The Black Knightress (Back up for fulls)

{93}

February 17 2016
Cambridge, Massachusetts
12:48
Steve's POV

"Come on, Stevie-you're gonna be late for your doctor's appointment!" Ma shouts through the hall in a scratchy tone

"I don't have one, you were supposed to go to yours today." I respond as I furrow my eyebrows

I walk down the hall into her room, peeking into her room to see through my blurred vision that she has ghastly bags hanging under her eyes and her blue eyes are staring me down with fear and sympathy bold in the waves of them.

No.

It's too soon.

The doctor said she had longer.

"Steve, I need you to promise me something." she sniffles

"Anything, Ma. Anything." I rush to her

She reaches out for my face as I reach for her hands with mine, gripping them as tightly as she can with her hands as shaky as they are.

"I can go get Bucky, maybe he could help..I could always draw you a picture, you always like those." I suggest

"By the time J-James get here, I-I probably won't be." she coughs out

She moves a hand from my cheek and grips her dusty bed cover, bring it to her drenched mouth and wiping the scarlet fluid from her lips.

"You've gotta promise me that you won't back out of a fight." she swears with her eyes

"That's not what I do Ma, I don't give into people's fights-I go as long as I can."

"You know I love you more than you ca-ca"

"More than I imagine." I recite as my tears fall from my eyes

She nods with a sad smile

"Please don't go, Ma. I need you here. You make me that chicken pot pie and those little blackberry cobblers Bucky and I love so much. You're my Ma, I love you and I can't you go yet-it's too soon." I cry as I speak

"Come here, Stevie." she waves with a fatigued hand

I crawl in beside her and lie my head next to hers on her pillow, careful not to nudge or tap her since she's in pain.

"Come on, Sweetie. You can set your head on my shoulder as you always have." she smiles gently

"No Ma, you're in too much pain." I grab her hand in mine

"I'm never in too much pain for my baby boy to snuggle with me, come on now."

I lift my head from her pillow and set it on her tiny shoulder as slow as I can for me to hear her taking as deep a breath as she can manage at the moment. She puts her arm around me and holds me to her cold and shivering body as her temperature refuses to stabilize.

"How am I supposed to tell Bucky? He loves you as he loves his own mother." I sniffle

"And I love him as my own as well. You can tell him about this when you're ready, he would never make you do anything you aren't ready for." she soothes as she rubs her blood covered thumb against my hand

"Ma, I hope I meet a woman as strong as you."

"I hope she gives you a family, one of your own with some kids..I always wanted grand-kids." she turns and looks at me

"You think I would be a good father?"

"I raised you to be both parents if you need to be. If you have a daughter, I know you'll teach her to be kind and loving like you and if you have a son..I know he'll look up to you like you're his hero because I believe you have it in you to be one."