Steve was startled to full consciousness when a tiny body clambered into his lap. He had been slumped back in his chair one hand clasped with Tony's and the other a life line on the old arc reactor.

He had woken up when Shuri came to check on Tony and then again not long after when Pepper, Happy, Harley, and Morgan came in. He just felt no need to join the soft conversations between Pepper, Happy, and Rhodey or the children who were all meeting for the first time. So he kept his eyes shut and his mind swimming with memories.

Until he opened his eyes and was staring into the big brown eyes of Morgan Stark, eyes that matched her father's almost exactly.

"Hi Sweetie." Steve whispered, voice rasping slightly with emotion and sleep, earning him a sweet smile. Glancing around the room, he discovered that he was the only adult left. The three teens were huddled on the couch discussing science that went over his head, but Rhodey, Happy, and Pepper were nowhere to be found.

"Where's your mommy?" He asked shifting up so they could sit comfortably. Letting go of Tony's hand for the first time in hours. But he was sure that Tony would understand the appeal of wanting to wrap the tiny girl up and never letting go.

"She took Uncle Rhodey and Happy to talk to the King. Harley is watching me."

"Is he now?" Steve spared a glance across the room to where Harley just shrugged sheepishly.

"Yup. I know who you are." She said running a hand along the star on his chest.

"I know, I was at your house a few weeks ago." It had been the first time he saw Tony in five years. The first time he met Morgan. He knew about her, but only because he kept tabs. Making sure nothing could hurt Tony or come in between him and his new life.

"No silly. There's a picture of you in Daddy's garage and one in the drawer next to his bed, but he doesn't know I saw that one."

Steve stared at the little girl stunned, unsure of what to say. "And when I'm really good he tells me bedtime stories about you. Like you jumping out of planes and killing Hydra. And working with grandpa to become big and strong.-"

She stopped speaking when she noticed the arc reactor laying besides her father. "Oooh it's daddy's heart. Is it the one he gave you? He was mad. He said so. He said that Captain America just held his heart in his hands and broke it. But it's right here. You didn't break it at all" She hummed happily, turning it over and over in her small hands carefully, before clutching it to her chest.

"Sweetheart, I don't think your daddy would like you telling me this. Remember you had to save him from me when I was at your house. I hurt your daddy really badly and I may not have broken this heart, but I hurt the one in here. " Steve spoke gently tapping softly over his heart as he spoke, before running a hand over the girl's hair, just like he had with Peter earlier.

Morgan giggled. "Mommy said to save Daddy because he says things he doesn't want to when your there. Not because your bad. And sometimes even our friends say mean things. That doesn't mean you're bad. Your Captain America. Daddy says it's against the law for you to be bad."

Steve gaped at her slack jawed, trying to process everything the small child had said in the last few minutes. She was obviously brilliant just like Tony, and sweet but feisty like Pepper. She just sighed and wiggled out of his lap, running to her bag that had been abandoned across the room. She rummaged for a few minutes before making a small victory cry that rang through the room and sprinted back into Steve's lap. This time carrying a plush doll.

"This is Capsicle. Daddy gave him to me when I was a baby. It was his first from when he was little."

Steve listened as the young girl babbled happily about her doll. While curled up in his arms. Nothing had every felt as right as holding Tony Stark's child as if she was his own. But she wasn't. This wasn't his happy ending. This was just him making sure the only person he had ever truly loved survived.

When he was awake and well. Steve would slip quietly away and let Tony be happy. But for now, he snuggled his face into her hair and held Tony's hand with his free arm. Listening to the soft hum of Morgan's rambling, and Peter, Harley, and Shuri debating. Wishing for just a moment that he could be selfish and tell Tony how he felt. And that it would matter at all. But it was too late. He knew that. It was too late in Siberia. Tony may trust him now, but he knew that if it came down to something other than saving the world that trust was probably miniscule.

So, for now. He held Tony's baby girl until she eventually nodded off in his arms clutching her doll and her father's arc reactor. But somehow it felt like she was also clutching his heart in her tiny hands. He looked down at her sweet face and back at Tony's slack face with tears rolling down his cheeks. Crying for all the things he wished were different.