New memories

Chapter 1

It has been about a year since we got back from Asgard. Everything has changed. Sometimes I keep wondering if this even is my life that I live. Loki has been ruling Asgard amazingly and they are getting closer with Thor. Thor has been on a journey around the nine realms. Asgard's army is still the one that everyone leans on in need. Battles around the Nine Realms have kept Thor and his warriors busy. Because of his new title, Bucky has joined them sometimes, when there are no missions in Midgard. At first we visited frequently my brothers but at the end of the pregnancy it was just too much. Now Loki and Thor have been stopping by at the compound more. When the visit, I also get news concerning the dragons and phoenixes. There are so many new baby phoenixes and that can only mean one thing; new loves have been born in the realms. The two dragon eggs hatched little bit after we last left Asgard. The dragons have grown a lot by now. Last time we visited I hardly could recognize Lisha. The two other dragons are not like her. They are both male, deep dark red with scale armors that probably could withstand almost anything. Thor told us that those two dragons are not behaving like others. For some reason they are angry all the time and they don't even obey Pyrrhus. I have been worried about them, but there is someone else that I am more concerned about.

These days I spend most of my days watching over our little ray of sunshine, our little baby girl Nanna. The pregnancy was not the easiest one. The last month of the pregnancy, I was having hot flashes all the time. I was literally glowing the last month and the closer we got to the birth, the stronger was the glow. One point Bucky couldn't anymore be close to me because my fire powers were going on haywires. Luckily, that is all behind us and now we can keep raising our little girl. She is almost six months old now, and she has already stolen everyone's hearts at the compound, even Tony's. When they are not on a mission, everyone keeps holding her, playing with her, and feeding her. I don't mind because it means that I have more time for me.

Now that she is old enough, we have been thinking about visiting Asgard. It would be nice to spend more time with Loki and Thor. And because Bucky spends almost half of his time in there also, it would be great time to be with my family. There is also another reason why I have been wanting to visit Asgard. Thor told me that Loki has met someone. And of course, being a protective and nosy sister, I have to meet this person. I am really happy that Loki has found someone, he deserves to be happy. And what I have heard from Bucky, Thor and Sif have been getting closer to each other. I have met Sif only few times, but I have seen how she looks at Thor and I think that they would be a great couple.

For the past hour I have been sitting in the lounge drinking my tea and watching Steve, Nat, and others play with Nanna. She is smiling and laughing, so I haven't really had a reason to stop this. Bucky is again with Thor. He has been gone for about three days now. I look out the window and wonder where they are right now. I keep watching out and I fall into my thoughts. I hate that he is gone for so long periods. I know that Bucky loves me and especially he loves Nanna, but I also know that if I asked him to not go with Thor all the time, he would lose his mind soon. "Are you alright?", Nat asks me. I don't even hear her first. She comes closer, places her hand on my shoulder and asks again, "Are you ok?". I startle a little. "What? Yeah, I'm ok. Why?", I answer to her. "You just look like you are pondering something.", she responds.

While looking at Steve and Pietro playing peek-a-boo with Nanna, I start talking with Nat. "I am just worried about Bucky. He has been gone for three days. I just keep wondering if something has happened, are they alright. Sometimes I wish that he would be more with us. I get a lot of help from you guys, but I still miss him a lot.", I tell Nat. She keeps nodding to me, probably because she doesn't have any solution for me. She just hugs me and tells me to talk with Bucky. "Easier said than done. He is always with Thor or with you guys on some mission. I just miss him.", I respond. A tear falls on my cheek, and I wipe it away before anyone else sees it, but without me knowing, Steve sees it and he has been listening to our conversation. I stand up and ask if the guys will look after Nanna while I go grab something from our room. Steve and Pietro are laughing with Nanna and both nodding without even looking at me. I leave them to the lounge and walk towards our room.

I don't need anything from the room, it was just an excuse to be by myself. I walk around the compound and find myself at the lab. Recently I have been helping Tony and Bruce at the lab. Because I can't go on missions, we made a play corner for Nanna in the safest area and every time she is in there I use my powers to create a safety net around her. Helping in the lab has given me something else than dirty diapers to think about. It has also been nice to see Tony and Bruce interact with Nanna. Few days ago, Tony even admitted that it would be nice to have family and children with Pepper. I don't know if he talked with Pepper, but I know that they would be amazing parents. After admitting that, Tony did say that now is not the time because he has his hands full with Peter. But I think that he is thinking about having a family with Pepper. Even though Peter keeps him busy. I think that for some reason Tony thinks of him like his son. Peter is a young boy from Queens, and he also has powers. He is known in the world as Spider-Man. What I understood from Tony's rambling, Peter was bit by a radioactive spider and now he has some kind of abilities because of that. Honestly, I stopped listening to Tony at some point and just kept nodding. I have met Peter once or twice and he seems like a good kid. And most important Nanna likes him.

Bruce is in the lab for some reason. I walk up to him. "Hi, what are you doing here alone? Do you need help?", I ask him. He lifts his head from the book that he has been reading and responds, "What? I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in or what you just said.". I laugh because that is so typical-Bruce. Apparently, I have interrupted his deep thoughts. "I was just wondering if I could help you with something.", I repeat. He looks around him and just says, "Now thanks, I am studying gamma radiation.", and keeps reading. I shrugged my shoulders and kept thinking that something is wrong. He knows more about gamma radiation than anyone in the world, so what is there to learn anymore? Normally Bruce wouldn't even be alone here. He spends his time with Nat and if he is here, usually me or Tony are here too. It was odd, but I knew better to keep asking him questions when he was in this state of mind.

I returned to the lounge, and I think that it was not a minute too early. When I get closer, I can hear Nanna crying, Steve and Pietro trying to hush her and Nat telling them to check her if she needs diaper change, food or just cuddles. I watch them from the doorway. They haven't seen me yet. I smile looking at them trying to manage a little baby's crying. Pietro picks her from the play mat and smells her. I guess she doesn't need to be changed, because I don't see any disgusted face on Pietro's face. Steve tried to give her a bottle of milk that I told them to get from the fridge if she needs it. She is not taking it and just keeps crying. Steve gives the bottle to Pietro and tries to hug her. She keeps crying louder. Nat takes her and she seems to calm down a little. "Look, she just needs her aunt-Nat.", she says and smiles at Nanna. Steve keeps looking at Nat holding Nanna. I can see him smiling and I think that Steve is having some feelings towards Nat. Suddenly, Nanna starts to cry again. "Oh really, 'she just needs her aunt-Nat'. Really Natasha?", Pietro snaps at her. I start to laugh and finally they realize that I am standing in the doorway.

I walk to them and pick Nanna up. Immediately, shestops crying. They are all looking at me and her. "How did you do that?", Steveasks. I smile at Nanna and say, "Sometimes babies just need their mom to holdthem.". Nat smiles and Pietro is shaking his head. I hold Nanna for a while,and she keeps rubbing her eyes. "I think it is time for a nap, don't you littleone?", I ask from Nanna. I take the bottle from the guys, and we leave them togo get some sleep. Before I leave the room I turn to them and say to themsmiling, "Thanks guys!". We go to our room, and I lay on the bed on my rightside, my back to the door. For some reason if I am sleeping with her on ourbed, I always sleep in between her and the door. Maybe it is just so that I canprotect her from whatever comes from there. I give her the bottle of milk andsnuggle her right next to me. I hold her in my arms and just look thisbeautiful little creature slowly falling asleep. I start to feel drowsy myself,but before I fall asleep I can feel someone climbing into the bed with us. Theylay right behind me and put their left arm around me. I can feel the coldnessof the vibranium on my skin and I know that he is back. I can finally breatheeasily, now that I know he is safe.