He stands just around the corner from the other room, hidden from his daughter's view. He can hear her talking to Peyton, the golden retriever puppy he'd gotten her a few months ago. She never seemed to be able to open up to anyone and he'd gotten concerned. Bruce had told him that maybe having someone to talk to that wouldn't talk back might help.

"Do you remember your mom?"

He dares a peek around the doorway. Katie was lying on the floor next to the puppy, her back to him as she petted the dog's back lovingly. Peyton had his favorite toy pinned underneath his oversized paws and was alternating between ripping it apart and wagging his tail at Katie.

"You were really little when you were taken from your mom, weren't you? I'll bet you don't remember her much."

Steve withdrew back around the corner again. He knew he should talk to Katie, comfort her and talk about Natasha if she wanted to. But it had been so many years now, almost nine, and she'd never asked him about it and he'd never found the guts to bring her up. He knew Katie must have a lot of questions, but he wasn't sure if he could answer them without crying.

"I don't really remember my mom that much either. I do remember the night she left though. I remember it really clearly."

He lets out a shaky breath at that, trying to wrap his head around it. His Katie can't remember her own mother, but she can remember the night she found out her mother had died. He didn't know what to do with that information. It made him feel like his insides had exploded and his heart broke for her. He knew what it was like to lose your mother. It was something he had never wanted to have in common with his daughter but something that had happened anyway.

"I think she smelled like vanilla," Katie continues. "And I remember the song she used to sing."

She begins to hum the melody of the lullaby Natasha used to sing to their daughter, the one that hadn't been sung in their house since Katie was only three years old.

He remembers the first time her heard her singing it. It had been just a week after they had brought Katie home, and they and woken in the middle of the night to her screams once again. Natasha had told him to go back to sleep, said that she would take care of her, but he followed her instead. The door had only been open a crack, but he had watched as Natasha sat in the rocking chair with Katie, trying to soothe the infant. To this day he could still hear her singing the words.

"I don't know if I really miss her."

Katie's voice draws him out of his reverie again. He finds himself leaning closer to the doorway, hanging on to her every word.

"I mean, of course I miss having a mom. But I can't remember her that well, and can you really miss something you don't remember?"

He knocks on the door then, making his presence known at last. Katie whips around, her eyes wide, and he just knows she's wondering how much he had heard.

"Hi dad," she says quietly.

"Katie? Can I come in?" He takes her answering shrug as a yes and settles himself on the carpet next to her. Peyton wags his tail and rolls onto his side as Steve sits. Katie reaches her arm out and rubs the little dog's stomach, smiling widely as Peyton seems to smile and close his eyes.

"So what's up?" She asks in an all too cheery voice. He smiles at her, knowing that she can probably see the sadness that lingers in his eyes.

"There's something I want to show you, Caterpillar."

Sorry I've been absent for a little while. Finals and all that jazz.