DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE.
The rating of this story has CHANGED from T to M now, due to sexual content. Please bare this warning in mind if you decide to continue reading.
~0~0~0~0~0~
The cool breeze stirred Steve's hair slightly as he stood gazing out at the water stretching before him. His hands rested on the railing in front of him, supporting his weight. In front of him, a seagull swopped through the air, surveying the bridge for any tourists that would be willing to throw him a chip or two. Seagulls had a loud screech to them, but Steve barely heard it, as he lost himself in his thoughts.
A baby. He was having a baby. With his wife.
It had been a month since Natasha had first told him she was pregnant, and although they'd been to plenty of doctor appointments since to ensure that everything was okay, the fact that he was going to be a father was still sinking in. Of course, over the years of being with his wife, Steve had imagined being a dad. He could barely remember his own father and the role he'd had in his life.
Natasha's belly was starting to grow as the baby did inside her, and every time Steve saw it, he found himself staring at it in wonder. Every night before they went to bed, he'd nestle between Natasha's legs and speak to the bump, with Natasha stroking her fingers through her hair lovingly and laughing softly at what he said. Moments like that were precious to both of them, a chance to settle down at the end of a long day as a family. One day, soon enough, the bump would become a tiny little baby, wrapped in it's mothers arms. Every time Steve thought about that, his emotions were raw enough to make his eyes tear up.
His eyes fixed on the surface of the water as it reflected the setting sun. He had been on his way home after a late evening at the headquarters, when he'd pulled his motorbike up to the side and decided to watch the sunset.
Would he be a good father? He didn't really have much experience with children, apart from the times he'd spent at the farmhouse with the Bartons. He'd adored the three of them greatly, but it would certainly be different with his own child.
As if summoned by his wondering mind, his phone rang and his wife's name appeared on the screen when he checked it. The corner of his lips twitched upwards as he answered it, placing the phone to his ear. "Hey, sweetheart."
"Hey, stranger. Where are you?" Natasha's voice soothed him instantly, and he closed his eyes to drink in her the sound of her. In his mind, he could picture her walking around their home with a hand resting on her bump. It was a small bump, as she was only ten weeks along, but with Natasha's tiny frame it still stuck out considerably in comparison to the rest of her. She always cradled it protectively with one hand, when Steve's own hands weren't against it as he spoke to the baby.
"I'm on my way home," He assured her.
"You okay?" She knew him too well.
"Just thinking," He didn't want to worry her, especially when what was happening was certainly a miracle that the two of them had never believed to be possible. "I'm always thinking about you, Nat."
She exhaled softly. "Well, why don't you come home and I'll show you how much I've missed you today? I hate it when you're at work without me."
He could hear the pout that would no doubt be on her lips right now, so he chuckled. "I know, I missed you too." Natasha wasn't due to go onto maternity leave until the final months of her pregnancy, but Fury had insisted that she lessened her days. She went to work four days out of the week, which she'd grumbled about at first, but when she realised there would be no budging from either her husband or the Director, she'd given in. Wanda assisted her in her lessons now, taking on the more physical sides of things, which Steve would be eternally grateful for. He had no doubt, however, that when this was all over, Natasha was going to kick his ass for fussing over her so much.
"Can we have pizza tonight?" Natasha asked him. "I'm craving pepperoni and peppers."
Natasha's cravings could go from normal requests to extreme ones that had Steve gagging whenever he prepared them for her. But, no matter what, he always ensured she had what she wanted, if even it meant him getting out of bed at midnight to rush to the nearest store. Natasha wasn't too emotional yet, but he had done enough reading to know that he had to prepare himself for when she became sensitive and easily irritated. He was determined to do everything he could to make this pregnancy easier for her.
"We can have whatever you want, Nat." He promised. "I'll pick up some ice-cream on the way home."
"Mint chic-chip please!" She requested. "You're the best, baby. I love you."
His smile spread so widely that his jaw ached slightly. "I love you. I'll be home soon."
Placing his phone back in his pocket, Steve took one last look across the water, to the setting sun. He took a deep breath before turning, smiling to himself as he mounted his motorbike and drove home to his family.
~0~0~0~0~0~
Natasha liked her doctor, Dr Ellison, very much. Of course, she'd done an extensive background check as soon as she'd known who would be assigned to her, but that was just old habits that refused to die. Besides, as soon as she'd been introduced to the kind-hearted doctor, Natasha had instantly decided that she couldn't be in better hands.
Lying on the surprisingly comfortable chair, ready for her scan, Natasha fidgeted with excitement. Sometimes, when she woke up in the mornings, she convinced herself that it had all been a dream, until she felt her belly and ran her hands over the bump she absolutely adored. The realisation that all this really was happening often made her cry. She just couldn't believe that all this was happening.
She glanced over to her husband, who had been pacing around the room for the last five minutes as they waited for Dr Ellison to join them. Unable to help herself, Natasha laughed. "Steve," She held her hand out to him. "Come and give me a kiss." His brow was so furrowed that she was worried his beautiful face would be permanently creased.
He moved to her side, taking her hand in his and leaning down to kiss her. She hummed in approval as his lips slanted over hers, slowly claiming her mouth. With her hormones all over the place, her desire for her husband was often through the roof, more so than Natasha could control. If it wasn't for the fact she knew the doctor was on her way, Natasha would have quiet happily pulled her husband over onto her body and demanded that he had his way with her right there.
Steve softened into the kiss, which had been her main goal all along. "You okay?" He asked gently when he pulled away, his blue eyes scanning her face.
"I think I should be the one asking that question," She pointed out with a grin. "You look ready to combust. You can't back out on me now, Steve." She'd meant it as a joke, however she saw how the look on his face changed. Steve was worried, she could sense that. Worried that he wasn't going to be the father he wanted to be. It didn't matter how many times Natasha reassured him that he was perfect for her and their child, she knew it kept him awake at night. So, she took his hand and pressed it to her rounded stomach. "Someone wants to talk to you."
Her husband relaxed automatically, his thumb brushing over the hospital gown covering her bump. He positioned himself slightly differently, still holding her hand, so his lips were close to her belly as he spoke, "Hey, Bean. Mummy thinks that Daddy is being overbearing again." When Natasha smacked the back of his head affectionately, he looked up and winked at her. "Daddy can't help it, little one. I'm just so excited to see you. I love you, Bean."
'Bean' had quickly become the chosen nickname for the baby, as both Natasha and Steve hated to refer to the bump as 'it', whilst they didn't know the gender. Today, things would change, but the name Bean would stick regardless of the gender, right up until the baby was born. They'd discussed names briefly, normally when their friends were round and prying, but it had been agreed that they'd wait until the birth, until they saw their baby with their own eyes and the right name would click into place.
It still seemed impossible that a baby was growing inside her. Whenever she saw her reflection in the mirror, she'd pause, completely taken away by her growing belly. She adored her bump, protecting it wherever she went. Wanda often told her that she was glowing, and Natasha believed that. For so long, having a baby of her own had been impossible. A dream that would often leave her feeling miserable whenever she came back to reality. The fact that there really was a baby inside her now still caught her off guard. It was also part of the reason why she came for weekly checks - upon her own insistence as well as Steve and Fury's. The SHIELD Director had taken Natasha's pregnancy very seriously. He'd cried when they'd told him in his office, a few days after Natasha had told Steve and they'd had the weekend to fully embrace what was happening.
As she watched and listened to her husband talking to their baby, Natasha felt fresh tears prickling at her eyes. They were just so precious, both of them. They were her entire world. Her perfect family that she'd never thought she'd ever be blessed with.
When Dr Ellison joined them, she quickly asked Natasha a few basic questions; how she was feeling, how things were going, how she was adapting. Natasha answered everything with complete honesty, admitting that there were days where her body ached, but that every single night she went to bed feeling on top of the world, and that every morning she couldn't believe what was happening. Dr Ellison listened to her with a smile, and then checked in on Steve, who was now settled in the seat at Natasha's side, still holding her hand.
Natasha gasped when the cold liquid was finally smeared over her bump, but her eyes locked onto the screen. When Dr Ellison pointed out their baby, Natasha's breath caught, as it did every single time. It never got old; seeing their baby on the screen, with their own eyes. Beside her, she could tell that Steve feeling the exact same way; overwhelmed, enchanted, impossibly happy.
"Everything is looking good," Dr Ellison reported, and both Natasha and Steve breathed out in relief. "Well, congratulations you two, you're going to have a boy."
When she turned and saw the tears of happiness and pride running down her husbands face, Natasha let her own tears fall.
~0~0~0~0~0~
"Nat, everything okay in there?" Steve asked, his fingers working to sort out his tie as he stepped into the bedroom. It was empty, but he heard a frustrated noise from the adjoining bathroom and followed it. He found his wife stood leaning against the sink, huffing. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"
"My dress doesn't fit." She pouted.
Raising an eyebrow, he said, "Well, you are growing a baby inside you. Is it all that surprising?"
The glare she sent him made him instantly regret trying to tease. "I like this dress, Steve. It makes me feel sexy. I wanted to wear it tonight, and now I can't, because it doesn't fit."
"You're sexy in anything you wear, Nat." He told her, approaching her so he could place his hands on her hips and kiss her neck. Her hair was up in a stylish bun, leaving the skin of her throat exposed to his mouth. "And in absolutely nothing,"
She didn't lean back against him like usual. Instead, she kept looking at herself in the mirror, her teeth biting into her bottom lip. "I just wanted to look nice, for you."
It was their anniversary, and Natasha had already booked a table at a restaurant, even though Steve would have been perfectly content staying in with a take-away, watching a film. When he'd voiced this suggestion, however, his wife had gone off in a spiral about how they didn't spend nearly enough time doing romantic, normal things like every other couple did. He'd agreed to the dinner, on the compromise that they'd pick up dessert on the way home and eat it on the couch. He had plans that involved his wife and chocolate sauce that were too good to miss out on.
The slight tremble in his wife's words just now startled him. Natasha had always been a confident woman, and she knew she was sexy, which just made her even more alluring to any man who looked at her. Right now, though, she was looking at herself in the mirror as if she didn't like what she was seeing, and he couldn't let that happen.
"Take it off, Nat." He whispered against her ear.
She huffed. "Gladly," She shrugged the material off her shoulders and let it drop down her body, pooling at her feet.
His hands sneaked around to her front, going instantly to her breasts. They were always so sensitive because of the pregnancy, so she instantly arched into his touch. He stepped closer, pressing her gently into the counter so she was trapped between that and his body. Already, he was rock solid for her, so having her in front of him in lacy underwear was driving him insane. But, this wasn't about him.
"Steve, what are you doing?" She breathed out.
"Reminding you that you are sexy," He informed her, as his teeth dragged over her shoulder.
"We have dinner-"
When he bit down on her earlobe, he successfully silenced her feeble protest. "In an hour," He reminded her, nuzzling against her pulse point before he sucked on it. Hard. Natasha gasped, her backside pressing against him. With one hand continuing to kneed her breast, he let the other one drop down to her panties, slipping underneath. Her legs instantly parted as his fingers brushed against her folds. "You're so wet for me, Nat."
"Always," She said, which wasn't a lie. She was constantly horny at the moment, something that he had no complaints about, even if some nights she absolutely exhausted him. Still, giving his wife pleasure was something he had always taken seriously, and the fact she wanted him so badly still left him speechless at times.
"You feel that, sweetheart?" He breathed against her neck as his fingers curled inside her, stroking and exploring everything that they could reach. Her sleekness coated them, making it easier for him to bury even deeper inside her, and when she lifted her hips and angled herself, he could hit that sweet spot that sent her crazy.
Natasha's head was thrown back onto his shoulder, her hands tightening their grip on the counter in front of her. "Oh, God. Steve, don't stop. Never stop."
"Watch us, Nat." He ordered. "Watch yourself grind against my hand." Her eyes opened slightly, looking down at the mirror to where his hand was between her legs. "How could you ever think you weren't sexy, Nat? You're the sexiest woman on this planet." He bit her shoulder, light enough that she could feel the pressure of his teeth without actually harming her. "You drive me crazy. Tell me what you want, Nat."
"You." She gasped out, moving her hips to ride his hand. "I'm so close, Steve."
He let her ride herself to her orgasm, feeling her inner walls clench greedily around his fingers. He thrusted inside her slowly, riding out her pleasure, ignoring how painfully hard he was. As the final waves of her release washed through her, Steve removed his fingers from her and cleaned them with his tongue, humming in approval.
Natasha slummed back against him. "You're so hot when you do that." She told him breathlessly.
He growled lowly. "Oh, I'm not done with you yet." He assured her, and just before she could ask him what he meant, he grabbed her waist, spun her round and lifted her up, placing her ass on the edge of the counter. His lips enclosed around one of her nipples, sucking it into his mouth as his hand played with the other, twirling the little bud between his fingers.
Natasha's hands flew to his hair, gripping and twisting and pulling in a way that always turned him on. He was so close to combusting right there and then, but he held off, as he released her breast from his mouth and kissed his way down over her rounded stomach.
"You carrying my child is the sexist sight in the entire world." He told her, as his mouth covered her belly in kisses.
Her hand stroked down his neck, showing she appreciated his comment. "You're such a caveman sometimes."
"Don't you know it." He encircled her waist with his arms, pushing her even closer, just as his mouth descended on her. Soaked from her recent orgasm, Natasha was incredible sensitive, so he steadied himself. As much as he wanted nothing more than to devour her until she was seeing stars, he knew he could get her there by being gentle.
"Steve!" Natasha's cry filled the room, thick with desire and desperate need.
His tongue licked through her folds, coated by her delicious juices. He pushed inside her, the taste of her dancing across his tastebuds. He knew exactly what she liked, what had her whimpering and moaning, what helped her chase her orgasm. He used every trick in the book to help her reach that second release, even as her body writhed above him and she clutched at the back of his neck with her nails. There was nothing in this world that could compare to Natasha, especially when she let go like this.
Then, when his wife hooked her legs over his shoulders on her own accord and squeezed his head with her thighs, Steve almost came in his pants. He refused to let his body find that relief, too focused on Natasha to give himself that chance. She would always be his top priority, no matter what they were doing. He wanted to remind her that she was loved, that he cherished her and wanted her no matter what.
"You're so good at this," Natasha bit out. He didn't have to look to know that she looked like a fallen angel, but he still looked through his eyelashes, unable to resist watching her. Her head was thrown back, her back arched, her beautiful breasts bouncing as she raised her hips to meet his mouth.
She came with a loud moan that seemed to shake the room, her nails drawing patterns over his shoulders. When she got her breath back, she looked down at him and demanded, "Why the fuck are you still dressed?"
He chuckled. "Such a dirty mouth, Mrs Rogers." He commented. "We have dinner reservations, remember?"
Her eyes drank in the sight of him, as he was still knelt between her legs, her thighs cushioning his face even though their grip had lessened greatly. "Please, baby. I need you."
Whether it was the darkness to her emerald eyes, or the pouting on her beautiful lips, or just because of how badly he wanted her, Steve gave in. He'd always give in. He gently bit at her inner thigh before lifting her legs off his shoulders, standing up in between them as she sat on the edge of the counter, watching him with a smug grin on her face.
Kissing it off her mouth, he lined himself up and lifted to enter her, his hands steering her waist closer to make it easier. Their dinner reservations left his mind completely the second he was inside her, right up to the hilt, her walls clenching around him. All he cared about in that moment was making her feel good, giving them both the pleasure they could only find from one another. His love for her crushed him, but in the most pleasant of ways. His blood roared through his veins, his body desperate to feel every inch of her. He picked her up, remaining inside her, as he carried her to the bedroom and placed her loving in the sheets.
"I'm going to make to you, Nat." He whispered kissing along her jaw as he started to move in and out of her. "I'm going to make love to you, and then we're going to go to dinner, and then come back and spend the rest of the evening in this bed."
She purred, claiming his lips in a hot, wet kiss. "Sounds perfect." Every negative thought she'd been thinking about herself had been successfully wiped from her brain, and Steve knew he'd do everything to keep her from feeling that way again.
As his hips continued to roll into hers, Steve lost himself in his wife, and looked forward to doing all this again later, with chocolate sauce. He knew Natasha would have no complaints whatsoever.
~0~0~0~0~0~
"Steve?" Natasha's whisper found him through the dark room. There was a slight tremble to him that had him instantly opening his eyes, leaving his dream behind him as he rolled over. "I'm scared."
His arms automatically went around her. Although Natasha had always fallen asleep in his arms, with the current heat of night and her belly, she got warmer easier, even with a fan aimed directly at her to keep her cool. He easily pulled her into him, hugging her snug against him. "Scared of what, love?"
"Everything," Natasha admitted. "Giving birth. Becoming a mother. What if I'm terrible at it?"
He nuzzled against her bare shoulder, his hands moving to join hers on her round belly, cupping it. Even with his larger hands, the bump was huge. There was only a few weeks between them and the due date, and it was all very surreal. He couldn't blame Natasha for being worried. Hell, he thought about it every single day, and often found himself concerned that he had no idea what he was doing.
"Listen to me, sweetheart." He said gently, her back leaning against his chest, seeking physical comfort. "This is going to be new for both of us, but we have people who will advise us and help us with whatever we need." Pepper and Laura had both been besides themselves with joy when they'd found out about Natasha's pregnancy, and their offers had been greatly appreciated. Bucky, Sam and Wanda had also pledged to do whatever they could, but they didn't have the experience to back it up, although that didn't mean that their help wouldn't also be greatly received. Anything that made things easier on Nat.
He stroked her stomach. "Little Bean is going to be so loved. He's never going to spend a single day without knowing how important and special he is, how blessed we are to have him. No matter what happens, we're going to be okay. We're doing this, together. One day, we'll wonder why we were even scared in the first place."
The tension slowly left her body. "I just...I want to be good enough, for him. I want to be everything that he's going to ever need."
"You will be, by just being you." Steve reassured her. "It's natural that we're feeling like this, but we're going to be okay."
She sighed gently. "We've faced alien invasions and psychotic robots, and yet a raising a child seems so daunting."
He chuckled. "We're going to make mistakes along the way, Nat. That's normal, and to be expected. But, we'll figure it out. I know that our baby could not have found a better mother, one whose going to protect him so fiercely and love him with her entire heart."
Gently, her own hand brushed over her bump, her pink finger knocking slightly against his. He covered her hand with his own, their fingers interlocking. "I can't wait to meet him."
"Not long to go now," The pregnancy had certainly been rocky at times, but they'd gotten through every bump, every temper or emotional imbalance, every strange craving. It had all been worth it, for moments like this, when they were all together, when Natasha was open and honest about everything she was feeling without guarding her heart. Although it seemed impossible, Steve fell in love with her more every single day, even after all this time.
"I can't wait to meet him." Natasha whispered, and despite the darkness, Steve knew every line and curve of her face, making it easy for him to picture her expression; filled with hope, but her eyes sparkling with slight nerves. Nerves that wouldn't go away until she held her baby in her arms.
"Me either," He reached over to kiss the corner of her lips. "I love you, Nat."
She turned onto her back and nestled into him, their hands still interlocked over her belly. "I love you so much."
~0~0~0~0~0~
"I hate you!" Natasha screamed, as pain crippled her entire body and her eyes scrunched slightly shut. God, she'd been shot at, kicked, punched, slammed into solid walls, and yet nothing could ever compare to the intense, searing pain that was overwhelming her in that very moment. Sweat coated her brow. "You did this to me! You just couldn't - ah! - keep it in your pants, could you?"
Beside her, Steve's eyes widened ever so slightly, but he didn't drop her hand or move away from her. He hadn't left her side since her contractions had started, jolting her out of bed at four in the morning. He'd called Sam, and Sam had driven them to the hospital, ignoring Natasha's cursing all the way there. He didn't once make a comment, which wasn't like him at all, but then again, Sam was quite smart.
"You're doing excellently, sweetheart." Steve reassured her, even though it was obvious that he had no idea what to do to make her feel better. There was nothing he could do, and she could see how much that pained him, the fact he couldn't share this with her. All he could do was hold her hand.
She gripped at it tightly, probably a little too tightly, but she didn't care. "I can't do this." Horror and fear started to grip at her, as the pain continued. It had started off as a discomfort, and now it was utterly unbearable.
"You can, Nat. Just, breathe for me." Steve encouraged.
"Breathe? You think breathing is going to help?" She practically screamed. Later on, she'd apologise to the poor nurses that were moving around the room, that had to listen to her outbursts. Right now, however, she barely noticed them.
"Dr Ellison will be here soon," Steve reminded her.
Natasha's entire body shook as another contraction raked through her. "It hurts, Steve." She whimpered.
"I know, baby." He kissed her sweaty temple, his spare hand brushing her hair away from her neck. "I know, but you can do this. I know you can."
"What if I can't?" Her due date wasn't for another few days, so the fact she was early terrified her, even though she'd been reassured by her doctor that a few days wasn't much of a bracket. A due date was only a scientific guess, at the end of the day. Natasha had gone to constantly check ups and nothing bad had flared up in the scans, yet she was still scared that something would happen, that she wouldn't be able to help her baby.
"You can, and you will, because you're you."
She snorted. "Couldn't come up with something a little more empowering, ace?" She snapped, and then instantly regretted it. Her husband was just as lost and scared as she was, even though he was trying to hold himself together for her sake. "I'm sorry."
But, Steve chuckled. He'd grown accustomed to her temper over their years together, and especially over the last few months when she'd been unpredictable. There had been times where she'd picked a fight with him over the smallest of inconveniences, baiting him and riling him up, and then demanding that he fucked her before bursting out into tears because she loved him so much. Steve had been her rock through all of this.
Dr Ellison entered the room with her usual pose and grace, looking utterly unfazed by what was waiting for her; a sweaty, teary Natasha. Then again, the doctor had spent decades doing her job and was a specialist in her field, so this was just part of her usual day. She settled down between Natasha's legs. "Ready to meet your baby?" She asked them both.
There was something about the way she spoke, with such smooth calmness, that made Natasha release her death-grip on her husbands hand slightly. Relief washed through her at the fact their doctor was finally with them, and then it made her realise just how close she was to giving birth, and fear clawed at her again.
Sensing this instantly, Steve kissed her temple again.
"How much is this going to hurt, Doc?" Natasha gasped out. She'd read pretty much every book on pregnancy that she could find, and she'd hounded Laura and Pepper until they'd admitted how much the labour side of things sucked. Still, somehow, she hadn't imagined it would be quite this bad, and this wasn't even the end.
Dr Ellison offered her a small, sympathetic smile. "It'll be over before you know it. Your baby is waiting to meet you."
Their baby. Their son. Someone they'd been waiting to meet for nine months, and someone who they never thought would even be possible.
Filled with newly found courage and determination, Natasha nodded. "Okay,"
Steve kissed her one last time, squeezing her hand. "I'm with you," He whispered.
"Alright, Natasha," Dr Ellison said. "When I say 'push', give it everything you've got."
~0~0~0~0~0~
"Stevie?" Bucky was instantly on his feet, something close to panic flashing across his face as he took in the sight of his best friend.
Steve felt drained, which seemed slightly unfair, considering he hadn't really done much in there. But, it wasn't a tiredness from exhaustion, but simply because his brain was trying to keep up with what had just happened in that room. The miracle that Natasha had brought into their lives.
Their son was utterly perfect. Steve had started crying the instant his first little wails sounded, and then Natasha had started as well. Even when the nurses took the baby, cleaned him up and wrapped him in a blanket of the softest material in the world, neither Steve or Natasha could quite believe it. It took all the will-power he had to leave his wife and child in that room, after thirty minutes of sitting on the bed with her while the baby was nestled against her chest, but Steve knew that Bucky would want to see his godson, as would Sam and Wanda.
"He's here." Steve's voice didn't seem to belong to him, as he gazed at his friends who were all waiting, holding their breaths. "Would you like to see him?"
The three of them nodded, as words were lost to them. Steve led them into the room, instantly rejoining Natasha on the bed. Her head dropped to his shoulder. She was utterly exhausted, and yet the smile on her face was so radiant that he had almost dropped to his knees on his way back to her. His wife was the most amazing, incredible person he'd ever met. She'd brought their son into this world, and Steve would never not be completely in awe of her.
Watching her go through all that pain had been the hardest thing he'd had to do. He'd felt utterly powerless, holding onto her hand for dear life as she kept screaming and crying through every push. When it was over, she'd slumped back onto the bed, covered in sweat, her chest fighting for breath. He'd kissed her forehead, her nose, her cheeks, thanking her over and over again. I love you. Thank you. I love you. Thank you. It hadn't seemed enough. Nothing would ever be enough, for what she'd just done for them.
Now, as she settled into his side, his wife seemed effortlessly joyfully. Her skin was glowing, her hair up in a messy bun, a thin sheet covering her body. The baby had fed instantly, and the nurse had made a humorous comment about his appetite, saying it was quite fitting considering he'd been a big baby for Nat to have to push out. Natasha had laughed, holding him close to her in the cradle of her arms, a look of eternal love on her face.
"Oh," Wanda gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth the second she spotted the baby in Natasha's arms. Tears welled up in her eyes, and even Sam and Bucky looked like they were doing their best to hold back their own emotions. That meant a lot to Steve, to see his friends so happy for him and Nat. Bucky, Sam and Wanda had become family over the past few months.
Natasha turned her beaming face to their friends. "Everyone," She said gently, even as their baby continued to sleep. "Say hello to little Archie."
~0~0~0~0~0~
Okay, first off, I'm so sorry with how long this chapter took to upload.
I'll admit, I've been far too busy reading. I lost myself in A Court of Silver Flames, and then straight away I dived into Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare which I've waited an entire year to read, and which has now left me heartbroken and desperate for the next one!
Anyways, I debated what to do with Natasha's pregnancy for a long time, but because I don't have any person experience on this sort of thing and certainly don't know an awful lot about it, I decided to just do a few short paragraphs over the timeline of her pregnancy. I wanted to show case how they were both feeling about it without the chapter going on forever.
Next off, the baby name. At first, when I was half-way through this story, I decided it was going to be a boy. Then, I started researching girls names, looking at particular meanings etc. But, then I decided I wanted them to have a little boy.
The name was a hard decision. I know in the comics, he was named James, after Bucky, and at first I was going to make that his first name. Then, I didn't quite know how I was going to work that into this particular story, as Bucky is a very big part of their lives now after the final battle. I wanted to name him after Clint, but the name just didn't suit the idea of him that I had in my head. So, he's named Archie, a little inside joke between Natasha and Steve because Clint had been an archer. I decided that Natasha would want to give Clint's children the chance to name their sons after him, sometime in the future, so this was a happy medium that I reached. I quite like his name, so I hope you understand why I chose it.
Anyways, the chapter that follows is going to be an Epilogue of sorts, that will tie in this story and be the final addition. It'll include lots of fluffy moments between our favourite couple and their new family, and also show how their lives have adapted and developed.
Lots of love,
- E x