The Sapphire Legacy (Steve Rogers)

Chapter 26

"Blue or gray walls?" Steve looked over at me holding up paint swatches against the wall. "Hmmm. Gray?" "I agree." He set down the blue swatch and pulled out the gray paint he had bought.

It had been a couple of months and Steve and I were still in the process of getting everything we need in our new home. Pepper and Morgan had come over to help us as we got settled. Bucky and Sam were also over frequently as well. Well Bucky actually lived with us. We figured since we wouldn't actually use one of the two garages, we converted one into a small garage apartment for Bucky.

"Have you thought of any names?" I looked over at him as he was painting the walls. "I was thinking Anthony. Anthony James Rogers." I smiled widely at him and walked up to him, kissing him passionately. "I love you." "I love you too. Now sit back down, relax, and let me paint." He gave me a quick kiss before leaning down to my stomach. "And you...don't kick your mom." He gave my stomach a light kiss and stood up to resume his painting.

"Well...this is coming along." Bucky said, leaning in the doorway of the bedroom we were turning into a baby's room. "Just get in here and help me paint, Buck." Steve laughed as Bucky walked in, giving me a kiss on the head and grabbing a paintbrush. "So you decided on gray?" Bucky asked, dipping the rolling paintbrush in the paint tray and beginning on one of the other walls. "We did. We also decided on a name. Anthony James Rogers." Bucky looked over at me and gave me a big smile, "you're giving him my name?" "Of course we are, Buck." Steve said, patting him on the back.

They continued painting and making small talk as I ordered some things on Amazon. God I love Amazon.

"Steve!" I yelled and he rushed over to me. "What?? Are you hurt??" I laughed and shook my head, pulling his hand onto my stomach. "He's kicking." I saw a twinkle in Steve's eyes and waved Bucky over, urging him to put his flesh hand on my stomach as well. "He's got a strong kick. Must be a super solider." Bucky winked and pulled his hand away. "Like I said, as long as he can't teleport through space...I'll be happy." Steve stood up and kissed me again. "Does it hurt?" Bucky asked and I shrugged. "A little because Bruce says he's 90% certain he will have the serum. Mostly, it just feels weird. I'd assume if he was normal then the kick wouldn't hurt at all."

"Fascinating." Bucky said, patting Steve on the back and resumed his painting. "We're having a baby." Steve gave me one last kiss before resuming his painting as well.

A few hours later, they were done painting the room and started assembling some of the baby furniture Steve and I had bought. I walked back upstairs with two bottled waters. "Wow two super soldiers and you guys still can't seem to figure out how to assemble a crib?" "Shut it." Bucky snapped and I laughed as I handed them the water. I glanced over the instruction sheet and looked at them, "you're trying to put piece A into piece B, when piece A really goes into piece C. While piece B goes into D." Steve and Bucky looked at one another before moving the pieces to the correct spots.

I ruffled Steve's hair before walking back out of the room. "Are we just that dumb?" Bucky asks Steve and I laugh to myself. I head down the stairs and start making some dinner for us.

I was carefully chopping up vegetables for the meal I was preparing. No one told me that being six months pregnant would make cooking so difficult...I feel like I'm a foot away from the counter! The sound of heavy steps approached the kitchen and I saw Steve and Bucky entering the room. They both looked a little tired but had big smiles on their faces as they laughed about something. "Smells delicious." Steve said, walking over to me and kissing my forehead. Bucky walked up behind us and stuck a spoon into the sauce, "tastes good too." "Barnes!" I shoved his arm a little and he laughed, walking over to the table.

I finished up the meal and Steve divided it between three plates. "Thank god you know how to cook Tay, we'd be hopeless without you." Bucky smiled as we all sat down around the table. I watched as Steve and Bucky devoured their meals, quickly going for seconds. "I hope our child doesn't have the appetite that you both have..." I laughed and Steve rolled his eyes. "If he's anything like me, he will." He gave me a wink and continued eating.

By the time we finished, we sat around just talking for a while before Bucky went back to the garage apartment. Steve and I headed over to our room and got ready for bed. "I can't wait to raise our boy in this house." He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into him. "Me too." I whispered as he placed a kiss on my head. "I love you." He said, spinning me around and placing a kiss on my lips. "I love you more." "Impossible."

- 3 months later -

"Okay Taylor, one more push." Pepper said, holding my hand tightly as I went through contractions. "I can't!" I cried out, gripping onto Steve's hand. Pepper wiped away some sweat on my forehead as the doctor announced he could see his head. "You're doing great baby, just keep breathing." Steve encouraged.

After a few more pushes, a cry filled the room. The doctor turned to Steve, holding out a pair of sterile scissors. "Mr. Rogers, would you like to cut the umbilical cord?" She gave him a warm smile as his eyes widened with surprise. He nodded and approached her, carefully cutting the cord. They removed baby Tony to go get him cleaned up.

"You did great, Taylor." Pepper said, wiping my face with a cold towel. "I'm never doing that again." I groaned and Steve kissed my forehead, "I love you, you did so good." He whispered.

"Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, here's your son." The nurse said, carefully placing him on my chest. I looked at him with tears of joy filling my eyes. "Oh my god, he's perfect." I looked over at Steve who also had tears in his eyes. "He's beautiful." Steve whispered and kissed my head once again, gently reaching out to touch him.

"Have you decided on a name?" The nurse asked, looking at us expectantly. I looked at Steve and then to Pepper, "Anthony." Pepper's eyes immediately welled with tears and gave me a smile. "You're naming him after Tony?" She asked, her voice filled with emotion. I nodded and smiled, looking at the small baby in my arms, "Anthony James Rogers." "It's beautiful." She placed a gentle hand on his head before walking over to the door and signaling for Bucky, Morgan, Happy, and Sam to come in, since they were waiting outside.

Morgan immediately ran to my side and glanced into my arms looking at her new cousin. Sam placed a comforting hand on Steve's shoulder, "congrats man, I'm happy for you."

"Hopefully he gets Taylor's looks though. He'll be doomed if he gets yours." Bucky joked, giving Steve a playful punch on the shoulder.

"Auntie Tay, Uncle Steve, he looks funny." I laughed a little and Steve put his hands on Morgan's shoulders. "That's because he's a newborn baby, Morgan. He's supposed to look like that." Steve said, lifting her up so she could get a better view. "Will he get hair? Or get bigger? He's tiny!" She asked and I nodded. "He'll get bigger just like you." I said to her and she smiled wide. "What's his name?" "Anthony, Anthony James Rogers." Her eyes lit up as she looked at me, "Like my daddy?" "Just like your daddy, Mo." I smiled at her as Pepper and Happy took her out of the room to go get a snack.

I carefully passed Tony to Steve to hold for the first time and his entire face lit up. He cradles him close, taking in every detail of his tiny face, and feeling the softness of his skin. I smiled as I watched their interaction, my heart full. "Hey, I'm your dad." He smiled, rocking him back and forth.

"Do you want to hold him?" Steve asked Bucky and Sam. Sam enthusiastically agreed while Bucky hesitated. "You won't hurt him Buck." Steve put his hand on Bucky's shoulder as Sam carefully rocked Tony in his arms, whispering in baby talk to him. "I've never held a baby before I just," he let out a loud sigh, "I'm scared to hurt him." "You won't, Buck." I gave him a warm smile as Sam held him out to Bucky. Bucky apprehensively took Tony from Sam and I could tell Bucky instantly melted. "He's so little." Steve placed his hand on Bucky's shoulder as we watched his best friend and his son.

"I hope you don't mind, I need to take him for vitals." The nurse popped her head in and Steve nodded, taking Tony from Bucky and passing him gently to the nurse. "I'll have him back shortly." She quickly walked out of the room.

"Congratulations, you both deserve this." Sam said, taking my hand in his. "I've got to run, but I'll be sure to come over soon." "Thank you, Sam." I smiled at him and he gave my hand a squeeze before walking out of the room. "I'm gonna go grab some food from the food court, Steve?" "Yea, just a ham sandwich would be great. Thanks Buck." Bucky nodded and walked out of the room.

"I can't believe we made a whole person." I whispered and Steve leaned over, kissing my lips. "I love you." "I love you too, Taylor. Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?" I smiled and he gave me another quick kiss. "For making my life better in ways I never thought possible since coming out of the ice. And for giving me the best gift of all, our son."