The Tower: Family

Becca

When Natasha went into labor it was about as dramatic as what you'd expect it to be for her.

It was a week before her due date, but well into the zone the doctor's call full term. She was uncomfortable and hating it but she still insisted that she be the one that walked the kids to and from school every day so that she could cloak them. Because it was getting so close to her due date, Clint and Bucky had started to shadow her again. That meant, rather than a random changing of the guard for the people doing the drop-off and pick-up, it was always Clint, Bucky, and Natasha.

They had been out for around half an hour when they returned. I was sitting in the living room with Sam and Wanda while she nursed the babies.

Wanda had been such a star with breastfeeding. With Riley and Pietro I'd ended up needing a bottle supplement which had turned to complete formula diets when they realized the bottle was a much easier way to get lots of milk. I also remember struggling to feed them both at the same time.

Wanda had no such trouble. I don't know if it was just her and she would have been fine no matter what, or if it was the fact her powers pretty much allowed for anything - or a combination of the both - but she could feed both twins at once, never complained, and the babies were steadily gaining weight.

If there was a way for a person to burst through elevator doors, Natasha did it. All three of us looked over startled as Nat hurried inside, beelining straight to the stairs. There was a shadow of wetness on her maternity pants and a look of frustration on her face.

"What's going on?" Sam asked his eyes flicking from Natasha who was already halfway up the stairs to Bucky and Clint who were following after her.

"Nat's water broke while we were dropping the kids off at school. She started getting contractions on the way back," Clint explained.

Wanda gave an excited squeak that made Rose give her the dirtiest look a newborn can muster.

"Wow, alright," Sam said. "El, you go with them. FRIDAY, let the others know it's happening. And tell Happy, Travis, and Amber that I need to see them."

"Yes, sir," FRIDAY replied.

I gave Sam a curious look. "Well, the kids are going to need to be picked up, I figure if Happy drives one either Travis or Amber. And they're both going to need to be extra hands-on, because I'm pretty sure Wanda's going to want to come down and be with Nat too, right, honey?"

"Oh yes," Wanda agreed. "I'll come up to feed these two, but I don't want to miss that."

"Alright, I'll go check on Nat," I said getting up. "I'm sure we're still many, many hours away. She probably won't come until tomorrow morning."

"Wanna bet on the time?" Sam asked.

I smirked at him. "Yeah, alright. I think 3.30 am."

"I'm gonna say 11 am. Rebecca's going to sleep in," Sam said.

"Closest to it wins? If it's exactly in the middle it can be you," I suggested.

"Sounds good," he said, holding out his hand for me to shake.

"What's the prize?" I asked.

Sam smirked at me. "I'm sure we can think of something."

I giggled and headed upstairs to check on Natasha. I found her in the shower with Bucky, while Clint lazed on the bed. "How are you doing there, Nat?" I asked.

"Completely mortified," she said. "I was talking to one of the other mothers and I just ... exploded all over them. Amniotic fluid went everywhere. All over her pants legs. And the floor. The worst part was that I think the labor started this morning, but I thought it was those Braxton Hicks contractions so I ignored them."