Christmas' Eve

Natasha drove home, thinking about everything that happened a few hours ago, her body is still sore and exhausted, and if she touched her intimate region now, she would feel it still wet

He's good at it, dammit, he's really good. What a curse he didn't seem to be so good at it. Natasha thought and then she thought about Hill repeating a thousand times to not break his heart, because if she recover all her memories someday, she would never forgive herself for playing with his emotions.

"He's a good man, very boring, like really boring, but with an extremely noble heart" Hill told Natasha in many situations. How did I fall in love with someone so decent? It's not my type and I can't feel anything for him but horny. She finished the thought as she parked the car.

Natasha walked down the sidewalk to enter the building, and she noticed two small heads in the apartment window, jumping and waving at her. Natasha smiled unknowingly as she walked into the building.

Natasha entered the apartment a few minutes later, she opened the door and the children ran to hug her legs.

J: Mommy!

Sarah: Mamma!

Natasha was very tired and worried about how things are going to be now and on with Steve. Even if Steve don't press her over the feelings, it's all very strange and the more she stays near him, the harder it will be for him to resist her.

N: I forgot your name, sorry...

J: Her name is Cindy.

N: I'm sorry, Cindy, we had some problems at work.

C: No problem, just call me earlier next time. I have class and I missed the first few days. I have to go. See you.

N: Cindy wait! Can't you stay a little longer?

C: No, I have class now.

Sarah: I'm hungry.

J: Me too.

N: Cindy... I'll pay double for you to stay.

C: I'm sorry, Mrs. Rogers, but today I can t miss classes, it'll be all right.

Cindy ruffled James' hair and left the apartment.

Natasha set her bag down, and the children stared at her.

N: So... What do you want to eat?

Sarah: Bottle.

N: A Baby bottle? Again with that.

J: I want cookies.

Natasha went to the kitchen and the children followed her there, she went to look at the fridge and the cabinets and there was nothing easy to cook, like to just put in the microwave, there were only things to really cook.

When Natasha turned around, she stared Sarah and James almost glued on her.

N: Will you be following me around?

James shrugged, and Sarah smiled.

Sarah: Bottle!

N: You're too big for that!

Sarah: Bottle, bottle!

N: Stop yelling.

J: We are hungry, where is my father?

N: He's coming already, can't you wait for him to get here?

Sarah: I want my bottle...

Now Sarah began to whimper, Natasha widened her eyes. She looked at James.

N: Do you know how to make a bottle?

James shook his head.

Sarah started to cry and call for her father.

J: I'm hungry.

N: I've heard! Give me some time, for God's sake. Sarah stop crying!

Sarah cried even more, she sat on the floor and began to stretch and shrug her legs.

N: God!

J: You have to calm her down. What are you doing?

N: I don't know.

J: Make her stop.

N: How do I do this?

J: Take her in your lap.

Natasha ran her hand over the back of her neck and sighed, her body was exhausted, she took three deep breaths to be more patient, she walked over to Sarah and took her in her lap.

N: James, please, give me the phone.

James handed the phone to Natasha.

N: All right...

Natasha sat Sarah on the counter and walked to the cabinets above the sink to look for bottles.

Sarah was still crying and shaking her legs in protest, and she shook her body so much that she fell from the counter on the floor. She hit the floor with her head, Sarah screamed in pain and the crying became much worse.

Natasha turned around and was desperate because Sarah had a huge cut on her forehead.

Natasha dropped the phone on the counter and picked Sarah up again. She made Sarah lay her head on her shoulder.

N: Oh my God, calm down. It's gonna be okay. James?

James looked at her mother.

N: Do you have a first aid box here?

J: What?

Natasha closed her eyes and sighed, she went to the bathroom and found the box, she sat Sarah on the toilet.

N: Sarah... Listen, it was nothing, it's not that bad. It won't even hurt.

J: It's bleeding!

N: James! Don't make things worse.

Sarah: I'm bleeding?

Sarah looked at James.

N: Hey, Sarah. Focus on me, okay? Look, you need to be very brave now, okay, I'll clean up and everything will be fine. Just stop crying. Your father is going to kill me.

Sarah: I want my daddy.

Sarah grunted.

N: He's coming home, I hope he is coming soon...

Natasha wiped Sarah's cut and put a bandage on her forehead, and Sarah didn't stop crying.

N: Okay, let's stop it, you want the bottle? Then stop crying!

Sarah lowered her head and calmed down a bit. Natasha took her in the lap and when she left the bathroom, James was bringing to her a little stuffed pig, he handed it to Sarah, who grabbed the little pig and calmed down even more.

Natasha opened the fridge, picked up the milk box, opened it and handed it to Sarah, who stared at Natasha without understanding.

N: Come on, didn't you want a bottle?

J: But that's the milk box.

N: No, no, that's... a new bottle. Plus size bottle... Specially made for Sarah...

James and Sarah frowned, but Sarah held the milk box and took it. Natasha found a huge pot of candy on one of the cabinets. She set it down on the counter table and opened it.

James stared at the candy jar.

N: Weren't you hungry? Eat.

James seemed to be waiting for permission, he began to eat one candy after another. Natasha sat down on the couch, exhausted and relieved to have calmed both of them.

Sarah came to the couch and sat on her lap, holding the milk box and drinking of it.

Steve entered the house, also too exhausted and he looked at the scenery.

J: Dad!

James didn't run to hug Steve, because he was eating the candy, he was already in the middle of the pot. Steve looked at him all smeared and Sarah drinking milk straight from the box, Steve scratched his chin.

S: Why are they eating candy at this hour? Why is Sarah drinking milk straight from the box?

N: They were hungry, Sarah wanted the bottle, they kept screaming and talking nonstop on my ear.

S: James, enough. You're going to brush those teeth right now. Natasha, he's going to get very agitated with so much candy.

N: What did you want me to do? They just remain calm like that.

Steve looked better at Sarah and he frowned to see the bandage on her head, he came over to examine that bandage.

S: What happened?

N: I... I was...

Sarah: I was playing on the couch and I fell, daddy.

S: You fell? I'm so sorry, honey, but daddy asked you so many times to not jump on the couch or bed... Are you okay?

Sarah nodded.

Natasha looked at Sarah and she was surprised at the way Sarah told a lie, Sarah seemed more sincere than herself does when she lies. Natasha was proud of her.

Steve took Sarah in his lap.

S: No more milk for you too. It's time to go to bed.

Steve walked with Sarah to the bedroom, she rested her chin on his father's shoulder, and she stared at Natasha.

Sarah smiled at Natasha, who blinked and smiled at her. Sarah waved, saying good-bye, and Steve put her on the bed.

Steve sat on the edge of her bed, he picked up the stuffed pig and put it next to her.

S: You had fun today, huh?

Sarah nodded.

Sarah: My beak.

S: Beak? Look, I think Santa this year will think you're still a baby and he won't bring any dolls for you.

Steve took her pacifier from the drawer and handed it to her hand.

S: Are you sure you want that?

Sarah put the pacifier in her mouth, sighed, and removed the pacifier, handing it to Steve.

Sarah: Tell Santa I'm already big, okay?

S: All right.

Steve put the pacifier in his pocket and kissed Sarah's forehead.

S: Good night, princess.

Sarah: Nite-nite daddy.

Steve went to James' room and saw him playing with his cars.

S: James, it's late.

J: I'm not sleepy.

S: Because you ate that lot of candy, you know you can't.

J: But my mom gave it to me.

Steve came into the room and turned on the video game for him.

S: You can play if you lie in bed.

James jumped into bed and took the control. Steve knew that in half an hour he would fall asleep. Steve closed the bedroom door and went to the living room.

Natasha was sleeping on the floor, her back against the couch. Steve came over and took her in his lap, careful to not wake her up. He carried her to the bedroom and laid her body on the bed. He stroked her face and looked at the picture on the portrait near the bed.

In the picture, Natasha was sitting on the grass with Sarah in her lap, Sarah was about six months old and James was about 3 years old and he was next to them, crying with a broken sword in his hands. Steve remembers very well that day and he gave a small smile.

Steve looked at Natasha again and he was startled by the fact that she was awake and looking at him. Steve was very embarrassed, Natasha looked at the photo he was staring.

N: You have fond memories of that day.

Steve nodded.

N: Tell me about it.

Steve was surprised for Natasha be asking for the story of that photo, he sat on the floor near the bed and Natasha lay on her side, to look at him.

S: Well... It was very hot that day, James was very agitated, as usual...

N: How old was he?

S: Three, maybe... Sarah, I think she was with only six months... Since there are no beaches around here, you suggested we go to a forest park.

N: Wait, I suggested?

S: Yes. We always went there, James always had a lot of energy and there he could run how much he wanted, without breaking the house. I still have the trailer we used to sleep there.

N: Trailer? This is so American Traditional family.

Natasha laughed, but she wasn't disdainful.

N: Why was he crying?

S: For many reasons, James cries for nothing, and on that day everything left him emotional. This sword you bought for him, and he broke it by fighting with the tree. He came running in tears, and he wanted you to leave Sarah aside to pay attention to him. I tried to get him, but he didn't want my attention, he wanted yours...

N: Why?

S: You're his mother, he's always been crazy about you and Sarah took the place of an only child in your life, it was very difficult for him to accept that, he felt very jealous at first.

Natasha yawned and smiled.

S: Well... I'll let you sleep.

Natasha nodded and watched Steve get up and go to the door.

N: Good night, soldier.

Steve looked and smiled at Natasha. It was a quite sad smile.

That was Natasha's phrase for him, every night in bed, but he was sleeping next to her, and she doesn't remember.

As he left the room, James approached his father in the hallway.

J: Dad, tomorrow is Christmas.

S: Wow, is it?

J: Yes. Dad and our tree?

S: I forgot, James. We'll buy one tomorrow.

J: No, we have one, let's set up it now.

S: James, Dad is tired.

J: Please, Dad.

Steve sighed and nodded, James was very agitated, he needed to tire him somehow.

Steve took the tree and he and James decorated the whole tree, it was only missing the star, which was a tradition that everyone should be together to place the star.

The next day, Sarah woke up early and went to Natasha's room, she approached the bed and stood watching Natasha sleep.

Of course Natasha noticed that someone was watching her, she raised her eyebrow and opened one eye, she looked at Sarah and sighed, feeling a little annoyed.

Natasha turned away, ignoring her presence. Sarah stood still, looking at her mother.

Natasha opened her eyes again and looked up, trying to find some patience, she turned her head to look at Sarah.

N: What is it?

Sarah shook her head.

N: What do you want? Your father is not in the living room? Go wake him. Go.

Natasha gestured with her hand toward the door, as if she were blowing a fly away and put her head back on the pillow.

Sarah didn't move. Natasha took a deep breath and decided to ignore her for real, if she wants something, she must go to upset her father.

After 8 minutes, Natasha waited to hear the sound of Sarah walking to leave, but she wasn't going anywhere.

Natasha sat on the bed and looked at Sarah.

N: What do you want? Lost something?

Sarah: Nurse.

N: Nurse?? You want to nurse?

Natasha frowned and looked at her breasts, then looked panicked at Sarah.

N: You mean the bottle, right?

Sarah nodded and Natasha felt a huge relief. She thought Sarah would want to nurse on her breast.

N: Your father is in the living room, near the kitchen. Ask him.

Sarah made negative with her head.

N: Look if you're hungry, go ask your father, okay? I'm sleeping now.

Natasha lay down again. This time Sarah moved to the door, but she didn't leave the room, she sat down on the floor with her stuffed pig.

Natasha stared at her and hit the pillow.

N: JESUS CHRIST!

Natasha sat on the bed and ran her hand over the back of her neck, she grunted in anger and removed the blanket. Natasha got up and Sarah stood up, holding out her arms, asking for a lap. Natasha took her in her lap and went to the kitchen, complaining a lot.

N: Children! It was just what I needed! What type of dark magic this man did to make me have children. I would never, ever...

Natasha opened the fridge and took out a box of milk, she opened it and before giving it to Sarah, she took a long drink herself. Natasha walked with Sarah into the living room and sat in the armchair with her.

Natasha eventually fell asleep again, just as Sarah, who dropped the box of milk on the floor when she fell asleep.

After an hour, Steve woke up with the image of the two sleeping together in the armchair, he smiled and took the opportunity to take a picture of the two.

N: What are you doing???

Steve stood with the camera in his hand, looking at Natasha statically. She seemed to be asleep, that's why he took the picture.

S: Oh... I... I thought you were asleep.

N: I was, but I wake.

S: I'm sorry about that, it's just... It's been a long time that I don't have a picture of you with the kids, so...

N: Whatever. What time is it?

S: It's 10am.

N: 10??? I need to go to SHIELD. I'm so late.

S: No, you don't have to. Today is day 24.

Natasha stared at him blankly.

S: It's Christmas Eve... It won't have work at SHIELD.

N: At SHIELD? Of course it will. It's SHIELD.

S: Yes, true, but you don't have to go.

N: But I want to go.

S: What about the children?

N: What do you mean?

S: They want their mother around, it's Christmas, Nat.

Natasha sighed and threw her head back.

James left his bedroom, scratching his eye and walked to Steve. James grabbed Steve's leg and Steve picked him in his lap.

J: Let's put the star on the tree now?

Steve stared at Natasha.

S: You always put the star on the tree and turned on the flasher. Could you at least do that before you leave to work?

Natasha wasn't believing what she was hearing. She never cared about Christmas, when she was off duty, she and Hill used to go to a bar and drink all night.

Natasha thought of making up an excuse, but James's face was so cherished that Natasha couldn't deny it.

N: Okay. I'll do it.

Sarah woke when Natasha stood up. Natasha was going to put her on the couch, but Sarah grabbed Natasha's neck and spread her legs to remain on her lap.

N: My God, this girl! Okay, give me the star.

James stepped down from Steve's lap and handed the star to Natasha.

Steve put James on his shoulder as Natasha handed the star to Sarah.

Natasha lifted Sarah to the top of the tree and she put the star on top. Sarah was all smiling and clapping her hands.

N: Now let's turn on the flasher.

Natasha crouched behind the tree and turned on the flasher, the tree was a little crooked, but it looked beautiful. Natasha looked at the expression on James and Sarah's face, the two of them were delighted with the tree.

Okay, I would do that again to see those smiles. Natasha thought and smiled a little.

N: Ready? Now I'm going to take a shower and leave.

J: But it's Christmas!

N: Don't give me those looks, James, just don't, your father is here.

J: But what about my present?

S: I'm sure Santa Claus won't forget you, James.

Natasha showered and headed to SHIELD which was very empty, by the way. Hill was there and at the end of the day, Natasha asked if she would want to go to the bar like the old days.

H: Don't you have a family to be with on Christmas?

N: Oh, Hill. You know I can't do these things, you know that.

H: What I know is that you loved Christmas with your kids. And I can't go to a bar, I have something.

N: Wow, you're a pain in the ass now! Where is your thing tonight? Can I go?

H: Sure you can go, it's in your house. Rogers invited me to Christmas there.

N: What?

H: Let's go? We're late, but let's go to the mall first, to buy gifts for them, because I know you didn't buy anything.

Natasha snorted and followed Hill to the mall, upon arriving home, some guests had already arrived. Sam, Carol Danvers, Tony and Pepper.

Sarah saw her mother come in with bags of presents and ran to her.

Sarah: Mamma! Are those for me???

N: It wasn't for you to have seen now, but since you're here...

Natasha handed Sarah her present, James came running shortly after and Natasha handed him his too.

Steve was putting a tray of appetizers on the table for the guests and smiled at Natasha.

The bell rang, Natasha opened the door and Thor was dressed formally, accompanied by Jane. Natasha looked at the curly-haired, blond-haired child in Thor's lap.

Thor: Hello, mortal. Merry Christmas!

Jane: Nice to see you, Natasha.

Natasha doesn't know who Jane is, but it's obvious she and Thor are a couple, she allowed them to come in.

Thor: I finally brought my daughter to meet you.

Thor came in and set the girl on the floor. James peered at her from behind his father's legs.

Jane: Thor, she must not remind me.

Thor: Oh yeah, the head thing! Natasha, this is Jane, my wife and this is Torunn. Our daughter.

Everyone present smiled at Torunn and praised her beauty. Torunn was holding her father's hand and frowned at the sight of James hidden, but peering at her. Torunn smiled and waved, but James stuck his face into Steve's legs.

S: James, you're going to knock me down. What is going on?

James said nothing.

The last guest rang the bell. Natasha answered the door and she and the guest froze when they saw each other. Sam was walking by and saw his friend at the door and pulled him inside, since he seemed to be hypnotized.

Sam: Bucky! My pal! Come in, come in!

Bucky came in, but he still looked at Natasha once again, and Natasha couldn't stop looking at him. Sam led Bucky to greet Carol Danvers, while Steve watched Natasha's reaction to Bucky Barnes.