The kid avengers

Promises

On their return, having heard from Steve exactly what Pepper had been through that day, Maria and Phil felt incredibly guilty. They cancelled all their upcoming meetings and told Fury that if it were an emergency; one of them would come in, but never both at the same time. Six was just too many to handle, especially these six kids!

The next morning Natasha crept into Maria's room, waking her up at 5 am to ask if she would help her make a cake for Pepper before she left. She'd been booked a three day spa break as a thank you/sorry from Maria and Phil; and was due to leave right after breakfast.

Maria had started to say no, but the look in the little girls eyes made her rethink her answer and drag herself out of bed. Pepper's absence would be hardest on Natasha; they'd become incredibly close over the past two months.

Maria had seen more than once the way Pepper had rocked her back to sleep when the nightmares had become too much, how she'd accepted the name Natasha instead of Natalia from Pepper alone; long before she'd allowed herself or Coulson to call her by the other name, and how Natasha gripped hold of Pepper's locket that she'd given her that first night; when Pepper had promised her that she was safe. Maria suspected that was the first time the little girl had heard those words.

So with a gentle smile Maria hauled herself from under the covers; taking Natasha's hand in hers, and made her way to the kitchen.
It was still dark out, and everyone else was asleep so they worked quickly and quietly. The cake came out the oven shortly after and was left to cool while the two of them had breakfast, then it was time to decorate it.

Maria was touched that Natasha had come to her, rather than go to Coulson, to help her with her little project.
When The Avengers had first been regressed everyone had assumed Natasha and Clint would gravitate towards Coulson; he'd been the pairs handler for years, but they'd surprised everyone when they'd become most comfortable with Pepper. Though, thinking about it, Maria thought it probably made sense; the two assassins had had perhaps the toughest childhoods of anyone she'd ever met; gravitating towards Pepper, who was the gentlest and kindest of the three adults, was probably just what they'd needed.
While Tony had become attached to Coulson rather than Pepper, his girlfriend, probably craving the positive male role model and influence he sorely lacked due to his own fathers absence.

When Pepper emerged early that morning from her room, suitcase packed by her door, there were already two people up. Natasha ran towards her, grabbing her hand and dragging her down the hall.

"Come look what we did!"

"Okay, okay. Slow down" she said with a laugh.

When she entered the kitchen, there was a cake centered on the table; covered in pink icing and written in purple on top in shaky writing (Natasha had insisted on doing it herself) read: 'To Pepper I love you! Nat xxx'
Pepper felt herself welling up, and for a moment she couldn't look down at Natasha for fear of bursting into tears. Maria gave her a knowing smile from the corner and excused herself from the room.
Pepper scooped the girl up into her arms and gave her a hug "I love it!" she whispered into her ear; her voice high with the effort not to cry.
Natasha's arms wrapped tightly round Pepper's neck as she sobbed "I'll miss you"

"I'll miss you too sweetheart!" Tears ran freely down her face now as the emotion became too much. "But I'll be back before you know it! And we'll talk everyday on the phone?"

"You promise?"

Pepper knew how much the word 'promise' meant to the child in her arms, and she never used it lightly where Natasha was concerned.

"I promise" she replied, squeezing her just a little tighter.