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Bucky stood in the doorway holding his angel as they watched Tony search all around the room for the monsters. Tony was inside her closet with a flashlight and their “monster detector” machine his two loves had created together.
“Sweet pea, I’m pretty sure I’ve checked everywhere in your room and the detector hasn’t gone off once, it’s safe.” Tony murmured as he walked out of the closet. He set the tools down on her dresser and plucked her out of Bucky’s arms. “No monsters are here, and if there were any, daddy and I scared them away. So come on, let’s get that little tush in bed, little lady.”
Bucky watched as his angel let out a dramatic sigh and nodded before she wriggled out of Tony’s arms and ran to the bathroom to change into her pajamas. “You know she’s just gonna call out for us again once we leave, right?” Bucky drawled as he sat on the bed, pulling Tony into his lap.
“Yeah, honey, I know. Since I’ve come home it’s her way of making sure we’re both still here with her, that’s all. That just means we’ll have to check for monsters every night until she grows out of this stage.” Tony kissed Bucky’s cheek as their baby skipped out of the bathroom, “ready for bed sweet pea?”
A giggle echoed around the room as Bucky planted a kiss on her forehead. He tossed her on the bed and watched as Tony attacked her with kisses.
Bucky stood back, watching Tony and their angel together with a soft smile. It’s a small thing needed by both of them ever since Tony returned home after spending five years in space limbo. Bucky loves watching them bond together like this. After a couple minutes, Tony tucked her in with a whispered “goodnight sweet pea” before leaving the room.
Both men waited out in the hallway just holding on to each other until their angel would inevitably call for them because the monsters are back.
It wasn’t even five minutes later when they heard the little yelps of, “Daddy! Papa! The monsters are under the bed! Under the bed, daddy! I promise I’m not lying, papa, I promise!”
Walking back into the room, Tony scooped up their angel and moved near the wall. Meanwhile, Bucky walked to the bed, flexing his metal arm as he bent down to crawl underneath. As Bucky began to “fight” the monster, which was really just him hitting the floor, wall and the bed frame kind of sporadically, he heard his angel let out a few small whimpers at the groan that slipped past his lips when caught the edge of his finger with his metal hand. He heard Tony when he started to reassure her that everything was fine and that no one, not even the monster under the bed, was strong enough to take her daddy down.
After he spent about ten minutes under the bed, Bucky crawled out and stared up at his angel. He smiled brightly at her and all it took was a simple, “I got ‘em, angel,” and she was back on her bed with a book in hand waiting patiently for him to join her.
When Bucky was settled on the bed, he glanced up at his husband and saw the slightly shocked look still on his face and he tried not to laugh at the little huff he made. Before he could say anything, his angel placed the book in one hand and curled his other around her as she waited for the story to begin.
~~~~~~~
Tony watched from the doorway as his husband read their angel her favorite story that she picked out. He smiled at how she held Bucky’s metal arm around her, snuggling into his chest while Bucky occasionally paused his reading to place kisses in her hair. Tony laughed along with her as they listened to Bucky do different voices for each character.
As he heard the thrums of husband’s voice and their daughters’ giggles, he began to feel like he missed so much of his sweet pea’s life. He’s seen the home videos Bucky, Pepper and Rhodey all took over the five years he was trapped up in space after the snap, but that wasn’t the same as experiencing them firsthand. He still wants to experience it firsthand. He wants it so badly, he starts to tear up at the thought of another baby in the house.
He got lost daydreaming of nights just like this. Of how wonderful it would be having two little sets of feet stumbling towards him to welcome him home with the happiest of smiles, while his husband leaned against the doorframe to wait for his turn to welcome Tony home. Another little giggle mixing with Bucky and Sarah's to light up Tony's life. He wanted to feel the stretch of his arms around two smaller bodies to give them the biggest hugs he can. Maybe wake up some days with two sets of small hands shaking him awake on his birthday, with his husband standing behind them with a tray of Tony’s favorite breakfast meal.
The longer he daydreamed, the more he wanted all that. The only problem is how to bring it up to his husband? And if Bucky agreed, how will they break the news to their angel? It’s been a year since he’s returned home but that feels like nothing compared to the years he was gone. What if they hate him because he wants this?
As he faintly heard Bucky whisper, “the end,” he began to panic a little. Tony watched in an almost trance-like state as Bucky leaned down to pull the blanket up around their angel, place the book down and quietly walks to the door. Once his husband reached him, Tony allowed Bucky to lead him out of the room and back into the kitchen.
Tony felt his heart pounding in his chest, his ears started ringing and his hands began to shake more and more. He knows he doesn’t want to lose his family, for the second time. But in the same breath, he also knew that bringing another baby into the family wouldn’t be bad at all, he knew it was just the strong fear that his family would think he’s trying to replace them, and that is definitely not what he wants.
~~~~~~~
As Bucky began making them both a drink, he looked over his shoulder, seeing his love looking extremely pale. It made Bucky extremely nervous, but he knows he needed to approach Tony carefully about what was going on in his mind. Ever since Tony returned, Bucky had been called a “helicopter husband” by many people, mostly Sam, because he didn’t leave Tony’s side for the first couple months he was home.
Bucky had the strong urge that he needed to know where Tony was and what was going on with him or how he felt because Bucky was scared he would miss something when Tony needed him most. He felt like he was protecting Tony with his need to know every little thing, but then he remembered how he felt when Steve first brought him back to the compound to stay. Bucky remembered the times when Stevie would always question him about where he was going and what he was doing - the times Steve was his literal shadow and he was becoming Tony’s shadow and he didn’t like that realization at all.
Because of that, Bucky has done his best to step back from being a “helicopter husband” by simply asking and waiting to see if his love was up for talking about what’s going on. If he didn’t want to talk, Bucky has taken to holding Tony while watching his favorite movie.
While thinking of the best way to ask if Tony’s okay, Bucky goes back to making their drinks. He glanced over his shoulder and casually murmured, “what’s on your mind, darlin’? You look like you’re about to pass out on me.” He tried to let out a nonchalant chuckle as he handed Tony his drink, failing tremendously once he gazed into his love’s whiskey brown bambi eyes, seeing the little bits of fear and panic in them.
Bucky immediately set both glasses down before pulling Tony into his arms, leading them to the couch.He softly reached up to cup Tony’s cheeks and softly questions, “what’s going on, darlin’? Is it anything I can help with?” Bucky felt Tony tremble in his arms, tears began to roll down his face.
“ I want a baby .”
Bucky froze. He looked into Tony’s widened eyes. “What do you mean you want a baby, love? We do have a baby.” Tony placed Bucky’s hand on his cheek, nuzzling into it. Taking a deep breath, Tony whispered, “I want a baby baby, Bucky. I-I know we have Sarah and I love our angel with every ounce of my heart and soul but, since I’ve been back and I see the way you and she are together and it makes me think of how grown up she’s getting. Listening to you read that story with her, I realized I missed a lot of our angel’s firsts with us because I was stuck in New York, most of the time dealing with SI. Then me being stranded in space for basically five years, I missed helping teach her things and raising her with you and I’ve just been thinking that I want to have another baby with you. Hell, I want a lot more babies with you, honey.”
~~~~~~~
Tony was waiting for his husband to say something when all of a sudden Tony was forced off the couch and onto his back in the middle of the family room.
When opens his eyes after the initial shock wears off, he saw his sweet pea clinging to his chest. He glanced at his husband just to find him frowning and mumbling about something Tony couldn’t hear – so, Tony focused back on his baby. Her body is shaking as she clung to him.
“Sweet pea? What happened? Did you have a bad dream?” Tony questioned softly while rubbing up and down her back. When she didn’t give any answer, he began pulling her away from his body so he could check her over – that’s when he noticed she had one of the biggest and happiest grins on her face.
“I’m happy, papa!” She giggled before laying her head back down on his chest. Tony smiled and placed a kiss on her head. “Well,” he begins. “Does our angel baby want to tell us what’s got her so happy?” Both men were confused as she sat back enough to pull a piece of paper from her pajama pocket, shyly handing it to him as she clung to both his and Bucky’s hands.
Bucky pulled them both into his lap as Tony unfolded the mystery paper. Looking at it, they saw a typical drawing done by their angel. That is, until she pointed out a small figure in doodle Tony’s (as the arrow labels it) arms. Following the arrow that is pointing at the small figure, both men see the words “my baby sister” written in a small heart.
Nobody says anything for what feels like hours before they hear their angel speak up. “I um, I have been -- I want a new baby too, papa.” Tony glanced up at Bucky when he sees him shake his head and he’s smiling before he focuses back on her still talking, “But you just got back, and I didn’t want to share you with anyone but daddy so I kept it a secret. But now you want a new baby too, papa! Which means I get to get a sister and daddy can throw her super high in the sky to make her smile. And me and you can help her learn things so she can help us make all our doo-dads like daddy calls them!”
Tony chuckled lightly as she kept going on and on about what they can do that eventually turns into a full-blown laughing fit that leaves him with tears in his eyes and his stomach hurting.
He felt Bucky’s chest rumble as he said something, but it doesn’t register until his angel squealed and wrapped an arm around both her dad’s necks. “Well, it looks like we are going to become a family of four.”
Feeling like he couldn’t get a handle on his emotions, Tony began to cry. He cried tears of happiness and of relief at the fact that the two people he loved most in this world wanted the same thing he did, and they don’t hate him. His loves don’t hate him.
Tony saw the look in Bucky’s eyes that showed he understood why Tony was crying and that whatever Tony needed, Bucky was there for him. Not thinking he could get out any words with how choked up he was, Tony just inched towards his husband until Bucky moved to wrap his arms around Tony and simply held him and placed kisses where against Tony’s skin so it would help calm him down.
As he was being comforted, Tony heard Bucky suggesting to Becky, “maybe you should put a movie on, angel. Since we are all awake, we can have a movie night, yeah?” Tony assumes Sarah silently agrees because she crawled over his lap to get climb down, but that’s when Tony saw she froze and turned her body to face her him and Bucky again. “Papa, what’s wrong? Daddy help! Papa is crying.” Tony felt her crawl into his lap and laid her head against his shoulder. “Why are you crying, papa? You’re not ‘posta cry, you’re ‘posta be happy, papa! We are gonna get a new baby sister!” Tony felt her lean back and wipe at his face, and he couldn’t help it and he smiled, attacking her with kisses.
“I am happy, sweet pea, I’m happier than you can imagine.” He kissed her forehead once more, cheering happily, “we’re gonna get a new baby!”
~~~~~~~~
A Year Later
Bucky leaned against the doorway with two cups of coffee in hand, eyes swarming with love and happiness as he watched his husband add his finishing touches on the newest room He watched for a few minutes before heading in to set a cup down on the side table. He whispered a “good morning” against his husband’s lips.
Tony smiled and pulled Bucky back for another kiss. “You getting ready to head out, honey?” Bucky nodded. “Yeah.” He paused to run a hand through Tony’s hair, “Clint wants me to drop Sarah off before I head to the compound to workout with Stevie and Sammy. Apparently, the girls want to start their sleepover as soon as possible.”
Tony chuckled quietly and smiled as Becky bounds into the room to give her good morning kisses. “We’re gonna miss you this week, angel, but we want you to have fun at Uncle Clint’s house, okay?” They receive a sleepy nod along with another kiss. She happily stated, “I’ll be back for tomorrow,” before she’s bouncing back out of the room.
“I’ll be home in 2 hours love. I already let the guys know I’m leaving early, and I’ll be back in time to take you to the hospital, alright?” A nod from Tony had Bucky pulling him against his chest. “I mean it, love, I will be here to take you. Which means don’t leave without me.” growled Bucky. That Bucky receives a playful answer of, “alright, caveman, alright. Calm down now.” Bucky saw Tony glance up at him and quietly, with a soft smile, said, “I couldn’t even think about doing this without you by my side. So, i’ll be here waiting for you to sweep me off my feet once more.” Bucky let out a soft chuckle and he left to collect their angel’s things after one kissing Tony once more.
Two hours later Bucky was picking Tony up right on time and made it to the hospital early and waited to be called back to a room. Bucky bounced his knee nervously while Tony held onto Bucky’s hand tightly while he breathed deeply. It felt like a lifetime before they were finally called back, and both men took a second and just looked at each other. They were getting rid of their nerves by gaining the strength they needed knowing they were doing this together. They hesitate before the nurse calls for them again. With the new found strength, they get up and follow the nurse, whose name tag read Jamie, Bucky noted, as he led them to a room. Standing in the doorway, Jamie let them know them the doctor would be in soon to talk to them. Ten long, agonizing minutes later, the doctor, followed by the nurse Jamie, greeted them happily.
The doctor waved Jamie forward. “Congratulations Mr. Stark and Mr. Barnes, it’s a healthy, beautiful baby girl. Since all the paperwork was done before hand, all you have to do is sign one last page and you may take your daughter home. You have my number, if you are worried about anything, give me a call. Congratulations once again.” The doctor smiled and stepped back out of the room, leaving Jamie to push the little bassinet that held their new baby towards the men.
“Would you like to hold-,” the nurse doesn’t even finish his question before Bucky is carefully snatching the baby up and bringing her to his chest. The nurse smiled softly and whispered, a soft “congrats,” before leaving the men to bond with their new little baby. They stayed at the hospital for maybe an hour before they headed home.
Once they were settled on the couch in the nursery, Bucky placed her into his husband’s arms, wrapping his own around Tony’s waist. He kissed Tony’s neck, smiling when he heard Tony quietly talking. “Hi baby Em, I’m your papa and the taller guy wrapped around us is your daddy. You have a big sister named Sarah and way more uncles and aunts than you can imagine. But we are your family and we love you and your sister more than anything in the entire world.” Bucky began rocking them side to side, a couple of happy tears trickling down his face.
He turned Tony’s head and kissed him once more before they both whisper at the same time, “Welcome home, Morgan.”
And that is where Sarah, Pepper and the rest of the team find them. Still sitting on the couch in the nursery, baby Morgan falling back asleep in Tony’s arms, Bucky still wrapped around them, as both her papa and daddy sing her Sarah’s favorite lullaby.