Epilogue

A year later,

"I can't stand it!" Steve says as he paces up and down the hospital hall. "What's taking so long?"

"Considering Steve," Tony snaps. "that it takes approximately eight months to create a baby, do you expect it to take eight seconds for it to be born?"

Steve groans and sits down on a chair. "I wasn't expecting to take this long. And she's in pain."

"It's called labor that implies that it's hard, painful work Steve. Next time think about that before you go sticking your-

"Enough Tony!" Natasha spits at Tony. "He's got enough on his nerves without you making this more difficult for him!"

Steve jumped up and resumed his pacing. Bruce takes off his glasses and exhales. "Steve, you need to calm down. She's going to be fine. Nothing's going to go wrong. Birth is a natural event."

Steve exhales deeply. "So you've said, but what if she has some lingering effects from her curse?"

Natasha groans. "Bruce and I checked those blood results ten times personally. It's fine, she's clean, she's going to be around for the rest of your life."

The hospital doors open and Steve spins around as the doctor attending to Annette came out. All of the avenger's team approached him. Tony was the first to speak. "Just spit it out straight and clean. Boy or girl and is the mother fine?"

"It's a girl," a huge weight rolls off Steve's shoulders and he leans forward as the others pound on his back. "and the mother is fine." He smiles. "She wants to see you, as soon as you're able to walk."

"Yeah." Steve wipes his sweaty hands on the side of his legs. "I guess I better go."

Natasha gives him a shove. "Go get her Steve!"

He wasn't sure how he made it towards her private room without collapsing in sheer exhaustion, but he did. He stood outside the door, breathing heavily and reflecting for a moment. They'd gone through so much together, and now, the worst of it was over.

"Steve?" Annette's soft voice filters under the door. "Is that you?" he pushes the door open slowly, to be immediately be greeted by the sight of his wife and daughter. Annette is tired, but glowing as she looks up from the precious bundle in her arms. "Steve," Annette asks softly. "is everything all right?"

He nods and walks towards his wife and daughter slowly, hardly daring to breathe. "Yeah." He sat on the edge of the bed, wrapping one arm over her shoulders while staring at their daughter. "God's in His Heaven, and all is right with the world." He looked down at her. "How are you? No complications?"

"None at all." She murmured. "I'm told it was an easy birth for my first delivery."

"Nonetheless, still painful." He covers her hand with his. "It's a relief to me to know that I've got you for the rest of my life."

She smiles broadly. "You certainly have Mr. Rogers, you certainly have."