Zawadi barked loudly as James cried, trying to yank on the dog's ears from the spot he laid on his back. Zawadi was incredibly patient with the baby human, but James didn't realize how strong he really was when tugging on the dog's ears and tail.
Kayla stormed out of her bathroom to check on the weeping child and dog who howled in defense, "Zaddi, stop. He's a baby. He doesn't know any better." She groaned, rubbing behind Zawadi's ears before attempting to bend over and pick up James. When she bent over, her head began to spin, and she stood up quickly, thrusting her arm out to catch herself against the wall, "I don't know kiddo, you might not be able to lay on the floor anymore. Mommy's too big to bend over." Kayla grunted and knelt down, picking up James and cradling him against her chest. She wore her bra and underwear as she did up her makeup, choosing to style her own look instead of hiring somebody to come over.
Kayla looked in the full-length mirror, startled in a way at how she looked pregnant with a four-month-old on her arm. Alone. She could almost see Steve sidling up beside her and wrapping his strong arms around them, holding them close. She didn't even realize she'd closed her eyes to see her daydream until she began feeling wobbly again. She kissed James on the head and laid him down in his crib to rest. Zawadi, a glutton for punishment, jumped up and lowered his head into the crib to sniff the child. Kayla smirked when she heard the dog whimper, getting his ears yanked by the strong boy.
The blonde sat down at her vanity and continued working on her golden-hued smokey eye, blending it out before drawing a subtle cat-eye in shimmering black. She worked her mascara through her lashes, realizing it had been so long since she'd put this much effort into her appearance. Kayla frowned as she studied the roundness of her face, a development caused by pregnancy and lack of super-soldier serum. She was thankful her face was clear of blemishes because she was self-conscious about her size as it was. At least pregnancy caused people to focus on places other than Kayla's face.
"How you coming Kay?" Tiffany called through the door, looking at her watch impatiently. "We have to leave within the hour to make it on time."
"Is Steve able to pick up James? Natasha said she was going to give him a call and see if he'd make the drive." Kayla asked from where she sat, causing Tiffany to open the door and peek in as the blonde began curling up her head of hair. Kayla smiled up at Tiffany as the little brunette grimaced behind her. Kayla saw her friend's reflection, noting how Tiffany's expression didn't match her gorgeous and confident exterior. Tiffany had pulled out all the stops, wearing a silver strapless bodycon dress with pumps that made her almost as tall as Kayla. Her hair was pulled up into a sporty ponytail with tendrils framing her face, and her lips were a dark shade of purple. "Tiff... what are you hiding?"
"Steve can't take James tonight." Tiffany winced as she blurted out her news, and Kayla turned around in the chair to look at her as she dropped a chunk of hair from the curling iron to swirl up another section.
Kayla considered her friend's response, knowing Tiffany wouldn't be this worked up unless there was more to the story, "Okay... is there a reason why? He knew this was happening tonight."
"He's going out. With someone..." Tiffany responded slowly, gauging Kayla's reception of the news that Steve was seeing somebody else.
Kayla swallowed hard, turning back to the mirror quickly to focus on her hair curling. She cleared her throat, "Oh, yeah, good for him, you know. I mean, I didn't realize we were seeing other people, but, Steve Rogers, what a catch..." Kayla bit her tongue, pleading herself not to cry. Tiffany wrapped her arms around her best friend and rested her cheek on Kayla's head.
"I'm so sorry Kay. It might not be like that. Sam never said it was a date, just that he was going out to see someone. That could be anyone."
"Anyone who's not me." Kayla finished, curling her last piece of hair and letting it fall with the others. "Could you help me with the updo?"
Tiffany nodded, going to work at piling Kayla's curls into a fashionable heap at the nape of her neck. "Sam's gonna be on standby tonight. Just in case something goes wrong. He and Bucky will be ready if we need them. Nat offered to stay back with James. I think she's a little relieved she doesn't have to go." Tiffany chuckled as she used her teeth to open a bobby pin and slide it into Kayla's thick hair, pinning it down. Kayla winced a little as the pin poked her scalp, but focused on her own reflection.
"Everything's fine. Everything is going to go just fine." Kayla chanted, trying to convince herself she'd be okay.
"You sure you don't want to be on standby for the Summit Gala tonight? I'll even let you toss the shield around for old times sake." Sam teased as he walked into the room in his new uniform. His Falcon uniform now resembled Steve's: with color-blocked red and white stripes across his torso and blue over his chest with the white star in the middle. Although retracted, Steve knew his wings were now brilliant red, hidden beneath a blue wing pack. He had the shield strapped onto his left arm, and his guns were locked and loaded in the pouches on his utility belt. Just because he was taking up the shield didn't mean he wasn't bringing back up weapons.
Steve forced a smile and shook his head, "No, no I think I'll be fine tonight. I'm retired, remember? Plus, I told you I was going out tonight."
"Like a date?" Sam pressed, putting his hands on his hips in a very Captain America way.
Steve smiled a little brighter as he met Sam's gaze, "Yeah. I think so. It's nothing serious yet."
"You remember you're still married right?" Sam asked, looking disappointed in his friend. "You're gonna break Kayla's heart."
"I said it wasn't serious. I'm just meeting up with an old friend." Steve defended, getting up from his barstool and grabbing his third beer from the fridge, "You better get going, you want to make sure you're close if there's trouble."
Sam just watched Steve for a moment. Watched the great Captain Steve Rogers, the first Avenger, World War II hero- as he drunk himself into a stupor, no better than any common man. He'd left his wife, given away his title, and lost who he was. It was sad for Sam to see, a man he had looked up to for so long had morphed into a bum with his disheveled hair and beard and withering muscles and growing gut. Sam began to wonder if Steve would soon resemble Thor more than Captain America, and that wasn't a compliment.
"Alright. Have a good night Cap." Sam said quietly as Bucky emerged from his bedroom, already dressed in his black vest with his rifle in hand in case he needed it. Bucky greeted Steve with a nod, then turned toward the door, saying no words to his best friend.
Steve watched as Sam latched the door closed, running his fingers through his hair and looking at his watch, "I'm not Cap anymore."
At 8:30pm, the Ellis family arrived fashionably late to the Summit Gala on Park Avenue. Their limo attracted attention as paparazzi waited to see which dignitaries or officials were arriving now. As the serviceman opened the door, Mathew Ellis got out of the car first, offering his hand to help his wife out, wearing a long champagne-colored gown. The cameras began to flash wildly at the former President and his wife, but it became worse when a familiar brunette assistant left the car and waited with two clutches in her hand for her boss. Paul Anderson, the President's son, rushed down the stairs to help Kayla onto the red carpet, offering her his arm to get out of the car. She smiled gratefully at the man she hadn't seen in years, giving him a nod of thanks with sharp eyes to tell him to give her space as the reporters began yelling questions at the woman.
"Miss Ellis! Miss Ellis, is this your first event since you've been back?"
"Kayla Ellis, how far along are you? Who's the father?"
"Miss Ellis, reports say you saved a young boy several weeks ago, do you have any comment?"
"Miss Ellis, Kayla- are you still connected to the Avengers after the disappearance of Captain America?"
Kayla waved sweetly at the cameras, showing off her baby bump in a flowing golden gown that was longer in the back than the front, eliminating the chance of her tripping. She held her light fur coat against her bodice, keeping warm as a light dusting of snow fell upon New York that December evening.
Kayla gave a coy wink at one of the cameras, sending off a hundred more questions as Tiffany scurried behind her. "Miss Ellis has no comment right now about the identity of the father. This is her first public event since she's been back and requests that you respect her privacy as she readjusts." Tiffany told the reporters loudly as Paul held open the door to the gala for Kayla to enter.
She took a deep breath as she looked around at the gorgeous ballroom. Purple lights illuminated the ceiling as people sat upstairs, talking about the upcoming Summit. There was a dancefloor near the stage and a podium for guest speakers of the evening. A hundred tables were sat around the dancefloor and stage, filling up as more people arrived.
Paul Anderson wandered up to Kayla in the foyer of the building, offering to take her faux fur coat as she stood just inside the doors looking around. Kayla stripped out of her coat, revealing thick straps and a modest neckline. A silver necklace that clashed terribly with her golden gown fell between her cleavage.
"It's nice to see you, Miss Ellis. It hit our family very hard when you were presumed dead." Paul said charmingly, studying the woman's face before taking a good look at her dress, "You look absolutely stunning tonight."
"Thanks," Kayla answered shortly, looking around the ballroom for someone else she may know. Paul wasn't done trying to have a conversation with her though.
"I'm sure everyone is going to ask how you survived. What happened. You've been missing for ten years, although there are rumors saying you were seen with a man several months ago, before everyone was brought back. He was, what, a grief counselor or something?" Paul pressed, but Kayla continued to ignore him as he stared at her, trying to get her to talk. Since she was focused so hard on neglecting him, he allowed himself a good stare at her plump cleavage and noticed something interesting around her neck. "Are those dog tags?"
At that, Kayla raised her head, hand resting on the silver chain around her neck. The tags themselves sat just below the neckline of her dress, but the chain was recognizable enough. "Yes. I lost a friend in battle. Someone I cared for very much."
Paul studied her, seeing her mind was elsewhere, but he was curious. "I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe we can talk about it more over drinks later-" He stopped when she raised her brow, his eyes darting back to her stomach then up to her eyes, "I mean, not drinks, food- or dancing? Would you spare me a dance?"
"Perhaps. If I'm in the mood." Kayla answered cooly, turning and walking into the ballroom to where Tiffany was standing with her parents, waiting for her so they could sit and eat. They entered the main ballroom and were led by a host to their table near the dancefloor. The host pulled out Kayla's chair and the blonde sat between her father and Tiffany, smiling up at the young man sweetly.
"President Ellis, so good to see you!" President Anderson bellowed as he approached the table to greet the family. Mathew rose and shook the man's hand before pulling the President into a friendly hug before Sandra rose and greeted him the same. When President Anderson reached Kayla, she gestured to her stomach and shrugged shyly.
"I'd stand, but it's harder than it looks." She chuckled, reaching her hand up to shake his with a beaming smile. "It's nice to see you again, Mr. President."
"The pleasure is mine Miss Ellis, it's quite an honor to have you among us here tonight. Your disappearance weighed heavily on this nation. I am thankful for your return and look forward to hearing how you survived. You were in the Triskellion in D.C. when it collapsed were you not?" President Anderson inquired as Sandra watched the exchange with weary eyes. As former CIA, she knew when someone was pushing for information, and the President wasn't just being friendly.
"I was there. After that, everything's a little fuzzy. I don't really like to talk about it." She admitted honestly, lowering her chin submissively to avoid the man's prying eyes.
"Understandable, it must have been quite an ordeal for you. As I said, we're just glad to have you back now." The President told the woman happily, and Kayla looked up and gave him a weak smile. "Well, I must continue the rounds, but we'll talk more after dinner. I'd love to speak with you Mathew, about an opportunity for you and your family."
The President left the Ellis family and moved to a nearby table, but his words lingered with Kayla. She looked slyly to Tiffany, not sure if she wanted to know what he meant or not. "When's dinner, I'm starving." Kayla whined, patting her large belly, "Baby girl is hungry too. I mean, I assume so, she's never moved or anything, but food is good, right?"
"Whatever you say, Kay." Tiffany giggled before asking the waiter for two glasses of water, one for her and one for her friend. When Kayla looked at her questioningly, Tiffany just joked, "I'll start drinking after dinner when all the pompous young men try and hit on the great Kayla Ellis, back from the dead."
Kayla groaned as she rolled her eyes, "They are too late." She patted her belly with her right hand, then grabbed the bottom of the silver chain with her left, her demeanor sobering, "They're too late."
Author's Note: Things are about to get crazy. Ya'll might get whiplash from the next chapter and that's because the previous chapters were setting up a totally different narrative and I decided to go in a different direction. Spoilers, because I guess I needed to get this off my chest? The next chapter was hard to write. Killing off characters is hard, and Kayla's life is about to get way, way worse...
amberhardy- I know, the three super-men and a baby was so delightful! And yes, they are both stupid and hard-headed at times, this being one of them. Will we see Steve at the gala? Maybe? Maybe not? He's got a date with an old friend, so he's only going to show up if she does.