Redbanks: Wicked Ones (Biker!SteveRogers AU) - 3

10

Steve watched as Lilith fed Ebony, keeping her close to her ever since they'd got back and Coulson had handed their daughter over. Bruce had checked her over, and she was ok other than crying with hunger.

"Lil"

She looked up at them and then back down at Ebony. "You told me that you knew what you were doing, letting that bastard back into the gang..."

"I thought I did".

"Well you were fucking wrong - our baby could have been hurt or worse!" She snapped back, now glaring at him.

Steve knew she was pissed and rightfully so. It was his fault. He knew that. The whole Loki thing should have been dealt with in a more tactful way. As a result of his stupidity his baby girl had been in the firing line.

"I know I was".

"Wow, you're actually admitting you fucked up"

He became irritated, "I've always fucking admitted any mistakes I've made! Yeah this is one of them, but Eb is safe, Loki's never setting foot here again..."

"That doesn't matter, she's our child! What's to say the Flag Smashers won't try something now that they know she's our weakness? She will always be a target for rival gangs".

"We're all targets Lil - but I swear to you that no one will touch her again, they won't even come within a ten mile radius of her. I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe, but I need you with me on this demon eyes".

He sat next to her and pulled her into him, kissing her hair. She said nothing, watching as their baby guzzled her milk down. "Promise me that she won't get dragged into anymore of your shit, I mean it Steve..."

Turning her face to him he grabbed it and kissed her hard, Lilith tasting the usual mix of whiskey and cigarettes as she sank into it. He could be an asshole but he was the right asshole at the right time.
She had been terrified on discovering the empty cot, so much so that even now she could still feel herself shaking at the thought of what could have been.

"She won't get dragged into it, I'll make fucking sure of that". He murmured into her hair and held her close. "You're my best girls, nothing and no one will hurt you".

Lilith finished feeding the baby and passed her to Steve, heading into the bathroom to get ready for bed. It had been a long night and all she wanted to do was sleep.

Steve held his daughter in his arms as she wiggled around and kissed her tiny head. "I know...I'm the worst dad, even more so than I thought I'd be anyway - but I'm not your grandpa, I wanna be better than he was..." he confided in her. "Redbanks is changing, we got more opportunities to make money, to give you what you deserve, but our gang? Our blood? That won't change at all. We all have to remember where we come from and we've all gotta stick by one another - our family? We're with one another one hundred percent, and they're gonna be there for you just as much as your mom and I will be".

Ebony would have the backing of every gang they were allied with and perhaps new ones in the future.

He gently put her into her cot and made sure she was comfortable before going outside to smoke. He wasn't going to sleeping anytime soon.
Bucky appeared to have had the same idea as he was also taking a few drags, coming over to sit with his friend.

"How's Ebbs?" He asked settling himself in the plastic garden chair and blowing some smoke into the darkness.

"All fine, Bruce checked her over, she was just a little hungry and tired". He sighed, "I fucked up this one bad Buck".

"We had a plan..."

"Yeah and it went to shit before we could even put it into action". Steve replied, taking another deep drag, "Lil? She's pissed, I'm surprised at this point that she even still trusts me".

Bucky stubbed out his cigarette and glanced across to him. "Because she loves you pal - she's just scared, even if she didn't seem like she showed it earlier, I could see it in her eyes and so could you".

Flicking the cigarette onto the ground to extinguish it, Steve was silent for a moment. "If this happens again? Or anything that comes remotely close? She's gonna walk, and she's gonna take Eb with her".

"Did she say that?"

"No, but she would do it...if it meant protecting our girl then she'd take her away from here and from me".

Bucky shook his head. "You really think she would? You both come from messed up parent relationships, sure she got out but she came back to the life and stayed because of you. She didn't have to, but she did pal". He shifted in his chair. "This? It's gonna make us all step up and protect our own even more, Lil will get over the shock of tonight, Loki's gone, Peggy's dead...we gotta look at this as a win".

Steve looked out into the trailer park and sighed. "It ain't a win if I can't protect my girls..."