golden slumbers

She hurried back to Romana’s room and picked her up off the floor. They were flying back to New York today for a full debriefing and more tests on Roma. they’d be gone a week. Not much new intel had come up about Roma’s captors, and Fury estimated that they would be in hiding for another month at least.

Natasha tossed clothes in a suitcase for Romana. She had already packed, but Steve was struggling to pull himself together downstairs. They would take all personal items. They might have to stay in New York.

Natasha zipped up the suitcase and grabbed the baby. She threw the suitcase downstairs before careening down after it.

“Rogers, the flight leaves in an hour!” Natasha picked up the suitcase and took it outside to the car. She balanced Romana on her hip and loaded the bag in the back of the SUV. “Aaron! We’ve gotta go!”

Steve came through the door with two duffel bags. Natasha bucked Romana in and got in the driver's seat. Steve threw his bags in the trunk, slammed it shut, and tumbled into the seat next to Natasha. Natasha already had the car started, and backed out of the driveway.

Forty seven minutes and counting to get on their flight.

Natasha sped down the highway. Thankfully, it was nearly empty. Not many people were commuting at three in the morning.

She pulled into the terminal. Steve went to check their bags and print their tickets while Natasha parked. Natasha skidded into a spot and rushed to get Romana and the carry on. They really needed to manage their time better.

Natasha locked the car and hurried to the airport. Unconsciously, she touched the gun at her hip. A security detail was waiting inside, and no one would try to attack them in a couple hundred feet to the building.

Right?

Natasha ducked her head and held Romana closer to her chest. Once she was inside, she found Steve and came towards him.

“Everything okay, Romanoff?”

Natasha nodded. “It feels wrong to be out in the open with her. I want to get to the tower. Fast.”

Steve nodded his agreement and wrapped an arm around Natasha. He kissed her on the head. It had been a while, but Natasha was still not used to the unprompted displays of affection from the soldier. They were real now, and she didn’t mind them at all. She sat close to Steve, held his hand, sought comfort from him. She had never done that before.

Steve was still marveling at the fact that he could kiss Natasha Romanoff in a non-work context. His baby, no matter how temporary, had started calling him Dad and Natasha mama. It was more like “dah and mmm”, but she got the point across just fine. Now, Romana reached toward him, and Natasha handed her over.

They went through security, flashing their SHIELD credentials. They had been cleared to carry weapons on the plane by the attorney general because it concerned a matter of national safety. It made Steve’s head hurt to think that this baby was not just a baby, but a part of something much bigger.

Steve didn’t want that life for her.

They boarded their plane and landed in new york within the hour. Clint met them at the baggage pick up, and Steve watched him gravitate towards Romana like she was metal and he was a magnet. Natasha passed her over to Clint, who was fawning over the kid. He hugged Natasha, and even though Steve knew they were just friends, he felt a humiliating pang of jealousy. They looked right together, with a baby between them.

Steve shook it off and went to get their suitcases.

Clint brought the car around, and they piled in.

“God, it feels good to be able to call you Steve in public again,” Natasha muttered. “Steve. Steven. Rogers. Captain America. Man who does not have a secret identity.”

“I don’t know, Hillary, maybe we should just keep these names.”

Natasha swatted him. “Cut that out.”

Steve laughed, and Romana giggled with him from her car seat. Once again, Natasha wondered if she could understand what they were saying.

“Or what?”

Natasha didn’t answer, but the glint in her eye told Steve that it was not something she could say in front of a child.

Natasha fell asleep with her head on Steve’s shoulder on the ride to the tower. Steve’s arm was around her shoulders, and he ran his fingers through her hair. How did she get it to be so soft? They used the same shampoo, and yet, her hair was ten times smoother than Steve’s had ever been.

“It’s coconut oil,” Clint said suddenly.

“What?”

Clint smiled softly. “She puts coconut oil on her hair, that’s why it’s so soft. In case you were wondering.”

Steve smiled back. “Yeah, I was.”

“So, are you two keeping this a secret or can i spill the beans?”

“What-how did you know?”

“I’m her best friend, Cap. i can tell when she’s in love. I can tell when someone else loves her, too.”

Clint made eye contact with Steve in the rearview mirror. Steve looked away, glancing down to Natasha. He didn’t say anything, and the weight of the conversation hung heavy in the air.

“I never thought she’d want me,” Steve said half to himself.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about Natasha.”

The conversation felt over, and Steve was right. Clint slipped a pair of headphones on, and before he knew it, Steve was asleep.

Natasha woke as they pulled up in front of the tower. Steve and Clint were already taking their bags out of the trunk. Natasha slid across the seat and unbuckled Romana. After a moment’s consideration, she put the puffy little down jacket on her baby. It was unusually cold today, and Natasha herself was regretting the shorts and blouse she had worn. In Louisiana, the heat had worn through even the thinnest fabrics.

Natasha picked Romana up and got out of the car.

“Look who’s awake,” Clint said with a smirk.

Natasha glared at him, too tired to do much else.

“Tasha, you should get inside. We’ll bring the bags in.”

Natasha tried to hide the baby, but it wasn’t much use. She got inside and scanned her badge as fast as she could.

“Agent Natasha Romanoff, clearance level: ten. Romana Romanoff Rogers, clearance level: blank.” the monotone voice was not Friday. She only operated on floors ten and above. Stark had security bots for the lower levels.

Wait. had the AI said Romana Romanoff Rogers? When was that decided?

Nat was a question for later, Natasha decided as she speed-walked to the private elevator. Again, she scanned her badge, cornea, and fingerprint. She relaxed for the first time in five hours once she was safely in the elevator. Nothing and no one could infiltrate Avengers tower. Her baby was safe.

It only took a minute to get to the penthouse level. She could hardly glance around her home before she was swarmed by the Avengers. Wanda hung back, and so did Bucky. Natasha suspected he was waiting for Steve; the Winter Soldier had never forgiven himself for almost killing Natasha on, like, seven different occasions. Did Natasha hold it against him? No. it hadn’t been his fault. But he did make her a little nervous.

Steve trusted Bucky. That meant Bucky was safe.

Natasha handed Romana to Pepper and went to the kitchen. She made some coffee and dumped in a couple shots of vodka.

“It’s five o'clock somewhere,” Sam Wilson said from behind her.

Natasha set down the coffee and flung her arms around her friend. “Alcohol is timeless, Wilson. Kids are hard work, and mommy needs something to get her through this debriefing.” Natasha lapsed into a baby voice towards the end there.

“Oh, so we’re talking about mommy in the third person now?”

“The rhythm really catches on!”

Steve showed up in the kitchen a minute later. He made a beeline for Natasha’s coffee and took a huge sip.

“That’s got-” Steve spit the drink back into the cup. “Vodka,” Sam warned too late.

“Really? This early?”

“Yes, Steven.” Natasha took the cup back and drank it. Sam shouted something unintelligible and Steve made a face. Natasha rolled her eyes. “I’ll be unpacking.”

Natasha snuck to her room, wanting to avoid the team. She needed some space to adjust to this.

She had put all her things back and was making her bed when Steve appeared in the doorway.

“You okay?”

Natasha nodded. “You?”

“Yeah.”

Steve walked over and wrapped his arms around Natasha. She sighed into his chest. Only six AM, but the day felt like it had gone on forever.

“Is it weird that I miss Louisiana,” Natasha half stared half asked. “I mean...that life, even if it was a lie, was pretty good. I missed everything back home of course, but I love Roma, and I love you.”

She could feel Steve’s heart speed up, so she raised herself in the balls of her feet and kissed Steve to feel it beat faster. One of his hands pressed the small of her back while the other drifted lower. Natasha pressed herself more against Steve, making sure he could feel the warmth of her body. She bit his lip, and he moaned. His hand drifted to tangle in her hair while his lips trailed down her throat. Natasha tipped her head back, eyes fluttering shut.

“Hey, porn stars, your kid wants you,” Sam shouted from the other room. Natasha groaned.

“Later,” Steve promised.

“Later,” she agreed.

~

The day passed quickly. They took Romans’ to the doctor and updated Furt on everything that had happened. fury looked worried, but wouldn’t elaborate.

“Keep your kid close, Agent Romanoff. There’s more to this case than you know.”

As she and Steve left Fury’s office, she turned back. “Romana Romanoff Rogers? We didn’t talk about that, Nick.”

Fury smirked. “What else would we call her?”

Natasha chuckled, but a warmth grew in her chest. Romana. Romanoff. Rogers.

her baby.

her daughter.

~

It was ten when Roma finally went to bed. Her crib was in Steve’s room, which was conveniently next to Natasha’s. Natasha collapsed into bed and waited for Steve to get out of the shower.

He came out with a towel around his waist, and Natasha grinned.

“Friday, lock the door and fog the glass.”

The AI didn’t respond but obeyed Natasha. Steve raised his eyebrows. Natasha looked at him innocently, knowing fully well that her white nightgown betrayed the lace she wore beneath.

“What? I wouldn’t want anyone to disturb us while we’re...sleeping.”

Steve laughed but sat on the bed beside Natasha. She put down her phone and climbed on his lap. She felt his heartbeat leap and heard his breathing quicken in response. She loved the effect she had on him.

“Tasha…”

Natasha kissed him desperately. She didn’t want to lose their family. He resisted at first, but after a minute gave in. His hands ran along her body, rubbing bruises into her thighs, but she didn’t care.

She liked the marks he left on her.

For the second time that day, Steve dragged his teeth down her neck, sucking and biting on the pale skin in a way that sent shivers down Natasha’s spine.

“Fuck,” she muttered. “Fuck, Steve, fuck, don’t stop…”

Steve lifted her nightgown over her head with shaking hands. Though he’d seen her naked before (accidentally, but whatever) he still exhaled sharply. Natashas bra and underwear were sheer and trimmed with red lace that Steve couldn’t seem to take his eyes off.

“Fuck, Nat, you’re perfect.”

“Language, Rogers,” Natasha purred.

Without warning, Steve flipped her over and pinned her arms above her head.

“Don’t get sassy with me, Romanoff.”

“Or what?”

Steve crushed his lips to hers once again. He still tasted like coffee and vodka, but then again, so did she. She broke away from him and flipped them again. She liked being in control.

The towel around his waist was coming loose, and at some point, Natasha’s bra came off, but she didn’t care. Steve had one hand at her waist and one cupping her ass. Of course, as soon as they were both getting to the point where maybe no clothes were needed at all, someone knocked on the door.

“Natasha? The baby is awake,” Wanda called.

They froze. Natasha sighed heavily. “Well, this is over.”

Steve started to protest (“maybe we can just let Wanda deal with it!). But Natasha was already putting a robe on. “Put your dick away, Captain. We don’t want to scar anyone for life."

Steve rolled his eyes and slipped under the blankets just as Natasha opened the door.

Romana looked at Natasha with wide eyes. “Thanks, Wanda.”

“Um...any time,” Wanda said with a slightly pained smile. She went back to her room a little too fast, leaving Natasha with Romana.

Natasha looked around in confusion. Then she remembered the towel and other various items thrown on the floor, the bruises on her neck, and the makeup which was probably smeared all over her face by now. She looked at Steve, and they both burst out laughing.

They settled into bed with their baby between them, still trying to catch their breath from laughing so much.

“Poor kid,” Natasha muttered.

“She’ll never be able to erase that from her mind. Once I almost walked in on Tony and Pepper. i didn't see anything, thank god, but the noises were-”

Natasha shoved him, and he tumbled off the bed. Romana launched herself after him, and Natasha after Romana, so they all ended up on the floor.

Maybe Friday took a picture of that. and maybe she printed it. and maybe, just maybe, Steve kept that picture in his wallet.