Evelyn is 4, Elijah & Henry are 1 and Jacob is 11 months

"I give up" Natasha declared, throwing several information brochures back on the table and scooping Henry up from where he was playing on the floor

The little boy quickly snuggled into his mother's arms and yawned, his twin brother was already asleep on his father's lap as Clint read though several websites on the tablet carefully balanced in his one free hand

"You're still looking at schools for Eve?" Bruce asked, dodging the little girl in question as she darted past him, running to greet her Uncle Thor who'd just arrived back from Asgard

"Uncle Thor! Tell me a story? Please? Please tell me a story?"

"Of course little one" he smiled, he'd always do anything his little niece asked of him, swinging her small form up onto his shoulders "To the library?" he asked, already knowing the answer

"Yes please!" she exclaimed excitedly, leaning over his head to look at him, her long blonde curls tumbling over her shoulder and obscuring his sight

"Right away little princess, let's go!"

"You know, I don't think we're even remotely qualified to make this decision" Clint told his wife, placing the on the table on top of the brochures his wife had thrown down a moment ago
Natasha agreed, rearranging a sleeping Henry against her chest so she could sit more comfortably

"You know, if she'd been born just three days later we could have put this decision off for a whole year"

Natasha glared at her husband "Are you really trying to blame this on me?"

"N-no" he stuttered, half turning his face to hide behind his sleeping son

"Would you tell them already and put them out of their misery?" Pepper asked, nudging her husband who smiled at the pair nervously from kitchen table

"So, I know your first choice of school for Evie was Everdale's"

"There's no way me and Nat can afford that, out combined Shield wage doesn't even cover the first year"

"Well, when she was born I made a donation to Everdale's, and every other school in the area... You know, just incase..."

"How big of a donation?"

"Big enough that they've been holding a place for her for the past four years"

Natasha and Clint both stared at their friend, gobsmacked. Tony had offered to help them pay for the school in the past, but as he'd suspected they'd turned him down; not wanting to rely on the billionaire for everything. He'd had this back up plan in place since his niece was born; he only wanted the best for her. He just hadn't found the right time to tell her parents yet, and what better time than when they were both holding a sleeping baby; they couldn't yell or hurt him.

"But-"

"No need to thank me spidey, and before you start worrying about Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee there, Everdale's have agreed to hold a place for any child of any of the Avengers, so I got you guys covered too" he told them, initially referring to the twins, but extending the comment to Steve and Bruce who were sat watching the conversation unfold with great interest, it seems they'd been none the wiser about Tony's secret either

"But-" Natasha repeated, not quite sure how to continue. She knew Tony would do anything for her daughter, and for that she was always grateful, but she'd never expected this

"You got anything else to follow that Red?"

She glanced at Clint, who looked equally dumbfounded

"Everdale's is a great school, I heard Superman sends his kids there" Bruce tried prompting the assassin's to say something and ease the nervous look on his friends face

"Thank you Tony" Natasha finally managed to say, and the genuine smile on her face told Tony all he needed to know; he'd done good

"Why'd you wait until now to tell us?" Clint asked, getting up and passing Elijah to Natasha before heading over to talk to Tony in the kitchen area

"I was scared your wife would kick my ass" Tony answered, laughing as relief flooded over him. Clint nodded; it was certainly a very real possibility

Pepper made her way to the couch, taking the seat previously occupied by Clint.

Natasha gently stroked the fine blond hairs on her sons heads, "Your husband really is full of surprises you know" she informed Pepper

"I know, I didn't even know about this until last week when you were fretting over getting Eve's school application in. Which means he didn't used the SI account, he used his inheritance money; said it was about time something good came from all those years of manufacturing weapons, he said he was investing in the future"

Natasha glanced back over to Tony Stark; the man who was arrogant, cold and unfeeling to the outside world. But the man who'd held her hand when she'd been shot in the field and was dangerously close to bleeding out, he'd delivered her son's in this tower and comforted her when Clint was missing; the man who'd do anything for his family, and the man who'd just solved the biggest problem parenthood had presented them with so far.

"Pepper, could you take the boys for a minute?"

Pepper nodded, eagerly taking the sleeping babies from Natasha, they looked like angels as they slept silently, it was when they were awake they had everyone on their toes. Pepper glanced over to her own son who was happily being entertained by Steve, his brown hair stuck in every direction following his own nap; just like his father

Natasha approached Tony who was now sat alone eating his lunch; Clint had gone to find Thor and Evie to see if they wanted anything to eat

"Tony?"

"Oh hey Tash" he said, turning to face her and giving her his award winning grin

"I just, I wanted to thank you"

"Not a problem Red, somehow you and birdboy produced one hellofa kid, she's one of the most important people in the world to me and I don't want to let you guys mess her up" he smiled cheekily, throwing in a insult at the end to help cover up the truth of the deep emotions he'd just admitted to her

"Thank you Tony" she repeated, hugging him fondly. He returned the hug, and for a moment; everyone's eyes were on them. They broke apart as Evelyn came running towards them shouting "Uncle Tony! Uncle Tony!"

She jumped at him, just in time for him to catch her and pull her up onto his lap as he sat back down

"What is it little spiderling?"

Natasha rolled her eyes at the nickname; he'd called it her since birth and it had caught on fast

"Daddy told me I had to come and say thank you"

"Thank me for what?" he prompted, to which the little girl tilted her head in deep consideration

"For being my Uncle Tony!" she said simply, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek before stealing his last piece of bacon off his plate