S: He is?

Natasha sighed and rolled her eyes.

S: Wha... I mean h-how?

N: Well, we had sex, Steve. I got pregnant and I had a child. That's basically how it works.

Tony: Excuse me? Okay ... Stop it. Now rewind this tape because my brain didn't understand that information.

Tony rubbed his eyes and then blinked his eyes several times and looked at Pepper.

T: Can you pinch me?

P: Stop, Tony! Let's go in, this is none of our business.

T: Of course it is. Do you really think I'll leave just after that?

Sharon reached the hallway and everyone was silent.

Sharon looked at Steve, who was still looking at Natasha, wanting more explanation.

S: And you tell me like that?

N: You asked!

S: Yes, because I wanted to know if he is mine.

N: Not yours, he's mine, you just put him inside me.

Bruce: I thought you told me you couldn't have children.

N: I thought so, but...

S: Natasha, is this serious?

Natasha sighed and took a step inside the room. Natasha threatened to close the door, but Steve pushed the door to open.

S: Why didn't you say anything?

N: Because it doesn't matter!

S: Doesn't matter? You...

Sharon: Steve?

Steve looked at Sharon and then at her belly. Sharon's gaze contained something different like sadness, shame, and a little of anger.

N: We don't have to talk about it right now.

S: Yes, we do!

Steve stared Natasha again.

N: I will not expose James more than that! And you should stop exposing your fiancée who is pregnant!

S: Let me in.

Sharon: Steve!

S: Sharon, I need to know. He is my son.

T: Hey! No, no. Am I the only one who thinks this conversation should continue here for everybody to hear?

P: Tony!

T: I have the right to hear this conversation.

P: No, you don't.

T: As far as I know, I can be James's father too.

Natasha took a deep breath and rolled her eyes.

T: And Bruce can be and that Steve's boyfriend, the guy without an arm too.

Bruce adjusted his glasses and shook his head.

B: But we never... There is not the slightest possibility.

T: I demand a DNA test.

P: Tony, come in right now, or tomorrow I'm going to the collective dormitory.

T: Okay, okay. But just to register that if it's mine, I'll assume the kid.

Tony came into the room with Pepper and Bruce also went back to his room.

Sharon continued to stand in the hallway, hoping that Steve would have the slightest regard for her and let this talk for another day, but no, Steve entered Natasha's room and closed the door.

S: I don't believe it.

N: So don't believe it!

S: Why did you take him away from me? Why didn't you tell me anything???

N: Low your voice, he's sleeping!

Natasha put James back on the bed and he grunted. Natasha caressed his face and then patted his butt until he stopped grunting and fell asleep again.

N: Hush... It's okay... hush...

Natasha sighed and stood up, she looked at Steve who was just judging the whole situation.

S: So?

N: I didn't take him away from you, I left that day without knowing that I was pregnant.

S: Why didn't you come back , when you found out that you were pregnant?

N: Because I didn't know what to do! I wanted to stop the pregnancy, I...

S: What? How could you...

N: Shut up, Steve, you don't know what that is. You don't know what is to be pregnant. I was terrified! I was sick for almost the entire pregnancy, I was still running away from US Government, the treat was still on. I heard about you and Sharon and about your engagement. Bucky found me and he said he was going to Russia, he was going to lose everything, and I went after him, but I fell into a trap. I had James while I was still in captivity, they took him from me and left me to die. If it wasn't for James... I mean, Bucky... I would be dead and James at the hands of the KGB and HIDRA.

Natasha's voice faltered and she held on to keep no tears from falling. Natasha feels a strong tightness in the chest every time she remembers how desperate it was to wake up already having gone through a birth without knowing and not even seeing the child.

S: You should have tried to warn me.

Natasha made negative with her head.

N: You got engaged, things got really complicated. Thanos's war had just begun. You need to understand that I needed to save James. He has always been the priority. I could not go back.

S: That's no reason to not tell me that I had a son and you had him and didn't come back here and when you came here, you said nothing about it.

N: I didn't want to ruin your life! You wanted me to call or send a letter saying, "Hey Steve, remember the night at the hotel in Germany we had? So... I got pregnant, they kidnapped me, took my son off me and by the way the son is yours! Congratulations on your engagement!" It wouldn't be easy to get your fiancée to understand a son out of your relationship.

S: How would a child ruin my life?

N: I told you to lower your voice!

Steve was red with anger and shaking his head.

S: You came back here and still didn't tell me! You didn't tell me, Natasha!

N: I thought you'd do the math and find out, or at least you would mistrust, but you did nothing and I decided it was best not to tell.

S: I would never imagine that you...

Steve was speechless, he took a deep breath.

S: I can't think of a plausible reason for why you didn't say it before.

N: I've already said my reasons, but it doesn't matter because this only concerns me.

S: Only concerns you???? He is my son!!

N: You weren't there, he doesn't know you!

S: Because of you!

N: Don't you dare blame me! He doesn't need you, we don't need you! We're okay so far, we don't have to change anything. You live your life and we will live ours!

S: Are you out of your mind? I am his father and he will know that!

They were both screaming at each other, and they stopped immediately when they heard James' cry, who had just woken up with the shouting.

Both Natasha and Steve approached him, but Steve stepped in front of Natasha and caught James in his lap.

S: Hi, champ. Why are you crying? It's all right.

James screamed even more, Natasha reached out to catch James, but Steve swerved, which made James nervous and Natasha furious.

N: What are you doing????

S: Calming my son!

N: You're not calming him, you're scaring him!

S: Hush... It's okay, James.

Steve kissed James' forehead, but James stretched his little arms to Natasha, wanting to go to her lap.

N: He doesn't know you, Steve! He woke up in fright, he will not calm down with you.

Steve looked at James and rocked him slightly from side to side, to try to calm him, but there was no point.

James was still calling for his mother and crying.

Steve handed James to Natasha.

Natasha picked James and kissed his forehead.

N: It's okay, James. Mommy's here, you're fine. Hush, hush...

James stopped crying and just closed his eyes, but continued to grumble.

Natasha looked at Steve and noticed that there was tears in his eyes.

N: Steve?

Steve made negative with his head.

S: How am I going to fix this for James? I feel the worst man on earth, now.

N: You don't have to do this.

Natasha sighed.

N: Steve, your life doesn't have to change. You don't have to do anything for James.

S: I do have.

N: Steve...

S: If you try to run away with him... if you try to push him away from me, I swear I'll hunt you.

Natasha frowned, feeling offended. How dare he?

N: You would never find me! Do not threaten me!

S: I'm... I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Nat. I'm not threatening you. I just... I'm frustrated and nervous.

Steve ran a hand over his face, still showing how worried and apparently remorseful he was for not being a present father for James.

Natasha watched Steve and she wanted to stay in the defensive posture, but it was hard to see Steve blaming himself like that, it was precisely this, that she didn't want to happen.

N: You didn't know, okay? You didn't know about him. You're not guilty.

S: I'm not sure of anything, right now.

N: Steve? Look at me.

Natasha walked over to Steve and laid a hand on his face.

S: I'm angry, Nat.

N: I know. You have the right to feel this way.

S: You don't want him around me? Why?

Steve finally looked at Natasha and asked frankly.

Natasha slid her thumb across Steve's face and made negative with her head.

N: I just don't want to mess up your life.

S: You won't. I love children.

N: I know, but...

Natasha sighed.

N: It won't be easy.

S: Why do you say that?

N: Steve, Sharon is pregnant, she won't accept you having another child.

S: I think she's okay with that, you don't know her, she'll understand.

Natasha slid her hand down Steve's cheek to his chin, then she stepped away from him.

N: It's complicated, Steve. She is engaged to you, she is pregnant and we all confined here in this bunker. Emotions are stronger than before, she may look fine with that, but I'm sure she's not.

S: I know her, she loves children, she'll love James.

N: I don't want you to force her to accept him.

S: He's part of me, she'll love him too.

Steve ran his hand through James' hair, who was already sleeping on Natasha's lap again.

N: Are you sure about that?

S: Yes, I am. Don't worry, I'd better go now...

N: Yes.

S: She's waiting for me...

Natasha nodded. Steve leaned over Natasha just to kiss James' face, which was on Natasha's shoulder.

The nearness of Steve's face to Natasha's, made her sigh softly and close her eyes for a moment. She misses him so much, she miss his kisses and his touches.

Steve could feel Natasha's breath hitting his face and the warm air was like a kind of magnet that kept his face in the same place.

Natasha doesn't know if her face has moved forward without her noticing, or if Steve has moved his face involuntarily close to hers, but there was only a few millimeters of distance between Natasha's lips and Steve's face, but Natasha knows that it was her who took the initiative to press her lips against Steve's face, but it was he who slid his face until Natasha's lips touch the corner of his mouth.

Natasha was about to catch Steve's lower lip in hers, but Steve walked away and walked to the door.

N: Steve?

Steve opened the door and stopped.

Steve didn't looked back to see Natasha.

N: I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I should have.

Steve nodded.

S: All right. Good night.

N: Good night.

Steve left the room and closed the door.

Steve was walking down the aisles of the Bunker, on the way to his bedroom, thinking about James and Natasha, about what they went out there and he did nothing to help. Steve was alson thinking what was that moment inside Natasha's room, he almost kissed her, and he doesn't know if it was an accident like when they slept together or if he really wished to kiss her. It can't be, he loves Sharon, Natasha is his friend, it's just that, it's just that... Steve decided not to think about that, it was nothing, he is more worried about James.

I have a son of a year and a half who doesn't know who I am. Steve still felt devastated when he entered the room.

Steve switched on the lamp, to not wake Sharon, but as he lit the room a little, he noticed that Sharon was sitting up in bed, wide awake.

S: I didn't know you were awake.

Sharon: How could I sleep?

Steve didn't understand the accusatory tone in Sharon's voice, he sighed and started to take off his clothes, he didn't want to think about it now. The discovery of the night still weighed on his shoulders.

Sharon: Aren't you going to say anything?

S: What do you mean?

Sharon: Steve! She said in front of everyone that she has a child with you!

S: Sharon, we were at the beginning of our relationship.

Sharon: No, we were not. At that time you just gave me one kiss, Steve. We weren't having a real relationship.

S: So it wasn't betrayal?

Sharon: Now it was!

S: I don't understand.

Sharon: We weren't dating, but if you thought we were, that makes you a cheater. You thought we were dating and still went to bed with another woman.

S: Sharon, that was a long time ago.

Sharon: How do you think I'm feeling, Steve? Tell me? What will everyone say?

S: I... I don't know, but they have no right to judge. Why are you worried about what people will say? You always told me to not care about others talk about me.

Sharon: It's different!

S: Sharon, I don't want to fight. Not today. Can we talk about this tomorrow?

Sharon just took a deep breath and lay down on the bed and turned her back to Steve. Steve lay down next to Sharon and looked at her, then stared at the ceiling of the room.

S: I'm sorry for arguing in front of everyone.

Sharon: It was humiliating.

S: It wasn't my intention. I just... I have a son, Sharon... I just found out that I am a father. My world just turned upside down. I lost my mind and...

Sharon: Fuck it! I don't want to know.

S: Sharon?

Sharon: I don't want to know! You can have your father and son relationship with him, but don't do this to me, Steve. I don't want to be part of it, it's not as simple as you think.

S: I thought you liked James.

Sharon: It has nothing to do with James, he's not guilty for having parents like you and Natasha. This has to do with me and with you, we will be a family and everything is very confused now. Everything will change.

S: Sharon, nothing's going to change.

Sharon: Everything has already changed.

Steve decided not to insist on this conversation. Sharon is hurt and angry, but she is a lovely person, next day she will feel better and change her mind. That's what Steve thought.

...

The next morning, Steve woke up alone in bed. Steve already knows that Sharon went to work and wouldn't even eat breakfast for being angry at him.

Sharon left a note warning Steve of the baby's appointment.

Steve took a shower, got dressed and left the room, he went to refectory and didn't see Natasha with James in line and not even sitting at tables.

Maria Hill was getting up from one of the tables. Steve approached her.

S: Hill, did Natasha come to have breakfast with James?

H: No, I'm taking her something to eat now.

S: Why? Dining in the dorm is only if someone is sick.

H: Yes.

S: Is she sick?

H: No, James is.

S: What???

H: Yes. Your son. Congratulations daddy. I just wanted to say that I already knew about that. Do you want to take this to her? I'm kinda busy this morning.

S: Yes.

Steve picked up the bowl and headed for Natasha's room, he knocked on the door and waited.

N: Come in.

Steve opened the door and saw no one in the room, then he noticed bathroom's door open.

S: Natasha?

N: Steve?

S: Hill asked me to bring food for you. I heard about James. What happened?

Steve stayed in the bedroom because he didn't know if it was Natasha who was taking a shower or James, but he could hear James' crying.

N: It's a... a fever.

Natasha turned off the shower and looked around the bathroom.

N: I think I left the towel on the bed.

Steve looked at the bed and picked up the towel.

S: It's here. Can I enter there?

N: Yes.

Steve opened the bathroom door and handed the towel to Natasha.

Natasha wrapped James in the towel and went into the bedroom with him.

S: What does he have?

N: I don't know.

S: Let's go to the clinic.

N: Not yet.

Natasha laid James on bed and dried him.

N: Easy, James, the more you cry, the worse your headache will be.

Natasha put clothes on James and then put him on her lap. Steve sat next to Natasha on the bed and slipped the towel through James' hair to dry it more.

Natasha looked at Steve.

N: It's not the first time he has a fever. Usually passes after a cold shower.

S: Why didn't you call me?

N: He is not dying or anything, Steve. I can handle a fever. If he doesn't improve, I'll take him to the clinic.

S: I just wanted to help.

N: You can help by holding him so I can eat.

Natasha stood with James and placed him on Steve's lap. James looked at Natasha and then threatened to cry.

Natasha took his pacifier from the bookshelf and placed it on James's lips.

N: It's okay, I'm here, James.

James calmed down and then looked at Steve. Steve looked at him and smiled.

S: Are you feeling bad, champ?

Natasha picked up the bowl and sat on the only chair in the room to eat, and while she was eating, she watched as James reached out to touch Steve's beard.

S: You like my beard, right? Will you have one when you grow up? You can have a big, or a sparse, or just the mustache or who knows only the goatee...

James looked at Steve and listened to his conversation as if it made some sense for him.

Natasha was eating and didn't realize she was smiling as she watched them together.

The only person who was not smiling now was Sharon who was in the clinic, waiting for Steve to start the baby's appointment.

- Miss Carter, we need to start, we have a lineup of people to attend to, today. Or we can schedule for the end of the day.

Sharon: No, I will do now.

Sharon glanced at the door once more, hopingSteve would arrive, but he didn't. 

**Well, I can't blame Sharon for being mad and I can't blame Steve, for wanting to know better his son, so... What do you think?**