A month passed after Darcy's impromptu baby shower – a month of weight gain and midnight ice cream and filing paperwork and waking up to Clint in her bed (or her in his). Clint and Darcy had finally reached some sort of functioning relationship; they spent most of their time together, were affectionate without being clingy, and occasionally (okay, fine, often) reached orgasm together.

However, the bubble had to be popped eventually. Coulson caught Clint in a hallway at SHIELD. "I'm letting you know first…" he said. "We need the team to check out rumors of Frost Giants in Greenland. You leave tonight."

Clint gaped at Coulson. "But- Darce-"

Coulson gave him a sad smile. "Darcy has eight weeks left. I assure you, you will be gone and back within a week. She won't go into labor while you're gone."

Coulson may be all-powerful, but even he can't control everything…

Clint was cold. The team had spent the last four days trekking through Greenland, trying to find fucking Frost Giants, of all things. He was pretty sure his balls were frozen solid. He couldn't imagine how Cap felt.

They had returned to the Quinjet, admitting defeat – or at least a false lead. Clint was dozing under a bundle of blankets when JARVIS's voice cut through the plane.

"Sir?" He said politely. "The power to the Tower seems to have been cut off."

Darcy was not having a good day. Her boyfriend was out on a super secret mission, her boss had forbidden her from coming into the office so she was stuck in the lab, and her back was killing her. So she was sitting on the couch in the lab, googling baby names, when the power was cut off. Jane had gone to Bruce's lab to find some article (she wouldn't let Darcy do anything) and Erik was at the university today. So Darcy was in the lab by herself when it was plunged into darkness.

She immediately went into action. Pulling her Stark-modified Taser out of her bag, she crept behind a lab table, trying to hide herself and find anything that could be used as a weapon. Somehow, in the dark and between epic back cramps, Darcy managed to build a small arsenal of Molotov cocktails. (Good to know her juvie days weren't wasted.)

A man in black came through the door and did a sweep of the room. Darcy, using the baseball aim her dad had taught her, pegged him with a flaming beaker, then Tased him. She efficiently bound him with electrical tape and stripped him of his gun.

She was checking the magazine when her water broke.

Clint was frantic when he heard the Tower was being infiltrated by Hand operatives. Darcy, who was so pregnant she couldn't bend over to tie her shoes, was in there and he wasn't there to protect her. In fact, no one was there to protect her.

"Okay, we need a game plan," Cap said in his most authoritative voice. "Stark, you and Thor come in via the roof. We'll drop you off. You guys try to stop any operatives. Natasha, you and I will come in through the basement. We'll try to get people out. Bruce, you and Clint will start in the middle, sweeping for Hand operatives as well. Break a window if you have to."

Clint nodded his agreement. As the Quinjet started to lower, Steve clapped a hand on Clint's shoulder. "Darcy will be okay. We'll make sure of it."

Darcy had been timing her contractions – they were roughly fifteen minutes apart. She had been lucky so far; all the men entering the lab had come in between contractions. Darcy, without thinking, threw Molotov cocktails and shot her attackers. She was pretty sure she hadn't killed anyone, but she was in too much pain to really care.

Coulson's voice came over her headset. "Lewis, what's your status?" he asked.

"I'm in Jane's lab. So far, I have five downed operatives, all bound and unconscious."

"Good. Head for the basement levels. An agent will meet you on the floor below yours."

"Negative, Ghost Rider."

"Lewis, that was a direct order!" Darcy could hear the beginning of worry in Coulson's voice.

"Can't, Son of Coul."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm –" Darcy screamed as another contraction passed through her body. "- in labor" she finished after it had passed, glancing at her watch. Ten minutes apart.

"Be there in five," was Coulson's quick response.

Clint's comm connected to those of the agents in the Tower right as Darcy screamed. Everyone in the Quinjet winced at the pain you could hear in her voice.

They went quiet as they heard Darcy's words. Everyone turned to look at Clint. "New plan," he said, face stoic. "I get to Darcy."

The next thing he knew, he was swinging through a window a floor above Jane's lab. Mercilessly, he shot and stabbed his way through a group of Hand operatives trying to hack into Tony's hard drive. He sprinted down the hallway and the stairs until he got to the lab.

A flaming beaker came flying at his head. Luckily, he ducked in time, but it narrowly missed him. "Darcy! Darcy!" he yelled.

"Clint?" came her shaky voice from behind an overturned lab table.

He ran around two bound Hand members and squatted by her side. Darcy instantly grabbed the front of his uniform as another contraction ripped through her. "Fuck!" she screamed, as he helplessly watched her.

The contraction passed, and Coulson suddenly appeared. "My contractions are getting closer together," Darcy panted out, still with a white-knuckled grip on Clint's vest.

Coulson suddenly appeared. He took off his suit jacket and draped it over Darcy's lap. Rolling up his sleeves, he asked, "How far apart?"

Darcy glanced at her watch. "8 minutes."

Clint suddenly snapped out of his daze. "What do we need to do?"

Coulson pointed at Darcy's legs. "Let's get her undressed and deliver this baby." Clint efficiently stripped off Darcy's boots and leggings, as well as his quiver and outer vest. Using his vest as a pillow, he and Coulson arranged Darcy where she would be hidden from the line of sight of the door. Clint took up a position by Darcy's head, gun in one hand and hers in the other, and watched the door. Coulson kneeled between Darcy's legs.

Another contraction ripped through Darcy, and she screamed again. Hearing the noise, two Hand agents came through the door. Clint efficiently took them out as Darcy had a death grip on his other hand.

Coulson looked at her apologetically as the contraction passed. "Six minutes. Darcy, honey, we need you to be quiet."

"Well fuck me for having a baby trying to come through my uterus. It's a little fucking painful." She snapped out.

Clint took off his wrist guard. "Here," he said, passing it to Darcy. "Bite on this."

Darcy took it from him gingerly. "I guess if Fa Mulan can give birth in battle, so can I."

Clint wiped sweat from her forehead as Darcy put his wrist guard in her mouth. "Shh, baby. It'll be okay," he whispered in her hair.

Clint had no idea how much time had passed. Several more contractions had gone through Darcy, but Coulson still wasn't letting her push. Something about not being dilated enough. He murmured soothing words to Darcy, but he could tell that she wanted to scream obscenities. Her knuckles were white where they were grasped around the legs of the lab table.

Finally, Coulson let her push. With a grunt, Darcy sat up. Clint watched as Coulson coached her through her pushes, and finally…the baby was born.

She was so tiny, to Clint's eyes. Blond curls were plastered to her head, and it was obvious that she was going to have Darcy's lips. Clint handed over his knife, and Coulson cut the umbilical cord and wrapped up the baby – their daughter – in his suit jacket.

As Darcy took the baby to nurse her, Clint and Coulson started moving the downed Hand agents. Tony's voice came over the comm system. "And that's all folks!" Evidently, the battle was over.

A man appeared in the doorway, dressed in black, gun outstretched. As the men were reaching for their weapons, three short pops went off.

Clint turned around. There stood Darcy, baby at her breast and 9 mm in her hand. God, he loved that woman.

"Now, that's all," she said with a satisfied smile.

A few hours later, Darcy was safely ensconced in her bed. She refused to go to SHIELD's medical bay, citing that she had a fully trained doctor and a team of superheroes on hand if anything went awry. The baby had been checked out by a neo-natal team, and had been deemed strong enough to handle not being in an incubator. The baby was in now in Darcy's arms, nursing again. Darcy ran a gently finger through her blond curls – the perfect blend of her and Clint's hair.

Clint snuck in and sat on the edge of the bed. "Hey," he whispered, playing with the baby's toes. "How you feeling?"

Darcy gave him a tired smile. "Like I've been run over by a freight train, and fully enjoyed it." They both watched their daughter for a moment.

"She has your lips." Clint said, smiling.

"Better that than my skin tone." Darcy said with a laugh.

"So…what're we going to name her?" Clint asked.

"I was thinking…Blair Natasha Barton."

"Blair?" Clint asked.

"It means 'battlefield,' which would be appropriate, considering the circumstances of her birth."

"Blair Barton. I like it," he said. "Hiya Miss Blair," he cooed at the baby.

Darcy smiled as baby Blair reached out and wrapped her tiny fingers around Clint's callused one. As the baby finished eating, there was a quiet knock at her door. Clint unwrapped Blair's fingers and went to answer it.

Darcy smiled as she watched everyone pour into her suite of rooms. Covering herself back up, she sat up higher in the bed.

Steve came in first, and he helped her fluff her pillows into a more comfortable position. Smiling at Darcy, he also played with Blair's toes. "She's beautiful…just like her mama," he told her.

Next were Thor and Jane. Thor boomed out a greeting, and Blair started crying. Darcy shushed the baby as Jane shushed Thor. He immediately lowered the volume of his voice, and Blair quieted down as well.

Bruce watched from the end of the bed. "I'm still a little green," he said by way of explanation. "I don't want to scare her."

Tony came in and leaned over Darcy, staring at the baby. "She's kinda wrinkly." He said, making a face. "I thought babies were supposed to be cute." Pepper smacked him on the back of the head. "But mama looks gorgeous. Total MILF material." He added in lieu of an apology. Clint growled at him as Darcy laughed.

"What's…a milf?" Steve asked. Bruce leaned over and quietly explained it in his ear, and Steve turned bright red.

Natasha was the last one in. "Coulson had to go manage the cleanup crews," she said. "He said not to worry about his jacket." She came and stood by Darcy. "So did you decide on a name?"

Darcy smiled at Natasha. "Meet Blair Natasha Barton." Darcy watched as tears welled up in Natasha's eyes. (It was more emotion than Darcy had ever seen out of her t any given time, combined.) Darcy held up the baby. "Would you like to hold her?"

Natasha eagerly took Blair, and the rest of the Avengers crowded around her to marvel at the newest addition to their family. Clint came and slid in behind Darcy, pillowing her back against his chest. "What're you doing?" Darcy asked.

"I figured someone had to pay attention to you, since everyone is gaga about Blair," he said, nuzzling her neck.

Darcy tried to hide her yawn. "Thanks babe," she murmured as she snuggled into his arms.

Steve noticed her yawn. "Okay guys, maybe we should let the new parents rest," he said, his voice taking on a bit of a Cap tone. Natasha passed Blair back to Darcy, the disappointment obvious on her face, and everyone filed out, leaving the new family alone.

Darcy tried to pass Blair to Clint. "Here, you take her. I need to shower."

Clint held up his hands, a slightly scared look on his face. "I don't know how!" he said.

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Well, you gotta learn sometime. Crook your arm," she instructed, showing him how her arm was bent. "Just make sure that her neck is fully supported. If she gets fussy, just lay her against her shoulder and try to burp her."

Clint gently took the baby. Darcy smiled as she watched his expression go from scared to delighted at the tiny wonder in his hands.

Darcy stood in the shower, letting the hot water work out all the new kinks in her back. She laughed, excited that she could see her feet again. After cleaning up and washing her hair, she stepped out. She quickly dried off, combed her hair, and pulled it into a loose braid. She shrugged into one of Clint's button down shirts, not bothering to put anything else on.

When Darcy walked back into her bedroom, Clint was bouncing Blair and singing to her. Evidently, he had pressed play on Darcy's iPod while she was in the shower. Ironically enough, John Mayer's "Daughters" was playing, and Clint was singing along. Darcy was surprised to hear how good of a singing voice Clint had. It was smoky and sounded like something you'd hear out of a jazz club. Darcy leaned against the door frame, watching the archer-assassin sing to the little blonde bundle in his arms.

Darcy couldn't help it; she fell even deeper in love with the man in front of her.

She snuck up behind him and wrapped her arms around Clint. He looked over his shoulder at her. "Feel better?"

She sighed. "Yeah. I didn't know you could sing!" she exclaimed, coming around to stand beside Clint.

He wrapped his free arm around her shoulders. "I didn't know you knew how to make Molotov cocktails. Or handle a gun." he said.

Darcy shrugged. "I have a rather varied juvie history. Luckily, it's all sealed. Oh look, she's finally asleep."

Clint laid Blair down in the bassinet. He turned back to Darcy, crossing his arms over his chest. "You have a juvie record?"

Darcy gave him a cheeky grin. "I...might have boosted a few cars back in my day. Maybe."

Clint shook his head as he walked over to her. "What am I going to do with you?"

Darcy wrapped her arms around his waist. "You're one to talk, Mr. Former-Carney-and-Circus-Performer."

He wrapped his arms around her. "Hey! It was a legitimate career."

Darcy gave a short laugh. "So is being a spokesmodel for a arms dealer." At Clint's strangled laugh, she added "I mean...so I've heard."

He kissed her on the temple. "You're a mess." He led her to the bed. "Let's get some sleep before the munchkin wakes up."