A/N: This chapter is kind of long compared to some of the others, but was gonna be way longer... Except, I spent my spare time reading Stucky fanfics instead of writing. Oops. Sorry for any editing mistakes you find.

Chapter Seven

Shopping

After relaxing in a hot bath until my fingers started to prune, I'd wrapped myself in a fluffy white bathrobe I'd found in one of the bathroom drawers, then plopped myself on my bed and stared out the excessively large window.

Holy shit. I was actually in New York fucking City. And I was going to go shopping in New York fucking City.

Okay, I really do have to be dreaming after all.

"Jarvis, what's the name of New York's basketball team?"

"The New York Knicks, Miss Clarke." Jarvis smoothly replied. "Would you like to know anything else to prove this is real?"

Was that a hint of sarcasm I just heard? "Sassy little shit."

I mulled over the answer he'd given me, wondering if my brain could think up a basketball team name as weird as Knicks. The only thing I knew about sport in general is that I hate it, so I figured my brain wouldn't make up some stupid sport's team name.

Besides, my dreams were never this long or vivid before.

The clock on my bedside table said it was almost eight, which meant I'd been in the bath for about an hour. Nice.

"Has the package arrived yet?" I asked the AI, running my fingers through my hair. There'd been a toothbrush and toothpaste in the bathroom, but no hairbrush.

"Not yet, Miss Clarke. But Miss Potts has informed me to let you know when it does."

"Thanks."

With no idea of when the package would actually arrive, I decided it would be best to find something to occupy my time. So wearing the robe and nothing more, I made my way out of my room and into the apartment.

It was empty, and I silently thanked my lucky stars. I so didn't need my distraction to come in the form of a super soldier. My resolve to distance myself from them was only so strong.

Bypassing the TV, I headed for the little den near the elevator. I figured Steve and Bucky had so many books because they had so many years of catching up to do, and I wanted to know what they deemed important or interesting enough to read.

What I'd consider the essentials were there: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Narnia, and almost every Stephen King classic. There were some surprises too, like Twilight and The Hunger Games, but then again, they were so insanely popular that it made sense for them to read them.

At least they'd understand the joke when someone called Clint 'Katniss'.

There were some thrillers as well. Several Agatha Christie novels, of course, but I went straight for You by Caroline Kepnes. I'd read it recently before I'd gotten here, and had been waiting for the sequel to go on sale.

"You like reading?"

I spun around, hand clutching my chest at the fright I'd gotten from being snuck up on. Bucky stood there, grinning widely, knowing he'd scared me.

"Holy shit, fuck!" I plopped down on the overstuffed lounge, dropping the book in my lap. "Is sneaking up on people an assassin thing? Because you're not a little guy."

"You calling me fat?" Bucky questioned, one eyebrow quirked but the grin never leaving his face. He leaned against the wall beside one of the bookcases.

"Yeah, I am. You should really work out or something."

"You're breakin' my heart here, Beth." He laughed. "But you didn't answer my question. Do you like reading?"

"I'm not what you'd call a bookworm, exactly, but I do enjoy reading." I held up the book. "Especially thrillers. Weird choice, by the way."

Bucky shrugged. "Pepper said it was getting great reviews online and suggested we read it. Steve was too disturbed to finish it, but I thought it was interesting."

"Interesting is an understatement. It's not every day you read a book written from the point of view of a stalker." I smiled.

"Did you like it?"

"Loved it." I laughed at his raised eyebrows. "The weirder the thriller, the better."

"Well, any recommendations, then?" Bucky smirked.

"Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris."

"We own all the books."

"Intensity by Dean Koontz. Or Velocity."

"Own Velocity, but I've read both."

"Basically anything by Michael Crichton, but especially Jurassic Park, Next, and Sphere."

"The man's a genius, of course I've read all his works. But only the Jurassic Park movies were good."

"You're damn right they were. Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson."

"Read it, but haven't seen the movie yet. Steve has and said it wasn't worth watching if I'd already read the book."

I let out a huff, trying to think of a book he might not have read. "Bird Box by Josh someone. Can't remember his name."

"Uh…" That stopped Bucky, and I let out a victorious grin. "No, I don't think I've read that one yet."

"Trust me, you'd remember if you did. It's intense."

"I'll add it to the never-ending list of books I need to read." He grinned boyishly, inclining his head to the books that were threatening to spill out of the case already.

"Add it to the top of the list." I grinned right back. "How have you read so many books already, anyway?"

Bucky shrugged, dragging a hand through his long hair. "I'm just a fast reader. Guess I had to be, really. Reading a mission objective was never as important as going out and actually doing the mission."

Huh, that made sense.

"What are you two talking about?" Steve asked, coming over to join us. I noticed that his footsteps were as silent as Bucky's, but at least I saw him coming.

I waved the book in the air. "Books and shit."

"Oh, that book was just wrong." Steve grimaced, eyeing the book distastefully. "The author definitely had issues."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "You're just upset because it made you empathise with a stalker."

"Did not, jerk." Steve glared at him, shoulders tense.

My laugh broke the tension. "I don't know if I hated the stalker or his victim more, to be honest."

Steve shoulders relaxed, but the smile he shot me faded when he looked at what I was wearing. "Is… Are you just wearing your bath robe?" The tips of his ears turned pink.

"I sure am." I held back a grin again, and smiled slowly up at him. I could keep my distance and still tease them, right? "Like what you see, Captain?"

"We both do," said Bucky, earning a poke in the ribs from Steve as his blush spread to his cheeks.

Shaking my head, I stood and headed passed them. "I need to read in peace. You boys should take a cold shower or something."

It was surprisingly easy to make Steve blush, and I loved it. I mean, twice in one morning without even trying? I deserved an award.

A couple of hours later, when I was several chapters into the book, Jarvis caught my attention.

"Miss Clarke, Miss Potts has requested I inform you that the package has arrived. Shall I let her in?"

"Yes, thanks."

"Very well, miss Clarke." Jarvis replied. "She'll be here in just a moment."

True to his word, not a minute passed before there was a knock on my bedroom door. I opened it up to let Pepper in, her arms full with a pair of slip-on shoes on top of a smallish package, which was also on top of some folded clothes.

"I'm so sorry for the delay, Beth." Pepper apologised, though she really didn't need to. It wasn't her fault. "I'd hoped they would deliver it earlier, and now I don't have time to go shopping with you."

Oh, shit. I smiled anyway, hoping to reassure her it was fine. "That's okay, you can't control the delivery time. When can we go shopping next?" I took the items from her hands when she offered them to me.

"Oh, you can still go today. I asked Natasha, and she said her and Clint would be happy to take you. They're ready when you are."

"You're a saint, Pepper, you know that?" I laughed, unfolding one of the clothing items she gave me. It was a simple black dress, tight at the waist and with an A-line skirt. "Thank you for all of this. Really."

Pepper smiled. "It's no problem. You can keep that dress if you like it. It's too short for me, but Tony insisted on buying it."

"Of course he did," I said, rolling my eyes.

"The cardigan is in case you find the weather a little cooler than you're used to." Pepper continued when I unfolded the item. She pulled a fancy phone out of her pocket that looked similar to an iPhone, but was all touchscreen - there was no home button. "Here's your StarkPhone, pre-installed with everyone's phone number so we can keep in contact. There's also a tracking device built into it, so we won't lose you."

I stared at the device held out for me, not willing to take it just yet. "You're just giving me a phone? Just like that?"

"Tony insisted you have it as a precaution. It's for your safety as well as our peace of mind." Pepper explained, placing the phone in my hand when I still didn't take it.

"Holy shit, thank you."

I didn't care if that meant they still didn't trust me, because goddamn, I just got a free fucking phone. Everything's coming up Milhouse!

"You can thank Tony for that," Pepper laughed. "Natasha already has one of Tony's credit cards for you to use. There's no limit, because I trust you'll buy only what you deem necessary."

"So no Chanel perfume or Louboutin's?" I joked, earning another laugh.

"Exactly," she grinned, standing to move to the door. "Before I go, is there anything else you need?"

I thought about everything I used in my daily life that wasn't clothing and wasn't already supplied. A hairbrush was a must, and maybe some elastics in case the ones I already had snapped. I always kept some paracetamol on hand as well, when I suddenly remembered.

"Shit, my pill!" I glanced up at Pepper, eyes wide. "Do you think I can squeeze in a doctor's appointment before I go shopping? I can skip today and maybe tomorrow, but any longer and my cycle will go completely out of whack."

She seemed understanding of what I wanted. "Visit Helen before you leave. She doesn't stock contraceptive pills in the med bay, but she can write you a prescription. And I think she'd like to check up with you anyway."

I'd almost forgotten she'd given me a check-up yesterday, and it wasn't even 24 hours ago. Then again, I had thought I'd been dreaming, as well as being hungry, exhausted, and in a lot of pain.

"Oh, awesome, I'll do that right after I get dressed." On a whim, I got up and hugged Pepper, quickly letting go so I didn't completely freak her out. "Thank you again, for everything. I honestly appreciate what you're doing for me."

She placed a hand on my shoulder. "It's okay, Beth. We might not know much about you, but you're Steve and Bucky's soulmate. And even if you weren't, I'd still treat you the same. Now, get ready and go have fun."

With a squeeze to my shoulder, Pepper left me to get dressed. I went for the package first, of course, finding a few pairs of basic underwear, and a simple bra in my size.

And thank fuck it all fit. American sizes were different to Australian ones, and even though I knew my US size (thanks to lots of online shopping), there was still a chance that it wouldn't be a true fit.

The dress, it turned out, fit like a glove as well. It fell to my mid-thigh, and with Pepper being several inches taller than me, I could only imagine how short it would be on her.

I slipped the cardigan on, sliding the phone into one of the pockets, which just made that side of the material drag down Oh well. I slid on the shoes and headed out of the apartment.

After seeing Dr Cho and getting a prescription for the same pill I'd had before, Clint and Natasha drove me to the closest Target to the Avengers tower. It wouldn't usually be my first choice for shopping, but it's the only shop that I knew actually had what I needed. I mean, how different could it be to the one I knew in Australia?

Okay, it was a little different, but not by much, and it really did have everything I needed.

I got what I considered the basics. I started with a few more pairs of underwear and bras. Nothing too fancy, just a small variety to go with different types of clothes. At Nat's suggestion I bought a plain black bikini, because apparently there was a pool in the tower.

For actual clothes I got two pairs of jeans, one blue and the other black, both high-waisted because I not only found them more comfortable than low-rise jeans, but they were also more versatile. I could wear crop tops with them and not worry about showing my stomach.

I had to hold myself back from going overboard with the dresses and skirts. I limited myself to three of each, figuring there'd be the chance I'd go shopping again in the future. Though I did let myself get several tops so I could mix and match.

Shoes were easy enough. I found a pair of ankle boots that were super comfy and would probably become my everyday shoes. There were plenty of cute heels, so I chose a pair with a platform and block heel, because I needed the extra height and couldn't walk in stilettos.

I also got a pair of plain black canvas sneakers at Clint's insistence, because he believed the ankle boots weren't appropriate for daily use.

Silly bird.

When everything had been tried on, I grabbed a hairbrush and some ties, and then also some basic makeup (foundation, eyeliner, mascara, chapstick, and a single tube of red lipstick), before figuring we were done in Target.

It was just passed midday, and we all desperately needed lunch. Clint and I were complaining about hunger so much that I was sure Nat was tempted to just leave us there.

"If you don't tell me where you want to eat in the next thirty seconds, then you can go hungry," she threatened.

Clint rolled his eyes. "I don't think a certain pair of super soldiers would appreciate that."

"They'll get over it."

"Ugh, just take me somewhere I can have a coffee while I eat." I groaned out, needing another hit of caffeine to get me through the second half of the day.

We stashed my shopping bags back into the car, then decided to head to a nearby café for lunch. It was the type of place where you ordered before finding a seat, and I was a little grateful. I secretly hated the places where you paid after you ate.

With the prospect of a freshly cooked meal being made for him, Clint had considerably perked up. He was leaning into Natasha's side, whispering something that had her fighting to keep a smile off her face.

It was adorable, but I couldn't help but feel like a third wheel.

Natasha immediately noticed how uncomfortable I seemed, and nudged Clint's arm gently. He looked up at me sheepishly, clearing his throat.

"So, uh…" He muttered, seemingly trying hard to find something to say. His eyes lit up not a moment later. "When I asked you why you thought my relationship with Natasha was interesting, you said you'd tell us when it was private. Is this private enough for you?"

I looked around at the other customers in the café, chatting amongst themselves, or heavily engrossed in their phones, laptops, or books. Not like it mattered much to tell them here anyway. I just thought they'd rather not have their teammates hear.

"Yeah, this is as good a time as any," I shrugged, giving them a smile. "Well, so, the first movie you two appeared in together was The Avengers, like I mentioned. The movie didn't explicitly say you two were together, but it hinted at it enough for people to ship the shit out of you two."

Natasha quirked an eyebrow, her mouth twisting into just the tiniest hint of a smirk. "I'm sensing there's a 'but'."

"Yeah, there is." I nodded, before letting out a sigh. "I kind of don't even wanna tell you, because it involves another Avenger and also something that one of you can never have."

And it was true. Clint had been able to successfully start a family in the movieverse, but Natasha had been sterilized by the Red Room and was therefore unable to have children, not matter how much she wanted to.

I mean, sure, they could adopt. But it wasn't the same as having your own flesh and blood.

"Ah, come on, just spit it out." Clint whined, just as a waitress appeared with my coffee, Clint's milkshake, and Natasha's fruit smoothie.

Quickly hiding myself behind the large mug, I shook my head. "I don't wanna upset either of you. It's kinda personal and I'm starting to feel shitty that I know this from some movies and not from you guys telling me yourselves."

"Beth, it's okay, you're not going to offend us." Natasha reassured me, though her tone was the same as she always used and therefore not very reassuring.

"Oh, fucking hell, alright." I muttered, swallowing a mouthful of coffee to calm my nerves. "But don't say I didn't warn you.

"You, Natasha, in the second Avengers film, apparently had a thing for Bruce and the feeling was mutual, even if he was a little awkward about it. And you, Clint, had a secret family with two kids and another on the way."

I was not expecting their reactions, to say the least.

A/N: If you're a thriller fan, then I highly recommend all of the books mentioned at the start of this chapter!

Next chapter: Natasha and Clint's reactions, Beth's personal revelations, and Bruce finally decides to make an appearance.