The walk was pleasant, quiet, comfortable, and Natasha found she was feeling much better for it. It was warm but not too warm, the air was fresh and full of wonderful smells, the people busy but friendly. It was easy to see why Clint was so taken with the place, and the more time spent out in it the more she became the same.

Clint seemed to be pretty lost in his thoughts so she left him to them and focused her own mind on everything around them. It was almost like a meditation technique, taking everything in, all the sights, smells and sounds, as well as the general feeling.

By the time Clint roused himself from his thoughts Natasha had done well centering herself, though when he said what he did she felt her nerves flaring up again and her hand moved instinctively to her stomach. A lot of women kept their pregnancies secret for the first trimester for many reasons, and while Natasha wasn’t a superstitious person she couldn’t help but feel like the less they talked about the baby until they passed that point the better.

“Maybe another time?” she replied, hoping that Clint understood. She didn’t want to be rude, didn’t want to snub the woman who had been so kind and helpful, but it was too soon, too unsure. The more they talked about it the more real it became, and if something happened...

It was easier to remain as detached as possible from the whole idea, at least for another couple of weeks.