~Broken Family~

Vati

Gwen watched, heartbroken, as Harley adamantly shook his head and Ellie collapsed onto her hands and knees, gasping for air.

"He was going to be a father," Clint whispered numbly as Natasha wrapped a comforting hand around his shoulder.

"He's gone..." Ellie gasped, forehead brushing the ground. "He...he's really gone..."

Gwen couldn't believe it. In what appeared to be just a few seconds, HYDRA's Serpent had disappeared forever. It didn't seem comprehensible.

"Clint?" Harley croaked hoarsely as Gwen knelt down next to Ellie and offered her shoulder. "Clint, is it true?"

Clint nodded.

"It was supposed to be me." Nat shook her head and looked down at Ellie. "He had a child to live for, a wife. You and I have nothing. Why did he do it?"

As Gwen looked over her shoulder, she thought she saw a look of guilt and sadness come across Clint's face as he glanced at Nat. But it was soon gone, replaced by blank anger.

What happened on that planet?

Forcing herself to her feet, Ellie marched over to Clint and Nat. Nat took a step back warily, as if afraid the woman would start beating them for losing the love of her life, but she pulled them both into a hug.

"I know you tried your best," Gwen heard her say with her enhanced hearing.

"He said..." Nat dipped her head respectfully as she talked. "He said you would know why he did what he did. Wanted to finally do some good in his life to make the world a better place for your child."

Ellie sniffled. "I always knew he was going to do something like that. I want you to know I don't blame you, or him. We need to be strong now, and pointing fingers isn't going to..." She broke off with a small gasp.

Harley's lip trembled and he took a steadying breath. He seemed about to say something to Gwen, but then he did a double-take on the spot where Ellie had collapsed onto the floor.

"Uh, Ellie...?" he called nervously, and Gwen noticed it now, too: a trail of water leading up to where she stood with Clint and Nat.

"Um." Ellie let the strained word slip out between a clenched jaw, and she was soon being half-supported between Clint and Nat. "I think my water just broke."

***

"Gwen, Nat, help Ellie," Tony ordered.

"What are you gonna do?" Gwen demanded as Clint handed off one of Ellie's arms to Gwen to support. The woman was a lot heavier than she looked.

"We're gonna formulate a plan." Tony rubbed a hand across his eyes and sighed heavily. "And--and figure out what to do about that young Albrecht."

"Hey," she called to Harley over her shoulder as she and Nat helped Ellie out of the room. "You okay?"

He just nodded. "I just...I just feel like there's too much stuff going on for my brain to fully...fully process this... I'll probably grieve later."

"Do we take her to the infirmary?" Gwen asked Nat.

"Just get me somewhere," Ellie growled dangerously. Gwen could hear her frantic heartbeat getting even faster and, if she strained her ears, she could hear a muffled, more quickly beating heartbeat within her. Clay's baby. 

A newfound strength came to her.

I'll keep them safe for you, Clay, she promised as they barged into the infirmary and laid Ellie down on one of the beds. I promise.

***

Gwen decided not to go into maternity nursing.

They did a better job than what the boys would have, of course, but it was still a stressful few hours. Not only was the baby coming eight weeks early, but a Russian assassin and a superpowered college student were the only ones there to help her.

And with the way Ellie's screams split the air, the way the baby came out with Clay-like scales across half its wet skin, Gwen thought it was safe to say that the baby had superpowers.

Gwen had been letting Ellie squeeze her hand and encouraging her while Nat dealt with the baby, but now Ellie's hand dropped and she anxiously reached towards Nat.

"Let me hold my baby," she gasped, sweat still beading across her forehead. Nat quickly handed her the little bloody, scaly monster, which had opened his tiny toothless mouth and started wailing and squirming inside the blue blanket he was wrapped in. Fuzzy black hair stuck out of his head. He seemed a little too small to be healthy, but there was so much energy behind his little fists that even Nat had seemed to have a hard time holding him.

As Ellie pressed a kiss to the baby's forehead, he stilled, cries quieting. He seemed to be one endless squirming machine, and as tears spilled from Ellie's eyes, her entire world appeared to be encased in that one little child.

"You're beautiful," she whispered against the baby's ear. As the blanket dried him, the scales receded a little. "Your Vati would be very proud of you."

"Any thoughts on names?" Nat ventured, wiping away sweat of her own off of her brow.

"If the baby was a boy..." Ellie started, voice trembling with emotion, "he wanted to name him after his father: Stefan."

"Stefan," Gwen mused, holding out a finger and gently probing the baby's. He lashed out and squeezed it, already seeming to have the strength of a five-year old, not a newborn preemie. He would certainly be a handful.

"Hi, Stefan," Ellie whispered, kissing her son's ear. "You're my beautiful, beautiful baby boy..." Her glistening eyes turned up to Nat and Gwen. "Thank you so much."

Nat grinned. "The pleasure was all mine. Always happy to help someone in need, and witnessing the miracle of birth is not something someone ever forgets."

Gwen snorted. "You can say that again." Nat elbowed her.

"So..." Gwen cleared her throat and tried unsuccessfully to get Stefan to release her finger. "He has powers?"

"He looks just like his father." Ellie smiled. "And powers just make him all the more special, doesn't it?"

"It does," Nat agreed, somewhat reluctantly. "But we'll have to monitor him carefully. Make sure he's doing okay. I'll call Bruce to come run some routine tests."

As Ellie nodded, Gwen heard a whoosing, whining noise coming from above. She cocked her ear in confusion, panic overtaking her when she realized what it was.

"Get down!" she screamed, throwing herself forward and knocking Nat to the floor.

An explosion ripped through the world.