After the Avengers (Clintasha) [Complete]

Chapter 14

14

Natasha POV

After I finished shooting at things, I went back to my room. Clint was asleep and I hope he didn't notice that I was gone. If he did, I'm not sure what I'd tell him.

The next morning, I wake up to someone poking my arm. I don't even bother to open my eyes as I say, "Do that one more time a and I will snap your finger off, then break every other finger you have."

"Katie's not up yet," Clint says in a low voice.

"So?" I ask, opening one eye. Clint is lying on the bed next to me, his head grazing my shoulder. He needs a shave and probably a shower judging by the way he smells. "You stink, get off the bed." I nudge him with my foot and he rolls of the bed in a very indignant way.

He props his head on his hands on the side of the bed, staring at me. "It's almost eleven. She's slept in. You slept in too by the way, which is even weirder."

I roll my eyes as I prop myself up on my elbows, giving him a look so he knows I really don't care. I didn't sleep much last night, I'm pregnant, and I'm stressed. He. Needs. To. Leave. Me. Alone.

"Clint, she's a teenager," I imform him. "Teenagers sleep in."

"I never did and I'm pretty sure you didn't," he says. "You only started sleeping in after five years of working for SHIELD."

"That's different," I say, rolling my eyes. "Katie is a real live teenager. She does teenage things."

"She also kills people," Clint pipes up.

I roll my eyes at him and lean back into the pile of pillows, waving it off. "How about this, if she's not up in an hour, you can get Jarvis to wake her up, okay?"

Clint stares at me for a while, then sighs dramatically. "If you insist. Do you want coffee or anything for breakfast? I guess it's technically lunch, but whatever."

"Coffee for sure please," I tell him, groaning as I sit back up. Yeah, I definately need a coffee if I'm going to make it through the day. "I'll get it and I think I'll grab a muffin or something when I get up." I feel pretty queasy to be honest and I'm not sure how well food is going to go down at this point. "You should go take a shower. Why do you smell so bad anyway?"

"I've been in the gym all morning," he tells me, getting to his feet. "I've been lazy for three days, it feels like my muscles are fading away."

I snort as I get out of bed very slowly. "Yeah, like that's gonna happen anytime soon. I think I'll go to they gym this afternoon. You can take Katie shopping while I get a workout in."

Clint groans dramatically, "I was kinda hoping you'd be there to help me out. It could be a bonding experience for the three of us. Plus, I really want to spar and I was hoping to show Katie what real sparring looks like."

I hesitate before speaking up. I don't know if I should be sparring. I know that shooting a gun is risky and one of the girls will be giving me a speech later, but is sparring a good idea?

"If you wanted to spar so badly, why didn't you ask Steve or Maria?" I ask in a sharper tone than I meant. "Maybe I'll go shopping with you guys, I have to think about it."

"Nat, are you okay?" Clint asks coming up behind me and wrapping an arm around my waist. "What's going on?" He asks when I don't answer. "What's wrong?"

I sigh as I lean my head back against his chest. "Im just tired and stressed. With everything that is going on, I just don't know where this is going. I really don't want things to change."

"It's gonna be okay," he reassures me, stroking my arm gently. "We're a family, nothing can change that."

I force a smile as I turn around to look at him. "Yeah, you're right." I stroke his cheek gently and lean forward to kiss him gently, but the kiss feels distant. It almost feels like I'm kissing a stranger. I guess this is what secrets gets you.

When I pull back, I can tell that Clint felt like the kiss was different too. He steps back and surveys me, but when he can't find anything wrong, he just turns and walks away.

My mouth runs dry. I just stand there staring at the wall as I hear the bathroom door slam. I flinch slightly at the sound before turning towards my closet. Robotically, I pull on a pair of black leggings and a white tank top.

When I catch a look at myself in the mirror, I don't look like myself. I look tired and stressed. I sigh as I lean back against the wall of the closet. Maybe I should just tell him and get it over with. Then, he'd know and things could go back to being normal.

I could leave too. I could just pack a bag and go wherever I want. I could go back to Paris and stay on the roof top apartment I have there and have the baby there, but Clint would no doubt find me. No, if I left, I'd need to find a new cover. One Clint doesn't know. I'd need to be more original and creative.

But then I think of how good he is with Katie. How he stares at her with kind eyes. How worried he was when she wasn't awake. How much he wishes he could've been there for her.

No, I can't leave him. I can't take away his second chance at being a father. I can't run away from this just because I'm scarred. I can never leave him because even though I hate to admit it sometimes, I do love him.

If I do stay, I guess that I'll have to let my guard down and finally tell the rest of the avengers about us being a couple.