mishaloganovich:

Misha almost opted out of the family dinner, but a) he didn't have a note from Saint Peter and b) Anya probably already knew he turned another armor suit into a cracked sculpture. The way he was going through suits, two this year alone, any income he might get in the future from the Renn Tech stock was probably earmarked to pay for them. Besides, he owed Nick a monkey dance and Mom an update on what was going on.

He showed up with chocolates for Mom and Anya, a bunch of bananas for Nick, and the damaged armor in a duffel.

anyastark:

It had been an extremely busy week for Anya, but she made sure she had Saturday set aside for lunch with Jimmy and going out with Toni at night. Sunday was a special day. It was Monkey Boy's first birthday. Nick had earned his nickname with his zoo escapade into the chimpanzee enclosure. Talented kid. Earned it before he turned one.

Finding gifts hadn't been hard.

Anya got him monkey pajamas, a plush monkey and a Curious George book.

She also donated ten thousand dollars to Save the Chimps in his name.

She arrived at the penthouse with presents in hand. She was greeted with smiles and Monkey Boy happily tore into his presents.

ladydevil:

Eliza was glad to be on Earth. She hadn't been home in months. So she had done a little bit of everything. Most of it involved getting dirty in Hell's Kitchen. Making sure people remembered that a Devil used to call this place home.

This was her idea of a break.

That and showing Mom she was keeping her skills sharp. She had managed to dance her way through security. Then without really fully changing out of her uniform Eliza fell asleep on her Mother's couch. Her mask is on the floor and her billy clubs are on the table.

And she was snoring a little. Not what one would expect from a devil really.

stark_ravingmad:

"Tony Stark" unlocked the door to his penthouse (after taking a moment to search for the keys) and stepped inside, looking around. The place was completely new to to him, though he went over it with a practiced eye. He found all of the exits first, then checked out places where ambushes could be laid.

On a hunch, he went into the kitchen and checked in the cabinets, followed by the space between the sink and the refrigerator and found a gun wedged between the two.

"Some things never change." 'Tony' says to himself, taking the gun and placing it /behind/ the refrigerator, between the appliance and the wall.

Time to get started on this little farce.

"HONEY! NICK! I'M HOME!" Tony calls out loudly.

It is 3am.
 

redheadspy:

"I thought we were going to go away for a few days," Natasha said to her husband as she watched him pack a suitcase. Nick was sitting on her hip happily chewing away at an animal cracker. She and Tony had plans to take a small vacation, but now it looked like those plans had changed. Her husband was packing for a business trip, or so it seemed.

redheadspy:

"I should have known you wouldn't sleep much," Natasha said in Russian as she walked around the living room with Nick against a shoulder. "Your brother and sister didn't sleep much either." Her voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke to her son. The child didn't know what sleep meant, but it just proved that he was a Stark and a Romanov.

Natasha stopped walking for a moment and took a quick peak to see if Nick was sleeping. His eyes were closed and a thumb was shoved in his mouth. Finally! She had been walking the living room for the past hour trying to get him back to sleep. It was three in the morning and Natasha wanted to be snuggled up next to her husband and asleep.

Five more minutes and then she can put him down and go to bed.

redheadspy:

Natasha stared into the darkness and thought about getting up. Sleep had been elusive for the past few weeks since Tony told her about Temujin. She didn't know if the thought of Temujin being out there or her problems with her husband kept her awake at night, or if it was a combination of both that did it. She did know that she missed her husband next to her at night.

Oh to hell with this. If she was going to be awake, she may as well get up and get some coffee and something to eat. She skipped dinner and hadn't thought about food even after Nick went to sleep for the night. It was easy to slip back into old habits of not eating and not sleeping.

She got up from the bed and slipped on her robe and slippers. Lights weren't needed as she made her way out to the kitchen. Coffee was started and she opened the fridge to see what was in there.

stark_ravingmad:

Tony watches as Reed looks Eddie over, while Hank goes over the information via satellite transmission. In his mind, he's trying to trace the steps in their procedures, but genetics isn't one of his fields. He has to trust that his friend can figure out if Eddie's current ability to walk is tied to an X-Gene or if it really is just a random beneficial quirk in the boy's genes. Eddie comes from good stock, so Tony wouldn't mind a reason to shout that from the rooftops.

"Hey, Buddy! Mommy and Daddy are right here. You havin' a good time? We'll go do something fun after this. I promise." Tony says, trying to keep Eddie's mind off everybody's staring at him.

stark_ravingmad:

Tony had thought to clear out Big Nick's for the evening, but if he did, Tasha's Spy-dar would go off and she'd figure out the plot. The only person he could trust with his secrets was Eddie, who wouldn't talk (not that he could right now). Still, his wife mentioned the other day that she wanted a big, juicy cheeseburger and Tony knew just the place to take her.

Of course, he put out a call to the kids to join them.

While Tasha got ready for their "date", Tony got Eddie ready to go out.

"Okay, Buddy. You make with the cuteness to distract your mother, and I'll play the tape when it's time. Got it? " Tony asks, smiling at his son.

Eddie grinned back in reply.

"Honey, are you ready?" Tony asks, carrying Eddie with him to find Tasha.

nextgen_misc:

The invitations to THE wedding of the year went out today. Heads of state, diplomats and dignitaries from all over the world would be receiving invitations. The fervor over the wedding was building and would reach a peak when Kate Middleton walked down the isle.

anyastark:

Valentine's Day had been busy to say the least. Getting married in Vegas and the flying back to New York for the charity auction left little time to tell the parents that Anya and Steve got married. So the solution was to invite them all to dinner on the fifteenth and break the news to them that way.

Anya made reservations at The Capital Grille for a private room and then sent invites to her parents and Steve's parents. Privacy was needed because she wasn't quite sure what the reactions would be.

Anya put on a simple black dress, heels and did her hair. She arrived with Steve and were shown to the private room and their table. She held his hand while they waited for the parents to arrive.

nextgen_holiday:

There's a piece of paper and a pen attached to a bulletin board. Across the top is written:

New Year's Resolutions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
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+

Anonymous entries accepted.

redheadspy:

Christmas in the Stark/Romanov household was a noisy and chaotic affair. This year they had two more additional family members in the form of Nick and Stevie. Three if you count Justin since the Rhodeses were family.

Natasha and Nick were up with the crack of dawn. Nick, like all people in the family except for James, didn't sleep much and had his mom up with the sun. Thankfully Chef Lokken was an early riser and had coffee and muffins ready. Eventually one by one the family members would make an appearance.

The Rhodeses were invited over of course. They were just as much as a part of the family as anyone else. Stevie was sent an invitation. Anya and James were here and Misha and Eliza were sent information about family stuff. Now it was just a matter of waiting for the chaos to start.

anyastark:

It was quite the day for Anya. It was day of the Maria Stark Foundation's Annual Winter Charity Ball, it was Steve's birthday and it was also Stevie's birthday. Anya hadn't much of a chance to get to know her dimensional half-sister, but she wasn't going to let Stevie's birthday go past without doing something for her sister.

Anya knew Stevie liked cars, so it was easy to find a gift. A small wrapped box was put on Stevie's bed. Inside was a set of car keys and a note that read 'A project for you. Happy birthday from Anya'. The keys went to the shell of a 65 Mustang Convertible

Anya hoped Stevie liked it.

nextgen_holiday:

“We’re here outside the Four Seasons Hotel in New York where the who’s who is gathered tonight. Celebrities, royals and superheroes have all turned out for the annual Maria Stark Foundation Winter Charity event benefiting Toys for Tots.

It’s truly an all-star gala here tonight.

New York’s own princess, Anya Stark, was seen being escorted by what appears to be her new flame, actor Austin Cain. Her brother and currently second in line to the Russian throne, Mikhail Romanov, was seen entering the party with Lyta Worthington, heiress to Worthington Industries. Tony and Natasha Stark, parents of a new baby, are making their first public appearance since the birth of their son.

Mackenzie Rider, a prince of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, is escorting Ms. Andrea Denker of the Fantastic Four tonight. Kristoff Vernard, leader of the Fantastic Four, was seen in attendance with his wife Cassandra and their son Scotty. Vincent Amorason, heir to Latveria, arrived alongside his brother and was seen escorting a member of the Defenders, Asleif Thorsdottir. The rest of the Fantastic Four are here too with their dates, though Miss Valeria Richards is not in attendance. Franklin Richards is in attendance and is escorting one Miss Gill.

Los Angeles’ own superhero team, the Defenders are in attendance as well. Arriving with her team is Grace Danvers, daughter of Hollywood hunk Simon Williams and she is being escorted by teammate, Eiltin. The two Asgardian princesses and daughters of Thor, Asleif and Aridis, are also attending the festivities with their team.
Akilah Munore, the crown princess of Wakanda, is here tonight with her steady flame, Daniel Sherwood a member of the Young Avengers. The other Young Avengers are in attendance tonight with their dates, alongside the adult Avengers.

Donald Trump arrived with his wife and is one of many other famous faces to arrive. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Hugh Jackman, Jack Nicholson, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift are just a few celebrities who have made an appearance here tonight.

It’s truly a party of the who’s who and it’s all for a great cause.”

redheadspy:

Natasha opened her eyes. It was morning and she was actually waking up on her own instead of to the cries of her son. It was a very rare occasion. Maybe sleeping a little extra longer was Nick's birthday preset to Tony. She turned over and was not too surprised to find her husband still in bed. So far he had been up with her each time that Nick woke her up.

"Happy birthday, my love," she said as she leaned up on an elbow and kissed his cheek. "Moose and squirrel." There. She said it. For him. For his birthday.

redheadspy:

Natasha was restless. No matter what she did she could not get comfortable. She tried stretching out on the couch, sitting in a chair, laying down on the couch, and walking around the penthouse and not one thing was close to being comfortable. It was a common hazard at this point in a pregnancy.

A part of her was glad that Tony was on the West Coast. He would be hovering and asking her if she were alright every few minutes, which of course would have improved his chances of getting shot. He left her with babysitters who were a little better about it. James and Val and Misha were in the living room watching a movie. Ivan, who had arrived two days ago, was in the recliner with his eyes closed and snoring.

Natasha was in the kitchen pacing a bit. Idly she wondered if SHIELD would let her use the firing range. She needed something relaxing to do and something to keep her mind off the mild contractions she was having. This baby couldn’t be coming yet, but of course it would be since Tony was across the country.

The contractions were still ten minutes apart and weren’t hurting much. Yet. These things took time which is exactly why she wasn’t going to tell the kids just yet. Misha had been a marathon. Twenty two hours in labor. She remembered feeling like she had singlehandedly fought World War three after giving birth to him. Anya had been a little quicker at twenty hours. Natasha would bet money this one would be longer. Call it a gut feeling.

It was time to call her husband. He needed time to get back here. He helped cause this and he was going to be here for this baby’s birth...or else. Natasha grabbed a glass of water and headed for his office to call him.

redheadspy:

To say that she was uncomfortable would be a huge understatement. Natasha was huge, clumsy, and very awkward. With two weeks left in this pregnancy, she just wanted it to be over already. Knowing her luck, this kid would be late prolonging her discomfort.

Currently she was stretched out on the couch with her feet up. Her ankles were swollen and achy and her back had been hurting almost non-stop. All of it just helped to make her cranky, which is probably why Tony was down in the lab. There had been a lot of growling and grumbling this morning and her husband had retreated out of the line of fire. Natasha was enjoying the last few moments of quiet she would get in a very long time.

That quiet was about to be interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

Natasha sighed and slid off the edge of the couch, carefully getting to her feet. It had to be someone they knew since not just anyone could get up here.

She opened the door was a little surprised to see who was standing there.

"Nick?"

redheadspy:

Natasha sat down on the couch and opened the sealed manila envelope the courier had just delivered. She knew what it was, it was an updated copy of her will, but she wanted to check it over for errors. Jen had been great about doing this on such short notice, but Natasha didn't have too much longer before the baby would come.

It wasn't that Natasha thought that something would happen to her during childbirth, but she was going to be prepared. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. She lived her life by that thought. It had helped keep her alive this long.

Natasha read the document, noting all the assets that were listed and who they were slated to go to just in case something did happen to her. Sure she was married to one of the richest men on the planet, but Natasha had a considerate amount of wealth in her own right. There was money in numerous bank accounts across the world in her different aliases. Collecting all of that information and remembering what was where and under what name had been a chore and a half, but it had given her something to keep her occupied while Tony worked. In the end she got it all organized and had drafted up a new will.

The kids of course would get the lion's share of her estate. It would be divided evenly between Misha, Anya, Eliza, James and the baby. There was even a small part set aside for Stevie, her step-daughter, if the girl remained in this dimension. Tony of course would get her physical assets to do with what he saw fit. She still had a few safe houses in the US and a few in other countries. She hadn't sold all of them when she sold the majority of them last year for Tony's birthday present. There were also a few cars and her personal items.

She continued to look for any errors as she read the document.

redheadspy:

The Stark/Romanov Family Dinner. It was a study and exercise in insanity. They were usually loud, chaotic and entertaining to say the least. Natasha wasn't quite sure if she was up for this one or not. Her back was hurting and her ankles and feet were uncomfortably swollen. The good feeling of the second trimester was gone and the uncomfortable third was here. Though she wouldn't back out or tell Tony she didn't want to do it. They would have dinner and be entertained by the kids. Or so she hoped.

Picking a place was key, but this time she opted for Tony to get a private room at Delmonico's. Steak for the carnivores and private so that if things got loud they wouldn't embarrass themselves. And Natasha felt like dressing up a bit.

She had a new dress from Jan, a new pair of shoes and the earrings Tony gave her when she proposed to him.

When she and Tony were ready, he drove them to the restaurant. They even managed to beat the kids there.

redheadspy:

Natasha had enjoyed the break from being pregnant, but if she had to admit it she missed her own body. It wasn't because her husband didn't have a good body, he did and Natasha had appreciated every inch on many occasions, but it didn't feel like home. It felt different and not quite right.

There were very noticeable differences between men and women and Natasha still wasn't used to some of them. She would swear that a certain part of a man's body definitely had a mind of its own and Natasha had found herself in an uncomfortable position a few times. Looking at other men no less. She could just imagine what people thought at Tony Stark staring at men. Though there was something to be said about being able to pee standing up.

Quite frankly she was tired of women slipping her their phone numbers wherever she went. She had a wife crying out loud. Did these women have no shame? There were a few who had practically thrown themselves at her. It had taken a lot of restraint not to do something that would make them and her regret their own actions.

Even though pregnancy was uncomfortable for the most part, Natasha did miss certain things about it. Definitely not the back pain or the swollen feet and ankles, but she did miss feeling the baby move. Okay, so maybe not the kicks, but feeling a growing life moving inside of you was something special. She missed it.

They hadn't had any luck finding Stephen. According to the Defenders he had vanished in a fight with Dormammu. Definitely not good news and November was quickly approaching. They had to find some way to switch back before Nick decided to make his entrance into the world. She did not want to deal with Tony in labor. No amount of chocolate or coffee existed to deal with that.

When they finally did switch back, Tony was going to kill her. She had put about ten pounds of weight on his body. She blamed it on the chocolate and sympathy eating. Well in her defense she didn't know when this was going to end and she wouldn't be allowed much chocolate until after the baby was born.

Natasha yawned and looked at the clock. It was getting late and she knew she wasn't going to sleep well. Not with Tony tossing and turning all night in between the many trips to the bathroom. She appreciated her husband even more after realizing how much a pregnant person moved about at night. Not once had the man complained about it during the whole pregnancy.

Natasha yawned and turned off the lights in the penthouse and then made her way to the bedroom.

redheadspy:

"Tony Stark" walked into the world headquarters of Stark Industries. Tony needed some paperwork from the office and Natasha had been more than happy to go get it for him. She loved her husband dearly, but she needed a break. Tony had been dealing with this whole body switch really well, but Natasha needed a break from dealing with him. Had she been this bad during this pregnancy or the one with Anya for that matter?

She made her way up to Pepper's office.

After picking up the paperwork for her husband, she'd grab some coffee and chocolate on the way home.

nextgen_holiday:

The air was warm and the sun was bright making it a perfect day for a cookout to celebrate Labor Day. Classes would start on the 8th (for those going to college they started a week ago) and it was the last chance to kick back and cut loose before hitting the books.

At the Avengers' Mansion in NYC Jarvis and some helpers he managed to rope into helping with the preparations were busy getting the food ready. Tables had been placed out around the pool and the large grill fired up to get nice and hot. Burgers, hot dogs, sausage, ribs, corn on the cob, pasta salad, salad and fruit salad were just some of the food available to eat. Soda, water, fruit juice and other beverages were on ice.

To help get to know each other the Thunderbolts received an invitation to attend.

It was a day of rest and relaxations for those who put their lives on the line for others.

redheadspy:

It had taken some time and a lot of hints and suggestions, but Natasha had finally convinced Tony to take a few days off and go somewhere else. Natasha was getting cabin fever and had to get out of the penthouse for a little while. She would shoot someone if she didn't get a change of scenery and she would need her husband around after the baby came.

It was nice on Martha's Vineyard this time of the year and it was close enough to New York that if something happened they could get home easily enough. The yacht was nice, but Natasha wanted dry land under her feet and places to shop. She loved the small quaint shops on the Vineyard and she would convince her husband to take her shopping.

They got settled in at Tony's house on the Vineyard after a four hour drive (and many stops to use the bathroom) and a short ferry ride over to the island. As soon as they were settled, Natasha went to find her husband to see if he wanted to go for a bite to eat. Someone was demanding french fries.

perenawska:

Irina didn't mind playing taxi for the Champions. They were her team, her family now, and she was glad to help them when she could. A portal from New Orleans to New York was opened and Irina waited for Lyta to go through. Irina had called ahead because her Highness' aim and temper were legendary and Irina didn't want to provoke her if necessary. Especially in her current condition.

Lyta had wanted a shopping trip with the Grand Duchess and the arrangements to meet in New York were made and Irina was more than happy to provide transportation. She had offered to get the Grand Duchess in Boston, but Anya was already in New York.

"After you," she said to Lyta.

redheadspy:

It was hard to believe Anya and James were turning eighteen. It felt like yesterday that she had just delivered Anya and was holding a small bundle with a tuft of red hair. Kids grew up way too fast.

It wasn't surprising that Anya didn't plan anything and James said he didn't want a fuss. Anya had finals on Monday and Tuesday and needed to study. Natasha never had to worry about Anya and school. Except for of course the times she got expelled. The kids also had significant others they would want to spend time with. Which meant an adjustment had to be made to the celebrations.

Natasha opted for lunch with Tony and all of the kids as their birthday celebrations. This way they all had the evening free to do something with their significant others if they choose to and didn't need to spend it with the old folks.

As for gifts...well the kids could be impossible to shop for, but Natasha went with withe tried and true things. James got new clothes and a new gaming system from her. For Anya Natasha went with a promise for a shopping trip in the near future for new fall clothes.

mishaloganovich:

After getting Justin settled in at the mansion and introducing him around to a few of the older residents, Misha got a message from Tasha to visit as soon as he had the time. With Justin making himself at home in one of the labs, Misha had the time. He was useless with the coding and actual armor creation.

He drove Darlene into the city, listening to her prattle on about a science symposium and exploring the options of an artificial body. Anya had even more to answer for the next time he saw her. This was his car, not one of her experiments.

Stopping long enough for chocolates and flowers, he made good time and let himself into the condo. "Mom, it's Misha!"

redheadspy:

There were very few things that they did as a family so it made these family dinners even more important. They were an unorthodox family to say the least, but they were a family and families had dinner on occasion. Natasha tried to do this at least once a month, but things had been so hectic lately and with people spread out all over it was hard to organize family dinners.

Reservations were made at Delmonico Steakhouse in a private room. Family dinners were an /experience/ and better that they were off in private instead of scaring the masses. Not to mention there was less chance of the media snapping pictures and whatnot.

Natasha checked her reflection in the mirror. It was a new black dress to accommodate her growing stomach and her favorite jewelry. There was definitely a very noticeable baby bump now. The baby had become very active in the past two weeks and was taking aim at Tasha's organs. Thankfully he was still small enough to not hurt so much.

When they were ready to go Tony and Tasha headed over to the restaurant. The kids would arrive with their dates on their own. They were shown to the private room and their table.

redheadspy:

Natasha walked slowly through the elaborate gardens on the palace grounds. Her nephew Mikhail had wanted her to sit in on a meeting, but the day was too lovely to not be outside. The sun was a balmy 60 degrees. Natasha smiled as she inhaled the perfumed air and soaked up the warm sunlight. Bright flowers in bloom surrounded her and added to the tranquility of the gardens.

It was much better than sitting in on a meeting.

She had used her pregnancy as an excuse and told her nephew she wanted to nap for awhile. Jet lag and pregnancy not mixing well or something along those lines.

The beautiful setting of the gardens helped to take her mind off of Ivan. The old man's health was in decline and Natasha worried about him. He was in his nineties and still had a sharp mind, but time was catching up to him. His body was beginning to fail him and Natasha and Ivan both knew he didn't have much time left.

There was a tightness in Natasha's chest at the thought of losing Ivan. He had been with her for her entire life and she couldn't imagine life without him. Ivan had been her only family for many decades. He was the only father she had ever known. He was a grandfather to her children.

She was so enmeshed in her inner thoughts she almost didn't notice the small fluttering feeling in her abdomen.

Natasha stopped walking and concentrated. She couldn't have been imagining it. There. Another one. Natasha smiled. The baby was moving and she just felt it for the first time. She just wished Tony could have been here for this. Still smiling, Natasha started walking again.

anyastark:

Anya was glad to get into a daily routine and be back in classes again. Summer classes had started on the 9th and Anya couldn’t have been happier. Classes and school were parts of The Plan and steps to running Stark Inc one day. A year ago it would have been the only thing she wanted in life, but now it was one of two things she wanted in life. The only other thing she wanted in life was graduating today.

While she was starting classes again, Steve was just finishing high school. As soon as her Friday classes were over she donned her suit and rocked off to New York for Steve’s graduation ceremonies. It was a mad dash into the condo and into a dress. Quick job on her hair and makeup and she climbed into the car with the family.

Anya had attended with her parents, James and Steve’s parents. She was so proud of him. She knew he could do it even when he thought he couldn’t do it. She believed in him even when he didn’t believe in himself. Impatiently she waited for his name to be called.

Tomorrow she'd give him his graduation gift. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he got it. Patience was not a strong suit of Anya's.

nextgen_russia:

After another day of the young prince's absence, Liliya had had enough. His Imperial Highness, the Grand Duke Mikhail Loganovich of Russia disappeared at will. He followed no set schedule, had no regular protection and, as far as she could determine, little self-preservation. It had to stop. Until the Tsar's line was assured, Mikhail was important to their people. If Tsar Mikhail's descendants proved fragile, their American prince could conceivably take the throne in the next hundred or so years.

Difficult to kill he may be, but not impossible. As a member of the Holy Band, she had a duty to protect the Romanov family. Her other loyalties required the same duty. Staying anonymous wasn't working. She would have to talk to his mother.

She would have made an appointment to speak with Her Imperial Highness, but time was of the essence. She needed to find Mikhail immediately. To that end, she was at the building that housed the Stark condo, requesting to speak to Natalia Romanova before breakfast.

mishaloganovich:

Set after Mother's Day and before X-Men in Spaaaaaaaace!

A busy life wasn't a good enough excuse to get out of regular visits with Mom. Missing the monthly family dinner would require a note from St. Peter, and even that was dicey. It was true that life was busy and most days he had to scramble to fit it all in. Sometimes he had to play hooky from it.

He appeared at the Stark condo mid-morning with a box of fresh pastries to see Mom and check her progress. If she looked like she was overdoing it, he would threaten to move in that night.

nextgen_russia:

The people of Russia were in a festive mood and they had reason to be. Their tsar, Tsar Mikhail Petrovich Romanov, was getting married to Duchess Tatyana Sergeyeva. The past few months had been spent planning and getting ready for this day. They were happy to see their tsar get married and would be even happier when the tsar and the tsarina had an heir. The newly restored Imperial family needed stability and the marriage today was the first step in providing that stability.

The wedding ceremony lasted over an hour in the Assumption Cathedral. Immediately after Mikhail and Tatyana were pronounced man and wife, Tatyana was crowned empress. The procession left the cathedral and the newly wed couple and newly crowned empress greeted the people from the Red Porch.

The royal family was given time to change and refresh themselves before heading to the Grand Kremlin Palace for the wedding banquet. Dinner was an elaborate affair and lasted for two hours.

After dinner the royal family and guests made their way to the grand ballroom for the ball. The royal family was introduced and then the tsar and tsarina entered. They danced the first dance together and then the royal family was invited to dance with their partners. The guests would be invited to dance in the next song.

redheadspy:

Natasha greeted her birthday like she spent every morning for the past few months, in the bathroom with morning sickness. Another few weeks and it should abate, but for now it was pure hell. She crawled back into bed and pulled the covers over her head for another hour or two before getting up for the day.

There was a beeline for coffee, two cups since it was her birthday after all, and a light breakfast. Afterward she caught up on email. There was an email from Fury wishing her a happy birthday and ones from the kids as well. Misha and Anya were off in Tahiti, James was in school and Eliza was in New Orleans. It was weird not having all of them around on her birthday, but right now she could use the quiet instead of the fuss. Tomorrow Misha and Anya would be home from their vacation and Natasha had made reservations for the family for dinner tomorrow night.

Today she was going to take it easy. Which of course meant a trip to the spa and some shopping. It was her gift to herself and a way to prepare herself for whatever surprise her husband was going to spring on her. Life with Tony was never dull. She showered and headed out for some pampering and some shopping.

redheadspy:

The sun was just coming up and Natasha had been awake for an hour already. She sat outside on the terrace enjoying the warm morning. It had to be in the fifties already, a rarity for New York at this time of the year, and she was going to enjoy every moment of it.

She sipped her ginger tea as she leafed through papers and old S.H.I.E.L.D. files. Natasha wasn't a morning person per se, but it was hard to go back to sleep after spending a good half hour leaning over the toilet and puking her guts out. Morning sickness just plain sucked and was one of the more unpleasant things about pregnancy. The other unpleasant things would come in a few months and Natasha was not looking forward to them.

She tossed the file in her hand on the table next to the plate of crackers. Thoughts of him had been nagging at her since she first saw the other James Buchanan Barnes in Cambridge. This world's James had to be out there somewhere, but where was the question. Natasha had searched S.H.I.E.L.D. files, which were the ones laying on the table, and she had even broken into old KGB files looking for any mention of him. Nothing she didn't already know. The last time he had been spotted alive was back in the 1950s when she had last seen him.

Where could he be? He wasn't dead, or at least her gut told her he wasn't dead. Her gut had never led her wrong before. She had to find him and she couldn't ask for help until she had more information.

Natasha rubbed her eyes and took another sip of tea. Dammit she wanted coffee in the worst way. The ginger tea helped settle her stomach, which would not handle coffee this soon after waking up. In another hour or so she could handle her one allowed cup of Heaven in a cup. Until then it was tea and crackers.

Tea was a pregnancy thing for her. On occasion she had a cup, but it was only during pregnancy when she actually drank it on a regular basis. Decaff to boot. Decaff tea and no vodka in almost a year. There were moments when she felt like different person. Someone else who acted like her and who was in her body. Definitely not her. Gone was the Black Widow and in her place was a housewife. It was surreal.

The last time she had felt remotely this strange was when she swapped faces with Yelena to stop the sale of nuclear weapons. At least during that time she was possibly preventing World War III, not playing human incubator. Time had changed, she had changed. For the better, at least she thought.

She took another sip of tea and then glanced at the watch. The household would be waking soon. Tony and Anya to go to work. James to go to school. They had settled into a predictable routine and Natasha found herself okay with that. She hated being predictable, but routine and feeling comfortable made them feel more like a family and the condo feel like home.

A small smile crossed her face and she picked up another file. She'd spend the last few remaining quiet moments doing some more reading.

mishaloganovich:

Misha wagered on Anya's inability to sleep much and showed up at the condo late one night not long after the battle with the horsemen. He had the borrowed in the leather duffle over his shoulder and a box in his hands containing a takeout order from Big Nick's. He'd brought enough to feed James as well if the kid was up to a snack, and something for Mom and Tony if they were around. If they weren't, nothing would go to waste with teenagers in the house.

He used his key to get in and went directly to the kitchen. While he unpacked the box, he called Anya's cell phone.

redheadspy:

Natasha opened her eyes to all too familiar surroundings. S.H.I.E.L.D. Medical. She had been in this place way too much lately. She was beginning to think that S.H.I.E.L.D. had a special wing just for her family. At some point in the past year and a half each of them had been in here for various things.

What the hell happened? The last thing she remembered was being in Boston and looking for Tony with...James? Had it really been him? Had she imagined talking to him? She remembered him and Kraven of all people. Wasn't he supposed to be dead?

If only she could shake this fuzzy feeling she had in her head she'd be able to think and remember what happened. She remembered the bistro and looking for Tony and then the scuffle. She remembered a knife catching her in the shoulder. She touched it, but it seemed to be healed. What the hell happened and how long had she been out?

She had to get out of here and get some answers.

redheadspy:

Natasha was officially worried. Her husband had left a note saying he was going to Boston to have lunch with Anya and that was a few days ago. Father and daughter disappearances were normal, Tony deciding on a whim to go somewhere with Anya, but Natasha hadn't heard from either of them in that time. Then Steve called an informed her of the phone call from Tony.

Natasha told James she was going and was on the next flight to Boston to find any sign of her husband and daughter.

She stood in the bistro where Tony and Anya were to meet and looked around.

redheadspy:

When Eliza told Natasha about New Orleans, Natasha immediately had the other members of the Champions vetted by SHIELD. Her daughter was not going to be in a city thousands of miles away with people she didn't know about. Interesting that one of the members was Winter Guard and formerly Red Room. It didn't sit too well with Natasha, but after talking to her nephew and Ivan, she could live with it.

Of course the woman being there did make things easier for Natasha. A teleporter was an easier way to travel than flying down on a plane. One phone call was all it took to have the woman come to New York and pick Natasha up to take her to New Orleans. She wanted to check on Eliza and also tell her about the upcoming addition to the family.

Irina arrived on time and a moment later they were in New Orleans at the building where the Champions were making their headquarters. Natasha smiled at the thought of the Champions being revived. It called to the sentimental and nostalgic side of her.

She knocked on the door to Eliza's room.

redheadspy:

Natasha skipped reservations and went for a place that was more casual. One of their favorite places was Big Nick's and it was the perfect place for a casual dinner for mother and son. She sent him a text with the time and a message to meet a big Nick's. She was in the mood for a burger anyway and Big Nick's had great burgers.

She left a note for Tony and James to let them know where she was. Since telling Tony about her pregnancy, he had been overprotective and almost as bad as a mother hen.

She arrived early of course and grabbed a booth. Water was brought to the table and she passed the time by sipping it.

franklen_four:


( We gather here today... )

redheadspy:

Natasha was in the kitchen and opening the boxes that had been delivered earlier in the day. She had been too tired earlier to do it and she wanted to get this stuff unpacked before she forgot about it. A pregnancy meant shopping and she had been doing just that. Babies need a lot of things and Natasha did love shopping.

The Internet was a wonderful thing and made that shopping all that much easier. She had been extremely tired lately and the idea of going out and dealing with people wasn't that appealing. The urge to shoot someone would be too great to resist. It was easier to buy online and have it delivered.

She looked at the clock. It was almost eight pm. Tony should be home soon. She hoped. Since getting the company back, he had spent more time at the office than he had at home. Natasha didn't mind. She was tired and cranky and he was a workaholic. It worked out.

She continued to unpack the boxes.

Natasha was mildly surprised her husband hadn't picked up on any of the clues about her condition. Normally her husband was a step ahead of everyone else, but with all that was going on with the company, she wasn't surprised he was a bit distracted. Tonight. She'd tell him tonight. Then came the hard part. Telling the kids.

ng_weaponx:

Ezra Kane had been most pleased with the tech provided by Senator Sloane. So far the results were encouraging, but he needed his team to do a real field test. He knew the perfect test to do with the two mutants that Crosshairs and Bloodlust had brought in.

He looked at Phobia and Crosshairs. "You know what to do. Get in, take a look around, get any information you can and then get out. Spectre will be waiting for you call for extraction."

redheadspy:

Blink.

Blink.

Blink.

That couldn’t be right. There was no possible way the thing could be right. Right? The chances were…astronomically slim yet the indicator was telling her otherwise.

What the hell happened?

Natasha rubbed her face with both hands and looked at the indicator once more. It didn’t change despite how much she wanted it to change. It was plain as day. She was pregnant. This was…wow. The last thing on earth she expected.

She had her first suspicions when she started sleeping more. Her normal four hours turned into six or eight. The last time Natasha had slept even remotely that long was when she was carrying Anya and Misha. The queasy stomach in the mornings was another sign. Natasha put two and two together and got a home pregnancy test.

The damn thing was positive.

She was trying to wrap her brain around the idea and trying to figure out how, outside of the obvious, it happened. Tony had a vasectomy years ago and she definitely hadn’t cheated on him, so what went wrong?

Natasha rubbed the bridge of her nose. Now what? First step would be getting immunosuppressants of course, then she had to tell Tony, and then tell the kids. Oh this was going to go over like a ton of bricks. Though while she was pondering what the possible reactions would be, an evil little thought crept into her mind.

Her husband loved to play games; well it was time to turn the tables on him. Coming out and just telling him would be way too easy. Natasha smiled as she put the testing stick in the box and grabbed the box. There would be no evidence left laying around for him to find.

With a plan in mind, she left the bathroom.

stark_inc:

Time for a simple anniversary trip. Tasha will come home to a plane ticket and passport with a note.

Let's see what trouble we can get into.  By the time you read this, I'll be somewhere in Russia.  You get to discover where.  If all goes well for me in 5 hours I will be somewhere else and have left you a clue where I am.  If you find me - well, you'll have to figure out what to do with me.

It was this or sky diving - though I'm not eliminating skydiving as a possibility yet.  Happy anniversary, tsarnia.

Love,
Tony

PS:  You know you love me for the surprises.

nextgen_misc:

There's a piece of paper and a pen attached to a bulletin board. Across the top is written:

New Year's Resolutions
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5.
6.
7.
8.
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10.
11.
12.
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Anonymous entries accepted.

nextgen_holiday:

The grand ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel on 57 East 57th street was festively decorated for the holidays. A series of lit candles on every table gave off warm light and the dulcet tones of a jazz ensemble filled the room.

People, the upper elite of New York society, Hollywood celebrities, musicians, politicians and New York’s own superheroes moved around the room. People sat at tables and talked, while some moved gracefully around the large dance floor.

Tables loaded with unwrapped and unopened toys lined one wall and at one end stood a very large decorated Christmas tree. Wrapped presents sat under the tree, but they were just empty boxes wrapped for decoration. Mistletoe hung from the ceiling near the tree and people stopped to kiss.

The air was light and the mood happy and festive.

anyastark:

It had been a very busy week, but things were finally ready for Steve’s party. Misha and Charlie had taken him out so they could decorate the mansion and get all the tables for food set up. Once the tables were set up, there were enough hands to get all the trays of food out on the tables in very little time.

Anya wouldn’t have asked Jarvis to cook so much, so it had been catered. Jarvis had insisted on making the cake though.

Hor'dourves consisted of cocktail shrimp, chicken satay, beef satay, peking dumplings, pigs in a blanket among a few. Pizzas, a wide selection of various Chinese food selections, chips, pretzels, Doritos, popcorn, cola, diet cola, root beer, Sprite, punch (unspiked), and cider (not hard) were also available for consumption. There was even a chocolate fountain with pieces of fruit available for dipping.

Brightly colored balloons and streamers filled the rec room along with a large banner saying ‘Happy Birthday Steve’. It was hanging over the tables. One table was set aside for gifts and many brightly colored packages filled the table.

Now all they had to do was wait for the birthday boy to arrive.

ladydevil:

Eliza was in the living room looking through some family pictures. This was one of the days she missed her family. She ran a finger along the edge of a picture frame before putting it back up. Then just started to flit about the living room with a nervous air. She wanted to see her father badly but had no idea how to do it.

So she flopped down with that dramatic teenage groan that was loud enough for anyone walking by to hear. She was not sulking. She was just merely letting the ceiling know that she didn't know what to do. And also testing the durability of the rug by flopping on it like a long annoyed lump of teenager.

nextgen_holiday:

“We need to be more grateful. I think there is no true character without gratitude. It is one of the marks of a real strong character to have a feeling of thanksgiving and gratitude for blessings. We need more of that spirit in our homes, in our daily associations, in the church, everywhere. It doesn't cost anything, and it is so easy to cultivate.” - Ezra Taft Benson

In America today is a day for being thankful for the things in people's lives. Today was a day to celebrate family, friends, prosperity and health with food, family and friends. It is a time to reflect on what is important us and to recognize the gratitude we hold for having those things in our lives.