The (not so) Ideal Situation

I slowly climbed down the stairs to the living room. Upon my arrival everyone was looking out the window. I hoped to get past the door without anyone hearing me so I could go get dressed, but no such luck.
"Your here" Clint announced and with that everyone turned to look at me
"Oh, thank goodness you're ok" Pepper rushed over to me
"You are ok, aren't you?" Steve asked headed towards me as well
Pepper flung her arms around me "ya...I'm ok"
"We did all we could to get through" Tony started
"You don't look so good kid" Bruce cut him off feeling my forehead
"Really I'm ok"
"Grace" Nat leaned over and whispered in my ear "do you have any clothes on?"
Tears welled up in my eyes as I nodded no
"Oh hunny" I pulled the sheet tighter around me and they all got the idea
"Let's take you..." Pepper started
"I'll take her" Steve interrupted
Nat and Pepper nodded as Steve took his place at my side
"C'mon you" he whispered in my ear as he led me down to my room
Once in my room I sighed standing in front of my closet, pulling a long tshirt over my head I dropped the sheet. I pulled on a pair of panties and I climbed, weakly, on to my bed
"Grace?" He broke the silence
"Hmm?"
"Where's Thor?" He asked
I didn't want to tell him, I didn't want to admit it "he's dealing with Loki"
"And Loki, he uh...well"
"Yes" I stopped his awkward loss for words
"ok...well, goodnight" he flicked the light switch and opened the door to leave
"Steve?"
"Ya" he stopped and turned around
"Stay with me?" I didn't like the idea of being alone
"Of course" he crawled into the bed beside me and I snuggled up close to him. He wrapped his arm around me and I slowly started to drift off.

The next couple weeks or so I hadn't been very active, or happy. Nat and Pepper questioned me non stop and I finally had to tell the truth about why Thor hadn't been around. I cried in their arms for hours. Steve had been overprotective of me, making sure I ate and drank lots of water. He was being really sweet. But there was an emptiness inside of me and I want sure if it was from the loss of Thor, or the rape. I decided that the rape couldn't have that much affect over me, or I at least wouldn't let it, so it had to be Thor. Which if you think about it is just me missing a friend, which is really just loneliness. So it wasn't really a big deal. Right?
We were all sitting in the living room watching a movie, Steve in a chair and myself in his lap, both of us covered in a large blanket. I had started to cling to him, but he didn't seem to mind. In the middle of a very smutty sex scene I felt Steve's hand ride up my thigh. He was being careful but I didn't mind his actions. The room was dark and the blanket was covering us so I reached my hand under me and felt a slight bulge in his jeans. I cupped my hand around the area and felt his stomach tense under me. I laid my head on his shoulder and pulled the blanket up to my neck. He was rubbing my thigh, working his way to the inside of my leg. I licked my lips and placed them on the side of his neck. He gently squeezed my thigh, telling me to continue. And so I did, slowly I worked my way up to his ear and down to the collar of his shirt. The movie went on and on as we slowly toyed with each others desire. I was quite content with the pace of things.
The credits rolled and I stood up to stretch. Steve was up right behind me
"Well that was fun but I'm pretty tired and so I'm gonna go to bed Grace I think you should get some sleep too" the words came out quickly and without a breath in between. His voice was eager and he took my hand pulling me to his room. I laughed. He swung me in the room and onto the bed, crawling his way on top of me after closing the door. I smiled up at him
"You." He kissed me softly "Drive me crazy" he kissed me again then whispered "but, if there's anyone in the world worth going crazy over, it's you"
My heart swelled in my chest, that might have been the sweetest thing he's ever said to me. I wrapped my arms around his neck loosely and slowly pulled him down to kiss me. When our lips connected it was like nothing I had ever experience with Steve, it was gentle, soft, full of desire, but not in an urgent way. We took our time, moulding our lips together in as many ways as possible. He, carefully, started to rest more and more of his weight on me, I loved the feeling of being pushed into the bed. He hadn't even forced his tongue into my mouth. I, however, wanted to go a little further. I slipped my tongue along his lips and I felt the bulge in his pants tense against my crotch. He opened his mouth and our tongues met slowly, dancing. He lowered his body the rest of the way onto me and then, with free hands no longer supporting his weight, he gently placed a hand on my cheek. The other worked through my hair and to the back of my neck. He didn't push my mouth against his, he simply held me. I was melting under him. Now he was driving me crazy. I slipped my arms from around his neck and glided them down, placing them in the back pocket of his jeans. He, ever so slightly, pushed his hips into mine. The friction was amazing.
"Steve" his name left my mouth as a content whisper
"Grace, I..." He stopped, I opened my eyes looking into his
"What is it?" I asked concerned
"It's just, I was so worried about you, and we couldn't get to you. I feared the worst." He slid his thumb over my cheek "I don't know what the details are between you and Thor, but I can't let that happen again. And if you'll let me I'll make sure it doesn't. We've been doing this casual thing for too long, I want you." He smiled softly "I want you exclusively. All to myself. Mine."
I smiled at him "Thor and I" he looked away and I sighed "...he's not coming back." I knew I would think of Thor often, probably every day, but I had to face the fact that he wasn't coming back. I put my hand on his face to force him to look at me again "and Steve, you make me happy. And where else would I want to be other than in your arms." He smiled, snaked an arm around my waist and quickly flipped us so that I was resting on top of him. I laughed and kissed him.

After a few weeks Steve and I were totally comfortable together. We spent our days laughing and our nights moaning. We were completely infatuated, and he made sure that I always felt safe when he was around. We spent every night either tangled in the sheets or happily next to each other, though lately I hadn't been sleeping well. I would wake up sick. It wasn't until Bruce found out that things got really bad.
"Every morning?!" He asked
"More or less" I took a bite of my toast "I'm fine"
"Grace." Steve warned from next to me, I promised that I would ask Bruce about it
"I'm sure it's just the flu or something" I added
"It's been 10 days" Bruce retorted
"You're overprotective Bruce" I smiled
"Fine!" He put his hands up in defeat "if you won't listen to me at least go see another doctor"
"...fine" I sighed. Jeeze, these men. "I'll go this afternoon"
"Grace, it's 2 already"
"Well...then I'll go right now"
"Thank you" he smiled
I rolled my eyes finishing my glass of water and getting up to grab my purse
"Do you want me to come?" Steve asked
"Oh ya, that's just what I need, screaming fans at the doctors office. I'll go alone"
He stood up, leaned me back and kissed me passionately
"Be safe" he smiled standing me upright again
"Oh brother" Bruce laughed



I took the elevator to the garage and got in my car. Pulling out of the towers garage I was certain that this was all over nothing. I drove a mere 10minuets to my doctors office, but when I got inside it was packed.
"Hi, I'm here to see Dr. Crusher"
"Do you have an appointment?" The old woman asked slowly, searching for a piece of paper
"Uh, no...I just need a quick second with him though" I explained
"Well, you'll have to wait"
I sighed "ok"
I turned and there was one empty chair open, but of course someone else got there before me so I stood...and stood...and stood. After about an hour I was able to get a seat, and not long after that he called for me.
"Hi Grace" he closed the door behind us "long time no see" he looked over the clipboard in his hands "quite too long, actually"
I chuckled "ya, been a bit busy"
"Well, what's so awful that you took time out of your busy life to see me?" He set the file on the counter
"My friends, I've been a little sick lately, but they insisted I see someone" I smiled "I'm sure it's nothing"
He wrote in the file then looked up at me "ya, Bruce already called"
I scoffed "really?!"
He chuckled "yep, thinks I should run some routine blood work"
"And what do you think?" I asked
"I think Bruce is an incredible doctor, and I trust what he says" he looked back to his paper "why don't you tell me what's been going on?"
I sighed "just not sleeping all that well, feeling a little nauseous, but often not actually sick, headaches, etc."
"Mhm" he nodded "and how long has this been going on consecutively?"
"10 days, but I was fine this morning" I replied, hoping to calm his nerves and forget about the blood work
"Well, honestly I would like to run some in house work, but i can't force you."
"...fine. Maybe he will leave me alone then" I pulled up the sleeve on my shirt
"Alright then" he started to prepare his needle and some blood tubes. It's not like I minded, I'm not blood skittish or anything, I've had blood taken a million times, it's just a hassle.
"Ready?" He asked opening the needle
I nodded. Shoving the needle into my skin the blood started flowing into the syringe. I became a little light headed and cursed myself for letting Bruce get in my head.
"Ok" he retracted the needle "they're pretty quick tests, I'll be back in 5, just relax"
"Ok" I smiled, being pleasant. I pulled the sleeve back down my arm and got down off the table. I shot Steve a text to let him know I would be back soon and then the doctor was back
"Alright, let's see here" he read some papers, flipped them and read the back. He hummed and ha'd
"Well, your a little dehydrated" he started "but everything else is normal accept for..."
"What?" I asked impatiently
"Grace, have we ever discussed the possibility of you becoming pregnant?" He asked
"Yes, in that I can't"
"Well, see, there are cases, rare as they are, when a woman who was once barren, all of the sudden, and for reasons unknown, becomes pregnant."
"What are you saying" I furrowed my eyebrows together
"You're pregnant"
My world began to spin "...that's not possible"
"And yet you are" he smiled "I have a lot to deal with today, but come back next week and we can make sure you get everything you need for that baby" he opened the door and I stood up "are you going to be ok to get home?"
I nodded "I'll be fine" I headed for the front door and pulled on it, it wouldn't move, I tried again still nothing. Looking down there was a twisting sign that said push, and so I did. I stumbled out the door. Getting back into my car I drove back to the tower, the scary part was that when I got there I couldn't remember how. I sat, absolutely still for a length of time unknown to me.
"Grace?" I heard his voice but didn't see him. The car door opened
"What are you doing down here, I was just about to go look for you, it's been hours" Steve knelt down next to the car
It took all of my energy but I turned to look at him "I'm pregnant" the words jumbled out, I didn't mean to be that forward about it, it just happened.
"...I thought that was impossible" he asked
"Me too...but apparently my ovaries can just up and decide to start working whenever they want" my words were bitter
"Grace, calm down" he whispered "let's just get you upstairs and we can talk about this ok?"
I nodded wordlessly and let him help me out of the car and up to the living room
"Hey what did he say?" Bruce asked happily, then he saw me "you ok kid?"
"Mhm" I nodded and Steve helped me to the couch
"What did Crusher have to say"
I couldn't answer, and after a few moments Steve did for me
"She's pregnant"
"No way" he whispered in disbelief
Just at that moment Nat and Pepper appeared in the room
"Hey guys" Pepper smiled "oh, what happened to you?" She asked looking at me
"She's pregnant" Steve repeated his voice cracking
I think Nats jaw actually hit the floor
"You're not supposed to be able to do the baby thing" she replied
"Well, apparently I can"
Pepper collapsed at my side on the couch and put her arms around me
"This is a good thing, isn't it?" She whispered
"I...I don't know"
Nat took a seat on the other side of me "you can totally handle this"
"Handle it?! I can hardly believe it" I was getting frazzled
"Shhh" Pepper soothed, rubbing my back
"She's pregnant" Steve burst out again, to know one in particular
"Look, I broke Captain America" I dropped my face into my hands
"He's fine" Bruce assured me "we just need to have a little man to man" he took Steve's arm "come on Steve"
They left the room, leaving just us girls
"So, how do you feel about this whole thing?" Nat asked
"I don't know...it's like" I struggled to make a comparison they would understand "it's like all your life you know that grass is green, that's what everyone tells you, and then all of the sudden, grass is blue" I looked up "oh my god! Grass is blue guys!!" I cried
"Oh girl, I always liked blue better anyway" Nat added
"Missing the point Nat" Pepper replied
I chuckled. We spent the afternoon talking about the positive side of having a baby and when my eyes became heavy they made sure I got to my room.
There was a know on the door "can I come in?" Steve's head popped around the door
"Of course" I smiled motioning for him to do so
He stepped into the room and had his hand up rubbing the back of his neck
"How are you?" He was being very cautious
"Alright, how are you?" I asked
"Can I be honest?" I nodded "I'm scared, I'm scared that there is a baby coming, I'm scared that you might be mad at me, I'm scared this might change things, but mostly I'm scared that you might be scared and there's nothing I can do about it"
I smiled "well, I am definitely not mad at you. I didn't even think this could happen. I hope that things don't change, I need you. And I am scared, but being a little scared together is better than being a lot scared alone"
He wrapped his arms around me and sighed "good"
I started to cry, I was silent but my body shook with the tears. Steve pulled me against him tighter
"Shh" he soothed "it's going to be alright"
I laid down on the bed and he followed, once again pulling me close to him with his arms
"I'm sorry" I whispered
"What for?"
"For this, for this situation, for this baby"
He pulled away to look at me "hey" he brushed my hair out of my face "this may not be ideal, or what either of us had planned, but you have no reason to be sorry, we got into this together and now were going to do it together"
"Really?"
"I promised you that I would never let anything bad happen to you, and I won't...I'm not going anywhere" his voice was reassuring and comforting. He pulled me into his chest again, holding my head. As I took a deep breath I closed my eyes and I feel asleep in his arms.

Notes