Darcy woke up in a cold sweat and sat up, hands on her belly, rubbing it to check that everything was normal. With a sigh, she laid back down and saw Steve looking at her in concern. They were the only two in bed. Tony must be up tinkering on his suit or something.
Steve loomed over her, worry clear in his voice. "What's wrong? Is it the baby?"
She patted his face reassuringly. "Indirectly. Just a nightmare."
"A nightmare about the baby?" He laid on his side and put his hand over hers where she was still rubbing her belly lightly.
"Yeah, it's stupid, go back to sleep."
He reached up to brush damp hair off of her forehead.
"It's not stupid. Maybe it will help to talk about it."
"It's silly, but ok. I dreamt I was out for a walk at night, in the desert, you know, where we found Thor? Only I was pregnant and I felt the baby kick, but it wasn't normal. There was like, a pop, and both of its feet had kicked through my belly! I was trying to push his legs back in and hold my hands over his feet so he couldn't kick back out, and I was walking, trying to find a hospital or something, but I was out in the middle of nowhere. Then I woke up. See, silly?"
Steve pulled her into his arms as much as her big belly would allow. "I have had the same fear."
"Of the baby kicking through my stomach? It's just a dumb pregnancy dream. A few nights ago I dreamt I gave birth to a puppy."
"All right, I haven't had THAT fear. What kind of puppy?"
She giggled. "Golden Retriever."
He laughed with her.
"What are you afraid of?" she asked when the giggles subsided.
"What if the baby has my super strength? I don't want it to hurt you."
"I didn't know you were worried about that."
"I didn't want you to worry, too."
She leaned up to kiss him. "Doc says the baby's healthy and normal. Only a couple of more weeks until he or she is here and then we'll wonder what we were worried about."
He rubbed soothing circles on the leg she had thrown over his. "I hope that is true. Try to get some more sleep."
She was already half-way there, clinging to him like her own, personal teddy bear.
