Chapter XVI
Steve didn't need a lot of sleep. He was sure Chloe wouldn't need a lot of sleep either once she was fully grown. Right now Steve couldn't sleep and he didn't want to. He was on high alert and his mind was racing. His family was in danger and it was his job to protect his girls.
Steve had always hated killing, but last night he'd had no problem to eliminate the threat to his daughter. And he would do it again. Even if it meant that he had to take out Sharon Carter. He didn't like it because of Peggy, but in the end it didn't matter. Peggy didn't compare to what Natasha and Chloe meant to him. He wasn't going to spare Sharon because of Peggy. I'm sorry, Peg.
Steve could hear the change in Chloe's breathing and knew that she was going to wake up soon. He gently entangled himself from Natasha and rolled her onto her side. She needed to get as much sleep as possible. He got out of bed and lifted a slowly waking Chloe out of her porta crib that was next to their bed. He kissed her cheek and went with her upstairs to change her diaper and to feed her. He quietly talked to her, telling her about how he'd met Natasha and fell over the years more and more in love with her, to stimulate her brain development. He knew that she had no idea what he was talking about, but she watched him closely, making her own cute little sounds.
He finally understood how much his mother had loved him. And how much she had worried about him. He hoped that somehow Sarah Rogers knew that he was finally home. That she didn't have to worry about him anymore. But now as a father, he knew that a parent would always worry about their child.
"Let's check on your mommy, okay?" He got up and went back downstairs. Chloe spotted her still sleeping mother on the sofa bed and tried to get out of his arms to get to her. He chuckled and let her down next to Natasha. Chloe did a move that reminded him of a seal on a beach to get closer to her mommy. It took her some effort, but she managed to get closer. Her hand reached out to Natasha and she placed it onto her mother's cheek.
"Hm?" Natasha blinked her eyes open. "Oh, hey, sweet girl." She pulled Chloe into her arms. "Good... afternoon?" She gave him a questioning look.
"Yeah, it's two pm." He confirmed and kissed Natasha. "Hey, slept well?"
"No." She buried her face into Chloe's baby fluffy hair. "But I feel more rested."
"Chloe did her first try at crawling." He told her to distract her from the Damocles' sword above their heads.
"What? Noooo! And I missed it!"
"She did it to get closer to you. She'll do it again. You're her favorite. It happened too quick to grab my phone." Natasha's smile vanished. Her eyes widened. "What? What's wrong?"
"It's my fault that she knows." Natasha whispered, tears clouding her green eyes. "I'm so sorry, baby girl." She hugged Chloe closer to her. "I'm so sorry, Steve!"
"What are you talking about?" He had no clue what was going on. "Of course it's not your fault!"
"Yes, it is! I sent a video of you and Chloe to Sam! I'm sure that Sharon bugged his phone when he was in Madripoor! God, it's my fault that she knows that we have Chloe!" She cried out and Steve quickly pulled her into his arms. "I'm so sorry, Steve! I didn't think...I should have known..."
"Sshh, it's not your fault!" He used his thumb to brush her tears away, but new ones immediately followed. "It is not your fault, sweetheart! Everything that happened is only Sharon's fault!" Chloe's hand moved to Natasha's face and she tried to copy how Steve had brushed Natasha's tears away. Natasha smiled weakly at her baby girl.
"Look at me, Nat." She did. "It is not your fault!" He assured her. It wasn't her fault. Not at all.
She nodded. "It is not my fault." Chloe's hand patted her jaw and Natasha made a sound that was a mix between a laugh and a cry.
"You did nothing wrong. You're an amazing mom." He titled her head gently to kiss her. She tasted like Natasha and salty tears. "Chloe and I are so incredibly lucky that we have you."
Her beautiful smile lit up his world. She was his entire world. And he hated it that Sharon and her people were putting Natasha through hell. She deserved to enjoy the first months of motherhood in peace.
"Do you need more sleep, sweetheart?"
She shook her head before she rested her forehead against Chloe's who cooed at her mommy.
"I'll get in contact with Yelena and Clint. At least with those two, I know that Sharon hasn't bugged them." She lifted Chloe up and placed her into Steve's arms. "Be good to your daddy, sweet girl." Natasha kissed him sweetly and then got off the bed.
Steve reached out to grab her arm and pulled her into another kiss. He felt Natasha's smile against his lips. "It's not you fault!"
"I know."
And this time he believed her.
"Ugh, no Yelena, that's not what I meant!" Natasha rolled her eyes. "Make sure that Sam ditches his phone as soon as you meet up with them. I'm not sure if Sharon dared to bug Bucky's as well. He probably would have noticed it. We need to move fast."
Steve and Chloe were on the sofa, watching Natasha talk to her sister to let her know that Sharon was most likely the Power Broker. Chloe sat on his lap and searched for his hand until he held it in front of her and she grabbed it and started to gnaw on his finger. Natasha was right, it looked like Chloe would start teething soon. Well, at least she didn't have any teeth yet so it didn't really hurt when she nibbled on his skin. They had to get something for her gums. He was sure there was some kind of medicine to help babies with that. He'd imagine that her gums would start to hurt as soon as her teeth were breaking through.
"I will. Be careful, Leni. And hurry up in finding them. I don't like you being out there alone." Natasha said softly into the phone. "Jesus, keep it in your pants! Yeah, love you too, you menace!"
She ended the call with a laugh and Steve was grateful to Yelena for cheering up Nat a little bit.
Natasha joined them on the couch and Chloe immediately let go of Steve's hand and made grabby hands for Natasha. He laughed and handed her over to her mommy.
"I think you're right that she'll start to teeth soon. Is that normal for her age or too soon?"
"There's no right age if I remember correctly. Some babies are even already born with teeth."
Steve made a face. "That's kinda creepy."
"Yeah, it is." She laughed.
"So, what did Yelena say?"
"She's not too shocked that Sharon could be the Power Broker and is going to track down Sam and Bucky to warn them. And to take them to Madripoor."
"And why she is a menace?"
Natasha snorted and Chloe made big eyes at her mommy who booped her nose."She wants to bang Sam or Bucky. Or both."
"Oh, okay..." Weren't they too old for her?!
"She's joking. Mostly. She probably wouldn't turn down either of them for a quick romp between the sheets, but let's face it, they're too old for her. They're not her type."
He laughed. "She would drive either of them insane. It would be kinda funny." He wrapped an arm around his girl. "I'm older than you."
"We're around the same age biologically. And you slept through almost 70 years of your life. It's not like you have 70 years more of experience. That would have turned me off. We're fine."
"So you won't leave me for someone younger?" He joked and Natasha rolled her eyes before she pecked his lips.
It was late at the night and Chloe was sleeping between her parents. They were all cuddled together on the sofa bed. Natasha had an actual bed upstairs, but it was too risky to be out in the open. Clint had offered them to come to his farm, but it was possible that Sharon knew where it was. They couldn't risk it. Steve knew that they would have to leave soon to go after Sharon before she managed to ambush them again, but it was soo hard. They still didn't know what to do with Chloe while they were going to hunt down Sharon. They couldn't take Chloe with them, and there weren't many options about who could watch her. So far, their only hope was that Pepper and her security team and system would help them. Steve was sure that she would do it, but he didn't want to put Pepper and Morgan in danger.
Natasha gently traced her finger over Chloe's forehead, nose and jaw. "She's so perfect."
"Just like you." He whispered softly.
"Charmer." She rested her hand on Chloe's tummy and Steve moved his to cover hers. "We need to get to Madripoor before Sharon can leave. Or before she figures our that we know that she's the Power Broker."
"I know." He took a deep breath. They had to take down Sharon and her empire. They had to destroy everything that could put Chloe in danger.
"Pepper is our best chance at keeping Chloe safe while we're away. I'm sure she'll look after her. Sharon can't get to Chloe if she's protected by Stark Industries."
Natasha was right, but just like him, she didn't want to actually leave Chloe behind. He could see it in the longing way she was looking at their daughter.
"We need Buck, Sam and Yelena as back up."
"It will only take a few hours until Yelena knows where Sam and Bucky are. She was trained by me after all. And I'll ask Clint to come to New York to help keep Chloe safe. I know that he'll do it."
Steve looked down at Chloe was smiling in her sleep. The sooner they could leave for Madripoor, the sooner they could end this nightmare.
"Are you ready to face Sharon, Steve?" Natasha asked him softly. "I know that she's not Peggy, but it still has to be hard for you."
"Yes, I am ready. No one hurts our baby, Nat. I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe." He promised her fiercely. "I will always chose you and Chloe over anyone and anything."
Natasha leaned over Chloe to give him a sweet kiss. "I'm not doubting that, Steve. I know how much you love us. But it's okay to feel conflicted about it."
"I'm not." He told her truthfully.
They left two days later for New York City where Pepper and Clint were waiting for them. Yelena had tracked down Sam and Bucky in Berlin where they'd chased a lead on the Flag Smashers and the three of them were already on their way to Madripoor where they would wait for Steve and Natasha to arrive. Steve was glad that he'd handed over the shield because he was about to do things that Captain America would never approve of.