One of many stories

Chapter 27

"Are you sure you are feeling healthy enough?" Steve said as Natasha put down some clothes in a bag.
"I promised Lila I'd visit." Natasha said with a small smile as she thought of the sweet girl. "Besides, I hardly think I'd get hit by a car again when you're going to be beside me 24/7." She said, looking up at him. Steve shook his head a bit, tired of her never ending car crash jokes.
"You ready?" He asked instead and Natasha grabbed her bag.
"Yeah." She said, stopping next to him and giving him a quick kiss. She then walked past him and licked her lips. Steve stood still for a few seconds. It was still quite shocking for both of them to revive these small acts of love. It was hard getting used to but they had no problem loving it.
"Are you coming?" Natasha asked from the door and Steve looked back at her.
"Right." He said, grabbing his bag before walking with her. She smiled a bit at him as she closed the door.

• • •

"Cooper, don't play with your food." Laura said, glancing at Cooper who didn't look exited at all to put another fork of Mac and Cheese in his mouth.
"I don't like mac and cheese." He complained. Lila looked up at him with raised eyebrows.
"How can you not like mac and cheese?" She asked surprised, her mouth wide open.
"I agree, how can you not?" Natasha said as she stepped into the room. Lila's opened mouth was replaced by a huge smile as she left the kitchen table in a hurry.
"Auntie Nat!" She laughed before swinging her small arms around Natasha's neck.
"Sorry to interrupted the meal." Steve said as he took another step inside the room. Cooper dropped his fork on the plate and stared at Steve. His mouth opened wide just like Lila's had only a few seconds before.
Natasha cleared her throat a bit before elbowing Steve as good as she could while carrying Lila.
"Looks like you have an admirer." She whispered and Steve gave Cooper a smile. 
Steve walked toward Cooper and stretched out his hand.
"Hi, you're Cooper right? I work with your dad." Steve said, giving Clint a nod. Laura smiled at her son who was absolutely amazed by seeing Captain America in his home. Cooper took Steve's hand and shook it.
"Hi.." He stuttered as he looked over at Natasha. Steve walked over to Laura and gave her a hug as Cooper stared down Natasha.
"You brought Captain America?" He mouthed to Natasha who grinned at her young friend.
"I thought you'd want to meet him. You missed him twice." She mouthed back, taking Lila's hand as they walked back to the kitchen table. Cooper tried to relax but couldn't hide his excitement. It's not every day your hero walks into your house.
Laura gave Natasha a quick hug before sitting down by the table with Lila in her lap.
"Are you guys hungry?" Laura asked with a smile.

• • •

Natasha and Steve got a good meal of mac and cheese at the Barton's. Cooper had taken the opportunity to ask Steve about pretty much everything he could come up with. Steve smiled at the eager boy and felt rather proud, though the didn't want to admit it. Clint scoffed now and then and Natasha finally questioned him.
"Clint." She said, waiting for him to start talking but he didn't. She looked at Steve and Cooper who was in the middle of a conversation. "Are you.. Jealous?" Natasha asked Clint with a grin.
"I'm a hero too you know." He said, pouting at Cooper. "But I'm not as cool apparently."
"You're his father." Laura said. "You'll never be cool." She teased and Clint nodded.
"Thank you, honey." He said giving her his best fake smile. She only laughed it away.
Lila dragged in Natasha's shirt a bit and Natasha looked at her.
"I want to show you something." She said and Natasha smiled.
"Okay, how exiting!" Natasha said as Lila took her hand. Steve looked up and smiled at the sight before getting engaged with his and Coopers conversation again.
"So what did you want to show me?" Natasha asked kindly as Lila had dragged her into the room. Natasha glanced over at the two dolls Lila had got from her and Steve on her birthday. The Black Widow and the Captain America doll was sitting next to each other in the middle of the bed. Natasha couldn't help but smile a bit.
"I drew another one for you." Lila said, handing her a painting. Natasha looked down at the little girl, as her heart burned with love. Natasha took the drawing and looked down at it. It was another picture of her and Steve. Natasha smiled at first but then she noticed something.
"Honey, who's that?" Natasha said, pointing at a small figure in the picture.
"It's your son." Lila said, smiling.
Natasha's memory floated away to her time in the coma. The darkness, the hospital, the baby boy in her arms and the blood running out from his mouth.
"But I don't have a son sweetheart." Natasha said, trying her best to smile.
"I know." Lila said as Laura called after them. Lila ran out of the room while Natasha stood still for a moment, staring at the picture while she tried to wipe away her thoughts. It's only a drawing, she told herself.

• • •

Lila insisted that Steve would tuck her in this time again. Natasha shook her head as Lila walked away with Steve.
"Next time, I'm not bringing him." Natasha said and Clint laughed. Cooper looked up at that and looked rather disappointed.
"We're both becoming less and less important. We started at the top, ending at the bottom." Clint kept babbling on. Natasha just looked at him with an eyebrow raised.
She scoffed a bit. "I started at the top and I'll end at the top." Natasha said and Laura smiled.
"Maybe you both will get a better chance with the next one." Laura said, holding one hand over her stomach. Clint smiled.
"Another one?" Natasha said surprised.
Laura nodded and Clint looked at her proudly. Natasha smiled brightly.
"That's incredible. I'm so happy for you." She said, walking over to Laura and giving her a tight hug.
"We're naming him Clint Jr." Clint said and Laura laughed.
"That's one way to make your child's life miserable. It's a boy?" Natasha said and Laura shook her head.
"We don't know yet." Clint said.
"But, we've decided to name her or him after you actually." Laura said and Natasha raised her eyebrows.
"What?" She said surprised.
"Actually, Laura decided." Clint said and Laura just shook her head. It was clearly Clint's idea at the beginning.
"You really don't have.." Natasha began but Clint interrupted her.
"Oh shut up and say thank you." Clint said.
"Language." Cooper mumbled and Natasha chuckled.

• • •

Lila had got her teeth brushed by Steve and was now climbing into bed, wearing a green pyjamas.
"I need those." Lila said, pointing at her two dolls, one Captain America and one Black Widow. Steve smiled. He handed her the dolls and she held them tightly as she buried her head in the pillow.
"You really like those huh?" Steve said and she nodded.
"But I like the auntie Nat one more. No offence." She said and Steve chuckled.
"Me too." He said and Lila smiled.
"I love her more." Lila said and Steve wrinkled his nose a bit.
"I think we love her just as much." Steve said and Lila hesitated a bit before nodding.
"Are you.. her boyfriend?" She asked before she giggled a bit. Steve smiled.
"Yeah, kind of." He said and she nodded.
"That's good. Then she won't be alone anymore." Lila said. "Promise to not leave her alone." Lila said and Steve nodded.
"I promise." He said, with his hand on his heart. Lila looked relived and yawned before looking at Steve again.
"Can you sing me something?" She asked and Steve laughed.
"I'm afraid I'm not very good at singing." He said.
"Auntie Nat always sings to me. Do you know the song 'Somewhere over the rainbow'?" Lila asked, her excitement was clearly shown in her eyes. He chuckled a bit but couldn't disappoint those eyes.
"Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high.
There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true." He sang, trying the best he could. Lila closed her eyes, listening to his voice.
"Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me.Where troubles melt like lemon drops, high above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me." He continued singing as Lila slowly felt into deep sleep.

• • •

"How did it go?" Clint asked as Steve walked out in the kitchen again. "Well, she's asleep so good." Steve said with a smile. Steve looked around the kitchen. "Where did everyone go?" He asked surprised to only see Clint in the kitchen. "Laura and Cooper went upstairs and I think Natasha went outside." He said, and Steve nodded before walking outside to look for Natasha.