Loki had been gone nearly a month. Although Kat was only six and a half months pregnant, she looked well over nine. Steve kept true to their promise to Bruce about keeping her off her feet. She either stayed in bed, rearranging the various pillows around her several times to get comfortable, or lounged on the couch, in a mound of pillows.
Steve helped her into the shower every day, and they did one lap around the apartment twice a day, just so that she could get her legs moving, with Bruce's approval, even though he kept telling them he wasn't that kind of doctor. Kat and Steve didn't care. They didn't trust anyone else with their baby.
Steve had painted a beautiful mural on one of the walls of the nursery. It had different zoo animals with a forest background. Kat loved it so much it made her cry. He hadn't let Kat into the room until he was done, and when she finally saw it, she burst into tears. He had arranged the crib in the center of the wall, so that all the animals were looking down on it. They didn't want to know the sex of the baby, because it didn't matter. The three of them had names picked out for each gender, and they would decide after Kat had the baby.
Kat had been having more pains lately, but thankfully no more broken ribs, which they were both thankful for. Steve had her set up on the large chair, pillows all around her and one under feet, cocooned in a blanket, watching nineties cartoons with a carton of ice cream while he had run to the store to get pickles, because she had eaten the whole jar within a day. Again.
Kat felt the baby kick and smiled, running her hand over her stomach. She felt another one and a sharp pain rippled through her. "Easy there, little nugget." She whispered. She felt another one without the baby moving and sat up, taking in a deep breath.
She had been having Braxton-hicks contractions the past few days, but Bruce told them they shouldn't be worried. The next wave hit and she cried out, clutching her stomach.
Then a gush of fluid ran out onto the couch and Kat's eyes went wide. No. This was too soon. She wasn't ready. They weren't ready.
She winced, another contraction coming through. "Friday, is Bucky in the tower?" She asked.
"Yes miss, he's on his way up here as we speak."
Seconds later the elevator dinged and Bucky came running in, a panicked look on his face. "Doll, are you okay?' He asked, kneeling in front of her. Kat nodded, grabbing his hand and groaning as another wave of pain rocked through her.
"Okay. Where is Steve?"
She started to laugh, and it startled Bucky slightly. "He's out getting pickles. Fucking pickles!" She yelled.
Bucky stood, scooping Kat up bridal style and headed to the elevator. "Of course, he is. Friday, will you please contact Steve and tell him to get his ass home! And let Bruce know we're on our way down."
"Certainly, Sergeant Barnes."
When Bucky walked into the med wing, Bruce was already setting everything up, a nurse helping him get the bed ready.
"I've already paged Dr. Cho, she'll be here within minutes, I had her on call because I thought this might happen." Bruce told them as Bucky sat Kat down on the bed.
"It's too soon Bruce. The baby can't come yet right?" Kat asked, panicking.
Bruce placed his hands on Kat's shoulders. "We knew this could happen because of the serum. The baby should be measuring full term about now. It's going to be okay. We've got you Kat." He said. Kat nodded and let them get her settled back onto the bed and hooked up to the machines.
She looked up to Bucky, who looked slightly greener than Bruce. She chuckled and grabbed his hand. "We're havin a baby Buck." She told him. He laughed and squeezed her hand.
"Yeah doll. We're havin a baby."
"Friday, please call Loki and tell him to come home?" Kat asked. Moments later Loki shimmered into the room and ran up to you.
"Darling are you alright? Is the baby alright?" He asked frantically. Kat nodded and reached out for Loki's hand and squeezed when the next contraction hit.
"Where's the Captain?" Loki whispered in her ear, wrapping his other arm around her.
"I'm here." Steve said, panting as he ran into the room. He looked like he ran the whole way from the corner store, the bag of pickles still in his hand.
"I'm so sorry sweetheart." He told her.
She shook her head, lacing her other hand into his. "It's okay. You're both here now and that's all that matters."
Another contraction hit and Kat screamed out in pain. "Can't I have an epidural!" She yelled, causing everyone else in the room to wince.
"Unfortunately, with the baby's serum in you, you'd burn right through it Kat I'm so sorry." Bruce said gently. Kat had a moment of relief after the contraction and laid her head back, looking over to Steve.
"I can't do this." She said, her voice cracking. Steve rested his head against hers, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.
"Yes, you can. You can do this Katherine. You are so strong. I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere."
She turned her head to Loki, pulling him closer. "Will you stay too? Please?" She pleaded.
Loki kissed her, putting his other hand behind her head. "Of course, I'll stay darling. Anything you wish." Kat nodded and cried out, another contraction creeping its way through her. The doors opened and Dr. Cho walked in, immediately taking a tablet from a nurse and looking over Kat's vitals.
"Hello Katherine, how are we feeling?" Cho asked. She had seen Kat twice before and had assured her that she would do everything in her power to deliver a healthy baby.
"It really hurts. Are you sure I'm ready to deliver Dr. Cho?" She asked. Cho came over and put some gloves on, lifting the blanket to check her. Kat squirmed, uncomfortable for a second, then Cho looked up at the nurse and nodded, watching as they left the room.
"You're about eight centimeters dilated, so it won't be much longer now okay? We knew when this happened it would come fast, just like the pregnancy did. Everything's gonna be okay, alright Katherine?"
Kat nodded, closing her eyes, willing the tears to stop. "Bucky?" She called out. Bucky appeared from behind her, placing a hand on her knee.
"Yeah doll, I'm here. What do you need?"
"Will you call Pepper and Wanda? The rest of the team too please? I know they'll want to be here to see the baby after it's born, and also would you go back up to the apartment and get the bags I put together? They are in the nursery." Bucky nodded, leaning in to kiss her on the forehead, then turned and left the room.
Kat didn't know what she would have done without Bucky these past few months. He was her best friend and they had decided that he would be godfather to the baby, and Pepper would be godmother.
Another contraction hit and Kat squeezed Steve and Loki's hands, gritting her teeth and groaning. Steve and Loki held on tight, whispering encouraging words in her ears. Dr. Cho looked up a Steve, smiling. "Do you want to see the head Captain Rogers?" She asked.
Steve gave a weary look to Kat and she nodded, letting go of his hand so he could walk around to the foot of the bed. His hand went to his mouth and tears sprung to his eyes. "Oh my gosh." He whispered. That was his baby. He was about to be a father. He went back to Kat's side and kissed her. "I love you so much Katherine."
"Loki?" Steve asked. Loki's head shot up, seeing that Steve was tilting his head toward where Cho was standing in between Kat's legs.
"Are you sure?" Loki asked, looking down to Kat. She nodded, giving him a watery smile.
"Of course. It's your baby too." Loki stepped in front of Dr. Cho and his mouth dropped and tears slid down his face. He came back around and kissed her just as Steve had
About twenty minutes later, Dr. Cho came back in to check and see if she had dilated any further. "Okay Katherine, we're ready, how do you feel." She asked.
Kat panicked for a second, closing her eyes and grounding herself against the two men who loved her. She opened her eyes and nodded to Dr. Cho. "I feel like I have to push."
"Okay, on the count of three, on your next contraction, I want you to push for me Katherine okay?"
Kat nodded and on the count of three, she pushed, yelling out in pain. "Good, good. Rest for me now Katherine." Kat laid back against the bed and Steve kissed her on the forehead.
"You're doing great sweetheart. I'm so proud of you." He whispered.
"Oh, shut up, this is all your fault, I hate you!" She yelled as another contraction came and she pushed again. Steve looked up frantically, locking eyes with Bruce.
"All women say that when they are giving birth. It's fine." He said, waving Steve off.
"Okay Katherine, the head is out, so on the next one give me one good push." Cho said.
"I can't." Kat cried. She was tired. She was in pain. She couldn't do it anymore.
"Yes, you can. Come on. The count of three. One. Two. Three." Cho said and Kat pushed one more time, Steve and Loki holding her up. She screamed and Dr. Cho pulled the baby the rest of the way out. Kat fell back against Loki's chest, who had moved halfway onto the bed behind her.
Steve moved to cut the umbilical cord and they all gasped when they heard the first cries. Dr. Cho wrapped the baby in a blanket and laid it on Kat's chest.
"Congratulations, you have a beautiful baby girl."