Our little family (sequel to Baby Captain Widow)

Chapter 8: Agent Rodrigo

1 week later...

"Steve?" Nat said, flicking through some old SHIELD files in the office at the compound, loitering around in case someone goes online.
"Yeah, 'Tasha?"
"I've just been thinking. I don't want to be physically involved with this time travel heist that we're planning, here. I don't think it's a wise idea, seeing as I'm, you know..." She gestured at her stomach, which was now quite big. Steve looked slightly shocked, remembering how she had  reacted when she had been prevented from going on any missions at five months, and yet here she was, barely in her second trimester, doing the complete opposite. Seeing her face, he composed himself.
"Um, yeah, I completely agree."
"Clint, Wanda, and I had a really close friend from SHIELD, who haven't disappeared, who could potentially take my place."
"What about Yelena? She's got your skills set at around your level..." Nat looked at the floor, a wave of sadness washing over her.
"I don't know if she's disappeared or not. I have no way of contacting her." Steve walked over to her, took the files out of her hands, and wrapped his arms around her. Natasha leaned her head on his chest, breathing in his warm scent of cinnamon and cedar.
"Where is this friend of yours?" He asked, holding her close.
"She's in D.C." Nat said, one hand around Steve, the other on her bump. "She has or had family there. I don't know what's happened to them, but I do know that she's there."
"Ok, let's go and get her then."

————————————————————————————————————————————

Nat stepped into and old, and dusty diner. The lights flickered, adding the occasional eerie glow to the dark room. There were very few customers, all sitting in small groups, apart from one. She sat with her back turned to the door, the hood of her hoodie up, but it still revealed her long, almost black hair. Nat made her way over to the loner, hand on her bump, feeling the slight movement as the baby moved, kicking its tiny leg. She placed her other hand on the woman's shoulder, causing her to look up at her. "Mind if I sit?" Nat smirked. She nodded. "Haven't seen you in a while, Hailey. How's it been?" Hailey turned her dark grey eyes to the side.
"It's been hard. Mum and Dad survived the... the..."
"Dusting?"
"Yeah. But mum's cancer came back. She didn't make it. Dad died a year later. Broken heart, I suppose."
"Sounds like you've had a tough time."
"Yeah." Nat moved a hand over to Hailey's, holding it sympathetically. "What about you? What's happened over at your end?"
"Well, I have a daughter, Lily, and Steve and I are together, and we're having another baby."
"At least you've got that going for you." Hailey said, half bitterly.
"Hey, it's not all shits and giggles. 7 years ago I found my family from when I was little, before the black widow training program, and now I have no way to find out if they're still alive. I've lost most of my friends and family, and my best friend is now some kind of terrorist-assassin."
"Is there a reason why you've come here, Natasha? A reason why you feel like you need to find me?"

Nat took a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger bubbling up inside her, holding her swollen stomach as a sort of coping mechanism. "We may have a chance to bring everyone back. But I can't be physically involved, as you can see."
"Yeah, you're pregnant, yippee for you." Hailey muttered, sarcastically.
"Rodrigo, listen. We have the opportunity to reverse everything that Thanos has done. And we need your help, otherwise we can't do it. Hailey, I wouldn't have come looking for you, like this, if I didn't need to. Come on, what d'you say?"
"Nat. I don't know..."
"Come on, please? You know you want to."
"Ok. Fine. I'll help you out. On one condition."
"Really? Alright, what is it?"
"I live with you guys. I was just evicted before I came here."
"Yes, definitely. I was going to get you to stay with us anyway, cause Steve and I had to fly the Quinjet over here cause you were so far away."
"Thanks, Nat. I appreciate it."
"It's fine, don't worry about it." They stood up, and hugged, before exiting the building.

————————————————————————————————————————————

Nat, Steve, and Hailey all sat in the Quinjet, an hour or so into their flight back to the compound. Nat and Steve were flying it, whilst Hailey sat behind them, earbuds in, listening to music. "Nat, where's your kid?" She asked, taking an earbud out.
"A friend of ours is staying with us, and he's looking after her." She yawned. It was getting late, almost the next day.
"You sure you don't want me to take over for you whilst you take a nap?" Hailey offered, removing the second earbud and pausing her music.
"No, it's fine. I can manage." Nat declined, her speech punctuated by another yawn.
"Nat. Go and lie down." Steve said, glancing over at her. There was something about his tone of voice that made her obey, however disgruntled she may have been.

Nat made her way sleepily over to a wide bench and lay down on it, folding one of Steve's sweatshirts as a makeshift pillow, nestling her head into it. Soon enough, she fell into a deep sleep. Steve looked over his shoulder, smiling at how adorable she looked.

————————————————————————————————————————————

"Hey, Nat. Wake up. We're back. It's lunchtime now." Steve whispered, gently shaking her arm. Nat groaned, and turned over onto her other side. Steve chuckled, and began to pick her up bridal style.
"Steve, put me down. I'm too heavy for you."
"Nat, even pregnant you weigh as light as a feather for me." He kissed her on the lips, Nat smiling as he did so.
"Get a room!" Hailey joked, picking up her stuff and exiting the jet. Nat rolled her eyes at her friend as Steve set her down, wrapping an arm around her. As they exited, the baby kicked Nat in the diaphragm, knocking the wind out of her.
"You alright?" Steve asked, alarmed, placing a firm hand on her stomach.
"Baby kicked me... in the wrong place to be kicked..." Nat gasped, as she regained her breath again.
"You sure you're alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, just give me a sec." She doubled over, hands resting on thighs. After a minute or two, Nat stood up again, and walked towards the front door. Lily ran over to her, arms out wide, colliding with her mum, hugging her tight. "I missed you too, sweetheart." Nat smiled, picking her up.
"Scott is setting up the barbecue in the back garden! He's got burgers and hotdogs!"
"Has he now?"
"Yes! Come on!" She let go of Nat's leg, trading it for her mother's hand, and dragged her through the compound towards the back garden.

A little while later, Nat and Hailey were sitting down on a comfortable garden bench covered in cushions, with Lily playing on the trampoline a few metres away, Steve and Scott working on the barbecue. "Mommy! Watch!" Lily cried, as she attempted a cartwheel on the springy surface.
"Wow! Well done, baby!" Nat called, as Hailey applauded.
"Did you teach her that?" She asked.
"No, that's the first time I've seen her do that." Nat answered, smiling at her daughter, looking impressed.
"Wow, really? 'Cause that was nearly perfect!" Hailey gushed, looking equally impressed.
"Lunch is ready!" Steve called, moving the platter of cooked meat over to the table. Scott followed with ketchup and mustard in one hand, bag of bread rolls in the other. "Who wants what?"
"Hotdog please!" Lily said, sitting down beside her mum, juice box in hand.
"Ketchup or mustard?" Scott asked, holding them both up.
"Ketchup!"
"Here you go... How about you two?" Scott asked, handing Lily her food.
"A burger sounds great." Nat said, hand on her bump.
"Yeah, one for me as well." Steve handed them their burgers, before preparing his and Scott's lunch. They all sat down, chatting with one another, as if nothing from the past 5 years had happened, as if everything was somewhat normal.

****
Hey guys! Thank you so much for your support through votes, comments, even just you guys reading.

I'm sorry this chapter declined in quality towards the end, I had a good chunk of writer's block, and when it reached the barbecue part, I didn't know how to write it, but I knew I wanted to keep it in.

Again, thank you so much, your support means so much to me.
-Anwen xx