For old times sake

March 21, 1944

Bucky's POV.

The day started like every other day here, I woke up hours before Annabelle to make my rounds and get my daily orders.

But something was different, the sky was a dark foreboding grey, and the atmosphere smelled like heavy rain.

Everyone seemed to be on edge this morning, so when I got back to my tent and saw my massively pregnant wife still asleep I was a little nervous.

Usually by now shed be up and dressed and arguing with me, but today she laid there, fast asleep, her face screwed into an uncomfortable grimace.

I left a note on my pillow before going to meet Steve.

'Went to go meet Steve. I didn't want to wake you up. Take it easy, I love you. -Hubby'

"Buck I think you're worried about nothing." Steve told me.

"My wife is nine months pregnant with my baby on an army base in the ravines of Europe. I'm extremely worried with extremely valid cause." I said, tugging at my hair.

"Annabelle is tough, she'll be fine. And would you rather her be back in New York, having your baby thousands of miles away from you?" Steve patted my back and grinned at me. "You're about to be a father, concentrate on that." I beamed.

"That's gonna be one beautiful baby." I laughed.

"Have you two settled on a name yet?" He asked me.

"No, I don't think we will before the baby's born, she keeps saying that none of these names 'feel right' whatever that means."

"Mothers intuition?" Steve asked.

"Bucky, come quick!" Dum Dum yelled, running to me. "The baby is coming!" the whole mess hall burst into loud cheers as Steve and I ran out to see my baby.

It had started raining while we were in there, so we were sprinting through the mid and pouring rain to the med tent where my wife and child were.

Annabelle was laying in her nightgown, her beautiful face contorted into one of pain.

"Bells, hey, I'm here, everything is going to be alright." I assured her taking her hand.

"James?" she whispered my name as the pain seemed to heighten, and then she collapsed back on the pillow with a grunt of effort.

"Yeah, doll, it's me! And I brought Steve." I kissed her forehead and she smiled at me.

"The contractions are about ten minutes apart, once it's down down to two minutes it will be time to push." A nurse said, placing a cool rag on Annabelle's head where I just kissed.

...

It was only an hour before Doctor Brunner came in an told us it was "show time."

Steve and I stood on either side of Annabelle while the doctor and nurses spoke about things I didn't understand.

"She's crowning!" a nurse pointed out.

"Is that good or bad?" I asked.

"Good." Annabelle said shortly. Her grip tightened on my hand and she cried out in pain as the doctor started talking to her.

"Annabelle! It's time to push!" He told her.

"Push Annabelle, Push!"

...

Four hours later, Annabelle is slumped in the bed weakly, and our baby is being cleaned by a nurse.

I'm pushing Annabelle's hair out of her face, when the nurse comes to us with a tiny bundle in her arms.