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Chapter Text

Natasha was in New York, finding her sister and Clint, and Peggy was more nervous than she’d ever been in her entire life. She was at Natasha’s family’s pig farm, helping Natasha’s mother with Christmas Eve dinner.

Melina was pounding steaks with a meat tenderizer, Alexei was making frosting for the cookies he’d just taken out of the oven, and Peggy was chopping vegetables for the salad, and also planning to ask the two of them for their blessing to marry their daughter. It wasn’t that she and Natasha needed permission, but she knew that Melina and Alexei’s blessing would mean a lot to Natasha. And since she was planning to formally propose on Christmas morning, it would be nice to inform them.

“May I ask the two of you something?” she said.

Alexei turned off the mixer and wiped his hands on his apron.

Melina put down her meat tenderizer. “Of course.”

Peggy took a deep breath. “Natasha and I have spent a lot of time talking about our relationship and our life together, even more so after…” She trailed off.

“Thanos.” Melina nodded.

“Yes, and we’ve talked about one thing in particular a lot. And to that end, what I would like to ask is,” she dug into her trouser pocket and pulled out the ring box to show them. “May I have your blessing to marry your daughter?”

Melina smiled. “Of course you may. I have never seen Natasha as happy as she is with you.”

Alexei’s booming laugh echoed through the house. “Captain Carter, asking to marry my daughter, could I ever give an answer other than ‘yes?’” He came toward her and wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug. As he let her go, there was the sound of boots stomping up the front steps and the sound of arguing as the door opened.

“Natasha, if you don’t like my driving, next time, you can drive.”

“It’s not strictly your driving I have a problem with, it’s your inability to go less than 20 miles over the speed limit.”

“I thought your driving was fine.”

“Thank you, Kate Bishop. See, Natasha, is that so hard?”

The siblings came into the kitchen trailed by a dark-haired girl Peggy had never met.

“My girls!” Alexei threw his arms wide, nearly knocking his bowl of icing over. He wrapped them both in a hug, which shockingly managed to stop their bickering.

“Wait! Let me get a photo,” Melina said as he started to let go of them. He pulled them close again and she produced a polaroid camera. “Excellent.”

Yelena walked over and kissed her cheek. “What was that for Mum?”

“Your father and I have taken up scrapbooking. We have lots of pictures of the pigs, but none of you two.”

The blonde ducked the wooden spoon that had appeared in her mother’s hand. “And that is for not answering my calls.”

“I’m sorry, mum, I was busy.”

“Who is this?” Melina asked, the spoon pointing at the dark-haired girl standing awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen.

“This is Kate Bishop,” Yelena said.

“Her new girlfriend,” Natasha supplied.

Melina nodded. “Well, welcome. I am Melina, this is my husband Alexei.”

He waved.

“And you’ve already met our daughter, Natasha.”

“Yes, it’s nice to meet you both,” Kate said.

“And this is Natasha’s girlfriend, Peggy,” Alexei supplied.

Kate nodded. “Captain Carter, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Peggy offered the girl her hand. “All good things I hope.”

Kate shook it. “Yes, ma’am.”

Natasha walked up to give Peggy a kiss. “Hi, love.”

“Hello, darling. Good trip?”

“Excellent. We, that is, me, you, Alexander, Yelena, Kate, and Lucky, are spending New Year's at Clint’s.”

“Who’s Lucky?”

A golden retriever meandered into the kitchen, his tail wagging cheerfully. “This is Lucky,” Kate said. She looked at Melina. “I hope it’s okay I brought him, ma’am, Yelena said you wouldn’t mind, and he didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

“Oh, the more the merrier,” Melina brushed off Kate’s concern.

“And we have pigs that wander in and out of the house,” Alexei added, "a dog is nothing.”

Melina clapped her hands. “All right, if you want to eat tonight, I’m going to need help.”

— — —

With all of them pitching in they managed to have dinner on the table in thirty minutes and were finished eating just as quickly. It had been a long day for all of them, but that didn’t stop them all from perking right back up when Alexei brought out cookies and decorating supplies. “We are going to clean up the kitchen and then go to bed, you girls have fun,” he said. “And don’t stay up too late trying to catch Santa,” he added over his shoulder.

They really didn’t intend to stay up until almost midnight, but they were all relaxed for the first time in as long as any of them could remember. After they’d finished decorating cookies, and Natasha and Yelena had only put minimal amounts of icing on each other, they had put on pajamas and moved to the living room with a bottle of bourbon between them to play Trivial Pursuit, where you took a shot if you got the question wrong. Kate’s idea, being the only one among them to have gone to college where apparently you learned things like that.

Peggy reflected as she sat on the couch with Natasha nestled against her, that perhaps letting Yelena and Natasha be on opposite teams had been a bad idea as they spent a great deal of time arguing over whether the correct answer marked on the card was in fact the correct answer. Until they got too drunk to care, at which point Natasha fell asleep across Peggy’s lap, and Yelena became unable to answer questions so it became a game between Peggy and Kate. Kate narrowly managed to win.

Yelena pointed at the clock. “We should get to bed, otherwise Santa will not come.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works, but sure,” Kate said. She got to her feet, helping Yelena up with her.

“Do you need any help getting her to bed?” Peggy offered.

Kate shook her head. “I got it, thanks.”

Peggy attempted to get up without waking Natasha but failed. The redhead stirred and smacked her lips. “What time is it?”

“Bedtime, darling.”

“Santa won’t come if don’t go to bed,” Yelena shouted over Kate’s shoulder.

“Right.” Natasha tried to stand up and fell.

Peggy caught her. “I think you’ve had too much to drink.”

“Maybe.”

“Come on, let’s go. You don’t want a hangover on Christmas.” With Natasha’s arm around her shoulders, Peggy got them both into bed.

Natasha rolled over and kissed her. “ ‘Night, Peggy.”

“Good night, Natasha.”

Chapter Text

When Natasha woke up, she was warm and comfortable. Peggy was asleep by her side and she could smell breakfast cooking. She was leaning over to wake Peggy up with a kiss when the bedroom door burst open and Yelena jumped on the bed.

They both bolted upright, reaching for weapons that luckily weren’t there.

“Yelena! I could have shot you!” Natasha shouted.

“I knew you didn’t have a weapon in arms reach.” Yelena jerked the covers off of them. “Now get up. Dad says we have to eat breakfast before presents.” She bounded out of the room.

Natasha looked over at Peggy who was still attempting to wake up. “Is this what having a child is like?”

The brunette stretched. “Quite possibly.”

“Hm. We should probably go before she comes back.”

Peggy stopped her before she could get up and pulled her into a kiss. “Merry Christmas, Natasha.”

“Merry Christmas, Peg.”

They both got up, Natasha pulling on a sweatshirt over her tank top and Peggy digging through her duffel bag for her dressing gown. They headed into the kitchen to find Alexei at the stove flipping pancakes and bacon.

The others sat at the table, drinking coffee. Melina and Yelena looked fully awake. Kate on the other hand looked like she was about to pass out in her coffee.

Natasha poured herself coffee and pointed Peggy in the direction of the tea kettle before sitting down next to her sister. “I’m up, you happy?”

“Yes.”

“Breakfast is ready!” Alexei announced, bringing the plates of pancakes and bacon to the table. He smiled proudly as they all settled down with full plates. “All my girls, under one roof. I didn’t think I’d see the day.”

Natasha laughed and squeezed Peggy’s hand under the table. “Neither did I.”

As the clattering of plates and cutlery began, Alexander and Lucky appeared.

Natasha looked at Alexander suspiciously. “Where have you been?”

“He slept in our room,” Melina supplied. “He likes you father.”

“Yes, he does,” Alexei said proudly. “Here have some bacon to help you grow big and strong.”

Alexander took the offered strip of bacon and padded off with it.

“If he spends too much time here, the only thing he’s going to grow is fat,” Natasha mumbled.

“Oh, hush. It’s Christmas, let him live,” Peggy said.

Kate gave Lucky his own piece of bacon from her plate and he trotted off after Alexander.

— — —

When plates were cleaned, they all dispersed to the different rooms of the house to get the presents they brought. Peggy managed to intercept Yelena in her bedroom, out of Natasha’s sight and earshot. “Yelena, I have a question for you.”

“Yes?”

“I wanted to ask for your blessing, because I’m planning to propose to your sister this morning.”

Yelena pulled her into a hug. “Absolutely. Good luck.”

“Thank you.”

Peggy’s heart raced as she headed back into the living room with Yelena. The ring box felt heavier than before in her pocket. She settled down next to Natasha as Alexei and Melina handed out presents.

Yelena and Natasha both got matching knives engraved with their initials from their parents. They had both gotten Alexei different Red Guardian merchandise and comics to add to his collection. Natasha gave Yelena a new scope for her favorite rifle. Each of them had gotten Melina a new handgun.

Peggy could feel herself getting progressively more nervous as the pile of discarded wrapping paper grew.

“I think that’s it,” Kate said as she looked at the pile of wrapping paper. “I’ll start cleaning up.”

“I’ll help you.” Natasha stood up.

“Actually, that’s not everything,” Peggy said, standing up with her. “Now, I know we’ve already talked about this a lot and really already made the decision, but I suppose I’m still a little old-fashioned. I wanted to get your family’s blessing, so I could ask you properly.”

Natasha’s hand went to her mouth.

Peggy smiled. “I want to wake up next to you every day for the rest of our lives. I don’t want us ever to have to choose anything over each other ever again. I want to start our own family together.” She reached into her pocket for the ring box, she hoped for the final time. She opened it as her knee hit the ground. “Natasha Alianovna Romanoff, will you marry me?”

Natasha laughed, her hand still covering her mouth. “Yes! God, yes.”

She let Peggy put the ring on her finger and kissed her as she stood up, arms around her neck, hands tangled in her hair. Peggy dropped the box to wrap Natasha in her arms.

Alexei whooped as they broke apart. “This calls for vodka!”

Kate looked happy but concerned. “It’s 10 in the morning.”

“We are Russian,” Melina said. “It is never too early for vodka.”

Natasha laughed and kissed Peggy again as Alexei returned with a bottle of vodka and shot glasses.

Even Kate shrugged and accepted the shot he offered her.

Alexei raised his glass. “To my daughter, to the next step of the rest of her life.” He smiled at Peggy. “And to the daughter I have gained. За здоровье!” 

Chapter Text

Natasha carefully drove the rented truck up the snowy drive of Clint’s farmhouse. Peggy sat beside her and Yelena and Kate were in the backseat with Lucky and Alexander. The back of the truck was filled with luggage and presents for the kids.

She pulled up beside Clint’s car in the driveway and turned the truck off. As she opened the door, the sound of children’s laughter came from the field.

Peggy smiled at her. “Go see them. We’ll get the luggage unloaded.”

“Thanks.” Natasha kissed her and followed the laughter. Her feet crunched in the snow, past the barn, past a big oak tree, to a carefully constructed battleground. There were trenches and forts, and snowballs flying everywhere. Cooper and Nathaniel were behind one fort, Lila behind the other.

Natasha whistled. A simple three-note call, similar to the one she and Yelena had, that she’d taught to Lila when the girl had first learned to whistle.

Lila’s head jerked around and saw her. “Auntie Nat!”

Natasha smiled as the girl abandoned her fight with her brothers and ran toward her. She laughed and wrapped the teen in her arms.

The boys both saw her too and started running. Cooper made it to her first and she dropped one arm from around Lila to hug him. “Hey, Coop.”

Nathaniel was staggering across the field for all he was worth on short toddler legs. He was not making good progress.

“All right.” Natasha let go of the older kids. “I’m gonna go get your brother.”

Nathaniel eagerly held his arms up as she approached him. “Auntie Nat!”

“Hey, my favorite little traitor.” She scooped him up and hugged him tightly. His little arms wrapped around her neck as she carried him back to his siblings. She shifted him to one hip so she could hold Lila’s hand as they all headed back toward the house.

“What’s this?” Lila asked, pointing to the diamond ring on Natasha’s left hand.

Natasha smiled down at her. “It’s my engagement ring. Peggy and I are getting married.”

A smile split Lila’s face. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Can we come to the wedding?”

“I don’t know, might need you to be ring bearers and a flower girl, what do you say?”

“Yes!” Lila said eagerly.

She looked over at Cooper. “What do you think, bud?”

“Yeah!”

“I want to help!” Nathaniel announced.

Natasha laughed and gave him a squeeze. “Of course you can.”

They reached the porch. Natasha took her boots off and helped Nathaniel with his as the other two raced inside to see Peggy. She made sure his socked feet were safely on the dry warm floor before she headed into the living room.

Clint smiled and stood up as she entered. “Hey there.”

“Hi.” She hugged him, and Laura as well.

“Mama, Dad, guess what?” Lila said.

“What?” Clint asked.

“Aunt Natasha is marrying Captain Carter.”

Clint laughed. “You know, I think I did hear a rumor about that. Is it true?”

Peggy wrapped an arm around Natasha’s shoulders and Natasha laced her left hand through Peggy’s, the diamond catching the light of the roaring fire in the hearth. “It’s true,” Peggy said.

“Natasha! Your cat will not shut up, can I let him out?”

Natasha looked over her shoulder. Yelena walked into the room carrying Alexander’s carrier.

He was yowling irritably.

“Go for it.”

Yelena opened the carrier and the kids eagerly surrounded him. He looked vaguely suspicious and sniffed them all carefully, before flopping onto the ground to receive ear scratches and belly rubs.

Natasha nodded to the Christmas tree. “You know, we brought presents too.”

The presents proved to be totally uninteresting even after Alexander had gotten bored and left them. They had gone outside to play with Lucky, who thoroughly enjoyed attempting to catch the snowballs they threw at him. Alexander walked out into the snow, immediately jumped right back onto the porch, and settled down to lick his paws indignantly.

“I found you in Norway,” Natasha told him. “What is wrong with you?”

“He’s spent too much time inside being spoiled,” Peggy suggested.

“There’s snow in New York!”

“Did he ever go out in it?”

“Well, no, he never wanted to.”

“There you go.”

Eventually, Laura made the kids come inside to warm up with hot cocoa, at which point they realized they had been brought presents.

They’d brought Lila records of a few of her favorite albums to go with the record player her parents had bought her. While his sister was an archer, Cooper preferred shooting, so Natasha and Yelena had gotten him new gear.

Nathaniel got nerf weapons. Laura looked slightly concerned but unsurprised.

“Oh, there’s one more thing.” Natasha tossed a package to Clint.

He opened it to find a t-shirt about how awesome his best friend was. He sighed. “You think you’re funny?”

“I do.”

Kate and Yelena took the older kids outside to go shooting, Nathaniel went down for his nap, and Peggy and Natasha sat in the living room with Clint and Laura.

“What’s with your sister and Kate?” Clint asked.

“I was going to ask you the same question,” Natasha said. “How did they meet?”

“I think they met while Yelena was trying to kill me,” he said. “But I don’t know, Kate didn’t share that information with me. I was hoping Yelena had told you.”

“No. I came to get her for Christmas, and next thing I knew, she introduced me to her new girlfriend and that was that.”

“Haven’t you ever heard of U-Hauling?”

Natasha jerked around to look at Peggy. “You know what that is?”

“Darling, I have lived in the modern world for 15 years now. I’ve lived with you for a large part of them. I know what U-Hauling is.”

“I don’t,” Clint said.

“Queer culture, Clint, queer culture,” Natasha told him.

“Right.” He did not ask further questions about that subject. “Who wants to help me clear snow for the bonfire and fireworks tonight?”

— — —

Night fell and midnight approached. Clint started up a bonfire and set up the projector to put the New Year's Eve Countdown on the side of the barn. He then hauled several boxes of fireworks out of the barn, and Laura brought out a bottle of champagne for the adults and sparkling grape juice for the kids.

Natasha sat on a blanket by the fire, leaning her head on Peggy’s shoulder as they half watched the countdown and mostly watched Lila and Cooper organizing their fireworks, deciding which ones to shoot until midnight and which to set off at midnight. Kate was helping them, and Yelena sat nearby watching her. Nathaniel had long since passed out in his little sleeping bag his mother had brought out for him, knowing he wouldn’t make it until midnight but wouldn’t want to be left out.

The kids and Kate started to shoot off their fireworks, and Laura started handing out the champagne.

“You know,” Peggy commented as she accepted her drink. “The last time I watched a New Year's Eve countdown was 1945.”

“What happened?” Natasha asked.

“Bucky and I got very drunk and I dared her to kiss me.”

“Did she?”

“She did.”

“I would be jealous, but I would make out with Bucky too.”

Peggy slapped her arm. “Natasha!”

“What?”

“We are engaged!”

“Your point?”

“I wouldn’t worry about it Peggy,” Clint put in. “The Romanoffs just have a type and it’s brunette superheroes.”

“That is not true,” Yelena said. “Dad was a blonde when he and mom met.”

Clint laughed as another explosion sounded and fireworks lit the air.

As midnight crept closer, Yelena and Kate rigged a long fuse to the kids’ “finale firework” as they had dubbed it, so they could light it as the final 5-second countdown started and it would go off right at midnight.

Natasha was beginning to worry that the two of them might not be good influences on Clint’s kids.

Then there was one minute to go.

Then thirty seconds.

Then ten.

Cooper lit the fuse and they were all on their feet, shouting along.

“Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!”

The fireworks exploded in a fountain of red and purple and green and gold.

Peggy pulled Natasha into a searing kiss and as they broke apart, Natasha saw her sister kissing Kate. It looked like their parents were going to have four daughters before too long.

Chapter Text

Natasha looked suspiciously at the laptop sitting open on the Barton’s kitchen table. “Are you absolutely sure we can’t just get married in the courthouse with you and Clint as witnesses?”

“You can,” Yelena said. “If you tell dad you’re not having a wedding and plan to get married without including him.”

“And tell Clint’s children that you won’t be requiring their services after all,” Peggy added. “Whom, may I remind you, you asked.”

“Well, that was before I realized how much work a wedding is.”

“It’ll be less work now than it was the last time I tried to plan a wedding,” Peggy said.

Yelena looked at her with concern, and possibly suspicion. “The last time?”

“1940. There was a war on, my brother died. Long story.”

“Right.” Yelena looked back at her sister. “Look, just start with something easy. Who’s going to be in the wedding?”

“Uh,” Natasha started counting on her fingers. “Cooper and Nathaniel, ring bearers. Lila, flower girl.”

“Both your parents will want to walk you down the aisle,” Peggy said.

“Right.”

“Maid of honor?” Yelena asked.

“I thought it was going to be you, but if you don’t want the job I can give it to Clint.”

“I do look lovely in chiffon,” Clint said from where he was leaning against the sink, sipping coffee.

“You’ll just have to settle for being my best man,” Natasha said.

He smiled. “I can do that.”

“And on your side, Peggy?”

“Bucky and Sam,” she replied immediately. “I’ll ask them in person on the way back through New York.”

Yelena looked at her sister. “See? Was that so hard?”

“No.”

“Exactly. Now, what next…how about flowers? We could get mum and dad to do it, I think they’ve also taken up floral arranging in their spare time.”

“I thought your parents were a super soldier and an assassin?” Clint said, clearly confused.

“They’re retired,” Natasha explained. “And have an excess of free time on their hands. Not only that, due to their previous lifestyles they must instantly become the best at everything they try.”

“And you should let dad make the cake,” Yelena added. “He’ll love it.”

“Sounds good,” Natasha said.

“Excellent, and they’ll need a color pallet for the flowers and cake, so color pallet, go.”

Peggy thought Natasha was about to strangle her sister, but she looked to Peggy for input. “What do you think?”

“Red?” Peggy suggested. “A deep red, like burgundy.”

“And how about green to go with it?” Clint suggested. “Christmas wedding!”

Natasha flipped him off.

“Actually he has a point,” Peggy pointed out. “It doesn’t have to be a Christmas green, but maybe a forest green, the kind that has a slight blue tint to it.”

Natasha thought for a second, then shrugged. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

“How come you’re okay with it after she says it’s a good idea, but not when I suggest it?” Clint asked.

“Because she’s more trustworthy,” Natasha replied.

Yelena was typing rapidly on her phone. “Dad needs a date.”

“Is he not going with mom?”

The younger Romanoff sighed deeply. “I meant the calendar date on which you would like to get married, Natasha.”

“Oh,” Natasha said, as if it had just dawned on her, but the smirk on her face gave her away. “What do you think, Peg?”

Peggy shrugged. “Well, I’ve waited for this for six years, how about next month?” She looked to Yelena. “Tell your father, whatever date he and your mother can be ready and be there by.”

“And not Valentine's Day,” Natasha added. “I know him.”

“Good call,” Yelena said, still typing on her phone. A moment later the phone dinged. “February 17th?”

Peggy looked to Natasha and they both nodded.

Clint looked at his watch. “As much as I am enjoying this happening in my kitchen, if you all want to make your flight, you should get going.”

— — —

They all made their flight and made it back to New York where Kate had two drivers meet them at the airport. One to take her and Yelena to her apartment and the other to take Peggy and Natasha to their old farmhouse outside of the city. When they arrived, Peggy took their suitcases out of the trunk and they headed up the front steps.

“When was the last time we were here?” Natasha asked.

“Before the accords,” Peggy answered.

“Feels like it was 10 years ago.”

“It has been almost 7.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the key. She turned the lock and they stepped inside. It looked like they had never left.

Peggy carried the suitcases upstairs set them down beside the bed. She was just thinking how inviting the bed looked and how nice a shower and a nap would be when Natasha shouted from downstairs. “Is my car still here? We need to go to the grocery store if we want to eat tonight.”

“Don’t know,” Peggy called back. “I’ll go look.” She headed downstairs, grabbed the set of keys off the hall table, and went out the back door toward the garage. Natasha’s corvette was indeed still there. With some difficulty, Peggy squeezed herself into the driver’s seat and backed the car out of the garage around to the front of the house.

Natasha smiled as she came out the front door, locking it behind her.

Peggy climbed out of the driver's seat and tossed her the keys. “Here you are, darling.”

“Thank you.” Natasha plucked them out of the air and walked around to the driver's side door as Peggy headed for the passenger seat instead.

———

They had just finished putting the groceries away, and Peggy had gone upstairs to unpack her suitcase when she heard a knock on the door. She ran for the stairs, and saw Natasha already at the door, one hand on the knob, the other gripping the pistol tucked in the back of her waistband.

Natasha opened the door as Peggy came up behind her. “Can I help you?”

A mailman stood on the front porch. “I have a letter here for Captain Carter and Agent Romanoff.”

Natasha gripped the pistol tighter. “From?”

“Ms. Morgan H. Stark.”

She relaxed and let go of the pistol. “Thank you.” She shut the door and turned around with an envelope in her hand. “We’ve got mail.”

She tore open the envelope and smiled, before showing Peggy.

It was a crayon drawing depicting a child on a stage dressed in a tutu. The child was labeled as “MORGAN” in the most careful handwriting the five-year-old was capable of.

Peggy flipped it over to find Pepper’s neat cursive. Morgan heard you two were coming back into town and wanted to invite you to her first ballet recital. It’s this Saturday. Post-show froyo included.

Chapter Text

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Natasha asked as she pulled up in front of a theater in the heart of New York City.

“This is the address Pepper gave me.”

Natasha looked again. The theater was small but elaborate. It was two stories of dark stone with gold railings and white windows. There was also a valet hurrying toward them.

“Morgan does ballet with the rich kids,” Natasha muttered under her breath as she gave the valet her keys.

Peggy took her hand as they walked toward the entrance of the theater. “Darling, her father left them a fortune and her mother is still the CEO of all his companies. Morgan is the rich kids.”

“Fair point.”

They walked into the lobby where there were met with a sea of people dressed head to toe in designer clothes. “I feel underdressed,” Natasha muttered, glancing down at her black jeans, white tank top, and leather jacket.

“You’re wearing heels,” Peggy pointed out.

“And you’re dressed like you walked out of a vintage Pinterest board.” Now that she had the time, Peggy had gone back to dressing the way she had in the 40s.

“I’m wearing trousers.”

“That does not make me feel better.”

“Peggy!”

They both looked around to see who had shouted.

“That does,” Natasha said.

Sam was standing beside Bucky and Happy, waving cheerfully. Happy was wearing his usual black suit, but Sam and Bucky were both wearing faded jeans and old military jackets.

They walked over and Bucky immediately pulled Peggy into a hug. “Welcome back.”

Sam thumped Natasha on the back. “How’s not dying going?”

“Quite well.” She wrapped an arm around Peggy’s waist and held up her left hand. “Everybody free February 17th?”

“Actually, I have a prior engage-“ Sam was cut off by Bucky’s elbow in his ribs.

“I’ll clear his schedule.”

Sam looked at her reproachfully. “I was making a pun.”

“I know, and I could sense it was stupid. I’m saving you from yourself.”

“I’ll clear Pepper’s schedule,” Happy said, already typing on his phone.

“Where is Pepper?” Peggy asked.

“Backstage doing Morgan’s hair.”

“Happy, why did I just get a calendar invite labeled, ‘The Romanoff-Carters, est. 2023?’ ” Pepper was weaving her way through the crowd, staring at her phone. She looked up as she reached them.

Natasha held up her hand.

Pepper laughed. “Congratulations, I think Happy just came up with the decorative signage for your wedding.”

“Is Morgan ready?” Happy asked.

Pepper nodded. “I think so. She’s nervous, but she’s excited.” She smiled as she saw the bouquet of yellow roses in Natasha’s hand. “Are those for her?”

Natasha nodded. “Yellow is still her favorite color right?”

“It is.”

Sam looked vaguely confused. “She’s five.”

“You always give dancers flowers after a performance,” Natasha said. “It’s a traditional way to show appreciation, especially after a first performance, and especially if they’re five.”

Bucky looked surprised. “Did the Red Room have ballet training to make you a better fighter too?”

Natasha nodded. “Hydra too?”

Bucky nodded back. She reached into her jacket pocket and produced a bag of chocolate coins. “Sorry in advance for the sugar rush, Pepper.”

Pepper shrugged. “I’ll ration them. She can earn them as allowance.”

“You might want to be careful with that,” Happy said. “She’s her father’s daughter, she will turn it into a business you cannot support.”

Before Pepper could answer, the lights flashed, signaling it was time to take their seats.

———

When the recital was over, Pepper and Happy went to get Morgan, and the others headed across the street to the frozen yogurt place to claim a booth.

“Where are you two living now?” Peggy asked Sam and Bucky as they all sat down.

“We moved in together back in DC,” Sam said. “Bucky wanted to leave Wakanda, and I have a spare bedroom. It worked out.”

“It’s a nice place, but he’s a terrible cook,” Bucky said.

Sam looked offended.

Natasha laughed.

“Well,” Peggy said. “Sam’s cooking aside, there is something I’d like to ask you before Morgan gets here, about the wedding. Natasha has family to stand up with her, and you two are the closest thing I have to family. Will you be my best man and maid of honor?”

Sam’s face went serious again. “It would be my honor.”

Peggy looked to Bucky and saw nervousness on her face. “Are you all right?”

Bucky nodded. “Yeah, there’s just something I need to tell you.” Her hands fidgeted with a napkin. “I am, or I think, at least, I’m non-binary. We didn’t have a word for it back when we’re from, and I didn’t have time to think about it much until now, but well I think I’ve always felt like this. I’m ready to act on it now.”

Peggy stood up and hugged Bucky. “You know you’ll always be my best friend. You can be anything else you want to be.”

They smiled. “I’ll be your groomsman.”

“I’ll demote Sam, you can be my best man.”

“Deal.”

“Aunt Natasha!” A tornado composed of brown hair and a pink tutu flew through the door and launched itself at Natasha.

Natasha laughed as she caught Morgan. “Hey! You did so good!” She put the little girl down and handed her the bouquet. “These are for you.”

If possible, Morgan smiled even bigger. “Thanks! Mamma look! Aunt Natasha and Aunt Peggy got me flowers!”

“I see that,” Pepper said. “Why don’t you ask Uncle Bucky what they brought you?”

Morgan turned back around and looked at Bucky expectantly.

They took the bag of chocolate out of their pocket. “Uncle Bucky is cooler, they brought you candy.”

She took it happily and trotted over to put it in her mother’s purse before returning to the table and settling herself in Natasha’s lap, still holding her flowers. She didn’t put them down until Pepper set a cup of frozen yogurt in front of her, at which point Morgan handed the flowers to her for safekeeping.

— — —

A little while later, they all said their goodbyes, and Peggy and Natasha started back toward the theater to get their car from the valet.

When they reached the valet stand, there was no valet. Two men in black suits and sunglasses stood there instead. “Captain Carter, Ms. Romanoff?” One of them said.

Natasha’s hand drifted toward the pistol in the back of her waistband. “Who’s asking?”

The man who spoke reached into his pocket and pulled out a badge. “Agent Jack Thompson, Strategic Scientific Reserve.”

The other also showed them his badge. “Agent Daniel Sousa, Strategic Scientific Reserve.”

Thompson tucked his badge away. “Ms. Potts told us we could find you here.”

Natasha considered loosening her grip on the gun. Pepper wouldn't knowingly put them in danger.

“We’ve been looking for you both for a long time. She wouldn’t tell us where you were until this week.”

“Why have you been looking for us?” Natasha asked.

“Your skills are legendary. Both of you. We’ve been looking for you to offer you a job.”

Peggy’s brow furrowed. “I thought the SSR was just the precursor to SHIELD.”

“We started out that way,” Sousa said. “But even when SHIELD was here we never left.”

“And now that they’re gone we’re here to pick up the slack,” Thomson continued. “We’re putting together small teams of agents for offices across the United States and abroad. Agent Sousa and I are in charge of recruiting for the New York Office.” He reached into his pocket and produced a business card, which he held out to Peggy. “Think about it. Call me when you’ve made your decision.”

Natasha’s corvette pulled up to the curb as Peggy took the card.

“We took the liberty of having your car brought around for you.”

Peggy glanced at Natasha, whose grip had tightened on her pistol again. She didn’t like people messing with her car.

Sousa noticed too and smiled slightly. “Don’t worry, it’s untampered with.”

“We look forward to hearing from you,” Thompson said, and the two walked away, blending quickly into the flow of New York pedestrians.

Peggy watched as Natasha went over her car with a fine tooth comb before proclaiming that it was in fact untampered with. The engine roared to life and Natasha pulled out into traffic.

“What do you think?” Peggy asked.

“It’s a good offer,” Natasha said after a moment. “Unfortunately saving the world did not come with a pension, and neither did being a Red Room assassin so if we want to stay here,” she glanced over at Peggy, “If we want to have kids. We will need an income.”

“I agree. The SSR was a good organization, the last time I checked. They were good when I worked with them originally. Their work lines up with our unique skillsets. I think it’s a good idea.”

Natasha nodded. “We can call them and tell them tomorrow.”

Chapter Text

Natasha ducked behind cover, her finger resting on the trigger, ready to fire. Her last objective was just ahead, watched over by two guards. She didn’t know where the rest of her team was, they might have already been disabled. She took a deep breath and ran out of cover and around the corner where her objective lay. She raised her gun as she rounded the corner, ready to take out the guards.

“Hi, Auntie Nat.” Nathaniel looked up at her. His little toddler arms struggled to heft the weapon in his hand.

“Nathaniel, who left you here?”

“Daddy. He said if you came around the corner I was supposed to shoot you. Or Aunt Peggy. Or sissy. Or Aunt Kate. Or Cooper. He also said I’m a dis- dista- Daddy, what’s the word?”

“Distraction,” Clint said from behind her. She rounded just in time for his gun to go off and her vest flashed red, her gun powered down.

She shrugged. “That’s okay. So was I.”

Clint and Nathaniel were both hit at the same time by Lila and Peggy. At the same time, Natasha’s time out ended, and her gun powered back on. She fired on the target, and after a few hits, it turned blue. The lights all around the arena flashed blue, and a robotic voice sounded out, “Blue team wins.”

“Using Nathaniel as a distraction was a really dirty trick,” Natasha announced.

Clint shrugged. “What do you care, you won.”

“Good point, I did thoroughly kick your ass didn’t I?”

A moment later, the simulation powered down and they could see Pepper standing in the control room.

“It really was a genius idea to turn the old training sim into a laser tag arena,” Bucky said as they all headed for the door, “Seems rigged though."

Peggy reached down to pick up Nathaniel. “I think you’re just upset that you lost,” she said as she set the toddler on her hip.

“Well seeing as the brides-to-be got to be on the same team, at their bachelorette party, the day before their wedding, and they won, it does seem a little sus,” Kate added.

“Thank you, Kate, Peggy is clearly just deflecting.”

“It’s not rigged,” Pepper assured them. She tilted her head. “Well, the teams might have been. There were two super soldiers a team, but they did get all the kids.”

“I’m with Peggy, I think you’re just bitter,” Natasha said, heading for the bar.

Peggy helped Nathaniel take off his vest and put it in a cabinet as Natasha came over, handing her a whisky on the rocks. “Thank you, darling.”

“Of course.” Natasha kissed her on the cheek.

Nathaniel pointed at the drink. “Aunt Peggy, can I have some?”

“Absolutely not,” Natasha said before Peggy could answer. She bent down and lifted the little boy onto her shoulder. “It’ll stunt your growth. How about some apple juice?”

“Okay!” He agreed, through giggles as she spun him in circles.

— — —

The night wore on and eventually Peggy and Natasha headed back to their car to drive home. The engine of the Corvette roared as Natasha pulled it out of the Stark Tower garage and headed for the countryside. Natasha’s parents had been there all week getting the backyard ready for the wedding. They had been kicked out of their own house fairly often in order to, “Not spoil surprise,” as Alexei said.

Natasha had originally been suspicious every time he said that but had resigned herself to acceptance of whatever plan her father had. And as she crawled into bed beside Peggy, she realized was kind of shocked that her father had allowed them to be in the same room the night before their wedding. She would have expected his superstitions about bad luck to prevent such an occurrence.

— — —

When Natasha woke up the next morning, she wasn’t in her bed. She bolted upright to see her sister lounging in a chair nearby, casually filing her nails. “Too much safety has made you very sleepy. Dad and I had no trouble moving you at 5:00 AM.”

Natasha blinked slowly, trying to rid the sleep from her eyes and mind. “What?”

“Natasha, it’s bad luck to see your bride the day of your wedding, you know this.”

“That’s not true, there’s no such thing as luck.”

“You really have been spending too much time with Captain Carter.”

“Yes, spoken like a true idealist,” Melina announced, striding into the room. “It’s 7:01 AM, we are already running late, chop-chop.” She looked at Natasha, still attempting to rub sleep out of her eyes. “You are a mess. Do not worry, I will fix it.”

“Thanks, Mum,” Natasha mumbled. “And I don’t think anyone here is trying to stop me from spending more time with Captain Carter.”

“We would never!” Alexei strode into the room. “Melina, darling I need your help in the garden, the flower arch simply will not stay up.”

“The what?” Natasha was fully awake now.

“Don’t worry about a thing,” Alexei said breezily. “It’s all under control.”

“And we have arranged to stay in town from tonight until you leave for your honeymoon so you can properly enjoy your wedding night and every moment after as wife and wife.”

“Mum!”

“What? It is a perfectly natural thing, Natasha. You should have seen your father and I-“

“Mum, shut up.”

“It is because I am here isn’t it?” Alexei said, nodding sagely. “These conversations should take place just among the women, but I assure you, Natasha, you can always think of me as one of the girls-”

“I will not be doing that, thank you, don’t the two of you have a flower arch to…make flower arch properly?”

“Yes, you’re very right, come on my dear let’s leave the girls to it,” Melina said hurrying out of the room. “Be ready by 10, and not a moment later.”

The door had barely closed behind them when the two sisters burst into laughter. “If I ever have to hear my parents make implications about what I will be doing with my new wife tonight again, I think I’m going to lose it.”

Yelena snorted. “I think you are lucky that they were too busy to get specific. I don’t think their boundaries are very well formed.”

“What tipped you off?” Natasha yawned, stretched her arms over her head, and swung her legs to the floor. “All right, let’s do this.”

———

Peggy’s alarm woke her at 7:00 as always. Alexander was sitting at the foot of her bed, watching her patiently. Natasha was not in bed. She bolted upright and looked around. Bucky was lounging on the windowsill, looking out at the backyard.

“Where’s Natasha?”

“Her sister and father kidnapped her around 5. Something about how you two seeing each other would be bad luck.”

Peggy sighed. “Right.”

“Also I fed Alexander already.”

Alexander walked up her legs and meowed pitifully.

“Yes, I did!” Bucky retorted indignantly.

“Don’t be too offended, he’s always like this. And he’s always offended when he can’t con a second meal out of people.” She picked up the cat and moved him off of her as she stood up and pulled on her dressing gown.

She started toward the window, but Bucky lept up and pulled the curtains shut. “Nope, no spoilers.”

“Spoilers?”

They shrugged. “I’m just your mother-in-law’s messenger.”

“Right. I suppose I best get ready then.”

The morning flew by as Peggy did her hair and makeup and finally went to get dressed. She took a deep breath as Bucky zipped up the back of the jumpsuit.

They smiled. “Take it all in. You only get to do this once.”

Peggy nodded as she looked at herself in the mirror. The flowing white jumpsuit fit her perfectly, the angel wing sleeves balancing out the neckline which dipped far lower than she would have chosen if Yelena and Kate hadn’t been there egging her on, but she was glad she’d listened to them. Red lipstick and heels complimented the deep burgundy of Bucky’s suit as they appeared next to her in the mirror, leaning forward to tie their tie.

As they tightened the knot around their neck, there was a knock on the door and Sam stepped inside, wearing a matching suit. He smiled. “You look beautiful, Peg. And if you’re all set, it’s time to go.”

Peggy inspected her reflection one last time and nodded. “Yes, I’m ready.”

Bucky opened the door. “After you, Captain.”

Clint had arranged his children at the foot of the stairs in the order in which they were supposed to walk down the aisle. “Now, remember, 10 steps apart.”

“We got it, Dad,” Lila assured him.

“They do. They were perfect at the rehearsal.”

Peggy turned to see Yelena coming down the stairs. She had been there when Yelena had chosen the dress, a sleeveless evening gown in a forest green so dark it was nearly black and a neckline that was reserved enough to not take the attention from her sister but still low enough that Kate had blushed looking at it. “You look beautiful.”

Yelena smiled. “Just wait until you see your bride.” She looked at Clint. “Everything is ready.”

He nodded. “Shall we then?”

“We shall.”

Clint knocked three times on the window and a moment later music began to play. He straightened his tie and offered Yelena his arm as the door swung open. She took it, and the two began their walk as Peggy got the first look at her transformed backyard. She had heard some discussion of the plans, and they did not disappoint. An elegant arch of red and white roses was constructed at the end of a short aisle lined with more roses and greenery. The folding chairs on either side were full of all of their loved ones, waiting patiently for their arrival.

At a nudge from Sam, Cooper took Nathaniel’s hand and the two of them started on their way, both carefully balancing a ring on a pillow.

Sam was next, then Lila, dropping the rose petals and greenery from her basket along the way. Then they were all standing at the end of the aisle, and the music swelled.

Bucky stepped out onto the porch and held out their arm. Peggy felt every eye turn to her as she stepped down and put her arm through Bucky’s. She was grateful for their gentle grip and easy gait, keeping her steady and her pace easy as they escorted her to the altar. She tried to take it all in. She caught sight of Morgan’s beaming face between Happy and her mother. Peter. Scott. Thor. Carol. Rhodey. Every person she and Natasha had fought beside was here, and she didn’t think she’d ever felt more at home.

The music softened as she took her place at the right of the aisle and Bucky stepped behind her to join Sam. She turned expectantly toward the house with everyone else as the music began to build again.

Alexei and Melina emerged from the house, stepping to flank the doorway.

Peggy’s heart pounded in her chest, she couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this much excitement.

The music reached a crescendo, Natasha stepped into view, and tears of joy welled in Peggy’s eyes.

The black dress she wore was the most perfect thing Peggy had ever seen. A flowing skirt led to a lacy bodice that hugged Natasha’s curves perfectly. Gaps in the design revealed sheer fabric that showed off the tattoo that crept up her ribcage. Among other things that made Peggy very glad she was about to be a married woman.

As Natasha approached she could see the tears of joy in her eyes and felt more tears welling up in her own. She stopped just short of Peggy and turned to her mother, then her father, touching her forehead briefly to theirs. Her mother kissed her cheek and took her seat. Her father did the same.

Peggy held out a hand and Natasha took it, stepping forward to take her place across from her.

“You look perfect,” Peggy breathed through barely parted lips, just as she realized that Natasha’s dress was also backless.

“So do you,” came the whispered reply, with a not-so-subtle glance up and down Peggy’s body.

The officiant stepped forward to stand beneath the arch. Peggy and Natasha had only met her once before, Sam had called in a favor from someone he used to serve with, and she was more than happy to oblige.

She opened her notes and began. “Welcome all. We have gathered here today to celebrate the union of a very special couple. These two have known each other for eleven years and saved us all from extinction equally as many times. The amount of times the world tried to tear them apart is truly astounding, but them standing here today is living proof that when you truly love someone, the world burning down around you isn’t enough to tear you apart.” She turned the page. “Now, I offered to let them write their own vows, but their friends told me that if I did that, we’d all be here for three hours while they gushed about how much they love each other. So instead we decided to stick to a script.”

A general laugh went up through the crowd and Yelena shrugged. “It’s true.”

The officiant smiled. “Peggy, if you’ll repeat after me.”

Peggy nodded and squeezed Natasha’s hands gently. “I, Margaret Elizabeth Carter, take you, Natasha Romanoff, as my wife from this day forward. For better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do us part.”

The officiant nodded and turned to her right. “Natasha, if you’ll repeat after me now.”

She looked up at Peggy, certain that she had never been happier than in this moment. “I, Natasha Alianovna Romanoff, take you, Peggy Carter, as my wife from this day forward. For better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part.”

The officiant then turned to Cooper and Nathaniel. “May I have the rings?”

Cooper took the ring off his pillow and stooped to help Nathaniel detach his before handing them both over.

“Let the unbroken circle serve as a reminder of the vows you have taken today and a symbol that what fate has brought together, no man shall break.” She placed one of the gold rings in Peggy’s right hand, and the other in Natasha’s.

Peggy took Natasha’s left hand in hers. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

Natasha smiled up at her through misty eyes as her love slipped a ring onto her finger for the second, and final time. She mirrored Peggy’s movement, taking her left hand. “With this ring, I thee, finally, wed.”

Peggy chuckled at the “finally” but she had to admit that Natasha was right. This had been a long, long time coming.

The officiant smiled. “As you stand up here together and look over this crowd here, I want you to commit this moment to your memory as you take your first steps into this new life together. And now it is my honor, by the vows you have taken here today and by the power vested in me by the state of New York, to pronounce that you are married. And bound together as one, as long as you both shall live. You may now kiss the bride.”

Natasha cupped Peggy’s face in her hands as Peggy wrapped her arms around her wife’s waist and dipped her as their lips met.

Natasha was laughing and cheers went up all around them as they broke for air.

Their officiant smiled as they both straightened. “It is my great pleasure to present to you, Captain and Mrs. Romanoff-Carter!”

Cheers went up again as Natasha pulled Peggy down into another kiss. “I love you, Captain Romanoff-Carter.”

Peggy smiled, offering Natasha her arm. “I love you too, Mrs. Romanoff-Carter.”

As she took Peggy’s arm and let her lead the way back down the aisle, Natasha knew without a doubt, that this was the happiest day of their lives. And that she would never be alone in her darkest moments again.