Words: 1.7k

Warnings: language

"...And at Nat's cue, Y/N and I will cut in from the back and take out the rest of the guards."

I've kicked my boots up onto the table next to Steve's obnoxiously detailed map of the Hydra compound. The team of four is all crowded around the maps while I lounge just beyond. I suck lazily on the blue raspberry blow-pop between my lips—twirling and loudly licking until they all turn their heads to notice me.

"Why can't the world just chill for one second?" I question aloud. "I think it's about damn time we get a vacation."

Steve chuckles and gives his head a soft shake. "I'll take you on a vacation after this, honey."

I scoff. "That's what you said three months ago for our anniversary." I gesture around us with open arms. "But here we are, sitting in this damn jet, when I could be in Paris or Prague."

Wilson widens his eyes. "Oooooh, Stevie you are a bad husband."

"Below average, I'll agree," I tease with a wink in my man's direction. I grunt and push myself up to stand. "Anyway, I think I've got the gist of the plan—get in, kill some bastards, and get out without getting killed myself. If anyone needs me, I'll be in my bunk taking a nap."

"Didn't you just wake up?" Bucky questions me.

"Oh, I forget: you're new here." I hand Bucky my half-eaten sucker to which he stares quizzically. "I require a lot of sleep and a lot of sugar if anyone here plans on staying sane as long as I'm in their company. Isn't that right, darling?" I look back at my blond haired husband of two years.

"Quite a bit of attention, too." Steve smirks back at me with a brash wink.

"Ah yes—and that. But I leave that to Steve, and occasionally the milkman when he's gone." Bucky's eyes widen and I slap him along the back. "Just kidding—you frigid geezer. It's a joke, not a ten inch dildo; you don't have to take it so hard."

Wilson chokes on his Gatorade. Nat pinches the bridge of her nose while trying not to look too amused by my antics.

I go to leave, but not before stopping off at Steve on my way. I stand on my tip toes to press a quick kiss to his cheek. "Wake me in twenty?" I ask kindly.

"Sure thing, doll." He smiles at me with those pretty teeth and even prettier eyes.

"Good man."

When I go to leave, the last thing I hear is Wilson uttering: "I still don't understand how a girl like that picked a guy like you."

Then Steve chuckles, saying, "I'd be offended if I didn't already ask myself the same thing every day."

I make my way to the bunks. My bag's already at the foot of one of the beds waiting for me where I left it. Through the thin material of the backpack I see my iPhone screen is lit up blue. Curious, I dig it out. I've missed three consecutive calls from Dr. Banner aka Hulk aka my favorite green monster.

On the fourth call, I finally pick up.

"What's up?" I flop backwards into my bed—hair splaying static on the pillow behind me. I cross my legs.

"Y/N," Bruce greets dryly. He's not much for small talk. "I've been trying to get ahold of you."

"Well, here I am." I resist the urge to open another sucker. God, it just sounds so good. I've been craving the cherry ones like mad these days—they remind me of my childhood. "What can I do for you, Greenie?"

Bruce sighs heavily. "Y/N, you can't go on that mission today."

I perch tall in my bunk—hitting my head on the bed above mine. I grunt, rubbing my temple, then ask, "Why not?" I swing my legs off the side and onto the floor. The plane rumbles slightly. "Is this about our health checks? I'm going to be pissed if Wilson passed his and I didn't pass mine, because I've been eating so much healthier than him lately. And if this is about my asthma, I told you it hasn't acted up in years. Steve still makes me carry an inhaler, though, so don't worry about that..."

Bruce interrupts me tiredly. "No, Y/N. It's not about any of that. But it is about your health, so just—just trust me here and stay on the plane."

My eyebrows gnarl. Okay, now I'm growing concerned. "What aren't you telling me, Bruce?" I can feel my heart picking up speed. What's wrong with me?

Bruce lets out a breath. "I feel like this isn't something I should tell you over the phone, Y/N."

"No, I want you to. Tell me now, because if you don't—I'm going on this mission. And if it's really important, I should know now rather than later."

So Bruce tells me. He gives me the drastic diagnosis to the condition I never even knew I had.

Twenty minutes go by and Steve's around with the intention to wake me up. But he sees that I'm already awake. Actually, I'm staring at the ceiling. I think I've got tears in my eyes.

"Babe?"

I blink.

"Are you okay?"

I shake my head without a word.

Steve takes a seat at the end of my bed. He has to lean a bit not to hit his head on Nat's bunk. In his voice and all over his pretty face I see the concern and love he holds for me. His hand runs up and down my calf. "Baby, what's going on?" He squeezes my knee.

I prop myself up on my elbows. "I got a call from Bruce," I begin. "It was about my health test."

Steve swallows. We take these tests every month just so that the team can be taken care of and none of us get too sick or exhausted. Very few times do these tests come up with dire results, but Steve knows now by my reaction that this time is very extreme.

"Okay," he says. He doesn't sound so sure that he's ready for what it is that I'm going to tell him.

"And I'm scared," I admit softly.

Steve reaches out to caress my cheek. "Oh honey. It's going to be okay," he soothes in soft tones. His thumb rubs along my bottom lip. He says, "Whatever it is, we'll get through it together." He offers me a pained smile. "In sickness and in health, remember? I made you that promise, and I fully intend to keep it." His fingers brush through my hair and then he's adding, "So whatever it is, you're going to be fine. We can do this—together."

He's waiting for me to tell him what's wrong with me. He's waiting to hear about my diagnosis—perhaps one that's going to kill me or leave me paralyzed.

"I'm pregnant."

The words hit Steve across the face like a slap. Initially he's wiped of any emotion at all. My husband just stares at me like a stupid fucking idiot while the words churn around his head.

"You...You're..." Steve's eyes subconsciously fall to my stomach. It doesn't look any different than it has before, but now he stares at it like it's made of gold. "You're pregnant?"

I nod, not trusting my voice.

"With my baby?" He touches his own chest.

I roll my eyes. "No, idiot—with Tony's. For god's sake, Steve! Of course it's yours."

A tear rolls down Steve's cheek. He doesn't even bother to brush it away. "Oh my god..." He giggles in between words. He goes to reach out for me before quickly retracting his hands, almost as if I'm suddenly made of glass. "Oh my god... oh my god..."

"Can you say anything else?"

Steve's eyes dart up to my face. "Y/N, why do you look so scared?"

Momentarily I close my eyes. I can't bring myself to respond.

"Are you upset? Y/N, I thought you wanted a family."

"I do," I answer adamantly. I open my eyes to see my husband sitting there patiently. He's itching to touch me, though. "I just wasn't sure..."

"About what? Wasn't sure about what?" Steve worriedly badgers.

"If a family was something you wanted anymore," I finish. "You always said that that dream went down with the man who fell into the ice, so I just... I just thought maybe you still felt the same way."

"No, no! No, baby. No," Steve hushes. He pulls me closer by the waist. He kisses my cheeks and I'm laughing by the time his lips reach mine. "Y/N, I've wanted a family with you since—god, since as long as I can remember." His smile is blinding. "And now it's happening." He looks sort of in awe. "Is it really happening? Really?"

"Really," I laugh. I feel myself relaxing now at his words. "Unexpectedly, but pleasantly, yes—really." My head falls back with another laugh as Steve starts smooching down the side of my neck and shoulder. He talks gibberish all across my skin about how happy he is and how much he loves me, making my heart swell a thousand sizes and my anxiety about the whole situation drop to nonexistence.

I'm going to be a mother. Captain America is going to be a dad.

Holy shit.

"Steve?" I beckon around a giggle.

Steve looks at me with bright blue eyes. "What is it, love?"

I push some of the hair out of his face. "Can we go on that vacation now?" I can't stop myself from laughing at the request and the strange turn of events.

His head nods so enthusiastically I wonder if it'll go rolling off. "Right now. We'll go wherever you want, love." Finally his hands press to my low belly where a baby is hidden and growing.

I raise an eyebrow. "Right now? Isn't there a world that needs to be saved today?" I lean my head on his shoulder and smile up at him.

Steve gives his head a shake. Our hands knot together, and he's smiling even brighter. "No ma'am. The world can wait. Because my world?" Steve pauses, voice sounding so deep and lovely. I feel his hand on my stomach and his lips on my temple. "My whole world is right here with you."