Hello everyone! By popular demand, I bring to you the sequel to The Captain's Shield! If you haven't read that yet, I highly suggest you do. Thanks and enjoy!

"JARVIS, where is Mrs. Rogers?" Steve asked, gleefully haven gotten the hang of addressing the invisible Englishman.

Tony rolled his eyes.

"You've been married almost a year. Still not tired of that?"

"Nope. Never."

"She is in your bathroom, Captain," JARVIS replied crisply.

"Thank you," Steve responded sweetly.

"I would walk a little faster, sir. She hasn't been quite well lately, and appears to be getting sick currently."

Steve's eyebrows pushed together in worry, and he hurried into his room. Tina was sitting on the bathroom floor, leaning against the wall, looking slightly pale. She was still wearing the black tank top and silky, American-flag pajama shorts Steve loved.

"Hey," she croaked. "How did the mission go?"

Steve knelt down next to her.

"Are you okay? JARVIS-"

Tina waved his concern away.

"I'm fine, Steve. Know how I've been doing all that spray-paint art? I think the fumes were making me sick, but I'm okay now."

Steve nodded.

"I'm done the project though," Tina brightened and smiled up at him.

"Good. No more spray paint?"

"No more. Nice outfit," she commented, wiggling her eyebrows. "You know how I like a man in uniform."

Steve rolled his eyes and reached down to help her up. Tina stretched her arms.

"You never answered me," she reminded him as she began brushing her teeth.

"It went really well, actually. We didn't even have to fire a shot. We showed up and they all just surrendered."

Tina laughed around her toothbrush. She rinsed her mouth and brushed her hair out.

"Maybe all the other bad guys will start following their example," she hoped aloud.

The captain rolled his eyes.

"That'll be the day."

…

Although Tony mourned the loss of Steve's title as Captain Virginity, he was the only one with a shred of disappointment in them. The entire team could palpably feel the joy emanating from the newlyweds. Contrary to Fury's concerns, Tina and the happiness she brought Steve made him even more focused and determined than usual. The night terrors he suffered from began to be less and less frequent, until they eventually stopped altogether. Tina made sure to flash her ring in her awful cousin Macy's face as often as she got the chance to, enjoying the look of frustration in her eyes. Tina had just finished her last final project for school. After graduation, she'd be an artist, officially.

"Check," Tony shouted triumphantly, moving a piece on the chessboard.

Bruce folded his hands and stared at the hand-carved wood-and-ivory board, a relic from Asgard, and Thor's present to him for his birthday. Natasha and Clint were attempting to create an edible meal (with much guidance from Steve) while Thor and Pepper played Just Dance, much to Tina's enjoyment, as she sketched them. Bruce suddenly grinned ear to ear and moved another piece.

"Checkmate!" he said gleefully.

"Awh," Tony whined, "This is no fun."

Bruce chuckled good-naturedly.

"You're getting much better," he reassured.

A shout sounded from the kitchen.

"CLINT YOU CANNOT USE THOSE FOR TARGET PRACTICE!"
Tina giggled but Pepper stiffened.

"That better not have been my cabinets," she growled.

"It wasn't gonna hurt anyone, Cap. I never miss," Clint moaned, sounding for all the world like a little kid, wheedling to get out of a punishment.

"I don't care!" Steve said angrily, "Never again! Or…"

"Or what? You'll kick me off of cooking duty?" he asked hopefully.

"I…I don't know yet. But you won't like it!" the soldier threatened lamely.

Natasha could be heard chuckling softly in the background.

"It's dinner time," she called into the living room.

"NO!" Thor objected, "I AM WINNING!"

He gyrated his hips frantically, trying to hold onto his lead. Pepper tried her best to summon her inner Wham! and danced like crazy.

"WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO-GO!" Thor rumbled.

"Don't leave me hangin' on like a yo-yo!" Pepper sang in a voice at least two full octaves higher than the thunder god's.

"Hey, you ungrateful jerks, I made dinner!" Clint skillfully threw a spoon end over end so it hit the off button on the game.

"You made dinner," Steve scoffed, "I spoon-fed you instructions on how to make plain chicken, and you still almost blew it."

Sighing, the team made its way into the kitchen to eat. Steve passed out plates as he cut the chicken.

"Nat…Clint, you like the dark meat right? Okay," he handed them around the table, "Tony…Pepper, here's your leg…Bruce…Thor, your chicken is over there, I figured you'd rather cut it yourself. Tina…where's Tina?"

The group looked around, finding their number one short. Steve sighed and set down the platter, walking into the other room to find her.

"Stop drawing, it's dinner time!" Tony called through a mouthful.

Tina was curled up in a ball, sleeping soundly. A single curl fluttered in front of her mouth as she breathed, and Steve couldn't help but smile. He gently shook her shoulder.

"Tina? Honey, it's dinner time."

Tina's eyes flickered open and she sat up.

"Wha-? Now?"

Steve chuckled.

"Yeah."

"Wow…I just got so tired all of the sudden."

Tina took Steve's outstretched hand and followed him into the kitchen. She took her customary seat next to him, and smiled as Clint and Natasha debated the virtues of mashed potatoes.

"They're a waste of time," Natasha said haughtily.

"What?! They're delicious! With gravy…butter… garlic…ANYTHING!" he protested.

Bruce passed Tina the plate of garlicky green beans. She abruptly shoved her chair back from the table, recoiling from the smell.

"You okay, small stuff?" Tony asked in concern.

She stood and walked briskly out of the room.

"Yeah, I'm okay, I just need to go to the bathroom," she muttered.

The Avengers raised their eyebrows as she left. Bruce sighed.

"Hey, what's new, I'm right and nobody listened to me. Tina's got that awful flu that everyone in New York seems to have."

Steve bit his lip and excused himself to look for her.

"You okay?" he asked, finding her reading a book in their bed.

She set the novel down and smiled.

"I'm all good. I just felt kind of icky all of the sudden. I think I'm just going to sleep early. Go back to dinner."

Steve kissed her forehead.

"Sure?"

Tina nodded and playfully shoved his arm.

"Get outta here, soldier."

…

Steve slowly and deliberately turned on the computer. The glow lit the dark room, whose only other source of light at the moment was the light of the city shining through the windows.

"JARVIS, can you help me?"

"Certainly, sir. What is it you require?" the AI responded in the special tone he reserved for Steve.

"I…Maybe I'm being paranoid…but, if it is that flu, Tina needs to get some treatment…"

"Would you like me to research her symptoms, Captain?"

"Yes, please."

JARVIS lifted the holographic screens and began displaying thousands of possible ailments, grouped by likelihood.

"Whoah," Steve murmured, feeling totally overwhelmed.

"Would you care for some advice, sir?"

Steve nodded frantically with relief.

"Oh, please."

JARVIS pulled up one condition on the main screen, minimizing the rest. Steve stared at the screen, face blank.

"Is that…is it even-?"

"Please, Captain. Don't make me explain. It is quite possible."

"But…but…"

"Would you like me to check?"

"How on earth would you check something like that?" Steve ran his fingers through his hair, pulling on it.

JARVIS was tempted to sigh, but it repressed the urge.

"I run every aspect of the house. If you cut yourself and throw away the bandage, I test the blood, just in case. I know everything, not to sound overly omniscient."

The AI took his stunned expression for an affirmative.

"Just a moment captain."

Steve hardly dared to breathe. His held his entire body perfectly still and tried to calm his mind, but couldn't stop a tiny bubble of hope from forming in his chest. What if? Could Tina really be pregnant? Unbidden images came to his mind. A little girl with blue eyes like his. A baby boy with curly hair and emerald eyes. Steve shut his eyes and sucked in a breath. It was at that moment when he realized how very much he wanted it to be true. I want this.

"Test results positive," JARVIS chimed after what felt like forever.

The Captain sat back in the chair, letting out a whoosh of breath. A grin came to his face and he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Congratulations, Captain."

Steve laughed again and turned the computer off.

"Thanks, JARVIS."

He stood and raced a few steps toward the bedroom, then stopped dead. How am I supposed to tell her? What if she doesn't want a baby? Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. This is so reversed. This is so messed up. He heard a door open and soft footfalls into the hall.

"Steve?"

Tina tiptoed into the room, eyes bleary with sleep.

"What are you doing up? Did you have a nightmare again?"

Steve shook his head, unable to stop staring at her. She has no idea…she's pregnant…with my baby.

"Steve?" she asked concernedly, taking hold of his hand in worry.

"I'm okay. I just…um…"

Tina led him back into their room and sat beside him on the bed.

"What is it?"

Steve took her hands in his and met her eyes.

"I have something to tell you."

Neat little twist on that, huh? So! Tell me what you think, and feel free to leave suggestions of things you'd like to see!

Review :)