She grieved yesterday when she got the news of Bucky being MIA, yet she knew Steve would be worse, for he and Bucky literally had grown up together, and seeing him break down, looking so lost, it broke her heart all over again.
"I just...", Steve said through the sobs. "I could've saved him... I just know it... a bit faster and...", choking up. "Steve...", Peggy tried to get him to calm down, "Please, you can't blame yourself for what happened. I know it's painful; I know what it's like to lose a brother...".
"But you couldn't do anything about that...", Steve told her. "I had a chance...". Peggy exhaled sharply, "You didn't mean that...".
Steve replied, "How could you know? Nobody knew that it would have escalated at Dunkirk...A letter to Michael or something, you weren't there physically! But Bucky...I was right there!", sobbing, unintentionally fighting and arguing with his wife for the first time.
A sharp slap sounded out in the air, and Steve blinked in stunned shock and bewilderment, looking at Peggy, "Don't ever say that! You know that I would have done anything to have my brother back and if I had a clue or something about the attack while I was codebreaking, I would have done something!", tears flying and temper high.
"We both had chances, Steven Grant Rogers, and they both knew that! Bucky was like my second brother to me, Steve...I...Did you even realize what Brookyln lost?...She would never know Bucky...to giggle at his jokes, to copy me in trying to glare at him, to call him uncle...", Peggy sobbed.
Nothing was said for a few moments there before Peggy sighed as she tried to regain her composure while Steve was still stunned, looking at his wife.
Peggy replied softly, "I know... I know what you meant there... few of us knew the Germans' plan when they marched through the Low Countries and France... that they completely caught the BEF and French off guard with their line of attack and dashed to the sea, trapping so many men. Still, we both had our chances and we lost them... but we can't keep blaming ourselves for it... they would've wanted us to heal, to not be held down by the pain and regret; especially for Brooklyn's sake... she needs us... to be her parents, to be there for her...".
There was another pause as Peggy caressed his cheek, "Sorry... you know I didn't mean that...", as she referred to the slap as Steve nodded, "Nah, it's alright... I sort of deserved that. I'm sorry about what I said... it was horribly selfish and... just downright wrong.".
Peggy gave a soft, warm smile, "Your mother taught you well...Apology accepted...That was our first fight...", with a bittersweet chuckle.
Steve chuckled, "We learn to know each other every day, don't we? I love you so much, Peggy...", and Peggy caressed his cheek, "I love you too, Steve...", before kissing him, and she felt his arms wrap around her, his fervor and passionate love returning to him as he kissed her so deeply.
Peggy panted softly, looking at Steve with a desiring glint in her eyes, "Brookyln is down for a few hours...I damn missed you so much...", and Steve huskily replied, "Now I know why people loves making up after a fight. Through this is a slightly different way since we already apologized...".
"Details...I want you, Captain, make me yours.", Peggy pleaded, demanding huskily as she gripped into his bulge in his trousers, and Steve groaned huskily, looking at her lovingly, "Yes, ma'am.".
And so, they made wild, passionate love while trying to be quiet as their home is tighter in space and such than their cottage back in America.
Peggy gasped, moaning, biting her lip, "Yes, Steve, please...", as she and Steve is finishing up their second round, with Steve pounding into her from behind.
"So tight, Peggy...And so perfect as always...", Steve grunted, kissing her shoulders and neck as he caressed her breasts, taking in the scent of her hair, loving the sound of his wife's moans and gasps of pleasure.
Peggy pleaded, "Oh, gods, please...I'm so damn close!", feeling her second orgasm getting closer and closer, as Steve raised his thrusting speed, pounding faster and harder, feeling himself almost close to release.
And then after a few minutes, they shouted in pleasure as they came together, and they collapsed into bed, panting deeply and smiling as Steve spooned her, feeling her body quiver in the afterglow of lovemaking, "You are incredible to keep up with me, my love...".
"Only for you, luv...", Peggy smiled, kissing him on the cheek, sighing contentedly, "I missed this...", as she cuddled back, closer to his chest as she moaned slightly at the feel of him inside her, finishing up on his second load of seed in her womb.
Steve caressed her body, "Me too...", with a kiss to her shoulder, as they slowly recovered their strength, their energy, and then they heard a tapping sound. Peggy blinked, "Is that a woodpecker?".
"No...More like fingernails on a door.", Steve replied in confusion before their door suddenly opened with a little crash, and they looked immediately, seeing no one as they instinctively grabbed the blankets, groaning in pleasure and surprise as they are still connected, and then heard an upset cry, and they peered over to see Brookyln crawling, a hand tugging at the bed edge, almost looking like a pout and a glare, looking at her mummy.
Peggy looked at the clock, "Oh, blimey, she is saying that it's feeding time, and she finished her nap a half hour ago on schedule!", and Brookyln cried hungrily, pouting before she saw her daddy over her mummy's shoulder, and she then smiled gummily, tugging at the bed, squealing happily as she somehow kept balance on her crawl.
"Are... are we not going to question the fact that she's crawling or how she got the door open?", Steve asked as he was a bit surprised by all that had just happened there.
Peggy replied, "Hey, I'm surprised too...This is the first time I ever saw her crawl...She got your super strength. I guess she got to a milestone sooner than usual...She was always reminding me of her own schedule that I had to work on all month...She must have been really hungry to think of somehow climb over the crib and get both doors open somehow and was annoyed that I went past the schedule.".
Brookyln cried hungrily while squealing with a pout, and Peggy smiled, "Okay, okay...", leaning over to pick up Brookyln, and while adjusting as she turned around in a twist to face Steve, with a muffled moan of pleasure from the feeling of himself still inside her, she brought Brookyln to her breast, latching swiftly as she suckled hungrily, while reaching out with a hand to her daddy.
Steve chuckled, coming closer, muffling a groan of pleasure, and grasped her little hand into his finger while caressing her head of hair that has gotten even more messy and full, but still finely, "Sorry about that, Brooke...I missed you too, darling.".
"Still hard to believe that...", Steve said. "I worry sometimes that she's going to cause us some problems. Wouldn't want her to end up being the front-page story of The Times and all. I don't think the attention would be good for any of us if normal folks caught her doing something like that.".
Peggy shook her head, "Nope...Honestly, Mum and Dad would be happy anyway to babysit her, and they know most of the secret and all, and they would never tell anybody like we would never tell any normal folks...Still, she looks so healthy and hearty that she is sometimes mistaken as months older than a newborn when I take her out on the stroller sometimes... Heck, Phillips was surprised too, but figured that Abraham's equipment was stronger than he thought in giving the super soldier serum.".
"Sounds like Brookyln can control her super strength and other things if she thinks about it...", Steve surmised as he smiled at Brookyln who gurgled between suckling, and he chuckled, "That's right, you're a smart one, Brooke, just like your mum.", kissing her head.
Peggy chuckled warmly, "She gained a good pound and half last time I weighed her earlier this week, she has been eating well all month, enjoying her baths, loving her naps, and she has been cheering me up, with smiles, laughs, and such.".
"Glad someone's been able to take that role while I've been gone... keeping you from just focusing on worrying.", Steve said. "Oh, I never stopped.", Peggy told him. "Brooke has been keeping me mostly distracted but I still have been worried."
Steve kissed her on the lips gently, "I know...I was somewhat worried about the slight chance of the raids happening over all again...Thank god that you and Brooke are alright...".
Peggy sighed deeply, "I'd never be upset if you want to quit...after...after we recover Bucky's body hopefully. You've done so much, practically freeing France, driving out Axis forces and such from Algeria, Italy, motivating soldiers to keep having hope, freeing prisoners from their miserable fates including Jews and such. I don't want Brookyln to miss out on you so much...", resting her head on his shoulder, feeling his arm wrap around her as their daughter kept suckling on her breast.
"I...You're such too good for me, Peggy...My amazing wife...I...I don't know...I...I know I want to avenge Bucky...but I...I feel so empty, and I can't move on...unless I know if he's...he's still alive, or...d-dead...", Steve whispered.
Peggy kissed his cheek gently, "I know...Proof of his identity and all...How many days left until no more searching?", and Steve whispered, "3 days more...I can't blame Mole if it's taking long, since he's in German land among the Alps, and it's dangerous, though I have a strange feeling that since it's Mole, he is more susceptible to being underground, and if underground tunnels keep Bucky safe from capture by either Hydra or Nazi...it's best, I suppose.".
"You realize that he might not...I mean, a fall like that...That would damage things including the brain...I know he got the crystal thanks to Audrey, but still...", Peggy replied.
"I know...", Steve sighed. "I practically told Audrey the same thing... keeping hope up for him...". He shook his head, "I don't think even I would've survived that and if I couldn't...".
Peggy shivered at the thought of it, and Steve kissed her forehead, "I'm sorry I bought that up, ruining this moment...", caressing her nude back, bringing her a bit closer, feeling the motions of their daughter slowing down as a sign of finishing up her meal.
"Dad always told me that war is essentially an unknown to all, that everybody cannot return as who they were, but changed by the war, and it's up to their families, their loved ones to let them know that they aren't monsters for killing people on the other side, as they knew that even enemies have homes, families, and such like them...I love you, Steve, and I know it makes you feel guilty for doing that, but if we cannot save many, how much better can we be if we didn't do anything, even a small part, to help end this war?", Peggy sighed softly before looking up at Steve.
"I dread that day, but know this, Steve, I always will love you, and I would always remember you as the sweet, shy boy that day at the bar, becoming a sensitive and determined man along the way, and how much you've given me...You made me live again, to be less serious, and see the beauty in places like in your art and most of all, you gave me a family...Yes, we suffered some things, yet we have succeeded over other things...", Peggy said surely and strongly.
"You're right...", Steve said as he took a deep breath. "Thank you...", he told Peggy. "I was having doubts, ever since I saw Bucky... but I know that he would've wanted me to keep going, to do what it takes to help end this war as soon as possible. To not let his actions go in vain...".
Peggy smiled softly, "That's my captain...", kissing him on the lips, and then they looked down at Brookyln who's gurgling, full after her meal, and she chuckled, passing her into Steve's arms, "You know what to do...I better get a snack for us...and use the bathroom.", with a nod as she gave a muffled moan, popping free of him, grabbing her robe as she left the bed and the room.
Steve smiled as Brookyln gurgled, and he patted her back, and she burped, smiling as she squealed at him, touching his face with her hands as he brought her up, "I love you too, sweetheart...you want some tickles?".
Brookyln cooed, and he laughed as he went to tickle her belly as she laughed, shrieking happily, and Steve's heart soared, seeing his daughter enjoying the small stuff, and he kissed her forehead, her nose, and then her belly, making raspberries, and she giggled, patting his head with her hands.
"Oh, is that you giving up now?", Steve chuckled, and Brookyln squealed as he did some last tickles and raspberries before giving a playful oof as Brookyln did a strong pat this time, smiling, "Alright, alright, I'll say uncle for you, Brooke...", before his heart pained as he frowned, and Brookyln blinked in confusion and concern, babbling as she tried to hug him around his neck, wanting her daddy to feel better.
She didn't understand the conversation too well between her parents, but got the gist of sadness, determination, love, comfort, pain, and exhaustion, and understanding some familiar words there and here.
"You feeling a bit better now?", Peggy asked as Steve nodded, looking up slightly to see that Peggy returned from the bathroom and the kitchen, with snacks in her hands, smiling gently at him.
"Yeah; of course, it'll still take time to truly just... get used to the fact that Bucky's gone, and that sorrow is never going to go away, but... I thankfully still have something to keep going for... and that's you two.", Steve exhaled with a gentle, reassuring smile.
Brookyln cooed as she looked up, pulling back slightly from her attempted hug, and Steve smiled softly, "That's right, Brooke, I'm feeling a bit better...You are smart to cheer me up, and you love me and your mummy, eh?".
Brookyln smiled, babbling and cooing, and landed a sloppy kiss on his cheek, and Steve caressed her head, smiling a bit more, as Peggy went to sit back on the bed, with snacks in tow for her and her husband, and with a wiggle and pout, Steve gently placed Brookyln between them on the sheets, and she soon entertained her parents by crawling and trying to climb over her parents' legs in playful tumbling.
And so, the parents were distracted by taking care of Brooklyn over the three days with oftentimes of lovemaking and having a routine of family time, with Steve's optimism rising or diving in hope of hearing news about Mole's return with Bucky.
Back in the Alps, almost out from Germany, alongside Italy, Mole was beyond relieved to see that they are almost there to the small airport Allied base, and went to eat breakfast in a makeshift den during his tunneling, often glancing to see Bucky now in fire-dried clothes again, glad to see that the bruises and cuts are gone, and having familiar plants he found from remembering what he smelt in Sweet's doctor bag, he bandaged Bucky's crushed left hand, and made a splint for his left leg, and the ribs still tender, but healing well enough, thanks to Mole's attempts in healing and such...But the arm...He is trying to hold back the infection and such on the stump, but with it still hanging there, it's getting to smell. He'd really need Sweet's help on this.
And lately over perhaps a day, maybe a day and a whole night, Bucky has been muttering under his breath, almost like a repetition, and after he went to hear what Bucky has been saying, he finally knew what was behind the pheromones that day earlier before they went into the plane back in Toulouse Base.
Bucky has been saying Audrey's full name over and over, repeating that he loves her, almost like he has been keeping a memory in his head. Sometimes when there is a painful movement in his motions, he would repeat his full name and ID number, almost like he thinks that he is captured by Nazis or Hydra.
Mole was concerned yet still relieved that Bucky is still kicking and alive, and as he was finishing up some crunchy bits in his breakfast, he heard a moan and a grunt, "Oh...oh, my head...Ow...W-what hit me?".
"Bucky?", Mole practically quickly scrambled the moment he heard that and rushed over to Bucky, "Jesus Christ, I didn't think you'd wake up!".
"Ugh... what happened?", Bucky moaned as Mole sighed, "You fell... honestly, you shouldn't even be alive, but that crystal might have saved you...".