Chapter 3- Christmas Shopping and Morning Sickness
The Christmas tree lots were always fascinating for Yelizaveta. Considering that the Red Room gave a watered-down Communist version of Christmas, Yelizaveta hadn't seen a tree until she was eight and Clint and Natasha had saved her. She remembered seeing the people of Belarus celebrating the holiday and Madame B and Dreykov never wanting to and making it as dreary as possible. Granted they always went to the Russian Orthodox Church and fasted from meat and eggs before the holiday meal on Christmas Day, but there was no Christmas tree and even the feast was a bland boring affair with food not even rats would eat.
"Well, here you go. Vetty, you pick the tree," Clint said, turning to face Yelizaveta who was standing beside Bucky.
"Why me? You know I'm no good at picking trees, birdbrain," Yelizaveta said, standing next to Bucky. Out in public, Bucky usually wanted her next to him as he said that the last time he took his eyes off her was when HYDRA had taken her from him. Yelizaveta couldn't have argued with that. Of course it was rather smothering when he didn't want her to leave his sight when she went on a run with Steve or down to the gym in the tower for training. He made up for it by teaching her some fighting moves.
"Funny. You've been helping every year with the tree," Clint said.
"I'd be an idiot to argue with that, I guess, and you need me to help you set it up, right?" Yelizaveta said, raising her dark eyebrows.
"Right. I also need you to go to the store for the lights," Clint said.
"Okay. I'm sure Wal-mart or a Christmas store has them. Most places at this time of the year has the strings of lights or bubble lights. Do I need to pick up icicles too?" Yelizaveta asked.
"That would be?" Steve asked.
"It's tinsel in gold or silver, Uncle Steve," Yelizaveta explained.
"Yeah. That would be good and also some popcorn and candy canes," Clint said.
"Okay. Now I have to decide what shop to go to. We're in Soho right now, but there are two shops I know of in Times Square and in Little Italy that sells Christmas decorations and lights. I also need to see if they have Nativity sets. Little Italy is probably a good place for that as the Italians make Nativity sets in Rome. I remember seeing them when I went to Rome on a mission with you and Natasha," Yelizaveta said.
"I'll go with you, Elizabeth," Bucky said, resting his flesh hand on her head.
"Okay, Dad," Yelizaveta said. Apparently, Christmas wouldn't stop Bucky from being overprotective of her as she was his only daughter. Diana had said that she and Bucky were wanting to have another baby, but her mother had voiced concerns over the birth control pills that HYDRA had forced her to take after Yelizaveta was born to make sure she would be the only Winter Soldier after her father. But her mother had also said that if she was pregnant, Bucky might relax his strict ways with Yelizaveta. Somehow, Yelizaveta doubted it.
"Do you need cab fare?" Clint asked.
"I have a credit card I applied for five months ago. Figured I'd need it for an emergency. Thankfully the place didn't ask for Dad's or Mama's approval," Yelizaveta said.
"You haven't used it yet?" Steve asked.
"Not yet. I said it was for an emergency," Yelizaveta said.
"Do you even know how to use it?" Bucky asked.
"Yeah, I am not clueless on how to use a credit card like Kevin's mother seemed to think about him in "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," Yelizaveta said.
"Good holiday movie. The kids also brought "A Christmas Carol" and "It's a Wonderful Life," Clint said.
"That's good and which version of "A Christmas Carol?" There's three I like; the Muppets, the one from 1984, and the cartoon Pixar version with Jim Carrey," Yelizaveta said.
"Me and your pop went to see the 1938 version with your grandparents and aunts," Steve said.
"Seen that one too. It's a good version and Alastair Sim is good too. That was 1951," Yelizaveta said.
"The kids brought the Muppets, the 1984 version, Jim Carrey, and Mickey's," Clint said.
"Okay. Those are good. Blu-ray or DVD?" Yelizaveta asked.
"Blu-ray for the 1984 and Jim Carrey," Clint said.
"That is also good as it makes the picture quality look sharper," Yelizaveta said.
"Time to get started. I'll pick the tree. You, Cap, and Barnes can go to the shops," Clint said.
"Can you get it back to the tower by yourself, Clint? You don't have super soldier serum to be able to lift it," Yelizaveta said doubtfully as she eyed the tree lot.
"I can do it," Clint said.
"Okay. I guess I'd better go hail a cab," Yelizaveta said, going to the entrance. Bucky and Steve followed her and a cab pulled up.
"Bună dimineața (Good morning)" the driver said in Romanian.
"Bună dimineața. We need to go to Brooklyn. Little Italy," Yelizaveta said in Romanian.
"Little Italy?" The Driver repeated.
"Da. Little Italy," Yelizaveta said in agreement. Bucky, Steve, and Yelizaveta got into the cab. Yelizaveta rested the back of her head against Bucky's flesh shoulder as his flesh hand went into her dark hair in a gentle stroke. In the months since Bucky and Diana had come back into her life, Bucky would often stroke her hair as if she was a cat and kiss her forehead and the top of her head. Now was no exception as his fingers played with her hair slowly. Diana had said that when Bucky touched her hair it was proof to him that he wasn't dreaming about her. That she was real. Diana had said that Bucky did the same with her when HYDRA first made them marry. Bucky and Diana would be in each other's arms and Bucky would stroke her shoulder and hair gently, giving Diana gentle kisses. Diana had told Yelizaveta that when Bucky hugged and kissed her, she felt safe and that was why she agreed to become his wife. Diana had also joked and said that Bucky's kisses made her weak in the knees and the reason why she always sat on his lap when kissing him and digging her fingers into his hair.
Yelizaveta turned, burying her face into Bucky's rock-hard chest, his warm hand nearly sending her off to sleep as it gently tickled her ear as he tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. "I love you, doll," Bucky whispered softly as he kissed her through her hair.
"Love you too, Dad," Yelizaveta said as she drifted off to sleep.
Bucky looked down at Elizabeth, sound asleep in his arms, her head pressed under his chin perfectly. Bucky smiled as he twisted his fingers into her dark hair and kissed the top of her head. Holding his little girl made him very happy. Stroking her hair as if she was an adorable kitten made him even happier. Diana had told him that she had explained why he was always touching Elizabeth's hair to their daughter and Elizabeth had seemed to understand.
"Buck, we have to wake her up when we get there," Steve commented.
"No, we don't. Let her sleep, Steve. Me or you can pay the cab driver. I speak Romanian just as good as Elizabeth," Bucky said, pressing his lips to her head and pressing her face more firmly to his chest. He'd be hard-pressed if anyone woke up his girl.
Diana felt her stomach heave for the fifth time since waking up. Now that they were free from HYDRA, Diana and James had been trying for another baby. After a few months and the fear that the birth control had prevented her from getting pregnant, Diana had started to feel the effects of morning sickness just this morning. James had been kissing her slowly up her neck and giving her open-mouthed kisses along her jaw
Diana didn't pull away from him as he kissed her, his mouth caressing her lips gently. Diana' had always loved her husband's kisses. Even when HYDRA had forced him to kiss her. Diana's memories were slowly coming back and she remembered the first time he had kissed her like this. It was two days after their forced wedding and HYDRA was injecting something into her bloodstream. They had her on an examination table. He had released one of her arms and was giving gentle, open-mouthed kisses on her palm and inside her wrist. Karpov then gave a harsh order in Russian.
"Kiss me," James had ordered his gravelly voice rumbling softly on her neck. Diana did as she was told and he molded his lips to hers as if he was breathing into her mouth. Not that she wanted to refuse as his lips explored hers. Because of the serum she kissed him whenever he asked and for as long as he asked. Just the night before he had kissed her for three hours straight. It wasn't until much later that James had told her that Karpov had wanted her to get used to James kissing her like this. Karpov had gotten what he wanted, but this time James's kisses were wreaking havoc with her stomach. She felt as if she was going to be sick. Diana pulled away, her mouth feeling empty and wanting to throw up at the same time.
"What's wrong, doll?" James asked, stroking her hair and looking surprised that she pulled away from him. She usually didn't.
"I just didn't feel good, James," Diana said as she touched his thick eyebrow and moved her hand to his stubbled cheek.
"Was it something you ate, Doll face?" James asked as he nipped her bottom lip.
"I don't think so. We ordered Mexican last night and I ate everything everyone else ate. You even fed me a few bites of your sopapilla," Diana said. Elizabeth had suggested the dessert and Diana had even eaten a few bites of Elizabeth's Tres leche cake.
"Do you need to go see Banner?" James asked as he kissed her lips again.
"Probably," Diana said as James scooped her up and she kissed the pulse point on his throat gently. James claimed her ears and neck was his favorite spot to kiss while she said the pulse point on his throat was her favorite spot to kiss him.
Diana looked out the window and saw the snow falling lazily to the ground as she wrapped her arms around James's neck. "Beautiful," James said as his voice rumbled through her.
"Me or the snow?" Diana asked, kissing him through the scruff on his chin.
"Both, doll," James said as he entered the elevator and carried her into Banner's lab.
