Strange Start

Chapter 8

Played by Fate.

Steve's P.O.V.

Everyone's now gathered in the conference room, except for James of course. Nat helped James sleep in her room. Well I couldn't argue, she was the most possessive one of my son. My son. Well, based on my understanding, I have a son with a random girl, but I haven't even slept with anybody yet!

"Wh-what. . ..  How did my buddy here have a child? He just confessed that he is a virgin. That couldn't possibly be his child!" Bucky argued.

"Could be surrogate." Nat suggested.

"What's that?" I asked. This incident has made me more confused.

"Well then, grandpas. We will have a lesson for surrogacy. It is a practice by which a woman is impregnated by artificial insemination or surgical implantation of a fertilized egg. In your case, it might be that the surrogate mother was injected by your sperm." Tony explained, making it a little clearer for us.

"What now? Do we need to find James's mother or what?" Wanda asked.

"Well, Banner's on his way now. He has all the information about this." Tony said.

"Does Fury know?" Natasha asked.

"Yep and he's on his way too."Tony said.

"Here they are." Vision announced as Fury, Hill and Banner came in.

"You may proceed Dr. Banner." Fury said as he sat at the stool.

"Well, as you've all suggested, the baby is from a surrogate mother. A fertiled egg was implanted in her womb and 18 months later here comes our baby boy." Bruce started as we all settled around the table.

"We know the process of surrogacy Mr. Banner. Give us something we don't know." Fury demanded. Bruce heaved a long sigh before spilling the information, prolonging the thrill.

"It looks like Hydra wanted to produce a super soldier-uh-spy of their own. . ." Banner trailed. ". . .using your sperm. . ." he said pointing me. . .". . .and your egg." and then Nat.

There's been a long, deafening silence after the announcement. It was hard for me to process everything. Nat and I. . . We have a son! Mix of overwhelming emotions have enveloped the atmosphere.

"H-how. . . how did they get a hold of my sperm and Nat's egg?" I asked, shock still evident on my face.

"Hydra has infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. Rogers and-" Fury said.

"K.G.B.. Red Room. They must have coordinated with Hydra." Nat said, making all of us turn to face her. She was wiping a tear on her cheek, still with an emotionless face. I know it was just a mask to keep the image of a fragile woman. I have forgotten how it might have affected her. The news might be overwhelming for her too.

"Has he inherited their serum? The baby I mean." Fury asked.

"Well. . . as to that, I found some traces of Nat's version of the serum that's how I concluded Nat being the child's mother but the serum's slightly odd so I ordered Tony to conduct some tests with Cap's DNA, then this happened. Though I still have to run a few more test. I had limited resources in my lab in Melbourne." Bruce said, scratching his nape. After that, there was a long pause for thinking. Then, Fury dismissed everyone else to leave but Nat and me.

"Are you gonna keep him?" Fury said leaning back on his seat.

"Of course!" Nat blurted, "He is my son, Nick!"

"Are you seriously gonna risk being an agent for this experiment?!" Fury replied.

"This experiment is my son!" Nat exclaimed, on the verge of crying.

"You clearly don't understand, Natasha!" Fury said, sighing, "You will be risking not just yours but also your child's life. If you keep him, he surely will be your enemies' target. If he's away from the spotlights, he might be safe from all the harm around both of you." he explained calmly. Nat was obviously taken aback by the sudden realization, silencing her.

"So you're saying, we should abandon our own flesh and blood? Leave him in an orphanage or in a family's doorstep?" I said, finally finding voice in my anger.

"We can arrange that." Fury agreed that fueled my anger even more. I stood up, unable to contain myself.

"You can't take him away from us! He is our son and danger will always be attached to him. No matter how we hide him or distance him from us, those bad guys will, somehow, get to him and use him against us." I said in defense. I saw Nat's face slowly relaxing her furrowed features while staring at me, I stared too. Finding courage in her face.

Nat's P.O.V.

I could not explain all the emotions swirling after the announcement. A tear slipped between my lids as a surge of worry and bliss enveloped me. I felt the warmth of the joy brought by the news but scared of how everyone else would react, especially Steve, and how this will affect us all. I was enraged by how Fury reacted. He wanted me to leave my child! But his explanation made me realize how dangerous I am to James. He may have a point, but I couldn't leave my son. I'd quit being an agent and stay undercover if I have to. But no matter where I go, my past will haunt me. I'd never live peacefully.

"You can't take him away from us! He is our son and danger will always be attached to him. No matter how we hide him or distance him from us, those bad guys will, somehow, get to him and use him against us." Steve's sudden outburst snapped me out of my thoughts. He too wanted James with us! I stared at him, looking so heroic and all.

"He'll never be safer than with us; his family. And the rest of the team. So I'm gonna protect this family, Sir, like how a father should. As long as I can." Steve continued, looking at Fury then me. My heart stopped for a moment. Just us looking into each other's eyes. Until Fury interrupted the moment by coughing. Really, Nick?

"Very well then. . ." Fury was about to leave when the door opened then Sam came in a hurry.

"We have a problem." Sam said while catching his breath.