𝚂𝙸𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴 || 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙾𝙶𝙴𝚁𝚂

xɪᴠ. ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ's ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʟɪɢʜᴛᴇʀ

"Nothing," Natasha replies immediately, pressing herself forward onto her feet, and she feels the tears burning through her emerald orbs at the words leaving her daughter's mouth. Just as tears are leaking from Rose's dark blue irises. "Honey, nothing was — nothing is wrong with you. You're everything I ever imagined you would be. And so much more. When I had you, they told me you died, and I believed them. That's on me."

Rose trembles, clenching her fingernails into her palms, while her mother slowly raises her hand toward her cheeks. It's so foreign: soft, gentle hands brushing the tears away. And with a simple touch, her carefully crafted mask falls to pieces. A weak whimper slips past her red lips against her wishes, and she allows herself to be wrapped in her mother's embrace. It's a comfort she's never received before — and it's... it's nice.

"I always wanted you, Rose," Natasha continues softly, wrapping her arms around her daughter. And it's awkward — the big bump making hugs and cuddles hard — and unfamiliar, but it feels right and settles her racing heart. "Don't ever believe I didn't. And you are enough and special in your own right, baby. You're so smart. Beautiful. And I noticed the way Kate praises the very ground you walk on. She loves you. I love you, Rose. You're my baby."

Rose sniffles, biting her lip, causing Natasha to be reminded just how young her little girl is. She is so strong and brave — fighting against the vulnerability threatening to overwhelm her — though she's still a child. Still full of insecurities. "But you didn't raise me. I'm not going to be your baby, not like this new one will be."

Natasha gasps, her hand following Rose's pointed glance towards her belly. "Rose, you are my baby. It doesn't matter if I watched you grow up. I'm always going to love you, that's never going to change. The new baby won't change that — I'm still going to be here. And you can always talk to me, about anything. I love you. I'm going to do whatever it takes to make you believe that."

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to survive." Rose chuckles weakly, "I used to tell myself that. It helped with all the darkness and chaos. But I think I want to start living, not just surviving."

Natasha smiles, "That sounds like a good idea."

XX

January 17th — 11:11 PM

Natasha grimaces against the incoming contraction, tightening her glance at Steve's hand. It's been a long fourteen hours, complicated by the fact her body is burning through the meds faster than she's allowed to take them, and Dr. Amari is worried about her fever spiking. And she's so tired. Everyone's tired. But it seems the little one is taking its sweet time.

Luckily, everyone is content to stay in the waiting room, while Steve and Melina accompany her to the delivery room. Natasha's been through this before — and she was alone. Scared. Now she wants Steve to hold her hand and tell her she's doing a great job, while Melina wipes the sweat off her brow and tells her she's strong. She's vulnerable. And for once, she's welcoming the help offered.

It's like everything is finally coming together. Her family. Ohio. The Avengers. Rose. She has the people she once thought she would never be worthy of. But through their love and patience, it's beginning to feel real. She has a mother and a sister. Rose. Peter. Steve. And the Avengers. It's a group of extraordinarily chaotic people who became a family. Yes, there are problems — people don't always get along — but the team has learned from their mistakes.

The accords are being constructed in a new form — one suitable for everyone — and the press are slowly coming around to their presence. Even a few people have spoken in their favor. It's a new beginning — one they weren't sure they would ever receive without a type of casualty demanding a change of view. And maybe in a few years, once the team is fully settled and the baby's a little older, Steve and Natasha can go and find a nice cabin by a lake and relax. It would be big, have bedrooms for anyone who wanted to visit, and an art studio for Steve.