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It started with what Yelena initially thought was a pulled muscle in her lower back. By some miracle, the team finally had a day off after seemingly non-stop missions and press junkets for longer than Yelena cared to think about.
The cramps worsened even as she prepared to step into Bob’s (rather comically) oversized bathtub after dinner, knocking her off of her feet and into the nearby marbletop counter with a thud.
“Ow…” she groaned as the cramp suddenly faded. A knock at the door announced Bob’s presence. They’d been together for a little over a year, practically moved in together, with Yelena’s clothing and other items slowly migrating over to Bob’s much homier, more comfortable set of rooms.
“Are you okay in there?” his voice came through the closed door, sounding concerned and protective all at once. Yelena took a deep breath and sighed.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I must have tweaked something in my back yester-” A sudden return of the cramps, stronger than the last, cut her off. She felt something move in her abdomen, something pressing down on her pelvis, firm to the touch. Bob jiggled the lock.
“Yelena? Honey, can I come in?” Yelena sighed, brushing a stray, sweaty lock of hair out of her face. With effort she managed to get to her feet and unlock the door. In an instant Bob was cradling her to the floor again. It never ceased to amaze her how someone like him could even touch her like that, like something precious, something loved. The thought brought unshed tears to her eyes.
“Bob, I think something’s wrong. Like, really wrong.” Bob’s brown eyes widened with concern.
“Do you want me to call an ambulance?” he asked. Before she could answer another wave of pain shot through her lower back and pelvis. She cried out, squeezing Bob’s bony hand in hers as she felt the inescapable urge to push.
No, it can’t be… Yelena thought deliriously as a flood of liquid gushed out from between her legs. After a moment, she managed, “I don’t know, I… yeah, Bob, maybe- ah!” Yelena could feel something moving within her, heading down and splitting her in two from the inside. Bob reluctantly eased her down to sit back against the cupboards before leaning over to glance between his girlfriend’s legs.
“Oh my god,” he murmured. A million thoughts flew through his head, the least of which was how they’d manage to miss it for nine months. “Yelena, I think you’re having a baby.” Yelena’s face drew pale and shaky.
“Bullshit,” she whispered, though she couldn’t help thinking back. She’s gained a little weight, but at the time she’d thought it was due to eating more regularly; her period had always been erratic, to say the least, but her flow had seemed lighter these days. Her eyes widened as the realization hit her like a concrete wall. “I didn’t know,” she whispered, mind racing. “I swear, I had no idea, I just… I would’ve told you if-” Bob gently shushed her.
“It’s okay, I promise. Let’s just focus on… this, and we can talk later, okay?” Yelena was crying now, but managed to nod as she felt another round of what she realized now were labor pains creeping up on her. Bob kissed her forehead like a promise before stripping off his oversized sweatshirt to make a soft landing pad for the baby. Another knock at the door interrupted them.
“Hey, Bob? Is Yelena in there with you? We were gonna watch a movie out-” Bob stood up, promising Yelena that he’d be back in a moment to greet Bucky at the door. “Is that blood…?”
“Call an ambulance,” he said sharply. “Tell them there’s a woman in labor and to bring stuff for a newborn.” He left just as abruptly, leaving Bucky’s jaw on the floor for a moment before he did as he asked.
In the seconds he’d been gone Yelena had managed to haul herself up a bit by the countertop, crying earnestly now as Bob rushed back to kneel at her feet.
“Bucky’s calling an ambulance,” he said gently. “You’ve been doing so good so far, baby, we’re almost there. You’re doing so well.” Yelena sobbed.
“I’m scared, Bob. I’m so fucking scared, what if the baby comes out sick? I had a few glasses of wine at that party two months ago, what if-” Bob cut her off, grabbing her face gently and forcing her to look at him.
“Everything’s gonna be okay. No matter what happens, we’ll get through it together, okay?” After a moment, Yelena managed to nod, still sniffling.
“Okay. Together.” As if on cue, another contraction ripped through Yelena’s body, urging her to push. Bob hurried to catch the infant’s head, then body as a cry ripped through the quiet apartment.
“It’s a girl,” Bob said, almost delirious. “We have a little girl.” He grinned as he handed the crying infant over for Yelena to hold.
“She’s so small,” she murmured, almost inaudible. Gazing up at him, she curled her free hand around Bob’s jaw as he leaned into her touch like a cat. A sudden hiss made him glance back down at the bloody mess on the floor, only to see a semi-gelatinous blob slide out from between Yelena’s legs, almost anticlimatically compared to the drama that had just unfolded.
“That’s… just the placenta,” Bob said, relieved. He turned back to Yelena holding their daughter to her chest. “How are you feeling?”
“Okay, I guess,” Yelena sighed. “Not how I really wanted to spend my day off,” she paused, staring at the infant. “She’s so ugly!” Bob chuckled at her blunt assessment.
“Newborns usually are, in my experience,” At Yelena’s questioning look, he clarified, “I remember when my niece and nephew were born. They looked like angry raisins for the first couple weeks before they actually got cute.” Yelena giggled as a knock came at the door.
“It’s open!” Yelena yelled. A handful of paramedics came through, followed quickly by Bucky and a very worried Alexei. The latter’s eyes widened as he took in the sight of the bloody bathroom, Bob stained and shirtless, his youngest daughter half-naked, woozy, and holding a screaming newborn being transferred to a gurney.
“...the hell happened here?” he asked. Bob braced himself and stood, wiping his hands absently on his ruined sweatpants.
“Yelena had a baby,” he said bluntly. “She didn’t know until it was happening, and-”
“How?” Alexei’s voice carried. “How could she not… she said she didn’t have a uterus!” Yelena motioned for the paramedics to stop for a moment.
“I was fucking with you,” she said quietly. “I was trying to make you feel guilty for leaving us in the Red Room,” Alexei’s face fell as Yelena avoided his eye. “I’m sorry.” After a moment, Bucky cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Bob, why don’t you go with Yelena to the hospital in the ambulance? Alexei and I will follow.” For a moment it looked like Alexei was gearing up to argue, then nodded, looking defeated.
When they arrived at the hospital they were transferred to the maternity ward fairly swiftly, much to Bob’s relief. It was finally quiet- Yelena had fallen asleep almost immediately upon being transferred to a proper hospital bed, and the nurses had left after showing Bob how to hold an infant, practically making him swear to press the call button if there were any changes in Yelena’s condition. They’d also lent him a shirt out of the lost and found, a frankly hideous red and orange monstrosity that Bob had to wonder whether it had been left behind on purpose. Nonetheless, he held his baby daughter in his arms as his girlfriend slept, gazing out at the early evening sky over New York, cars bustling underneath like ants in an ant farm.
“You know,” he said softly, rocking the baby back and forth against his chest. “Your mom and I didn’t have great childhoods. I’m not gonna get into it, cause you’re like… barely a day old,” he chuckled, staring at the baby’s hazel eyes, so much like Yelena’s. “But whatever happens, I promise I’ll do my best to be a good dad. I don’t want you to be afraid of me like I was afraid of mine,” he paused, swallowed. “I’m not gonna be perfect, but I’m gonna try, y’know?” He was interrupted by the squeak of Yelena’s bed moving. He rushed over to where she was trying to get up, easing her back down to a sitting position.
“That was a great speech,” she said dryly. “If it helps, I think you’re going to be a great dad.” Bob chuckled uncomfortably.
“Thanks. Everything okay?” Yelena swallowed and shook her head.
“I don’t know, it’s like… I think maybe the day’s catching up to me,” she tried to blink back tears. “I just didn’t ever think I’d be a mother. I’m too…” she trailed off, thinking. While she did, Bob quickly shifted the now-sleeping baby over to her cot. When he turned back, Yelena was staring at him with wide, wet eyes. “You’re a natural,” she said, breathless. “Jesus, I feel so out of my depth- what do I know about babies? I mean, what kind of mother would I be, I had no idea she was even there-!” Bob rushed to her, taking her in his arms as she cried into his borrowed shirt.
“Yelena, it’s gonna be alright, baby, we’re gonna be okay. Remember what the doctor said? She’s fine, totally fine! You did the best you could with the information you had. And now we have a beautiful baby daughter. She’s perfect, Yelena. Absolutely perfect.” Yelena nodded, gracing him with a tired smile.
“We need to think of a name.” Yelena said quietly.
“...Natalia?” Yelena looked up, startled. She thought it over, opening and closing her mouth a few times.
“...I was thinking Nadezhda. It’s pretty close to Natalia and it means ‘hope’ in Russian.” Bob repeated it a few times, Yelena correcting his pronunciation until he got it exactly right.
“Nadezhda. I like it.” Yelena grinned, more broadly this time, warm and genuine.
“We can call her Nadia for short. Nadia Reynolds. It has a nice ring to it.” Bob looked over to their daughter’s cot. He swallowed, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to spill over.
“Yeah. Yeah it d-does.” There was a knock at the door before a nurse came in, smirking at Bob’s panicked expression, as though he’d been caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to.
“I just came to let you know that visiting hours are over in five minutes, but as the baby’s father you’re welcome to stay overnight if you like.” Bob nodded and started to fidget with the visitor’s wristband, matching the ones on Yelena and Nadia’s wrists.
“Is my dad still out there?” Yelena asked from the bed. “Big bearded guy, Russian accent, no indoor voice?” The nurse chuckled a bit and nodded.
“If you like, I can have Grandpa in for a quick visit, but he can’t stay too long or the night shift will get angry.” Bob chuckled as the nurse popped out to grab Alexei from the waiting room. When he got there Yelena sat up carefully in bed, hazel eyes wide.
“So…” Bob had rarely seen the older man at a loss for words. Yelena looked younger than she was, like the little girl she’d once been, being tortured and brainwashed.
“I swear, I didn’t know,” Yelena said finally. “And I’m sorry I lied to you about… not being able to have children. I was angry at you for leaving, and for making that stupid remark-”
“I’m sorry too, Yelena,” Alexei rumbled. “It wasn’t fair to you or your sister.” Yelena flinched at the mention of Natasha. Bob resisted the urge to get between her and her father, busying himself with holding his daughter as he listened to their quiet conversation, lapsing into Russian for a few minutes. Finally, Alexei turned to Bob and asked in English,
“Did you two think of a name?”
“Nadezhda Reynolds. Nadia, for short.” Bob said, holding his gaze steadily as if holding his own daughter was the kick he needed to stand up for himself. He thought idly if his own father had ever felt this way about him or his brother. Alexei swallowed, making the connection after a moment of silence.
“It’s a wonderful name,” he said quietly. “Your sister would be very proud.” Yelena wiped her face of stray tears with the collar of her hospital gown.
“Did you want to hold her?” Bob asked, a little unsure. Alexei looked up at him wide-eyed before nodding just once. Bob knelt beside the uncomfortable visitor's chair, carefully handing the newborn over. Nadia fussed a little before settling down, gazing up at Alexei sleepily with those big hazel-brown eyes.
“Hello, malyshka,” he whispered. “It’s your deduška Alexei. I’m very glad to meet you. You gave us all a bit of a scare!” Yelena chuckled, meeting Bob’s eye over her father’s shoulder.
It would be alright, she thought, so long as they were together.