A/N: WHOOOO-HOOOO! OVER 800! Okay, this is officially awesome. Thank you thank you thank you x 1 million. I'm so excited.

And now, we come to the end of a four month journey through my first massive story on the site. I am so honoured to be so highly rated and reviewed, and in general, loved. I love and appreciate all the attention that has been shown on this fic and me as an author.

I originally intended to make a massive epilogue, but I tried and it didn't feel right. Besides, this epilogue leaves room for a sequel or fics about the kids :D

Rating: M

Characters: Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) and Clint Barton (Hawkeye). Rest of the Avengers cast.

Warnings: All the usual warnings.

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Avengers franchise. I'm just using them for my twisted muse.

No Time for Regrets – Epilogue

Five years later.

"Thomas Bruce Stark! If you pull on my son's hair one more time I'll show you exactly why your father is so scared of me!"

The mini-Tony looked up with a terrified look before relenting on the reddish-brown stands clenched in his hand and patted the head they were attached to.

"Better," Natasha said, leaning back down in her deck chair while Clint chortled in the chair right next to her.

"It's so amusing when you do that. You threaten him about, what, three times a week?"

"And it never fails every time."

The couple were on their apartment balcony supervising the two little boys playing in the portable sandpit. Clint made sure that his son was fine after Tony and Pepper's sons bit of rough play before turning to gaze upon the redhead beside. Appraising blue grey eyes looked contentedly over his partner. Natasha was beautiful as always, but Clint had never found her so desirable as when she was pregnant. She was in the middle of her sixth month of her second pregnancy and he could rarely take his eyes off of her. Her pale skin glowed, her hair seemed to be fuller and bouncier and when they participated in the horizontal mambo she was far more responsive than usual.

Seeing her usually trim and taut stomach grow large with child had fascinated the archer the first time around. Doubly so now. She was much bigger at this stage than her previous pregnancy with their son – but that was to be expected considering that this time it was twins.

"Alex! Come here for sunscreen!" Natasha called.

Their little two year old looked up and nodded, pattering over to them on little feet.

The parents watched proudly as he came towards them.

Alexander Steven Barton looked exactly like Clint, right down to the facial expressions. The only thing he got from his mother was the reddish tinge in his brown hair and her pale skin. "Okay mama," he said sweetly, presenting himself obediently.

Natasha tried to sit up, but Clint held out a hand, stilling her movements. "Relax, I'll do it."

As Natasha watched the love of her life tend to their little boy, her heart melted all over again like it did every day when she saw them together. Seeing father and son interact softened even the hardest heart – Nick Fury had definitely been no exception. She was pretty sure she still had that blackmail tape where the usually stoic SHIELD director had cooed over a week-old Alex.

Alex had come along unexpectedly after the Avengers had to take on Ultron, a creation of sometime member Hank Pym. She and Clint had decided to get married a few days right after the event, knowing that they could have lost their lives all too easily in the violent skirmish. They went to the nearest city hall with the rest of the Avengers team and exchanged matching platinum rings, making them Mr. and Mrs. Barton. It wasn't extravagant, but to the couple, it had been perfect.

Their overactive honeymooning in Fiji had resulted in the conception of Alex.

Impending motherhood had freaked Natasha out until about the fifth month into her pregnancy. She finally decided to go with the flow. Not only could she eat the most awesome things (deep fried Mars bars and roasted sweet potatoes...morning, noon, and night), but the pregnancy hormones at about that time made her damn near insatiable. So much so that she had gone up onto the helicarrier while Clint was finishing off the paperwork needed for their leave, and in full view of about five agents, dragged her husband to the nearest supply closet to screw his brains out.

When Alex had finally been introduced to the world, Natasha had been the envy of every other woman on the maternity floor.

Not only had Clint been oddly calm, when Natasha had been cursing him out he had merely nodded and agreed. Then, after only three and a half hours after she had arrived at the hospital, Natasha had given birth to a healthy baby boy. He came out, was silent for about two seconds before he proudly showed off his developed lungs. It was a short but exhausting labour for the redhead, and when she heard her baby's cry for the first time peace and joy had flooded her.

Unlike Tony (who had fainted as soon as he saw his own son slip out after a 12 hour labour), Clint had let tears slip from his eyes the first time he saw Natasha holding their baby boy. When he eventually got to hold him, he was so emotional that he couldn't even speak. He had hopped up on his wife's bed and held his family close for the first time.

Now here they were two years later and ready to welcome fraternal twins. On their last visit to their local OB/GYN they had finally given in to their curiosity and asked for the sexes of the babies.

To the spies delight, there was one girl and one boy waiting to be born.

Bringing herself back to the present, Natasha smiled as Alex leaned up to give her a kiss on the cheek before running back off to the sandpit to play with Thomas.

"I cannot wait until these babies are out," she muttered, fanning herself with her sunhat. It was hot, and carrying two babies was exacerbating the heatwave currently taking over Manhattan.

"Me either, just so I can play with them. But you're so pretty with my babies," Clint replied, slathering sunscreen across his palms and tenderly rubbing it over her swollen stomach. In response to their father's touch, Natasha gasped when she felt two different sets of feet drum lightly against her sides. "Damn these kids are going to be soccer players by the way they're kicking," she complained.

"Then maybe we should give them soccer names. Rinaldo Barton?" Clint kidded.

Natasha mock-punched him in the shoulder. "Over my dead body. I know it's your turn to pick the names, but please make them not hate us when they're older."

"You know how we were discussing the names last night?" her partner asked. She nodded. He went on, stroking Natasha's bare belly, "I was thinking for our little girl that she should be called Liliya Natali Barton. What do you think?"

Natasha's eyes glowed with happiness. "That's so adorable. It sounds like a strong name while still being feminine. I like that one, that's a keeper."

"So we got one we can agree on. The next one I'm thinking for the boy...I'm not sure you'll like it. I mean, I like the name, but I'm worried you won't," Clint said. Natasha gripped his hand upon hearing the slight uncertainty in his voice. He explained, "I think you'll think it's boring."

"Why on earth would you think that?"she questioned with a frown.

"A lot of people have the name Christopher," replied Clint. "Christopher Luka Barton."

Natasha shook her head slightly. Her husband could be adorably pouty sometimes. "You're nuts for thinking I won't like it. It's a good name. I like the names of all our children. Alexander, Liliya, and Christopher. With names like that, our kids are going to be unstoppable."

"They'll take over the world if we're not careful," bantered the archer, relieved his wife liked the names he picked.

They settled back to watch as their son and his best friend continued to amuse themselves. It was remarkable to see how they grew and learned through play. The differences between the boys were also interesting. Thomas only liked to build sandcastles just so he could destroy them. Alex joined in if he felt like it, but he preferred to create landscapes in which he could create the cities, roads, and airports. He even had his own figurines of his parents that he would place in the various vehicles and have them 'save the world.'

But like his father, Thomas Stark was also smart, even too much for his own good at times. When he had been at the tender age of one, he had managed to undo all of the toddler locks in Pepper and Tony's penthouse and got into a jar of marshmallow whip. Tony saw his son's potential and took him down to the garage a few times a month to show the little guy his way around. Thomas in turn would show Alex what he had learned. Alex was like a sponge, absorbing everything and regaling his parents with stories about his day. Even then, he was more a dreamer than an intellectual like Thomas.

"Daddy! Have a look at what I made!"Alex cried out.

"I'm comin' buddy," Clint replied, getting up and grinning at Natasha. "He's probably made another monster for me to shoot with the toy bow again."

"Hey I get a thrill out of watching my two favourite boys," she replied.

They shared that secret, loving smile before the archer went to participate in his sons game of make believe.

Natasha's fond smile didn't fade as Clint swept up Alex in his arms, holding him high over his head and yelling with Alex as they escaped from the 'monster.' Not only was Clint a great lover and husband, but fatherhood suited him well, and in fact, made him a better person. He had mellowed slightly, but on the job, he was as fierce and as accurate as ever. He had even gotten Alex three bows. One for play now as a child, one for his early teen years, and one for an adult. He was affectionate but firm. It had been Natasha who found it hard not to spoil her child.

Rubbing her belly as one of the twins moved around, Natasha called out, "Xander!"

Xander was Clint's pet 'hawk.' Like Tony had done for Natasha with Arachne, Tony Stark had decided to make a little mechanical pet for Clint as well so the couple could communicate when they were apart. Another benefit for them was that their mechanical avatars served as mini-spies all on their own. Arachne was actually on a mission standing as Natasha's replacement, gathering information on the US embassy in Greece. As the robo-bird flew over to her, Natasha asked, "Can you log down the names for our twins?"

"Certainly Madam Barton. May I pass on the information to JARVIS?" Xander replied.

"Go ahead. What's new with Arachne?"

"She has almost completed her task. Agent Cromwell assures that he'll bring her back safe and sound."

"He better," muttered Natasha, "because pregnant or not I'll kick his ass if he doesn't."

"I'll pass on the message. Anything else?" Xander asked.

Staring out at the scene unfolding – Clint letting himself be tackled by Alex and Thomas – the redhead knew instantly what she wanted. "Can you film this and put it on disc later?" Because after all, all the happy memories should be recorded to look at when times got tough.

Even with twins on the way and a busy career as spy and Avenger, Natasha wouldn't change a thing. She had finally bloomed into the person she had always wanted to be. Happy, healthy, and with the love of a man who was her soulmate in every way.

A/N: Well, that's it. For now. I may do some one-shots when I'm bored about our favourite couple and their children. (Can you imagine the messes they'd get into? LoL!).

My gratitude goes out to all of those who have put their time into reading and reviewing this story, as well as following it and putting it (and me) on favourite lists. It's been an honour writing it, and I'm very proud of it. Thank you is not words enough for what I want to express.

Hopefully I'll see you guys in my next fics.

Finis.