Romanogers// The Spy&The Solider

Chapter 9

NATASHA POV//
I wake up from a painful nightmare and feel a shiver go down my spine. I carefully slide out of the bedroom quietly tip toeing trying not to wake Steve. I grab a warm blanket from the couch and slip out onto the terrace. The cold crisp air bites my skin and I wrap the blanket around me as small snow flakes land near me and in my hair. I suddenly feel a hard kick in my stomach and place my hand on the spot. I gasp a bit from the pain, "Gentle." I whisper to my stomach but feel another kick. "Please." I say leaning my head back against the wall closing my eyes. The kicking stops and I let out a small sigh of relief. The wind picks up and snow begins to fall harder so I head back inside and climb onto the couch.

STEVE POV//
I wake up in the bed alone and it takes my eyes a few second to adjust to my surroundings before I notice that Natasha's gone. I sit up and begin to put some old sweat pants on and a shirt until i hear Natasha gasp from the other room. I quickly get dressed before heading out to see her. She has her hands placed on top of her round stomach sitting on the couch. "Hey, are you okay?" I ask sitting down next to her. "Yea, he's just kicking." She says and I look at her with my eyebrows raised. "He?" I ask. She looks up at me with a small smile. "I just have a  gut feeling." She says placing both of her hands on the sides of her stomach. "Well, im sorry to say this, but...she is for sure a girl." I say talking to her belly and she laughs a bit at my response. She gasps again placing her hands on her stomach a squeezes her eyes shut for a moment. "Nat?!" I ask grabbing her hand. She shakes her head, "I'm okay, he just kicks really hard sometimes." She says trying to reassure me that everything's okay. "Let me have a look." I drag her shirt up slowly to reveal a large blue and purple bruise covering the entire left side of her stomach. My eyes widen and I look back up at her. "Na-?" I say almost speechless. She looks down and just stares. "Oh my god." She says in a hushed voice to herself. I gently place my hand along the bruise and she winces in pain scrunching her nose up. She quickly grabs my hand and lifts it from the bruise. "Sorry." I say taking my hand away. I quickly stand up and run to my cell phone and dial Bruce's number. "Where are you going." Natasha calls out. "I'm calling Banner." I respond walking back into the room.

NATASHA POV//
Steve paces back in forth on the phone with Bruce. He sounds scared and frantic as he describes the bruise to him. "Okay, Thank you." Steve says in a calm voice before ending the call. He sits down next to me again. "I'm going to be okay." I say looking into his scared blue eyes. He lets out a loud sigh and runs his hands through his hair. "What of the baby's hurting you." He says grabbing both of my hands with his. The thought hadn't even come to my mind. I take a second processing the information. "What if it's from my serum?" He says and I look back up at him. "I'm going to be okay." I say repeating myself. Steve and I wait patiently for Bruce to arrive, Steve never leaving my side. He knocks on the door and Steve jumps up and goes to open it. Bruce immediately walks over to me and gets down on his knees in front of me with a large black medical bag. He gently lifts my shirt showing the bruise and sits there for a second staring at it. He looks up at me then Steve not saying a word. "What happened?" He asks me. "I don't know, I just woke up and it was here." He nods his head then pulls out a small ultra sound monitor. I lay on my back as he glides the stick over my stomach. "You're 24 weeks, correct?" He says and me and Steve both respond with "Yes." At the same time. I hear the heartbeat and let out a sigh of relief as it still sounds strong. "The baby's health is perfectly normal, above average to be exact. But for the bruising..." he hesitates looking at both of us, "It could be caused due to Steve's serum." I look over at Steve whose face is drenched with guilt and I grab his hand holding it tight. "Does it hurt?" Bruce asks eyeing the large bruise. "A little." I say and Steve gives me a nasty look raising his eyebrows. "A lot." I say hesitantly. Bruce nods, pursing his lips together. "For now there is nothing we can do, but be sure to watch the bruise to see if it heals or worsens." He says packing up his bag and walking out, leaving me and Steve alone. "This isn't your fault." I say reading his expression. "Wha...what if your body can't handle it?" He asks in a serious tone. "Steve..?" I say placing my hand on his cheek, "We are going to be just fine." I say looking deep into his clear blue eyes as I place my hand over top my belly. He nods his head smiling a bit, then presses his lips to mine. I pull away feeling a soft kick within my stomach. I look down laughing a bit. "What?" Steve asks curiously. I look back up at him smiling and shake my head. "Nothing." I say leaning back into him planting gentle kisses on his lips.