I'm still here! RL is kicking my butt lately, along with my depression, but I think I'm coming out of the funk. Thank you for being so patient with me. This is shorter than my latest chapters, but I wanted to get something out there for you. Enjoy!
Tony shrugged. "I had to act quick before someone else swooped in."
"Bird jokes, really?" Clint was still somewhat stupefied and trying to wrap his mind around what the piece of paper entailed.
Mikayla ran over to Tony and barreled into him, throwing her arms around him. "After this, you can make all the bird jokes you want." Tony fell backward and was kept from hitting the ground by Pepper. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," Mikayla muttered through tears.
The rest of the group looked around puzzledly at each other. Finally, Steve spoke. "Wanna share with the rest of us?"
Clint turned to face the team and tried to speak, but all he could do was stutter incoherently. His lip started quivering, so Tony nudged Mikayla and forced her to turn around. She quickly ran to Clint, laced her fingers with his, squeezed his hand, and took a deep breath. "Katie and Philip are coming to live with us."
For a brief moment, everyone was too stunned to react. Wanda was the first one to move and speak. She hurried over to Mikayla and hugged her. "That's wonderful news. You're going to be great parents."
Mikayla shook her head and sniffed. "Never thought I'd be given the chance."
"And now you have," Wanda said softly. Mikayla pulled her in for another hug.
As the friends continued speaking, Natasha went over to Clint. "Don't expect me to start babysitting."
Clint smirked. "Sure thing, Auntie Nat."
Natasha saw the wariness and concern in his eyes. "You're nothing like him. You know that, right?"
Clint sighed. "We'll see."
"Dumbass," Natasha gently slapped the back of his head. "If you're afraid of it, then it won't happen. Plus, I'll be here to make sure it doesn't."
"Knew I could count on you, Romanoff."
"Always, Barton."
"I believe this calls for one of our illustrious group hugs!" Thor's voice boomed, and he stretched out his arms as if to engulf the group. Everyone gathered together, then broke apart as Tony started whining about emotions.
They made their way into the tower, and Tony had Friday order pizza for everyone. "In honor of the future little Bartons. I'm sure they'll be just like their dad and think it's a food group."
"I love that word," Mikayla said, linking her fingers again with Clint's.
"What, pizza?" He asked.
"Nope, dad."
Clint leaned over and whispered, "My kick-ass wife, now she's also a kick-ass mom." He kissed her temple and squeezed her hand. The two murmured to each other as they went to the living room and sat down on the loveseat.
No sooner had they settled down when the team who'd stayed behind appeared. It looked like Bucky had just come from the gym, Bruce had probably been in his lab, and who knows what Sam and Misty had been up to. "You're back!" Misty cheered as she ran over to Clint and Mikayla. "Welcome back!" Mikayla stood up as Misty engulfed her in a hug. "So, tell me, how was Asgard? Was it everything you thought it would be?" Before Mikayla said a word, she handed the envelope to Misty, who took the paper out and read it. "This is awesome, M! I'm so happy for the two of you! Do the kids know yet?"
The trio looked toward Tony and Pepper. Pepper smiled. "Not yet. I figured you'd want to tell them. They should be here in a few hours."
"And don't worry," Tony added, "I'm already drawing up plans to redo your suite, give each of the little hawklings their own rooms."
Mikayla looked at Clint, eyes open wide. "We've got to go shopping! They will need clothes, bedding, toys, find out what they like, and school supplies. Oh, man! When does school start anyway?"
Clint put his hands on her shoulders. "Babe, you're starting to hyperventilate. Follow my breathing, 'kay?" Mikayla looked at him and slowly matched his breathing. "Good?" She nodded. "Why don't we wait until we tell them the news and then go from there?" Mikayla suddenly found herself speechless, so she nodded again. Clint stood up and reached out his hand. "Come on, let's head upstairs." Mikayla reached up, clasped his hand, and the two left the common area and went to their rooms.
"Agents?" Friday's voice filtered through Clint and Mikayla's rooms later that day. "The children have arrived. And might I add congratulations to you both? You're going to make excellent parents."
"Thanks, Friday." Clint stood up and reached his hand down to Mikayla, who was still sitting on the couch. "Ready, little mama?"
Mikayla smiled and shook her head. "Still doesn't seem real." She grabbed his hand, and he pulled her up. "We're really going to be parents."
Clint drew her in for a hug. "We are." After each of them took a few deep breaths, they looked at each other. "Ready?"
"No, but yes."
"I get it, babe." Clint put an arm around her shoulders and kissed the side of her head. "Let's go tell 'em the news." Mikayla nodded, and the couple took the waiting elevator to the common floor, where they found Katie and Philip entertained by Thor telling them a story about growing up in Asgard. "Not scaring them too much, are you?" Clint smirked.
"Never, friend Clint!" Katie was sitting in Thor's lap while Philip hung off Bucky's arm and giggled. "I was regaling them with tales of Sif, Fandral, and I running around Asgard, trying to hide from our caretakers."
"Mikayla!" Katie hopped up and ran over to Mikayla, who scooped her up as Kate threw her arms around Mikayla's neck. "You're here!"
"Sure am." Mikayla hugged her, and they went over to the loveseat as Clint dragged Philip off Bucky's arm and sat beside his wife. "How are you two?"
"Unca Tony lets us play with his toys," Philip signed and spoke. Clint and Mikayla looked at each other, amazed at how much clearer he spoke than the last time they saw him.
"Toys, Tony?" Clint looked over at Tony, eyebrows raised.
Tony put up his hands. "Before you go all Hawkeye on me, the toys he's referring to are Dum-E and U, along with Vroom."
"Vroom?"
"The Roomba," Pepper clarified. "He's got a nickname for everything."
"Exactly," Tony said. "You didn't think I was handing him a soldering iron or anything, were you?"
Clint rolled his eyes. "Nothing you do surprises me, Stark."
Tony crossed his arms. "I try to keep everyone on their toes."
Clint and Mikayla exchanged glances, and Mikayla nodded. "Speaking of surprises, we've got one for you two." Katie and Philip looked at Clint. "How would you feel about seeing us more often?"
"That would be the best," Katie said as Philip nodded and signed the same thing.
"Well, let me ask you this, then. Would you like to live here all the time? With Mikayla and I?"
"You mean until someone adopts us?" Katie asked, starting to frown.
Clint quickly inhaled, then answered her. "What about if we were to adopt you?"
"Both of us?"
"You're a package deal, Katie," Mikayla said. "We wouldn't dream of separating the two of you."
"You mean it?"
"More than anything, Katie-Kate," Clint said, smiling, sensing they were about to get their answer.
"You'd be our Mama and Daddy?" The two adults nodded, holding their breath. "Then we'll stay 'cause there's no one else we want to be our parents." The four of them hugged as the rest of the group piled on them to join in on the hugs.
