Carousel of Time - An Alternative Bucky Barnes Story

Chapter 27. Cleaning House (Sexual Content)

1947 was notable as the year the SSR finally thought they had fully cleaned their house.  The filing cabinet from the Siberian HYDRA facility had been worth its weight in gold as they dug up more sympathizers and found a few closet Nazi's as well.  The extent of the rot surprised everyone from the General down but they made sure the investigations were properly done.  Through very secure channels the General made it known to the OSS and the FBI that they had evidence implicating members of their organizations. Miss Webb was not happy to hear about it but the President ordered her and the director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, to expect investigations into their organizations.  Kate told the President about the future rot in both organizations and also about the things discovered about Hoover after his death in the 1970s.  She told him about the investigations into private individuals Hoover considered personal enemies, including some sitting presidents.  Steps were taken to limit some of his powers and when Hoover fought back in just the way Kate predicted he would, Truman very publicly fired him and brought in Melvin Purvis as the new director under the new rules limiting the director's powers.  Purvis had been very publicly fired in the late 1930s by Hoover for his popularity after the capture and killing of John Dillinger.  More importantly he had recently been helping compile evidence for the Nuremberg trials and was viewed as quite accommodating when the SSR began investigating the FBI for Nazi and HYDRA infiltration.

For Kate and Bucky there were several notable moments that year.  Their second wedding anniversary was on February 28, a fact hard to believe considering how much they gone through in less than two years.  Howard threw a party for them attended by many of the Howling Commandos, Steve and Peggy, George and Mary, Dottie and Frank, Annette, and the General himself.  Howard played the piano, the ladies danced with everyone and it was a wonderful time.  The children stayed overnight with the Barnes.

A month later they held a similar party for Steve and Peggy at their home, playing records for their music.  Howard and Annette finally admitted they were dating and felt comfortable enough to kiss tenderly in front of their friends.  During the party Kate had a fainting spell.  She was 34 weeks pregnant and hadn't had much morning sickness but had been very tired.  Dum Dum Dugan caught her before she hit the floor and carried her up to her room accompanied by a very worried Bucky.  He phoned Barbara Bell who came over right away, ended the party, then went up to the bedroom.  After taking Kate's blood pressure and listening to the baby's heartbeat she said it was likely the stress of the moment.

"No more parties," she ordered.  "Bed rest, as much as possible but you can get up and walk around your room.  Your blood pressure is a little low and I don't want you stressed.  Let Mary take care of you during the day and Bucky can take care of you in the evening.  Bucky, no sex.  Kate, try to sleep on your left side to increase blood flow to the heart.  I'll be back next week to check on you.  If your blood pressure is better I may look to lift some of the restrictions."

The following week her blood pressure improved and Kate was taken off bed rest but was still to take it easy.  Bucky was still cut off so he threw his energies into studying for his final exams.  The next week her blood pressure  improved a bit more and Bucky was told sex was okay but not to go overboard.  On May 5, a week before her due date Bucky was supposed to start back at the legal department of the SSR.  He was going to be part of the legal team that would be writing up the charges against the last of the HYDRA and Nazi sympathizers at the SSR and FBI.  He had his uniform on, had eaten his breakfast, kissed Kate and the kids goodbye, and was just about to leave when Kate called him from the kitchen.

"Bucky, are you still here?" she called. "My water just broke."

"Daddy, Mommy peed," said John, still sitting in his chair. 

"Any pressure yet?" he asked.

She shook her head so he helped her up the stairs and sat her in the bathtub, giving her his watch in case the contractions started.  Then he ran downstairs, phoned Barbara Bell, Mary Farrell, Peggy Rogers and his mother.  He phoned the SSR and told them his wife was in labour and he wouldn't be in for a couple of days.  His mother, Rebecca, and Peggy arrived shortly after and cleaned up the kitchen while he stripped the bed.  He checked on Kate and learned she had experienced one contraction lasting a minute.  He put the rubber sheet down, then new clean sheets, and changed into casual pants and a shirt.   He went back to the bathroom to undress Kate, lifting her from the bathtub and into the bedroom.  By then Barbara Bell and Mary had both arrived and Kate's second contraction started, five minutes and thirty seconds after the first one.