Take Her to the Moon

Bucky's POV:

Sitting behind Charlie on the couch, while she sits on an exercise ball is how we're finding ourselves on a late Wednesday morning. Early labor. Steve has made it his mission to record the contractions on "the app", while I just want to comfort my wife. My arms wrap under hers while my fingers rub along her face, pushing back her baby hairs. Our bags are already loaded in the car ready for a quick departure. Charlie takes deep breaths and we all wait on her requests as needed. Even Maggie has taken it upon herself to bring her whatever it is she may need.

"You did this, Bucky." She tells me at the beginning of every contraction. "He's too big. There's no way I'm going to be able to push him."

"If he was really too big Bruce would have said something." Steve calmy tells her, tracking the contraction.

I'm a nervous wreck. After a mild panic attack about her having contractions early, and a brief call to Bruce to reassure me that five weeks early will be okay. If I wasn't comforting her, I would be pacing around. "Bucky, you good, babe?" She says once the moment has subsided.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" My hands gently massage her shoulders and I feel her body relax, leaning back against my chest.

"I can literally hear your heart beating out of your chest. Everything is okay. Callan is right on time. There's no point of heading to the compound now for us to just sit. I'm much more comfortable here." Her voice is so calm. Her eyes closed as she cradles her stomach.

"I know. This is just a first for me."

"And you're doing such a lovely job, babe. Help me get up. I want my last bath for a while." My body pulls us both up.

Guiding her to the bed, hand rubbing along our son's home. "Sit here. I'll run the bath." I give her a quick kiss before drawing the water for her. Upon returning I get on my knees, kissing along her stomach. He's almost here. "Baby bean..." already tears form in my eyes I try to figure out what I want to say. "It's almost time son. It's been a rough ride for you, I know. You're going to be so perfect just like your mom and sister. I only hope I can be an ounce of the father you deserve." Leaning back, I look at Charlie who is crying and smiling watching me. "Your mom is beautiful even when she ugly cries. You have no idea how lucky you are Callan. She's my reason, and I know you're going to make our little family so much better."

"I love you so much I hate you sometimes. You're perfect, James. And you're already the best dad." We spend a moment looking at one another. "You're so beautiful, Daddy."

"As are you, my love. Come on, let's get you in the bath." Our last moments of just me and her. "You want more after Callan?"

"I'll give you as many babies you want." She whispers. Head laying back, feeling my cybernetic hand massage her swollen belly.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, doll." She looks at me with a smile.

"I would, you know. As long as my body can handle it. Even if they're as big as Callan." I give her a look, he's not too big. "He's a big baby Bucky. I think Maggie is so tiny because Steve pre-serum was tiny and I'm tiny. He's coming out bigger than she was at a month, I feel it. Stop looking at me like that and give your wife a kiss."

She doesn't have to tell me twice. I lean forward and sink my lips on to hers. Having an intimate moment between the two of us because my son is almost here.

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"Fuck!" Charlie grunts on the hospital bed as another intense contraction comes through. Rocket and the other Guardians entertain Maggie, while Steve is offering comfort to me, due to me freaking out. Pepper, Thor, Laura, and even Clint is in here with us. "B, are you sure that there's no way that some of his Vibranium isn't in me? Like I'm positive he's got a metal arm." Sweat surrounds her hairline causing her baby hairs to stick to your face.

"I'm positive." Bruce answers calmly. He's getting overwhelmed by the amount of people in here.

"You like the metal arm, honey." I tell her with a smile. Her facial expression is shooting daggers at me.

"I like it on you, yes. But fuck..." another contraction hits her. Teeth gritting and squeezing onto my hand she grunts. She had to start squeezing the metal hand because she's got a good grip. "Shit...he's got something metal in there. I just know it."

"Alright, Charlie, let's see how much you're dilated."

"I've got to see this." Excitedly Thor moves to the side of Bruce.

"No!" Charlie shouts at him. "The only person who's looking is B. I don't even want Bucky to look. He'll never touch me again, and I quite like when he touches me."

"But..."

"No." We both tell him. Sulking he walks away while Bruce checks her. She steadies her breathing, drawing shapes with her fingers on the Vibranium. Bruce looks up at her with a smile.

"Who's staying?" He asks us.

"I'm out." Clint says. Laura gives her a kiss and walks out with him.

Steve's eyes look over at me, and I give him a smile and a nod. Charlie's eyes fill with tears at our exchange. I know that our bickering in the beginning of her pregnancy got to her. The fact that we are in a good place makes fills her with joy. "Lady Charlie? Is it okay if I stay?"

"If you keep your body up here then yes. If you even act like you're going to look then Steve gets to throw you out." Thor gives her a nod and a giant smile, placing himself on the other side of her body, he grabs up her hand.

"Charlie, I'm going to go check on Maggie. I'll see you and Callan later." Pepper gives her a kiss on the forehead, "Love you."

Bruce's eyes go to the monitor as it registers a contraction coming. "Alright, it's time to push."

With a deep breath and grunt, she pushes through the contraction. Thor's eyes get wide at the feeling of her squeezing his hand. "She's got a grip, huh?" I ask him once she's finished. Breathing deeply.

"Push." Another round of pushing commences. Steve stands behind her, wiping sweat off her face with a wet washcloth. I couldn't tell you how long this went. I do know the anxiety I felt seeing how exhausted Charlie is, how much pain she's in since she wanted to do this without any drugs, and how magical that first cry was.

Everything happened so fast. At 11:15pm on September 13, 2023 our son Callan Grant Buchanan Barnes was born. Bruce asks if I wanted to cut the cord. Charlie's hazel eyes tears watching me move with him. Neither of our eyes want to leave our son. Thor releases dopey cries and screams about how he's got a grandson. Steve calmly stays with Charlie while I stay close with Bruce and Callan. My eyes can't leave him. He's perfect. Charlie got her wish, because he favors me. Same hairline, although his hair is much light, like Thor's. Same head shape. Even the same cleft chin, and one dimple on his left cheek.

The one time I look back at my wife she just watches me. "Stay with him." She whispers. Reddened face, sweaty, and full of tears and she's still the most beautiful thing I've seen. "22.26 inches long and 9 pounds 6 inches. He is a big baby Charlie." Bruce tells her.

He walks Callan over to her for a skin-to-skin moment. Steve pulls Thor out of the room, while Bruce joins them. Charlie's hands trace along his face. I don't think she's stopped crying. "You're perfect baby bean. Just like your daddy. I owe you, our life." Her words become incomprehensible as she cries to our son. Her lips kiss on the top of his head. "James take off your shirt. I want him to feel you."

Almost scared to pick up the small thing, he may be a big baby, but he's still tiny to me. My hands and body have been used to take so many lives, but in this moment, I see that my body has been used to create the most beautiful and adorable little boy. Taking a deep breath, I remove my shirt and reach for my son. Smiling down at the tiny boy. "We did it, doll." We did it. He's perfect, just like her, just like Maggie. "Thank you, son. You kept you and your mom safe for me. I know you're going to be like me and have reckless moments, but I can never thank you enough for keeping you and her safe. I will do everything to keep you guys safe. Everything."

"I love you so much, James."

"I love you, too, Charlotte."

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Charlie's POV:

To say that I was blessed with the fathers of my children would be an understatement. Steve and now Bucky are the epitome of the perfect father. Steve is beyond attentive to Maggie, and even enjoys holding Callan, "babysitting", if Bucky is helping me with bathing. "Can I hold him?" Maggie bounces on the bed with Bucky and myself while I nurse my handsome son.

"After he's done eating little pearl."

Bucky's eyes hardly ever leave our son. It's like he wants to absorb and remember every little thing he does. He even commentates on his little actions. Doll, he burped. He looks so good in blue, honey. Look how strong he looks when he stretches. His dimple looks extra big when he yawns. He's growing so much. He latched on and is nursing like a champ. And it is the most adorable thing I've ever seen. Midnight feedings? Bucky's up with me. Diaper changes? Bucky volunteers to change him. Washing him, which he hates? Bucky is the one offering soothing words. If I had to design the perfect father, it wouldn't come close to Bucky.

If I'm not holding him usually, he is, but sometimes Steve and Maggie fight over who gets to hold him when we're not. Alpine just stares at him with his round ocean blue eyes. It's quite cute when he's perched on Bucky's shoulder staring down at him.

"He's so cute, mommy. I can't wait until he can play with me."

Occasionally during his crying fits sparks tingle out of his fingers. Those are times when only I can hold him. Absorbing all that extra energy from him. Soothingly I talk to him, hoping that his emotional state isn't a sign that we have trouble the older he gets.

"Well come on in here, punk. Everyone else is." Bucky tells Steve when he notices his pacing in front of the bedroom door.

"You can't hold him right now, though. He's eating, and I already called it." Maggie informs her dad. One more week. That's all we have left. No doubt Maggie knows something is coming, but we all have to talk to her. I see his anticipation build up, but he's assured us both that he is in fact going back.

I lean back on the headboard resting my eyes while my son eats. Maggie and Steve have sweet little conversations, and I feel Bucky watching Callan, it's not hard to feel that when that's all he ever does.

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Steve's POV:

"While we're all here, I guess it's time to talk to you angel." Already my heart sinks. This time I'm giving my daughter the courtesy of talking with her. Charlie adjusts Callan to burp and cover back up. "Your mom and Bucky already know this. And maybe I've been selfish keeping this from you, but..." my words stick in my throat as I try to calm myself to where I don't just come out all tears. I made a mistake. I could have lived a life like this with the people I love the most in one room, on one bed. And now I can't stay and change everything for them. All of them deserve the world, I'll just have to see them as an old man.

"Maggie..."

"Daddy, what's wrong?" Her attention to my tears has her crawling over to me. Wrapping her arms around my neck as she holds on to me.

"I have one more week with you like this." Her little body leans back to look at me. The sweetest face I've ever seen scrunches up and her eyes are cloudy with tears. "When I took the stones back, I acted hastily to be with the woman I love. I thought I was doing everyone a favor because I was constantly thinking of someone else. I never could have foreseen the pain I was going to feel not being around you, your mom, Bucky, and even Uncle Sam. It's something I can't take back."

"I don't understand." She hiccups at me. "Why do you have to leave me?"

"I don't want to leave you, but if I don't..." I can't look at her. The pain she's feeling is evident in her face. I look over at Charlie and Bucky.

"If he doesn't go back, an alternative reality will be created, and it doesn't always mean it's going to be good. You may not exist. Callan may not exist." Bucky tries to explain in a simple of enough way.

"But...but, what about me? I want my daddy here. With me. Don't you love me?" Her arms wrap back around me, squeezing me as tightly as she can. "I don't want you to leave me. I love you."

"I know. There's another version of me here. An old man version. He misses you too. He wants to be in your life. It's me. Just an older me." My hands hold tight to my little girl, too. Rubbing along her back. Wishing I could slow down time.

"It's not you, though."

"It is. You'll know me as soon as you see him. I've went and seen him. He misses you so much, angel."

"But I want my daddy. Not an old man."

"I can't change what's already been done, Mags. And I can't risk your mom losing Callan. Or what's worse you not even existing."

"I don't want to be here if you're not here." She becomes a mess of tears, unable to vocalize anything anymore.

"Steve, you're going to have let this go for the time being. She needs time to process this." Charlie casts into my mind. I lock eyes with her, seeing how hurt she is.

"I fucked up so bad. I can't change it now. I'm sorry...so sorry." I just sit holding my child, letting her cry as much as she needs to. Until the moment she cries herself to sleep.

"I think you should spend the next week just being with her. I'm sorry." Charlie tries to soften the blow, but it's no use. I've hurt my daughter. And I only hope that one day she can forgive me.

"You'll take her to see the old me after I leave?" Both Charlie and Bucky nod. "I'm going to miss her."

"You'll see her again, pal."

"Is it okay if she sleeps in the guest room?" I ask looking at Charlie.

"You don't have to ask that. She's your daughter, too. She'll want to stay with you." When I first left, Charlie was the one who had to deal with it. I'm seeing exactly now how much pain I caused. Selfish and stupid me.

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Charlie's POV:

Everyone tries to spend as much together as we possibly can on the last full day of Steve being here. The tension is high, and Maggie never leaves his side. She barely even wants him to use the bathroom. Clinging tightly to him, she makes him carry her everywhere, and I just feel hopeless. There's nothing anyone can say or do to change today, only the TVA.

The day goes by way too quickly. We try to move things in slow motion, but it just speeds right on past, and without warning a mysterious man appears in the living room, "Steve, it's time." He tells him. A look of pity clearly painted on his face at the sight of Maggie holding her dad, and her grip tightening at his words. "I'll give you a minute."

"Don't leave me." She cries. Clinging as tight to him as she possibly can.

"I don't want to, but I have to, angel. You can go see me as an old man."

"It's not the same." Her voice is weak and pitiful. "Please, let my daddy stay." She cries to the TVA agent.

"That's not something I can do. You'll see him again." He turns towards me, extending a hand. "Big fan, Charlie. I'm Mobius."

"Fan?" I ask shaking his hand.

"You have an amazing story, and it's only just getting started. James." His hand moves to Bucky's. "Maggie I'm sorry to have to do this."

"What do you mean I'll get to see him again? Like this? My daddy?" He offers a smile.

"Just trust me."

Steve's body comes closer to me, and I try prying my daughter off his chest. Her tears and cries echo through the living room. "Grab him, honey." Bucky hands Callan over to me, reaching out to Maggie and untangling her small body off of Steve's.

"Daddy, don't go! I love you!" Steve's face shatters as he watches her reach for him. Scratching, kicking, and hitting Bucky, who remains solemn. "Please, don't take him from me."

"I love you, angel." Steve's eyes turn towards me and with a wink he casts, "Take her to the moon for me, okay?" Without another word he vanishes with Mobius.

The absence of Steve has the entire house crying. Maggie's screams for her dad are near deafening, even Callan cries. Bucky just clings tight to my small angel. Her face red and her breathing so uneven. His hand rubs along her back with every shake of her body. "I'm sorry Maggie girl. So so sorry." He whispers trying to soothe her small body, while I try to soothe our son. I think he feels our pain seeing how nothing works to end his tears.

Maggie's cries turn to sniffles. She attempts to speak but nothing comes out of her mouth. She looks towards me trying to wiggle out of Bucky's arms and he releases her. Running towards me, she rests her tired body on my lap, head laying on my shoulder while she looks at her brother, even his cries seem to subside. Bright blue eyes peer up at his older sister, calmed by the fact she isn't crying. "Can -- can we see my old dad?"

"Yes." Bucky blurts out. I don't know who's ready to see him more.

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Bucky takes my directions to the small apartment. The place I have only visited one time, to see a version of Steve that I haven't seen in so long. He's the same and yet so very different. His strong hand rests tightly on my thigh, while his eyes glance back at our heartbroken daughter and sleeping boy. Bucky's forehead lines seem especially deep. It's like he's suspended in a state of anger and hurt. He hasn't seen the old man since that faithful day that Steve decided to stay in the past, and even then, he only barely spoke to him.

Putting the car in park Bucky let's out a deep exhale, head cast down at the steering wheel. "You okay, babe?" I ask him.

"Yeah. Maggie girl, you want me or your mom to hold you? Or do you want to walk?" His eyes meet hers in the rearview mirror. Showing her the utmost kindness he can. He knows that he's going to be the main father figure in her life now, and he wants her to be okay with that. Accepting of the fact. Her eyes move between me and Bucky.

"Can I hold both of your hands?"

"Of course." He tells her. Opening our doors Bucky grabs Callan's carrier, he's still peacefully sleeping. I walk back and unbuckle Maggie from her harness. Pulling her out of the car seat in a tight hug.

"I love you, little pearl. I know this isn't easy, but you're doing such a good job. Don't be afraid to use your hand if you need to, okay?" Her bright Steve Rogers eyes just stares at me while she nods, giving me a pained smile. I let her down on the ground. Both Bucky and I grab her hands and I lead the way into his apartment.

With a gentle knock I hear his feet shuffle to the door. Upon opening it he lets out a big gasp looking down at his daughter. This version of Steve hasn't met her yet. "Angel, I have been waiting on this day for so long." His old body opens the door wider for us to enter. Having to turn sideways to enter, because Maggie clings tightly to both of us.

Once we enter the small apartment Maggie catches a peek at something on the fridge and leaves mine and Bucky's clutches running over. Her eyes look at a picture she colored months back, before we even knew I was pregnant. A picture she colored for Steve and Peggy. Even though it was less than a year ago she colored it, it went back in time. The edges are worn and torn; the color of the paper has since yellowed, but it's the same picture.

"You kept it." Her fingers touch the paper gently. Almost as if she touches it too much it'll crumble.

"Through every move I've made, I've kept it." Her eyes move across the fridge seeing pictures of her and his other children, grandchildren. Steve's memories frozen in time on the fridge. Pictures of him and Maggie worn down so bad, as if he carried them with him at all times. Pictures of Maggie sleeping, playing dress up, a picture of him looking at her for the first time, pictures of them having a tea party, pictures of Maggie and Alpine, pictures of her and Callan. Maggie's eyes wander around his fridge taking in all the memories that of her that he kept with him. "Those are just the ones I have on display." His weary hand points to a large album full of pictures of them together. "I don't think sorry is enough, but I don't know what else to say."

Her bright blue green eyes turn to look at him. Every emotion paint on her skin. "Daddy? Is that really you?"

"It really is, angel. I just look different." A little girl with blonde wavy pigtails walks over to the old man version of her dad, apprehensive still. Tiny fingers reach up to his face, and then trace along the perimeter. Tracing along his brows, cheeks, nose, lips, and then her eyes meet his. Seeing the color of her eyes mirrored out of his. With a gasp and a realization that he is in fact her dad her arms wrap tightly around his neck. Gripping tightly like if she let's go even this version of Steve will leave her, too.

"I love you, Daddy." Her voice whispers to him.

"I love you, too, Maggie James." Silently I let my tears cascade down my face, creating saline trails over my makeup. Taking up the mantle Bucky turns to plant a kiss on my temple, wrapping his right arm around me. "You want to introduce me to that baby brother of yours, angel?"

"Oh yeah. Daddy, this is Callan Grant Buchanan Barnes. He makes lightning like mommy. He could even make it when he was in her tummy. He saved her life. Sometimes...sometimes when he cries his chubby fingers sparkle. Bucky, show daddy my brother." With a short chuckle my handsome husband unstraps our son from his carrier, and walks over to Steve cradling that baby boy so gently. "Look, he's got Bucky's nose and chin. Even his eyes, but you can't see because he's sleeping. And mom is a little sad that he's got Thor's hair. But isn't he cute?"

"One of these days maybe your mom will have a baby that looks like her." The old man looks up at me.

"At least my babies have pretty daddies."

"Oh! And, and I helped change his diaper the other day. Do you remember holding him? You liked to babysit him." Maggie continues to tell her dad all kinds of stories about being a big sister. Him and Bucky share stories about living in 1940s. One of the hardest days of my life has turned to one of the most content days of my life. Watching my favorite people talk amongst themselves. No tension. No hate. Just love radiates through that small apartment.

Periodically Bucky looks over at me with a huge grin, holding our son. Tenderly rubbing his metal fingers along his chubby cheek. I feel this one of the most simple and happy moments he's had. He seems so at peace. Like everything has righted itself. Everything is exactly the way it's supposed to be.

"I love you, Mrs. Barnes."

"You'll never know how much I love you, Mr. Barnes."