***Hey guys. Thank you SO much for all the love and support on this story. You don't know what it means to me. Thank you! 27 will be the last chapter but I do have a sequel started and I'll start posting that after this one is done. If you don't already know who that story will be centered around, you will after this chapter. Promise. Because a few of you have asked on PM, yes, I did see Infinity War and in the words of Director Fury, I'm electing to ignore it in this little world I've built. For now. Thank you so much!***

Bucky eventually waited with T'Challa outside the exam room where Dr. Helen Cho, Bruce, Shuri, and Nat flocked around his girl. His beautiful Marley was holding up well, trying to keep a brave face on when he knew she was scared. He could see it in the subtle set of her shoulders, the way she kept her hands around her midriff when Nat wasn't clutching one of them.

The moment she'd heard about the pregnancy, a side of Nat he'd never seen before came out, fierce and protective. It wasn't a secret that Nat had been forcibly sterilized in her training as a young woman and it was a silent loss that he knew she had to carry in her private moments. Learning his girl's circumstances, Nat was by her side, ready to fight for the apparent miracle that was this one child.

His child.

The helplessness of the situation tore at him, reminded him of the dark places where he'd dwelled when HYDRA had him all those years. The one thing he could do was to be there for her, to be strong for her. It kept him present. With every calming breath he took he realized that just maybe he wanted that child too, something he never hoped to have.

Bucky wanted Marley to have their child. HYDRA had taken everything from her too, more so than it had him. If something should ever happen to him, she wouldn't be alone. She'd still have part of him, someone she loved as much as him.

Hell, maybe they'd even have a chance to raise him or her together. A hopeless loss of a father he would be, but damn it he'd try. For her.

Oh God, there's got to be something they can do.

Shuri caught his gaze and whispered in Helen's ear before making her way to where he and T'Challa sat quietly in the hallway.

T'Challa's sister smiled as she reached them, her beautiful brown eyes twinkling. "You've been busy since I fixed you."

"I have," Bucky smiled back, standing with her brother.

"What have you learned?" T'Challa cut to the chase.

Shuri's expression sobered. "The baby is alive and healthy," she said slowly to Bucky. "But the situation is delicate."

"What do you mean?" T'Challa pressed and Bucky was grateful for him.

"Marley's powers are mighty. As Helen and Bruce have said, they should have killed her. But her body adjusts, becomes accustomed to them. In making her a weapon, your enemies fully succeeded."

Shit. If what Shuri said was true, Marley had become exactly what HYDRA had intended. If they ever got their hands on her…

"Her child, however, cannot survive in the environment of her power," Shuri explained. "There's only one thing to be done. We must find a surrogate and quickly. Use of her power, no matter how slight, no matter how accidental, could be fatal to the little one."

"A surrogate," Bucky said, letting her words sink in. "That's possible, right? There are people who do that?"

T'Challa nodded. "There are."

"But we need one quickly," Shuri emphasized.

"Shuri, one more thing. You said her body has adjusted to the fire, her powers. Is there any chance that can be reversed? Taken away so she could be normal?" Bucky asked carefully.

Shuri blew out a deep exhale. "Bruce and I have talked about this at length since I arrived," she told him, her expression carefully schooled. He knew that expression. It was the same one she'd used to keep him positive until she was able to successfully get all the shit HYDRA put in his head out. "Let's save the child first, then we can take a closer look."

It was Shuri speak for maybe. It wasn't a no.

Bucky tipped his head in Marley's direction. "Can I..?"

"Go," Shuri bid him.

Marley and Nat both watched as he entered the room, reaching out for Marley who still sat on the exam table. He wasn't happy that her slight form was trembling as he pulled her against him.

"You okay?" He pressed a kiss into her hair.

Marley nodded, snuggled into him. Nat didn't release her hand and that was okay. He wasn't going to take Nat on. She was still in her hospital gown and robe, supposed to be in bed, and wasn't listening to anyone. Bucky supposed Steve was still off talking to Tony, but he was hoping when his friend got back he could talk Nat around to getting some rest. Nat still mostly gave Bruce the cold shoulder and had since he'd returned from space.

"Shuri told you," Marley wasn't asking, and he focused on keeping his thoughts positive, hopeful.

"She did, doll," he told her. "We've got a chance. We'll figure something out."

"Okay, so what did I miss?" Tony barreled into the room at that moment, winking at Marley as stopped before her. Then he turned to Shuri who has just re-entered. "Hi. Tony Stark."

"I'm Shuri," the princess shook his hand and for a moment, Tony seemed dazzled by her. "Can we do lunch while you're here? We have a lot to talk about, compare notes on. Genius stuff."

"We can," Shuri replied, beaming.

Bucky knew Shuri could give Stark a run for his money.

"But let's talk about the baby," Nat cut in.

"Should you be up?" Tony cocked a brow at her.

The redheaded spy's look asked are you going to make me lay down?

Bucky knew better than to say anything to her.

"So there is a tiny tin man? That's confirmed?" Tony asked.

The general look of annoyance around the room answered that question.

Tony's demeanor softened. "What's the verdict then?"

"We'll need a surrogate," Helen explained. "For the moment, the pregnancy is stable, but Marley's unique physiology won't support it for long."

"And it won't be easy to move the baby," Bruce threw in.

In the hallway, he saw Steve and Emily stop and greet T'Challa.

Tony seemed to consider the information. "Couldn't we just build a womb? An artificial environment to provide for the baby? Something super cool? State-of-the-art?"

Shuri's face lit up. "I'd suggested that."

"And risk attack? Power failures?" Bruce countered. "Too many things could go wrong, Tony."

"True," Tony said. "So, surrogate. Okay."

Steve came in the door just behind Tony while Emily stayed just outside the door with the Wakandan king. Steve's gaze found both Marley's and his own, concern etched on his face.

"Well, the surrogate can't be just anyone," Tony pointed out. "They have to be vetted. Then you have all the customary requirements. A younger woman, healthy, free of disease, able to carry a child."

"For her safety, she'd have to agree to stay here at the compound," Steve offered, "until the child was born."

"Yep. Then there's confidentiality," Tony went on.

Marley tensed slightly against him. The conditions were mounting, and Bucky's hope was waning a little the more as they added on.

"Most importantly, we need to find someone quickly," Helen explained. "The sooner we find someone suitable to make the transfer, the better."

Tony didn't appear to have missed the urgency in the doctor's voice.

"Okay, okay. I get it," Tony's turned to look at Marley and any annoyance and bravado faded. "Hey, we'll find someone. Try not to worry," he said gently.

"Do I get to be the uncle?" he said to Bucky.

"Nope, that's me," Steve announced from behind him.

"Even if I find the surrogate?"

"Even if," Steve winked at Marley.

"You could be a grand uncle."

"Hey, how about we argue this later," Nat snapped, "and get on finding a surrogate."

Steve noticed then she was holding her side. "Why are you out of bed?"

"Thank you, Steve," Bruce came to Nat's side.

"Marley needs me and so does my nephew or niece," Nat told him, obviously in discomfort but not looking like she was going anywhere.

"Fine, fine," Tony was making his way out the door. "I'll get on finding a surrogate. Unless you want to do it," he said jokingly to Emily as he spotted her there.

"I'll do it."

Everything in the room came to a stop.

"What was that?" Bucky couldn't have heard that right.

Emily looked so uncomfortable with everyone's attention focused on her, but she held her ground.

"I said I'd do it," she spoke up. "If I meet all of your qualifications."

"Tony," Steve hissed his irritation at his friend. To Emily, he said, "Sorry, it's okay."

"Well, yeah, I realized he was joking but I'm serious right now," Emily offered. "I'd like to be considered. I'd like to help Marley if I can."

"Emily," Marley spoke up, looking around Nat at the brunette. "I couldn't ask that of you."

Emily walked around and Steve and Tony to her. "Why not? You've helped me."

"This is a big commitment," Marley told her. "You've been through so much. How could I ask something like this from you right now?"

Nat looked back and forth between the two women. "It would give her a place to stay," Nat reasoned. "She'd be safe with us here and nine months is a nice long time to get your head on straight after dealing with an ex-loser boyfriend."

Bucky didn't miss the way Nat cut her eyes back in Bruce's direction.

Emily nodded at the spy. "She's right. When we met with Mr. Stark, Tony, he'd offered me a place to stay for a year so maybe I could go back to school. This way I could earn my keep."

Behind her Tony actually blushed, making Steve smirk. Stark hated being accused of generosity.

"You can take classes online," Nat added.

"Exactly," Emily went on. "I think I'm healthy enough. I just have two problems. There is my ex-loser boyfriend. And I'd really like to see my brother."

Tony and Steve exchanged glances.

"Seeing your brother could be arranged," Tony told her.

"And the boyfriend won't be a problem," Steve said.

Bucky snorted under his breath at that one. I'll bet.

"No, he won't," Nat agreed. "I heal quickly."

His girl's eyes were shiny. "Are you sure?" Marley whispered.

Emily nodded. "I'm sure. I could maybe even keep my job for a little while."

Nat, Steve, and Tony all exchanged glances on that note. Poor girl. Bucky hoped she realized what she was getting herself into here. An Avenger baby and a shit ton of overprotective uncles and aunts.

Marley grabbed Emily, hugging her and fighting back tears. "Thank you. I'll never be able to pay you back for this."

"That's not why I'm doing it," Emily told her with shiny eyes too. "Let's just see if I can do it. And be vetted and all of that."

Nat got in on the hug or tried to. At her yelp, Bruce picked her up and carried her out with Nat hissing at him all the while to put her down.

Bucky's heart swelled in his chest. Just maybe this would work. He knew practically nothing about Emily but Marley and Steve hadn't ferreted out any negatives, so he was willing to go on a little faith. Tony dashed off to get the entire process started while T'Challa and his sister happily chatted with Helen to the side.

Steve walked over and patted him on the back. "Congratulations, Buck. You're going to be a father."

And then it was real to him.

Bucky nodded, trying to blink back tears.

"I guess you get to be an annoying uncle, after all, punk," Bucky teased him.

"I'm not going to be your biggest problem," Steve informed him. "If you're not careful Tony will be making tiny iron suits."

Bucky shook his head, laughing. He was right. The biggest problem was likely to be Tony. While he pretended to have no love for children, when he thought no one was looking, the evidence suggested that Tony had a huge soft spot for them.

Steve's gaze landed on Emily then. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

Emily nodded, and Marley watched them walk out of the room, wrapping her arms around Bucky's waist. She began to say something, but Bucky pressed a finger to her lips.

"Shhhh," he told her.

Marley grinned, realizing Bucky wanted to hear what his best friend was out there saying. And thanks to his enhancement, he could.

"Emily, I just wanted to thank you for offering to do this," Steve began. Bucky could just picture the stoic expression on his best pal's face. "Bucky is my best friend and I can't think of anyone who deserves this happiness more than him. And Marley. This means everything."

Bucky didn't hear Emily say anything.

"If this all works out," Steve went into his captain's voice. Dear God. "I will keep you safe myself. I'll help look after your brother. I'll do everything I can to help you. I promise. Just thank you."

"Th-thank you, Steve." Emily's voice was low, but he just made it out.

"What are they saying?" Marley whispered.

Bucky grinned. "I'll tell you later."

"Do you think this is going to happen?"

He hated the fear in her big blue eyes. He ran a hand through the cool strands of her hair.

"I do. But until then we need to take care of you. Food. Rest. No worries. Can you do that for me?" he asked.

"Yes," she told him. "I'll do anything for our baby. And you."

That was what he wanted to hear.

As he took them in the direction of the elevator, heading for the food court so he could feed her, he pushed his worries aside for just a moment. There was something he'd forgotten.

"So, doll, since we're having a baby and all," Bucky said slowly and half teasing her, "now will you move in with me?"

The last thing he expected was for his girl to burst into tears. Clueless, he stood there in the hallway while she cried into his chest, whispering something about how sorry she was.

"Hey, hey, Marley? Baby? What's this?" Bucky would do anything to stop her tears. "I was only teasing you I promise. I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry." Marley pulled back and looked up into his face. "I should have said yes. I am saying yes. Yes, I would love to live with you, Bucky. Not just because of the baby. Because I love you."

He wasn't sure where all that came from, but he wasn't about to argue either.

"I love you too," he said.

Marley sighed as they stepped into the elevator. "What did Steve say to Emily?"

Bucky smiled. "Let me tell you."