Two months had passed by in a blur of wedded bliss for Dugan and Lyla and they had been slowly adjusting to living day to day with each other. They were still staying at the house since the world was still at war.
Stark, surprisingly had been the one to suggest it.
Dugan was surprisingly given command of the Howling Commandos. Peggy had assured him that Steve would have agreed with their decision because besides Cap and Bucky, he was the only other one that had the most pull with the men and the single most important thing to Dugan...was that he had their respect.
So duty had reared it's head and he had been called away for several small missions since the wedding. It was harder each time he left, because he didn't want to leave but he wasn't a man to shirk his duty and he wanted to make the world a much better place for Lyla and especially for their child.
Lyla still never told him goodbye and Tim never said it back. She would always tell him to kiss her and go, a hand rubbing her growing stomach, always ending with, "We love you."
Dugan would drop to a knee and press a kiss to her belly and say, "Be good for your mother, okay? I love you. Both of you."
Tim thought back to the last mission he had come back from. That mission had gone south ending with him getting shot in the side, so he ended up having to stay in the hospital for a few days. Lyla had been furious with him.
"I told you last time not to go getting yourself shot!"
"Yes, ma'am."
He had learned quite quickly not to be sarcastic with a pregnant woman. She was a force to be reckoned with.
Although it only took him one question to calm her down.
"How's little bit doing?"
She smiled and rubbed her belly.
"Growing and kicking up a storm. Here..."
She reached for his hand and placed in over her stomach and then a few seconds later, he felt it. A little thump against his hand that caused him to grin widely.
"That's our baby. Our baby, dove."
Her hand covered his and she smiled softly. "Let's get you home, okay?"
"That's supposed to be my line, you know?"
"Yeah, but you're the invalid."
"And you're 6 months pregnant."
She smacked him on the shoulder, "I don't have a bullet hole in my side, Timothy."
He chuckled, she definitely had him there.
"Alright, lets get home dove."
/ ~ / ~ / ~ /
Thankfully his month long recovery from that wound gave them much needed time together. Not only to strengthen their personal relationship and prepare for the baby but also for a much more somber event.
Captain America's memorial service.
It was his duty to attend, not only because he had once been under Steve's command but the main reason was Lyla. This was her brother they were saying goodbye too and he was going to be there to support his wife.
Everyone had made an appearance dressed in their finest. They had come to pay their respects to not only Steve and Bucky, but to Lyla as well.
Morita had shown up with a pretty black haired woman with green eyes. He was smiling despite the ambience of the event.
Gabe gave a soft smile and shook Dugan's hand before kissing Lyla's.
Dernier motioned to her belly and smiled, "J'espère que le bébé est plus comme vous et non pas ce grand mannequin. You look beautiful, madame."
Lyla blushed, "Thank you, Jacques."
Dugan lightly shoved at Dernier's shoulder, "Dernier, you're not trying to steal my wife now are you?"
The french man threw his hands up, "No, no. Just un compliment. No harm meant."
The larger man laughed. "I know. I'm just yanking your chain, frenchie."
"Where's Monty?" Dugan turned to scan the crowd trying to locate the familiar face of the man that he once fought alongside.
"Looking for me?"
He turned, grinning widely at the British man. "Monty! How the hell have you been?"
Monty stood there in his military issue uniform with a similiar grin on his face. He shoved past Dugan and laughingly took Lyla's hands. "I hope this big lug has been good to you the last few months..."
"Hey!" Dugan yelled in mock protest.
She giggled, "Hello Monty. How are you?"
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I am quite well. The more pressing question right now is when am I going to meet my godson?"
"Hey, he's our god son too!" Morita griped.
Lyla rubbed her swollen abdomen, "Not for two more months yet. And we're not even sure it's a boy. It could be a girl for all we know."
Timothy looked a little green at the thought which caused Monty to laugh.
"Just realizing that you could end up with a daughter? My friend, if you have a daughter, she is going to be the most protected little girl in the entire world with you and six godfathers and two god mothers. I pity the poor soul who tries to flirt with her."
Lyla laughed, "It's not a guarantee. We'll find out for sure when the baby's born."
Dugan leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I'll be happy no matter if its a boy or girl, dove."
"Well, I do hope its a little girl. It would be worth it to hear him be the over-protective daddy."
Lyla grinned, "Ava! And Edwin too if I'm not mistaken?"
Edwin shook his head, "Miss Lyla, it still unnerves me how you can do that."
Dugan laughed, "Believe me, I know the feeling. I can't even surprise her with anything. Its like she knows literally the second I begin thinking about it."
She smacked his arm, "Its not my fault that you're not very good at keeping secrets."
"Husbands are not supposed to keep secrets from their wives." He winked at Edwin. "I learned that from a friend."
Ava giggled, "Good, so my Edwin actually learned something?"
"My dear Ava, please don't?"
"Oh, will the two of you stop already? Save the arguing for the house, okay?" Howard grumbled playfully. He had a beautiful young woman with blonde hair on his arm. She was smiling softly at Howard.
He stepped up to Lyla and hugged her loosely.
"Hey, you. How have you been?"
She giggled, "We live in the same house, Howard. You know how I'm doing."
He laughed, "I know, but I didn't want to feel left out from the hellos. Which reminds me, I want you to meet someone. This is Maria."
THe Young woman takes a step forward and takes her outstretched hand. "Its nice to meet you, Mrs. Dugan. I've heard a lot of good things about you."
"Please call me Lyla. Everyone else does."
"Maria."
Introductions were interrupted by a familiar voice."I hope I'm not too late to say hello?"
Tim turned and nodded at the owner of the voice.
"Peggy! How are you?"
She smiled widely at him, "I'm good, Tim. You look lovely Lyla."
Peggy gave each of the commandos a hug and Dugan noticed the hug between her and Monty lingered. He gave a smirk and shook his head.
The microphone on the podium crackled to life.
"Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please? Can you please take your seats? We will be beginning momentarily."
Dugan wrapped an arm around Lyla's shoulders and pulled her in close to his side. He buried his nose in her hair and breathed in the familiar scent of vanilla and honeysuckle.
"I'm right here, sweetheart. We all are."
After a few minutes, Colonel Phillips stepped up to the podium.
"Ladies and gentlemen, lets face it. I'm not good at this sort of thing. I'm more at home on the battlefield then in front of a microphone. I knew Captain Rogers when he was just a 98 pound asthmatic. I didn't think for one second he would have become what he had...He became a symbol of hope to the people of America. He showed courage even when he was that sick little twig and I don't think there will ever be another person quite like Captain America. But I'm not the one who knew him the most. That honor goes to another solider we have lost, Sargeant James Buchanen Barnes. There was another soldier that we lost far too soon. He once said that he wasn't following Captain America but rather the skinny kid from Brooklyn who never backed down from a fight. And hell I wish a lot of soldiers were a lot like that skinny little kid. And I don't think there was another person who knew Steve Rogers more than his own sister, Lyla Rogers, now Dugan. Now please welcome to the podium at this time. Mrs. Lyla Dugan."
There was a roar of applause as Dugan helped his wife to the podium and instead of taking a step back he stood next to her with a hand on her low back, showing his support.
Her hands reached out and felt for the microphone.
She smiled. "Hello. My brother was a kind soul and a good man. That's all he ever wanted to be. He believed that anyone could contribute to this world, no matter if they were 98 pounds and asthmatic or if they were blind." She motioned to her self. "There will always be those who can't defend themselves and those who can. My brother was both. When he couldn't defend himself, although he complained relentlessly at times that he could, James Buchanen Barnes was his protector. Sargeant Barnes was a man that protected others. He saw them them as equals and treated them as such. Both of these men have had a profound effect on my life. I never thought when I was growing up with the two of them that their choices to join the Army would lead me to where I am right now. If they hadn't have joined I probably would have never met the man who is now my husband. And he showed me that there were even more people like them. Good men...great men who are kind, gentle, protective and strong."
She laid a hand on his chest and pressed a hand to her pregnant belly, smiling softly as tears flowed down her cheeks.
"They changed my life for the better. I will never forget them and I hope you never do either. They were good men and good men should never be forgotten because they are who truly shape our futures and the future of this world we live in. Thank you."
The audience paused for a moment before exploding with applause and cheers of 'Captain America!'
Dugan pressed a kiss to her temple as he lead her back to her seat. "That was beautiful dove. Couldn't have said it better myself."
"I love you, Tim."
He chuckled, "I love you too dove."
He was just about to help her to sit down when she doubled over with a groan. All the commandos jumped up at the sound.
Dugan was worried, "Lyla, what's wrong?!"
She gripped his arm hard as another wave of pain hit her and then the sound of dripping liquid made him blanch.
"Tim, my water just broke."
"Well shit."
Her giggle turned to a groan of pain and Dugan lifted her in his arms.
"Where the nearest hospital?!"
