Finding Love in France

Part 39: Uh Oh

Time dragged on without mercy. Mila was just trying to get through her days, but it wasn't easy. Lack of sleep and not eating much didn't help. She woke up feeling more tired than if she hadn't slept at all most days. The longer James was gone, the worse it was. She missed Peggy terribly, too.

She was in the lab around week 4, trying to get her acetylene torch working. She felt clumsy and sluggish, her attention wandering per usual. She had been anxiously awaiting news of when the crew would return. Peggy said a month, right? It had been almost a month, where were they? Was there trouble? She hated not knowing.

"Hey Doc, you need a hand? I can smell the gas from here!" Stark quipped from his desk.

"I'm fine, Howard, just trying...to get this damn thing...working..." and she fell to the floor with a thud.

Stark rushed over to her, checked her pulse and turned off the gas. He yelled for help and soon medics were loading her onto a stretcher to take her to the infirmary.

Stark paced the hallway while Jarvis read the newspaper. Anytime someone would walk by, Stark accosted them for information. It seemed like forever when a doctor came out to ask if they were with Mila.

"What the hell happened? Was it the gas? Will she be okay?" Stark was all over them.

Jarvis interrupted and asked if they could see her. The doctor led them to where she was and left the room.

Mila was sitting in bed with an oxygen mask on her face, looking more shocked that hurt. "Howard! Mr. Jarvis! I'm sorry to have caused you so much trouble!" She yelled through the mask.

"Doc, I'm just glad you're okay." Stark looked relieved. "If something happened to you, that fella of yours would rip my arms off and beat me with them."

"And I would be inclined to let him, sir." Jarvis winked at Mila. "Relieved to see you are alright, Dr. Abrams."

An older nurse came in and told the men it was time to go. "The lady needs some rest. She'll be back at work tomorrow."

When the men were gone, the nurse turned to Mila. "So? Did you tell them?"

"No." Mila said meekly. "I'm still having trouble believing it myself." She was in total shock.

"Well, believe it, kiddo. The blood test was run twice, just like you asked!" The nurse laughed. "Was one of them the father?"

"Definitely not." Mila tried not to laugh at the thought. "He's on a mission right now, with the 107th?" She wasn't sure how much the nurse knew about the comings and goings of troops.

"Oh, so he's one of the crazy ones?" The nurse chuckled. "Not the real big guy, is it?"

Mila laughed at this one. "No, not Captain Rogers..." she smiled and said it out loud for the first time. "The father is Sergeant James Barnes, ma'am."

"Boy, is he in for a surprise when he gets home!" The nurse laughed and walked out of the room.

"You have no idea..." a bewildered Mila uttered.

The next day, Howard was all questions. "Was it the gas? We could try a different pipe, if you want. Are you sure you are okay to be here? What are you working on? I can take over for a few days if you need to rest."

"Howard, for the last time, I am FINE!" She huffed. "It was most likely low blood sugar and exhaustion. Really, I'm perfectly ready to work." Besides, she needed the distraction...she couldn't stop obsessing over the real reason she fainted yesterday. "Have you heard anything about the mission? Any timeline for return?"

"Nothing yet. Say, are you sure you're okay? You still look a little green around the gills, Doc." He handed her a glass of water.

"Nothing to worry about, Howard. Thank you for looking after me." She smiled. "And Mr. Jarvis, too."

"I think that guy's a little sweet on you, Doc!" He joked. "You fed him, for god's sake!"

She laughed and got back to work.

That night at dinner, Stark finally had some news for Mila. "Phillips said maybe another week or two before they can come back." He saw the look of sadness on Mila's face and added "But no losses. Everyone was present and accounted for. Things are just taking a little longer than expected. I guess the weather isn't great and they have to plan around it."

"Thank you, Howard." She was having trouble with dinner that night. It was liver and onions, and the smell was making her nauseous. She needed some air immediately and left her seat to run outside.

Instinctively, Stark followed her out and found her vomiting into a trash can. "You're kidding!"he crowed. "That's what this is all about?"

She looked up sheepishly. "Now you know it's not the gas..." She pulled herself together and begged "Please do not tell anyone! Please! Not even Mr. Jarvis!" She was panicked.

He put a hand on her shoulder and said "Come on, Doc, let's get you some ginger ale. You've got some explaining to do!" He laughed and escorted her back into the mess.

Once she was seated, he had cleared the trays and grabbed her a soda. "So, how far along are you?" He smirked at her.

"About a month. Honestly, I had no idea...I wasn't even sure it was possible..." she trailed off.

"Uh, Doc, don't want to state the obvious here, but it's not rocket science." Stark couldn't help himself.

She laughed a little. "Clearly, Howard. But I had stopped menstruating at the camp." She saw his face pale at the mention of menstruation and laughed harder. "Really?" She rolled her eyes and kept talking. "When it hadn't come back, I was worried it might never...and we even talked about what to do, about adopting or raising chickens..." she laughed again, then got serious. "I was heartbroken at the thought of letting him down. About not being able to give him the family he so desperately wants. And now..."

"And now you have a half Neanderthal growing in there!" Stark laughed. "Well, Doc, now the only question is, will your superior intelligence be enough to counteract his..."

She shut him down before he could finish. "Why does everyone think that James is stupid? He is just a bit unrefined, as his life has been focused on survival, while some of us had the privilege of not worrying where our next meal was coming from. With some polishing and education, you will be eating your words soon enough! I have seen the potential in him. Whatever he sets his mind to, watch out!"

"He got you, didn't he? How dumb could the guy really be?" Stark laughed.