Steve leads the way down the dimly lit corridor, his shield strapped to his back, and his movements precise and silent. Behind him is his son, suited up and ready for whatever comes their way. Their first real mission together.
It’s terrifying.
Steve had been unsure about taking his son out on a mission, let alone one that involved Hydra, but Peter claimed he was ready. Peter’s been training hard with Steve and other team members, ensuring he would gain the right skill set to aid him in any future missions.
Tony was meant to be Steve’s partner for this particular mission, but with him tied up in an important investment meeting in London, Steve was left to figure out his backup. Sam and Bucky were already working on an assignment in Washington and Natasha was helping Fury with something in Russia. With three of his best choices tied up, Steve almost considered going alone. He could handle Hydra. But Tony insisted he bring someone and that someone ended up being their son.
It wasn’t that Steve didn’t want to bring his son along with him, he was worried about him. Steve may be Captain America, but he was a father first, and he vowed the moment he held Peter for the first time that he’d never let anything happen to him. He was going to make sure he always kept that promise, especially now.
“You know,” Peter whispers, “sneaking through evil underground bunkers wasn’t how I imagined our first mission together.”
“You imagined it?” Steve asks, his voice quiet and focused.
“Yeah. I thought maybe we’d fight side by side on a rooftop, dramatic music playing, sunset in the background. Boom! Father-son Avengers moment.”
“I think you watch too many movies.”
Peter chuckles. “Guilty. Hey! Have you ever seen that really old movie—”
A clatter echoes down the hall and they both freeze. Steve holds one hand up, signaling Peter to stop. Steve creeps forward, peering around the corner. Two Hydra soldiers are posted at a reinforced door.
“What are they guarding?” Peter keeps his voice low, but he still manages to startle his father. “Sorry, sorry. I thought you knew I was behind you? Oh wait, you don’t have the tingle.”
“Don’t sneak up on me,” Steve scolds. He turns back toward the soldiers. “That’s the server room. We need that data.”
“You want me to take the left or the right?”
“You stay behind me.”
Peter groans. “Papa, come on. I can handle this!”
Steve turns to look at his son, not as a teammate, but as a father. “I know you can but handling it and surviving it are two different things. Let me draw their fire then you move in fast. Understood?”
Peter nods and forces his frustration down. Steve rounds the corner, his shield up. A loud thunk echoes as the shield slams into the first guard. With the distraction in place, Peter zips in, webbing the second guard before he can draw his weapon.
“Whoa that was awesome! We make a good team!”
Steve grimaces slightly as he adjusts his stance, a sharp pain catching him off guard. He hides it behind a grunt and shifts the shield over his back.
“We’re not done yet.” Steve’s voice is firm, but there’s an edge to it. He steps toward the doors and forces them open with more effort than usual.
Inside the room are rows of servers, screens displaying maps and weapons schematics. Steve approaches one of the monitors and retrieves the flash drive he was instructed to use to download the data. Another wave of discomfort hits, low and tight across his abdomen. He clenches his jaw.
“Do you got it, Pops? Sometimes you have it the wrong way and—”
“I got this, Pete. I’m not that old,” Steve snaps a little sharper than he means to. He huffs and shifts his weight, trying to breathe through the pain that’s coming in waves.
Peter holds his hands up and steps back. “Sorry, my bad. I’ll just…”
Peter wanders around the room, looking at all the different monitors. “What kind of stuff are they hiding here?”
“Highly classified.”
Steve works as fast as he can, knowing damn well more of Hydra’s men were in the base. The objective was simple: download the encrypted files on the flash drive and get out before being spotted. Steve’s done similar jobs in the past. Only this time he has a sixteen year old with him.
While Steve is busy focusing on his assignment, Peter takes to looking around, his curiosity piqued. It’s not every day he gets to explore a secret, underground bunker full of evil bad guys. He never imagined his first real Avengers mission to be anything like this. He couldn’t wait to vlog about it later.
Something catches his eye and he walks over to investigate. His fingers hover over a glowing blue panel beside one of the screens. “I wonder what this does,” he mutters to himself, then taps it lightly.
Red lights flash across the room, sirens begin to wail, and the screen he touched flickers before displaying a countdown in bold red letters: Security Breach. Lockdown Initiated.
Steve’s head snaps up. “Peter—”
“I didn’t mean to!” Peter throws his hands up. He scrambles to web the panel shut in an attempt to fix it. “I didn’t know it would do that!”
Steve yanks the flash drive out of the terminal and bolts towards the doors. “Forget it. We need to move.”
But before he can reach the exit, the doors begin to close. Steve grabs his shield and tosses it at them, but the doors shut and his shield fails to wedge between the metal.
“Damn it,” Steve mutters a curse and picks up his shield.
“I can help!” Peter rushes over and together they try to pry the doors open, only to no avail. “Why are these so heavy!” Peter grunts, using all his strength to push.
Steve backs away and scans over the doors, trying to find a weak spot, but these doors were built to keep Hydra’s secrets from getting out.
“What do we do now?” Peter asks, a slight panic in his tone. “How do we get out of here?”
“Call your dad. I’m gonna…” Steve winces and places a hand over his belly, feeling the muscles tighten under his fingertips. He tries to think of a backup plan, but between the intense pain and the panicked rambling from his son, he finds it hard to focus.
Steve steps away from the door and toward the monitors, needing something sturdy to hold onto. His legs tremble, threatening to give out at any moment. He grips the edges of the desk tightly, beads of sweat forming over his brow.
“I’m too young to die!” Peter continues to panic. “I told Ned we’d hang out at his place tomorrow night but I can’t if I’m dead! Oh God I haven’t even kissed MJ yet!”
“Peter!” Steve snaps. Peter jolts and immediately grows quiet, looking over with wide eyes. Steve exhales shakily, trying to compose himself. “I need you to breathe. We’re not going to die. But I need you to call your dad. Now.”
Peter fumbles for his comm, his fingers trembling. “Right, right. Calling him now. Karen?”
“Hello, Peter,” Karen replies.
“H-hey. So I think my papa is hurt and now we’re stuck in this evil lair. Can you call my dad please?”
“Of course. But first, do you mind if I run a body scan over your papa to check for injuries?”
“Yeah. That’d be great!” Peter turns toward his father. He frowns when he finds him sagging against the console with one hand pressed tightly to his belly. “Karen, he doesn’t look so good. He’s not dying is he!”
“No,” Karen replies, her voice a lot calmer than Peter expected. “I am detecting another heartbeat.”
“But it’s just us in here.” Peter looks around the room.
“Peter,” Steve pants harshly, his face contorting into pain. “Call your dad. Something’s–”
“He’s what!” Peter cries out, spinning around to face Steve. “Why didn’t you tell me you’re having another baby!”
Steve frowns. “What?”
“Karen told me! She says you’re in labor!”
“Son of a bitch,” Steve mutters. Another sharp pain washes over him, this one so intense it nearly knocks the air from his lungs. Now it was all starting to make sense. He had been feeling off all morning, but had chalked it all up from stress. He’s starting to wonder if all those months ago when he had been sick to his stomach weren't job related at all. He’s no stranger to the excruciating pain from contractions. He may not have experienced them for sixteen years, but he’ll never forget them.
“Dad!” Peter exclaims, snapping Steve’s attention back to him. “Thank God! We’re stuck! There’s–yeah, the door’s sealed. We, er, I triggered something, and now papa is having a baby!”
Steve tunes out the rest, focusing on keeping calm and controlling his breathing. The contractions are coming closer together and stronger.
“Pete,” Steve says, softer this time. “I need you to listen to me.”
Peter turns back, still on the call but focused on his other father now.
“If I pass out–”
“What do you mean if you pass out!”
Steve opens his mouth, but another contraction hits. He braces against the desk, groaning low through gritted teeth.
“Holy shit! You’re really having a baby!”
Steve glares through the pain. “Apparently.”
Peter glances at the door, then back to Steve. “You are the most hardcore person I know and this is not okay! What should I do? What do I–do you need like towels or something!”
Steve groans again, this time into his hand. “Please…stop talking.”
Steve barely hears Peter’s frantic ramblings anymore. His whole focus narrows to the pain and the pressure building in his lower back and abdomen. His knees buckle, and he lowers himself to the floor.
Peter drops down to Steve’s side immediately. “What do I do? Papa, talk to me! Oh my God, please don’t die!”
Another contraction tears through Steve, and this time he can’t muffle the guttural groan tha escapes him. His hands clutch the floor as he tries to breathe.
“I-I think the baby’s coming,” Peter stammers, his voice going an octave higher. “I mean, obviously, but like…it’s really happening, isn’t it?”
Steve gives a small nod.
“I don’t–I’ve only watched like one birth video and it was in health class and I passed out before the crowning!”
“Peter,” Steve gasps. “Focus. I need you.”
“Dad’s on his way!”
“I know, but he’s not here right now and this baby isn’t waiting.”
Peter nods his head furiously. “Okay, okay. You’re not gonna do this alone. You got this!”
Another contraction begins to build, this one so strong, it causes Steve to cry out. He wraps his arms around his midsection, his eyes squeezing tight in an attempt to hold back the tears, but the pain worsens, and he can’t hold back the tears anymore.
He tries to stay calm to keep Peter from freaking out. It was bad enough they were locked behind Hydra walls without anyone to help.
Steve pants harshly, the pain coming in relentless waves. A deep pressure in his pelvis makes itself known and he gasps, his eyes going wide.
“I don’t like this…”
“Pete, listen to me. Call your dad back and stay connected to him.”
“Okay, okay.”
“But I need you to wait by the door. This baby is coming now.” Steve winces, releasing another grunt when the next contract hits.
“Got it!” Peter scrambles to his feet and rushes over to the door, turning away so his back is to Steve. “Do you got this?”
Steve huffs. “I've done this before.”
Like clockwork,the next contraction begins to build, starting in his lower back and wrapping around his middle. The urge to push comes with it, followed by his water finally breaking. There’s a bit of relief, but it doesn’t last for long, and with his water broken, the contractions take hold of him in a firm grasp.
His body seizes, a yelp slipping past his lips. Peter glances over, only to turn away when Steve screams in agony.
With trembling fingers, Steve reaches down and unbuckles his belt, letting it fall to his side. He slides his pants down to his ankles and spreads his legs as wide as he can. He pushes when he feels the urge, his chin resting against his chest and eyes screwed shut as he focuses. He holds it for as long as he can, then once he becomes too tired, he eases off, his breathing harsh and labored.
“Papa?” Peter asks, still standing with his back turned. “Karen says you need to push with the contractions. Don’t waste your energy.”
“I’ve had a baby before, kiddo.” Steve pants, his head tipped back against the desk. “I got this. Where’s your dad?”
“Um…not here.”
Steve groans and braces himself for another round. When it arrives, he sucks in a deep breath, then bears down as hard as he can, feeling the baby shift and move lower. He keens through gritted teeth, determined to birth the baby as fast as he can. He reaches between his legs, muttering a curse when he’s met with just the top of the baby’s head. At least he was making some progress, but it wasn’t good enough.
“Fuck!” Steve shouts, his back arching slightly when the baby’s head inches closer, stretching him painfully.
“Language!” Peter shouts back, and he turns around, his eyes going wide. “Oh shit! I can see the–it’s splitting you apart!”
Steve ignores his son, his focus strictly on birthing his second child. He digs his fingers deep into the flesh of his thighs, screaming as he pushes along with the contraction, the baby budging and finally coming to a full crown.
“I think it’s crowning. Yep. Karen says yes!”
Steve sucks in a lungful of air, his face flushed and dripping with sweat. He slides his hand between his legs to investigate, feeling the baby’s sticky hair and their features. He smiles weakly. His baby was right there.
“You’re doing great! Like, ten out of ten. Totally crushing it. Karen says to push again if you can.”
Steve grits his teeth. “Tell Karen to shut up.”
With a groan that turns into a roar, Steve bears down again, his body burning with the effort. He feels the baby slip, one shoulder sliding out. Steve quickly shoves his hands between his shaky legs, crying out when another contraction rips through him. He keeps going, pushing with everything he has, then with one last scream, a wriggling body slips free into Steve’s hands.
For a second, everything goes still.
And then the baby cries. Loud and perfect.
Steve slumps back, completely spent, but he smiles weakly at the newborn in his arms. A little girl. Steve cradles her against his chest, tears welling in his eyes. “Hi there,” he whispers, his voice laced with emotion.
Peter grows curious and turns around,but this time he has his hand over his eyes. “Are you okay, Papa?”
“I”m okay,” Steve assures.
Peter slowly lowers his hand and he removes his mask, eyes wide. “Oh my God. You really did have a baby!”
Steve nods and glances down at his daughter. “You can come meet her, Pete.”
Peter doesn’t even hesitate to approach. He drops down beside his father, his eyes glued to the newborn. “I can’t believe you just had a baby. And in a Hydra base!”
“Me either.”
The baby begins to whimper and Steve softly shushes her. For a moment he forgets about where they are and what his objective had been.
“Papa?” Peter points at one of the monitors. Steve’s eyes follow, his stomach dropping at the sight of Hydra soldiers rushing down the corridor, most likely toward them.
But then the feed goes black.
Steve’s heart hammers in his chest, a wave of fear washing over him. He needed to find a way to get out of the base and keep his children safe.
But before he can come up with a plan, the sealed doors burst open with a violent BANG.
“Steve!”
Tony stumbles in,his helmet retracting and eyes wild with panic. Then he sees them. Steve slumped on the floor, pale, soaked in sweat, and exhausted. But alive.
And in his arms, a baby.
Peter slowly stands. “Uh...surprise?”
Tony looks between his son and his husband, then he drops down to his knees in front of Steve. “You…you had a baby?” his voice cracks. “You couldn’t wait five minutes!”
Steve smiles weakly. “Tried.”
Tony swallows hard, his eyes glistening. “You’re okay?”
Steve nods. “We’re all okay.”
Tony brushes a shaky hand over the baby’s head, then he leans in and presses a kiss to Steve’s sweaty temple. “You’re never going on a mission pregnant again. That's it. I’m putting a tracker in your uterus.”
Peter groans. “Please don’t say uterus ever again.”
Remembering that their first child was in the room with them, Steve and Tony look over at him.
“He did good,” Steve says with a smile. “Well, he panicked, but he did good.”
“Really? Guess my idea to bring him worked out, huh?” Tony chuckles.
Peter perks up. “So…does this mean I can come on the next one?”
Steve and Tony share a look.
“Well since your papa is out of commission—” Tony begins, but Peter cuts him off with a cheer and fist pump.
In Steve’s arms, the baby stirs, emitting a whimper.
“Wait,” Peter says, looking over at the baby, a frown appearing over his face. “There won’t be any more surprise babies on the next mission, right?”