She woke up to Tony yelling in her face, frantically shaking her shoulders as Thor held her up.

"Small stuff!"

"Shut up, I'm fine," she growled, still disoriented.

Thor helped her back into her chair, and the last minute came back to her again. Steve. In a coma. Not waking up. Tina paled.

"Where's Natasha?" she asked weakly.

Tony shifted his weight uncomfortably and looked deliberately in the other direction. Thor rolled his eyes at his teammate's immaturity and answered in his calmingly deep voice.

"Her arm was broken," he said, "and the bone punctured the skin. She's supposed to be getting out of surgery soon. Clint will come tell us when she's done."

Tina nodded numbly. She took his hand in hers, cradling it against her chest.

"Okay," she mumbled. No Steve, no best friend, no Doctor Bruce. Alright.

"Do you want us to stay?" Thor asked gently, resting his palm on the small of her back.

"I'm okay," she said, doing her best to fake a smile.

It clearly wasn't convincing. Tony and Thor stood, but the billionaire gave her a little nod on the way out.

"We'll check in with you in a few, okay?" Tony shut the door behind him.

Tina sighed.

"Just you and me now, huh?" Steve, as she had expected, remained silent. "Well, the whole family's here," she said, placing his hand on her belly. "So you can wake up any time now." She listened with her eyes closed to his heart monitor beeping consistently. "I'm not crying or anything, just so you know. I'm okay. I'm really mad though. If you take too long I might punch you out the minute you wake up. Well…not really." She sighed again. "I'll be too happy to see your blue eyes. But you have a deadline based-" Tina's eyes flew open as the babies kicked in unison, right against where Steve's hand was pressed. "Yeah based on that. I'm eighteen weeks along, you don't have that much time. Seriously, hon." She waited a little longer, giving him time to respond in his mind, if he could. "I love you. And I know you love me too. So if you can hear me…just know that um, well. I love you and I want you to wake up please. Please," her voice broke a little on the last word but she swallowed and continued talking to him. "I'm not gonna leave you alone here or anything. Don't worry, just get better. I'll be here. Please just be okay. You promised me you would…and we still have a date for Friday."

The door opened again and Clint shuffled in looking wearied and stressed. His eyes landed on Steve, who was still motionless but for the slight rise and fall of his chest. Clint's face fell.

"We'd both be dead if not for him. He blocked us with his shield. He gave up his own protection for us," he murmured.

A flicker of a smile played across Tina's lips while a few tears leaked from her emerald green eyes.

"That's Steve," she whispered, stroking the side of his face with a fingertip.

"Where's everyone else?" he asked.

Tina shrugged.

"How's Nat?"

"She's fine, everything's good. The techniques the med team used will probably end up minimizing any scarring, too." Clint chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "She's gonna be pissed as a bat out of hell when she finds out she's on rest for the next three months."

"Well, she and Steve can go crazy with me then," Tina murmured, giving Steve's hand another light squeeze.

"Tina?" Tony stepped into the room, still wearing his Iron Man suit, "Why don't you come down to the caf with us? Clint, you too. Come on." He motioned impatiently towards the door.

Tina cast a concerned look at her husband, but Clint put his arm around her shoulders.

"He's a big boy. Steve can handle himself for a few minutes while you get some lunch."

"Why are you still wearing that thing?" Tina asked, changing the topic.

Tony's cheeks flushed just a little.

"It's my damn suit, I'll do what I want with it," he said arrogantly, but embarrassment colored his tone.

Tina raised her eyebrows. There were a few moments of silence until Tony finally broke it.

"I thought it would be really funny to go commando in here…so, um, and I didn't count on being in the hospital and-"

The tension in the room evaporated as Tina and Clint laughed themselves silly.

"Now THAT'S a good story," Clint giggled, "Come on, let's go tell everyone."

He pulled on Tina's arm,

"I think I'll just wait a few more minutes," she hedged, "But if there's pizza, I'd love a slice."

"Okay," Tony frowned but left with Clint.

Tina smoothed Steve's hair back and kissed his forehead after the door had closed.

"I won't go anywhere," she whispered, "I promise."

…

Cold. Freezing cold ripping at him. Biting his face, his hands, his feet. And throbbing pain. But was that just from cold? Above his hipbone- agony. A sense of wrongness, of something very, very bad. More than cold. Steve could feel himself losing blood, far too much blood to be okay. And darkness. No light no sun no stars no candle no flashlight. He tried to take a breath, but realized his lungs were full of water. Am I dead? Steve tried to relax for a moment, floating in the freezing cold painful place. He couldn't. Too much pain. How did I get here? Steve wracked his brains but couldn't seem to remember anything. Who am I? This question bothered him significantly more than the others had. Steve, he thought with relief at last, Captain Steve Rogers. That's me. Something else tugged at the corners of his consciousness. Steve began to register a bit more light through his closed eyes, and the pleasant numbness which had begun to overcome him was fading fast. He felt his body thrown onto a hard surface. Put me back! He was indignant. It was better there, easier to let go. Steve's brain sluggishly decided that the voice he heard speaking was familiar. Hmm…he wondered unconcernedly, I wonder who it is.

"Clear," the voice said in a panicky tone.

He was slightly intrigued, but not for long. The wonderful, soft, blackness was slowly enveloping him again. No more of this agony, of the cold, of my lungs burning. No more. Steve turned to it but something seemed to hold him back. A thought of something sat just out of reach; he couldn't place it. After a moment of wrestling with himself, it struck.

Tina.

A tiny girl with golden blonde curls and bright green eyes. The way she giggled all the time. The frown of concentration when she was drawing and how sometimes her left foot tapped when she was thinking. His Tina. My beautiful girl, my lovely wife, mother of my-Steve started to panic as the realization hit. Kids! I'm gonna have kids, I gotta get back to them and her. A chain of memories went through his brain: feeling his child move through her skin, the beautiful roundness of her body, calling the babies 'champ' and 'doll'. The blackness still crept forward, but it had taken on a menacing look now that Steve had a reason to evade it.

"Dammit, Steve," the voice growled, "Goddamn you."

Steve felt mildly annoyed. Does this guy realize I'm about to lose my whole family?

Another unbidden image came to mind- the children he'd imagined. A small boy with bright blue eyes and a big smile, a baby girl with perfect golden curls. Holding both of them; his angel, his love. Tina. Steve gasped.

The air burned on the way down and the blackness faded, but it was soon replaced by a different kind of darkness. Like sleep, Steve knew that this cloud was benevolent. He relaxed into it. Take me home. I made a promise.

...

Steve blinked his eyes open slowly. The first thing he registered was white- lots of it. White ceiling, white floors. And then he registered quiet. Something next to him was beeping softly, but aside from that, the room was silent. The area above his right hip was sore, but other than that he felt fine. His breath quickened as he realized he had lived this before. When he woke up from being frozen…

Steve leaped out of the bed, looking around frantically for a door. Howlonghowlonghowlonghowlonghowlonghowlong

The soldier burst through the door, anxious for anything that would tell him how long he'd been asleep. Please, please, he begged. Leave me my Tina. Please don't take her, time. Steve crashed through the halls, dodging nurses, doctors, and agents who he knew would all lie if they were told to. He searched for a familiar face and found none. Steve started to truly panic. I'm alone again. I'm totally alone and Tina lived her life without me. My babies are grown up and never knew me oh god maybe its even later and they're dead too oh god oh god the whole team is gone and I'm alone. I left Tina all alone when I promised I would be there for her.

"What time is it? What day is it?" Steve frantically begged an elderly clerk who stood at a small desk.

The man chuckled and responded in a nasally voice.

"It's been a while."

Steve's hands shook and he struggled to keep from breaking down. His breathing was ragged.

"I had a date," he whispered to himself.

"Captain?" down the hallway stood an astounded Thor.

Steve ran over to him, hurdling over the desk as he did so.

"Thor, oh thank god, what's the date? How long did I miss? You don't look any different!"

Thor distractedly, looking at something behind Steve.

"I'm an Asgardian…it takes a very long time for me to show age."

Steve's eyes widened in fear again.

"What's the date Thor? Tell me!" He shook the god's shoulders (quite a feat) in frustration.

"I'm not sure, I don't count my days in the same manner that humans do."

"Who's alive? Is Tina still alive?! Is she here!? Thor, tell me!"

Suddenly, a small hand was on his arm. In the fraction of a second that Steve studied it, he knew that it was hers. He knew the curve of her wrist and the shape of her fingernails.

"Steve, it's okay," she murmured.

He spun and examined Tina with a frenzied look in his eyes. His body relaxed instantly. She looked almost the same as the day he'd left, except that her belly stuck out a little further. The relief hit him like a wall. Steve pulled her close and buried his face in her hair, fighting to hold back tears.

"Tina, I thought that-that I missed, that I got lost again, and-and-and out of time," he choked, "Tina, I love you."

"I love you too, Steve. And you didn't miss our date for last Friday…you just slept through it. It's September 30th. You were asleep for a little over a week. I'm twenty weeks pregnant, so you'll hopefully be seeing our kids in four months. It's okay," she said again, holding him close. She tried to rub the remaining tension out of his wide shoulders. She felt his hands shaking as one held her close to him, while the other rested on her abdomen. Tina buried her face in his chest. Her relief-freakout could wait.

"Let's go home," he finally said huskily, "I don't want to spend another minute in this damn hospital. I'm ready to sleep in my own bed next to my girl."

…

Bedtime and waking up in the morning were possibly Steve's favorite times of day. He liked how Tina wore his oversize t-shirts to bed. He liked helping brush out her hair and how she cuddled up against him. It was peaceful, quiet time with just the two of them, and he loved every minute. However, he'd never been quite this relieved to get in bed. Tina snuggled up against him and they both sat up to watch the city through the huge window-wall.

"You saved me, you know," he commented in an offhand tone.

Tina looked up, confused. "I got hit, and I hit the frozen river. While I was underwater, I was so disoriented; I didn't even know who I was at first. I felt…well…a way out, I guess. But I wasn't sure whether or not I should go…it hurt here, but I felt this vague reason that maybe I should consider staying. And then I remembered you," Steve planted a kiss on her hairline, "and I fought it."

"I'll have you know, I only had three hysterical breakdowns," Tina said, almost proudly. "And they only threatened to sedate me twice."

Steve grimaced.

"I did save Nat and Clint," he offered in defense, "According to Clint, they both would've died, so hey, I did do something good."

"I know you did. You big dumb hero, you."

They sat in companionable silence for a while, watching the city lights from their dark bedroom.

"I like James," Steve said suddenly, "for a boy."

Tina smiled.

"Mm. James is sophisticated and old-fashioned. It's business and adorable at the same time. And he could be Jimmy for short…I like it. I like it a lot."

"I thought for sure we'd end up arguing about that," he chuckled.

"I'm pretty sure I'm on the same page with you about this one," Tina said softly, "James as in James Buchanan Barnes? As in Bucky Barnes?"

Steve was quiet for a moment.

"Yeah. As in him." There was a pause while Steve seemed to search for words. "He doesn't have any surviving family," Steve said with a touch of urgency, "Someone should remember him."

Tina nodded.

"James it is. What about girl names?" she asked, "One might be a little lady! Thor and Clint have money on it."

"Clint having money on something probably means it won't happen," Steve laughed, "But hey, its possible."

"How about Margaret?" Tina suggested.

Steve's brow furrowed.

"As in Peggy? Are we going with all throwback names?"

She shrugged.

"She's a part of your past. And I like the name. It's cute."

"Let's cross this bridge when we get there, kay?"

"Oh come on, you never wanna talk about names! Please? How about a middle name for James?"

"Oh I don't know…we could ask the team in the morning?"

"No way. Tony won't shut up about naming the kid after himself. Or Antonia if it's a girl…I don't need to hear about any Tony the Seconds while I eat breakfast."

"We could call him Champ," Steve giggled, "James Champ Rogers."

"No," Tina glowered, "Absolutely not. How about Steven?"

"Isn't that egotistical? Naming him after myself?"

"Nah, parents do it all the time. James Steven Rogers. Oh, honey I like it."

"It is kind of nice," Steve admitted grudgingly.

Tina sighed and snuggled closer to him. Steve smiled down at her, then returned to watching the lights for a while longer.

"Tina, I'm really sorry about what happened on the mission…I should have been more aware of the situation and found a better way to protect myself and my team."

Steve paused, but she didn't respond, so he continued. "If something really bad had happened, and I missed the babies being born or anything, I never would have forgiven myself. I'm really sorry I made you worry. I promised that we were in this together, and I endangered that promise on the mission…I'm sorry. I love you, and I never want to do anything to hurt you. Okay?"

Silence greeted him and Steve looked down, a little concerned. A curl fluttered in front of Tina's mouth as she breathed evenly, her eyelids shut in sleep. Steve rolled his eyes. "Thanks for listening," he chuckled.

"In my opinion," JARVIS opined rather suddenly, making Steve jump, "that was a very touching little speech. I'd cry, but that would fry my ciruits."

"Oh, well-uh, thanks then, JARVIS," Steve said slightly uncomfortably.

"Besides, I don't actually have a physical body. But I can play that video for her in the morning if you'd like."

"Sure. Make her cry right into her Cheerios," the soldier joked.

JARVIS didn't pick up on the humor.

"Very well, sir. Whatever it takes."

Steve couldn't help but laugh at the AI's lack of understanding sometimes. He made a mental note to stop JARVIS if it decided to do anything extreme...like play clips of The Notebook if his little speech didn't make her cry. So smart, but so dumb, he thought with an internal giggle. The captain laid back and closed his eyes. It was good to finally be home.

Does a super long chapter get me forgiven? I think so ;)oO

You can take a deep breath now, ladies and gents. The fluff has returned! Probably for good...except towards the end... O.o

Review, please!