The rain pitter patted down into the roof of their cabin that was deep within the woods. It was because of the rain that Steve was still in bed. Usually he'd be off running his 10th mile by now, but they stayed up late the night before and the newlyweds had their fair share of cardiovascular exercise. He lounged on his side watching the morning sun track it's way through the room until it was over the bed. He wished he had his sketchbook close by, the way Peggy was sleeping was too adorable to forget. Her hair pushed over on one side, her expression was peaceful and stress free-something he wished he could see more of.
Eventually he caved and carefully slipped out of bed, finding his pajama pants thrown across the room. He picked his sketch book out of his suitcase and at the lounging chair next to the bed, that had a good view of Peggy. Shamefully, most of the book was filled with Peggy, some of the view outside their apartment, the Avengers base… but his Peggy pictures kept him busy. The graphite scratched against the paper, mimicking the curve of her lips, the folds in the blanket, the shading from the sun in her hair, her wonderful brown eyes- oh Steve finally noticed- her eyes are open.
"Good morning." He blushed.
"Am I allowed to move?" she asked playfully, "I'd hate to disappoint your work."
Steve put the book down and walked to the bed, "You my dear, can do whatever you like." He pulled the blanket back over him, and took Peggy into his arms.
She quickly adjusted to lay against him, "I'd like to do this." Peggy leaned up and kissed his jaw that was starting to consider growing a hint of a stubble, "Be honest, how much of that notebook is me?"
"90 percent." He admitted, "Maybe more. I can't ever get it just right."
"Too beautiful?" she teased.
Steve chuckled, "Of course. And, I think I get distracted by you."
She ran her hands across his chest, "Oh do you?"
"Your eyes… your hair… your lips…" He reached down and kissed her lips, "and… other features."
Peggy leaned off of him, laying on her back. She didn't care to cover herself up with the blanket that had slipped and displayed the features Steve was 'complaining' about. "Your life must be so difficult." she said with fake sincerity.
"The worst." Steve played along, "almost as bad as you have it."
She looked over at him, "Don't get me started. I'm more into scrawny men… you know color blind… asthma … the whole picture." she sighed, "and I end up with Captain America."
"Psshh." Steve laughed, "Who needs the guy? Overrated by a mile."
"Are you sure about this?" Steve walked out of the cabin with Peggy, "We can just stay here and relax…"
Peggy turned around and shifted the backpack on her shoulders, "I'm pregnant, not ill. I'll be fine, I just have to stay hydrated and everything will be fine."
"But why don't we not risk it." He stopped her as she started on the trail. The forest was beautiful and all to themselves, she wasn't going to stay cooped up, "Just stay and have a fire…"
She turned around to face him, "Steve, please believe me. I'm fine, the baby will be fine." She turned around and kept walking through the damp forest gaining distance between herself and Steve, "It's only a day hike, and it's good for me to exercise. I'm going, if you want to stay and finish my embroidering project go ahead. But I'm getting to that look out and having a wonderful picnic lunch that was packed by my worry wort husband."
Steve hung his head and chuckled, "You're exhausting you know that?"
"Funny enough," She started walking backwards on the trail so he could catch up, "I was going to say the same thing about you."
He ran to catch up with her. The pine needles under their boots kept them quiet enough so the nature around them could barely notice their presence. Besides both of them being fond of the outdoors, there was an element about it that made them feel like no time had passed. The woods looked the same today as it did 60 years ago; the only difference was their shoes, the phone in Peggy's pocket and their rain jackets that weren't necessary on such a beautiful day. "How are you doing?" Steve inquired as they were close to the look out, that they planned for their lunch.
"Wonderful." She reached for his hand, "It's very peaceful. No one bugging me about SHIELD, or what you're up to. No fires to put out."
Steve kissed the top of her hand, "It's nice to see you happy. I thought you could only look this way when you were asleep."
"I do love my sleep." Peggy laughed.
The path curved around some and inclined sharply for the last mile or so, making it rather difficult. If the pregnancy didn't make Steve worry, the metal leg certainly made him nervous, "We can cut it early-"
"I swear to god Steve." Peggy didn't finish.
"I know, I know." He held his hands up walking after her. Their pace had slowed, not that he minded, "You're fine."
Peggy made it to the top first, since Steve was behind to make sure she didn't slip. "The view is worth it Darling." She dropped her pack and took a minute to soak in the wonderful view. A green canyon with red and orange rock surrounded them. Not a city as far as a regular eye could see, even a super soldier eye.
"Is it worth making me scared to death for the last few hours?" Steve teased and got his water bottle out and his lunch.
"Of course." She did the same sitting down on the grassy patch to eat. The fatigue hadn't set in and she by no means exerted herself, but she was very hungry. "A fire and a cozy night will be much appreciated though." Peggy took her phone out and took a picture of their private view and then turned to take a picture of Steve eating his sandwich.
He laughed, "Isn't it reckless to be posting where we are to the public?"
Peggy put the phone down and tapped the screen a few times to get the setting where she wanted them. "I don't know how it works but Daisy showed me how I can share things to only a few people. Then once we're back home I'll make them public. Plus Tony assures me this is the most secure phone in existence." She shrugged, "They both seem trustworthy enough."
"That seems like us, to have Hydra crash our honeymoon." Steve took a break halfway through his sandwich.
"Hydra;s rather dismantled at the moment." Peggy finished her water bottle then fished around her bag for the second bottle she packed. "Not that I expect they'll stay that way." She changed to a thick German accent, "Cut off one head two more shall take it's place."
Steve rolled his eyes, "That doesn't even make sense." He reached into his bag to pull out a sketch book, "They're logo is an Octopus, not a Hydra. I mean if you're going to try and take over the world… at least have it make sense."
Peggy laughed and laid down on the grass to rest, "I never understood it either. I guess it's like they have their hands in everyone's business? I'm not too concerned with it."
"Me either." Steve looked over at her and tried not to scrap his sketch of their view and draw Peggy. He promised himself he'd remember her image perfectly to sketch later.
They were silent for a while listening to the wind blowing through the trees and the void of humans around them, "Do you think it's a Girl or a Boy?"
Steve chuckled, from being thrown off guard, "You know, I haven't thought about it yet. I guess I think it's a girl."
Peggy looked at her stomach then back at the sky, "I feel like it's a boy. Isn't it amazing that we can find out, before the baby is born."
"You're showing your age." Steve teased.
She threw the blade of grass she had plucked from the ground at him, "Hush you."
Peggy had her legs curled up to her chest as she read through one of the many books she brought. But she was having a hard time focusing as Steve was building the fire in the fireplace. Finally it was set up and he stood up and brushed his hands off, "Good job darling." She turned the page, "I'm exhausted just watching."
"Sure." Steve scoffed and sat with her on the couch. He pulled the blanket over her and rested his head in her lap, "It must have been a lot of hard word watching me chop wood."
Peggy ran her free hand through his hair, "It was. But I prevailed and watched despite how exhausting it was to watch."
He smiled and closed his eyes, "I love you."
"I love you too." She whispered, "I don't want to leave this place, I want to stay here forever."
"We can't." He said with the same sadness, "Maybe we can beg the Bartons to let us go to the farm for a bit. It's close enough."
"I feel like we need baby training." She sighed, "I'm sure there are a million things that are different now."
Steve opened one eye, "What can change? It's just a baby."
"Oh Darling…" She laughed, "You're cute when you're naive."
"I must be cute a lot then." He pulled the book from her hand and set it down on the ground. Then he took her free hand and started to rub the soft part below her thumb. "See if everythings working right."
Peggy looked down, "You better be working hard." She spoke to the bundle of cells that couldn't hear her, "Happy times from now on."
"Listen to your mother." Steve instructed.
They both laughed, out of pure excitement. Their honeymoon was wonderful, but they were excited to go back and join the world.
Peggy sat on the doctor's bench on the Phone with Pepper, "Yes I'll bring a picture, it's too early to find the sex. No you don't have to throw a par-" She pinched her brow, "Too late? Okay, I can handle Bucky and Nat." She looked at Steve who was sitting in a chair in the doctor's office, "Pepper threw us a welcome home get together." The doctor walked in the room, "I have to go." Peggy hung up the phone, "Sorry."
"You're a busy women." The doctor sat down at the computer and typed into the keyboard. The nurse who walked them to the room explained that usually a technician would do this but it's not every day two people with super soldier serum were asleep for 60 years and woke up and had babies. The baby would be the first of it's kind. She smiled at the two of them, "I know you two might not be in on prenatal advances, so the moment you have questions let me know."
Steve and Peggy both nodded. They were just hoping for good news. For something in their life to be simple. "You'll know if they're healthy from this right?" Peggy asked as the doctor had Peggy lay down and pull her shirt up exposing her stomach and preparing the equipment.
"You'll hear the heartbeat and we'll be checking to make sure everything is looking normal." She nodded.
Steve scooted the chair and took Peggy's hand. She squeezed it, somehow trying to transfer her anxiety to him. It didn't work.
It took a few minutes as the doctor moved the instrument around against her stomach, through the clear blue gel. Finally there was a small swooshing sound that made the doctor smile. She moved the screen so they could see. She pointed to the screen where there was a grainy cluster, "There we are."
Peggy and Steve both stared. They were hearing their baby's heart beat. It took a few minutes before Peggy noticed the vocabulary, "We?"
"From the looks of it.." The doctor moved around getting different angles, "You're having twins."
"Bloody nora." Peggy said quickly and looked at Steve, who was grinning ear to ear.
"Twins!" He looked at Peggy and they both shared a moment of mixed emotions. Double everything. "Happy news, but it follows our pattern?"
The Doctor took her time checking a few more angles, "What would that be."
"Nothing's ever simple." She laughed and looked back at the screen, "Happy, but…"
"Twins." Steve repeated, this time with a heavier air of terror, "I think I might be sick actually."
Peggy laughed, "No, you don't get to be sick. I'm going to be carrying twins! This makes the pregnancy more risky right?"
"This adds a new element to it, but I wouldn't say you're in danger. There's nothing more that you can do then stay healthy and take it easy." she handed a few tissues to Steve who had started to cry and then to Peggy for her to clean her stomach off. "Now I'm guessing you'd like some pictures?"
"Yes," Peggy said, still looking at the screen where the picture was still up. She could see the two spots that were pointed out to be her two children. The impossible children she never knew she'd get to have.
