*Yes, I know that Natasha probably met the Bartons before Captain America and the Winter Soldier, but for the sake of the story, pretend she met them just after that*
"You and Agent Romanoff need to go to a safe house."
Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff stood at attention in front of Director Nick Fury. Clint nodded and Nick dismissed them. Natasha screwed her nose as she thought about how nonchalant Nick Fury had been about telling her that her life was in danger.
"You okay?" Clint asked.
"Well, for a woman who was just told her life may be over soon," Natasha responded sassily. "I'm doing fine."
Clint chuckled. "Alright. Well, go pack. We'll grab a quinjet and be out of here soon."
Natasha frowned. "Where are we going to go? Fury already said that all the S.H.I.E.L.D. safehouses are compromised."
"Good thing we're not going to a S.H.I.E.L.D. safehouse." Clint gave her a wink and left Natasha in the hallway.
Natasha stood there for a moment, stunned that Clint knew of another safehouse. Natasha shook her head and left to her room at undercover S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters; or, really an abandoned warehouse that Nick Fury bought. Natasha began packing, but also thinking about how S.H.I.E.L.D. used to be through, until Fury rebanded Clint, Hill, and herself to become a small operations team. Natasha packed her civilian clothes and grabbed all models of her catsuits. Once that duffle was packed, she threw all of her knives, throwing stars, electric batons and all models and refills of widow bites into a second duffle.
"You ready?"
Natasha looked up and saw Clint in the doorway, watching her. "Nearly."
Clint entered her room, dropping his duffles in the doorway. Clint walked over to stand behind Natasha, peering over her shoulder at what she was holding.
"Was that when we got shwarma?" Clint asked.
Natasha nodded, the picture between her fingers. The Avengers were all settled at two tables that were pushed together. The shwarma place was a disaster after the battle for New York. They all took a selfie, celebrating their victory. The picture was funny to Natasha because everyone was dirty and battle scarred and donning their armor, capes and leather. Clint snickered as he pointed to where Loki was sitting, muzzled and looking like a berated child.
"We had a good run," Clint said softly.
"We'll always have Budapest," Natasha replied softly.
Clint rested his chin on her shoulder and placed a delicate kiss to her cheek. A soft smile spread across her face at his tender touch. Clint sighed and reached around, placing the picture into one of Natasha's books and laying the book into the bag.
"Shall we?" Natasha prompted.
Clint nodded and grabbed his bags, leading the way down the undercover S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. Natasha slipped into the co-pilot seat of the quinjet. Clint smiled and started the engine. Natasha felt the familiar rush as the quinjet shot off into the air.
"I'll contact you when I need you," Nick Fury's voice entered the jet. "Stay safe Agents Romanoff and Barton."
Clint pressed the button which reflected the sky onto the quinjet, masking the entire jet. "Why does he always say your name first?"
"Eh, he just likes me better," Natasha retorted playfully.
Clint chuckled as they flew to a secluded farm. Natasha furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Clint drove the quinjet into a large barn that sat a mile or two away from the house.
"No matter how crazy it gets, just roll with it," Clint said, as they walked towards the house, bags in hand.
Natasha nodded, an inkling already prickling in her. As soon as Clint opened the door and called out, there was a thundering of footsteps from upstairs. Little feet raced downstairs.
"Daddy! You're back!"
Clint picked up the young girl, swinging her around. The boy hugged his dad and snuggled into Clint's side. Natasha sat her bags down and crossed her arms, a soft smile at the family moment.
"Clint?"
Natasha saw a woman emerge from the kitchen. Clint cupped the back of her neck, placing a light kiss to her lips. Natasha looked down as the little girl approached. Natasha crouched down and gave a smile.
"Hi, what's your name?" Natasha asked softly.
"Lila," Lila responded, "I'm three!"
Natasha feigned shock. "You're so old!"
Lila giggled and played with a keychain on Natasha's belt loop. Clint walked over, his wife under one arm and his son under the other.
"Tasha, meet Cooper and Laura," Clint introduced.
"Nice to meet you," Laura said with a grin. "I see Lila's already made a new friend."
Natasha gave a smile and looked down at Lila. Lila was tugging at the hem of her shirt. "Nice to meet all the Bartons for once."
"Up, up," Lila begged.
Natasha scooped Lila up and placed her on her hip. "Clint can't pretend he doesn't have a girlfriend anymore."
"I did it to keep them safe," Clint said with a smile, but a serious look in his eyes.
Natasha looked at Lila, who was resting her head on Natasha's chest. "I know, I would have done the same."
Clint nodded. "Well, we have time before dinner."
Laura nodded and clapped her hands. "Well, let me show you to the guest bedroom."
Natasha nodded, passing Lila to her father, who took her to put her down for a nap. Natasha grabbed her bags and followed Laura to the guest room. It was decorated with a light yellow and baby blue curtains.
"Sorry, it's a little messy," Laura apologized. "Clint usually tells me before we have guests."
"Sorry, it's been a little hectic," Natasha responded quietly, setting her bags on the bed.
"What happened?" Laura asked. "Clint won't tell me."
"It was a possible lead on a Russian organization," Natasha said vaguely. "It turned south and we were compromised. Our boss said we need to lay low for a while."
Laura nodded, understanding that S.H.I.E.L.D. was top secret, especially now that S.H.I.E.L.D. was supposed to be dismantled. "Did either of you get hurt?"
Natasha shook her head, but Clint interrupted. "Nat took a pretty good beating."
Natasha glared at Clint. "Nothing I can't handle."
Clint shrugged as he and Laura left Natasha to get situated. Laura wrapped her arm around Clint's middle.
"She's the one, right?" Laura asked.
Clint looked at her in brief confusion. "Oh, yeah."
"She's nice," Laura said.
"We're not a thing anymore," Clint jumped.
"I know, that was so many years ago," Laura said breezily. "You told me what happened, so I'm not worried."
Clint nodded. "Yeah."
Laura slid a cup of coffee to him. "She is nice though, and Lila seems to love her."
Clint turned to where Natasha had soundlessly snuck down to the living room and was watching Lila color. Natasha had a soft smile and would help Lila pick colors for her drawing.
"This is good for her," Clint murmured. "I haven't seen her this happy in a long time."
Laura nodded and came around the island. She snuggled up to Clint's side. "She's the one who had a rough past, right? You mentioned that you worked with someone who never had a happy childhood."
Clint nodded. "Yeah, but it's her story to tell."
Laura nodded in understanding as Natasha pointed at them, whispering something to Lila. Lila came racing over to her parents.
"Can I call her Auntie Nat?" Lila asked, bouncing from foot to foot.
Clint looked up at Natasha, who gave a shrugged with a playful huff. "If she said you can."
Lila squealed and danced back to Natasha singing, "Auntie Nat! Auntie Nat!"
Natasha stood up and joined the other adults, Clint passing her a cup of coffee. Natasha and Laura were left alone as Clint took Cooper and Lila out to see the quinjet. Natasha took one look at Laura's face and knew everything.
"How much did Clint tell you about me?" Natasha asked, taking her coffee with her and sitting at the table.
"Nothing crazy, just that you had a rough early life and that you two met because he was sent to kill you," Laura said. "He also told me about the two of you."
"Oh, that's nothing anymore," Natasha said quickly.
"Don't worry," Laura assured, holding her hand up. "I don't think anything of it. Clint made it very clear that you two are friends now."
Natasha nodded. "He was always there when I needed him to be there. You're a very fortunate woman."
"What about you?" Laura asked, switching subjects. "A Mr. Romanoff?"
Natasha shook her head. "No, there's no one."
Laura nodded. "You'll find someone one day. You'll be a great mother. I see how you are with Lila."
Natasha fell silent and turned away, hiding the glistening tears threatening to show themselves. Natasha knew it was rude, but she could not explain the whole ordeal to Laura. Natasha quickly wiped her eye, flashed Laura a brief smile and turned, leaving Laura questioning what she had said to set the Russian off. Natasha quickly slipped out and headed towards the quinjet.
"Tasha!" Clint came running.
Natasha did not stop, forcing Clint to tell his children to go inside to their mother. Clint chased after Natasha, finding her sitting on one of the benches of the quinjet with her hands resting at her temples.
"What happened?" Clint asked, crouching in front of Natasha. Gently, he pried her hands away from her face and looked at her. "What happened?"
"Tell Laura about my past," Natasha said. "I can't. I can't tell her that I want kids, but can't have them."
"She brought it up." Clint winced. "Tash, she didn't-"
"I know," Natasha cut him off. " I don't blame her. I just can't."
"I'm sorry," Clint apologized. "I didn't even think about how Lila and Cooper would affect you."
"It's fine," Natasha assured with a half smile. "I just need time."
"Well, they both are your new niece and nephew," Clint said brightly. "They even began arguing who you prefer."
Natasha cracked a small smile and took Clint's outstretched hand. He hauled her up, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Laura practically leaped from her chair to give Natasha a hug upon arrival. Laura did not say anything, able to read that bringing up family upset the avenger. Laura pulled away and gave Natasha a bright smile to which Natasha returned a light one. The family sat down for dinner, Lila and Cooper both vying for Natasha's attention.
"Can you show me how to fight?" Cooper begged. "Dad said he's better than you."
"Did he now?" Natasha said slyly, eyeing Clint. She leaned over and whispered to the boy, "next time your father tells you that, just say this: Nasaki's Qi."
"What happened there?" Cooper asked eagerly.
"Let him tell you," Natasha said with a shrug. "Yes?"
Lila had been tugging at the hem of her shirt. Lila looked at her empty plate before beginning to crawl onto Natasha's lap.
"Lila, are you tired?" Laura asked softly.
"No," Lila insisted sleepily.
Natasha began to displace the little girl from her body, but Lila clung to her. Lila's little fingers dug into her shirt and had even managed to wrap Natasha's bra strap into her tiny fists. Laura gave Natasha an amused, yet sympathetic look.
"She's not going to let go anytime soon." Laura began picking up the dishes.
Natasha smiled. "Nothing I can't handle."
Natasha stood up with the little girl and sat on the couch, Lila snuggling closer to the Russian. Clint watched wistfully, as he knew everything about Natasha. He knew how much children mean to Natasha, but little girls especially. Natasha's time in the Red Room hardened Natasha's heart, mind and soul, but while they hardened her, they also made her stronger. Natasha grew to become a huge softie to little girls, often insisting on taking care of them until the team could find the parents.
"She's sterile, isn't she?" Laura murmured to Clint.
"Her graduation gift was them forcefully sterilizing her," Clint spat quietly.
"Clint, I know you told me that it was Natasha's story to tell, but she won't and you know it. She's too private." Laura reached around and pulled Clint to their room.
Clint peeked around the corner one last time at Natasha asleep on the couch with Lila curled against her middle and Cooper with his head on the opposing armrest. He turned back to Laura who sat with wide eyes, ready for the horrors that she was sure would follow.
"I'll give you the basics," Clint agreed. "Natasha was trained in Russia in a program called the Red Room. It was a Soviet program that took little girls, brainwashed them with propaganda and trained them to become assassins for the government. Natasha said that only the strongest survived the fighting and grueling times. She said that the only upside was the ballet classes that they forced upon the girls. Natasha loves ballet, and she's really good too. Anyways, Natasha had to fight her whole life. She had to kill all her piers to prove that she was tough enough for the government. She said that once they accepted her training, they took her and sterilized her. After they sterilized her, they injected her with enhancements."
"Like the super soldier serum?" Laura asked.
Clint wrinkled his nose and tossed his head a bit. "Not like that. Bruce said that the serum gives heighted senses, especially hearing and it adapted her cells to heal faster. After that, she was sent on mission after mission for the Soviets. She earned the title Black Widow because of her ruthless no questions asked attitude. She got onto S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar when she began going rogue from the Soviets, not that they minded. I went after her, saw potential that shouldn't be wasted and got Fury to agree to her becoming a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. She defected from Russia and that's that."
Laura nodded, her breath hitching when she saw the red-headed assassin in the doorway. "I'm sorry, I didn't know if you'd feel comfortable. Sorry, I shouldn't have gone behi-"
Natasha waved her off and sat on the chair across of them. "Don't worry, I won't kill you in your sleep. I'm glad Clint told you, I wouldn't have been able too."
Laura smiled. "You're welcome here whenever you want."
Natasha's eyes became unfocused. She looked down and smiled every so lightly. Clint noticed and grinned, knowing how much that invitation meant to the red-head.
"It's been so long since I've had a home," Natasha murmured softly.
"You'll always have a home with us," Clint assured, standing to envelop Natasha in a hug.
"You're Auntie Nat," Laura said warmly.
Clint and Natasha opened their arms, Laura joining the hug.
"I want a hug!" Lila squealed as she came barreling into the hug.
Lila and Cooper wriggled their way into the center of the circle. Natasha felt warmness spreading from her heart to her toes.
This is what a family feels like, Natasha thought.
********************
That's the end! Hopefully y'all enjoyed it! It was fun writing!
Byeeeeeeeeeee!
