Audrey whispered, "Bucky...", her heart racing as she blushed, never imagining in her whole life that she'd have a man to reassure her who she is and all, and strangely enough, she loves how he's sweet-talking her when she couldn't have none of him on her case not too long ago...
"Too much?", Bucky asked as she chuckled, "No, not at all, keep going... just don't say anything too shocking or I'm liable to hit you again...". Bucky nodded when she said that.
"Of course; maybe save that for another time when we really have some fun.", Bucky smirked. Audrey blushed harder, realizing what he meant by that, and somehow, she isn't resistant to the idea of being with him in bed, yet she replied in a whisper, "I know you were prone to bedding women, but can...can you wait until...we get more serious? Like upon possible engagement or even later after that?".
"Of course.", Bucky assured her. "Like I said, I don't want to rush things that you don't want to do...", he told her. "Was just what you said part of turning that charm on again?", Audrey asked as he gave a small nod.
"Possibly...", Bucky replied. "Possibly?", she raised an eyebrow.
Bucky sheepishly smiled, "Okay, maybe totally true.", before sighing, "...I...I can't lie to you, Audrey. Most dames I...they rather wanted it fast and messy; a few wanted it playful and teasingly nice, and rarely, rough and slow. But I won't treat you like a dame, you're someone special and different..".
Audrey looked at him in surprise as he admitted the truth, and exhaling, "They...they weren't mostly in charge, haven't they? And...did...did you...climax in them?", knowing that there have been stories of women getting pregnant from one-night stands, as it turns out that it's an international issue, not just in Mexico or America.
"Believe it or not, I was pretty safe.", Bucky told her as she chuckled. "You sure about that? You didn't simply just leave a woman right in the night and all?", Audrey asked as he shook his head, "Nah, maybe hung around for a few extra days and all, but a lot of those relationships were fairly quick.".
Audrey gave a small nod, "I see...And my first question?", and Bucky exhaled, "No, not much talking and all, they didn't care much to direct me around as they just...wanted the excitement of it, I suppose...Sure, it was fun doing the reins, but occasionally, it got monotone, and most of the time, they were pretty satisfied, with a few rare ones fairly drunk where I kept away on the couch after they were still able to be conscious for some fun while Steve was still at school, not wanting to risk their assumptions of me...taking advantage like a bastard without their consent at least.".
"You really had a lot of time to think back during the march, haven't ya?", Audrey replied as she was surprised that Bucky was really thinking about telling her the whole truth apart from some brief remarks and all over the past two months before the mission and tonight.
"Pretty much was all I could think of, to be honest. Wasn't too much else to think about other than just getting back here alive. Had some close calls but we pretty much evaded most Axis patrols and positions.", Bucky told her.
Audrey smiled softly, "Good...You know, perhaps within a few months, I'd consider just sleeping with you in a bed, for starters, to see how I get comfortable with you...".
Bucky smiled, "That's more than fair...Now...where were we? After all, the night's becoming late, and sure, we're off all weekend, but I'd want sleep sooner or later.".
Audrey giggled, "You were about to sweet talk some more...", and Bucky blinked before waggling his eyebrows, "Oh, yeah, I remember. Your eyes are radiant, almost like the finest and richest and glossiest chocolate...", as she blushed, and he then pecked her face lovingly.
"Your nose is so straight yet perfect, your cheeks are adorable and warm, your forehead is flawless and shaped like a heart as well, and your chin is so dainty yet cute.", Bucky sweet-talked with a smile.
Audrey whispered, "Please, don't stop...", before kissing him hard as she leaned him against the outside wall of the barrack, and he held her, caressing her through her clothes, making out as Bucky kept happily sweet-talking her, lasting for a wonderful half hour.
Mussed with bruised lips and all, Bucky walked Audrey back around the barracks, and they shared a deep, final kiss, and so, with that, they split up, with Audrey heading to bed, with Bucky heading back to the Howling Commandos tent, having a splendid night's sleep.
And so, the weekend went well, with a mission for the guys for a week and half, with Sweet learning the ropes of working together with Steve, Bucky, and Mole, and then headed back to base as it turns out that it was Easter then.
As most people are enjoying an Easter feast of rationed food, mass at churches around town, and such, it was nearly a disastrous day for Peggy, as after a late afternoon of seeing how Steve and Bucky celebrated Easter, upon taking a shower and drying off her hair with a towel after getting dressed, Peggy began to feel minor spasming pain.
Peggy suddenly got very worried about that; fearful of what it could be and wondered if it was a connection to her and Steve's new attempt for a child. She couldn't possibly stomach going through a second miscarriage, especially so soon.
"Steve!", Peggy cried out, hopeful he or someone else might be able to hear. Audrey, in another makeout session like as of late, with Bucky against a pole in her and Peggy's barrack tent, stopped in surprise when they heard Peggy's panicked voice, and she looked at Bucky, "Go get Sweet and Steve, NOW!".
Bucky nodded, all but running from the tent, as Audrey sprinted to the shower room, to the dry section to see Peggy crying with pain on her face, her arm around her belly, half collapsed to the floor, yet held up by one of the sinks with the other arm.
"Peggy!", Audrey shouted, and Peggy gasped, looking at her, "Something's happening...I can't do this again...", with a sob, and Audrey helped her up, "Hey, hey, there's no blood yet or anything, and we got Sweet now, it's going to be okay. Come on, let's get you to your bed.", holding her arm from the sink over her shoulders, walking together out of the shower room, to Peggy's bed, fluffing the pillow, helping her to sit/lay back against it and the support pole behind the bed headrest.
"Please... God... don't let it be...", Audrey muttered as she looked back to the entrance. "I swear, Sweet gotta better be here in less than a minute or else...".
"It's not his fault...", Peggy tried to assure her as Audrey nodded, "I know... we just both want whatever this is...". She shook her head.
Peggy replied, "After seeing that I was...past the timeline of...losing the first one, I was...was starting to hope, and then got new signs that was looking to be...This feels so similar to the first one yet so different...", as she winced at the minor spasming pains that's slowly increasing, tears in her eyes.
"Peggy!", Steve's voice shouted, and the girls looked back at the entrance, to see Steve running and braking to a stop, with Sweet not far behind him, holding a doctor's bag, as Peggy sobbed, "Steve, it's...", as Steve all but climbed into the bed to hold Peggy's hand, kissing his wife's temple.
Steve replied, "We won't lose them this time, Peggy! Sweet's here now.", as Sweet waved Audrey away, who's joining Bucky, "Alright, let's see what's going on. Steve, take up her shirt, please.", taking off his crystal and taking out a stethoscope from the bag.
Steve nodded, gently yet quickly taking up Peggy's shirt to the middle of her chest as Sweet blew warm breath into the crystal and the stethoscope before putting on the crystal first, and then put the stethoscope over it as he listened through the ear cords.
"Oh, dear. The water bag and the placenta are still intact, but the cord is taking up a bruising, thanks to your baby's uncontrolled super strength, through it has half of Steve's usual super strength, but anyway, it looks like as if they aren't knowing any better, as they are barely starting to explore, and it looks like when they bruise the cord, they couldn't see where they are going as their eyes aren't open yet. If the cord keeps getting bruised, it will lead to the water breaking, and...well...they couldn't survive beyond a day...", Sweet replied as he looked at Peggy and Steve, hating to tell the harsh truth yet he can't beat around the bush, especially for them.
"Wait, you mean that it actually took this time?", Audrey asked. "I mean, problems and all, I know, but are you saying that she actually got really pregnant this time?".
Sweet nodded, "That's right. It truly took this time for Peggy to get pregnant, and the baby is healthy, but even if the baby is mostly catching up with development, they are two weeks still from getting away from the danger zone of miscarriage and right now, the problems are endangering the baby.".
"So, is there anything that we can do?", Steve asked as he squeezed Peggy's hand. "I mean...", Steve didn't want to say much more; worried that if he did, this might end up strangely jinxing them or something. The whole situation did make him a bit superstitious.
Sweet replied, "It's a good thing that I got advanced knowledge of medicine from Nola, and I can combine them...But I have to admit that this will be a first...", and Peggy replied, "Anything, please, Sweet...I can't...I can't lose them again...", tears falling.
"It's going to be okay, Peggy.", Steve kissed her temple as Sweet replied, "Audrey, bash those sage leaves into a poultice.", taking out a fresh tied bundle of sage leaves from the doctor bag, along with a mortar and bowl. "And Bucky, boil water, but to warm temperatures, we can't have hot water, is that clear?".
"Got it.", Bucky nodded as he went to get the water. "Are you sure this will work?", Steve asked Sweet as he took a deep breath. The answer was right there and then. Perhaps, but they shouldn't be upset at him if it doesn't. Both Steve and Peggy understood that at least.
Sweet exhaled, "The easy thing will be infusing the poultice into the warm water, and I'd have to ask you two to use your crystals to give some of your love and healing attributes into the water, but the hard thing is that I'd have to use a syringe directly into the womb and hope the baby will take it good. I'll still keep my crystal and the stethoscope as my eyes into the womb to be careful to make sure I'd not go too far.".
"Whatever you think will work, Sweet.", Steve said as he squeezed Peggy's hand again. "You're the expert after all...".
"I wish that was the case with what I'm about to attempt; I'd feel more comfortable if I ever tried this sort of thing a few dozen times...", Sweet told them.
Peggy replied, "It hurts...I'm not blaming the baby as they are hurting me, since they don't know any better...Please, Sweet, we trust you...".
Sweet nodded. "Don't worry, I'll do my best... I think you two know that for sure after all this time.", he chuckled as Bucky returned.
"Wasn't easy to get this exactly right...", Bucky told Sweet. "But I think I got it warm enough to keep it that way for a bit... and not being too hot.". Sweet felt the bowl the water was in and nodded.
"Feels perfect, nice job, Barnes.", Sweet nodded. Audrey came back, "Got the sage bashed into a poultice, Sweet.", as Sweet looked, "Good.", before pouring a bit of the water into the bowl of the poultice and used the mortar to sift the poultice further.
"Alright, that's looking good. Peggy, Steve, put your crystals in the bowl of water after you do a prayer, some love, and all.", Sweet replied.
Both of them nodded as they took off their crystals and prepared to put them into the bowl, hopeful that what they were doing was going to work.
Peggy kissed her crystal, praying, "Please...to God, all the Kings of the Past, I can't go through this again to lose another baby...Please save them...I couldn't believe all the love I have already for this one...I love them so much. I and Steve worked so hard for this...I really wanted a family with him. Please.", before putting the crystal into the bowl, where the water turned a pale blue.
Steve kissed his crystal, praying, "God, the Kings of the Past, I can't have my wife go through this again...I had a feeling when she had hinted at it, and now...with Sweet's announcement...I love this baby so much even if I am not seeing them...it's crazy that I do, but they are our life's joy...they are part of us, and we want them to grow healthy, to be safe, to be able to do things we'd be proud of. Please save them for me, and especially Peggy.", before putting the crystal into the bowl, joining Peggy's crystal as a magnet, where the water then turned a sky blue from a pale blue.
Hopefully to all witnessing it, it was a good sign with things as they watched the contents of the bowl come together. After a few moments, it began to glow as Sweet took a deep breath, "So far, so good...".
Sweet then took out a syringe from his doctor bag, taking out a clean rag towel, and doused the rag in the healing water before handing it to Steve, "Gently wipe her belly all around. Don't want to infect anything or such, so has to be squeaky clean for the injection.", while he went to tap the syringe, taking off the cap off, and then put it in the healing water, slowly pulling the water into the needle, into the syringe container.
Steve gently wiped Peggy's belly all over, even doing the back as well, and exhaled as he touched the slight bump through the rag, sharing a look with Peggy who gave him a small, grateful smile, and then replied, "Her belly is all clean, Sweet.".
"Good. The others and I'll avert my eyes for a moment if you could douse the rag again in the water, and then place it down there under her clothes if you get my gist. Have to cover all angles.", Sweet said.
"Of course.", Steve nodded as he took a deep breath. "You doing alright?", he asked her as she nodded. "A little bit.", Peggy told him. "I'm ready, Steve...", she squeezed his hand tightly.
Steve kissed her on the lips softly before dousing the rag in the water again, and as Sweet, Bucky, and Audrey looked away for a few moments, Steve removed Peggy's trousers partially, with pulling down the underwear some, with Peggy's help of her other hand, and slightly lifting her hips and butt, Steve gently covered her vagina with the rag, rimming the corners over her underwear edges as he pulled the underwear back up, keeping the rag secure, and Peggy exhaled in relief, feeling the healing at work in this angle as Steve then covered the trousers back up.
"No missed corners, Peggy?", Steve asked, and Peggy replied, "No. You covered all corners, Steve.", with a smile, and Steve was relieved to hear that, and glanced at Sweet, "She's also clear down there, Sweet.", as the others then looked back at the pair.
Sweet nodded, "Good.", as he soaked his hand in the water again as he took up the syringe in his other hand, and shuffled closer, "Audrey, put the earpieces in my ears, and put my crystal under the stethoscope, please.".
Audrey moved to put the earpieces gently into Sweet's ears, and put Sweet's crystal into the stethoscope cone, giving the end to Sweet's free hand, and moved back, as Sweet blew warm breath again before placing it on Peggy's belly, gently scanning it, listening and seeing through his crystal.
"Okay, the baby's resting on your right side, so I'll be injecting in from the left side, just down from the middle, just besides the stethoscope, as my crystal will numb the pain slightly so you wouldn't feel the pain much, but it will still hurt...", Sweet explained.
Peggy replied, "I'll take any physical pain over not losing my baby all over again...Bucky, would you hold my other hand, please? You may not be related genetically in a way of being Steve's brother and all, but you are still going to be their uncle...".
"More than happy to do this.", Bucky smiled as he took her other hand. "Okay now... Peggy, like I said, this is going to hurt, but I'm going to do it now, alright?", Sweet told her as Peggy took one more breath. "Just do it...", Peggy said.