Okay, I don't explain the science in this…because I don't understand it myself. I was tempted to just write MAGIC, IT WAS ALL MAGIC! Hopefully you guys can live without all of the jargon.

Kudos are brilliant (for A03) but comments and reviews really make my day :)

….

When they arrived back at the camp, they instantly spotted a large crowd gathering around Howard's personal lab. Steve marched over, a frown etched onto his face. "What's going on? Where's Colonel Phillips?"

The man in question pushed his way through the crowd and silently urged the surrounding soldier's to move away from the lab. Taking a hold of Steve's elbow he led him and therefore the rest of the commandos away from the lab, "Stark's definitely up to something. A little over an hour ago, one of the soldiers walked past Stark's lab…and heard a baby cry. He says he's sure of this because before he was shipped out, his wife gave birth to a son. Apparently the sound is very distinctive."

Bucky shook his head, "So you're telling us Stark's hiding a baby in that lab?! You know what, I'm not even surprised…Howard's reputation for seducing dames is legendary. One of them probably decided not to take any of his crap and dumped the baby on his doorstep!"

Steve sighed wearily, "We would have heard something earlier then…I mean babies are not quiet. And where has he been getting supplies from then, you know food and clothes….diapers? Howard's been like this for a little under a year…he hasn't shown any signs of having a child until now!"

Bucky shrugged, "Maybe the woman stayed with him for nine months"

Dugan slapped Barnes on his back and laughed, "And no-one saw her?! Come on Barnes, we would have noticed either a woman walking around or Howard carrying a bunch of skirts to his lab!"

Phillips nodded in agreement, "He's right Barnes. There has been no sign of any other woman except Agent Carter in this camp…aside from the odd company that the soldiers pick up at the villages and towns."

Steve frowned, "Maybe the soldier heard a recording or something?"

At this moment, Agent Carter joined the group over hearing the last sentence. "We don't think so. Before you arrived, both Colonel Phillips and I heard the crying…it didn't stop Steve. That's why there was such a crowd gathered around the lab. It only really stopped a few minutes ago."

Steve thought to himself for a few moments before nodding. "Well let's find out what Howard's hiding then…" He marched over to the lab, closely followed by the commandos and knocked on the door. "Howard? Howard, what's happening in there? Can we come in?"

There was the sound of things being knocked over inside the lab, before something began to wail. Steve raised his fist to knock again, but before he could, something banged against the door on the other side. "Steve! Hey buddy! Sorry but I'm running quite a delicate experiment, far too dangerous for anyone else to be in here!"

Steve frowned, "An experiment on what Howard?! I can hear the baby, you know?"

"B-baby? I have no idea what you're talking about buddy! Maybe it's some of the equipment you can hear, I mean these machines make some weird ass noises sometimes!"

Steve ducked his head for a moment, as if praying for patience before taking a step back. "Howard…move away from the door."

"….Why?"

"Because I'm going to kick the door down, and I'm sure you don't want a broken nose."

"No, Steve! Steve, wai-"

It was too late. Using only part of his strength, Steve kicked the door down, making sure that it only fell to the floor instead of flying across the room. He and Bucky were the first two into the room and what they saw, stopped them in their tracks.

Bucky sighed and shook his head, "Jesus, I hoped that it wasn't true...Howard Stark has pro-created!"

Howard glared at the man as he desperately rocked the baby in his arms to and fro. The cries continued though. "It's not mine…I'm babysitting?"

Steve took a step closer, "You sure about that Howard?"

Agent Carter and Colonel Phillips pushed their way into the lab. Colonel Phillip's face flushed an angry red when he saw what Howard had in his arms. "STARK! What the hell is going on, this isn't a goddamn nursery!"

Howard frantically tried to explain but Colonel Phillips wasn't having any of it, "No, I don't want to hear it! Where did that baby come from Stark? And don't give me any of that bullshit about babysitting or any of that crap! The truth…NOW!"

For a few minutes, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of the baby crying, until Howard sighed and gently placed the baby in Steve's arms. "It's his…"he stated, pointing at Steve.

Steve began to shake his head as Bucky turned away to stare at the wall. "No, no, Bucky I swear I didn't-"

"He's right…" interrupted Howard, "….Steve never cheated on Bucky."

Colonel Phillips frowned, "Then how the hell did the Star-spangled man with a plan father a child when he's as queer as a three dollar bill?!"

Howard rubbed his hands together nervously before answering, "I may have played God just a little….he's a clone. You see I was curious as to whether or not any child of Steve's would also show evidence of having the serum in them. Sadly, it looks as though this one's defective…I mean, from what I can tell-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" yelled Bucky, "Did you just say he was defective?!"

Howard frowned in confusion, "Well, yes. You see, the serum affects every part of the human body, so there was no reason why the baby of Steve wouldn't have the same characteristics! But I should have expected it I suppose…"

Peggy frowned, "And why is that?"

"Well…it's not purely Steve's child. It's Bucky's as well. You see, I combined both of their blood samples in order to get two donors that have been injected with the serum….well a version of it anyway. I won't bore you with the science of it all, but nine months later it was fully developed and I felt that it was ready to leave the growth chamber."

Bucky flinched slightly at the remainder of what Zola had done to him before Howard's words fully caught up with him, "He's a baby boy, not an it…and he's mine as well!?"

He noticed a pre-made bottle of milk on one of the counters and, due to the fact that the baby was still crying, Bucky gently removed him from Steve's arm and proceeded to feed the infant. The sudden silence drew everyone's attention and Howard frowned at the sergeant. "What are you doing Barnes?!"

Bucky rolled his eyes as he continued to feed the baby, who was staring up at him. "I'm holding him, what the hell do you think I'm doing?! Jesus, have you even fed him?"

"…No….I made the bottle, but you guys interrupted me before I could feed him!"

"God forbid the day you breed…" growled Bucky as the bottle was quickly consumed. He gently re-arranged the baby so that it could burp and began to softly coo, "…It's okay, It's okay…"

The baby's head lolled back and forth as Bucky rearranged him again and Bucky couldn't help but grin. This kid was definitely Steve's, the blonde hair and blue eyes supported this…although the hair colour could change and if Bucky looked closely enough, brown flecks were present in those big, blue eyes.

As Colonel was giving Howard the dressing down of his life, Bucky was joined by Steve and Peggy. Peggy smiled as the baby stared up at his 'parents'. "I'm sure we can find a nice home for him in the nearby village. There are lots of couples who are willing to adopt."

Both Bucky and Steve turned to her in shock. "Give him up?! Peggy, he's our kid!"

Peggy shook her head sympathetically, "You two are lucky enough have found love and still be allowed to continue. I mean, if Colonel Phillip's kid wasn't…you know, you may not have been so lucky. But if you start raising a kid, then people outside of this group may raise the alarm. Then you'll all be separated from each other!"

Bucky growled, "Let them try it….look if we're careful and make it seem like the group is the one raising him, not just us specifically, then we'll be alright! We're never in the same place long enough for anyone to notice anyway!"

"Precisely! What kind of a life is that? He needs a stable home. A safe home, he can't grow up surrounded by war! Steve you must understand where I'm coming from here!"

Steve was torn. On the one hand, he could understand why Peggy was reluctant…but when he looked over at Bucky (who was holding his child for God's sake!), he couldn't do it. Bucky looked so lost, so upset by the prospect of having to give up the child that he had only known for a few minutes. Steve sighed and gently removed the baby from Bucky's arms, his heart clenching as Bucky resisted before biting his lip and relinquishing the child. "What do you want to call him?" he asked gently, ignoring the tears welling in Bucky's eyes.

Bucky stood there in shock for a few minutes before breaking out into a blinding grin. "I kinda wanna call him…Oliver. Don't ask me why! I just do!"

Steve nodded and glanced at the commandos, who had been watching the scene from the lab doorway. "See if you guys can find a crib and other baby stuff from the village…we've got work to do."

The baby stared at him, before breaking out in a toothless smile that Steve couldn't help but reciprocate. How hard could this be?