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‘We still have what little bit is left of the Asguardian wine, we might as well enjoy it. Do you want us to see if T’Challa has any bubbly, Darce?’
‘No, no…my stomach still doesn’t feel g…’
‘Oh, Darcy…’
Steve chased after her and Bucky sighed sadly, grabbing the napkin off the table and starting to wipe up the mess, glancing up when Nat came in an eyebrow arched.
‘Everything okay?’
‘Darcy is still not feeling so hot…it’s okay I got it…no…okay. Thank you.’
Bucky sighed and relinquished the napkin as one of the housekeepers came in and made a fuss, heading to one of the washrooms to clean up, surprised when he came out and Natalia was still there. Rolling his eyes when she immediately started with the rapid-fire Russian.
‘She should have been better by now. Have the doctors come to see her?’
‘No, she refuses, says she’ll be fine in a few days.’
‘Does that look FINE?’
‘No, but…’
‘No, but. Idiots. I will take her.’
‘Natalia!’
Bucky sighed and chased after her as she ran, catching up just in time to see Steve get kicked out of the bathroom.
‘What the HELL, Romanoff!’
‘Stevie…let her do this, she’s worried.’
He was worried too and he hoped that Natalia would succeed where they had failed and convince Darcy to see one of the doctors. When he woke after the doctors had removed his triggers, Natalia had been the one to stay with him those first few days, chasing the other team members off until she was sure he was okay. The team seemed surprised but The Winter Soldier side of him was not, vague memories of his Natalia watching out for the little widows…until they beat that out of her. And memories of watching her watch out for the team as he monitored them before confronting Fury.
The execution was sometimes unexpected but there was nothing to do but stand back and accept it when the Black Widow went mother hen.
-
‘Solnyshko, this is more than just a stomach bug. Have you thought about maybe…’
‘No. No, don’t say it.’
Natasha popped her head out of the bathroom and made sure the pair and their enhanced hearing were not in immediate earshot before ducking back in, sitting on the counter while Darcy pressed her forehead to the cool stone tiles of the floor. She knew what Tash was going to say and she’d been worrying about that, as well but she totally couldn’t bring herself to say it aloud yet.
‘Maybe. Okay, but I can’t…they’ll flip out if it is true. I’ll be living in some remote hole in the fucking ground, never to see the light of day and have to live in protective custody for the rest of my life. I mean, it’s bad enough when I’m with Janey if any asshole found out I’d be getting kidnapped every other weekend.’
‘I will watch out for you and we’re safe here for the time being. You need to make sure, if it is true then you need to be under the care of a doctor. At the very least, you need to see one right now and get some fluids in you.’
Darcy was about to argue but she couldn’t stop the gagging and was soon slumped over the toilet bowl once again. She was loathe to admit it but Tash was right, maybe it was time.
‘At the very least, can you ask Wanda? She and Sam are on their way back from the school with Ororo. One or the other but we are doing something.’
‘FINE. Ugh. Can you get my toothbrush or a fucking mint or something.’
‘Language. No need to be snippy. Come on, little sister.’
She tried, she really did but she found herself slumping into Natasha as her crazy spy sister-from-another-mister helped her make her way to the bedroom. The scowl Nat gave Steve and Bucky had them retreating to another part of the palace. They were about to ask for one of T’Challa’s doctors when Wanda came rushing in.
‘Darcy, something is wrong, I could feel your worry from the quinjet.’
‘Yeah, I just…’
They all jumped when Wanda reached out to her and a little charge jumped between their fingers, making them both back away from the shock.
‘What. The. Hell.’
‘Darcy…maybe we should see if Miss Shuri is available…’
‘Um. Yeah, okay…sure. Let’s do this.’
-
Steve scowled and backed Natasha up against the wall when she entered the library, softening slightly when he felt Bucky grab his arm.
‘You better start talking, Romanoff.’
‘Darcy would like to see you both. She’s resting in bed and she said she would like it if we would all join her in your suite so she can celebrate New Years with us.’
He didn’t wait for Nat to finish before he was rushing back to their bedroom with Bucky on his heels. Darcy looked so tiny and pale on the giant bed, curled up with Wanda lying on one side and the Princess Shuri and Queen Ororo sitting on the other side of the bed. His heart pounded painfully when he saw the IV hooked up to her arm.
‘Darce…’
‘Hey…I’m okay, really. Just needed some fluids. It’s almost time, I’m sorry I’m not feeling well.’
He didn’t notice when the ladies disappeared quietly, giving them a moment. Dragging one of the chairs over and taking one of her hands, placing on soft kiss on the knuckles as Bucky crawled on the bed, taking the spot Wanda had occupied. Smiling faintly at Buck as Bucky nuzzled at Darcy and mumbled to her.
‘Worried about you, doll.’
‘I’m okay, I’m going to be fine. I feel a bit better already now that they hooked me up and they’re going to check on me in the morning.’
‘Next time maybe not be so stubborn…’
‘Me, so stubborn? Ha, Mr-Star-Spangled-Pain-In-My-Ass, you would know all about being stubborn.’
Steve couldn’t stop the chuckle, leaning in and kissing her softly. The doctor came back in, removing the IV once the bag was empty and little by little the others filtered in with a brief appearance from their Majesties before they went to join their family for the countdown.
He was surprised when the drawer started ringing, pulling the phone out and answering it after Bucky and Darcy urged him on.
‘Cap.’
‘Tony. Is everything okay?’
‘Yeah. No. I mean everything is fine. I just. I know it was for emergencies or whatever but…I’m not very good at all this touchy-feely stuff.’
‘…Happy New Year Tony.’
‘Happy New Year Steve. Maybe, maybe things might be better in the new year. I’ve been irritating Ross and I think he might be coming around and Pepper got me seeing the head doc again and I just wanted to…I just wanted to say Happy New Year.’
He blinked at the phone when the line went dead, smiling at the inquisitive looks on the others faces.
‘Tony says Happy New Year.’
His heart felt a bit lighter after that and everyone joined in the countdown as the time ticked away, pressing a kiss on Darcy then Bucky when the clock struck midnight.
‘Happy New Year, I love you guys.’
-
Wanda stayed put as Darcy kept a death grip on her hand and Natasha hovered, Shuri and Ororo and the doctors discussing the next steps. She did what she could to calm her sister, chuckling softly when Steven and James were allowed to enter, looking at their nervous faces. They were about to get one hell of a surprise but it wasn’t the one they were thinking of.
‘Hey, guys, want to come take a seat?’
Steven immediately sat down but James paced nervously, she was about to slip away but Darcy never let go, so she settled herself back on the bed. She wrapped an arm around Darcy’s waist and cuddled against her back until the shivering subsided and Darcy was able to take a few deep breaths and speak.
‘So…um. I guess interesting things happen when there is cosmic radiation and a God of Thunder and a uhhh…latent X-gene that comes in to play.’
‘Darcy, are you saying…’
Wanda watched as Darcy raised her hand and made the sparks zap between her fingers like they’d practised that morning. James’ jaw dropping and Steven frowning before he spoke again.
‘But…you’re okay, right? Nothing bad?’
‘Well, I mean this is going to take some getting used to and there’s…’
‘Oh, thank god. We worried you were ill or something horrible and…how did this happen, why so late for you?’
‘Well, the scientists think the radiation from Janey’s work and stuff might have a little bit to do with it but it is more likely the hormonal changes and stuff are the reason why…’
‘Is the radiation harmful, do we need to worry about you working with Jane? Is Jane okay?’
‘Janey is fine, the fact that I apparently have the X-Gene was a part of it and that’s…’
‘But what…’
‘Steven! I’m pregnant!’
Wanda used her powers to catch James before he hit the floor and Steven sat there in a state of shock until Natasha was able to wake James. Now it was Steven’s turn to be nervous and James spoke softly.
‘…Doll…did I hear what I thought I heard?’
‘I’m pregnant. They think the hormonal changes from the pregnancy triggered my mutation. The doctors here are the best and they’re going to be watching over us the whole time and Ororo and Wanda are going to help with my powers. I’m gonna have to have some words with Thor next time he’s here though. I think hanging out with him and Myuh-Myuh might have something to do with my crazy electrical powers. But I’m fine, the babies are fine, Wanda says everything looks good to her and the doctors said everything was okay except for the morning sickness so I need to stay hydrated and they have medicine if it doesn’t let up.’
‘…Babies. Plural?’
This time Wanda couldn’t help but laugh at the soft squeak that came from the scary big bad Winter Soldier. Holding her fingers up and looking at the men.
‘Babies. Two. One from each of you.’
‘How…how do you know?’
‘I felt them. I saw them. I can show you if you want…’
They spent the morning with Wanda using her powers to help them visualise the tiny ones growing in Darcy before she slipped out, leaving the three to bond over the news. There would be more time with her sister later, especially once she told them her news.
Sarah and Rebecca, good names for the little girls, they liked their names to be. Wanda pressing a hand to her still flat stomach, looking down. She just hoped they got along with her Billy and Tommy when the time came.