After the War

13

(Natasha's P.O.V.)

After Will ran off, James continued to live at my place. He refused to move back to the tower, and he didn't want to talk to Steve, so I was stuck with him. I swore to myself that I would take him to Clint's as soon as I got the chance.

"Hey, Nat, what's for dinner" whined James.

"If you want to cook you can, just don't burn anything" I replied.

"Why can't you cook".

"Because you can feed yourself" I stated bluntly.

"Can you at least order take out".

"Do it yourself" I handed him the phone.

"But Steve always cooked for us" he sounded like a toddler.

"Then go live with him" I spat. I cared about the kid, but he had to go.

"No, at least not for another few months. Or not until Will comes home".

I rolled my eyes. James had spent way too much time with Tony.

"Just order something" I growled. I was extremely annoyed with James. I was through with this, so I walked out of the room to call Steve.

"Hello" Steve picked up the phone.

"You need to come get your son" I ordered.

"I thought he didn't want to speak with me" he replied.

"He's driving me insane. It was one thing to live in the tower with him, it's another thing to be raising him".

"Does he know about this" asked Steve.

"No. Now I'm sick of raising your child. It's your job to mess him up, not mine. Come and get James" I hung up and walked back to the living room "James, you need to pack. Your dad is coming to pick you up".

"What" he yelled, standing up.

"You heard me. You're going back to your own apartment" I crossed my arms.

"But Nat, I don't want to speak with him" James started to argue.

"Will has every right to be mad at Steve, but you don't" I interrupted "do you know what you did to him when you moved out. You basically killed him, so it's your job to fix it".

"But he hurt Will".

"He didn't do that on purpose, and he didn't hurt you. You're just mad because Steve and Tony caused Will to leave. James, you need your family right now, and Steve is all you have".

"I thought we were family" he looked like I just kicked his puppy.

"James, we're friends. I am not your mother, and I'm not your aunt" there was a knock at the door. I went to answer the door, but not before glaring at James.

"Hey Nat" Steve said.

"Just take your son and go" I pulled him inside.

"I'm not going with him" James crossed his arms.

"Yes you will" I shoved James forward.

"No" he planted his feet.

"James, I know that you're mad and you don't have to talk to me, but at least come home" Steve said.

"James, go pack" I ordered.

"No".

"Will has every right to be mad at me, but you don't" Steve continued.

"I have every right to be mad at you too. You let Will get hurt, so I had to take care of her" James yelled.

"I didn't let her get hurt. Tony was the one that shot Will. It's his fault that she got hurt" Steve yelled back.

"James, go pack right now" I shouted. They both shut up, and James went to the spare room. He came back with his backpack.

"Let's go" I dragged them to Steve's car. I went with them to Steve's apartment.

"Now, I'm going to come back in a few days, and both of you better be alive" I walked home to clear my head. Those two would be the death of me if they couldn't work things out.