The moment you heard the familiar hum of the Quinjet landing, your heart leaped. Natasha had been gone for days, and though you trusted her more than anything, you couldn’t shake the worry that settled deep in your chest every time she left for a mission. You practically sprinted through the halls of the compound, eager to see her, hold her, kiss her—

But as soon as you reached the hangar, you froze.

Steve was stepping off the jet, looking exhausted but steady, his expression one of pure disbelief. In his arms, cradled carefully against his chest, was… a baby.

A tiny redheaded baby, blinking up at you with impossibly big green eyes.

Your stomach dropped.

“Wh—?” Your voice caught in your throat as you took a step forward, your eyes darting between Steve, Tony (who looked like he had aged twenty years), and the baby. “What the hell happened? Where’s Natasha?”

Tony let out a sharp, humorless laugh, running a hand down his face. “Yeah. About that.” He gestured vaguely toward Steve. “Meet Baby Widow.”