My apologies for this chapter being so late- I lost track of the last couple of weeks. Hopefully a longer chapter will make up for it.

Thank you, as always, for reading!

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Due to baby Lydia's increasing vitals, as well as her adjustment to the outside world, the nursing staff agreed to move her to Natasha's room- so long as Steve stayed as well (not like he had other plans). He had quickly and quietly voice his concern about Natasha's off behavior. but, he was told it wasn't uncommon, due to a hormone imbalance, a result of giving birth. So, he knew he had to go along for the ride.

" Having the baby in the room with her can help her adjust," he was told.

Once Lydia was settled, she was much more alert of her surroundings (as much as a newborn could be). A bassinet had been brought in, and Steve had been instructed to hold her at least once an hour. There would be future lessons coming up.

In the mean time, there were no shortage of visitors. Tony and Clint had returned, freshly cleaned and not empty handed. Tony brought a vase of white and pink roses (' good thing you had a girl, there were no blue ones,' he said). Clint had an exceptionally large stuffed penguin from the gift shop, for reasons that only made sense to Clint, and Bruce had gotten take out for all.

The three visiting men had all been given the necsarry bracelets to be able to interact with the baby. Clint was too nervous to hold her, which was okay, because Tony wasn't in the mood to share.

" She's all you, Cap," Tony said, walking the baby around the room, " and vintage you- all tiny and scrawny."

Steve smirked from where he sat in what was now dubbed the ' dad chair.'

Natasha stayed in bed, watching everything intently, joining in as much as she could. Clint sat on the bed with her, trying to keep her attention. Steve could tell that he, too, was sensing the same from her.

Bruce was leaning against the wall on the other side of the room, " I've seen a lot of weird stuff in my day, mostly with all of you. But Tony, with a baby? That takes the cake."

" Well then it won't shock you that this is the first baby anyone has let me hold."

" It doesn't."

" But the second she's smelly, she's going back to her father."

" That's fine," Steve said, " maybe third time is the charm to get it right."

Natasha was content with watching everyone else who held the baby, despite not wanting to hold her herself. She could not voice what it was holding her back, only to abide by it, since working through it didn't seem like an option.

She wasn't even nervous about all of them holding her, which she assumed a new mother should be. But, if she couldn't trust her child with the Avengers, who could she trust her with?

" I was just getting used to you being pregnant, and now, here she is," Clint said, only to her as the others had carried on with their own conversation.

" I wasn't used to me being pregnant. I can't wrap my head around it."

There was nothing about this topic that was going anywhere near Clint's radar of things he was familiar with, but, he didn't want her to feel as lost as she looked. " It's a big change, it's an adjustment. You've been through changes before, and you've adapted. Some things take longer than others."

She glanced over at Steve, " he adapted in seconds."

" Steve needs someone to protect," Clint stated, " you could have popped out a goat, he'd want to love and protect it."

" Yeah," she pushed further back into her pillows, " but, I think he's trying to make up for something with that."

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Bruce nearly had to Hulk himself out to pry Lydia away from Tony when it was time to leave. She had made the rounds, and intervals to visit Steve, who she was left with.

Tony could not be convinced to head back to the tower with Bruce and Clint, and was given an empty room down the hall to stay in. He declared himself on call, and went to bed.

Natasha was curled up under the blanket, watching Steve and Lydia in the now lower lighting of the room.

Lydia had taken a bottle of formula provided by one of the nurses, without any concerns, which all were grateful. Clint had declared earlier that she was a ' cheap date,' she had been demanding only the necessities. And a proper diaper change, which Steve was still calling a work in process.

Steve held her against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder. Lydia was out cold- a common past time of hers- with a tiny, pudgy arm wrapped around his bicep. Steve was gently rubbing her back, but then noticed that Natasha was watching them.

" Do you want to hold her?" he asked.

She shook her head, and gave the answer that he was expecting, " she's had a long day."

" There's always room for more."

" It's okay."

Steve let out a small sigh, " how about I bring her back to the nursery for the night, and then I"ll stay in here with you."

That only frustrated her. She wanted to take him up on that offer, just to have one more night alone with him while she figured this all out, so that he wasn't distracted. That was selfish of her, but it was over run with the want to have the new little family in the same room.

" No, don't do that. Can you both stay in here?"

" Would you be able to sleep?"

" I think so."

Steve pulled himself off the chair, gently nestling Lydia in her bassinet. " I'll go let the nurse know. Can I get you anything?"

She sunk lower into her bed, " orange juice, if you can find any."

He leaned down to kiss the top of her head, " I'll be right back."

When Steve left the room, Natasha pushed herself up on the bed to examine the bassinet fro a few feet away. Whatever wiggles and little motions the baby were making was evident under her swaddle.

She found the courage to slide off the side of the bed, which was only a reminder of how badly her body ached from what it had endured. She could feel the healing incision on her abdomen, and all the pain that it sent through her.

And just a few inches away, was the reason she was in so much pain.

Natasha glanced over the side.

" Your hat is a little too big," she softly said, pushing the bottom of the bonnet higher on her head.

Lydia peacefully snoozed, her face scrunched to be even smaller. She was entirely content, wrapped up with a full tummy and a dry bum. But, when Natasha reached in to lightly touch her hand, she flinched and made a firm grunting sound.

She heard Steve come inside, but did't move. He placed the contained of juice on the tray near the bed, and stood behind her. When wrapping his arms around her, he was sure to keep them high, away from her abdomen. She felt relief, being able to lean back against his chest, and feel him again.

" Why can't I understand that she's mine?" she dared ask.

Steve pulled her a little closer, " because it's all so new."

" I'm not the one who should be struggling," she squeezed her eyes shut, realizing what she said when it was too late. " Shit," she whispered, " I didn't mean it like that, Steve."

" I know." He thought it would be hard for him, too. But, he wasn't about to admit that to her.

They spent the next few minutes watching their baby squirm and sleep. Steve soon felt Natasha beginning to sag in his arms.

" Come back to bed."

She struggled with the pain while attempting to ease back into the bed. Steve finally lifted her off her feet and gingerly placed her in the center of the mattress.

" Do you think you'll be able to sleep?" he asked, pulling the blanket over her.

She nodded, " i'm a new kind of tired. Though I miss our bed."

" We'll be back soon."

Natasha eyed the cradle while Steve switched on the bathroom light and closed over the door over just enough, then turned off the other lights in the room.

" So, we just...wait until she cries?" The most basic definition of being a new parent.

" Yep," Steve returned to his chair, " like waiting for an attack." He leaned over the side of the bassinet to assure that the baby was still in her slumber.

Natasha turned onto her side still being able to see him. The chair was placed between where both girls laid.

" You don't want to sleep here?" she asked.

He looked over at her with a sorrow look, " I thought it'd be easier...with her and...I'm sorry, I didn't think of that."

" It's okay."

Steve sighed and stood up again, " no, it's not."

Natasha smiled to herself, and even felt a little excited when he walked around the foot of the bed, after moving the bassinet closer to the bedside. She felt relief when the mattress dipped under his weight as he laid down next to her. Both of them kept watching the cradle, waiting to see if she would do anything, or make any kind of sound.

" It's weird, isn't it?" she said.

" Very weird."

Natasha deliberately pushed her back and bottom against Steve. He took the hint, wrapping his arms around her, very carefully. He stretched one arm under her head, which she rested on his upper arm.

" I need you, too," she whispered.

" I'm here," he responded, " I'm right here."

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As the night went on, time seemed to drag rather than to pass.

Natasha was not sure how long she actually slept at each interval. She'd doze off, then abruptly wake, believing she shouldn't have been asleep at all. The first few times she was jolted awake, Steve quietly murmured to her that everything was alright.

Lydia hadn't budged, and she was certain that Steve wasn't sleeping at all. A nurse would come in once ever now and then, to check on everyone, but they were so discreet it was hardly noticed.

The next time she woke up, Steve wasn't next to her. Right away, she could feel the empty space and the cold air. She lifted her head enough to see him, back in the dad chair. In the limited lighting, she could still see Lydia laying on his chest once again, her head resting near his collarbone.

He kept the blanket she had bunched up under her bottom, and he had his hand wrapped around her bare back. Natasha could hear her weak cries. Steve was quietly and softly talking to her, rocking back and forth in the chair- but she couldn't hear exactly what was being said. Though she figured it was between the two of them.

" Is she okay?"

Steve glanced over at her, " hey," his voice remained just as soft, " yeah, she woke up about a half hour ago. I think her stomach is upset."

Natasha pushed herself up, " is that bad?"

" Oh, no, the nurse came by and said it was normal, especially with preemies. She gave me another formula to try."

She let out a shaky noise, " maybe she wouldn't be sick if I could do my job as a mother."

It took Steve a moment to realize that she was referring to breastfeeding.

" That's not true, no," he kindly said. He waited, then saw the look of regret that she had. " Do you want to give it a try?"

" What if she's not hungry?"

" She really didn't eat a lot."

Natasha could feel the shudder running through her, " I suppose I could try."

" I don't want to pressure you."

She nodded, " I know. You're encouraging, it...it helps."

Steve leaned forward and stood up. She could tell he was already becoming more comfortable holding her, since he only had one arm under her bottom.

" Let's see what mommy has for you," he told Lydia.

Natasha felt anxious, and nearly uncomfortable. She pulled her arm out of the sleeve on the gown that she had on. She removed one if the pillows behind her and rested it in her lap. Steve leaned over and lowered Lydia onto said pillow, Natasha immediately closed her arm around her. But Lydia noticed the change, and began to squirm and make her pre-crying grunts.

" See, she's probably hungry," Steve said out of encouragement, and quickly so that Natasha would not become frustrated.

Natasha pulled Lydia closer to her chest, then looked up at Steve, " did you want to stay for this?"

And then suddenly, he panicked, " did you want me to leave? If you wanted...I can wait outside."

She shook her head, " it's nothing you haven't seen before. I just don't want you to be uncomfortable."

He shrugged, " it doesn't. We discussed it, it's okay."

Really, she just didn't want him to see her fail.

Steve really wanted to give her privacy, but didn't want to leave completely. She was overdue, and well deserving of her own bonding moment with their daughter.

He got up and returned to where he had been sitting. There was a wet diaper that needed disposing of, since he didn't get the chance before. He was also quick to hide the formula bottle that had been given to him before.

Natasha was struggling, he could her it. Both she and Lydia were making frustrating sounds. It soon got the point where Natasha was asking ' please' of the newborn.

" Are you alright?" he asked from afar, not wanting to intervene. He didn't want to hover, but he didn't want to ignore her. It was most definitely a situation where he could not offer any assistance.

" She won't...she won't latch on. She doesn't want it."

Steve turned around and saw her crouched over Lydia on the pillow, very concentrated, her chest now covered.

" I was probably wrong, maybe she's not hungry."

" I don't think this is going to work," She sighed, " anything I've read on nursing said if newborns don't start right away, they may never get the hang of it. I guess that window has closed."

By the time Steve turned around, Natasha was placing her arm back inside the gown. He stepped back towards them, Natasha pulled the pillow closer to her, attempting to snuggle her, but worried that any direct contact would only upset Lydia.

" It could be a lot of things, she could still get the hang of it."

" I don't know how you're so optimistic."

Steve returned to the other side of the bed where he previously was. " We're doing okay so far," and he laid down next to her again. He was worried she would hand Lydia directly back to him, but she didn't. Natasha curled her arm around her daughter, nestling her in her lap, against her abdomen, right outside where she had been only a day ago.

Steve watched Natasha study the baby as she lulled herself back to sleep. Her fingers gently outlined Lydia's face, nose, then mouth. The baby flinched, but otherwise, was not disturbed.

" She's going to bring a boy home one day," Natasha quietly said, breaking the silence.

Steve snorted, " if she's anything like you, that boy will already be scared and have a black eye."

She looked over at him, " I never assaulted you. Never in a serious way, at least."

" Is that so?" he smiled, " I think said boy would be more afraid of Iron Man than Captain America anyways."

" Good point," she went back to her spectating, " so, we just take her home, and make sure nothing happens to her?"

" Pretty much." He felt her sigh, " we're going to be fine. Every first time parent goes through this. Well, the basics of our situation are a bit different. But, I'm almost convinced that having Tony around is going to be more pro than con. Almost."

Natasha smiled, and it felt good to do that, " how many bad guys out there do you think already know that she's been born?"

" I bet they don't know that someone gave us the heads up."

She leaned to rest against his shoulder, " I'm scared."

It was a blunt confession that he would not have expected. He raised his arm for her to lean further into him. " I know, I'm sorry. There's no other promise I can make other than making sure nothing will happen, or at least stop it from happening."

" It feels much more real, now that she's here."

" It does."

Her voice began to tremble, " do you think that...we have to have her tested? Does it matter if we know?"

" I don't know," he rested his chin on top of her head, " it may help us to know, but, it wouldn't change anything."

At the moment, Natasha couldn't agree, but decided to keep that to herself.

" Can you take her?" she asked.

Steve agreed, despite wanting to encourage the progression that was being made. He scooped Lydia off the pillow, laying her against his stomach. He then reached for her blanket to loosely wrap it around her. Natasha watched as the newborn was more settled on her father than she ahd been with her mother.

Lydia's hand reached up from the blanket, not lifting into the air, but enough for Steve to move his hand right next to hers, and once again, her hand grasped onto his finger.

" I don't think I've seen anything more adorable than that," Natasha stated.

Steve smirked, " the nurse said it's for her to learn her surroundings."

" I think she just likes her daddy," she said, " I told you she knew who you were through the pregnancy."

Natasha soon easily drifted off, nestled against Steve. Lydia remained asleep (for now). Steve relished in the moment, with the new girls that now made up his family.

It was an unfamiliar topic, one he wouldn't have ben able to predict (though Natasha probably felt the same). With his daughter sleeping on him, and his to-be wife snuggled next to him, it was not a picture he ever thought he would see.

He new she'd agree that a ' work fling' wasn't meant to go this far.

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Steve nodded off eventually despite trying not to. It couldn't have been too long before there was something inside him, reminding his sleeping self that he hadn't put Lydia back in her bassinet. For a quick moment, somewhere between sleep and wake, he couldn't recall where she was. And that's what snapped him awake, as though he was never asleep.

Lydia remained nestled and undisturbed on his stomach- Natasha was still asleep as well. Steve slowly leaned forward so that Natasha slipped off his shoulder and gently onto the pillow, without waking her.

" You'll be safer in here, sweetie," he said, bending to place her back in the bassinet.

And Lydia yelped.

" You're right, terrible idea." And he scooped her up again, cradling her in his arm, " you're not going to tell me if you're hungry or need to be changed- you're going to wait until the last moment." The baby made a noise, almost like she was agreeing, " yeah, you get that from you're mommy."

Lydia did not appear to be settling down anytime soon.

" Why don't we go for a walk?"

But the baby then made a gurgling sound and stretched one arm. Steve admitted he will always maintain his difficulty of communicating with women- but this would even top Natasha yelling at him in Russian. Which has happened.

The baby continued fussing, and rolling her head in the crease of his elbow. His available hand rested on her tummy, feeling her fidgets and her strong breaths.

" Let's go explore before we wake up mommy," he said, " but tell me now if you're hungry, because she's not coming with us."

He adjusted his hold on her, and then stepped in to the hallway. It was quiet, almost peaceful. There was no one or no sound in either direction, so he headed the way with the longest stretch of hallway.

The overhead lights made Lydia's eyes flinch and she whined. They opened again, looking around. Everything was brand new to her, her first time seeing everything, regardless of how minor it may be to the average human. Steve was just as fascinated, possibly because he had a somewhat similar experience only years ago.

All the other doors in the wing were closed- and he had no idea which one Tony was sleeping in. It was quiet, and he didn't want to disturb that. Lydia, however, had no concerns, and kept up with her noises.

The two eventually approached one of the nurses' stations at the other end of the hall. A young, red headed nurse popped up form behind the small counter and smiled.

" Is that the wonder baby? The staff around here have been going on about her!" the nurse cooed.

Steve had no idea Lydia had become so popular in her short amount of time in this world. But, he certainly agreed, and kindly smiled at the young woman.

" I'm actually glad you're here, Mr. Rogers. We filled out her birth certificate, with all the information that Ms. Romanoff had given to us earlier. I just need you to sign it quickly."

The nurse placed a thick sheet of paper onto the counter. He leaned over, and for some reason began reading from the bottom up. His name was listed for the father, and Natasha for the mother (not like he was expecting at different, but it was exciting to see). Everything else seemed standard- the hospital, the doctor, date, time, birth weight.

And then, he saw it. Her name, in hold letters at the top of the page. The name Natasha had given someone earlier that day.

Lydia James Rogers