Winter's Widow

Chapter 35: Danger

I awoke to hushed voices outside of my door. It sounded like Clint and Natasha were currently in the midst of one of their infamous whisper-fights when they tried to pretend like everything was normal for the rest of us, but all of us knew exactly what was happening. The two of them were like an old married couple with all the grumpy and none of the romance, and if my head didn't feel as though it was splitting in half at this particular moment, I most likely would have found the situation more amusing. I squinted my eyes against the light as I try to focus my hearing on what was happening just outside the door. The two of them arguing was always cause for amusement – at least for me, a fact that drove Natasha bonkers, which was obviously a large chunk of the fun.

"You don't get to do that again, Barton," Natasha was whisper-shouting at the poor man. I could just picture her on the other side of the door, leaning against the door frame because it was impossible for Natasha to sit or stand up straight, always had to have her feet up or be leaning against something. She most certainly had her arms folded across her chest, and most likely her trademark scowl when she was trying to be tough. Those of us who knew better, however, knew that Natasha away from danger posed to any of her friends or family was all fluff. I heard Clint chuckling from the other side of the door. He wasn't taking her seriously, which didn't really bode well for him.

"We got everyone out of there, Natasha, and the team knows about my family now. No harm, no foul." He attempted to placate the former assassin, but judging by her tone, his attempts were not going according to plan.

"My best friend is in there sleeping off a head injury that shouldn't have happened if we had been more prepared," she asserted rather forcefully. This argument was quickly flipping from whisper shouting to just regular shouting. Laura's voice broke through the chaos just when things seemed like they may get headed.

"Okay, you two, let's take a break. Natasha, little Nat here was hoping you could tell him a story." Instantly, Natasha's voice changed as she cooed sweetly at Clint's youngest child. I smirked. Leave it to Laura to break the tension with a baby. It was a gift.

"She's going to be fine, Tasha," Clint reassured her as she continued to baby talk the newest Barton. When Natasha responded, the humor was back in her voice, filling me with relief.

"No thanks to you, Hawkeye," she muttered. I could picture the smirk that was on her face as I opened the door on the two of them, still squared off in front of my room, Natasha cradling a tiny baby in her arms as she grinned up at me. "Kasey, look at how fat he is," She smirked, noticing my arrival. I grinned, gently squeezing Nathaniel's cheeks and triggering a smile from his fresh, new face.

"He's just perfect, Nat. You leave that baby alone before you give him a complex." I swooped in, stealing the infant out of her arms as I dashed down the hallway away from the assassin who was temporarily so incredulous at my bravery that she hesitated before chasing after me.

"Careful with the..." Clint called after us, shrugging it off when he realized that neither of us were listening and, just as important, neither of us would let any harm come to any of his children – especially his newest son.

...

I groaned softly, moving my head back and forth against the pillow. It was quiet. Too quiet. For me, that usually meant that something was wrong. Very wrong. I willed my eyes open and was met by the sight of...wooden ceiling beams? I frowned. Where the hell was I? I rolled my head to the side, surprised to see a slender brunette in bed beside me. Who was that? Where was Yelena? And – once again – where the hell was I? I groaned louder, which made the person beside me begin stirring and I was relieved – if not still slightly surprised – to recognize Wanda. Her eyes snapped wide open as soon as she saw me looking at her