She hated being pregnant.

Natasha Romanov sat in bed with her feet up, feeling like she was in chains. The doctors had ordered her to stay in bed until further notice and James was acting as watchdog, barely letting her breathe.

The only good thing was that she was allowed to be in their room now, though she would have preferred being able to get up and move. James was lying in front of her, just having finally fallen asleep and she was grateful for the freedom as fleeting as it may be.

She moved and his eyes opened immediately. "Where are you going?"

She sighed. "I was moving. Moving is not a crime, is it? Even pregnant prisoners should be allowed to roll over?"

He laughed and pulled her to him, kissing her cheek. "I'm sorry. I just worry, lapochka."

Natasha closed her eyes. "I know, my James. I do not like to be caged this way, it is very hard for me."

James rested his hand on her belly and rubbed lightly. "Her too, I bet. Just like her mama, always moving around."

"And kicking, "she finished, kicking him playfully.

He laughed and rolled her on to her back, kissing her. "Watch it, lapochka, or you will be punished."

She shivered, opening her eyes. "Promise?"

James grinned. "No sex till after Antonia is born, remember?"

Natasha groaned. "Do not remind me."

He kissed her again and ran his hand down her throat. "That doesn't mean we can't…do other….things."

She smiled. "I love the way your mind works, my James. Always the thinker."

He took his other hand and put it over her, making Natasha shudder. "Aren't you lucky?"

She moaned when he began touching her and whispered, "Very much so."

James laughed and pressed his fingers to her. "I love you."

Natasha's breath quickened. "Ya tebya lyublyu."

When she came she sighed, pulling him to her and crushing their lips together, licking into his mouth with enthusiasm and whispering endearments that made him laugh.

"Wow, I wonder what I'll get when we actually do have sex again."

She slid down his body and touched him through his jeans. "Why wait?"

James frowned, though he didn't stop her. "Natasha, the doctor.."

She grinned and kissed him. "Is not here anymore, is he?"

He groaned when she slid her hand into his jeans and when she began moving quickly he bit her lip, which made her sigh and then suddenly she stopped before he was finished, her eyes wide.

Bucky's sighed, "Don't tease me, Natasha."

She took his hand and pressed it to the bed between them.

Which was wet.

He stared at her with wide eyes.

Natasha whispered, "James, I believe my water has broken."

Bucky stared at her in shock for a few seconds before he yelled out for a doctor and several appeared, attending to Natasha while he held her hand and he could barely understand what was going on.

He grabbed a doctor and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Miss Romanov is not yet to term and premature rupturing of both membranes so early is not very common. She was having a normal pregnancy at this point and we need to determine what's happened, if we need to rescue the child through cesarean or if we need to induce labor," he put his hand on Bucky's shoulder, "There's a risk for both Miss Romanov and the child, Mister Barnes, I don't..." he explained, but Bucky seemed to have stopped hearing him.

He whispered, "What can I do?"

The doctor blinked at him. "What?"

Bucky stared at him with tears in his eyes. "The woman I'm going to marry and the child we made together are in danger, you need to tell me what I can DO. I can't just sit here!"

The doctor swallowed. "Sir, I don't…"

He grabbed the doctor by his collar and growled, "My blood has been known to help heal Natasha and it could be important to our kid. You need to take as much as you need cuz I swear to god if anything happens to either of them, I'm going to rip your throat out with my teeth."

He pushed the doctor away and the man ran off, grabbing a needle and tying off his arm before taking several vials of blood with shaking hands.

Bucky never took his eyes off of Natasha, who didn't take her eyes off of him, tears on her face and when her lips moved he knew what she whispered to him.

'I love you, lapochka."

The doctor finished and Bucky walked across the room, holding her hand as the doctors checked her vitals, strapped machines on to monitor the baby and all the hushed whispering was driving him insane.

Bucky kissed her hand and pressed it to his cheek, closing his eyes.

"It is bad, isn't it?" she whispered, making him look up.

He shook his head. "The doc said they just need to make sure she's okay, and if they need to get her out, or…"

She closed her eyes and his heart broke to see the tears on her face. "I do not want to lose our little devochka," she whispered. (GIRL)

Bucky leaned over and kissed her, pressing his head into her neck as he whispered, "She's waited this long to come home to us, she's not going anywhere. She's strong, like her mama."

"Call Steven and Tony, lapochka. I do not want you to sit here alone," she whispered, making him look up.

"I'm not going to leave you to make a stupid phone call," he said, shaking his head.

Natasha took his hand and kissed it, "Do this for me, my James."

He nodded and walked away slowly, staring at her the whole time and when he was out in the hall he continued to stare until he walked outside and took out his phone.

Tony answered on the first ring. "Bucky, what's wrong?"

"Natasha's water broke. They…they think something's wrong with the baby or with her, I don't understand and he was talking about her dying and I can't…Tony I can't…" he closed his eyes, tears running down his face.

"We'll be there in ten minutes," Tony said, "Do you want to talk to Steve?"

"Yes," Bucky whispered.

Steve said, "What's happened?"

"Her water broke and she might go into labor and I can't…god Steve if something happens to our baby, I…if something happens to Natasha I can't…I can't be here without her, I can't…" his shoulders shook as he sobbed.

"We're coming, Buck. Nothing is going to take them from you, it's going to be okay."

Bucky shook his head, "Steve, I can't…this…god, I…"

"We're coming, Bucky. Hold on. We'll be there soon," Steve said, and Bucky hung up the phone.

"I will make sure they both survive Mister Barnes," came a voice from behind him, making Bucky turn abruptly.

Natasha's doctor, Stephen Strange, stood smiling at him.

"Luckily Nick made me aware of the situation and I'm taking charge from here on out. Come, there is much to be done."

He followed the man back inside, seeing that Natasha was now resting and the doctors were not as rushed. Once he was inside he grabbed one of them again. "Tell me."

"Your daughter is only 34 weeks developed, which is not as safely developed as most babies are and with her water breaking so early we will need to proceed with inducing labor to get your daughter out safely and inside an incubator," the doctor said.

Bucky pushed him towards her. "Do it now then! Why are you all standing around?"

Doctor Strange touched his shoulder. "The child is not yet at risk and they need Natasha's consent, which she has not yet given."

Bucky frowned. "I'll talk to her."

Just as he stepped towards her Tony and Steve ran down the hall and burst through the room out of breath. "We're here!" Tony said breathlessly.

Steve pulled Bucky into a hug. "How is she?"

"She's refusing to let them induce her, I don't…" Bucky said, "I need to go talk to her."

He walked across the room and touched Natasha's shoulder, surprised when she opened her eyes. "You're not sleeping."

She shook her head. "I don't…they want to take her out too soon, James, I don't…"

"If she doesn't come out now, 'tasha she'll die. They told you that."

She closed her eyes. "I knew it was too good to be true. God does not want us to be happy."

He kissed her forehead. "We found each other again, lapochka. I think God is on our side. I'm going to tell them."

She nodded and Bucky looked up, noticing that Doctor Strange was already coming over with a needle. He smiled at Natasha and came close, whispering in her ear and making her smile as he injected her.

Bucky frowned. "What did he say?"

She was still smiling. "He said our daughter has a very strong aura, he…he can see it."

Steve came over to them to Bucky and Natasha noticed Tony standing in the doorway looking apprehensive. "Come here, my Tony."

He did, slowly and when she grabbed his hand he pressed his lips to her hand.

Natasha squeezed his hand tightly and whispered, "I missed you."

Tony looked up with tears in his eyes. "God honey, I missed you too," he whispered.

She smiled and said, "Antonia is strong, she will come through this."

He kissed her hand again and nodded, "She'd better. I have so much to teach her, and she needs to see you get married."

Natasha swallowed a sob and nodded, looking at Bucky, "Yes, she does. I think you need to go now, James and I…"

He nodded and Steve did as well, both men walking out into the hallway and hugging tightly. Tony breathed Steve in and whispered, "If you weren't here, I don't…god Steve, can anything else go wrong?"

Steve kissed his forehead and whispered, "It's gonna be okay. She's tiny, but she's the daughter of two enhanced humans who are both some of the strongest people we know. She's going to be fine."

Tony looked through the window and saw the doctors are rallying around her. "She's going to be okay," Tony whispered, "She has to be."

Antonia Stevana Barnes-Romanov was born on May 14, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. just twelve short hours after her mother's water broke. She was born 6 pounds and 2 ounces, and seventeen inches long.

Natasha woke to the sound of nothing and again felt the weight of the night before surround her.

Her daughter was in an incubator not five feet from her and it felt like a world away as she was fed through an IV, though the doctors said she would be able to drink through bottles and she had pumped several ounces of milk that Antonia had been given the night before.

She felt James at her back and leaned against him. "She is so tiny."

"Not as tiny as they thought she would be, and she is doing real well sucking on the bottles. And the doc said she was very warm so they don't think she would need to stay in that box for too long," he reassured her, kissing Natasha's temple.

She smiled. "She looks just like you."

She had his jaw, and her hair was dark brown though Natasha suspected it would soon turn auburn or red.

He laughed. "Nice try, you know she'll have red hair."

As if on cue Antonia began crying and Natasha called out to a nurse. "Excuse me."

The woman turned and she smiled, "Would you like to hold her?"

Natasha nodded and the woman went off to get Antonia from her incubator and brought her over to them.

She was larger than Natasha herself had expected her to be. The night before they had whisked her away so fast she had barely been able to hold her and now as they held her together she finally wept, pressing her cheek against Bucky's as she whispered, "Ya tebya lyublyu."

He kissed her temple and whispered, "I love you too."

Tony Stark stared down at the tiny baby in her incubator, his heart constricting at the sight of her.

He smiled at Natasha. "I can't believe this came out of your..."

"Stark!" Bucky barked, making Natasha laugh.

"James, hush. Tony, I can't believe it myself. She's…a miracle."

He nodded, touching the plastic enclosure and moving to open the top. He stopped, looking at Natasha and then at Bucky. "Can I? I know it can't be long, I just…"

Bucky nodded gruffly, frowning and Natasha nodded with her smile widening. He felt Steve's hand on his shoulder as he lifted Antonia in his hands, her tiny body fitting in his hands neatly. Her brush of hair was brown, though he could see red lightly that he knew would dominate eventually. She didn't open her eyes, but he knew due to her age her eyes were sensitive.

Holding the baby to his chest he sighed, running his hand on her cheek. "She's beautiful," he whispered.

Steve wrapped his arms around him from behind. "She looks just like you," Steve whispered, and Tony knew he was talking to both parents.

The two men stared down at the baby that shared their names and Tony looked up at Bucky and Natasha. "Now that the baby is out, when's the wedding?"

Bucky smiled at that and Natasha frowned. "I do not know, with all that's happened it will be some time before…"

"As soon as possible," Bucky cut her off, surprising Natasha.

"James, it's…"

He put her finger to her lips and Tony grinned, kissing the baby's head before placing her back in her incubator. "Anything we can do to help, you let us know. We're gonna go," he said, walking over to Natasha and hugging her.

Steve hugged Bucky and Natasha both, while Tony just shook Bucky's hand. "I mean it, Bucky. Anything."

Bucky looked annoyed. "Yeah, yeah Stark. Get outta here, my ladies are both tired."

He laughed and walked out, calling out, "Goodnight Natasha, Goodnight baby Toni!"

He heard Bucky's annoyed grunt as walked away and when Steve pinched his neck he jumped. "Ow!"

Steve frowned at him. "You know it annoys him, why do you do that?"

Tony grinned. "Cuz it's fun?"

Steve sighed, smiling as he kissed him. "Let's go home."

Tony ran his fingers through Steve's hair and whispered, "Yes. Let's."

It started with the phone calls.

Tony was sitting in the garage, working on a new suit when the phone rang. "Jarvis give me…"

"I'LL GET IT!" he heard Steve's voice boom out and frowned.

"It's for Steve?" he asked Jarvis.

"Yes, Mister Stark. The call has been intercepted in the bedroom by Mister Rogers. Should I con…"

"No, it's fine," Tony said, frowning still.

Steve almost never got calls since most of the friends he'd had were either buried or too old to use phones, except for Bucky, who didn't call unless there was an emergency. In the past week he'd had nothing but calls, taking them in private and telling Tony it was SHIELD business.

Tony didn't believe a word of it, but now he was through just sitting around and waiting.

"Who…nevermind," he mumbled, getting back to work.

"A Miss Maria Hill, sir," Jarvis stated.

Tony's eyes narrowed.

A phone call from a woman?

He resisted the urge to pick up the phone and listen in going back to his work though he was too distracted to do more than stare.

"Jarvis, who is…?" he started to ask but the door opened and Steve came in looking like he'd just won the lottery.

"Who was on the phone?" Tony asked, pulling Steve out of his daydream.

The blonde started, looking almost surprised he was there. "What? Oh, the phone? It was…Bucky. He wanted to update us on Toni and Natasha. They're good, she's almost ready to come out of the incubator and out of the medical area," Steve said quickly, his face reddening as he spoke.

Tony felt a knot in his belly. He knew a lie when he heard one, especially when Steve was blushing so furiously and also because he knew that Toni had already come out of the medical area days ago via his own call to Natasha yesterday.

"Oh, really? That's great," he said, turning and picking up his wrench to get back to his new suit.

Steve coughed and walked over to his left, peering over Tony's shoulder. "New suit?"

Tony nodded, not trusting himself to talk.

What was Steve hiding?

The fact the he was getting phone calls from some random woman wasn't the worst part, it was lying that bothered Tony the most especially when they had promised not to keep secrets from each other again.

Steve walked to the other side of the suit, running his hands over the metal. Tony hated himself for getting hard just watching those hands touch his suit, his anger ebbing with every movement Steve's fingers made along the metal. "Do you have to…?" Steve started to say when the phone rang again.

Tony sighed. "Jarvis, who…?"

"A Miss…" Jarvis started to say but Steve grabbed an ear piece from the desk and put it to his ear.

"I got it, Jarvis. Hello? Oh yes," he said quietly, nearly running out of the garage.

Tony glared at his back, cursing when the door closed. "Jarvis, who is Maria Hill?"

"Miss Hill works for SHIELD, sir."

Tony smiled, sighing.

Of course.

He frowned again. If it had something to do with SHIELD why was Steve lying about it?

"She works for SHIELD? That's it? Is she…?"

"Unmarried, lives on the upper east side of Los Angeles with Miss Sharon Carter and a cat."

Tony's blood boiled.

"Sharon," he whispered, licking his lips.

He hadn't seen the woman when he'd returned from 1943 so he had assumed she was wiped out with their meddling in the past. Apparently not.

"Have all the phone calls from the last week for Steve been from this number? How many phone calls has Steve gotten from this number since we came back to the house?"

"Yes, Mister Stark. Twenty seven, sir. On his own private mobile phone, twelve."

Tony sat down on a stool, staring off. His eyes tearing up. "Jarvis, is Steve still talking to Maria now?"

"Yes, sir."

"Patch it in."

"Sir, I do not find it ethical to…"

"PATCH IT," Tony said coldly.

He placed an ear piece in his ear and heard,

'I don't know how much longer I can wait, Sharon. It's so hard not to tell him.'

'It's almost time, Steve.'

'I know, I just…things are going to change and everything will be exactly as it should be. I just know it.'

'I'm so happy, Steve. Thank you for…'

Tony turned off the piece and set it down, biting his knuckle as tears leaked out the corner of his eyes.

Steve was leaving him.

For fucking Sharon Carter.

Tony wiped at his face, his entire body shaking as he closed his eyes.

He could be jumping to conclusions.

"Fuck it," he growled, opening his eyes and getting up. He stomped to the door and threw it open, running up the stairs. He stopped at the top, watching Steve as he spoke on the phone smiling like he was more in love than he'd ever been.

Tony wanted to punch him.

He stood with his arms crossed and glared, waiting until Steve looked his way and frowned. "I'm going to let you go. Yes. Yes. Tomorrow. No, I can't wait any longer. Goodbye."

Steve set the ear piece on the table and frowned at Tony. "What is it?"

Tony swallowed and asked, "Who was that?"

Steve paused. "It was…"

"Don't lie to me, Rogers. Just this once."

Steve's face was reddening as he said, "It was Sharon."

Tony laughed bitterly. "Sharon? You sure it wasn't Bucky? Or Nick? Or the half dozen others it's been the past few weeks?"

Steve frowned, walking to him and reaching out. "Tony, it's not what you're thinking. Sharon and I are friends. We just…"

Tony laughed loudly, shaking his head. "Really, Steve? REALLY? You're FRIENDS? Why the hell didn't you say so? I know I lie to my lover about the FRIENDS I talk to! Remember that phone call I got from Natasha yesterday? It was really Rhodey! Fuck STEVE, I'M NOT A FUCKING IDIOT SO DON'T TREAT ME LIKE ONE!"

He pushed Steve back, making the other man fall on to the couch.

Steve stood and grabbed Tony's arm. "Tony, look I was going to…"

Tony pushed him off, tears on his face. "How long have you been fucking her, Steve? Huh? How…"

Steve stepped back as if he'd been slapped, "How could you even…? I…do you not know me at all? Have we…" tears leaked from the corners of his eyes, "…fuck you, Tony."

Tony shook his head. "What other thing could you be talking about it being 'so hard not to tell me' and it being 'so hard to wait'? 'Things can be just like they should be?' What else…"

Steve shook his head and punched him in the face, causing Tony to rear back, holding his eye. "I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU TO MARRY ME, YOU BASTARD!"

Tony stared at him with wide eyes.

Steve turned and left, slamming the front door behind him.

"Fuck me," Tony whispered to the empty room.