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gingerstorm101 · 5 years

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Irreparable Damage: Chapter 2

Summary: Tony finally gets to see Ziva again, but he's not so happy about it. Angst, oh the angst. Eventually Tiva

Notes: This is NOT anti-Ziva/Anti-Tiva. So stay away.

Rating: T

Words: 1500

Chapter 1 Chapter 3

She curls up under the covers of her bed, sniffling away the never ending tears that seem to form in her eyes when she hears the front door open and close. Curious, Ziva wipes away the tears with the back of her hand and heads downstairs to see who is in the house with her.

Quietly and swiftly, she tiptoes down the stairs and around the corner to the basement stairs where Gibbs had been working away the last time she talked to him.

He was no longer alone.

She sits where she stood, listening in on the conversation.

“I don’t know what to do.” It was Tony! Her heart races at the sound of his voice, his angry words still plaguing her mind from that morning.

Gibbs throws down his tools on the table, his back to his former agent, and picks up the borbon. “You’re going to have to do something, DiNozzo.” Pouring the two of them glasses, he hands one to the younger man. “I know you’re trying to protect your daughter, but she was doing the same.”

Tony takes a gulp of the burning liquid before responding. “You don’t know what it’s like to raise a child who needs therapy cause of a missing parent.” His words were cold, hurt.

“No, I don’t.” Gibbs says, placing his cup on the table. “But I do know what Ziva is going through. To lose both your child and partner, to never see anything but pictures and to have memories of those you love. She went through hell and back just to see you again.” The elderly man glares at him. “And you didn’t even listen to her.”

“I did!” Tony cries, his eyes wide with fiery.

“No you didn’t, DiNozzo! You didn’t have a conversation, you just yelled at her, berated her. At least she and I talked while she was angry at me. We still worked together to bring Sahar down. But no, you, you treated her like scum beneath your feet.” He sneers at him. “You did not act like the loyal friend you used to be.”

“No, I became a father.”

“And you don’t think I am? I spent half the night comforting my daughter because her pigheaded partner couldn’t see past the anger on his nose.” Gibbs points his finger at him, jabbing it into his shoulder.

Tony looks away, his eyes points up the stairs where he knew Kelly’s old bedroom was, and sighs. “It just brought me back to when I was in school… When I was being bullied cause I was crying over my mother’s death, wishing she could come back. Tali’s wish came true, to see her Ima again. As much as I want to make my daughter happy, I don’t want to see her heart broken again if Ziva ends up leaving for good. Thinking she was better of working for Mossad than being tied down.”

Gibbs takes another drink of the borbon, visibly relaxed now that the conversation has shifted. “And why do you think she’ll do that?” He asks.

Tony sighs again, taking his own sip from the cup. “She spent the last three years away-”

“On the run.”

“-from Tali. She’s probably used to being on her own by now.”

Gibbs doesn’t say anything, but wags his finger at him. Walking to the other side of the boat in his basement, he pulls out a box that had Ellie’s handwriting on it. “Bishop pulled these out of Ziva’s office after she started cleaning them up.” Tony takes another gulp of his drink as his former boss walks over to the desk. “They have your name on them.”

Tony gulps, his hand starting to shake. His boss sets the box down and moves the lamp over. Inside this box was what looked like hundreds of envelopes addressed to him.

“She says she never read them, that when the time came, they’d be here for you.”

He reaches out for one, taking in the familiar handwriting that he had cherished at one time. Maybe even now he still does? But his grudge was still too strong in his heart.

Gibbs steps back, grabbing his stool and handing it to him. “Read.” The command was short and simple, and part of him didn’t want to read it, that he wanted to go ahead and keep hating her. But that other part, the part that still urns for her, for her touch, her love, was stronger.

So he opens it.

May 5th, 2016

My dearest Tony,

The day I wished for more than anything in this world is finally going to happen, even if it is built upon the darkest. You are going to meet our daughter. I have kept her secret from this world, only telling those who are trustworthy to keep her safe. All of 3 people. But that does not stop my own life from being at risk, and after 3 years of finding myself, of living half the life I wished for, I have to go into hiding. But I can’t take our daughter with me. So please Tony, take our daughter with you, protect like I can’t, and tell her that Ima loves her every day. Tell her that one day, Ima will return, and we can be a family again.

With all the love,

Ziva.

Tony sucked in a breath. Three years. Three god damn years later he receives this letter from her. It was sent a week before her house blew up, but he’s just getting it now. Just how many of them were there?

He opens another one.

Oct 1st, 2013

My dearest Tony…

July 10th, 2014

Happy birthday to my dearest Tony…

June 16th, 2018

Happy Father's day to my dearest Tony…

And they went on and on, most of them had pictures in the folds of the letters. There was a letter for every week for the past 6 years. Why did he never receive them? His heart ached just thinking of all them. He pulls out the photo from the latest letter, and what he saw confused him for a moment until…

He looks closer, behind the couple in the foreground. There! It was him and Tali sitting at the window at a Mom & Pop restaurant. He remembers this day, it was Father’s day when he took his little girl, who had just turned five a couple weeks before that, out for brunch after he surprised her with a new dress. Had… Had Ziva been watching them this entire time? Stalking them? Spying on them?

Suddenly Gibbs spoke up. “She showed Ducky the picture she has of Tali with her all the time, keeping her close.”

“... Tali always said her Ima was watching over her…” Tony mutters softly, staring down at the picture. He puts it away and grabs another one, this time of Tali riding his shoulders as they walked home from school. Tali was looking at the camera. “I never realized… I knew someone was watching us, but… I always thought it was Orli keeping an eye on me.”

Gibbs lands a steady gaze on him. “What are you going to do?”

Tony knew Gibbs was still disappointed in him. But what does the man expect? She abandoned him. Abandoned his daughter. “Tell me why.” He nearly begs. “Tell me why she broke Tali’s heart?”

***

Ziva listened for a half an hour as Gibbs told Tony the story as to why she left her daughter behind, fearing the worst when the basement became quiet. She wants nothing more than to hold her little girl again, to whisper in her ear that she’ll be alright. That they’ll be alright. She just had to get through to her former partner.

Her heart starts to race when she hears shuffling and then someone coming up the steps. She freezes, panic setting in as the sound gets closer and closer. She pulls her legs towards her chest, hoping that the little space she gives would hide her from the man coming up the stairs.

There is a large shoe beside her, her eyes locking on it before she slowly raises her head to the man’s face. Neither one of them make a sound as they stare into the other’s eyes. Green meeting brown.

In a blink of an eye, he’s gone.

Ziva huddles on the floor, playing over all the things he could have possibly said to her. And all the things she wishes she could have said to him. But nothing felt right in the moment. And after her learned her story, she no doubt knows that he’d never want to see her face again.

#that show i shall not name #tiva #tiva fanfiction #angst #oh the angst #eventually tiva #angst with a happy ending

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stevieang · 5 years

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You Can’t Hurry Love Chapter 28/30

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Plus-Size OFC

Word Count: 4600

Warnings: Fluff, family and relationship drama, (trigger warning) healing after a trauma, some pretty strong angst, and explicit sexual content that is NSFW 18+. SERIOUSLY.

Tags: @3dsaunt @andiyholly @averyrogers83 @babybluesunsets @bettercallsabs @brittyevans @brookebarnes @cecygee @csrfavs @docharleythegeekqueen @dorito-distractions @everythingisoverrated @fabicchi @favhearts @flawless-disaster @gifsbysimplysonia @hazeleyedgirl7 @hennessy0274-blog @inumorph @jaguars2007 @jaamesbbarnes @jamesbarnesappreciationsociety @janeyboo @jouhainak @learisa @letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked @lilylovescomics @lojo83 @lookwhatyoumademequeue @lostinspace33 @madicardi @magellan-88 @mamapeterson @me-a-hopeless-romantic @meyoko10 @mindingmyownbusiness @mizzzpink @neverleturheartshow2 @nomadicpixel @nothanks-justlooking @part-time-patronus @patzammit @pinkieandthebrain1 @redqueen1221 @rosiethebaker @sebbytrash @sgtjbuccky @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan @stark-spangled-banner-man @st-eve-barnes @stillherebiandabitch @sunriserose1023 @suz-123 @the-real-kellymonster @tutis24 @winterismyfavoriteseason1945 @winters-beauty @yaykitty3

Summary: The cliche is true - the more things change, the more they stay the same. Stephanie and Steve had enjoyed their honeymoon, had spent time with family and friends, and enjoyed relative peace for the first time since their wedding. The life of an Avenger is never quiet for long, and this new chapter of this life was no different.

A/N: This is why I love Tumblr. So many of you took the time to reach out and tell me that you love my little story, my baby if you will, and that you will miss it when it ends. Thanks, a lot. i am so grateful to you for all the love and likes and reblogs. They mean so much. I could not have done this without @MSEnglish101 encouraging me from the very first day. She has been so wonderfully patient with me - helping me fly on my own and feeling confident to do so! Thanks also to @HMarvels31 who is just the sweetest, kindest Bucky-obsessed Canadian I know (though she may be the only one I know, which is lucky in and of itself). Enjoy and thanks again for being such great readers!! - Steph

The pre-trial conference was not a formality. Your legal team explained that it was a way to introduce motions about things like excluding certain witnesses or pieces of evidence and also a venue for the judge to encourage settlement.

“Whoa. Settle? That’s not a serious consideration, is it?” You stared at Julia, the attorney that you’d worked most closely with and with whom you had developed a friendly rapport.

“From a budgetary and legal standpoint, it is always a consideration. Trials are expensive and require an excessive amount of time and human resources. It is prudent to explore the option, but in this case, neither side is suggesting it. The Webers want to be heard and we want to be able to use their own words against them.”

You had read up on the lead defense lawyer. He was considered an up-and-coming legal genius that dominated courtrooms and charmed jurors. Thankfully, your team, as well as the government lawyers, were beyond reproach and had been prepping with intensity for months. Everyone was as ready as they could be. You had confidence in their abilities and just wanted to get the show on the road.

Wil and Ellie had not seen each other since their arraignment, when they decided to be tried together. Ellie’s fears for her brother’s well-being were justified when she saw him at the pre-trial conference. Wil had lived the somewhat pampered life of an academic, a scientist, and a businessman. He was his father’s favorite son, cherished by his mother, and protected by his stronger, more aggressive twin. Jail had not been kind to him. He was thin, with skin the color of an old yellowing t-shirt, and worst, lacking the confidence he always exuded.

She immediately slipped into German when they saw each other.

“What have they done to you, dearest?” She hugged him with a ferocity she rarely exhibited.

He didn’t answer. She cupped his cheek with her hand.

“This life is not for you, but we have a way out. West sent me a message.” That got him to raise his eyes with a glimmer of hope behind them. She relayed her orders.

“How? You know we are not going to be found innocent, El. We have nothing they need and we tried taking something that means everything to them.” He bowed his head in resignation, and his sister slapped him. Hard. He responded with fury in his eyes. That’s what she wanted.

“Barnes. I am going to ask our lawyers to get in touch with Barnes. He’s all kinds of devastated that this happened on his watch. I’ll feed him the line he wants - a chance to right his wrong with me in exchange for what we want.”

Wil understood and didn’t try to convince his sister to change her mind. “No matter what, he is not going to get me released, allow me to work with them.”

Ellie smiled. Her brother was back. “No, but I have an idea.”

_____________________________

The conference netted some excluded evidence on both sides, but nothing that Julia deemed critical to the case. The week before the trial you began daily run-throughs with the lawyers on various parts of your testimony. Each person had an area of specialty for which they were responsible and would take the lead. You trusted each of them and, by now, felt like an expert witness. Steve and Bucky were there, but it was Natasha you were the most thankful for. She had been in charge of the CGS pharmaceuticals investigation from the beginning and played a significant role in establishing the chain of physical evidence against the Webers. You were particularly touched when she took you out to lunch and refused to allow the men to join or other security to tag along. Not one dissenting opinion was heard.

You were getting bigger every day, as your third trimester rolled along. You were only 32 weeks - with the longest 8 to go until your due date. Each of your daughters had attempted to hang out past their due dates, so unless something happened, you weren’t betting on an early delivery. As you dug into your salad and sipped your water, you questioned Nat about her observations and solicited any advice she had to give, as you knew she wouldn’t sugarcoat it. She had a few thoughts, but overall was pleased. When your plates were cleared, she looked at you and smiled as she lightly placed a hand on your tummy.

“You’ve done well, Steph. I’m not one for big emotional speeches, but I know it may have seemed like I was always coming down on the side opposite of your safety, I want to make sure you know why.”

You gently put your hand on hers. “I do, Nat. I didn’t at first, but I get it now. Steve and Bucky explained it more than once. They love you, and I know you only do things you feel are right. We’re good.”

She pulled out another one of Tony’s credit cards (was he just handing those things out like Halloween candy?) and offered one more piece of advice before returning you to the conference room. “Steph, don’t underestimate the Webers, particularly Ellie. She’s going to do and say anything she can to save her brother and herself. She’s going to try to take down Bucky, Steve, SHIELD, everyone - and don’t let anyone tell you that she can’t do it.”

_______________________________________

The first day of the trial you did a double take when Bucky arrived to escort you to the courthouse. Steve was already there, as he wanted to personally review all the security protocols before allowing you in the building, so Bucky was on point for you. You and Pepper had gone shopping for suitable outfits, given your ever-changing shape, settling on comfortable loose dresses with sweaters, if needed.

“Sergeant Barnes? Is that you?” You chuckled as he flipped you off.

“Yes, Mrs. Rogers, it’s me. You’ve seen me spiffed up before, don’t start.”

You took out your phone and snapped a pic of him scowling in his navy blue suit, white shirt and tie. His hair was pulled back low on his neck and his stubble was as trim as you’d seen it. Whoa. Thank God you were taken or there’d be drooling.

“Ally is going to die over this.” You sent it quickly and put the phone away, checking you had everything you needed for a day sitting in a courtroom. It was predicted that you wouldn’t testify for at least a couple of days, depending on the length of opening statements and other miscellaneous issues.

Bucky walked you downstairs and through the back entrance to the garage. He was personally driving you each day, with at least two agents backing him up. When you sat side-by-side in the front seat of the car, he put his hand on your knee.

“Ready, doll?”

You smiled and nodded. “As I’ll ever be.”

_______________________________

Ellie saw Stephanie as soon as she and Wil were escorted into the courtroom. She was ecstatic that Barnes sat next to her, not even looking her way as the guards brought her and Wil to the table flanked by their lawyers. During the pre-trial conference, after Wil agreed to her idea, she asked her lawyer to reach out and get a time for them to meet with the government, particularly with Barnes, suggesting she had information to share about a larger circle of criminal activity.

Ellie’s request was denied, following a lack of hard evidence to back up her claims, but she knew that Barnes had received her message. Now all she had to do is wait. She knew that idiot would not give up any chance to destroy an offshoot of HYDRA, or to wipe the Webers off the face of the planet.

As the government started its opening statement, she could feel Barnes’ eyes on her. Only at the end of the first day did she grant him the satisfaction of turning to look him in the eye.

_________________________________

The Winter Soldier was a master assassin. If he wanted to take out Ellie Weber in a packed courtroom, he could and no one would know it was him. Irregardless, when she walked into the courtroom, it wasn’t the Soldier’s cold, detached reaction that flooded his system. No, the feelings all belong to James Buchanan Barnes, the kid from Brooklyn who protected a certain little guy, his sisters, and his Ma with everything he had. Bucky Barnes knew he had to squash the white hot anger that threatened to boil over, for Steph’s sake.

What he could not keep under wraps was his curiosity. Weber’s lawyer had approached him to set up a meeting, and upon approval from the government’s attorneys, it was going to happen after this first day of court. He knew not to believe a word that bitch said, but if listening to her would protect his family or end The HIVE, he would do whatever was necessary.

__________________________________

“Mom, please, can we come?” You shook your head firmly, not inviting debate. The girls had asked to talk to you alone in their suite, the night before your testimony began, and you had obliged.

“But Mom, listen. We thought about what you said. About being there and showing them they can kiss your behind?” You all laughed at Lizzie’s editing. You nodded in agreement. “We want to show them that, too. We almost lost you, but we didn’t. We want to show them that we are stronger, together.”

For a split-second you were tempted, but then thought about a million different variables, the biggest being that you would not be able to filter or censor anything they heard. They would be present for a full and realistic accounting of every minute of your capture at the hands of people you, and they, had trusted. You couldn’t put them through that.

“Girls, I hear you, but the answer is no. I need to ask you to trust me and your Dad on this. We decided that the things you could hear might cause you some real and possibly permanent trauma. I could not live with myself if that happened because you wanted to support me. I do have an idea though.” You shared with them what would help you get through, and though they weren’t completely on board with not attending, the discussion ended amicably.

“Was it what you thought?” Bucky and Steve were waiting in your apartment while you talked with the girls in theirs. The first days had gone well, according to people who would know, and now these men were making sure you felt safe and ready for your turn the next day.

“Yes. We talked it through, and they agreed to support me in other ways.” Both girls were going to be with their father and step-mother with an expanded security detail during the duration of your testimony. That is the only way you felt free to do what you needed to do.

“Good. They don’t need to hear any of that shit, and I don’t want Weber eye-ballin’ them, not even a little.” Bucky was calm, but talk of the girls and Weber breathing the same air was a very real trigger. You and Steve each took one of his hands, and silently breathed deeply.

Steve got up from the table and walked to the door, smiling at you as he turned his head.

“C’mon. Tony’s Pizza for dinner tonight!”

“What? You’re letting me go to Brooklyn for dinner?” You looked at your husband with wide, thankful eyes.

He and Bucky smiled at each other as they opened the door to your suite. Waiting in the hall were the Unholy Trinity - Maria, Jen, and Ally - and boxes and boxes of piping hot Tony’s Pizza. You kissed both men and ran into the arms of three women who were as much family to you as your siblings and parents.

Of course, Maria was the first to speak. “Steve said that you wouldn’t mind some non-legal, non-Avenger company tonight. I thought you might be missing Tony’s almost as much as you missed us, so I stopped and got a few pies. I also brought videos of the renovation and a punch list of things we’ll need to do to get it ready.” You might have squealed as you hugged her and asked FRIDAY to alert the girls to come over.

She smiled lovingly at your tears. “You may thank me now.”

That night as you and Steve lay in bed, you thanked him for being the best husband in the entire world. “That was exactly what I needed tonight, love. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I knew the last thing you needed was to dwell on tomorrow. I also got the distinct feeling that Bucky was really missing Ally, but he would have never left us to go see her, so….two birds and all.”

“You’re pretty smart, Cap, you know that?”

“In addition to being the best husband in the entire world? This is a night to remember.” You both laughed as you kissed, his hand molding to your stomach where Baby Rogers was doing its best to keep you awake. He scooted down and talked to the little one, and as you listened to his soothing deep voice, your eyes started to close.

___________________________________

You were nervous but not panicked as you walked into the courthouse the next day. You made sure to pee at least 100 times so you wouldn’t have to excuse yourself in front of the entire courtroom.

“The government calls Stephanie Rogers to the stand.” Now - panicked.

After the first questions you calmed down and got into the rhythm your lawyers drilled into you from day one. You listened carefully, answered only what you were asked, and looked at the person asking the questions, as well as the jury. After over an hour of questioning, the judge called for a recess and you took what felt like your first real breath of the day. After coming back from, you guessed it, the bathroom, Steve brought you a snack and a glass of water in the antechamber near the main room.

When the bailiff called you back in, you both stood and your husband looked you straight in the eye.

“You got this. Remember, Rogers don’t run.” He kissed you hard and held your hand until you returned to the stand.

After your team was finished came the hard part - the defense team’s cross examination. You breathed deeply, took a sip of water, and rubbed your stomach, as Baby Rogers chose that moment to play soccer in utero. After the initial getting to know you chit-chat, fun time was over.

“Mrs. Rogers, why were you kidnapped in the first place? You do not hold a security clearance, you do not have any known value to the intelligence community, what possible reason would anyone have to take you?”

“You mean other than having neurologically-deviant thinking?” That was objected and the judge gave you a “don’t be a smartass” look.

“I do not know why I was kidnapped.”

“Can you offer your opinion?” Your team did not object, so you did as you were asked. You maintained a neutral expression and made eye contact with Steve. He gave you an almost-imperceptible nod.

“Captain Steven Rogers was my boyfriend at the time of the first abduction and my husband at the time of the second. He has all the things that I lack regarding value to the intelligence community, etc. I surmised I was used as leverage to get something from him. This was confirmed by both Agent Weber and her brother when they attempted to harvest somatic stem cells from my unborn child, in utero.”

The defense lawyer continued to fish around, with multiple attempts to get you to provide information. Your legal team had prepared for the contingency that they might try to get you to talk about Erskine’s serum and had done significant prep in that area. Thankfully, classified intel is protected from testimony in open court, and he was not successful.

“Mrs. Rogers, how do we know you’re telling the truth?” He was not ready for you.

“I believe that my eye-witness testimony, in conjunction with the material evidence produced by the prosecution, including fingerprints, conclusive IP address information for the streaming video ransom notes, collaborative testimony from Agent Romanoff, Captain Rogers, and Sergeant Barnes, and the ballistics and DNA evidence at both crime scenes are more than sufficient proof that my testimony is true.” Fuck you, asshole.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Bucky smiling ear-to-ear and Steve fired up with pride. You were pretty damn proud of yourself, too, if you must admit.

He continued to poke and prod, trying to deconstruct your testimony around the apartment break-in, your kidnapping and abduction across the US border, your injuries, and your eventual betrayal by Ellie Weber and attempt on your and your unborn child’s life. You felt guilty you had ever complained about all the trial prep, because you had a calm and accurate answer for everything that idiot threw at you.

“How did I know Agent Weber was responsible for these acts? She told me, while I was strapped down to a table and introduced to her brother who was inserting an IV into my arm. I believe that the GPS tracker data on me from Mr. Stark, already entered into evidence, showed our approximate locations for the entire time in question. She confessed - no - bragged about her plan to me, during the procedure, prior to the explosion.

“Last question, from your observation, were there any other people present at either abduction who were giving orders or directives to your captors, or to the Webers?” Ahhhhh, first smart question of the day.

“Yes, I observed people who appeared to be conveying orders or directives to both Ellie and Wil Weber.”

“Are they present in the courtroom today?”

“I do not see them.”

“Were they taken into custody the day of the second abduction?”

“I would not know, I had lost consciousness following the amniocentesis and was rushed back to Stark Tower for emergency fetal medical care.”

Of course, he knew that. Of course he wanted to introduce the idea that the Webers were not wholly responsible for what happened to you. He opened the door just enough to get the death penalty off the table.

When you were dismissed, the judge adjourned for the day. You returned to your seat to find only Steve.

Despite questioning where Bucky was, Steve would only allude to an appointment he had with the lawyers related to his portion of the case. You were too tired to probe further.

___________________________________

Bucky waited in the conference room for the lawyers. He felt calm, in control. He played this scene in his mind often since Weber was taken into custody - what he would do, what he would say the first time he came face-to-face with her. In preparation for this meeting, Steve and Nat reminded him of one thing - let the Soldier run the show. There was no place in this meeting for Bucky Barnes’ love and emotion.

The room soon filled - a lawyer for each side, Ellie and Wil Weber, and Bucky. He sat and waited, letting the Soldier’s face, his voice, his body language be the only things the others saw. On the other side, Ellie thought she was in charge. It irked her that she had to get approval from her lawyer before proposing her idea.

“We know you want West. We know you want the HIVE. We can give them to you.”

The Soldier’s dead stare bore into her, causing the merest blip in Ellie’s confidence. She laid it out. There was no room for coy negotiating tactics.

“West has used the genetic material from the Rogers fetus to identify the last element of Erskine’s serum,” she saw understanding around the table and continued “but he does not have a scientist that can successfully integrate it into what The HIVE already has - the imperfect formula that runs through your veins.”

The Soldier’s voice was barely audible, lacking all the vitality of James Barnes. He leaned forward in his seat, his left hand sliding across the table, his eyes never leaving Wilhelm Weber’s.

“You can create the serum using me, can’t you.”

The scientist tried to remain unruffled, but he was much less accustomed to the muscle end of the business and quickly looked away.

That intense gaze turned towards Ellie. “You want us to let him go back to West.”

With calculated intent, he stood up, knocking the chair to the floor while laying his metal hand on the table with just enough force to vibrate the large piece of solid-wood furniture. The startle around the table confirmed that they were all paying attention.

“No. There is no win for us in this. If he doesn’t do it, you will both be murdered in a gruesome and vindictive way. I don’t see a problem there. If he goes back, The HIVE gets the serum and we’re fighting an army of super soldiers? THAT is a problem.”

Ellie knew she had to leap. Now. “Do you think I’m that stupid?”

It was Barnes’ emotions she saw when he turned towards her and sat back down. She was jubilant that she had his attention.

“Wil needs to testify. He needs to testify and he needs to talk about the serum, in open court.”

The entire table erupted.

“That is classified top secret.”

“There is no way Fury and the government are going to allow it.”

A chill went through the room when he started to laugh as Ellie finished speaking. He understood her game before anyone else. Bucky stood and walked out of the room.

As he left, he looked Ellie Weber in the eye. “We’ll talk again tomorrow.”

_________________________________________

You put your feet up and moaned graphically when Steve started massaging them. You looked down at him over the baby bump and smiled wearily. He looked up and kissed your belly, then lifted you out of the chair to bring you to bed. You didn’t say a word, letting him gently deposit you, help you out of your dress, and put on one of his t-shirts and your boy shorts. 34 weeks was upon you and you were starting the hard part of pregnancy - the “tired, can’t eat, always have to pee, get this kid out of me and feel extremely undesirable” part.

“I am so proud of you, Steph. You were astounding today. I think anyone in attendance saw how you were in command the entire time. It was sexy as hell.”

You laughed quietly and kissed his cheek. “That’s the last word I would use to describe myself right now, but I do feel proud of how I handled everything. Do you think I’m done testifying?”

He leaned beside you, rubbing your lower back, which hurt most of the time these days and kissing your neck. “As you wrapped up, Julia thought today was it. She even suggested taking tomorrow off to rest, in case you were called for rebuttal. I’m going to make that an order, soldier.” He laughed as he heard you talking nonsense and drift off to sleep.

You had no idea what time it was when you woke up, but quickly realized it was the middle of the night and Steve wasn’t in bed. That wasn’t altogether unusual, and you didn’t think much of it while you trudged to the bathroom. You laughed as you shuffled back to bed, feeling every bit of your age, with Baby Rogers dancing the tango directly on your sciatic nerve. When you got back into bed, you stretched in an attempt to alleviate the shocks of pain running down your leg, and felt a new, noticeable, sharp pain in your abdomen. Your first instinct was to lay back and breathe deeply - you were probably dehydrated and overtired. As you closed your eyes and breathed in through your nose and out through your mouth, the pain came back again and you couldn’t help but cry out.

You called out for Steve, if he was in the apartment he would come running when he heard you yell. No bueno. You grabbed your phone and texted him.

Steph: Where are you??? I need you.

Steve: On my way.

A moment later he came into the bedroom and found you sitting up in bed, night table lamp on, and breathing rhythmically. This was your favorite part about being married to Steve - he didn’t overreact, didn’t get flustered, just worked the problem, and the problem was to figure out what was going on with you.

“Do you think it’s labor?” You shook your head and repeated your thoughts about dehydration and exhaustion.

“FRIDAY alert Bruce and Dr. Cho we’re meeting them in the med bay ASAP.” You attempted to get up and put your robe on, but a pain struck just at that moment and you reached for his hand to squeeze. For the second time that night, he picked you up and walked with purpose but without fear to the elevator. When you walked out the door, Bucky was coming into the hall from his suite, clearly on his way to see if he could help.

In order to avoid 20 questions, you summed up what was going on and asked that he inform the agents outside the girls’ door not to say anything and you would talk to them later, if necessary. You were trying to be quiet, but as usual weren’t successful, and several doors opened on the hallway, spewing out cranky, sleepy Avengers. When they saw Steve’s back as he walked down the hall with you in his arms, Bucky explained and went to tell his agents what was up.

“Bruce, Helen, I’m so sorry to wake you. I told Steve it’s probably dehydration, but we agree you’re the best people to evaluate that. Plus, he already had picked me up and started walking down the hall before I formulated a thought about whether to come here or not.”

After more than an hour of ultrasound, bloodwork, and monitoring, the 16 combined PhD’s and MD’s came to the same conclusion you did - round ligament pain resulting from your uterus stretching, dehydration, and exhaustion. They put you on bed rest for at least 3 days, forbidding you to go to the courthouse or do much more than watch Netflix and go to the bathroom.

“But…” Your mind was revving - the renovations, the trial, the girls and on and on and on…..

Steve’s look was more stern than you’d seen in a very long time. “Listen, soldier. The docs have put you on bed rest and you are going to follow that order to a T. You’re going to do that, right?” His expression softened as he held your hand and watched the comforting regular blips on the heart monitors for you and the baby.

“Yes, sir. Bruce, Helen, can you please tell him that I am allowed to get up to go to the bathroom and to the kitchen? Maybe even walk to another room for a change of scenery?” They gladly clarified that distances of 10-15 steps or less were fine, as long as you didn’t stand for too long.

After thanking them and returning to your suite, you laughed when you found Bucky sitting on your sofa when you walked in, a look of concern on his face. After you were back in bed and sleeping, and both Super Soldiers convinced you were not going into labor, Bucky gestured Steve into the living room.

“We need to talk about my meeting with Weber and Weber today. There might be something to what they’re proposing.”

Chapter 29

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