Daughter of Darkness

Mama Romanoff

When Laura gets home later that day, Zipporah plays with Clint's children as the grown-ups talk. Laura helps her get a contact that can forge the kid's birth certificate. They stay at Clint's house for a while until Natasha can get them an apartment in New York. They live there and Zipporah struggles to control her magic for a while. Natasha tries to help her as much as possible, but she knows that she's not very good at it. Zipporah would often go to Natasha's room and sleep with her when she has a bad dream. Which was almost every night. Natasha would ask what's wrong, and all the girl would say was "I had a bad dream" but never explained what it was and Natasha didn't push for fear of scaring Zipporah.

Until one night when she wakes up crying and Natasha tries to help.

"Baby, what's wrong," she asks gently. She leans over and turns on lamp as the kid cuddles closer to Natasha.

"I want my dad," she sobs as she presses her face to Natasha's chest. Natasha raises an eyebrow, confused. She said that she didn't have parents. Natasha calms her down and then asks her the question that had always been nagging at her mind.

Natasha takes a deep breath before pushing the child gently, enough so she can see the girl's face."Zi, you remember your parents, don't you?" Zipporah looks away with a nod. "Sweetie, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I was scared," she whispers and a small whimper escapes her lips as she wipes her eyes. She sits up and so does Natasha, who rubs her back soothingly.

"Of what?"

"I don't know. Monsters just kept coming and a guard... He said that my dad wanted me to leave the palace." She sounded choked for a second before she paused and sniffled, clutching her straw doll to her chest like it was a lifeline. Natasha pulled her into her side, hoping to comfort the poor child. "The only time I felt safe was when I met you." Natasha sighs, but is still confused.

"Who's your father, Zip?"

"Promise you won't get mad?" She looks at Natasha with wide eyes.

Natasha shakes her head with a surprised laugh. "No, of course not." Zipporah takes a breath. She's heard stories about her father. Especially the ones about him hurting people. The Avengers had fought him once while Zipporah stayed with Miss Laura. It's what made her not say anything to Natasha. If her magic didn't chase the lady away, she feared her parent would.

"Prince Loki of Asgard," she whispers so softly that her mom can barely hear her, and Natasha's taken aback. She did not expect that. She's silent for a minute as she thinks this through.

"So I'm guessing this isn't what you really look like?" The girl shakes her head. When she does, her blond hair turns black, and her brown eyes turn a bright emerald green. She looks like she might start cry again so Natasha wraps her in her arms. "You don't ever have to hide something from me. I won't kick you out because of who your father is. You're my daughter. I'll keep you safe, I promise." She pats down Zipporah's hair to reassure the child.

"I love you, Mom."

Natasha tells Clint about it the next day, not sure how to react. This kid had only been with her for a year, but Natasha wouldn't know what she'd ever do if she lost the kid, and then she found out it was Loki's kid. That made Natasha scared that Loki might come for her. Or that his enemies will. "Clint, I need help here," Natasha begs.

"And you know I'll always help, so let me ask you this," he says. "As long as the kid keeps her illusion up and doesn't cause big problems, is there any harm in keeping your promise?"

"No-but what if Loki comes after her?"

"She said he kicked her out, so I suspect that won't happen." He chuckles over the phone.