A/n: I only own Ellie, Grant, and Sarah; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.

a/n2: FatWs has made it to Prague. Hopefully they are able to finish and we get an early 2021 release. Crossing my fingers. Not many reviewed the last chapter so if you missed it, make sure you go back and check it out.

ALSO is NOT LOGGING THE NEW CHAPTER ON THE WEBSITE, ONLY ON THE APP. THE STORY IS UPDATED ON ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO USE THE APP, CHECK IT OUT THERE. /works/15580404


I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house
That don't bother me
I can take a few tears now and then and just let 'em out
I'm not afraid to cry every once in a while
Even though goin' on with you gone still upsets me
There are days every now and again I pretend I'm okay
But that's not what gets me

~What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts


*~*~* December 4, 2018 – Esopus, New York *~*~*

Ellie waddled into the common room of the compound and sat down on the new couch. She pulled up the footrest to keep her feet elevated and just as she settled in, Pepper walked in with her arms full of bags.

Ellie tried to push herself up to get up.

"Don't you dare get up," Pepper told her as she set the bags down and Happy came up behind her with a Christmas tree.

"Goodness," Ellie said as she sat back staring at the large tree.

Steve walked out of the lab area, and stopped when he saw the tree, "Wow, what is all this?"

"It's December, and you guys have nothing as far as Christmas," Pepper explained as she walked over and fluffed a pillow then put it behind Ellie, then rubbed her belly, "Hello girls."

"Pepper you didn't need to do this," Ellie told her as Happy put the tree in the window.

"You are going to be stuck in this place for the next month, least I can do since no one else thought of it," Pepper told her.

"I…thought of it," Steve defended.

Ellie looked at him, "Did you?"

"Honestly no," Steve admitted as he set Sarah down in the playpen.

Ellie laughed then looked at Pepper, "All our decorations from last year… I left them in Wakanda. They were wiped out with all the damage."

Steve looked at her, "Wait you've been to Wakanda since?" He asked surprised.

Ellie nodded, "The whole back wall of my apartment… gone. Wanda's apartment, gone… they had to change a lot. I went there after the European leg of our vacation," Ellie said as she hissed at a particularly sharp kick, "Damnit girls, calm down."

Pepper walked over and placed her hand on Ellie's belly, "Wow they are active."

"I don't sleep anymore," Ellie told her with a shrug.

Steve frowned, "Honestly are you really sleeping?" He asked as he walked over to sit on the couch.

Ellie looked at him, "You know how I was with Grant. Now there are two of them. They sleep during the day it seems, I sleep when they sleep at night," Ellie told him with a yawn, "Or when Grant doesn't need me."

"You need a nanny," Pepper suggested.

Ellie shook her head, "No, no… I am going to raise my children," Ellie told her, "Bucky, and I agreed on it that with our children we weren't going to need a nanny. Ramonda even tried hiring one."

Pepper quickly stood up and clasped her hands in front of her looking giddy, "You know another thing that we didn't do, a baby shower!" Pepper said looking at Steve with a big smile.

"No, no, no… I don't need a baby shower. I already have been ordering stuff from that Amazon site," Ellie told her shifting.

"Where is it all?" Steve asked.

Ellie bit her lip, "Rose put everything in the garage," Ellie told him, "They've been going to her house. Then she takes them from her house to the garage."

Steve moved next to her, "That Rose is nice. You are lucky you got such a great neighbor."

"She is a sweet woman," Ellie said with a smile, "I need to figure out something nice to send her for Christmas."

Ellie looked over at the tree as Happy got it into the stand and stepped back, "Thank you Happy, it looks amazing."

"You are welcome," Happy told her with a smile.

Pepper elbowed her, "You got a smile out of Happy… that doesn't happen much."

Ellie looked at him, "Why do they call you Happy? Is that your name?"

Happy frowned, "No."

"His real name is Harold," Pepper told her as he glared at her, "They called him Happy in school because he never smiled."

"No, it was a boxing nickname and then Tony found out, I never lived it down," Happy told them, "But I got used to it."


*~*~* December 11, 2018 – Esopus, New York *~*~*

Steve walked into the common room to see Ellie lying on the couch staring at the dark Christmas tree.

"What are you doing up?" Steve whispered.

Ellie yawned, "Couldn't sleep, so I thought I would come out here and relax next to the tree," Ellie told him as she patted the couch, "Have a seat."

Steve walked over and got under the blanket that she had pulled up so that he could get under.

Ellie sighed as she laid her head on his shoulder as he put his arm around her, "I miss having a fireplace. I know they don't put off a ton of warmth but… it's cold outside, the Christmas tree…" Ellie sighed, "It is starting to feel like Christmas. Last Christmas, was so amazing." She sniffed and wiped her tears away, "I miss him. I'm scared… to do this without him all alone."

Steve kissed the side of her head, "You will never be all alone sis. I'm here for you, hell I don't know if you were planning on it, but I'll even be with you in the delivery room."

Ellie closed her eyes, "Oh shit… Steve, they are going to come possibly any day and I have no plan. We know how Grant's delivery went."

Steve nodded, "Bruce and I are already on it. He has emergency equipment here to monitor you and the babies; he has already been talking to Dr. Golden and one of his contacts. He thinks that he can help you during labor and learn something too about your abilities."

"Who is this person?" Ellie asked.

"He works with a team up in Canada," Steve told her as he sighed, "Bruce trusts him and told me some about it. So turns out, in Canada they had a similar program to Project Rebirth," Steve told her running his hand up and down her arm, "Our program wasn't the first."

Ellie looked at him, "What?"

Steve shook his head, "We were the first success. The first program was called Weapon Zero. America, the British, and the Germans worked together with ironically Reinstein's father. The man didn't survive. So they brought in Erskine, he improved it, they tried it again… it worked. Partially at least on Schmidt, then me. Then they tried it on you, it worked enough for them but then you had… your issues," Steve said with a sigh, "But it was enough that they started Weapon two with what they discovered."

"So wait… we were weapon one?" Ellie asked shocked feeling unsettled.

Steve nodded, "Yeah, but they were never as successful after us. In the SHIELD records that Nat found, they renamed it in the late 80s to the Rogers project."

"Because we were the successes," Ellie stated.

Steve nodded, "Many others were not lucky. Other than us, only one man survived."

Ellie stared at him blinking, "Wait? There was another survivor?" Ellie asked surprised as she turned so that she could see him.

"Yeah, but he turned on them," Steve said with a grimace, "See they only used African Americans, 300 of them died. He was the only survivor. They actually arrested him because of it. He was in jail for a while," Steve told her, "He…had a son… well… a surrogate son. They stole his DNA to create him. These weren't good people El."

"Was this SHIELD?" Ellie asked biting her lip.

"No," Steve told her simply.

Ellie sighed in relief, "What happened to him?" Ellie asked as one of the girls jumped with a hiccup.

"His serum wasn't ours. It started affecting his body. He is locked up in a nursing home, but he told me that his son survived. Turned out Rhodey knew him, he was basically a mercenary that worked with Rhodey's team when he was serving. He… he also doesn't age much, despite not being frozen," Steve told her.

"What was Weapon two?" Ellie asked with a yawn leaning back against the armrest.

Steve shook his head as he pulled her feet up onto his lap, "They experimented on weaponizing animals with humans. Bruce couldn't find much on it as a whole but there were two notable successes. One that Bruce has worked with before and he's been communicating with about you. His name is Dr. McCoy, they call him the Beast. Turns out…he works with a group that is very… unique but similar to The Avengers. Unique in the way that… they are what they called Mutants. All these… mutants had something happen to them or they were born with their genes… mutated that gave them powers. He works with a woman that has powers very similar to yours and ironically… they called her the Phoenix too."

Ellie stared at him, "How did she get her powers?"

"They didn't say but she has telepathic powers, can levitate and manipulate objects," Steve said as he rubbed her feet, "Weapon three was called the Skinless Man, he is dead. Weapon four was a project that wasn't successful. Weapon five was during the Vietnam War from what Bruce told me. It went wrong, they called it Project Rebirth 2 and Peggy shut it down. Weapon six gave a man named Luke Cage powers."

Ellie started to feel the weights on her eyelids, "Did they give up after him?"

Steve scoffed massaging her feet, "Of course not, Seven was experiments on soldiers during the Vietnam War. It had the most successes closest to our serum but not to our level, but a lot of deaths too. Bruce said they don't know a lot about Eight and Nine. Weapon ten was some of the X-Men. The X-men were some of their experiments on Mutants. Also, a guy called Deadpool. There were a few more after that but nothing as successful. Do you remember Logan? He served with me and Bucky?"

When he received no response, he looked up at her to see she was asleep. He leaned forward and kissed the top of her head and tried to move out from under her feet and she grabbed onto his shirt pulling him down next to her.

"Guess I am sleeping in here tonight," Steve mumbled as he laid his head back and closed his eyes, thankful that Pepper had purchased this much larger, much more comfortable couch.

Ellie opened her eyes to a caress to her face and smiled, "Hey handsome."

"You are relaxed for the first time in a month, nice to see you on this side," Bucky teased.

Ellie looked over at a sleeping Steve, "It's not home but I am home."

"I'm glad you are back," Bucky said as he leaned forward and kissed her.

"Mmm… I missed that too," Ellie told him with a smile.

"They will be here soon," Bucky told her as he placed his hand on her belly.

Ellie shook her head as she placed her hand over his, "I'm not ready."

Bucky laughed, "We weren't really ready for Grant either."

Ellie sighed, "Yeah that is true."

Bucky looked over at the tree, "I have some presents coming for Grant to the house; I ordered them before… everything went down. I didn't get anything for the girls."

Ellie smiled, "I know, I understand… we didn't know."

"You are getting exhausted Angel. You can't hold onto it much longer," Bucky told her sadly.

"Damn pregnancy," Ellie mumbled, "Can't I just stay in my head here with you forever?"

Bucky smiled, "No, I'm with you always. Rest. You need it."

Ellie reached for him, and he smiled as he laid one more kiss upon her lips, "I love you."

"I love you too Angel," Bucky told her.


*~*~* December 15, 2018 – Esopus, New York *~*~*

Steve walked into the common area to see Ellie flipping through the channels as Grant snoozed for his nap.

Ellie looked over at him, "I am so fucking bored Stevie."

Steve laughed as he sat down next to her with a box, "I was going to save this for Christmas but… I decided that… not really a Christmas gift and I thought we could go through it together. I haven't looked through it yet. When I went to the UN last month, the former task force leader was there. He said that he was sorry for our loss. Turns out he talked to Ramonda and she told him Bucky's back story. This box is all they recovered of importance from his apartment in Romania and also the contents of his backpack that he was carrying with him when I found him there."

Ellie stared at the box for a few moments, "Did you see the apartment?" Ellie asked quietly.

Steve nodded as he shook his head, "It was…it was smaller than the apartment we had when we all had to sleep in the same room."

Ellie sighed, "So literally everything in this box was what was left?" She asked sadly.

Steve nodded, "The bed was on the floor. He used newspapers to cover the windows. The furniture was shabby, worse than any of the couches we ever owned. Everything was… pieced together just like he was trying to do, to piece his life back together."

Ellie took a breath, "Go ahead."

Steve took the lid off the box and looked inside, "Seriously? Gross," Steve said as he pulled out a can of soda pop and a granola bar.

Ellie laughed as she took them, "Well they probably took them for prints," Ellie stared at them lovingly, "Him and his sweet tooth," then threw them behind her and grinned as she heard them hit, "Did I make it?"

Steve looked back, "Yep that was cool."

Ellie grinned, "I'm the best," She said with a wink.

Steve picked up various papers out of the box as she rubbed her belly, "Just nonsense about… maybe missions."

Ellie took some of the papers and looked over them, "God Steve, they didn't even give him names. Just locations and descriptions."

Steve pulled out a stack of notebooks, "Let's see… missions, people, family, memories, and this blank one. He labeled them," Steve said as he flipped through the memories, "Many of these are disjointed and just… notes."

Ellie took the family one and opened it up to read it, "My earliest memory is of a woman in a patched dress. It was a memory. I could see my reflection in the mirror. The woman called me Jamie. My name was Jamie and I liked cookies with… chocolate," Ellie read as she wiped her eyes, "I believe this was my mother."

Steve looked at her, "Have you ever gone back to visit Winnie? I know you've visited Mom."

Ellie looked down and swallowed, "No," She said with a sigh, "I…I am afraid I would tell her everything Steve, give her hope and change everything. With Mom it was different. She was so sick at the end, if she told us that I visited her from the future what would you have thought?"

Steve sighed, "That she had lost it and was that sick."

"Exactly," Ellie said flipping through the fragmented stories of Becca and Winnie, "Oh Buck, for fucks sake."

"What?" Steve asked looking over at her.

"Of all the things he remembered, he remembered the ingredients to Winnie's apple pie," Ellie said with a watery laugh, "Do you know what her damn secret ingredient was?"

Steve looked at the notebook, "Seriously?"

"All this time and she made her own freaking caramel and added it to the apples BEFORE cooking the apples. No wonder it was so sweet," Ellie said with a laugh, "He didn't remember or else he never mentioned it to me when I tried to make it," Ellie said as it dawned on her and she looked at Steve with wide-eyes, "How much do you want to bet the asshole just didn't tell me?"

Steve laughed, "Oh God, do you remember that fight the two of you got into before he shipped out when you tried to make it and he wouldn't tell you?"

"Oh God, I hit him with the wooden spoon so hard it broke," Ellie said covering her eyes.

Steve just laughed harder, "Still wouldn't tell you."

"I swore to Mom that I would take the recipe to the grave, it's a secret family recipe," Ellie said in a deep voice trying to be Bucky.

"In between, you smacking him," Steve said with a grin.

"And all it was… was her caramelizing sugar before putting the apples in," Ellie said looking up at the ceiling, "As soon as I can make that damn pie Winnie I'm making it," Ellie looked at her belly, "I'd make it now but I can't get close enough to the oven."

"And you have to stay off your feet," Steve said looking through clippings, "He saved all these clipping about the Avengers."

Ellie set the family notebook to the side and picked up the blank one, "What is…" Ellie trailed off and she saw an almost childish drawing of herself.

"Shit he never could draw," Steve said looking at it.

Ellie ran her fingers over the drawing and flipped through it to see others before his writing started after about ten pages of various drawings.

In large bold print, SHE MUST BE PROTECTED

Ellie bit her lip as she read his handwriting.

I hear her voice but I can never see her in my memories. Slowly she becomes cleared but never enough to know who she was but she was my angel. She meant so much to me, last night I had a dream, I was laying staring at a tent and we had a conversation about having a baby.

Ellie swallowed hard as she remembered that day as they were in their tent in Italy planning strategy.

"Would you quit that?" Ellie asked as she looked over the map and heard behind her,'thud', 'thud', 'thud' repeatedly as Bucky threw a can in the air and caught it one-handed.

Bucky looked over at her sitting at her desk, and turned to his side resting his head on his hand, "Someone is a cranky pants today."

Ellie sighed as she turned to look at him, "I started my cycle today."

Bucky laid back and looked at the top of the tent with a sigh, "Angel we have only been really trying to get pregnant for what? Three months?"

Ellie looked at her lap as she played with her fingers, "I just… this is supposed to be natural. Mom used to tell me that I needed to beware of the boys because we Gallagher's were child-rearing women. All Dad had to do was look at her and she was pregnant with Steve and then I came so soon after," Ellie told him sadly.

Bucky scoffed as he looked over at her, "You and I both know that is not how it happens."

Ellie blushed, "I know but… I feel like a failure as a woman."

"Hey! Don't you ever say that about yourself," Bucky said as he sat up, and set his feet on the ground, and took her hands in his, "I don't care if we have five kids or we have no kids. You are it for me, doll."

"Five kids?" Ellie asked in disbelief.

"Thought it would be a good number, as long as one of them looks like you," Bucky said with a grin as he kissed her pulling her into his lap.

Ellie wiped her eyes at the memory, "Buck wanted five kids."

Steve laughed, "Of course he did. He always wanted a big family with boys."

Ellie laughed, "Now he is having two girls."

She read through his journal as he recalled Dodgers' games with Steve, going fishing and how she accidentally hooked Steve. She smiled as he recalled her and Becca jumping rope and her curls swaying as she jumped.

"He remembered nearly every moment where he had to save your ass," Ellie told Steve flipping through the pages, "I'm surprised they didn't take up this whole book."

"He didn't have to step in that many times," Steve defended as he tried to organize the journals.

"Bullshit," Ellie said with a laugh, "I witnessed at least eight times."

She turned the pages in the journal to see some fragmented memories that she did not recall, more than likely people that looked similar to her and Steve on missions.

Ellie smiled as she saw an entry about corn on the cob, "It is amazing what little things stuck out to him when he was struggling with his memory the most."

Steve looked over at her, "What memory?"

Ellie looked over at him, "Remember the roasted corn man? That would go around with the cart selling corn?" Ellie asked with a grin.

Steve sat back, "God I forgot about that."

Ellie laughed, as she jumped over a puddle while Bucky held her hand.

He held her arm up and she spun around, her dress puffing out before coming back flat on her legs as she crashed onto his chest.

Ellie looked up at him through her eyelashes, "Hi," She said breathlessly.

Bucky leaned down and kissed her, "Hey gorgeous."

"Mmm," Ellie said with a smile against his lips, as he held her strong against him.

Bucky looked between them and laughed, "Was that your stomach?"

Ellie giggled, "Yes, I'm hungry. I have not had anything since lunch."

Bucky laced her fingers in his, and led her down the road, until she stopped, "What's wrong?"

She sniffed the air, "Do you smell that?"

Bucky shook his head and followed her, as she led him around the corner, "Ah it's the Roasted Corn Man."

After paying for two corn on the cobs, they found a bench and sat down. After the first bite, Ellie moaned as her tongue darted out of her mouth to lick the excess butter from her lips.

Bucky grinned, "That good?"

"Better than sex," Ellie told him with a wink.

Bucky leaned over and kissed a stray bubble of butter at the corner of her mouth, "Just because we haven't had sex yet."

Ellie swallowed hard as she looked deep into his eyes.

"Fuck," Ellie said fanning herself, "Did it just get really hot in here, or is that me?"

Steve laughed, "Still feels the same to me."

She flipped through a few more fragmented memories. Some seemed familiar, but more as if different parts of different memories were pieced together before stopping at a memory.

I fell asleep on the couch last night, woke up feeling as if someone should be with me. I could almost feel small, delicate fingers running through my hair and a perfume; I smelt it in the market once.

Ellie looked up from her book as she heard a key in the front door. It opened, squeaking on its hinges and Bucky came through.

"I need to oil that," Bucky said as he shut it behind him.

"Hey, how was work?" Ellie asked as he toed off his shoes then came over to the couch, to throw his body onto it then moved his head into her lap, "That bad?"

Bucky closed his eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair, "Two guys quit when they enlisted, means more hours but I'm so tired already."

"Then quit Buck, we can find something better," Ellie said looking down at him.

"It pays the best. I can deal with it," Bucky said as he closed his eyes.

Ellie sighed, "You shouldn't have to."

Bucky looked up at her with a smile, "I do it for you… and Steve, because you are my family."

Ellie leaned down and kissed his forehead.

Ellie sighed as she ran her hand over her face.

Steve put his arm around her shoulders, "You okay?"

Ellie nodded, "Just reading through all these… I really miss him."

Steve kissed the side of her head, "I know, I miss him too."

Ellie sighed, "Looking at all these moments that stood out to him when he was… lost… they seemed so insignificant at the time."

"Because you meant the world to him, El," Steve told her with a smile.


*~*~* December 20, 2018 – Esopus, New York *~*~*

Ellie was fighting with her eyelids as they all sat around watching a Christmas movie on television.

Steve looked over at her, "El, you need to get rest."

"No…" She said as she swallowed hard, "I…." She said as she yawned, "I'm fine."

"Come on," Steve said as he took her hand, "Let's get you to bed.

Ellie stood up and groaned, "I thought I was big as a whale before, but I think I'm definitely that way now."

"Night Ellie," Natasha said.

"Night," Ellie said with a yawn as she slowly waddled to her bedroom and with Steve's help laid down.

Steve covered her up after fluffing her pillow, "Need anything?"

Ellie took his hand, "Sit with me for a bit."

"Of course," Steve said as he sat on the edge and took her hand.

Ellie swallowed hard, "I'm scared," Ellie admitted, "They will be here soon and…"

Steve squeezed her hand, "Don't you worry. Bruce has the best medical equipment and monitors available. He has people who are certified and trained as well as Dr. Golden on call that we can trust," Steve told her, "You will all be fine. Now gets some rest."

Ellie sighed as she closed her eyes, "Thanks, Stevie."

"It's what I am here for," Steve told her.

Ellie's body relaxed after five minutes and Steve started to pull his hand away. She tightened her grip and her eyes snapped open, "Steve! Don't let them take my phoenix necklace off of me."

Steve frowned, "What?"

"I can't hold this much longer, my body here is too weak, just make sure please," Ellie told him.

"Of course," Steve told her noticing her sparkling eyes, "When are you visiting from?"

She grinned, "The future, love you, Stevie."

Steve watched her close her eyes and then she relaxed letting go of his hand, "Brat."


*~*~* December 22, 2018 – Esopus, New York *~*~*

Ellie sat on the couch smiling as she watched Grant play with a few larger cars that easily fit in his little hand.

"Oooom…. Ooom," He said as he pushed it around the carpet.

"Is that my Grandson I hear?"

Grant dropped his car, "Nana!"

Ellie watched him push himself up and run to Ramonda, who had just entered the room.

Ramonda picked him up and threw him into the air causing him to laugh.

"Mother, what are you doing here?" Ellie asked as she tried to push herself up.

"Don't you dare move. I am coming to visit for Christmas, but I hope I can stay until the twins are born," Ramonda said as she set Grant down who went back to his toys, "How are you feeling?"

"Achy, sore…" Ellie said with a tearful smile, "Shit and there go the tears again. My hormones are all over the place by the way."

Ramonda sat down next to her, and placed her hand on top of Ellie's as they sat on her belly, "You are allowed some tears."

"I'm scared Mom," Ellie told her as she bit her lip, "I…I'm not ready for them to come. If they come, that means Bucky won't be there for it."

"Look at me," Ramonda told her and Ellie looked up at her, "He is here in spirit… I feel him and I know you do too."

Ellie nodded, "I do. I've felt him since the beginning."

"He will be there, we won't be able to see him, but he will be there," Ramonda told her.

Grant flipped the car and looked at them, "Uh oh."

"I can't believe how big he is getting," Ramonda told her.

Ellie sighed, "It's so scary sometimes."

Ellie heard Bruce talking to someone, and looked over as a tall man with blue skin and blue hair, walked in the room with Bruce.

"Ellie, I want to introduce you to someone. This is Dr. Hank McCoy," Bruce introduces.

Ellie started to push herself up, "Don't get up, it is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Barnes," Hank said as he held out his hand and she shook it.

"Pleasure is all mine, Dr. McCoy," Ellie told him motioning towards the couch, "Have a seat."

Hank sat down and the red couch groaned, "Hopefully I don't break it."

"Please do, I hate that thing. Tony wouldn't let Pepper get rid of it when she bought the white one," Ellie joked, "Dr. McCoy, this is my mother Ramonda, queen of Wakanda."

Hank looked at her wide-eyed and stood up bowing, "I am sorry your highness."

"Sit, sit. I am not the queen here, I am the Grandmother to be," Ramonda told him with a smile.

"Ellie the reason that I brought Hank in is that I feel that we can learn more about how your powers work," Bruce explained.

"Bruce explained that you experienced a surge of power at the birth of your son, correct?" Hank asked.

Ellie nodded, "I knocked communications out for the whole area, not on purpose."

"If you are okay with it, I'd like to do some baseline tests and blood work before the birth and then monitor during your labor and some additional tests after," Hank told her.

"Look, Doctor-"

"Just call me Hank," He told her as he leaned forward, "I am here to get you the answers that you have been searching for. I am a doctor of biophysics. I study how cells communicate with each other and I also specialized in neuroscience to see how the brain and nervous system work. From everything that Bruce has told me, yours operates differently."

"What tests would you do?" Ellie asked him.

"Blood workup and I'd like to do a neuro study before, during, and after the birth. Not only to see how your body handles it but how your powers are affected," Hank told her.

"When do you want to do these tests?" Ellie asked rubbing her belly as one of the girls gave a sharp kick.

Hank looked at Bruce, "As soon as I unpack my equipment, I can bring it in here."

"Wait, I don't have to go to the lab?" Ellie asked surprised.

Hank shook his head, "No, I can do them from here. There is an outlet right next to you. Bruce can do the blood work. This first test is just the baseline. Bruce said that while you are pregnant you don't have access to your powers?"

Ellie nodded, "With Grant, he has…" Ellie trailed off as she bit her lip.

Hank got up and knelt in front of her, "You can trust me. Our findings are not going any farther than me and Bruce."

Ellie looked at Ramonda then at Hank, "Grant can shield and heal, and he projected his shielding abilities in the womb and blocked my abilities."

Hank looked at Grant then at her, "Bruce, did she get tested for the X-Gene?"

"She isn't a mutant, she received her powers from the Tesseract," Bruce told him.

Hank nodded as he stood up, "I'll go get my equipment, and I'll be back."

Ellie yawned, "Gosh I swear I just woke up."

"You need to get as much rest that you can," Ramonda told her, "Do you want to take a nap?"

Ellie looked at the clock, "No, not yet. I need to…." She said as she yawned again, "Stay up a little longer."

"You need to rest as much as you can before they come," Ramonda reminded her.

Ellie sighed, "I know but I just feel so lazy."

"You aren't lazy by any means, you are pregnant… with twins, there is a huge difference there," Ramonda reminded her.

Ellie bit her lip, "I guess I'll go take an hour nap. The girls are calm right now," Ellie said as she moved to the edge of the couch then got up, "FRIDAY let Bruce and Hank know that I am taking a nap."

"Yes Ellie," FRIDAY replied.


a/n3: Almost there! The girls are almost here! Thank you for everyone that read and reviewed last week! Here in the US, Covid is spiking horribly. Please remember, mask up, distance and wash your hands! It is not just about you and your family, but think of the little old lady down the street.

Thanks for the review: PrettyRecklessLaura


Preview of Chapter 97- Welcome Home You

Ellie growled as she pushed again with Ramonda counting, "Bucky! I need you here!"

"I'm here"

Ellie sobbed, "No I need you here for real."

Ellie felt a ghost of a kiss against her temple, "There are too many people."

"Fuck people, I need you," Ellie groaned.

"Who are you talking to?" Steve asked confused.