Chapter IV
Steve woke up from his nap, looking over to Natasha and Chloe who were both still sleeping. He'd come over to spend time with them and then they all ended up on Natasha's bed taking a nap. Chloe was in the middle, her side pressed against Natasha.
He brushed his hand over Natasha's cheek. She was a natural with Chloe, she would make such a great mom for her and he prayed that Natasha would realize that. Chloe and Natasha were meant for each other, and he hoped that he would be part of their little family. He hadn't seen kids in his future, but now after seeing Nat and Chloe together, he wanted to raise the little munchkin with Nat. He was already in love with the little one and he'd always loved Natasha. He couldn't remember a time where he hadn't loved her. He'd pictured his future just with Natasha in it, but now that he'd met her, he couldn't imagine their future without Chloe in it as well.
His phone buzzed in his pants pocket and he got it out to check it. It was a text from Buck.
Just met Walker in Germany and he's an asshole!
He sighed. No, he didn't want Walker to carry the shield. He wanted Sam to carry it, but he hadn't changed his mind yet and he knew that as a white man he'd never fully understand Sam's reasons to hesitate so much, and he couldn't really choose his successor right now. Not when it could cost Buck his freedom...
Natasha blinked her eyes open. "Hey." She murmured and smiled at him. "Good nap?"
"The best." He grinned back and took her hand to lace their fingers together. Chloe wiggled between them, but she wasn't waking up.
"Let me put Chloe into her crib." She whispered and picked the baby up. He watched her leave her bedroom before he got up as well. He followed her and watched how Natasha laid Chloe into her bed. They were both perfect. He wanted this so much. He'd lost Natasha and when he'd gotten her back against all odds, he'd known that he'd wasted enough time. He'd to act on his feelings and he finally did.
Natasha turned around and smiled a little surprised like she hadn't know that he'd been behind her. "Come here." He opened his arms and she came willingly into his embrace.
"This is nice." She mumbled into his Henley and he agreed wholeheartedly.
He lifted her chin to kiss her. Now that he knew what it was like to truly kiss her, he couldn't stop. Nothing more had happened between them yet, they'd only had diner date and he'd tagged along when Natasha took Chloe to Central Park, but she had to know that he was serious and that he wanted to experience everything with her.
"I'm all in, Nat."
He loved the happy smile on her face. "Me, too. This is it."
"Yes, it is." He kissed her again. "I'm never letting you go." He was rewarded with a beautiful smile and a bashful look in Natasha's eyes.
They made out on Natasha's couch until Chloe let them know that she was awake. Natasha pecked his lips a few times before she got up to get Chloe. She came back with the baby in her arms and his heart fluttered at the sight before him.
"Chloe's got a doctor's appointment later- she's fine, I hope. It just a regular check up, don't worry." She handed Chloe over to him and the baby nestled against his chest. God, she smelled so good. And she was so cute. "Do you want to come with us? If you have time?"
"Yes, I'd love to." He felt honored that Natasha included him so much. Chloe grabbed his thumb and his heart melted.
The pediatrician had been recommended by Pepper and she said that Chloe was perfectly healthy. He could see that Natasha was relieved by that. Afterwards they strolled through furniture stores to get inspiration for his house, even though it would take months until he could put furniture into the house, and he wondered not for the first time if Natasha knew that he'd bought the house for them. He wanted to live there with her, he'd picked the house and everything else with her in his mind. He looked at Chloe who was dozing in her stroller, now he wanted to live in that house with Natasha and Chloe. There was enough space for a kid. He could even put a swing in the garden for when Chloe was older.
Steve walked his girls home, kissed Chloe on her forehead and then gave Natasha a long kiss, having trouble to control himself when Natasha moaned softly into the kiss and ran her hands over his back.
"I should go." He breathed out. He went for another kiss.
"Yeah." She agreed and kissed him again. "I'm so happy right now."
"Me, too." He gave her one last kiss. "Goodnight, sweetheart."
She smiled shyly. "Goodnight, Steve."
Steve was burping Chloe after she'd had her lunch. Natasha had to run some errands and he was watching Chloe for her. He put her down for her nap in his living room and took the baby phone with him into the kitchen where he painted the cupboards in a deep blue. Natasha had liked the blue kitchen at one furniture store and he'd wanted to repaint the old kitchen cupboards anyway. He heard the front door open and knew that it was Bucky. He was the only one who had a key. He hoped he was in a better mood today.
"Hey. I see you got the baby today?" Bucky walked into the kitchen and dropped his leather jacket onto a kitchen chair.
"Nat has errands to run."
"Chloe's not really just her friend's baby, is she?"
"No." He wasn't going to tell Buck more. It wasn't his place.
"You're ready to be a dad?" Bucky joked and started to paint. "Never thought you'd want a blue kitchen."
"It's a nice color!"
"You're so predictable." Bucky chuckled. "I know why you chose that color. Same reason you've painted the hallway sage. Just tell her that you want to live here with her. Hope you got a room for the kid."
"We just started dating, I'm not asking her to move in!" He shook his head. He knew that he couldn't overwhelm Nat. She'd opened up a lot in the last years, but she was still Natasha. And he wasn't ready himself and he thought that he had still to prove Nat that he was there for her. He'd left her all alone after the Snap and he still felt guilty about it.
"What?" Buck yelled.
"Shh! Chloe's sleeping!"
"Right, sorry! What?" He whispered. "Since when?"
"Since last week."
"Wow. I'd never thought I'd see the day!"
"Thanks a lot." He replied sarcastically. But he was glad that Bucky wasn't talking about Walker.
"Walker is the worst. He's got something in his eyes that I don't like. He's...He's not a good man, Steve. He's not like you. Or Wilson."
"Bucky-" He sighed.
"I get that you want to live a normal life and I want you to have it. You got your house, your girl and apparently also a baby now. I want that all for you. But Walker carrying that shield is wrong! And I don't get why you and Sam just don't take it from him."
"I had no choice, Buck. I didn't own the shield as the government reminded me. And Sam doesn't want it. But Walker does, so this is happening."
"I hate that guy." Bucky grunted. "He's arrogant and too confident. Those Flag Smashers kicked his ass."
"Didn't they also kick yours and Sam's?" He joked.
"Haha, you try fighting someone on a moving truck. Not that easy!"
He chuckled and checked the baby phone and saw that Chloe was waking up. "Be right back." He left the kitchen and got Chloe out of her porta crib, she looked at him with big eyes and he pressed a kiss on top of her head.
Bucky came into the living room after Steve had changed Chloe's diaper. He was sure that it was no coincidence. "You wanna hold her?"
Bucky looked at the baby and then at him. "Are you sure? I'm not...well, I'm...you know."
He smiled at his best friend who'd looked after his little sister like she had been the apple of his eye. Steve knew that Buck was good with kids. He had been so good with Rebecca. "Of course. She loves to get cradled. Just support her head a little bit, she can't do it completely on her own yet. She's getting there though. And she might smile if you make silly faces. She loves that."
"You sound like a proud dad." Buck chuckled and stuck his tongue out at Chloe who reached her tiny hand out to Bucky. "Hi there, cutie."
The doorbell rang and Steve quickly got to the front door to let Natasha in. Her bright smile made his heart beat faster.
"Hey." She pecked his lips. "How's Chloe?"
"What am I? Chopped liver?" He joked and helped her out of her jacket. "She's good. Buck's with her right now."
She searched his eyes and he could see that she decided to trust Bucky with Chloe because he trusted him with the baby. "Okay."
Steve followed Nat into living room. "Hi, Barnes! Hey, Chloe." Chloe made a delighted sound, it looked like she recognized Nat's voice. She took the baby from Bucky and cuddled her. Chloe giggled when Nat blew a raspberry on her cheek.
"Oh my God! That's the first time she laughed, Steve!" Natasha exclaimed. "Can you laugh, babygirl? Can you do it again for me?"
"What? Really?"
He quickly moved over to Chloe and Nat. Natasha laid Chloe on the baby blanket and tried to get her to laugh again. He watched them, hoping Chloe would laugh again. Natasha started to tickle Chloe's tummy and she started to laugh! God, that was his new favorite sound in the world! Natasha squealed in delight which was also his new favorite sound in the world.
He saw out of the corner of his eye that Bucky had his leather jacket on and was about to leave. Steve got up from the floor and followed Bucky who was already at the door.
"Wait, you don't have to leave!"
"It's okay. You should have some privacy. This is a parent's moment." Bucky smiled a real, genuine smile. A smile that the old Bucky had often had on his face. "I'm so happy for you. You deserve this. I'm sorry I lashed out because of Walker. Take good care of your girls, Stevie."