Even Before

♦ Pairing: Steve x Peggy
♦ Disclaimer: All related Captain America names and characters are copyrighted © by the almighty Marvel. The plot line for the story though, belongs to myself.

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Bucky didn't know what was worse, the fact that there was a screaming and crying baby in the bed next to the chair he was in or the fact that his best friend was just as much of a baby and was currently sobbing into his shoulder.

"He's so beautiful," Steve cooed with a loud sniff afterwards making Bucky sigh heavily and patted his friend's shoulder in comfort, "I'm a dad, I'm actually a daddy, Buck," he continued hiding his face in Bucky's shoulder once again.

Bucky was trying his hardest not to laugh as he and an exhausted Peggy shared an amused look and for somebody who had only given birth a few hours ago, Peggy looked utterly stunning, even with messy hair and sick all down her front.

"Steve, I think your wife needs a break," Bucky shook him causing Captain Cries A Lot to finally get out of his chair and scoop his new son up into his arms, surprisingly making the crying of the baby stop and instead a happy squeal was let out when Steve's lips placed a kiss on the little boy's forehead.

"Blimey, I thought he was going to cry all night long," Peggy sighed and smiled warmly at the sight of father and son finally having a cuddle, "how are you Barnes?" she asked in a sleepy manner, her almost giant eyes sparkling still.

"Wet," he grunted and pulled on his shirt as if the emphasize his point, "should be worrying about yourself, Ma'am," he was about to continue but his voice trailed off when he noticed that her eyes were already drooping.

"Mommy is sleeping," Steve whispered with a laugh, the bundle of wiggling hands and feet, in his arms was staring up at him as if Steve was the most interesting thing on the planet, "when she wakes up we need a name for you,"

Names were not Steve's strong point as Peggy had pointed out.

The names Steve enjoyed sounded too old for a baby or were names of different singers.

Bucky had thought up names of his own but had kept them to himself to avoid being shot down by his friends and he also wasn't fond of the idea of getting smacked upside the head if they deemed the names awful.

"I think Carter should choose the name," Bucky pointed out when his eyes met Steve's, "she's the only one who really knows what she's doing here," he then panicked ever so slightly when Steve frowned and walked up to him, holding his son out.

"Say hello to Uncle Bucky," Steve smirked as the normally quite confident Sergeant became a stuttering mess, "go on," he then carefully placed his son into the other's arms.

"Ah, I don't know what to do," Bucky cleared his throat uncomfortably sticking his arms at odd angles whilst the baby just gurgled and grabbed at his own feet, "stop sniffling and tell me how to handle your child!" he hissed not exactly appreciating the fact that a man who was just crying his eyes out and snuggling into him, was now mocking him.

"Hand under his head and your arm should be supporting his back and backside," Steve instructed as his eyes moved so that they could sweep over his wife's face and a warm feeling spread through him.

He noticed that she had fallen asleep with the blanket halfway down her legs and so he quickly moved to her side and pulled it up so it rested under her armpit.

Peggy had always noted that she didn't like blankets to be over her shoulders or under her chin as it made her feel trapped and in danger.

She would never reveal what the danger was but Steve would never pressure her into giving an answer and so made sure to follow her wishes whenever he caught her sleeping on the couch after reading or from listening to the radio.

He couldn't imagine how tough giving birth must have been for her despite being in the same room and seeing her cry and wail in agony. He hated sitting there not being able to stop her pain.

He spent most of his time saving lives and protecting the innocent from pain and yet he couldn't even stop his wife's during what was supposed to be a wonderful event.

Captain America was useless in those sorts of situations and so Steve Rogers had to step up for the frontline to offer simple comforts like holding her hand, kissing her forehead or giving encouraging words to her.

"Y'know he's not that bad once you get used to him," Bucky's voice brought him back and he looked over to see his friend smiling almost lovingly at his nephew, his voice catching in his throat when the baby wrapped his tiny hand around his index finger, "think I might steal him," he threw Steve a cheeky smirk which was promptly returned.

"Peggy would beat you into the ground," Steve chuckled brushing Peggy's hair out of her eyes, sitting down on the very edge of the bed.

"I can run fast," Bucky pointed out with a shrug and waggled his hand to see if he could get his finger free but the little guy just held on tighter clearly not willing to set him free just yet.

"So can she and she can outrun most of the boys in her high heels,"  Steve groaned a bit as his neck cracked awkwardly but found himself snorting at the memory of Peggy in the army, showing that she was just as tough, if not tougher, than the men.

"If you're suggesting I should wear high heels to run faster, I'm definitely stealing your kid," this made Steve bark loudly with laughter startling Peggy from her sleep, eyes clearly not wanting to stay open she just weakly told them to shut up before passing out again.

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"Your dad was a small guy," Peggy said softly as she cuddled the baby, whom they had named James, to her chest and kissed the top of his head where several dark blond strands of hair was already growing, "but I can tell you now that he was just as brave as he is today, although sometimes his behaviour was stupid," she was of course referring to Steve's infamous 'not running away from a fight' stand.

"When I had my first conversation with him I thought he was such a brilliant man, the way he sees the world and how determined he was to protect people was very much something people envied,"
James' hands clenched into the fabric of her shirt as he tried to feel safe enough to go to sleep.

"He was wonderful actually and I have to admit that I had feelings for him even before he had the serum because his personality just shines through everything else about him. He may have been beaten up quite a lot and frankly, I'm not all surprised when most of the people surrounding the area he lived in left much to be desired in the intelligence department, but he always stood up for what he thought was right and never ever gave up on what he wanted to do,"

Moving over to the king sized bed, she sat down and gently adjusted James so he was in a more comfortable position on her stomach and chest.

"I just want you to always remember that no matter how big or small you are, no matter how many times people will try to beat you down and steal your dreams, you should never give up," Peggy smiled when she thought back to Steve pre-serum, he was still handsome and strong and respectful towards everybody.

She admired everything about him.

"But I also want you to know that if anybody is actually hurting you, let me know and I'll take care of the bastards," she whispered with a laugh, her fingertips tickling the boy behind his ear.

It was a strange thing for Peggy considering that she had always been about her work and trying to make her mark in a world that was made for men and men only but James and Steve had shown her that it was okay to have both a family and be a strong independent woman.

Steve had always been supportive of women in the workplace and understood that whilst they were fighting in the war, she was his superior and had authority over him despite the fact she was still ridiculed by her commanding officer.

But then again she didn't exactly take any sort of nonsense from the troops as poor old Hodge had found out when her fist came into contact with his face.

"Peggy?"

She turned to stare at the closed bedroom door at the sound of Steve's voice, "in here," she replied before smiling brightly as her husband's tall figure finally appeared.

"Well how about that," he squatted next to the bed with his arms crossed, resting his head against them as he took in the sight of James sleeping soundly, his little hands twitching near his mouth.

"He fell asleep during my speech," Peggy gave an expression of mock hurt, "told him that I would sort out any bastard who dared to mess with him," she licked her lips, "said some nice things about you as well," she added hiding a smirk when Steve's eyebrows shot up in interest.

"And what did you say about me?" Steve asked now resting his elbow on the bed, his face extremely close to Peggy's.

"Told him about when you were smaller," Peggy replied patting her hand against James' behind, "explained how brave you were and how no matter how small he might be he should never give up because you never did," she then frowned, "though you were a bloody idiot for not moving away from a fight,"

Steve went to defend himself but found himself letting out a surprised squeak when he was cut off by Peggy kissing him, which he eagerly returned once he had gathered himself together.

"I'm hoping he won't see any pictures of me like that," he mumbled when he pulled away and cupped the back of James' head lovingly, "I was small and weak, my determination was all I had," he then quickly corrected himself, "apart from Bucky that is,"

"Steve, you may have been small but you were not weak under any circumstances," Peggy gently moved their son onto one of their pillows so that she could put all of her attention onto Steve, "you're thinking you were weak because you couldn't fight back but you're not taking into account how strong you were, still are, mentally," she flicked his forehead to emphasize her point.

"Only somebody with a mind like yours could make a mockery of the other troops and be brave enough to even think about becoming an actual science experiment because you wanted to help an old man out and prove that you could handle anything, even if you could potentially kill you," she paused for a second before adding, "on second thought that last part makes you quite stupid,"

"Do you really believe that?" the man's eyes seemed to grow very large making him look like a puppy; it was a look that Peggy hated because it was normally used on her when Steve had done something wrong.

"What that you're stupid?" she couldn't even hold back her smile this time when Steve half rolled his eyes and sat on the bed beside her, his head now resting on her shoulder, "Steve, I believe that you are honestly the most amazing man I have ever known and that goes for even before you had the serum,"

It was a guilty pleasure of Peggy's that only she and Bucky were the ones to see Steve at his most vulnerable and she knew that that sounded horrible but it meant that Steve trusted them enough to let his guard down around them instead of keeping up the Captain America persona.

"Peggy,"

"Yes?"

"I love you,"

Peggy chewed her bottom lip at how sweet he sounded, like a boy going on his first date.

"I love you too," she put her arm around his shoulders and pulled him back so that they both now lay upon their bed; their son still sleeping soundly on her pillow.