Museum Fun Part 2
Hey guys! Sorry for the late update, work has been crazy. I AM going to try and get on an updating schedule once work settles down, for now at least once every two weeks if not weekly.
Hope you enjoy it!
Kate was practically bouncing to the next exhibit now, the time doing experiments with Alexei and Melina having eased her worries about them. They really were nice! And now they got to go look at SPACE! She could hardly keep from running ahead, but the amount of people had her sticking close to the ones she knew.
“Are you excited, Kate?” Yelena laughed, grinning at the toddler when she nodded rapidly.
“I’m glad. It is always good when people wish to learn and better themselves,” Melina beamed.
“I like to learn things!” Kate chirped, letting go of Melina’s hand to raise her arms at her.
Melina smiled, letting go of Yelena’s hand for a moment to lift Kate onto her hip before grabbing Yelena’s hand again. Kate hugged her around the neck for a moment before leaning back to look around, mouth dropping open as she looked at the stars. A hologram was showing how the planets were aligned around the sun, the stars and galaxies around them showing all over the ceiling. They have a large replica of Mars and Saturn nearby, with small castings of space rocks that they could feel the difference in texture. They even had a small VR area where you could drive the Mars Rover. Yelena had been Mad Maxing on that, gleefully driving the little robot into craters and along edges where he may fall. Kate had just watched, laughing and clapping as Yelena drove. She had been more interested in the partial rocket that let them see where the astronauts were staying and what it was like.
“I don’t remember Rocket’s ship being this small,” Natasha whispered to Wanda as the adults crouched to fit inside.
“It isn’t, but to be fair this is a replica from what one of the original space rockets? They were pretty small,” Wanda shrugged as she recorded the girls playing with the console, Kate mimicking racing sounds while pushing the buttons.
“Where are you flying out to, Captain Kate?” Alexei asked, his large form looking even more massive as he crouched between the two girls.
“I dunno… Lena, where we go?” Kate asked.
“Wherever you want, you’re the Captain!” Yelena reminded her with a smile.
“Hmm, maybe we can go see the dinosaurs after this. I wants to see a Rexie!” Kate mused with a giggle before sliding out of the seat onto Alexei’s shoulder, kicking her legs a little as she let him set her on the floor.
“Well let’s get going then, remember the Captain always knows where we are going!” Alexei declared.
Kate let out a happy squeal, hugging her toy Rex close as she tried to drag Yelena along to see the dinosaurs.
“Katie, wait, we gotta hold a grown ups hand!” Yelena reminded her, making the toddler whine before letting her friend grab Alexei’s hand.
“Cheer up, little Bishop, soon we shall go see the great beasts of prehistory!” Alexei told her with a grin, making her smile again.
“Maybe you all should wait for us as well, yes?” Melina suggested as she appeared next to them, the trio having watched the exchange from the side.
“Oh, yes, that may be a good idea,” Alexei admitted.
Natasha jogged slightly to get in front of them, kneeling down to look them both in the eyes.
“Ok, so I have a little surprise for you two,” she whispered conspiratorially.
“What, what?” they both asked.
“You two get to go dig for dinosaur bones!” she said excitedly, wincing slightly at the high pitched screams they let out.
“Lena, Lena, we gets to dig for dinos!” Kate squeaked, doing a small happy dance before launching herself at Natasha, making the redhead fall on her backside.
“Hold on there, little one, don’t hurt Natasha,” Wanda laughed,” I kind of like her. Now let’s go get our dig on!”
Wanda scooped Kate up, giving her a quick cuddle before moving for the dinosaur dig. It was basically a giant sandbox, with a couple of “archeologists” there to navigate the kids with their dig. Kate was practically vibrating as she tried her best to be patient, tiny whines escaping now and then the closer the got. One of the workers giggled at her enthusiasm as she walked over.
“Hello there! My name is Amber, I’ll be helping out young explorers here with the dig. Now, when paleontologists are digging up bones, we use small brushes sometimes even tooth brushes so that we don’t damage the bones. But first we have to get to the bones themselves! Now who’s ready to get started?” she asked cheerfully, laughing when they shot their hands in the air.
Leading the girls to the sand, she handed them each a small trowel to dig with and guided them over to an area around the middle. They dug happily, although Yelena started to lose steam after a bit and began to make little houses out of sand instead. Kate was determined to find something, her digs a little wobbly with her bad arm as she searched. Some of the other children around them began finding their treasures, and Melina noted that Kate was starting to pout as she continued to come up empty. She began to worry that Kate would soon give up, but Amber was on it as she and the other employee seemed fully aware of a toddler’s patience level. Kneeling by Kate, she discreetly directed her to a different area, chatting with her about her favorite dinosaurs until Kate hit paydirt. Squealing in excitement, she accidentally threw sand in the air as she pulled up a curved object.
“Lookie, lookie, I gots a fossil!” she squealed, scrambling over to Yelena and shoving her find in her friend’s face.
“Wow, that’s so amazing! What is it?” Yelena asked, jumping up to look at Kate’s treasure.
“Umm…ummmmmm……” Kate trailed off, studying the object in confusion for a moment.
“Can I see, darling?” Melina asked, having come over to kneel next to them.
Kate nodded, holding her hand out and handing it to Melina. The scientist studied it a moment, humming slightly as she took her time looking it over.
“Well, my darlings, it looks like you found a tooth. Very good job, Kate,” Melina praised, making the toddler preen.
“Wow, you did a great job! That’s a carnivore’s tooth, see how it’s pointed? They used them to eat meat while the flat teeth were used by herbivore’s since they ate plants. Do you know what else carnivores used to catch their prey?” Amber asked as she helped Kate tie a string around the tooth to make it into a necklace.
“Caws!” Kate chirped, holding her good arm out and flexing her fingers like a cat.
“That’s right, they used their teeth and claws to help them catch their food. You are a smart girl, aren’t you?” Amber grinned as Kate bowed her head bashfully.
“She is, they are both very smart,” Wanda informed her while setting her hands on the girl’s heads to ruffle their hair.
“Well, my two little explorers here did a great job and each get a sticker! Now go enjoy the rest of the museum, ok?” Amber said while handing them each a sticker with a dinosaur skeleton on it.
They both agreed and waved goodbye as they headed into the fossil room. Alexei lifted Yelena onto his shoulders as Wanda held Kate close, lifting her close to inspect the bones. Their little dino girl was in heaven, excitedly spouting random facts even though most of them were made up. Yelena just encouraged this, laughing uproariously as the “facts” got more and more outlandish.
“And…and… that one gots the armor so they can gets pizzas out without ‘urting themself!” Kate announced, pointing happily to an ankylosaur.
“Oh really, wow I had no idea they had pizza in the Jurassic,” Natasha mused while hiding a grin.
“I know we really shouldn’t encourage these inaccuracies, but Yelena was the same way at her age. It’s just the joys of toddler knowledge,” Melina reminisced with a smile.
“Was it hard, when you first started with us?” Natasha asked slowly.
“Yes and no. Children were not my specialty but you had already gone through training, at least partially, so you were relatively easy to handle but teaching you to be a normal girl was tough. Yelena was your normal toddler, running around getting into everything. I remember our second week there, she had pulled all of the pots and pans out and was giving us a drum solo. I was so baffled on WHY she did that that it took Alexei coming down and joining her to remind me that the why didn’t matter. She was a child, just having fun exploring her environment. After that, with your father there it was much easier. By the time the mission ended… did I ever tell you that I asked if we had to go? I was ready to run with you both and find somewhere to get away,” Melina admitted.
“No, you didn’t. You… you really wanted to stay? Be a normal family?” Natasha asked weakly.
“I did. I loved you both more than I can ever say,” Melina said honestly, eyes shining with tears.
“I’m glad you told. I think I needed to hear that,” Natasha admitted. “I love you both, but I was still angry at you for letting us go back. Knowing you didn’t want to just give us up… thank you.”
“No thanks is needed, my darling. I should be thanking you, for allowing me back in your life,” Melina breathed while pulling Natasha close, pressing a kiss to her hair.
“Mama, can we go pet the dinosaurs?” Yelena interrupted, having been set down at some point and sneaking up on them.
“Pet them? I don’t think you can touch the displays, my firefly,” Melina forced out with a chuckle, blinking back her tears.
“They gots some over them for petting!” Yelena informed her, pointing behind her to where some robotics were set up.
“Go ahead, I’m sure Kate is ready to go,” Melina laughed, laughing even harder when she saw Kate darting and petting all of the dinosaurs.
“She’s already there, Wanda said we were ok to but I wanted to check so you two didn’t miss out,” Yelena grinned.
“That’s very nice of you, sweet girl, thank you,” Natasha told her while kneeling to draw her into a hug.
Yelena gave a happy sigh as she returned the hug, sinking into the embrace. Natasha started to stand, putting her hands under Yelena’s bottom to keep her as she carried her over to the others. Wanda shot her a questioning look, silently asking if she was alright. Natasha gave a nod before setting Yelena down, letting her sister join Kate as she happily pat all the dinosaurs. Her favorite was the velociraptor, although Kate refused to believe the small feathered beast was what an actual velociraptor looked like compared to Jurassic Park.
“It’s a dino chicken, not a raptor,” Kate insisted with a pout even as she hugged the ‘chicken’.
“That’s what they actually looked like honey, but you don’t have to believe us,” Wanda giggled.
“Can we adopt him?” Kate asked the worker, throwing big puppy dog eyes at the amused employee.
“I’m sorry sweetheart, but he would get lonely without all his friends back home. Plus, I don’t think his Mommy would like him being gone that long,” he chuckled, although those died away when Kate gave a worried frown.
“His Mommy nice? She won’t get mad?” Kate asked quietly, trying to hold back tears as she hugged her new friend close.
“His Mommy is VERY nice, but she would be worried if he didn’t come home,” he tried to placate, turning to Wanda for help.
“Kate, see, he’s got a nice Mommy, there’s no need to worry. I promise,” she reassured the concerned toddler.
“Ok,” Kate mumbled, letting go of the robotic dinosaur and moving into Wanda’s arms, quietly asking for her passy.
“Don’t be sad Kate, I bets we can come visit,” Yelena tried to get her to friend to cheer up, whining slightly when Kate just buried her face into Wanda’s shoulder.
“She’ll be ok, darling, she just needs a minute. It’s almost time for our movie anyway, let’s go get seats and then we can go for lunch,” Wanda suggested as she pat Kate’s back.
Everyone agreed, Yelena letting Alexei carry her as they made their way into the theater. Yelena hid her face as they ascended the steep stairs, not liking how high it seemed. That was something that had always baffled Natasha when they were both adults. Yelena had not been the best with heights outside of their playset when they were children, but was happily jumping out of windows and off of buildings as an adult. While she knew most of this was because of the Red Room, Yelena also genuinely enjoyed the thrill, often jumping off buildings with Kate or ziplining around New York for fun. She knew the couple had had many a date night just building hopping for an evening in a weird version of parkour. Kate allowed herself to be set in Wanda’s lap, facing out whilst leaning back into her chest, eyes growing heavy as she started to doze off.
“I just realized this would be around her naptime,” Natasha whispered to her lover as Yelena let out a small time.
“Well, we can let her nap if she wants but I would be prepared for some cranky kids later,” Wanda whispered back as the movie began.
Kate startled slightly as the loud music woke her, eyes widening when the dinosaurs began to fly around the screen. She and Yelena gasped as they watched the screen, not caring about what was being said so much as what the dinosaurs were doing. Kate held up Rexie when a large T Rex came up on the scream, cheering for the carnivore when it began to battle against a Triceratops. Natasha laughingly shushed her, whispering that they had to be quiet when at the movies. Kate let out a groan of disappointment when it ended, but the mention of lunch had her perking up. Yelena insisted on walking then, reminding them she was a big girl and didn’t need to be carried everywhere.
“I big girl too? Holding bad?” Kate asked, brow furrowed in thought.
“No, it’s ok for you. You’re a big girl too but you’re still littler than me,” Yelena said with a smile.
“It’s alright for you to be carried too, my love,” Melina told her tiny daughter.
“I know but I’m still a big girl,” Yelena huffed as they entered the cafeteria.
“You are, which means you get to help us get lunch like a big girl. You both need to pick one vegetable please,” Natasha told them as she got a large tray to put their food on.
Kate and Yelena both looked over the offerings, Yelena deciding on mac n cheese with some broccoli while Kate chose a turkey sandwich and green beans. Both got some chocolate pudding for dessert, although Yelena worried she would be too full for it.
“Can I have my pudding first?” she asked, holding their plasticware and napkins.
“No dice, kiddo. But I promise if you feel too full we’ll take it with us,” Natasha bargained, holding her pinky out to promise her.
Yelena linked them with a grin, squeezing it in a promise before skipping to the table where the others were. They had pulled a high chair over for Kate, setting her food close to her and putting Yelena next to her. The girls chatted happily as they ate, Kate using part of her sandwich to reenact the flying dinosaurs soaring through the air. A few other parents eyed them in amusement nearby, and Wanda could see one groups kids looking like they wanted to join them. She smiled to herself as she munched on her salad. Even as a child Kate had a charm about her. Lunch didn’t take long to finish up, Alexei taking their trash to the bin as Wanda wiped the girls hands and faces down.
“Alright, let’s take a potty break before we head over to the next exhibit,” she told them as Natasha and Melina headed for the bathroom with Yelena.
“Don’t gotta go,” Kate pouted as she held Rexie close.
“I know, but if you don’t need to go I’m sure you need a change,” Wanda told her with a boop on the nose before scooping her up.
Entering the bathroom, she saw Yelena washing her hands with Natasha at the sink as she made her way to the changing table. Setting a think blanket over it, she made quick work of changing Kate, the tiny girl starting to cry a bit at being so exposed in an unknown place. Wanda noticed her rash was looking a lot better than before, making sure she had a good amount of cream on before getting her in a new diaper and dressed. Melina had finished up then and was drying her hands as Wanda handed Kate off to her so she could use the bathroom. She emerged from the stall to Melina rocking Kate, her pacifier firmly in her mouth as she rested against Melina’s shoulder. Wanda doubted she would last too much longer without a nap, and Yelena was also leaning against Natasha’s legs tiredly.
“Ok girls, one last part and then it’ll be time to head home,” Wanda told them as they headed for the taxidermy section, the multiple animals on display showing the different ecosystems around the world.
This was where both girls began to flag, Kate half dozing on Melina’s shoulder as Yelena begged Natasha to carry her. Neither were overly interested in hearing about what they were seeing, both more interested in the multiple displays set up that showed the different environments for the animals. Kate decided her favorite was Africa with the big cats and the elephants while Yelena loved the horses in the display showing the wild mustangs in North America. By the time they made it to the gift shop, both girls were completely out. Alexei enjoyed picking a variety of items for them, even though they made him put half of it back. A couple of puzzles, a stuffed animal each, and a few books made up their haul before they made their way to the car. After carefully making sure the girls were strapped in without waking them, the drive back was mostly quiet as the adults made sure to keep their voices down. The drive back was calm, Alexei grabbing all of the bags so they only had to get the children. Once up at their floor, they settled them together on the couch for a nap before heading into the kitchen. Tea was soon served all around as they settled at the table, chatting about the day before Natasha and Wanda’s phones vibrated with a message from Tony. Neither knew how to respond to it as they looked at each other.
“Eleanor knows. She’s demanding to see Kate. Call Fury.”