Neither Steve nor Natasha were wide awake, sleep was present, but the will to touch was as well. During the night, Steve slipped his hand from Natasha's face to her belly, still sniffing her neck. Natasha made a point of leaning her body against Rogers's.

Steve rested his lips on the back of Natasha's neck and she bent her neck and turned her face a little in the direction of Steve, he took advantage of that and kissed right below Natasha's ear and he gave another kiss lower than that one, which made Natasha gradually turn her body for him.

The kisses went on and Natasha was still turning her body, until they reached the point where they were both staring at each other.

Natasha put her hand on Steve's face and lifted her head a bit, reaching Steve's lips with hers. Steve didn't reject the kiss this time, instead of that, he placed his upper lip between hers and kissed Natasha's lower lip gently then He slowly opened her mouth with his lip.

Steve slipped his tongue into Natasha's mouth and stroked her tongue willingly. Natasha, then, slid her nails lightly over Steve's neck until she reached the back of his neck.

Steve was sinking his tongue more and more inside Natasha's mouth, trying to feel the full extension of her mouth. She was like a drug, which he is addicted to and has been a time deprived of that pleasure and now that he is having access again, he can't stop, he needs more, much more of that. Much more of her.

They didn't notice the time passing, their mouths didn't stop working, it was when their breathing began to be altered and scarce, which made them finally dissociate their lips, but only for a few seconds, because their mouths attract like magnets and soon they were giving short kisses, until they began to caress each other's tongue again and each time with more intensity.

Steve didn't notice that he was almost bending over Natasha, she placed a hand on his chest and pushed him lightly, she moved her lips away from his.

N: Steve...

Steve opened his eyes, he was even feeling confused.

N: I... I'm sorry... we can't do it.

S: I know... I know, of course, but it is just so hard.

Steve was already sticking his lips to hers again.

N: For me too... believe me.

Natasha said as she received Steve's kisses. Steve took a deep breath and lay with his belly up, Natasha noticed his condition, he was really horny, she could see on his underwear.

Natasha lay on her side and caressed Steve's belly, fingering the outline of his definite tan. Natasha slid her hand into Steve's shorts.

N: I can help you with that.

She whispered to him.

S: No... it's okay.

N: Are you sure?

Natasha slid her hand down to Rogers's cock and grabbed it firmly, Steve spasmed feeling her touch, then he took her hand.

S: No, don't do that.

N: You want it.

S: I want to, but you can't have any work right now, because of the babies, Natasha...

Natasha sighed.

N: Okay.

Steve looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath.

S: I was doing well, you know?

Natasha looked at him, not understanding.

S: Without y, I mean... I was fine, I thought I wouldn't feel anything for you again.

N: It's okay.

S: It's not. Not for me.

Natasha laid her hand on Steve's face and he looked into her eyes.

N: I repeat what I said. I want both of us together.

S: But I don't want to. Not anymore.

N: I know. You're scared and suspicious, so am I. I don't trust myself or my feelings.

S: Feelings?

Natasha nodded.

N: I have them... for you... I missed you all those days you disappeard and I've been thinking a lot about you.

S: Natasha...

Steve sighed.

N: Seriously. I don't see a reason for us not to be together... I mean... we love each other.

S: Do you love me?

Natasha looked at him and sighed, she knows she does love him, but it's so hard to admit it, she's afraid to say it today and tomorrow the feeling disappear like magic, it's happened before with other guys.

S: That silence of yours... you are in doubt.

N: No, I'm not. I love you, Steve. I'm so sure right now. I'm just afraid of how I'm going to feel tomorrow, or next week, or the week after that. I hate myself for it, but I really want to stay with you and the kids, don't push me away again

S: They've been through a lot, Nat.

N: I know! I know!

S: I don't want them to get their hopes high and then crushed....

N: I agree with you, but I think we could try, you and me, try to be togehter without saying anything to them. What do you think?

S: And if it doesn't work out, I'll be the one to be hurt the most.

N: Maybe.

Natasha was honest.

Steve looked away briefly, then he stared at Natasha again. She is being honest about the uncertainties she has, and he may refuse to try something with her again right now, but if he says that he doesn't want to try again, he would be lying for her and for himself.

S: We will not be a couple, we can try to understand each other. Calmly. We shouldn't even kiss or have sex...

N: Okay.

S: Okay?

Natasha nodded and kissed Steve's cheek.

N: Whatever you want... I'll do it.

Steve looked at her, sighed, and smiled a little.

S: Let's sleep.

Natasha laid her head on Steve's shoulder and hugged his waist. Steve stroked Natasha's belly until they fell asleep again.

...

The next morning, Sarah awoke, thinking she was still in her old apartment, she left her room, searching for her father and she got lost inside the house, because it was much bigger than the apartment.

Sarah got terrified and began to grumble and call for Steve.

James heard Sarah crying in the hallway and stood up, he opened his bedroom door.

J: Sarah. What are you doing?

James yawned.

J: Go back to sleep.

Sarah: I want my daddy.

J: He's asleep.

Sarah: Where?

J: Upstairs. Stop crying.

Sarah: I want to go there.

J: So go.

Sarah: I'm afraid.

J: Afraid of what? Mom is there too.

Sarah: I don't want to go alone, Jamie.

J: Jesus!!!

James was annoyed, but he took Sarah's hand and led her up the stairs.

Because the house is big and new, Sarah doesn't have the courage to walk alone there.

James opened the door for Steve's room, they both saw their parents lying together and hugging each other.

James raised his eyebrows, surprised and then he smiled.

Sarah: Dadd...

James covered Sarah's mouth, but Steve and Natasha heard her voice, so the two of them opened their eyes slowly.

Steve lifted his head a bit and looked at the children.

S: James? Sarah...

Steve whispered and yawned.

S: Wh-what happened, princess?

J: Nothing!

S: Did she have a bad dream?

J: No! No! She's fine, she's alright.

Steve looked at Sarah.

S: Is that so? Are you scared?

Sarah: No, daddy.

S: Why are you out of bed?

J: We... we are playing.

S: Not on the stairs, I hope.

J: No, we're already coming down.

Steve frowned, James shoved Sarah out of the room and closed the door.

J: They're together!!!!

James jumped excitedly.

Sarah: I want to be with them.

J: No, Sarah. Leave them alone.

Sarah: But I don't want to be alone. I want my mommy and I want my daddy.

J: No, Sarah!

Sarah: Yes, Sarah!

J: You can stay with me. Okay?

Sarah agreed to stay in James' room.

Steve looked at Natasha.

S: What are they thinking now?

N: It doesn't matter...

Natasha shrugged.

N: We don't have to confirm anything.

Natasha frowned, with the kick she'd taken from the twins, she grimaced and Steve almost did acrobatics on the bed, he sat down and looked at her with concern.

N: Steve, they just kicked, that's all!

S: God.

Steve stroked Natasha's belly and sighed.

S: I'm going to the bakery to buy something for our breakfast.

N: Not now.

S: Huh?

N: I want to stay in bed with you, just a little bit longer. And also, because I need a good massage on my feet.

Natasha lifted her foot, Steve smiled and lay in the opposite direction of Natasha, he kissed her foot and massaged it.

...

A few weeks passed, Natasha didn't feel pain in her belly any more, so she didn't see the need to tell Steve about it, she was already in her seventh month and she was not feeling any sick with the pregnancy.

By the way, Steve and Natasha relationship emproved a lot since their talk about the love they feel for each other, but they were still taking things very slow, once in a while they ended up making out, but they were learning how to be friends and intimate again.

On a certain day... Steve, Natasha and the kids were having breakfast together, how they used to do now living in the same house.

James was already in his baseball uniform.

S: James, remember to run with your chin up, looking where you are going so you don't lose your focus.

J: I don't even know if they'll let me play today.

S: Of course they will.

J: I always stay in the bench.

Sarah: I don't want to go, it's very boring!

S: So you stay with your mother and Laura who should be arriving at anytime.

N: Uh-uh, not with me, I'll go to the game.

S: Natasha...

J: She promised!

N: I promised and it's the last game of the season before the holidays, of course I'll be there.

Steve couldn't argue, he knew it would be useledd.

After the breakfast, they waited for Laura to arrive to stay with Sarah and then they took James to the game.

When they got there, Natasha ducked to look at James.

N: Can you make a point for me?

James smiled and nodded.

J: If I get into the game.

N: You will.

James's coach whistled and he ran to join the team.

S: Go, James!!!

Steve whistled and clapped his hands.

James slammed his face, feeling ashamed.

Steve took Natasha's hand and helped her up to the bleachers. They sat down and Natasha stared at Steve.

N: Can you get some popcorn for me?

S: Yes.

N: And a hot dog?

S: Okay.

N: And some soda?

S: Alright!

Steve stepped away to buy food and soon Sam Wilson arrived at the bleachers, wearing a shirt printed with the picture of James on it.

Natasha shook her head as Sam nodded and approached.

Sam: Hey, Nat! Look, look, look... team James! What do you think about that? Am I the best godfather or what!! GOOOO JAMEEEES!!!

Sam stood beside Natasha, screaming.

Sam: Hey! Hey! That boy over there... the redhead! He is my godson! The best of the team!!!

N: My God Sam, don't do this, he barely plays!

Steve noticed Sam's presence from the tent, he started to laugh, and after grabbing Natasha's lunch, he returned to the bleachers.

Steve handed the lunch to Natasha and greeted Sam.

Sam: Go, James! Go James! Go James!

Natasha was dying of shame and the worst part was that Steve stood with Sam, doing the same thing.

The game started, but James stayed on the bench.

Steve and Sam were forced to sit down when the other parents complained that they needed to watch too.

James only entered the game when one of the players was injured and he came in to replace him.

Sam, Steve, and even Natasha stood up, clapping their hands, celebrating James' entry into the game.

James looked at his parents and this time he looked nervous. Natasha noticed and smiled at him, who smiled back.

The game continued and James' team was losing with a huge difference, and near the end of the game, James finally got the chance to score a point.

N: Oh God. It's now!

S: You can do it, James!

Sam: You two, shut up, I'm nervous!

Sam had his cap on his mouth.

S: Just run, James, just run!

N: He can't hear you, Steve!

James remembered what the coach told him, and what Steve said at the time of the breakfast, he kept staring at where he should run, he took a deep breath and started running. James managed to get to the set point and scored the point for the team, although the team had already lost the game anyway.

Natasha, Steve and Sam started jumping and celebrating as if the team had won the game, because it didn't matter to them, what mattered was that their son finally got a point and Natasha knows how much he wanted to do it.

James looked at his parents and Sam and started to laugh, he ran to the fence and no one understood why they were so happy.

Steve and Sam approached the fence as well, to congratulate James.

Sam: This is my boy! My boy!!! Good job, James!

S: We're so proud of you, James.

J: Thank you. I made the point for you, Mom. Mom?

James thought Natasha would have come to the fence too, so he looked for her and he broke the smile when he saw Natasha grimacing at the bleanchers.

Steve and Sam also looked at Natasha, and they saw her with the hand on her belly and an expression of pain in her face. James ran to go out of the camp and reach his parents.

Steve and Sam were supporting Natasha, who could barely move.

The other parents who were present also came to help.

- There's an ambulance right there at the entrance.

S: Come on, Nat, it's okay.

Steve and Sam carried Natashaand James followed them. The nurse noticed them approaching and then opened the ambulance doors.

- Hi. How many months is she pregnant?

The nurse asked, while helping to place Natasha on the stretcher.

S: Seven, I think.

- Her belly is huge, even for seven months, are they twins or something like that?

S: Yes, twins.

- Okay...

The nurse stared at Natasha and started to test her reflections.

- Hey, what is your name?

N: Na-Natasha.

Natasha answered with difficulty.

- Hello, Natasha, my name is Claire, I'm' here to help you, okay? Have the pains started now?

S: Yes.

N: No...

Natasha took a deep breath. Steve looked at her.

N: I felt something like that a few weeks ago...

S: What???

N: It was not that strong.

S: You didn't say anything...

Claire: Okay, okay. It's going to be okay, this looks like a contraction now. Who will accompany us?

S: Me.

J: Mom?

S: James, you stay here with Sam. Behave yourself, please.

Steve got into the ambulance and asked Claire to go to the hospital where Natasha has been following up with. Claire passed the instructions to the driver and then checked Natasha's dilation.

Claire: She's not even a little dilated. It's a little early for these babies to come out.

S: Jesus!

Claire: Calm down, it's gonna be okay!

Claire rushed the ambulance driver, being twins she wouldn't be able to perform the delivery alone, even more that Natasha had no dilation.

Natasha screamed in pain.

S: What's happening?

Claire: I'm not sure.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the hospital, and it was looking like a movie scene, many patients and people waiting for care. It seems that there was a serious accident in a building near the hospital and everyone was sent there.

Cho approached Steve.

Cho: Steve!

S: Cho!

Cho: You have to go to another hospital, it's very full here. It's a mess!

S: Cho, you know that only you can take care of her.

Cho: I know, but I needed at least one nurse to help me, they're all busy now, I'm going with you to another hospital.

N: There is no time!!!!

Natasha screamed, then she almost fainted.

N: Get this off me, please, it hurts so much! Get this off!

Natasha said in a weak voice and screamed in pain again.

Claire: I'm a nurse. I'm experienced. I can help.

Cho: Do you have experience with preterm birth?

Claire grinned.

Claire: I have experience with everything you can imagine and also with what you can not imagine.

Cho: Great! Let's go to the elevator.

Cho helped Claire push the stretcher to the elevator, as they reached the floor of the operating room, Cho stopped and made Steve stop.

Cho: Wait here.

S: What? I can't stay here.

Cho: Steve, this was not supposed to be happening right now, we'll have an emergency delivery, you're wearing common clothes, the risk of contamination is high. Wait here, as soon as possible we will call you.

Steve took a deep breath and rubbed his face, he nodded and Cho entered the surgical center with Claire and Natasha.

Steve couldn't sit down, he paced the corridor from side to side, he was so worried that he almost invaded the operating room, at least four times.

Time passed and no one went out to give any news. Three hours later, Maria Hill was arriving by the elevator, she approached Steve.

H: Rogers.

S: Hill!

H: Any news?

S: No. I'm going crazy here!

Hill pulled out of the bag, a bottle of whisky. Steve stared at the bootle.

S: No, it has no effect on me.

H: Who said it is for you?

Hill frowned and drank the whisky.

Hill crossed her arms and sat on the bench, she crossed her legs and looked very calm.

S: Why are you calm like this?

H: Why are you nervous like this? You've been through this twice. She'll be fine.

S: But there are two at the same time, this time.

H: She's going to suffer a little more then.

Steve looked at Hill. Hill rolled her eyes.

H: I'm just kidding, she will not suffer, we're in a hospital. They'll anesthetize her. Are you relieved now?

Hill and Steve noticed a team of doctors and nurses entering the operating room.

H: Steve, stay calm, okay? Maybe it's not even for Natasha, the hospital is packed.

S: No one else came in here.

H: But they could already be here before you arrived.

Steve took a deep breath and finally sat down next to Hill.

One hour later, Clint and Fury passed by the hospital to hear news but Steve still had nothing to say. Clint and Fury had to go away, but Hill stayed with Steve in the waiting area for hours.

After a long 8-hour wait, Cho appeared in the waiting area. Hill was already dozing on the bench, she woke when Steve got up. S: So?

Cho sighed.

Cho: Look, she's fine!

Steve sighed.

S: And the babies?

Cho: Well... I need to talk to you in private, Steve.

S: Something wrong?

Cho: Come with me.

S: You can say in front of Hill, I can't go alone right now.

Cho: It's a bit complicated, they were born pretty earlier.

H: Are they...?

Hill wanted to ask if they were dead or something, but she didn't have the courage to say the word.

Cho: They're alive, yes.

Steve and Hill finally breathed again. Both relieved.

Cho: But it's not that simple.

S: What do you mean?

Cho: We did the delivery, the umbilical cord was around the neck of one of the babies, he was like purple, I thought he was dead, we did our best and we managed to revive him.

S: But that's a good thing, isn't it?

Cho: Yes, but they are very fragile right now and if I say they are out of risk, I will be lying.

S: I don't understand.

Cho: For now, Steve, you should calm down. Natasha will need you.

S: I want to see my children.

Cho: It's not possible yet.

H: Why not???

Cho: They are in the incubator, in the ICU, they are very small and fragile, I believe they don't have the serum, their lives are hanging by a thread, Steve. I'm so sorry.

Steve put his hand to his mouth and took a deep breath.

S: What are their chances?

Cho: I can't say anything now, we'll have to wait and see if they react with time. I can assure you that they already are being well taken care of.

S: Can I... Can I see Natasha, then?

Cho: Yes, in an hour she'll be in room 203 on the second floor.

S: Thank you, Cho.

Steve and Hill went down to the second floor, when Natasha arrived, they were already in the room.

Natasha was still numb.

Hill: Steve, I need to go now, but I'll be back tomorrow as soon as I can.

S: Okay, Hill. Thank you.

H: It'll be all right, okay?

Hill touched Steve's shoulder, he looked at her gratefully, but he didn't have the strength to smile. Hill left.

Steve sighed, looking at Natasha and then he called Sam's cell phone to know about James, and Sam reported that he left James at home with Laura and that him and Sarah were fine. Sam offered to go to the hospital, but Steve refused, he ended the call and call home, he asked Laura to spent the night there and she agreed immediately.

Steve did not sleep all night. He sat on the couch and could only pray that the twins would be all right.

Early in the morning, Natasha opened her eyes and sighed. Steve was just dozing, but he heard the noise of her moving and then got up.

Steve approached her bed and took Natasha's hand, she looked at him.

S: Hey...

N: Hey.

Natasha whispered

S: How are you feeling?

Natasha looked at Steve and studied him, then she frowned.

N: Steve?

Steve didn't say anything.

N: You're sad.

S: No...

Steve shook his head and he tried to disguise.

N: You're sad! You're sad... why are you sad?

Natasha looked around and didn't see the babies.

N: Steve? Why are you sad??

Natasha's heartbeats got faster, she was getting agitaded and desperate.

Natasha also grabbed Steve's arm and he was trying to calm her down.

N: What happened???

Steve sighed and looked away, Natasha's heart never hit so fast and she started to scream.

N: Jesus, Steve! Why you don't say anything??? Where are the babies?? Where are my children???