Chapter 12

By: MysticFantasy

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"Steve!" Natasha called from the living room of her suite.

"What happened?!" Steve asked as he bolted into the room with a look of panic on his face.

"The baby kicked." Natasha answered as she lightly rubbed her round stomach. "Come feel. Quick."

Steve sighed in relief that nothing was wrong and quickly knelt next to the couch that the seven month pregnant spy was sitting across.

Natasha took his hand and placed it on her stomach. They were both still for a moment and then Steve suddenly smiled greatly when he felt a thump against his palm.

"I can't beleive it." he said with a happy tone. "Pretty soon we'll be holding our little one in our arms."

Natasha smiled at how happy Steve was being. Only two months left until their baby would arrive. The past few months had been very interesting and chaotic.

The red haired woman had kept Steve to his word about going out in the middle of the night and getting her whatever she was insanly craving at the time.

Steve had been very supporting and understanding through the past few months while Natasha had been going through the various mood swings.

The other men of the team got to see first hand how emotional a pregnant woman could be.

Tony had tried to avoid Natasha as much as possible when she was having one of her mood swings, Clint would duck into the vents most of the time when he noticed the first sign of her mood changing, Bruce stayed with Steve to make sure Natasha was alright and Thor witnessed everything due to his curiosity of Midgardian women while they went through such a time and he had also been a source of comfort to Natasha when Steve wasn't around.

"When's your next sonogram?" Steve asked lightly rubbing her stomach.

"Bruce is going to do it after tomorrow." Natasha answered.

"I can't wait." Steve said. "Still want to wait to know what the baby is going to be?"

"I want to but you can know if you want." she answered.

"I'll wait." Steve said. "It'll be a surprise. We already have names picked out either way."

Natasha nodded and smiled when Steve placed his ear to her stomach. His enhanced hearing allowed him to easily hear the babies heart beat.

He would do this every so often and it always made Natasha smile.

"It's almost time." Steve said softly. "I can't wait for you to be here. I hope you're beautiful like your mother."

"They'll get their looks from you." Natasha said with a chuckle. "And hopefully your good heart too."

Steve lightly smiled.

He and Natasha had gotten closer but he still wasn't sure what her feelings for him were. He still slept on the recliner at night when he was still in the tower and not away on a mission.

Fury had taken Natasha off of active duty until he believed she was ready to return to SHIELD but Steve hadn't been spared from anything since the director claimed that Captain America was needed too much to be taken from the field.

But he did allow Steve to stay with Natasha for the last two months of her pregnancy and for another two months after the baby was born.

The captain had been greatful that he wouldn't have to worry about being called on a mission as he waited for his child to be born.

"Are you hungry?" Steve asked as he stood.

"A little but not really enough to pig out like I have been." Natasha answered. "The baby is only half of the weight I gained."

"Natasha, you look great." Steve said with a smirk.

Hearing about the 'huge' weight gain was something they had all been hearing. In truth, Natasha had only gained about ten pounds. She was able to hide it perfectly with the clothes she had picked out.

Only her round stomach gave away that she was with child.

"I guess it's just another part of being pregnant." Natasha said. "Feeling fat must be one of the many things a woman gets to experience."

"Yes but you are not fat." Steve said. "You'll be able to get rid of any weight you put on quickly and be back to taking out the bad guys with us."

"I actually kinda miss going on missions with you guys." Natasha said as Steve carefully lifted her into his arms, carried her to the bedroom and placed her on the bed.

"You're not missing much." Steve said. "Other than Barton getting catapulted into a lake and Tony getting stuck in something that looks like a giant spider web. Other than that, the missions have been fairly simple."

"Typical." Natasha said with a smirk as Steve covered her with the blanket. "Just as I can't participate in missions, they get easy."

"Tell that to Barton when he tells you how he did an unwilling swan dive." Steve chuckled and was about to leave when Natasha took hold of his hand.

"Steve, can you lie here with me for a while?" she asked. "With the due date being so close, it's making me a little nervous."

Steve nodded after a second before moving to the other side of the bed. He removed his shoes and climbed on.

Natasha's back was to him so be moved as close to her as he felt was needed to make her feel comfortable and drapped an arm across her waist.

"Why do you feel so nervous?" the captain asked after a moment of silence.

"I'm afraid the baby won't like me or I'll be a horrible parent." Natasha answered.

"Natasha, you'll be wonderful and the baby will love you." Steve said reassuringly. "You'll be a great mother."

"I don't know, Steve." Natasha said. "All my life, all I've ever done is crush people and destroy lives. Now I'm going to actually give life and raise a gentle and innocent newborn."

"It's scary, I'll admit, but you have to admit it's a little exciting." Steve said as he lightly rubbed her arm comfortingly. "I can't wait for the baby to come. I'm ready to hold my little boy or girl, see the color of their eyes, debate if they'll look like me or you, punch Tony and Clint when they try to spoil them..."

"You'll have to try to beat me first." Natasha said as she placed her hand on top of his. She felt his warm hand enclose around hers.

She really couldn't believe that this was the man who was going to be a father to her child. She really had hit the jackpot. She couldn't think of anyone else in the world who would make a more perfect father than Steve Rogers.

Throughout her life she had taken the lives of men who had been married with children. She had seen these men take advantage of their families in any way possible and some times she had felt that justice had been served.

Steve would never do that.

He would never take his family for granted, never forget to show his love. He would be there for their child at all times. He wouldn't let them be afraid of things that went bump in the night or the monsters children believed were hiding in the shadows and closets.

The baby deserved Steve as their father but she feels that she doesn't deserve him.

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Boy: 23 votes

Girl: 18 votes

Twins: 9 votes (4 unanswered gender votes, 1 vote for both boys, 3 votes for boy/girl and 1 vote both girls.)