The Kidnapped Spider

Natasha

Natasha turned to Tony, unsure of what to do for once.

Tony was staring after where Peter had left. He then turned to Natasha, licking his lips. "So that went well."

Natasha huffed at him while Steve started to speak from the couch. "You guys have to figure out how to co-parent with May."

Natasha threw him another glare, flustered and confused as to what to do. When she was this emotionally overwhelmed, she tended to lash out.

"Sweetie," Tony tried. "You - you understand why Natasha doesn't want to do that right...?"

Steve nodded. "Yeah. But you don't really have a choice. Peter really isn't giving you one."

Natasha scowled, looking at the ground.

"Talk to him." Bruce, who hadn't spoken much since any of this happened, finally spoke up. "Just...explain how you're feeling..."

Natasha glanced at him and then Tony. "I was never really good at that.

"Well," Bruce shrugged. "Get good. Or you'll lose him for good." Natasha stiffened and her throat closed at the thought.

She sighed and threw them all a glance before slowly heading upstairs. She tried to think about what she would say but decided that she would just have to go with the flow as she knocked on the door.

"Peter?" She called. "I'm coming in," she pushed the door open and looked around. Remembering that Peter's bed was on the top, she walked over to the spiral staircase and headed upstairs, pausing after she reached the top.

Peter's bed was shoved to the far corner and his bathroom door was open. The boxes of stuff from his old room were opposite of his bed and half un-packed. The below part of his loft had been decorated and most of it was new stuff that Tony had ordered him for it.

Peter himself was on this bed, criss-crossing his legs and was looking down. Natasha considered her options and then considered which were best. Deciding that going to sit at the foot of Peter's bed was the best, she gently walked over and lightly sat down. "Peter?"

Peter was silent.

"Peter -" she started and then faltered. "Peter...I'm sorry that I - that all of this happened. And for what I've done." She stopped for a minute, twisting her lips. "It's just -" Natasha paused again. "I always wanted a kid. And...then, when the Red Room happened...I couldn't. And then when Tony and I had that one night, and then I found out that...that I was going to have you it was....

"It was honestly the greatest day of my life," Natasha confessed. "You were a fluke. You were something that wasn't supposed to happen - something - someone who wasn't supposed to exist. And when you were - when you were taken." Natasha's mouth dried. "I thought I lost you forever."

Peter finally looked at her, eyes wet. "I - Okay. I get it. I'm sorry -"

"And I'm sorry," Natasha added. "I'm sorry for disregarding your feelings towards the situation. I'm sorry for being so focused on you being here and not...not you..."

Peter looked like he wanted to say something but nothing came out and Natasha took her cue to open her arms. She didn't need to reach for him; he scooted closer to her and gently pressed himself to her and she hugged him tightly.

"I'll work something out with May." she whispered. "I promise." she gently pressed her lips to his forehead and he sniffed. She felt tears dripped on her arm but she didn't say anything.

"Can't she just - I don't know, live with us?" he whispered. "That way I don't have to go to two different houses and you could get to know May better?"

Natasha wanted to instinctively say no but the more she considered it the more she realized that that wasn't a bad idea. "I'll talk it over with the team and then I'll talk it over with her. That's not a no, but it's not a yes either - okay?"

"Yeah," Peter's noise of agreement was breathless and she could tell that he was coming down from crying softly. "That's - that's okay. Thank you,"

She pressed another kiss to his forehead. "Thank you Peter." she paused and then whispered, "I love you,"

There was a pause and then Peter spoke back, "I love you too, mom,"

//~~~//

"So, how is he?" Tony asked as Natasha walked down.

"Is he hungry?" Sam asked, holding out a plate of food that she guessed was for Peter.

"Yeah, probably," Natasha shrugged, nodding.

Sam handed the plate to Thor who happily took it and starting walking to Peter's room as Natasha spoke up again, "He's doing fine. We - we talked. And...I'm thinking of letting May come live with us."

There was a total pause as Tony began to splutter.

"That's not a bad idea," Carol spoke up from the couch and Scott, Hope, Rhodey, and Clint were all in the living room, next to her.

"I second that!" Clint spoke up, nodding. Scott, Hope, and Rhodey were nodding with both of them. Bruce was also in the living room and seemed to debate it for a moment before nodding with the others.

"She seems like a nice lady so why not?" Bucky suggested. Steve and Sam seemed to be in agreement with everyone and they all turned to Tony.

Tony squinted and his eyes darted back and forth before he sighed in surrender. "Fine. Yeah. Alright. Good idea."

Natasha smiled.

//~~~//

May was shocked.

Natasha could hear her stuttering in surprise over the phone and then she could practically hear the poor woman gaping as the Avengers arrived at her door for pickup. Then May was thanking her profusely and Natasha waved her off and hung up.

Thor, Carol, Wanda, Pietro, and Rhodey had all gone over to May's place to help her pack and move things to the Tower. Tony had Bruce help him distract Peter in the lab and Sam, Bucky, and Steve had started to make a meal.

Natasha sat at the island, watching them cook as she twitched her lips around, wondering what was going to happen. She knew that May was nice and she was grateful for everything and on some level Natasha figured that if she put the past to the side and worked on getting to know May, the both of them would actually have a pretty good time getting along.

"What are you thinking about Nat?" Steve asked, handing her a spoon full of cookie dough. She started licking at it, smiling at Steve in thanks.

"Just thinking about how it's going to go with May," she sighed and Steve nodded. They lulled in to silence with not much else to say.

It took an hour or two but when May and all over stuff and the other Avengers arrived, Tony darted up from the lab to lead her to a guest room. She was thankful for it no matter what even as Tony promised to make her a new room in the future.

"This is insane," May shook her head as she came out of the room after decorating it. "Natasha - To - Mr. Stark - this is just -"

"The least we could do," Natasha interrupted, assuring her. "I talked with Peter and he suggested it. I asked the team and we all agreed that it would be a good idea."

May looked like she was about to cry. "I - thank you - thank you so much," she hesitated for a second before walking forward and hugging Natasha.

Natasha didn't mind for once and hugged back. Maybe this...this wouldn't be so bad.