Aftermath [winter soldier//Bucky Barnes AU]

Chapter One

SARAH'S POV

Sitting in a chair was suddenly getting hard.

As a warrior that has spent the last year of her life on the run as a fugitive, fighting supernatural beings with supernatural powers, the fact that I couldn't sit down in a chair was thoroughly pissing me off.

I held on to the table for dear life as I eased into the chair, unable to see my feet over my bulging stomach.

It's been eight months since I last saw Bucky.

I missed him terribly. No matter what I do or where I go, an empty space follows, a spot that is reserved for Bucky. There is a hole in my heart that is slowly killing me, but the only cure endangers everyone I love.

Sometimes I wonder whether I made the right decision. I miss the team so much, and I'm dying to know what they've been up to since I left. They've probably all been forced to suffer through Doctor Who a lot. Natasha and Steve have probably been training harder than ever, because that's how they cope with losses, and Banner has probably been in the lab every moment he's awake. Bucky is probably a wreck, and it kills me that I did that to him, especially when his mind is so incredibly fragile. I hope Steve and everyone else help him out.

As much as I hate what I've done to the team, at least I haven't killed them.

I sighed and grabbed the TV remote, flicking through the channels. My life has become so endlessly boring that I craved the thrill of battle.

I put some cheesy horror movie on the TV and opened my palm. I felt my blood run cold as I used my powers; I hadn't in months. Ice cold water seeped out of my skin and climbed upwards, freezing solid to become a tiny star. Just like the one on Bucky's arm.

I turned the star in my hand, admiring it's beauty, when suddenly I heard a sharp knock on the door.

I growled, because I had just sat down, and began the tedious process of standing up again. I tightened my ponytail and headed for the door, looking through the peephole.

I did a double take.

How on earth did he find me?

I swallowed, taking a deep breath, before opening the door to Steve Rogers.

He looked just as he had before, his blond hair long enough to stand up a little, and his muscles bulging through his shirt. His eyes were tired yet full of relief.

He smiled widely and immediately pulled me in for a tight hug, although it was a bit awkward because of my stomach. I breathed in his comforting scent and tried not to cry.

After a few seconds he reluctantly pulled away, planting a soft kiss on my temple.

"Sarah I've missed you so much." He said quietly, and I smiled.

"I've missed you too, Cap."

He leaned down and placed a hand on my stomach, rubbing the giant lump. I smiled even wider, also putting my hand on my stomach. He rubbed it a bit more before a serious look came across his face.

"Hey, Sarah...I, uh....I...." Steve started, then bit his lip and stopped. Standing up, he looked me in the eye and took a deep breath.

"Sarah, Bucky sent me to come find you," he whispered, and my heart constricted at the mention of Bucky's name. Steve placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed.

"Wha...why did he send you?" I asked. Steve gave me half a smile.

"He told me that he wants you to name your child Steve."

I exhaled and closed my eyes, a tear slipping out against my will. Even after all I've done to Bucky, he still wanted to make sure I named his child after his best friend. I suddenly wanted to see Bucky more than ever.

"Thank you, Steve. It really means a lot." I said, and Steve smiled, stepping into the tiny apartment. He looked around at the plain interior.

"This reminds me of the house I grew up in," he tells me. "It's even in the same town."

I smile. When I was choosing a place to go, I knew I shouldn't go far, in case they needed me. I also couldn't quite tear myself away from them. So I headed for nearby Brooklyn, hoping that maybe, just maybe, Steve would find me here.

"Well, after it came so highly recommended, I figured not moving here might insult you."

Steve laughed, and again my heart constricted. I missed the little things, like hearing his laugh when I made cheesy jokes.

"It was better back in 1940, but so were most things in my opinion." He replied, and I chuckled in response.

"It's not so bad here. I mean I don't know what it was like in 1940, but it's pretty nice and quiet. A good place to raise a mutant child while hiding from Hydra." I joked, but Steve didn't smile.

"How has it been? Are you due soon?"

I looked down at the bowling ball that is my stomach, patting it gently.

"The baby's due any second now. And I'm not gonna lie, it's been difficult, but I've had some help from Pepper. I made sure she didn't tell you guys, but she's been looking out for me." I replied, and Steve nodded, rubbing his jaw. I could tell he wanted to ask something.

"What?" I asked, and he looked up at me again with those big blue eyes of his.

"Sarah, everyone is worried about you. Everyone misses you. Why don't you just come back? We can't stand not having you around, and Tony has been updating his security system. Avengers Tower is now safer than it's ever been."

I shook my head, leaning against the counter as my feet started to grow tired. An extra twenty or so pounds certainly didn't help the pain.

"Steve, you know I can't go back. People will be after the baby of the most feared soldier of all time and a girl with mutant powers, and I can't risk the team's lives like that." I said, and he frowned.

"So you're just going to live here with the child and try to protect it yourself? Sarah you're strong as hell, but you can't beat them alone. Eventually they'll kill both of you."

"I'd rather have them kill me than you. And if I have to die, I'm ok with going out, as long as I spend my last moments protecting those I love. It's better I die than all of you." I replied, sighing. Steve grew angry.

"Sarah, if you'd just come back to the tower, no one would have to die at all! Look, Bucky is a wreck. He's been crying himself to sleep for months now and he's sick with worry. We can protect you and the child much better if you just come back!"

As he yelled his last sentence, I felt something burst inside of me, and an intense cramp made me feel like my insides were about to come out. My knees went weak and I slipped got the floor, clutching my stomach.

"Sarah!" Steve shouted, kneeling at my side and taking my hand in his.
"Sarah, what's wrong?!"

"I...I think I'm in labor," I choked out, and his eyes grew to the size of dinner plates before standing. Lifting me up as though I weighed as much as a feather, he bolted out the door and to his motorcycle, maneuvering us onto the seat so I was still sitting on his lap.

He took off as I was still questioning his sanity and wondering how legal this actually was, heading for the nearby hospital.

Mini Steve was coming out whether I was ready or not.

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There it is! The first chapter!

My updates will be very infrequent, but hopefully this will make you guys happy for now😊

-Jordan💕