Chapter Text
Both Natasha and Bruce had spent the evening on cloud nine. In what ended up being a very romantic but calm affair, they’d gone to dinner together, before taking a walk through Bryant Park in the evening, grabbing two cups of hot chocolate from the nearby kiosk and walking through the park while the temperature was still dropping at night. She’d walked beside him, smiling.
“You know, we’ll end up having a winter baby.” She’d said, and he looked at her, an eyebrow quirked in confusion.
“I’m aware of that. But I’m a bit confused as to why it’s relevant?”
“I never liked the winter.” She said quietly. “Aside from Russian winters always being harsh, I hated walking through all of the snow. Not to mention that I didn’t like celebrating my birthday all that much. Maybe this baby will give me a reason to enjoy it now.”
“You can’t even enjoy that winter gives you my birthday?” He teased, smiling at her.
She couldn’t help smiling back. “That’s a good argument.”
“I also happen to like that you were born in the winter.”
“Oh?”
“What better reason is there to stay in and curl up by the fireplace for your birthday?”
She couldn’t help chuckling a little bit to herself. “I see your point.”
“This is the last spring and summer and fall we’ll get that just belongs to us. We should enjoy it as well as we can.”
“You want an excuse to spoil me, you mean?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, dear. I’ve never needed an excuse to do that, and I’m not starting now.”
She laughed at that. “So what are your plans then, Doctor?”
“Depends on what you’d like them to be. I may have a few ideas set aside but I’m open to suggestions?”
She was quiet for a minute. “You think we can sign up for parenting classes?” She asked, after a minute.
“You want to?” He raised a brow. It hadn’t been something she’d brought up before.
“I never thought this was ever an option, and I don’t think I have any idea of what I’m doing. I’d like to learn.”
“I can probably get us in free to classes at the hospital.” He offered.
She nodded slowly. The staff there had always been kind to her when she’d stopped in on occasion to see Bruce or run an errand. “That would be good.”
“Are you nervous?”
“I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t be, knowing that parenthood is waiting just around the corner.”
“That’s not what I meant.” He said, and looked at her. “You don’t doubt that you’ll be a good mom, right?”
She went quiet, and that was answer enough for him.
“I didn’t have a real family, or even know my real mother. For most of my life I was trained to take lives, not take care of them. It’s not something that’s ever been on my radar. I just want to do something right with this baby.”
“You already are.” He said, and she looked at him, a little confused. “You’re doing the reading, you’re eating healthy, you’re working out and taking care of yourself. That’s a lot of things to discount so quickly.” She sighed at that, and he frowned. “What’s bothering you?”
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to trust my body to carry this baby when it couldn’t do it the first time, I guess.” She said, her hand involuntarily moving to her stomach. His heart sank a little at her words, and he gently took her hands in both of his own.
“Honey… Your body is a miracle.”
“That isn’t the first time I’ve heard that, unfortunately.” She said, grimacing at the words of past targets that had been used similarly to her.
“Well it’s the first time you’re going to hear it with proof.” He pressed on. “You didn’t get to choose what happened to you, and I know better than anyone how angry it can make you at your own body. But this body doesn’t deserve your anger.”
“Really?”
“No.” He said, stopping near a bench in their walk and moving to hold her in his arms. “This body survived so many years of horror, and still brought you to me. It’s helped protect our team and save the world. It’s the one I chose to love for the rest of my life, and in spite of everything that happened to you, your body is still carrying our baby. You did that. All of it. In this body, on your own, and no one else can ever take that from you. This time where it’s changing for you to carry our baby… It’s a celebration. They tried to control your future… and you took it back for yourself. That’s something to be proud of.”
Her eyes had softened as he spoke, a faint smile curving at her lips. “I don’t think anybody ever made me see it that way before.”
“I think part of you is still stuck in that room to see your body that way. But you aren’t there anymore. You beat it every single day you used your skills to help people and gave love to me. You did that, all on your own. Start giving yourself more credit where it’s due. Not everybody can do that.”
She smiled, a surprisingly bashful one for her. “How do you always know what to say to make me feel better?”
“I work in medicine. Hazard of the job.” He smiled, kissing her cheek. “It also may help that I know you better than you want to admit.”
“Speaking of hazards of the job… I want you to promise me something.”
“Anything you want.” The words came with no hesitation, and it made her smile.
“Promise me you’ll do this pregnancy with me as a husband, not a doctor.” She said. “I can ask Doctor Cho or have one of the people at Tisch check me out if it makes you feel better, but I don’t want you stressing over every small thing the way you do when I’m your patient. I want you to get to enjoy it. Not spend every second worrying about us. Okay?” She gently caressed his cheek, and he nodded.
“Okay. I can do that.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.” He gave her a gentle kiss, and she smiled.
“Thank you.” She took a sip of hot chocolate. “I’m glad we did this.”
“Me too.” He said, and his arm wrapped around her waist as they resumed walking. “I’ll never get tired of walking through this park with you.”
She smiled. “We come here enough that we should own a bench here.” She smiled.
“You know, it’s funny you mention that…”
She looked over at him, confused, and he paused in his walking, pointing to her left. She looked over at a bench, seeing a small plaque on this one that was illuminated under the lanterns.
From the first date to your due date, I’ll never tire of walking through this park with you.
Happy anniversary, Natasha
Love, Bruce
She felt her eyes growing misty and silently cursed her hormones for running wild, before she looked at him.
“You planned this, didn’t you?” She smiled, but her voice cracked with emotion.
“Down to the last detail.” He said, and gave her a kiss.
“It’s beautiful.” She said, and he’d grinned at her with pride.
“We sat here on our first date, before I asked you to dance with me. I figure it would be a nice way to mark the start of our adventure together, and a new beginning all in one.” He smiled.
She sat down on the bench, and he sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her as she laid her head on his shoulder. “You know, of all the choices I’ve made in my life, you’re by far my favorite.” She said, and watched the way his face lit up with that shy, boyish grin that she didn’t see often enough for her liking.
“The feeling is mutual.” He promised, and kissed her temple.
“We should bring the baby here someday, and take a picture. Go back to where it all began so we can share our history with them.”
He looked at her, smiling. “It’s a date.”
The two of them sat under the light for a few minutes, sipping their drinks and enjoying each other’s company, before Natasha had looked at him. “I think we’d better get back home. I’m starting to get a little queasy from the smells of all the dumpsters nearby.”
He stood up immediately, and saw the way she folded her arms from cold in spite of her jacket, and he’d quickly removed his suit jacket and draped it around her shoulders. “Let’s go.” He nodded, and walked beside her as swiftly as possible, his fingers interlocked with hers as he gave her a gentle kiss. “Did you enjoy yourself?”
She smiled at him. “It was absolutely perfect.” She said, and meant every word as she kissed his cheek, and they went back home.