Chains

Truth's out.

Main Road in New York: 

Peter sat in his car, waiting on an incredibly long red light to turn green.

  "Can't we just pull over and walk?" Molly asked

"It's too cold for that." Peter said "You and the baby would freeze."

   "Besides. Traffic's not that bad." Ned piped up from the back seat.

He leaned forward to touch Molly's stomach. She smacked his hand.

"Did you touch me before I was pregnant?" She asked

"No." Ned replied

"Then don't touch me now." She snapped

Peter chuckled, interlacing his fingers with hers. Molly was very protective of her stomach.

"Finally!" He said as the light turned green.

He drove carefully, pulling down a back alley and off onto the country road that led to the compound.

"Alright Ned," Peter said warningly "Molly's dad doesn't know about the baby yet. Actually no one but Wanda does so no baby talk. At all."

Ned nodded.

"Especially in front of Thor or Tony, okay?" Peter added

"I got it!" Ned laughed "No baby talk."

They pulled through the compound gate and Ned jumped as it rolled up behind them, making a mechanical thumping sound as it did so.

They entered the building.

"Ned's here!" Peter called

Morgan stark, a spunky 12 year old came running towards them.

"Ned, Molly!"

She went to tackle Molly and almost on instinct, Ned stepped in front of her.

  "Hey kid!" He exclaimed, intercepting the playful attack.

Molly kneeled down, becoming unsteady for a second before catching her balance and wrapping her arms around Morgan. Peter put a hand to his chest and took a deep breath. He was terrified of Molly falling or getting hurt in anyway. He helped her back up off the ground.

"Please stop doing that." He whispered in her ear "You're gonna give me a heart attack."

Tony and Nat rounded the corner, followed by Loki and Ivory.

"Hey!" Ivory said, standing unusually close to Loki.

Loki didn't seem to mind.

Ned, not knowing the new woman moved slightly in front of Molly as though protecting her.

"Hey Ivory." Molly said ,walking around Ned to hug her father and give Tony a kiss on the cheek.

     Bucky snuck around, walking up behind her and grabbing her by the waist, his metal hand on her stomach.

"Bucky!" Wanda said loudly, she had a mildly concerned look on her face. "put her down."

She knew how heavy that hand was.
Bucky sat the girl down, checking to see if she was maybe injured somehow.

"What?" He asked after reassuring himself he hadn't accidentally hurt her.

  "Nothing." Wanda said, realizing what she'd done "She's just been having nausea issues and I don't want to have to clean up vomit."

Bucky raised an eyebrow but let it go. Peter sighed nervously and took Molly's hand leading her and Ned into the kitchen.

  "Is everything okay?" Bucky asked Molly and Peter quietly "Did I do something wrong?"

"No. No." Peter assured him "Wanda's just being.... Wanda."

He nodded, relaxing against the wall.

Soon everyone relaxed into a normal mood, laughing and joking with one another. Tony sat a cup of coffee in front of Molly and Peter immediately took it and handed it to Ned. That earned him a raised eyebrow from Tony but nothing else.   It wasn't until later that night that something went wrong.

The sun had set hours before and all the lights in the common area were on. Bucky was telling an insane story about Steve and Tony had walked to the kitchen area.

  "Anybody want a drink?" He asked, waving a bottle of bourbon.

"Sure." Most of the adults responded.

Morgan had been asleep for hours.

"That's not really fair to Molly." Ned slipped up. "that's her favorite alcohol isn't it?"

Peter glared at him, motioning for him to stop talking.

"She can have a glass." Tony chuckled

"No she can't." Ned said.

Peter threw his hands up, giving up.

"She's an adult." Bucky joked "It's not like she's pregnant."

Peter put his head down, laughing his "I'm in danger laugh".

"Right?" Bucky asked

Peter nor Molly responded. Tony looked over.

"Pete?" He asked, nervous.

He put the bottle down when he noticed Peter laughing.

"Peter?" Loki asked slowly "Why aren't you answering."

"Ned." Peter said quietly "I told you not to."

"Peter!" Nat said loudly "Why aren't you answering?"

Peter looked up smiling before catching sight of Thor. He playfully grabbed Molly, placing her in front of him and lovingly putting his hands on her stomach.

  "Because Molly's pregnant." He said slowly.

Tony pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I thought I told you to behave." He sighed.

"I did behave." Peter said "Until I didn't."

"How far along is she?" Clint asked,

"15 weeks." Molly replied

"You hid this from us for almost four months?" Nat asked

"In their defense Molly didn't know until last month...." Wanda piped up "When I made her take a pregnancy test."

Peter furrowed his brow.

"Wanda knew before me?" He asked

Molly smacked his arm.

"Hush." She said

Loki was being incredibly quiet.

"Dad?" She asked nervously, taking a few steps towards him.

Loki looked at Peter.

"I don't know whether to kill you or congratulate my daughter." He said menacingly

"Loki!" Ivory snapped "Calm it."

"No." Thor said "I'm with my brother on this one."

    Molly glared at both of them before catching sight of Steve. He was standing in the back of the room, watching his team.

"Did everyone forget they're almost 30?" He asked loudly "This is normal."

He sighed, walking towards them. He embraced Peter and gave Molly and gentle peck on the cheek.

"Congratulations." He said "If you need anything let me know."

He ran a hand through his hair and smiled. It was a kind old man smile. The kind a grandfather would give. Peter smiled back, wrapping his arm around Molly again.

They didn't notice Bucky look from Wanda to Molly then to his metal arm as he realized why Wanda had panicked earlier in the day.  They didn't see the concern and pain wash over his face. They didn't notice he hadn't said anything. They didn't notice him quietly slip out of the room. They didn't know he'd slid down an exterior wall, hyperventilating at the thought of the weight of his prosthetic hurting Molly's baby. They didn't hear him repeating "I'm sorry." over and over to himself. But he did.