Chapter 26
AN: Thank you for the support. Also, you will see that I've posted a new story, but don't worry I'm not going to stop this story, I have SO many chapters of this written, and I will be continuing to write.
Over the course of his life Howard has had many terrifying moments, and the call he got from Ana an hour ago was near to of the list. While Peggy lies unconscious in a nearby room, barely alive, Howard is in his SHIELD lab with Lian, Hank, Michael, Rose, Jarvis, Janet, Dugan, and Daniel while Jack, Gabe, William, and Ana are with, and protecting, Natasha, MJ, Melinda, and Stephanie.
"Finally," Howard says relieved as results print, which he quickly reads, and then hands to Hank. "We've got to get the baby out," Howard reveals.
"What?" Michael asks shocked.
"A c-section, now. It's the only option," Howard says, his voice hurried as he knows that every second counts.
"What do you mean only option?" Daniel asks. "Won't Peggy just wake up in a few hours?" Daniel asks, feeling worried about his friend.
"The biological changes that occur during pregnancy are reacting with the serum," Howard explains. "It's causing too much stress on her body. If the baby is born everything should go back to normal," Howard explains, feeling pretty confident that Peggy isn't going to wake up if the baby stays inside of her, but he cannot bring himself to admit that.
"Would having the baby now be safe?" Dugan asks.
"Once the baby's born the serum can have it's usually effects, and Peggy's cells will be go back to how they've been functioning since the serum, she'll be okay," Howard explains. "And the baby is full term, it will be fine," Howard explains. "But only if we act fast,"
"The science backs up what Howard is saying. It does seem like the best solution," Hank confirms, as he knows that everyone will be thinking Howard isn't thinking rationally right now, but he knows that he actually is.
"It is the best solution, and Peg's, and the baby's only shot. So, it's what I'm going to done," Howard says in a tone of voice which clearly leaves no room for argument, before leaving the others so that he can put into motion what he knows needs to be okay.
"He's not okay," Rose comments, having never seen Howard like that.
"That's obvious," Daniel comments.
"Can you blame him, the love of his life, and the unborn child are dying. He'll do whatever he has to save them, just like any of us would," Michael says, before leaving the room as well, feeling terrified that he is going to lose his sister.
Less than fifteen minutes later Peggy, Howard, and a medical team are in the emergency medical area of the base.
"Director, maybe you should wait outside," Doctor Matheson, who got called to the base, says.
"I'm not going anywhere," Howard says, and from the tone of voice everyone figures that they aren't going to get him to leave, so there is no point in trying.
"Heartrates dropping, we've got to do this now," one of the nurses says.
"Do it!" Howard stresses.
Recognizing an order from someone who isn't going to take no for an answer, not to mention the fact that Peggy's vitals are getting worse, the medical team set to work. Over the next few minutes the medical team work, with extreme difficulty, to get the baby out. As the medical team work Howard feels horrified, and terrified, and needs to keep reminding himself that this is Peggy's, and the baby's, only shot.
"is it okay?" Howard asks worried, once the baby is out of Peggy, and just as he asks the question the sound of a baby crying fills the room, and he feels a sense of relief.
"He's fine," A nurse says, walking over and putting the baby, who has been wrapped in a basement, in Howard's arms. The second Howard looks down at his son he feels overwhelming love, just like he does when he looks at Natasha.
"Director Carter's not," Doctor Matheson says, as Peggy's heartrate plummets, and hearing the words, and the machines he built, Howard feels almost like his heart has done the same.
"Come on Peg, don't leave us," Howard mutters, as he looks up from his son to look at Peggy, knowing that he cannot lose her, and to his relief, and the confusion of the medical team, Peggy's vitals stabilize.
A few hours later, during which time Howard has never, not even for a second, let Peggy or their son, out of his sight, is sitting in one of only a couple makeshift hospital rooms that exist in this particular base. While he is sitting in a chair Peggy, who is unconscious, their son is in a basinet next to the bed.
As he looks between their son and Peggy Howard notices Peggy's eyes start to flicker, and he knows what that means.
"Peg? Can you hear me?" Howard asks, leaning forward, and to his relief Peggy's eyes open after a few minutes. "Hey," Howard greats, with a smile.
"Hi," Peggy responds, feeling a little out of it, then everything that happened comes back to her. "Tasha? The baby?" Peggy asks, pushing herself up so that she is sitting up, not even realising that she was able to do so without pain or difficulty.
"Tasha's fine," Howard assures her. "She's with the others," Howard assures her, knowing that that will make Peggy feel better. "As for the baby, why don't you ask him yourself," Howard asks, as he gently picks up their son, and hands him to Peggy.
"Hey Little Guy," Peggy says to her son, feeling amazed, and love, as tears of joy come to her eyes. "He's incredible," Peggy says, looking between her son and Howard.
"He is," Howard confirms.
"And he's okay, right?" Peggy asks worried, as she holds her son close, knowing, without a doubt, that Howard would have made sure of that fact.
"Completely healthy," Howard assures her, and he can see the relief on Peggy's face. "And you're going to be fine too. The serum is back to working how it usually does, and so in about a week, there will be no trace of you having a c-section," Howard explains to his wife.
"A c-section?" Peggy asks, looking at Howard.
"It was the only way for you both to be okay," Howard explains, and Peggy nods in understanding, knowing that Howard would have made the best call considering the circumstances.
"What happened at the house? Who attacked us?" Peggy asks, trying to make sense of what happened.
"Seems like hired guns, sent by one of our enemies who felt like they had an opening were they could take you out," Howard explains, as he got a report from Zola about what he found from the bodies, as unknown to him Zola made sure there were no survivors, and he hasn't looked into it further as he has been so worried about Peggy and their son.
"Make sense," Peggy realises, smiling down at their son. "You know, this little guy needs a name," Peggy realises.
"Yeah," Howard confirms. "We'll we already have his middle names picked out, unless you have changed your mind," Howard says, as he and Peggy picked out middle names, for both male and female, months ago.
"I haven't," Peggy tells him.
"Me either," Howard confirms. "Now we just need a first name for our little guy," Howard says, smiling at his son.
"I've been thinking about that," Peggy admits, as she has been debating that over the past few weeks. "What do you think about Anthony?" Peggy asks, as she knows it is Howard's middle name because it was his maternal grandfather's name, and it would be rather fitting.
"I love it," Howard answers, with a smile. "But maybe what should ask him what he thinks?" Howard says, referring to their son. "What do you think, Tony? Is that your name?" Howard asks, and the baby coes.
"I think that's a yes," Peggy says, with a smile.
"Definitely," Howard confirms. "Peg, I love you so much," Howard tells her.
"I love you too," Peggy responds, and once she does the two of them kiss.
A little while after Peggy woke up Peggy and Howard are sitting on Peggy's bed, both holding their son, when the door opens and Natasha, Jarvis, Ana, Michael, Rose, Lian, Jack, Daniel, Dugan, Gabe, Janet, and Hank walk in.
"MOM!" Natasha says happily as she runs over to her parents.
"Miss Tasha be careful," Jarvis says as Natasha climbs onto the bed, and gently hugs her mother.
"Are you okay?" Peggy asks, wanting to be sure, even though Howard reassured her.
"Yes," Natasha assures her mother, as she sits down on the bed, across from her parents and newborn brother. "Are you?" Natasha asks concerned.
"I'm fine," Peggy assures her daughter.
"Glad to hear it," Michael comments, looking at his sister in relief, as he was so scared that he was going to lose her.
"Is this my brother?" Natasha asks, looking down at the baby.
"Yeah, it is," Peggy confirms, and she and Howard exchange looks. "His name is Tony," Peggy tells Natasha. "Anthony Edwin Steven Carter-Stark," Peggy says, looking at Jarvis.
"I'm honoured," Jarvis says, as a tear comes to his eye as he is overwhelmed and touched.
"Great name," Dugan says, approvingly.
"Tash, do you want to hold your little brother?" Howard asks.
"Yes," Natasha says, nodding excitedly.
"Okay, you have to support his head, okay? That's very important," Peggy tells her daughter, who nods, and once she sees the nod Peggy gently hands her son over to his big sister.
"Hi Tony," Natasha says to her brother. "I'm your big sister, and no matter what I'm always going to protect you; you can always count on me," Natasha informs her baby brother, causing Peggy and Howard to exchange proud looks.
The next morning, against doctors advice, Peggy has left base, with Tony, and returned home with Tony, Natasha, Howard, Ana and Jarvis; knowing that the rest of their extended family are definitely going to be visiting soon.
"Who fixed the door?" Howard asks, sounding surprised, as he knows that it wasn't him.
"Agents Sousa and Thompson came over last night and did it," Jarvis explains. "They also fixed the backdoor," Jarvis reveals, knowing that they also worked with him to clean up other things around the house such as the blood stains.
"This arrived today," Ana says, walking into the front room to reveal a basket, full of things like blankets, toys, books, and other things. "It's from your friend Charles," Ana explains.
"We'll have to call and thank him," Howard comments.
"I assume he already knows how thankful we are," Peggy says, though she knows that she and Howard will still call.
"Probably," Howard admits.
"I have something for Tony!" Natasha reveals. "I'll go get it and be right back," Natasha says, before hurrying upstairs.
"We'll be in the living room Tash," Howard calls as they head there.
Once in the living room Peggy, who is holding Tony, Howard, Ana and Jarvis all sit down together, Peggy and Howard sitting on the couch while Ana and Jarvis sit on the armchairs. Moments after they sit down Natasha hurries back into the room, with something hidden behind her back.
"What have you got behind your back, Tash?" Howard asks curious.
"This," Natasha says, showing a teddy bear. "I didn't have a teddy growing up, not until I came here, I want Tony to have one," Natasha explains, as she walks over to her mother and father, and hands the bear over.
"Tasha, that's lovely," Peggy says, smiling at her daughter, feeling both amazed at Natasha, and sad as she is once again reminded of what her daughter's life used to be like.
"Come here Kiddo," Howard says, causing his daughter to walk over to him, and once she is close enough Howard hugs her tightly.
Hours later Tony is asleep in his bassinet which is in Natasha's room for the moment as Natasha wanted to be close to her brother when she fell asleep. While their children sleep Peggy and Howard are standing at the doorway watching them sleep, knowing that soon they will have to move Tony to their room, but for now they are just enjoying watching their children sleep.
"He's so small, they both are," Howard says, as Natasha is still small for her age, both the age she is biologically and the age she would be if she aged normally.
"They won't be forever," Peggy says, even though she knows that chances are Natasha will always be on the small side. "Howard, one day they're both going to be older than us," Peggy says, a sad tone to her voice.
"I know," Howard says, a level of sadness to his voice. "I'm trying not to think about it," Howard admits, putting am arm around Peggy.
"The serum almost killed us both. Do you think it affected him?" Peggy asks as while she feels fine, good even, she doesn't know what everything that happened means for Tony.
"I don't know," Howard admits. "I know he's healthy, and I don't want to keep testing him," Howard reveal, as he cannot bring himself to do that.
"I don't want that either," Peggy admits, as she knows that would just be cruel. "I don't care if he's been effected, it wouldn't change anything for me, I just want him to be healthy, and happy; Tash too," Peggy says.
"Me too," Howard confirms, as the two of them drift into silence as they watch their children sleep, both of them only wanting the best for their children.
AN2: Yes, I know tony isn't born to 1970 in Cannon, but like I said I'm changing cannon, and Tony's birth year is one of the things being changed because of things I want to do later in the story.