Chapter 11 ~ Nat's POV:
I look at Clint as we sit with the rest of the team around a table in a shawarma joint that has seen much better days but the battle had its toll all over the city. I scoot forward a bit as Clint places his left leg along the back of my chair behind my butt and I raise a brow.
"I might have twisted it but I'm alright." He says answering my silent question. I roll my eyes and pick at my roast beef sandwich for a moment.
Clint leans back in his chair exhausted just as everyone else and then he starts to crack up a bit. I follow his gaze to Thor who is stuffing his face with his food and I start to laugh with him.
"I've never seen anyone eat that much in less than five minutes!" Clint laughs and everyone else joins in, even Thor begins to chuckle. "Well, except Lucas."
Everyone looks at him and I gasp quietly as my eyes meet Clint's.
"Lucas!" I cry out and cover my mouth as I look at Clint.
"Aliyah!" Clint says and we both stand quickly still staring at each other shocked.
"Our babies!" We both say and the rest of the team stares at us in shock.
"Babies?" Tony asks and looks at us.
"Stark, you got a phone?" Clint asks quickly and Tony nods pulling a touch screen phone out of his pocket. Clint grabs it and leads me over to the window with him as he dials a number. "Barney? Yeah, hey, bro. I'm fine. How are the kids? Oh good, it's late…No, don't wake them. We are going to call Fury now and get you all here to Stark Tower by morning. Yeah, pack your stuff. Alright, bye."
I look at him as he hangs up and starts dialing another number. "Are they okay? Where are they? I need my babies, Clint."
"Shhh…I know." He pulls me close and kisses my head gently as his other hand brings the phone to his ear. "Hill, I need a huge favor. No, I know I have no right to ask but it's for our kids. Yeah, I knew that would work. Send a Quinjet to the location I'm sending you. It'll be the kids and my brother and sister-in-law. Thanks, I owe you more than you know. Bye."
I sigh in relief and hug his middle gently trying to calm down. "Thanks, my hawk."
"You're welcome, beautiful." He says softly and kisses my forehead gently. He rubs my back gently and leads me back to the table. "Thanks, Stark."
I sit resting my elbows on the table rubbing my temples and sigh annoyed with myself that I forgot my own kids. I feel Clint's hand rest on my back and I turn my head to look at him.
"Okay, I think you two need to explain what's going on with you." Steve says and everyone else nods in agreement.
I look at Clint and he nods too. "If we are to be a part of a team with them then I think we should tell them, Nat."
"Alright." I sigh and sit back feeling every sore muscle in my body.
"Why don't we move this to tower? It'll be more comfortable and we can get cleaned up." Tony offers and we all nod.
Around an hour later the whole team is on their respective floors getting cleaned up or checked by Bruce for any major injuries. I step out of the bathroom to go to the closet to look through clothes that Stark had stocked in here in a matter of minutes thanks to Pepper Potts. I grab a pair of loose fitted pajama pants and one of Clint's old sweatshirts.
"Always have to wear my clothes to bed, don't you?" Clint's voice breaks my thoughts and I turn to see him leaning on the door jam in a pair of gym shorts.
I smile a bit as my eyes run over his body but my heart stops as I see his thinner frame and my heart breaks as I finally see the turmoil he's been through. I go over to him with tears in my eyes and I cup his face gently.
"What did he do to you, my hawk?" I whisper and look up at him sadly. "Tell me, please…"
"Hey, shhhh…" Clint pulls me into his arms and rubs my back. "I promise you that Loki did nothing to hurt me physically. He tortured me in my mind and I tried to fight therefore losing sleep and not eating properly. And before you say it, yes I know better but I will be fine soon, I promise."
I raise my head to look up at him and stand on my toes to kiss him softly. "Just swear you'll never leave me again."
"I swear, Nat." He says and kisses my forehead tenderly.
"Mrs. Barton?" JARVIS, Stark's artificially intelligent computer comes over the intercom.
"Yes, Jarvis?" I answer holding back my laughter at Clint's confusion.
"Mr. Stark request you and Mr. Barton to come to his level to tell about your family."
"Tell him we'll be there in a moment." I tell it and Clint looks at me confused.
"What was that?" He asks and goes to grab a t-shirt.
"It was Stark's artificial butler system, Jarvis. He's pretty awesome. I'll show you later." I nod and kiss his cheek as I go past him to get my wedding band on the bathroom counter.
"What can't that man invent?" Clint mutters as I take his hand to go to the elevator and it goes down three levels.
We enter a large living area where a few of the glass windows that line a wall are blown out from earlier today. Clint leads the way to a couch and we sit close together as everyone else settles around the room. I smile slightly at Pepper as her and Tony sit together in a chair together looking very cozy. I sigh knowing how she feels, she thought Tony would have never come back after flying into the portal but he fell out at the last second.
"Alright, so first things first…how long have the two spies been together?" Tony asks and looks at us.
"Married or together?" Clint grins and I lean my head on his shoulder gently thinking about all the years we've been together.
"Both and how you got together." Tony says and we look at each other.
"Partners for twelve years, romantically involved for nine and married for eight." I say and smile a bit thinking of the defining moments in our lives.
"And parents for four years, ten months and three days." Clint says and I look up at him surprised at the accuracy in that statement. "What? They are one of the three most important people in my life and mean more to me now than anything."
I smile and lean up to kiss his cheek gently as everyone looks at us a bit shocked. I look at each of them to determine how they feel about us. Tony looks shocked but strangely comforted now the Pepper is rested against his side. Steve looks happy that we are happy to but a bit awkward that Clint and I are cuddled up together. Bruce seems to be interested in all the facts we are willing to share but other than that relatively calm, as usual. Thor's expression is the most confusing to me, he looks happy but his eyes seem sad about something. I shake it off thinking it has to do with Loki.
"So, if I may?" Pepper pipes up looking at us and we nod wanting her to feel a part of our relationship too since she knows me or Natalie Rushman. "What are your kids like?"
"Just like Nat."
"Just like Clint." I say just as Clint speaks and we laugh. "Like me? No, they're like you."
"No way! Aliyah is just like you!" Clint grins and looks at me lacing our fingers together tightly.
"No, Lucas is just like you! He loves archery just like his daddy!" I smile and squeeze his hand gently. "Okay, we'll say that they are like us both but different."
Clint grins and leans down to kiss my head gently. "Do you have the pictures?"
"They won't be necessary, little bro." A new voice says and we jump up to see Barney, his wife Liz and the kids standing beside them.
"Mommy!" Lucas cries running to me and I kneel down to scoop him up in my arms trying to hold back my tears.
Clint steps around a chair and kneels down to be level with Aliyah who is standing behind Barney looking scared. "Aliyah, princess…come here."
Aliyah glances around her uncle's leg then pulls back and shakes her head. "No, you left."
I gasp hearing her and Lucas clings to me. "Aliyah Katherine-"
Clint holds up a hand stopping me and I come to stand behind him with Lucas. Clint sighs and rubs his face with his hands then looks at Aliyah again.
"Princess, I know I did but I'm back now and I never meant to leave you. I swear, I will never leave you or Lucas or mommy again. You mean the world to me." He says and his voice cracks revealing so many emotions from the past twenty four hours.
Aliyah looks at him with teary eyes and runs to him full force making him fall back onto his butt. I let my tears fall as I watch Clint cry as he holds her to his chest tightly. I forget everyone around us as I kneel down to them with Lucas and we all hug tightly to each other.
Sorry, it took so long but I am proud of the ending! The next will be in Clint's POV so it'll be emotional!