Chains

Guilt and loss.

Avengers Compound:

Molly sat in the corner of the room next to Steve, watching Peter talk to Tony. She leaned against Steve's shoulder, smiling as Peter showed Tony the stills from her ultrasound.

  "He's happy." Steve observed.

"He's terrified." Molly said

Steve chuckled. Molly adjusted herself, wincing at the tight muscles in her hip. Steve reacted immediately, seeing the reaction in his peripheral. His hand flew to her stomach as he turned.

"You okay?" He asked with a furrowed brow.

She nodded.

"It's just a tight muscle. Doctor said a little discomfort is normal."

He nodded. He was nervous around pregnant women, always had been. He watched Molly looking around the room.

"Where's Bucky?" She asked.

He shrugged. Sometimes Bucky just went off by himself and Steve had accepted that. Molly caught a glimpse of a flash of silver against the moonlight and stood, she gave Steve a friendly peck on the cheek and moved towards the back door.

  "Bucky?" She asked quietly as she moved towards the back wall.

  He looked up. His eyes were red. He stood, moving towards her. He gave her a one armed hug, refusing to bring his metal arm anywhere near her.

"Molly I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" He asked starting to ramble "Is the baby okay? should have never grabbed you like that. I'm so sorry."

She sighed, throwing her arms around his neck.

  "I'm fine." She assured him, giving him a tight hug. "You didn't hurt me or the baby. Peter would've never let you grab me if it would've hurt us."

    He hugged her gently, refusing to squeeze her even slightly. Tears slipped down his face again. He was dangerous. Peter may have let him grab her but what if he hurt the baby at any point? What if his arm was too dangerous or to cold to hold the baby with?

They sat on a nearby bench.

"You know I remember a girlfriend I had when I was in the red room." He said quietly "She was a lot like you. We had a son named Stevie...he died when he was three. They made me believe she died too. In reality, they moved her away. "

"I'm so sorry." Molly said "What was her name?"

Bucky smiled.

"Natasha." He said, looking through the window at the pretty redhead "Instead of killing her, they took her from me. Turned her into the Black Widow, cause she was affecting their control over me."

"I thought Nat couldn't have kids?"

"She can't now. When you become a black widow, they sterilize you. Forcibly." He ground out

She nodded.

"Are you happy to have her back?" She asked

"I don't. Not yet. But I want to. I miss her, miss us."

Molly smiled

"I'm sure she does too." She said quietly,hugging him.

Molly could hear Peter's phone ringing inside. It clicked and she heard Peter shush the compound's inhabitants. Bucky let go of her, noticing her trying to listen in on the phone call. They both could hear Peter mumbling before he stopped. Bucky could hear the slight, panicked change in Peter's breathing.

"No." They heard Peter whimper.

Molly moved back towards the door. As she reached it, she saw Peter drop to his knees. He let out an agonizing cry as he hung up the phone. Molly ran to him, kneeling by his side.

"Baby?" She asked

"Her heart stopped." He whispered. "She stopped fighting. She left me."

Molly's eyes filled with tears.

"Who's heart stopped?" Steve asked, accidentally picking up on what Peter said.

The Avengers stopped what they were doing, their heads whipping to Peter.

"Aunt May's." He gasped as his crying left his control.

Bucky was at his side now, pulling him to his chest in a fatherly way. Tony had grabbed his phone and was desperately trying to get Happy on the phone.

  "She'll never meet my baby..." Peter whispered