The other Barnes

Picture frames.

Steve entered his home to find River asleep on his couch. His heart sank. Where were the other two?

"Riv?" He whispered "Where's Emily and Nat."

River stirred.

"Huh?" She asked "oh. Yeah. Emily's asleep upstairs and Nat's in the guest room."

  He nodded

"Go get her." He said "Bucky and Clint are in the car."

She nodded and walked to the room. He smiled and made his way upstairs. He felt slightly better.  They'd made progress tonight but were nowhere near prepared to go after hydra yet.

He took a shower and climbed in bed next to Emily. She stirred but didn't wake.

He tried to go to sleep but couldn't. He was tossing and turning and couldn't tell which emotion was stronger. The frustration he felt towards Emily for going to Brooklyn without backup or the guilt from not telling her she'd miscarried. He felt a hand on his back. He relaxed at her touch. 

  "Baby what's wrong?" Emily asked sleepily.

   He sighed.

"Its nothing." He said

"Its something." She replied "Please, tell me."

  He shook his head.

"Please." She pled "I can't help if I don't know."

"What possessed you to go home?" He asked "Why brooklyn? That's the first place anyone would look for us."

She sighed.

"Hand me my bag." She requested, pointing to the bedside table on his side.

He grabbed it. He could hear the picture frames scraping together as he did so. She opened the bag and began pulling the pictures out.

"I wanted these." She said

She showed him Bucky's baby pictures and then handed him a framed picture of three kids hanging out the back of a truck. Two boys and a girl. The smaller of the two boys, a young Steve Rogers, had his arm placed protectively around the girl's waist as her feet dangled off the truck. The other boy was glaring at him.

  "I wanted that one specifically." She said

He smiled at the picture before frustration set in again.

"These pictures were worth your life?" He asked

"No. I didn't know she was waiting for me." Emily defended.

"You should have at least taken someone with you." He said

"I know. I'm sorry." She replied

"These pictures, which will never do these memories justice cost could have cost you your life." He repeated softly.

"I didn't-"

"And they did cost us our child." He said out of anger

  "What?"

Steve realized what he said and his expression softened. Emily started to cry.

"I-i was-" she couldn't get the question out.

He pulled her close.

"Shh...baby I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it like that." He whispered.

  "I was pregnant?" She managed between gasps for air.

He nodded. She screamed and he flinched, tears welling up in his eyes.

   "I-I'm so sorry." She gasped between her cries "I didn't know."