Doctor Stark (C. Barton)

Chapter Sixteen

Some time had passed, and over that time, Mercedes and Clint had fixed some things on the house. Clint still had quite a bit of work to do, but it was mostly exterior things. He didn't want Mercedes doing any of that work, since it was definitely dangerous for her and the baby, and it could cause her to work too hard.

Natasha had visited once to make sure everything was coming together for Clint and Mercedes. The couple seemed to be working well together, even though Mercedes was a moody pregnant lady. She hated sharing her favorite cookies, and after the first glare, everyone knew to stay away from the cookies.

Anyhow, it was finally time for Mercedes and Clint to find out the gender of their child. Mercedes was hoping for a boy, and Clint was hoping for a girl. Natasha simply wanted a baby named after her, since she was their best friend, and she believed that they had to name a baby after her. Mercedes and Clint were both going to agree, since they truly cared for Natasha, and they knew she'd be excited with it.

Mercedes had actually mentioned making Natasha the Godmother of the baby, and Clint was quick to agree. Natasha was their best friend, and there wasn't anyone else he would trust with their baby more than Natasha. Clint also knew that Mercedes would've nominated Pepper, if she wasn't still keeping everything a secret.

Eventually, Mercedes would need to tell them the truth, and Clint was worried about how that would turn out for her. He didn't want her to be hurt by her family, but he knew they'd be angry because they were kept in the dark. Tony didn't even know where his daughter had worked, and that was only the beginning of the secrets Mercedes was keeping from her family.

He didn't critize her for it. He knew she was just trying to do what she thought was best. She didn't want to hurt anyone, and she truly believed by keeping some things secret, she'd be helping protect herself and her family. Her father was a very important man in the public eye, and she didn't want to cause him anymore drama than he already had.

Since it was finally the day for Clint and Mercedes to find out the baby's gender, they were fairly nervous and excited. They didn't know what to expect, but they really couldn't wait to hear the news. Mercedes had picked the perfect doctor near their home, and made sure the doctor and all the staff knew that nobody could know she was there. They also couldn't put any of her files in a computer. It all had to be paper at all times, and they weren't allowed to give anyone her information, not even a doctor with verified credentials.

If any doctor needed Mercedes' information, she would get it herself and bring it to the doctor, otherwise nobody was allowed to have the information. It was mostly for privacy purposes, since she was a Stark, but also it was for safety. If anyone got ahold of her information, they could find out where she lived, and everything could turn bad fast.

Clint hadn't explained to her everything in detail, but he told her that HYDRA had threatened him with hurting her and the baby. She didn't want HYDRA having any clues or anything, so she did everything she could to keep herself and her baby hidden from the world. She even made sure to pay for everything in cash, since she didn't want her card information leading anyone to them.

Anyhow, Clint and Mercedes were lead straight back into a room the moment they entered the doctor's office, since she was technically classed as a celebrity, and the doctor's office didn't want anything bad happening to her in their building. Technically, if anyone hurt her while inside of the building, the people that ran the office would be responsible. They would have to pay the fees and things that came with the accident, and they definitely didn't want to chance that.

Mercedes laid on the bed in the room, as Clint sat beside her. He held her hand in his, as a nervous smile played on his lips. He didn't know what the baby would be, but he was definitely excited to find out. He didn't want to make Mercedes anymore nervous though, so he tried his best to hide it from her.

"Are you ready to find out the gender of your little one?" The doctor asked, and the couple nodded quickly.

The doctor closely examined the screen for a minute, as the couple waited with anticipation. They could hear the beating of their baby's heart, which made their hearts swell with happiness. The baby would arrived in a few months, and they couldn't be any more excited.

"Well, congratulations Mom and Dad, you're having a healthy baby boy." The doctor said, turning to them with a smile.

Mercedes grinned, as Clint stood up slightly and placed a kiss on Mercedes' lips. They were having a little boy, and neither parent knew who was more excited. They couldn't wait to tell Natasha, and Mercedes mentally scolded herself for still keeping the secret from her father and Pepper. The two, as well as Happy and Rhodey, deserved to know about the baby. They deserved to know a little boy was being brought into the Stark family, but Mercedes didn't know how to tell them.

Honestly, she believed she was buried too deep to pull herself out. She had to keep the secret going, otherwise she'd crush them. She'd have them thinking she didn't trust them, and that was something she really didn't want to have them believe. She trusted them all with her life, especially her father, but she didn't want to hurt them. She knew if she told them now, she would definitely hurt them, and that was something she couldn't see herself doing in a million years...