Learn to Love Again

Damn You Stark

Rhodey had come to set the party up leaving the rest of them to get ready.

"Mama I don't wanna wear a dress!!!" Morgan groaned as Pepper zipped up her plaid Christmas dress.

"Morgan please don't complain tonight I promise you can have dessert tomorrow if you are nice and polite tonight." Morgan zipped her mouth allowing Pepper to curl her daughter's hair.

"Why Maguna you look beautiful my darling!" Tony smiled lifting his daughter into the air.

"Tony you're going to ruin her dress." Pepper said but even she couldn't help but let out a laugh. Tony let out a whistle at her green dress once Morgan was out of earshot

"Damn Potts you look hot." Pepper rolled her eyes

"Are you ever going to grow up Tony?"

 "I doubt it." Natasha and Steve appeared both having changed into fancier clothing. Natasha's dress was breathtaking. The red went along with her skin tone and flaming red hair, the dress itself complimented her perfectly. "Romanoff you look sexy." Natasha rolled her eyes

"Fuck off Stark."

"Fuck off Stark." Morgan echoed grinning with glee holding her camera.

"Damnit Morgan I'm gonna be in so much trouble with your Mom." Morgan giggled before following Rhodey out of the room to set up the cookies.

"So what's going on with you two?" Tony asked blatantly staring at the arm Steve had wrapped around Natasha's shoulder.

"Excuse me?" Natasha asked

. "You heard me. How long have you two been baby-making." Pepper knew Tony meant it as a joke but she could see Natasha freeze up.

"We've been dating for a year now Stark," Steve responded growing annoyed with Tony's prodding.

"Damn I'm surprised she hasn't popped out a baby yet." Pepper fumed at Natasha's distraught face.

"Great going, Tony!" Pepper exclaimed as Natasha quickly left the room quickly following her.

"Was it something I said?" Tony muttered to Steve who groaned in response.

"Nat," Pepper called out. "Nat!." "Natasha!" Pepper froze at the muffled sobs she heard. She opened the bathroom door revealing Natasha. "Hey hey it's okay, everything going to be ok." Pepper was shocked to see her in this state. She knew that topic was a rough spot but she'd never seen her react this rashly before. And even then Natasha Romanoff was NOT someone to cry. But everybody needs a good cry sometimes. "You know Tony just meant that as a joke," Pepper said stroking the redhead's back.

"It still hurt." Natasha hiccuped "Steve deserves so much better, I know how much he wants kids and now because of me he can't have any." Pepper felt her heartbreak into millions of pieces.

"Natasha Romanoff you look at me right now." Pepper said sternly "You are an amazing, beautiful, talented person. You are an amazing aunt, sister, businesswoman but above all friend. I could not have gone through all of this without you by my side." Natasha's sobs got softer but Pepper continued to speak "Steve loves you so so much Natasha he admires and adores you more than you could ever imagine he loves you just the way you are. He doesn't care that you can't have children he'll love you no matter what." Natasha looked away her cheeks flushing red.

"Sorry, I'm being stupid." She muttered.

"Emotions are not stupid Nat it's really really normal."

"Let's go back," Natasha said standing up, quickly wiping away her streaks of mascara.

"You sure?" Pepper asked hesitantly growing more concerned for her friend. Natasha nodded any sign of her ever being sad fading away. Steve shot Pepper a look as the two reentered but chose not to say anything only wrapping an arm around his girlfriend.

"Is she on her period?" Tony whispered to Pepper half-jokingly.

"Damn you Stark!" Pepper responded groaning. Leave it all to Tony Stark to ruin Christmas day.