sand leaked out. Natasha was breathing deeply now, hands taped up but bloody, and tears streaming down her eyes. Ava sat behind her, just being there for morale support but knowing not to say anything. Overhead, there was a news report and interview playing.
"Again, in shocking news this evening, it seems like some of America's worst fears have come to fruition. Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, is confirmed to be in a committed relationship with Natalia Romanova, aka Black Widow, and an ex KGB spy. During a twitter post from Tony Stark this evening, the two were seen kissing in the background. And what's more, from the t-shirt the Black Widow is wearing, she appears to be pregnant with Rogers' child. For thoughts on this, we bring in a panel of news writers from the New York Times, Boston Globe, and the Washington Post. Gentlemen and Lady, thanks for being here."
Natasha had hung another bag up at this point and had started in again.
"It is unacceptable for Captain Rogers to do this thing. We're grateful to the Avengers and what they did in Sokovia, but that's all that the Black Widow should be to any of them. Just teammates."
Natasha hit the bag hard, speeding up.
"This woman could obviously still be a spy for Russia. Putin has expressed interest in the Super Soldier serum, and now he has a direct child of Captain America, inside of a KGB. It is the perfect game for Russia and could put us in a lot of trouble."
Natasha kept going, blood dripping on the floor at this point and tears getting thicker.
"We should really be thanking Stark. Rogers could have been seduced, completely under the charm of this Siren and Tony Stark made sure that Rogers would see what the American people really thought about this woman."
"STARK!" Natasha screamed, punching the bag again and completely splitting it, sending it across the room into the pile.
She had no doubt that Stark did this on purpose. Who just doesn't check something that they post online, especially when you've become the number one in the public eye. He saw that and wanted to cause her pain. Even after she tried to extend an olive branch to him, wanted to work for him so the baby would know his Uncle Tony and Steve wouldn't have to be so split. But for all the talk Tony did about Natasha being a two faced person, he was no better.
Ava breathed out at that and got her cell phone and dialed Steve this time, knowing that Natasha would probably break her hands, if she hadn't already, if he didn't come.
"C'mon Rogers pick up your phone," Ava said quietly, so Natasha couldn't hear.
After a few seconds, Steve picked up the phone. "Hey." he said, answering Ava.
"Captain Rogers," Ava said, addressing him with respect as he was her commanding officer in the Young Avengers program she was currently in. "You must not have checked your phone in a bit. The news about you and Natasha leaked through the twitter post Mr. Stark made. It showed you and Natasha kissing in the background and her shirt could be clearly read."
Natasha was pounding away at another bag, showing no signs of stopping, as the media continued to be very unkind to Natasha.
"The media is really tearing into her," Ava said. "We're in the training room. She's been hitting away at the bags for a while now, and she's about to break your record for sending them across the room and breaking them. I'm sure she's broken multiple bones in her hands at this point, but I'm not gonna be able to get her out of there. So, if you're still at your party, please come back here. She's gonna break her wrists soon."
It was silent for a bit, but Ava swore she heard a crack of a steering wheel on the other end.
"I'm on my way," he answered shortly and hung up the phone.
Ava put her phone back in her pocket and looked back over to Natasha. Sand was leaking from the bag as Natasha didn't let up. Ava stood and tentatively walked over to Natasha.
"Sestra," Ava said. "Steve is on his way. Please stop."
Natasha didn't answer, just kept pounding away at it.
"Did it on purpose," Natasha grunted.
"I'm sure he didn't," Ava said. "Even if he did, you're stronger than him and better than him. Just take a rest."
Ava didn't have anything against Tony, she rather admired him. He helped her out in a tough spot a while ago when she joined the Young Avengers, and she was forever thankful to him. But she needed Natasha to stop hurting herself, or there was a chance she could do some serious damage even her serum couldn't fix.
"Can't," Natasha said. "If I stop, I feel."
Ava sighed, knowing that Natasha was retreating back into herself again. All of the progress the Avengers had made with her was slowly undoing itself. All the work Steve had put in was reversing, just because of one photo.
Ava just hoped they would all recover.
Steve was there in record time, probably breaking the speed limit to the max. He nodded at Ava, thanking her with his eyes and dismissing her with the action. Tentatively, he approached his girlfriend, his footsteps soft but audible. "Nat?"
Natasha stopped when she heard his voice. She didn't turn around, just stared at the bag in front of her. Her tears had long since dried, but the blood did keep dripping onto the floor. Her hands hurt, she knew that much. She had numerous broken bones and probably her wrists as well, her hands were taped up so tight they were basically just battering rams. She didn't feel that pain though, she felt the pain of betrayal, of opening herself up to the world and getting slapped back. The news was still blaring overhead, but Natasha knew Steve could hear her.
"He did it on purpose," Natasha said quietly, and then her anger boiled over again.
"HE DID IT ON PURPOSE," Natasha screamed, punching the bag one last time and splitting it open and sending it across the room in the pile with the others.
"Nat," Steve tried again, carefully stepping closer. "Please let me help." Slowly, tentatively, he reached for one of her broken hands.
For the first time since when they met, Natasha flinched away at his touch. This was both a surprise for Natasha that her body reacted this way, and a big warning sign for Steve that she was retreating back into herself. Natasha looked down at her hand, and then it seemed like her mind had no filter on the next words they spoke.
"They were right," Natasha said quietly. "My trainers, Fury, all of them were right. When you trust people, you only get hurt. Even if you're trying to do the right thing, it always comes back on you."
Natasha wheeled and backed up from Steve ever so slightly. Her mouth was open at this point, like she couldn't believe what she just said.
"Steve, I'm sorry," she stuttered. "I didn't mean that. I just, I just, I just.."
Natasha couldn't even finish her sentence. Her brain had just shut down now, at what she had to do next. She backed up to a wall and slunk down it, holding her broken hands out in front of her.
"I'm finally paying for my sins," Natasha said. "I can't be here anymore, knowing that Stark or Potts could walk through that door any second. Maybe it would be best if I just left."
Steve lowered himself down to the gym floor across from her, as he had in the past during times like this. He let her talk it out with herself, but not giving in just yet.
"Whatever you want to do, Natasha, I'll support you." That was the most important thing she needed to hear. Throughout this conversation he needed to be calm and open. "I just want you to really think things through. Was Fury really right? He told me not to trust anyone and it almost ruined my life. It was my decision to trust Terra, to trust Sam, to trust you... that got me through the whole Hydra thing. Trusting you was the reason we saved everyone that day.
"I'm not asking you to trust Tony. Lord knows he hasn't personally given you much reason to. I just don't want to see you closed off again." He sat with one knee propped up and his elbow rested on it, which he turned his head to look at now. He couldn't lose all that progress he'd made with Natasha, not now, not when they were so close to something... something beautiful.
Natasha just sat there for a while, thinking. She had to do something, but she couldn't do it here. Not while she saw the Stark Industries logo on half of the things here. She had to get away.
"I need to go," Natasha said. "I'm going to go stay at Clint's for a while, and I have to do it alone, so you can't come with me."
Natasha took in a deep breath and pushed down any tears that were threatening again.
"I'll keep up on my vitamins and keep up with my checkups," Natasha said. "I'll go to the doctor that Laura went to when she was pregnant with the kids. I'll keep in touch too, but you can't visit. I just need time to think, to be by myself and figure this out."
Natasha stood at this point, and walked over to Steve.
"Tell Wanda I'm sorry I can't continue her training," Natasha said, really expressing the feeling of caring for one of the only other people in this building aside from Steve and Ava. "And I'm so sorry I'm leaving you right now. But at least for now-"
Natasha leaned down and kissed Steve on the lips. She put as much passion into it as she could and made it seem more like a promise that she would return than a farewell kiss, but she wasn't sure herself. She pulled away after about half a minute and looked into his eyes and finished her statement.
"I gotta go my own way."
Natasha walked out of the gym at that point, still fighting back tears and leaving the love of her life sitting there by himself, not knowing if she would ever come back, and what Natasha was ashamed to admit, she didn't know either.
Natasha went to her and Steve's room and cleared out what was hers and a lot of things, leaving the room half bare. She could barely stand to see it like this, new tears forming in her eyes. She packed quickly, so she wouldn't have to see Steve again, and was headed out of the room when she took off the silver watch that Steve had got her and left it on her bedside table.
January 1st, 2014
Barton Family Farm
Iowa
Natasha landed the jet in the field just outside the house, knowing she would move it tomorrow, but not wanting to worry about it now. She grabbed her stuff and walked up to the front door, giving it a knock.
It took a couple of minutes, but Clint finally opened the door, a pistol in his hand as it was super early on land that no one was supposed to know about.
"Jesus Nat," Clint said, taking in her appearance. "What the hell happened?"
"Can I stay here for a bit," Natasha asked in a quiet voice.
Clint could hear the desperation in her voice and knew she was in a dark place. He'd known her for almost forever, and could see when she was as vulnerable as she was right now, something he hadn't seen in some time. Something horrible must have happened.
"Yeah," Clint said, ushering her inside. "Let's get your hands fixed up and you can tell me what's going on."
Clint led her to the table and sat her down. Laura had come down at that point and made her tea while Clint bandaged up her hands, and she told them all about what happened. Laura was seething at what took place and was almost ready to fly to New York and take on Iron Man herself, but Clint talked her down, even though Natasha could see how upset he was as well. Natasha also told them about Steve and their conversation ended in the early morning with one final question.
"Are you ever going back?" Clint asked.
"I don't know," Natasha answered honestly, reaching under her shirt and pulling out the dog tags she always wore and looking at them and the name that was printed on them.
A/N
There we go, another chapter. Sorry for the late delay, new job has left me behind on a lot of my writing. I'm pretty settled in now, so I hope that I can get back to some more updates.
As always, chapter contributions go to A Velvet Rose and SarahCon once more