Queens, NY | 1200 Hours
Alba took a look inside her roomy walk-in closet and sighed. The moment she was excited for had finally arrived. She was growing out of her jeans. She took another look at the pregnancy book in her hands and made a mental note to get fitted for some new work suits and to stop at Target so she could start shopping for maternity jeans.
Alba walked back into her bedroom and took a seat at the end of her freshly made bed, placing a hand over her softly rounding stomach. She still looked like she ate one too many chicken nuggets rather than pregnant, but Alba knew that in no time her pregnancy would start showing. It was only a matter of time before everyone at work pieced it together, and to be honest, she was surprised that no one had made that connection yet.
Alba reminisced about the past week as she ate her breakfast and finished unpacking the last of her clothes that had been delivered from Stark tower earlier that week.
Steve was scared, and she missed him, but part of her was happy for this time alone. After almost losing her little peanut, she felt like she had to enjoy every second of being pregnant. She had spent so much time trying to figure out their relationship that she never really enjoyed it until it was nearly too late.
After reading all of the benefits of an unmedicated birth, Alba was determined to go down that route. It would hurt like hell and maybe break her body and soul, but it was worth it. Now all she had to do was find a midwife to oversee her pregnancy. She had already gotten a few recommendations from her best friend and doctor, Lorrie. The rest shouldn't be too difficult.
Or so she thought.
A faint knock at the door brought her out of her musings. She stood and raced to the door, looking through the peephole for a fraction of a second before throwing it open and giving the man standing before her an unimpressed look.
"Missed me?"
"Oh, I was up all night thinking up of ways to get lover boy to come tearing down your door." Tony replied, keeping a straight face as he walked into her apartment with a backpack slung over his shoulder.
Alba watched him spread out his equipment and gave him a chiding look.
"You didn't have to of this, Tony." The man gave her a disbelieving look.
"You were the one who turned down an apartment at the most secure building in New York City. Now I gotta bring the security to you." He gave her a look like she was the craziest thing he'd seen. Which considering the fact he'd fought actual aliens, was kind of insulting.
Alba snorted. "Living in the same building as my 'it's complicated' ex? I think I'll pass."
"I think the word you're looking for is 'baby daddy', and it was rent free, Alba. And you know what? I kind of liked having a live-in lawyer, ok? Besides, it is physically impossible for Steve to stay away from the people he cares about. It's like its wired into his DNA or something." Tony continued fiddling with his equipment before coming to stand in front of Alba's home security system with a screwdriver.
Alba wondered how much truth was behind's Tony's words. "Do you really mean that?"
The man paused in his work to glance at her. "Yes, of course I liked having a live-in lawyer—and you're one of the expensive ones—"
"Not that!" Huffed Alba. "I mean…the part about Steve."
Tony's eyes softened. "Of course. Let me tell you a story." He came to sit at the breakfast bar, setting down his equipment on the counter and making himself at home on one of the wooden bar stools.
"Have you ever heard of a man named Bucky? Sergeant James Barnes?"
Alba nodded slowly. She had done her research, after all. "He was Steve's best friend, right?"
"Yeah, they were like brothers. Anyway, he died in action back in the day. Or so we thought." Alba froze, not grasping the tone of the conversation because of Tony's nonchalant tone.
"Turns out, he had been saved by none other than HYDRA. Next thing we know, he's a super soldier who fights for the bad guys. He almost killed Nick Fury in DC, then tried to kill Steve. You know what Steve did?"
Alba shook her head, sitting a little straighter in her seat. She had no idea Bucky was still alive. Steve never talked about his past. His ghosts.
Tony continued his story. "He put down his shield. He was going to let his best friend kill him. Then they both survived the helicarrier, and ever since then, Steve has been spending his spare moments combing through history for a ghost. If he can't let go of someone who lived some sixty-odd years ago, he's sure as hell not letting go of you." The words rang with finality and Tony came to his feet again, giving Alba a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder before getting back to work.
"You're trying really hard to make sure we end up together." Alba noted, grinning despite herself when Tony shrugged irreverently.
"Whenever he's not saving the world, he's wandering. He fights, he laughs, and goes about his business…but he always looked like he was so far away. And then you come along," He mutters, pointing his screwdriver at Alba's face. "And you are just his type."
"He has a type?" Alba fidgeted in her seat, suddenly wondering about who else had come before her. Her internet research had only given her a glance at his life, not the whole story.
"Smart, educated, beautiful, and independent as hell." Tony glanced at her over his shoulder. "Yeah, that's you, alright."
He shot a grin in her direction. "You know, I've been looking into you." Alba paused and narrowed her eyes.
"You mean you've been looking into me again?" He waved the screwdriver in her direction. It was clear he had something on his mind that had been nagging him for a while.
"You don't need Steve. You've got a great job, you're successful. Plus, your life looked a lot more peaceful, not to mention safer, before you met him. He's made mistakes, enough that most women would've already left him in the dust. Why are you still giving him a chance?"
Alba mulled over his question before answering. It was a question she'd asked herself before. And she knew exactly why she had such a soft spot in her heart for the tortured super soldier.
"My dad was in the army. I was fourteen the first time he went on tour. Every time he came back, he was a little bit more different. Three tours later, he finally retired, but it was too late. He was a different man."
She took a sip of her drink before continuing, meeting Tony's gaze head on.
"War does…horrible things to people. It turns the bravest, most carefree of men and turns them into shells of what they had been. I still loved my father just as much. So when you ask me why I don't give up on Steve…it's because I know he has a different cross to bear. He has lost so much…I'm going to make sure he doesn't lose us, too." She placed a hand on her stomach.
Tony had his reasons to be cautious. He worried about Steve, about how kind he was. When he first met Alba, he thought she was trying to abuse his friend's kindness. But now, looking at the woman, he realized it was the other way around. Steve needed the woman much more than she needed him.
Alba jumped to her feet and made her way into her kitchen, grabbing herself a tall glass of water and a can of coke for her guest. After that unexpected one-to-one, she needed to change up the conversation. It wasn't often that she opened herself up to strangers.
"What are you doing in there?" She asked curiously, watching the tinkering billionaire as he inserted some type of chip into her home security system.
Tony shrugged. "Oh, just boosting your security so that you have access to all of us and our personal AI at any time. This is connected to your devices so you can look at all the security cameras around the building whenever you like, you're welcome. FRIDAY is also going to be running facial recognition on everyone who steps into the building. Just an extra precaution." He stepped back and observed his creation with an appreciative flourish.
Alba hummed, observing the genius as he picked apart her security system as if he had created it himself. "That sounds expensive."
"Oh yeah," Agreed Tony. "You're getting a Tony Stark installation here, top of the line stuff. Luckily you get the friends and family discount. Otherwise I'm not sure you'd be able to afford me and boy, would that be awkward."
She threw her head back and laughed. "Thanks for this, Tony. I know you probably could have sent someone over to do this stuff anyway."
"You're one of us now, kid. It's the least I could do. Besides, Steve insisted on it."
Alba wasn't surprised, but somehow managed to arch a brow in interest anyway. "Is that so?"
Tony gave her a dry look as he took a sip of his drink. "You know how he is. If he knew how to do this, I'm sure he would have done it himself. Practically begged me to bug the place."
Alba rolled her eyes. "He did not. Stop trying to spy on me, Tony."
Washington, DC | 1600 Hours
Steve took a deep breath and faced the stone-brick facade of the old building, looking both ways down the sleepy avenue before striding through the doors. He hesitated at the main desk before one of the nurses recognized him. This part was always difficult, for some reason.
"Are you here to see her again, Captain Rogers? It's been a while since we've seen you around here." The woman said kindly. He signed in and followed her down the long hallway he'd walked through dozens of times.
"She's been having a really good day today." She nurse said cautiously, glancing over her shoulder to make sure the super soldier was still with her. "They seem to be happening less and less often." She said quietly, stopping in front of the door and giving him a meaningful look.
He stood, giving her a solemn nod before turning the knob and walking through the door.
When he found out Peggy Carter was still alive, Steve felt as if the air had been knocked out of his lungs. Maybe he wasn't alone, after all. It was too late for their relationship, but maybe, just maybe, he had a tangible connection to the one person from his past he loved. The person who looked through the soldier and just saw a kid from Brooklyn.
But life had a funny way of being tragic. He quickly learned that when he realized that although Peggy was still alive, she hadn't a clue as to who he was, or what they had shared. His only solace were her 'good' days, when the disease seemed too ease enough for her to remember his face, his name, and their memories.
Today, he counted his blessings as the old, frail woman on the bed recognized him without difficulty.
"Steve?"
He sat beside the bed in the dim, darkened room and gave her his best boyish grin. "Hi, Peggy."
The two talked for a while, discussing everything from Peggy's care to Steve's latest missions. He felt a pit in his stomach as he tried not to blurt out the real reason he was there. He needed to talk about this with someone who would understand.
The woman cleared her throat before asking, "Have you heard anything about Sergeant Barnes?" Steve froze. After the helicarrier incident, he packed up his life in DC and decided to move back home, but not before returning to Peggy one last time and telling her everything.
He just hadn't expected her to remember.
"No. He disappeared into thin air. I've been looking…everywhere." Peggy sighed and laid her hand over Steve's.
"He will come to you when he's ready. If you keep pushing, he'll only drift further away. You are long overdue to start over Steve. Stop clinging to your ghosts."
It was Steve's turn to clear his throat. "Actually Peggy, I think I did start over. I…I met someone." Like a damn breaking, he began telling her about Alba, first a few details, then everything. He was worried about upsetting Peggy, but looking at her now, he knew those were silly fears. If anything, Peggy looked…at peace.
"I'm glad you finally decided to take my advice. She sounds like a lovely, strong woman. That's what you need. You have to promise me that you're going to go back and set things to rights, Steve. You've been looking for the right dance partner for a long time, now." The woman said impishly, giving him a sly grin.
Steve paused. "I don't…can't put them in danger, Peggy. If something were to happen to them, I would never forgive myself."
Peggy looked unconvinced. "I was in danger all the time…that didn't seem to stop our relationship from growing."
"That was different." Steve protested, coming to his feet and pouring himself a glass of water. He thought Peggy would be on his side. He thought someone from his past, who had witnessed what he had lost, would understand.
"Why would it be different? Because I could shoot a gun? Women don't need to be treated with gloves, Steve. We're not frail." He shook his head.
"It's not that." Peggy arched a brow.
"I just…if I leave her, she'll just be a regular woman. No one will ever bother her. If I bring her into my life, our enemies will follow us wherever we go. I won't bring danger to her doorstep. If Alba were hurt, or worse, it would be my fault. I can't let someone else die because of me."
The woman sighed. "Do you remember when the plane went down? You said 'Peggy, this is my choice.'. Do you remember?" Steve sighed, the memory washing over him clear as day. He remembered it like it was yesterday. He was terrified…but determined. Steve nodded slowly.
"You would be the one to think that love means protecting what you care about. You love people by sacrificing yourself, so they don't have to. But Steve…love also means respecting the person that you love above everything else. You aren't loving her, you're being selfish. You would rather end your life together before it even starts, so that it won't hurt in the event you lose them."
Good God, she was right. It dawned on him slowly. He thought choosing to love Alba made him selfish, endangering his family made him selfish. He felt guilty for things that hadn't even happened yet.
"Steve, look at me." Peggy took hold of his solid hand in her shaky one, giving him a meaningful look. "When you love someone, you respect them above all. As a woman I can tell you this; she deserves the dignity to make her own choice. If you believe in her, if you respect her, then allow her to make her own decisions. You are worthy of being loved, Steve, don't push her away because you want to punish yourself."
Steve nodded slowly.
"Go home and claim your family, Steve. That's an order, soldier."
The corners of his mouth tilted up slowly as he came to his feet and gave her a relaxed salute.
"Yes, ma'am."
OKAY! This chapter was so hard for me to write because I always struggle with the emotional aspect of relationships when writing (probably in real life too tbh), I've been working on this all week and have scrapped it mulitple times because I didn't feel it was good enough. Finally after watching TFA last night, I have something I think you guys will enjoy.
Some of ya'll were frustrated by the last chapter so let me just say, I promise these two are ending up together, they just have some things to work through first :) Steve in particular has some baggage he needs to sort through, as we all know.
QUESTION: How did ya'll feel about Peggy's truth tea? How did I do?! Also any thoughts about Tony and Alba's relationship? I really enjoy writing them cause they have this really fun brother/sister dynamic that cracks me up even when I'm writing. Let's face it, they would bicker 24/7.
PS. I still owe you guys an early upload. Gonna aim for this week as I'm starting the new chapter right now!