Prompt: "About the baby... it's yours"

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"You're going aren't you? You're really leaving?" I say with a sigh watching at the man in front of me continues to pack.

Sam Wilson pauses in his packing to turn and look at me. He gives me a small smile, "I have to go. Captain America needs me."

I roll my eyes at him, "Yeah, said that before and you got your car destroyed and you were nearly killed taking down Shield. I thought you were done taking orders from others? If you go and join the Avengers you are going to be right back to where you were before you left the air force!"

Sam closes his eyes and lets out a sigh, "I know you are not happy about this but I just feel like I have to do this. Not just because of Steve. I feel like I can do more good for the world as an Avenger than I could doing anything else…"

I shuffle my feet, "I don't know. I think you do more helping down at the VA. I don't want you giving that up."

"And I won't stop. I promise I feel like this is my second calling in life. To save people, protect them from the evils in the world. To protect you… There's something else bothering you isn't. This isn't just about the VA or my joining the Avengers. What is it?" Sam asks me, cupping my neck and gently stroking my cheek with his thumb.

I lean into his touch, closing my eyes. There is no way I can tell him, I can't hold him back and beg him to stay. Not when he feels so passionately about leaving to join the Avengers, fighting side-by-side Captain America, and working to make a real, positive change to the world. I can't be selfish. I have to let him go.

With that thought, I pull away from Sam, forcing a smile,

"I'm just worried about you. You've worked so hard to get to this point in your life; for normalcy, life outside of the army or whatever, and recovery. I don't want you to lose any of that just by running off to join the Avengers. And…"

I pause, thinking over the next words out of my mouth carefully. I don't want to say anything now that will end up changing Sam's mind.

"And…?" he pushes with a raised eyebrow.

"And, I'm just going to miss my best friend is all." I say cautiously.

It's not a complete lie so it is easy for Sam to buy it. He pulls me into his arms, hugging my tight to his chest. I wrap my arms around him, closing my eyes to breathe in his scent. Just being in his arms, I feel safe and loved. I don't want to lose this, I don't want to lose him especially with… no, I can't go there. If I think about that then I will end up begging him to stay.

"I'm going to miss you too. You know I love ya,"

His words make my heart soar, even though I know he doesn't mean those words. Not how I wish anyway.

"I love you too Sam." I take a step back, putting space between us. "I have to go now. Um, I'm not sure if I'll be able to see you off tomorrow so, I guess this is good-bye."

"Hey now, it's not really a good-bye. We'll see each other again. I'll come to visit and you'll come to see me. It'll be like nothing ever changed!"

By the smile on his face, I know he truly believes his words. But I just can't bring myself to believe them. No, once he leaves, everything will change. Everything would change even if he doesn't leave. Only with him leaving, I have to accept these changes all on my own. Without him.

I give him the best smile I can muster up. Gently, I press a kiss to his cheek,

"Good-bye Sam. Have fun saving the world and being a hero. Just remember, you were always my hero first. I love you… I'll always love you."

I turn and walk out of his room, hearing his call my name out but not chasing after me. Part of me wished he would have chased after me. Maybe that would have changed my mind on what I was about to do.

I get home and begin to pack. With Sam moving away, there is nothing left for me here. I don't know where I will go, but right now I know I have to get away. There will be too many memories of Sam and I together that will just be painful for me to handle. And though he says we will still see each other, I know that is not true. There is no way we will be able to continue to see each other once he leaves and once I…

I quickly shake my head and finish packing. I make a note of things I need to do in the morning before I take my own leave.

Months pass since I ran away from DC and since Sam left for New York. He tried to contact me multiple times but I just ignored him. If I answered his calls just once, I know that I would tell him everything and then he would be racing off to find me. I just can't allow that. He needs to move on and live his life. Without me.

I ended up moving back home with my parents, and they have been so supportive, helping me through this whole thing. My mom constantly asks me if I'm going to tell Sam, but I just can't. At least not right now.

So now I find myself in the hospital, holding my mom's hand and she coaches me through this. I cry and scream, mentally cursing the man who got me in this predicament, but also desperately wishing he was here with me right now.

"One more big push, you can do this sweetheart, I know you can. Come on."

I nod weakly, I can feel all of my energy draining from my body. I can get through this, I have to,

"Okay…"

I push with all that I have left, hearing the doctor and nurse racing around, talking loudly, but I can't make out anything they are saying.

"It's a boy… you did it sweetheart. You have a beautiful baby boy."

I give a weak smile, but I can't seem to keep my eyes open. The world is slowly turning dark.

'I did it… I gave birth to a son… your son… and you'll never know… I'm sorry…'

Beep… beep… beep… beep…

An annoying beeping sound rouses me from my sleep and I let out a groan,

"Morning sleepy head."

That voice!

My eyes snap open and there, sitting in the chair next to my bed in none other than Sam Wilson, holding a baby wrapped in a blue blanket. Suddenly everything comes rushing back to me.

I try and sit up, only to have a pain shoot through my abdomen,

"Careful, don't try and sit up. You started to bleed pretty bad… it was a little touch and go there but from what the doctor told me, they managed to get the bleeding to stop but they would advise against you trying to get pregnant again." he commands, pushing me back down.

He stands and places our son back in the bassinet… I want to tell him to give me my baby, but I know I don't have the strength to hold him just yet.

"W-what? W-w-why are you…?"

I struggle to talk, but it is too difficult.

"Why am I here?" he asks for me and I can only nod.

He helps me drink some water and begins to explain,

"Your mom called me. She told me you were in the hospital and that I need to get here as soon as possible. Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? I would have stuck around to help you. I would have been here for you! God, you are my best friend! Of course I would want to be there for you for this!"

"That's exactly why I didn't tell you." I rasp, "You were determined to be an Avenger, and I just couldn't tell you knowing you would give that up."

Sam runs his hand through me hair, "You still could have told me… Where's his father?"

I look at him with wide eyes. Apparently my mom didn't tell him everything. I turn my head to look at my sleeping baby. I could lie to Sam; make up some random guy to be his father. But I it doesn't feel right. But telling him the truth and that is probably going to hurt him even more than just thinking he missed out on his best friend being pregnant.

"Hey, what is it? Do I have to kick some guy's ass? Cause for you, I will."

I turn back to Sam, and I just can't lie. Not anymore. My mom was right; he deserves to know the truth. I just hope he can forgive me for keeping this from him for so long.

"Sam, about the baby… he's yours."