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Steve was sleeping soundly moments before things get strange. The air shifted, his bed was empty and something was off place, something was wrong. Steve carefully opened his eyes and felt the place beside him realizing it was still warm, what meant that Bucky has got up just moments before his awakening.
He got up and started to sense what was wrong in their house. Steve listened Bucky moves in the kitchen; - he was probably making coffee – he listened to their quiet neighborhood and tried to understand what was off place.
They were living together for almost a year and a half. Bucky recovered a large part of his memory and the PTSD were slowly fading away with the help of good doctors, he was also taking his black stripe remedy regularly. They were living happy just like the old times. But tonight, something was happening and both wanted find out what.
Steve stopped by the door of their small kitchen. "Bucky?" His lifetime best friend and lover looked from him to the clock, 3AM. "Hungry are we?" The captain frowned and Bucky nodded, they understood each other very well.
When Bucky finished their coffee he pointed to their shared bedroom and Steve followed him. "Steve," he began after closing the door and the window. "I know you sensed something different in the air and before it even happens I did too. You know I can feel because of the training I received." He stopped and sighed.
"Bucky, what's wrong? Do you think it could be Hydra again?" James shook his head and Steve relaxed a bit. "So tell me sweetheart, what's wrong?" He got hold of Bucky's hands and lightly squeezed them.
"I woke up seconds before the soft knocks on our door happened. Well, I didn't opened the door, my instincts led me to our roof from where I could see the doorstep and see who had knocked." Steve nodded encouraging him to keep going.
"No one was there, only a basket covered in something white I think-" Steve suddenly got up from their shared bed. His mind was racing so fast he couldn't stop the brainstorm he was having. "What? What are you thinking about?" Bucky was frowning so deeply he looked lot older.
"Bucky, baby I know... I know it sounds crazy, dear God it is probably a crazy idea but," he snorted and held Bucky's hands once again. "it can be a baby, you know? Just like in the movies we used to watch." Steve couldn't read his love's face expressions.
James made a strangled noise. "Are you telling me you want to go outside, you want to risk your life just because you think it can be a baby when it can actually be a trap?"
“Yes.”
"I fucking hate your enormous and soft heart, really." Steve kissed his forehead. "I'll pick my gun under the pillow and I'll be behind you while you check if it's a baby or a trap, okay? If it is a trap, I'll be ready to shoot anything or anyone. I don't want to risk your life, thank you."
"I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too, punk. Now, let's go."
Confirming his world, Bucky got hold of his gun and followed Steve to the door. The captain breathed in and out many times before finally opening the wooden door. And there was the basket covered in light pink blanket, actually. Steve carefully lowered his body while Bucky pointed his gun outside their door, over Steve's head. Until now nothing seemed like a trap.
Steve lifted the soft blanket and put his eyes in the most beautiful tiny thing he has ever seen. The baby was sound asleep inside the basket covered in another blanket - this time it was thicker -. The head was full of black and soft hair, had a sweet face and Steve could swear the nose was the same as Bucky's.
"It's the most beautiful trap I have ever laid my eyes on. It's a beautiful and tiny baby, Bucky. Let's take the basket out of the cold." Steve said softly taking the basket carefully to not awake the baby. He came back inside and Bucky closed the door behind them.
He placed the basket in their coffee table. Both sat on the couch and kept staring the baby - Steve took the blanket that was covering the basket so they could keep an eye in the baby's sleep -.
"What we do now?" Bucky asked terrified.
"Someone put this baby at our doorstep and it wasn't without a purpose. Now, we will take care of the baby, Bucky." Steve side softly, placing a hand on his love's tights. "It'll be alright."
"We will need help and you know it, we will need to buy lots of baby's stuff and-"
A sudden crying baby stopped Bucky. It seemed like the lungs would fly from inside the basket. "Steve!" The brunette man shouted, trying to not freak out.
Steve, who was ever so patient and careful, took the baby from inside the basket and (congratulations to the parents, it's a girl!) started to rock her ever so gently. The tiny baby girl was slowly stopping the horrendous crying. She was smaller than Steve's arms and it startled him.
"Dear God, she has a powerful throat, hasn't she?" Bucky got up and stood beside Steve and, for the first time laid his eyes on the baby girl: she was utterly beautiful and the cutest baby he had ever seen.
They were in silence just looking down to her. She was wearing a pink footed onesie that matcher her well. Her head was full of dark and soft hair, her mouth was so tiny Bucky wondered how she could drink from the baby bottle; her eyes were almost as dark as night and her nose was perfect. The couple was in love with the little baby.
Bucky's sixth sense started to function when he heard the wheezing breath that was coming from her chest. He paid attention for few more seconds just to make sure he wasn't wrong. "Steve," James drew Steve from his daydreaming. "listen carefully her breathing."
Steve paid attention just as Bucky told him to and listened to her breathing, and it wasn't right. "Pick another blanket love, we are taking her to the hospital."
"No! We are taking her to doctor Banner. I don't mind waking everyone up on that damn tower." He sighed and ran his metal hand on his short hair. "I only trust him, you know."
Steve nodded and waited for Bucky to come back with another blanket. Steve carefully wrapped it on the baby girl who was sleeping once again, but this time in his arms.
"You'll hold her tight while I drive. Let's go, punk." They were out in the wind and Steve made sure to protect her with the thick blanket and his body. He entered in the back seat of their car and waited while Bucky dialed to doctor Banner. "Doctor Banner? Sorry for bothering you." A small pause. "Yes, that's Bucky. Well, I'll explain better later but we are on our way to the tower with a tiny baby girl and we think she might be sick. We need your help." Another small pause. "I'll be there in five minutes."
"Bucky, be careful." Steve begged before they were out to Stark Tower. Bucky was indeed careful, but also fast. They made their way not in five but six minutes. "Thank you, sweetheart." The captain said when his sergeant took the sleeping beauty from his arms so he could get out of the car.
In few seconds, they were inside the tower and heading to doctor Banner's floor. The tiny baby woke up once again to see Bucky's face. "Oh, hello there sleeping beauty. Please don't cry." He begged when he pouted and surprisingly she seemed to understand him and stopped. "Now we will see a good man, he is a doctor and will give a look on you."
Steve’s heart was melting, he was sure of it.
The elevator door opened and the couple saw all the Avengers reunited in Banner's floor, all of them were in their pajamas. Steve gave them a small smile.
"Before us getting started, I want to know what happened." The doctor asked and the couple started to tell the story of how they 'found' the baby girl.
"I wanted to take her to the hospital, but Bucky insisted to bring her to you." Steve said while he was brushing with soft fingers the baby's hair. She seemed to enjoy it, because she closed her eyes and sighed.
"If we had taken her to the hospital they would probably want to know everything, they would want to put her in children care or even call the police saying that we are fucking pedophiles or kidnappers." Bucky tried to explain his point.
"Cyborg is right after all because we're like the police, you know." Stark and his mouth awfully big wasn't letting Steve any happier.
Banner asked for the girl and they sat her over his nursing bed. She was firmly holding Bucky's little finger and Steve had his hand over her belly, not holding but assuring her he was there. "JARVIS please, scan her and her DNA, try to find relatives while I do my job."
“Yes, sir.”
The doctor took out her onesie and she got purple with cold. Steve heart was broken from the view and maybe he could understand now what he mom felt about him going to the doctor on a daily basis.
Bruce checked her temperature, blood pressure, examined her ears, nose, mouth and eyes - she was quiet all the time. "Time to listen her lungs and heart, uh?" He closed his eyes while the stethoscope was over her chest. He took longer than expected.
"JARVIS, answers because I need help here." Steve and Bucky shared a worried look.
"No relatives found, sir."
"Great, now the scan." Banner asked while putting her little clothing back.
"This is a 2 month old baby, weighing 5.800 pounds and measuring 53 centimeters. Her body functions fine, but she has asthma. I advise starting the treatment right way."
Steve couldn't handle because right now he really felt just like his mother. Captain America broke up in endless tears, and his lover was there to try to calm him. "This can't be happening, not to her... Dear God, it can't be true." Bucky shed hot tears too.
"Hey, hey! Listen to me," Bucky cupped his face in both hands. "I took care of you when we had nothing but your asthma to hunt us 70 years ago. You made it, look at you now," he gave Steve a peck on his nose. "I promise you we will take care of her no matter what, and I promise she will live a perfect life."
"Okay, I-I trust you and I trust today's medicine and if it worked out seventy years ago it'll now." They nodded together and held it other in their arms. "Buck, I love you and it can sound crazy but I already love her too."
“Trust me when I say I love you both.”
Bruce Banner cleared his throat before interrupt the couple. "I'm sorry to break this beautiful moment, but I have to ask you what's the next step: start the treatment right now or wait a few days until I can get the right medicine, or even develop it?"
Bucky put his flesh hand over his lover's back. He knew it was Steve's subject, he knew Steve was the one who wanted to decide it so he just waited in silence.
Steve sighed and ran his hand over his forehead.
"I know she needs treatment, I really know. But I'll wait, right now it's too soon to know what kind of medicines we will give her." His blue eyes stared at the tiny body in Bruce's arms. "How much time do you need to find the right medicine, Bruce?”
"One week? Is this good?" The couple nodded. "Right. She is underweight for a two months old and also below the expected size, but it's not much trouble. With the right formula at the right time she'll develop just fine."
“And how is the development of a two month old baby?" Bucky asked.
"She'll gain more control over her body and will try to do things like hold her head a little steadier, but it won't mean she will can, remember: a month ago she was only a new born." The baby girl was napping in the doctor's arms who was gently rocking her. "She'll sleep 15 or 16 hours per day, also it doesn’t mean she’ll be ready to sleep through the night. And still needs to be fed in a range of three in three hours."
“Okay.”
“Anything else, doctor Banner?” Steve loved to see Bucky worrying with their (new) baby.
"She needs to be put to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome and when sleeping in her crib, remember to always remove all soft objects as pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, and soft bumpers. That's it." Banner kept rocking her gently even when she opened her beautiful eyes.
Steve and Bucky stared at each other for a few seconds knowing this new journey would be entirely different from whatever they did. Now they were responsible for a special life, whom needed them more than anyone else. Yet both were excited about finally becoming parents.
"Okay babe, you'll stay here with Steve, Bucky and the baby." Natasha's voice was clear and loud, she was directing orders. "While I, Pepper and Barton will make baby's shopping for them at some 24 hour department store."
Bruce only nodded.
“See you guys in a few.” Pepper said heading to the elevator.
"But you are in your pajamas!" Tony almost yelled. Steve gave him a dirty look.
"Yes? Because it's late night and we're going to a 24 hour department store?" She said as it was obvious. "And we don't want to raise any suspicions, thank you." They still could hear Natasha's laugh inside the elevator.
A silence fell over them, but it was a comfortable one. The four men went to sit in Tony's leather couch. Bruce gave the baby to Steve and he placed her in his thighs, freeing her from the blanket.
Bucky laid his head on Steve's shoulder, staring their baby. She was pouting and sticking her tongue out, probably discovering her mouth or she was hungry.
"She is beautiful, isn't she?" Stark was the one to break the silence.
Steve sighed happily. "She is perfect."
"Do you guys already have a name for her?" Bruce asked and the couple exchanged a worry look. "I assume you don't."
"I haven't thought of anything, really." The captain this time sighed from frustration. "I thought about everything: how I want her bedroom to be, and about her asthma... Even her first steps! But not about a name."
"I... I thought about a name. I just didn't say anything because I thought it would be more difficult to have her and, you know." Steve and Banner nodded, Stark was just watching them.
"And what's the name?" The doctor asked.
Bucky cleared his throat now visible nervous. What would happen if Steve didn't like? And if they think it’s to ridiculous?
"Sweetheart, you can say it." Steve assured him.
Bucky nodded and closed his eyes only to say the name.
"H-Hope Rogers-Barnes."
When he opened again, Steve was staring at him with the biggest smile he had ever seen on his face.
“Seems like she is our Hope, now.”
“Yes. I’m so glad you liked.” Steve leaned in to give Bucky a sweet peck on his lips.
“It’s beautiful Buck, just like her.”
"Sappy couple is sappy."
“Tony, you can’t talk like that about them. Rude.” Bruce crossed his arms over his chest and Tony rolled his eyes.
“We can’t argue now dear Banner, the baby won’t like it.” Bucky snorted and Tony gave him a dirty look. “Don’t be mad at me Cyborg, we don’t want to fight in front of Hope, okay.”
Bucky laid his head over Steve’s shoulder once again.
“One day I’ll kill him, you know.” Steve gave a low chuckle.