Bucky's Anchor

Chapter 74 - Secrets Revealed

The room is calm, the kind of stillness that almost feels unnatural. Bucky sits on the couch with a book open in his lap, though I can tell he's not reading. His brow furrows as his fingers absentmindedly trace the worn pages, lost in thoughts that seem miles away. The gentle creak of the floor under my weight as I move toward him pulls his attention back to me.

"Bucky," I begin, swallowing the tightness in my throat. It's now or never. My heart races as I try to find the right words. They should be simple words, but the weight they carry makes them heavy.

He sets the book down, eyes softening at the sight of me. "Hey," he says, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "Everything okay?"

I nod, sitting beside him on the couch. My hands shake as I place one on his arm. "I need to tell you something," I say, barely recognizing the sound of my own voice.

His brow furrows, and he leans forward slightly, his concern immediate. "What is it?"

I take a deep breath, steadying myself. The words are there, stuck behind the wall of my anxiety. I look into his eyes—those blue eyes that have seen so much pain, so much loss—and I know there's no perfect moment for this. But it needs to be said.

"I'm pregnant."

---

Bucky freezes. For a second, the room feels suspended in time. His eyes widen, the lines of confusion and shock forming quickly. He stares at me as though he didn't quite catch what I said, or maybe he's just trying to make sure he heard it correctly.

"You... you're what?" he stammers, his voice low, almost strangled.

I force a small smile, reaching for his hand, my heart thudding painfully in my chest. "I'm pregnant," I repeat, the words falling a bit softer this time, as if I'm offering them gently, hoping they land in a way that won't overwhelm him.

He leans back against the couch, blinking rapidly as if trying to process the enormity of what I just said. His gaze drifts to my stomach, then back to my face. I see the emotions flickering in his eyes—shock, disbelief, something resembling fear. But there's something else too, something softer, hidden beneath the surface.

"How long have you known?" he finally asks, his voice hoarse.

"About a month," I admit, guilt gnawing at me for having kept this from him. "I just... I wanted to wait until the right moment."

Bucky's hand moves to his face, rubbing it roughly as he takes it all in. "A baby..." he whispers, almost to himself, the reality of it sinking in piece by piece.

His gaze returns to mine, and I can see the fear creeping in now, the uncertainty that's always there just beneath the surface for him. "Emily, I don't... I don't know if I can do this."

---

His words hang in the air, and I can feel the depth of his fear. It's written all over his face—the worry, the doubt, the way his jaw clenches as though he's holding back a thousand different thoughts all at once. I reach out, taking both of his hands in mine, anchoring him in the present moment.

"I'm scared too," I admit quietly. "But we'll figure it out. Together. You don't have to do this alone."

Bucky pulls his hands away, pacing a few steps in front of the couch, his breath coming in shallow, shaky gasps. "What if I mess this up? What if I can't be a good father?" His voice breaks on the last word, and my heart aches at the vulnerability in it.

I stand, crossing the room to him. "Bucky, listen to me," I say softly, but firmly. He stops pacing, looking at me with wide, fearful eyes. "You are not your past. You're not the Winter Soldier anymore. You've fought so hard to be the man you are now—a man who loves, who protects, who cares."

He shakes his head, his voice trembling. "But what if it's not enough? What if... what if I can't protect you and our baby? What if I... fail?"

The pain in his voice cuts through me like a knife. I step closer, wrapping my arms around his waist, resting my head against his chest. His body tenses at first, but then slowly, he relaxes, his arms wrapping around me in return.

"You won't fail," I whisper against him, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart beneath my cheek. "You've never failed me, and you won't fail our baby."

---

He holds me tight, his breath warm against the top of my head as he fights to keep his emotions in check. I can feel him trembling slightly, the weight of everything bearing down on him.

"I don't know how to be a dad," he finally says, his voice thick with emotion. "I don't... I don't even know where to start."

I pull back slightly, just enough to look up at him, my hand resting against his chest. "We'll start together," I say, my voice steady and calm. "We'll figure it out, one day at a time. There's no manual for this, no perfect plan. But I know one thing for sure—you're going to love this baby more than anything, and that's all that matters."

He blinks, his eyes searching mine for reassurance. I can see the tension starting to ease, the fear slowly loosening its grip. "You really believe that?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I do," I say with conviction. "I believe in you. I believe in us."

He closes his eyes, exhaling a shaky breath as he leans his forehead against mine. "I want to be everything for you... for them," he whispers.

---

I smile, reaching up to cup his face in my hands. "You already are, Bucky."

For a long moment, we just stand there, holding each other in the quiet of our home, the weight of this new chapter settling over us. Slowly, I feel the tension begin to melt away from his body, replaced by something lighter, something hopeful.

He pulls back just enough to look at me, his expression softer now. Tentatively, he reaches out, his hand resting gently on my stomach, the smallest of smiles tugging at the corner of his mouth. "We're really going to have a baby," he says, and this time, there's a note of wonder in his voice that wasn't there before.

I nod, my heart swelling with love for this man who has fought so hard to be here with me, who has overcome so much to stand by my side. "Yes," I say softly. "We're really going to do this."

Bucky pulls me into his arms again, holding me close as if he never wants to let go. And in that moment, I know that no matter what challenges lie ahead, we'll face them together. We'll be a family—strong, resilient, and filled with hope.