3
Maria Pov
Maria knew that Natasha didn't have parents growing up; she never had parental figures at all and she had to agree with Steve that she did want to make Natasha being a kid worth the while she deserved the childhood that the red room stole away. Maria felt bad for screaming at him. He must've been stressed and confused with the whole situation and she hadn't thought about asking him how he felt about taking care of his friend and teammate. Maria didn't like the tension between them the whole car ride she and Steve had been avoiding each other while Natasha babbled through the whole car ride obvious of the tension between the 2 adults.
"I'm sorry." Maria says now that Natasha was skipping ahead of them and away from earshot
"It's okay I shouldn't have reacted that way." Steve said he had felt bad about screaming at Maria. He knew his mother was turning in her grave. She never wanted him to treat women wrong, not the way his father treated his mother. He vowed to his mother to be better and he was going to be better.
"It's fine we are both confused and stressed. Taking care of a kid is something new for us."
"I know it is and I know we both have no experience with kids but I want to make the best of this for Natasha. Know she doesn't really remember her parents and was raised by cult and wrong people but I want to be the best dad I can be for her."
"I do too. I want her to have the best second childhood even if it lasts a day, a week, or a couple of months. She deserves a second chance at a different and better childhood." Maria answers truthfully she knew a lot about Natasha’s childhood when Natasha couldn't talk to Clint she would talk to her and tell her about her past or the 3 of them would all spill their secrets to each other sharing bottles of vodka and anything else they could find.
"So we agree we're going to give her the best second childhood ever." Steve wanted to know
"We agree." Maria said before turning her attention back to the 5-year-old who was admiring some flowers. Her mint chocolate chip ice-cream was nowhere to be found and Maria had to smile. Natasha looked innocent and she had no care in the world. She looked happy and Maria wanted it to stay that way.
"Natasha would kill us if she ever heard me say this but she's a pretty cute kid," Steve said
"She is. But since grown up Natasha isn't here we could snap some photos."
"I was thinking more of cherished memories but blackmail works."
"Yes, yes it does," Maria said, taking out her phone and snapping many pictures of Natasha playing with the flowers, she even posed for a couple of photos once she realized she and Steve were taking photos.
"Come princess it's time to go home," Steve said after they were finished taking pictures
"But daddy, I want to stay longer," Natasha complained as she made her way towards them
"Well it's coming close to dinner and you said you would let uncle Bruce examine you to make sure you're okay."
"But I want to stay longer."
"Natasha," Maria said in a warning tone
"But mommy I've been gone for so long."
"Natasha we've been outside for 2 hours and you got ice cream before eating anything and you interrupted my meeting."
"Sorry, but I missed you and it was probably boring anyway."
"That doesn't make it right, Natasha," Steve said
"Mommy," Natasha said and Maria couldn't help a smile spread on her face everytime Natasha called her Mommy
"Yes, Tasha."
"Why did everyone give us funny looks when I hugged you." The trio had stopped walking nether adult knew how to answer that question
"Princess no one knows that me and mommy have a kid."
"So I'm a secret?"
"Yeah you are Tasha." Maria said
"But why?"
"It's to keep you safe. I lot of bad people would want to hurt you." Steve explained
"Like the bad people who took me away?"
"Yeah baby like the bad people who took you away." Maria said
"I don't want to go away again. They were really mean, mommy, they said no one would come to save me and that you and daddy forgot about me."
“We could never forget you,” Steve said as he picked her up and buckled her into the car and Maria got into the passenger seat.
“We really need to get car seats for both of our cars. We can’t have her without one.” Maria told Steve when he got in the car she was sure it was pretty illegal to not have a child in a car seat and Natasha was pretty tiny for her age so the seat belt wasn’t even covering her.
“I’m sure Tony and Pepper got that cover if not we can have Jarvis order it or we can order it,” Steve said as they pulled out their parking spot.
“I want to play with Uncle Tony,” Natasha announced with a smile on her face. Maria knew that Natasha and Tony had a weird relationship almost like brother and sister but she always saw Natasha rolling her eyes at anything Tony said or did.
“I’m sure Uncle Tony will want to play with you too,” Steve said
“Stark what about Barton?”
“Stark is her favorite uncle and Clint is second best.”
“And I’m guessing Barton isn’t too happy about that.”
“Nope, I think he’s thinking of many ways to be better than Tony.”
“Looks like someone is going to be one spoiled princess.”
“You think she’ll remember when she gets big again?” Steve asked her
“I hope so. I don’t think she would want anyone at shield knowing she’s a child so just between Fury and the people he trusts most.”
“She wouldn’t. So she’s our secret daughter are you sure it could ruin your reputation.”
“It’s for her Steve and it’s not the first time I’ve been the source of gossip in shield and it won’t be the last.”
It was true Maria had been a source of gossip in shield and Natasha there was the one that she had slept with Coulson and the only reason she got promoted to right hand was that she slept with Fury. Steve didn’t say anything but give her a sympathetic smile.