Chapter Sixteen: Accepted and Rejected

Emma and Steve sat quietly in the quintet as they flew to New York for Steve's birthday. Tony had called and asked if he could throw a party for Steve's birthday. They both knew that it was just an excuse for Tony to throw a party but after much convincing they agreed to it. He had also said they would be celebrating the fourth of July.

"I hope Tony doesn't make a huge deal out of my birthday," Steve spoke up.

"It's Tony, he's a Stark," Emma said as though it explained everything.

"Yeah," Steve snorted. "He's a lot like his father. Howard loved any excuse to throw a party."

His face fell as he thought about his friend, who was long gone. Howard had been eccentric and a womanizer, someone who Steve thought would ever be friends with. Howard had been a good friend though, to both him and Bucky. It was hard to believe that it had been two years since he had been unfrozen; 68 years since he went into the ice and lost his best friend in the world. Peggy was still alive but her mind was frail so it wasn't like she was there at all. The people he once knew were gone and all that was left was this ache in his chest.

He was still having trouble moving on and letting go of Peggy. If he had more time to speak with her, to say goodbye, and to get some closure then he might be able to move on. Their granddaughter had been a great help, the best of both him and Peggy. He couldn't be prouder and Natasha. . . What could he say about Natasha? She was quickly becoming his best friend and maybe something more. She was easy to talk to especially since she knew what it was like to come from a different time. She was kind, beautiful, and strong. In some ways, she was a lot like Peggy. His heart warmed at the thought.

"You miss Howard," Emma stated, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"He was a good friend," Steve said with a nod.

"Well, if you ever want to talk about him. . . I am here for you, Pops," Emma said softly.

"Thanks, but I think if I talk about him now it will only bring me down, and I don't think Tony would appreciate me bringing that kind of spirit to his party," Steve replied.

"Well, with Tony he would spend the entire time trying to cheer you up in his own very special way," Emma said and they both laughed.

They arrived to the party early while people were still setting up. They stowed their things in their assigned bedrooms as they were invited by Tony to stay for the rest of the week. They took the elevator to the top floor of the Tower where the party would be thrown. The rest of the Avengers, minus Thor, were there helping to set up. Bruce greeted Emma with a kiss, the Avengers making cooing sounds in the background. Emma rolled her eyes at them.

"Real mature, guys," she replied.

Emma and Steve stepped in to help with the party. It was in full swing an hour later with Happy cheerfully barbecuing outside and the guests mingling amongst themselves. For a Tony Stark party there was surprisingly not a whole lot of guests. It was mostly the Avengers and a few SHIELD agents with some of Stark Industries, even Nick Fury was there. If Emma had to guess, it was probably Pepper who decided to keep it low key but you never know with Tony.

Emma was currently talking to Rhodey about War Machine and how he helped save President Ellis. Her phone dinged in her pocket, letting her know that it was from her group text entitled: Carbanark which consisted of her, Bruce, Tony, and Pepper. Since it would be Stark Industries that would be producing the drug Pepper was brought in. Three words were lit up on her screen that made her gasp. 'We've been approved.'

"Is everything alright?" Rhodey asked.

"Yeah, I just got some good news," Emma said, grinning from ear to ear.

'Time to bring Pop-pops in on the news,' Tony texted her. 'Bruce and I are in the lab. Join us.'

"I hope you don't mind, I need to tell Steve something," Emma said.

"Nah, go ahead," Rhodey said, smiling at her.

Emma approached Steve who was currently talking to Clint and Natasha. She tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, can we go to Bruce's lab and talk?" she asked him.

"Is something wrong?" Steve asked, furrowed his brows.

"No, it's good news," Emma said. "I swear."

"News you can't tell me, little bunny?" Natasha asked.

"I will tell you later, I promise, Nat," Emma swore.

Steve followed Emma down into Bruce's lab where he and Tony were waiting for them with a bottle of champagne. Bruce was grinning and Emma squealed as she threw herself into his arms. She squealed again when he lifted her up off the ground and set her back down again.

"What's going on, you guys?" Steve asked with amusement.

Emma turned and grinned at Steve, Bruce's arm wrapped tightly around her waist. He nudged her, urging her to be the one to tell him. Sharing in his excitement, she proceeded to tell him all about the drug, how she brought the idea to Bruce, and why she wanted to create it. Steve stared at her, his face stunned.

"I can't believe you did this," Steve said, pausing, and for a moment she thought he would be angry at her for not telling him. He pulled her into a giant hug. "I love you, kiddo."

"I love you too, Pops," Emma said, tearfully.

"I'm so proud of you, this is the best birthday present you could ever give me," Steve replied.

"Funny how this worked out," She said. "This isn't a cure, Pops, but I did want to give you more time with her and this drug can do this."

"This is more than enough," Steve said, hugging her again and kissing the top of her head.

The popping of the champagne broke the hug between the two of them. Tony grinned as he held the champagne bottle in one hand and the cork in the other.

"I say we toast to this happy occasion!" Tony exclaimed, pouring the glasses and passing them around. "Who wants to make the toast?"

"I'm surprised you don't want to since you love the sound of your own voice," Emma said teasingly.

"Very funny, baby cap," Tony said. "Maybe your boyfriend should make the toast."

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Emma said softly but Bruce shook his head and raised his glass.

"Emma Margaret Carter, we would have never done this without you if you hadn't brought the idea to me. It's going to be the best thing to happen in science all thanks to that gigantic heart of yours. I love you. To Emma!" Bruce exclaimed.

"To Emma!" Steve and Tony exclaimed, clinking their glasses together.

Emma burrowed herself into Bruce's side, blushing, and sipped her champagne along with everyone else.

"This is definitely one for the history books," Tony said, draining his glass. "It's definitely a story to tell your kids about."

Bruce choked on his drink and Emma felt him tense up at the mention of kids. She almost killed Tony right then and there for bringing that up. They talked about having a future but they hadn't talked about kids yet. She wasn't even ready to have that conversation yet but it looks like she would be having it sooner than she would have liked. Emma glared at the billionaire.

"Hold your horses, Stark, we are not there, yet," she said and he just laughed at her.

"Alright," Tony said, clapping his hands together. "I think we can make the big announcement now. Come on, Capsicle."

Emma was about to follow them out of the lab when she noticed that Bruce was remaining behind. She turned to see that Bruce was leaning against one of the tables with his back to her, his shoulders hunched. There was a cold feeling in her stomach as if she could sense what was about to happen but her brain hadn't caught up with her stomach yet.

"Brucie, are you alright?" Emma asked.

"We haven't really talked about it," Bruce said softly, refusing to look at her. "Having kids."

"You should really ignore Tony when he's being an idiot," Emma said. "I know I do. We don't have to talk about this right now."

"I think we do," Bruce said, looking up at her. "You want kids."

"Not right now," Emma said. "But maybe someday."

Emma went still, her hands fidgeting slightly. She now knew where this was going and judging by the look on Bruce's face, he did too. He had turned around, looking at her with big sad eyes. She loved his adorable brown eyes but with the way he was looking at her she wished he would turn back around. He looked as though she had said the wrong thing and she wished she could take it back.

"I can't have kids," Bruce said.

"Oh, Bruce, I am so sorry," Emma said softly moving towards him but he moved backwards, away from her touch.

"No, that's not what I meant," Bruce said. "I meant that I shouldn't have kids."

"Why? What are you afraid of?" she asked, as though she didn't know.

"You know what I am afraid of," Bruce replied.

"Everyone is afraid of having kids, not just you," Emma said.

"Not everyone is me or the Other Guy," he told her.

"Are you afraid of passing it onto the children or the Other Guy hurting them?" Emma asked.

"Both," he said. "You deserve to get everything you want."

"I want you, Brucie," she said, her eyes filling up with tears.

"I can't be the reason that you don't get what you want. I thought that I could have a somewhat normal life and with you I felt like I could have that but I was being selfish. I can't be selfish, not with you," Bruce said.

"What are you saying?" she asked as the tears fell.

"I am saying that I can't do this anymore, I'm breaking up with you," he said.

His words were like an arrow to the heart and she gasped for breath as more tears fell.

"I love you," Emma said softly.

"I love you too, that's why I am doing this," Bruce said.

'No," she said softly. "You're doing this because you're scared. You're running away because you think that's what is best for you. It's not. One day you're going to realize that you made the biggest mistake of your life. Is this what you really want?"

They stared at each other for the longest, the heaviest silence weighing down on them. Emma thought that time had stopped. It was just them in the lab, in a sort of limbo. Bruce nodded.

"This is what I want," Bruce said, his voice breaking.

Emma sobbed and her legs moved themselves towards the door.

"Emma. . .," he began and she paused for a moment before she left without looking back.

She didn't bother going back to the party, not caring that she hadn't eaten yet. Emma entered her room and collapsed on her bed. She didn't cry or sob into her pillow. She just lay there like a lifeless lump. She had thought that she had found the man that she was going to marry, that she would spend the rest of her life with him but obviously she was wrong. Natasha found her an hour later.

"Krolik?"

"Bruce broke up with me," Emma said and the floodgates broke.

Natasha sat down on the bed and pulled Emma's head into her lap, softly stroking her hair. She began to sing a Russian lullaby.