Steve wanted to hug his wife, but he couldn't, with the baby's head and neck in his hands, and was about to respond when a familiar voice shouted, "You can do it, Mum! Do it for my baby brother or sister! You're almost there!".
Another familiar voice called out, "Yeah! You a smart gal, Peggy, you strong too! We all love ya! Me, Susan, Steve, and now this baby!".
Peggy got a small surge of strength back from hearing that and made one final push before finally the baby was almost completely free, and Steve could easily help pull the child out. "They're out, Peggy! They're out!", Steve cried.
Peggy sobbed out in relief, watching Steve holding up the baby as he cleaned up the nose and mouth, and the baby gave out its first wail of life, squirming and wiggling, and Steve laughed, "We got a boy! Peggy, it's a boy!", tears falling down his face.
Cheers from the movie-reel stone echoed and pierced the air, with Susan laughing, "A brother! Tara, did you hear that?! I got a baby brother!", with Bucky clapping, "Way to go, Peggy! I got a nephew, Mo!".
Peggy cried happily as she is exhausted, but the good kind of exhausted as she removed her long sleeve shirt, leaving her in a tank top, with no bra, reaching out, "Let me have him, Steve.", and Steve nodded, shushing their son as he kept crying, handing him to Peggy, and their son slowly quieted down as he laid on Peggy's chest, cradled by his mum's warmth.
Steve swiftly ran to the bathroom to grab warm, damp towels as Peggy looked at their son, falling in love instantly, "Hello, little one.", seeing that Steve's right about their son's hair...It's truly naturally blonde, soft and a little thick and so blonde...
"Open your eyes, darling...Let me have a peep at them.", Peggy whispered warmly, and their son murmured, gurgled as he opened his eyes, looking up at his mum, and she breathed softly, "Oh...look at that...You truly are a Christmas boy...".
"What is it, Peggy?", Steve asked as he got back, and Peggy smiled, "Look at your son's eyes.".
Steve looked and widened his eyes, "Well, I'll be a doggone dad...He got your mum's eyes...hazel...light brown with green speckles...", and Peggy nodded, "I know...Mum will be so elated of that...Grandmother to grandson...".
"So, what do you think, Peggy? Should we name him Henry?", Steve smiled warmly as he sat next to her, gently cleaning his son while he's in the grasp of Peggy's hands, and the baby blinked, looking at his mum, cooing, as his skin is revealed to be a tan tone, just like his mum.
Peggy exhaled, seeing the slightly upturned button nose just like Susan, and Peggy cried a bit as she saw that he got her brother Michael's dimples...She nodded, "Yes, it's perfect...Hello, Henry...What should your middle name be?".
Susan's voice called out, "I like Jasper, Mum! Please?", with a hint of giddiness and excitement. Peggy chuckled at her daughter's words as she looked at Steve, "I think Jasper's a winner, what do you think?".
"I think it fits him perfectly.", Steve leaned over to kiss Henry's head. "Do you like that, Henry?", he asked as Henry gave a small babble before he started to cry, obviously wanting to feed.
"I think he doesn't care right now... he just wants to eat.", Peggy smiled as she moved him into position to latch on to her nipple.
Steve chuckled softly as he got up, smiling as he kissed Peggy's temple, and went around the bed to the movie-reel stone, looking at Susan and Bucky with a grateful smile, "Thank you for supporting your mum, Susan, and Bucky, thanks. Let it be known that Henry Jasper Carter-Rogers is born today on Christmas Eve, 1945...We will find a way to you two...I promise.", before taking off the old wolf stuffy, and the stone turned black, with the mirrors turning back to normal reflections on the other side of the wall.
Steve returned back to Peggy, to help her pull out the afterbirth, throwing it away in a garbage bag after he cut the cord and clipped the base of it for Henry's belly button, and then settled down on the bed, to hold Peggy against his body with his arm, gazing tenderly and fatherly upon his son suckling on his first meal of the day, with Peggy sighing happily, content as she held him in a firm, gentle, motherly way.
In the other earth, Susan sighed happily as she leaned her head back on the edge of the bed, "I got a baby brother...Henry Jasper Carter-Rogers...It's so perfect...", and Tara chuckled, "Sure is, but did you hear the date when your dad said it? Christmas Eve, 1945! That's nearly 50 years ago!", as the sisters are living in the year of 2001.
Susan suddenly sat up as it suddenly clicked in her head as her mind repeated that, "Wait, you're right!". She grabbed her head, "God... what the hell is happening?".
"Well, you're not going crazy, I saw that too for sure... and who's that Bucky they were talking about?", Tara asked as Susan shook her head.
"I don't know... I want so many answers and I just can't seem to get any!", Susan growled as she kicked the side of her bed.
Tara sighed, "I wish I knew, sis, but hey, I'm here...I'm in, right? I mean, you told Chris first which is understandable as he's your best friend...".
Susan looked at her, "Tara, you're as real as my own sister, and that will not ever change! And besides, when my true parents show up on special days, they like all of you...you, Mom, Papa, Chris...", holding back one fact she noticed about Peggy when she officially saw Derek. She was almost acting like Susan, but more wary and a bit worried about Tara, she supposed.
Tara smiled, "Thanks, Susan...I really needed that.", before chuckling, "I should have known...Was your mum here before the whole mirror thing? You were like looking to the side of the bed.".
Susan nodded, "Yeah...Mum was like an illusion, like a spirit, but solid with colors and everything. She was resting on my bed...She was judging your dresses like I were... By the way, she approved big on the dress you're wearing right now.".
"Well, that's nice.", Tara gave a small chuckle as she looked at it again. "Do you think Derek will like it, by the way?".
"Yeah...", Susan was quick to respond despite her want to hesitate for a moment. Something about Derek really just was bugging her, maybe it was his attitude amongst the school, he certainly gave off a pretty large 'big man on campus' sort of feeling.
Tara grinned, "I can't wait for the prom...Two more weeks!", and Susan chuckled, "It's going to be fun..My first time for the prom myself. Is the theme different every year?".
"Pretty much. Luckily, our dresses suit the theme for this one prom.", Tara replied before smiling, "Well, I better take this off, and put it somewhere safe, and hold it.", starting to take it off, going to change back to her casual clothes.
Susan nodded, "Sounds good. Say, wanna go grab a couple of smoothies or something? Mom and Papa are not back yet from shopping for dinner tonight.", and Tara grinned, "Sounds like a plan.".
In another place, Bucky smiled happily, glad for his brother and sister-in-law, "Henry Jasper Carter-Rogers, it really suits the little guy.", and Mo chuckled, "He is sure a junior version of your bro in ways, especially with that little mess of blonde hair already.".
"Got his mother's looks too... I'd never say it to Steve's face, but Peggy was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen... but he'd probably rip my head off for saying that.", Bucky chuckled. He then sighed as he looked into the mirror, "15 years now and I haven't practically aged a day...".
Mo chuckled, "You'd be surprised at the age of the tribes on my island. I'm officially 26 but have been that way for the past 40 years. Too bad I haven't found my true mate...When I was captured, I was supposed to go traveling through the tribes to look for the one, but now I believe I would never find her...I only know that I'm an alpha, and alphas need either alpha or beta females...Omegas are rare, but good for alphas as long as there's trust, commitment, and love.".
"Certainly, different sensibilities there than my day. It's either mostly courting, especially if you're in the upper crust of society like those rich sodalities, or for a lot of folks, quickly running off to the church with that girl that lives down the corner from ya. Sometimes there's dating and all, but, well, especially with the war, quite a lot of guys were either marrying women they just met or some sweethearts so fast with little plans since a lot didn't think they'd come back alive.", Bucky said.
Mo nodded, "I could understand that as it's better to live a full-filled life than a short one. All the same, perhaps I can be your wingman, Bucky...After all, you may have a point about Monger...He may be gruff, but he has a heart. I'd be so glad to feel the sun again, climb mountains, and race against the wind.".
Bucky smiled, "Well, I know it will happen. I don't know when or how, but I know we will be out of here...Don't get me wrong, hanging out with you, Mo, and the gang here is neat and all, but I'm getting to feel a bit cramped...even if this place is huge...", with a sigh.
"I hear that...", Mo sighed as well while the two of them moved on to other things, if only to stave off the boredom or to keep themselves somewhat sane.
And so, back in Earth 1, Steve and Peggy is enjoying the days of being parents again, with moments of checking on Susan, with Henry learning to cheer on Susan on her baseball days and all, naturally doing size-changing like his parents on rare days, and soon, they discovered Henry's new powers a month later when Stark visited the family, having good news.
Steve smiled as he let in Howard Stark, "Hey, Howard. What's going on?", and Stark smiled warmly, "I have good news to tell you two. Where's Peggy?".
"She's in the nursery with Henry. I'll get her.", Steve replied, and a giggle, "No need to do that, Steve.", and the two men looked to see Peggy coming with Henry babbling as he played with his mum's necklace, having been developed to 9 months old when he was born despite 6 months in the womb, and now 10 months old while in the size of a 1-year-old toddler.
Stark smiled, "Wow, you weren't kidding, Steve, that you got a doppelganger junior! So, this is Henry Jasper Carter-Rogers, huh?", leaning on his knees to peer curiously and politely at Henry who blinked at him with a gummy smile.
"Yep. Turns out he's more outgoing than his big sister, and a bit more rambunctious, but he knows when to relax and be lazy.", Peggy chuckled, and Stark grinned, "I bet. Anyway, you would love to hear this. I finally finished the notes, and I figured it out! Instead of Quantonium, I am going to make an arc reactor to power the portal. Of course, I'd have to figure out the specifics and the intensity of the power, but the portal will be ready and whole in 5 more months!".
Both Peggy and Steve looked at each other, but Stark could easily tell something was off, "Okay, what's wrong? I thought you would be happy...".
"It's not that we aren't...", Steve said. "It's just... you say five months but are you so sure about that? Will it even work right without Quantonium?".
"Will we even be able to use it, or do we run the risk of any of us getting sent to another different world? Certainly wouldn't want that for you while you're testing.", Peggy added as Stark nodded.
"I see. I get your concerns. You are somewhat right, I'm fairly confident I can get everything working in five months... but like you said, no guarantees and I want to make sure this is perfectly right before we really try anything. Just from the looks of it, seems like Schmidt was fairly desperate when he tried to use it.", Stark explained.
"Makes sense since we were attacking and also the Reich was collapsing; they were desperate to reverse things.", Steve said as he looked over to the newspaper on the table; seeing the main headline that the Nuremberg Trial was still going on where Hitler and his lackeys were being tried for their crimes against humanity.
Peggy replied, "Are you sure an arc reactor would be better?", and Stark replied, "I don't want to hurt you guys or Henry here by taking the Quantonium like Schidmt did with Susan...He was sadistic, and I am not! Arc reactor energy is clean and powerful...And there's something else I will make the arc reactor with...It was supposed to be for you guys if the Quantonium didn't work on you during the changes, but this would suffice better...It's called Vibranium.".
"Never heard of it.", Steve said. "Thought so, few have. It's similar to Quantonium, another element from space, though this one is much more of a rare metal. Only places are from the Yucatan and that recluse African kingdom of Wakanda in South Africa.", Stark explained.
"Certainly means a lot more work than simply copying what the Nazis came up with.", Peggy said. "I know, but it's the best alternative I can think of, unless one of you are deciding to volunteer Quantonium.", Stark pointed out as both of them nodded in understanding.
"Well, if it comes to that choice, we might have to accept it in order to get Susan and Bucky back... but we'll keep hope that your alternatives will work just as well.", Steve gave an understanding smile.
As Peggy and Steve was talking and sitting with Stark while sharing the news, Henry became bored of playing with his mum's necklace, and he looked to the window on the side of the couch, smiling at the blue jay feeding on the birdseed feeder, and glanced back, seeing Peggy relax her arms around him.
He craftily moved from her, crawling to the side of the couch, babbling and giggling as the blue jay started having a minor battle with a stubborn robin, flying around the birdseed feeder. Henry sure wishes he would fly like the birds and his mum; through he doesn't want to be like a human torch as that's his mum's thing.
Henry reaches out, babbling as he teeters on the edge of the couch, and Peggy instinctively holds her arms before blinking in confusion as she looks down to see an empty lap, and hears her son's babbling, and she looks back, motherly fear clutching her heart, "Henry!", reaching for him instantly.
Henry hears his mum's scared voice, and starts to move back when he slips, crying out in surprise and fright, over the edge of the couch, and Steve runs past Peggy, diving as Henry was trying to stop his fall with his arms, something clicking on like a switch in his core, and suddenly, a baby fledging bald eagle is struggling to fly and flap before landing in Steve's hands.
Both parents and Stark were stunned by what had just happened. though Peggy and Steve maybe shouldn't have been that surprised considering Susan and her abilities before.
"Easy, Henry... easy...", Steve gently whispered as he rubbed his son's feathered head, trying to calm him down and assure him that he was alright and didn't need to be afraid.
Henry chirped and cheeped as he blinked at Steve, surprised as he looked down at himself, fluttering his small wings, and he then realized that he could fly like his mum, chirping excitedly before he attempted to flap his wings again before flopping back in Steve's hands, a dismayed grunt escaping him.
Steve chuckled softly, "Stubborn like your mum.", as Peggy joined him, kneeling, "Oh, darling, look at you...", and Henry chirped before fluttering his wings proudly, "That's right, Henry, you're a baby bird...Bald eagle from the looks of it...You can't fly yet, darling, but you are a handsome bird...Now, come back to being my baby boy...Listen inside yourself...It's like a switch.".
Henry followed his mum's advice as best as he could, remembering what he did earlier, and in an instant, turned back into his human body, smiling gummily as he squealed happily.
"I swear, that Quantonium is some messed up stuff at times...", Stark admitted as Steve chuckled, "We haven't been having that many complaints.".
Stark chuckled, "Touche. That's pretty cool, through.", as Steve passed Henry to Peggy who kissed all over his face, relieved that he's all alright and safe.