The Captain's Husband

31. Science Project (Steve)

     Bucky, Sam, and Rhodey are out testing some new weapons that Tony designed, and Tony is working on a project that I brought to him, so I'm spending time with Natasha.

We started out watching Supernatural and catching up on the world as we know it, but she eventually suggested that we do something else, so now we're in her dance studio. She's twirling like a princess in her pointe shoes to a song that I've never heard before, and I'm sitting on the floor with my back against the plate glass windows and my sketchbook and pencils in my lap. Brookie is sitting beside me with her head on my shoulder, her nose occasionally pressing into my neck, just to make sure I'm still there.

     "Hey, Natasha, can I ask you something?" I ask as I set my sketchbook and pencils aside and look up at her.

She twirls over and sits down on the floor in front of me, saying softly, "Everything okay?"

Ugh, I wish.

My stomach has been in knots all morning.

I lean forward and take her hands in mine as I say, "I've been thinking about something that I've wanted for a long time, and I want to tell Bucky that it's finally happening, but I need your help and I need you to be 110% honest with me too."

She raises an eyebrow, asking, "What is it...?"

"Bucky and I want to start a family," I tell her, my voice a hell of a lot softer than I wanted it to be.

She blinks in surprise, "What?"

I sigh and look her in her bright green eyes, saying, "After coming back from the dead, and still being alive three weeks later, I think it's perfectly reasonable for me to say that I want to give Bucky the family we want while I still can."

"Why now?" She asks. "Why wait until after something tragic has already happened?"

"Because actually dying made me realize that my days are numbered, and so are Bucky's. And I realize that I might not be thinking rationally, but this is something that we talked about extensively before we were killed," I explain. "And even though it might feel like it's too late, it's not —"

She puts her finger to my lips, saying softly, "Stop. I understand. But I don't know how you expect to start a family with him, considering that you're both male."

Her eyes widen as I send a look at her, and she shuts me down immediately.

     "No."

"But, Nat —"

    "Steven Grant —"

     "Why won't —"

     "Steve, I don't —"

     "Just let me explain!" I say firmly.

     She sighs, "Okay, fine."

     "It's absolutely insane, and I know it's insensitive of me to ask, let alone think of it, but I want my child to have the best chance of survival possible," I tell her. "And I've already talked to Tony. He said he can help."

     "Then what's the master plan?" She asks.

     "You know what a test tube baby is, right?" I ask.

     She nods, "Yeah, of course I do."

     "That," I say.

     "But who?" She asks.

     "Bucky, Wanda, you, and me," I tell her.

     "What?!" She asks, mortified.

     "It's not what you think," I tell her. "It's not going to be two, it's going to be one embryo. Tony and Bruce are already working on fusing the Rogers-Barnes half together. All we need is our best girls to help us out."

     "Why us?" She asks.

     "Because that's what Bucky and I want," I say softly. "We want a child that has each of our abilities...a kickass kid that can snap necks and hold explosives in their hands at the same time. I don't know how to explain it, but that's what Bucky and I discussed in our free time on that goddamn spaceship. We talked about the child we want, the family we could have. And if anything were to happen to Bucky or me, they would still have family to rely on...someone that could actually give them biological support."

It clicks.

     "Because of the serums..." she says softly. "I get it now." She squeezes my fingers. "So what do you need from me?"

     "Tony and Bruce only need one egg," I tell her. "And once they take the DNA apart and zip it to Wanda's, they'll be able to do more explaining. I wanted to talk to you before they gave anyone the full debriefing."

     "Does Wanda know yet?" She asks me.

     I nod, "Yeah, she does, and she should be with the medical team right now getting evaluated and prepped."

     "You started moving forward with this without asking me?" She asks.

     "Yeah, we did," I tell her.

     "What's the timeline?" She asks, almost too soft to heat.

     "Three months from today," I say.

     "How?" She asks, looking up at me.

     "Advanced healing and growth factors," I explain.

     "What else?" She asks.

     "We aren't sure yet," I say, squeezing her fingers.