Chapter 17-
Pushing the red shopping cart through the aisles of Target, Emerson was trying to find the right presents for her soon to be seven year old boy. Steve wanting to tag along was trying to help as much as he could. This was the first time he had joined Emerson on one of her Target trips and he finally realized why she would spend some much time money here. You could get anything you wanted or needed. Even Starbucks, something Emerson made him order while she was looking in the dollar section. He couldn't believe how many toys there were. He was especially surprised when he found a whole toy aisle with his face on them. Well at least a face that kinda resembled his face. Emerson enjoyed seeing the look on Steve's face when she put one of the action figures in the cart.
"What? Liam is going to love it." Emerson said patting Steve's butt lightly. "Now help me find the rest of the Avengers."
Trying to hide the blush that was presenting itself on his cheeks, looking around to see if anyone saw. PDA was something that took him awhile to get used too. Emerson was all for it. From hand holding to making out and also grabbing his hindquarters. Steve began looking around for the other action figures. And decided to tell her what Liam told him the night before. "Did I tell you what Liam told me he wanted for Christmas?"
"No you didn't." A smile grew on Emerson's lips. Knowing that her son always comes up with the most crazy presents. "What was it?"
"A brother or sister. He doesn't want to be an only child anymore." Steve said throwing the Iron Man action figure in the cart.
The smile on Emerson's face was replaced with a look of surprise. "He told you that? He wants a brother or sister for Christmas? That doesn't give us much time to do that. And there is no way now is the right time to have a kid."
"Why wouldn't now be the right time to have a child?" Steve asked turning towards his future wife.
Resting her hands on the cart, her knuckles turning white with how hard she was holding the bar. "Can we talk about that later? I don't want to get in a fight in the middle of Target."
"Who say's we are going to get in a fight?" Steve asked looking at her with an eyebrow raised.
"The look on your face is whats telling me that." Emerson said pushing the cart out of the aisle. It didn't help that there were multiple mini Steve's also staring at her. "We are probably thinking two very different things right now. So please can we just wait till we get home. Liam is at my parents so we don't have to worry about him over hearing anything if we do get into a fight."
"Fine, your right. Lets wait till we get home." Steve said sternly as he followed Emerson to the check out. He wasn't mad when he brought it up. But now he was.
When the taxi driver pulled up to the front of their building, one half of the couple was dreading the conversation that was about to happen. Both were thinking about what Steve mentioned at Target. A baby. And both of them were thinking very different things then the other. Emerson paid the taxi fair while Steve made sure he got all the bags from the trunk. Emerson was trying to stall, but once Steve entered the apartment he let out the thought he was holding.
"Do you not want kids?" Steve asked setting down the bags, turning towards his fiancé. "You told me you wanted another baby."
Running her fingers threw her hair. "I have a kid."
"So that just means you are done with having kids?" Crossing his arms, cutting her off before she could finish her thought. "You know that I want to have kids."
Emerson rested her hands on her hips. "I know you want kids. I was just going to say I have a kid but I don't want to add another one right this second. Steve we shouldn't have a child until we are married and married for at least a year or two."
"We haven't even set a date! And planning a wedding nowadays takes at least a year. That means we won't be having a baby for another 3 to 4 years." Steve said throwing his hands up in the air. "If we were in the 40s, we would be married already and you would be pregnant right now."
"Oh my god, we are not in the 40s!" Emerson exclaimed, dropping her purse on the floor. "I am only 24 years old, I have at least 10 more years to have a child! We should enjoy being married Steve, we can travel!"
Shaking his head, Steve sighed. "I want to have a family with you Emerson. Shouldn't we start trying to make that family now."
"Steve hun, I want to have a family with you too. But I also want you to not be going on missions all the time. You are still looking for Bucky and taking down any other HYDRA bases there are." Taking his hand in hers. "I want my children to have a father. You are the only father figure in Liam's life. And any other children we have I want you to be around. I need you to be around. And not worrying about someone shooting at you."
"The world needs Captain America Emerson." Steve said looking at their intwined fingers. "I can't just stop."
With her free hand she rested it on Steve's cheek. "I'm not asking you to stop being Captain America. What I'm say is that when there is a bank robbery on the other side of the world, don't go to it. But if there is another alien attack, you should suit up."
"You want me to choose who to save and who not to save?" Steve asked with a raised eyebrow.
Sighing, she nodded her head. Feeling guilty for saying what she was saying. "If you want children, then yes. You can't save everybody and your future children will need you."
"I guess I can make that happen." Steve said smiling sightly after he let Emerson's words sink in. "I'm sorry if I made you upset."
"I'm sorry too. I didn't want it to sound like I didn't want to have anymore children. Especially since I know that is something that you want to have. But I do want to talk to you about us setting a date." Emerson said pulling Steve towards the couch. "So we can get this wedding planning started."
Sitting down, he pulled Emerson with him so she was sitting on his lap. "And what's that?"
"Do you want Bucky to be in our wedding?" Emerson asked lightly rubbing her thumb across his cheek.
Closing his eyes, it was something he always assumed Bucky was going to be at. But after he fell off the train, the thought became an after thought. Pushed to the back of his mind, resurfacing again when Steve discovered Bucky was still alive. "I don't know, he's not the same Bucky he was before the fall. Buck being at my wedding was always something I thought about. Him being my best man. I don't know, even if we find him in time."
"So you want him to be in the wedding, but will be okay if he isn't?" Emerson asked watching Steve eyes. Steve's eyes always told her how he was truly feeling about a situation. And this was always the hardest one for Steve to talk about.
"Yes it will be okay. I just want to be married to you, I don't care who is there with us. Just as long as you are walking down that aisle in a beautiful white dress." Steve said giving Emerson a smile.
"I can do that." Emerson said before she kissed Steve gently.
After Emerson wrapped Liam's birthday and Christmas presents, she was looking at wedding magazines Jensen dropped off. Marking the pictures of wedding dresses she liked, she looked over at Steve. Who decided that he was going to use the internet to figure out where they were going to get married. The day Steve figured out how to fully use the tablet by himself, without any help from Emerson or even Liam, was one of the most successful days in his life. Sure it wasn't high on the list, but it was on the list.
"Em, are you going to make our cake?" Steve asked looking up from the tablet. "Because there is this website called Pinterest that has some cool ideas for cake."
Giggling softly as she marked another wedding dress. "I've heard of Pinterest. What kind of ideas are you looking at?"
"Well instead of a cake, we can do pies." Steve said looking at the list.
Shaking her head. "No no wedding pies. I want to stay in the cake area."
"Okay well instead of doing one solid flavor of cake. We can do little cakes that have different flavors." Steve said as he continued to scroll.
Nodding her head. "Now that one I like. You do know I am going to make the cakes right?"
"Yes." Looking up with sheer glee in his eyes. "Can one of the cakes be cookies 'n' creme?"
Putting on the most serious face she could muster. "No we are not having cookies 'n' creme at our wedding."
Watching Steve's face drop from happiness to sadness in .03 seconds was the worst thing for Emerson to watch. She could frugality feel her heart breaking in two.
"But but why not?" Steve asked in a voice that she had heard Liam use once. It was the voice you would hear a dog give you, if dogs could talk.
"I was kidding. Of course we are going to have cookies 'n' creme." Emerson said setting the magazine down and walking over to Steve.
"That was mean." Steve said his voice still sad, looking up at her with his sad blue eyes.
Sitting on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry baby. I was just joking."
"I know, but it still hurt." He said pulling her in closer. "My heart sunk when you said we couldn't have any cookies 'n' creme. Especially if you are making our cake. I've had other bakers cookies 'n' creme and it wasn't good. Did you know people just send stuff to the Tower for us to eat? Its been almost a year since the Battle of New York."
Nodding her head. "They are grateful for you guys. Knowing that there are a group of superheroes that will jump to attention when any threat comes to the city."
"Makes sense. Can you send some bake goods? Aren't you completely grateful for us?" Steve asked nuzzling his lips against Emerson's neck.
Laughing softly, Emerson titled her neck for Steve to have. "I am very grateful for all of you. Especially you. But I think I got something better than sending bake goods to the tower. And its in the bedroom."
Hooking his arm under Emerson's legs, Steve picked her up. "I wonder what it could be?" He said before he ran into the bedroom, carrying a laughing Emerson.
