Chapter 1
"Here." A bottle of water slid across the table toward you. "Please, don't hesitate to tell me if you need anything." His voice was soft, almost hesitant, but there was a resolute edge to it—as if he were ready to break the rules despite the surveillance.
You knew Steve Rogers too well to miss the signs of his internal struggle. His jaw clenched, shoulders stiff, and his blinking was slightly off—shorter intervals by exactly two seconds. There were a dozen things this could mean, but in this moment, one stood out above all:
Steve Rogers was in a dilemma.
SHIELD's protocol dictated vigilance, especially with beings from other worlds. The policy was a mix of caution and hostility, meant to deter a threat—or avoid becoming the reason for one.
You still couldn’t quite believe how you ended up here—face-to-face with a room full of S-classified heroes in the middle of their debriefing. One moment you were in your own world, and the next, you were dropped right into their meeting room, interrupting a discussion that had their faces grim and battle-worn from whatever mission they had just returned from.
Despite their exhaustion, the response had been instantaneous. Instincts honed from years of combat kicked in, and before you could even catch your breath, a dozen weapons were pointed directly at you. Ragged, bruised, and tired as they were, they snapped to alertness, eyes sharp with suspicion while you stood frozen, wide-eyed and confused.
Your sudden appearance in their debriefing set everyone on edge. They were hostile, weapons trained on you as their minds raced. Dimensional travel and time anomalies were concepts they'd dealt with before —Thanos and the Infinity Stones— but you were still an unknown force. And an unknown force, in their world, usually meant danger.
For a moment, there was hesitation, the air thick with uncertainty. Then, their perspective shifted. Eyes flickered down, realizing your condition. You were visibly pregnant, and the aggression in their stance softened, replaced by confusion and caution.
You were pregnant.
The next hours blurred into a haze of sterile white halls and windowless rooms. They didn’t chain you to the table or treat you like a criminal, but you were definitely a prisoner. You were questioned by none other than Captain America himself, the face of SHIELD, and his manner was poised, formal, polite—but unwavering.
Under different circumstances, you would’ve loved to talk to him, maybe even share a story or two about your life in a universe far from this one. But now, you had to keep your cards close to your chest, giving only the barest of details during the thirty-minute interrogation.
You weren't a field agent back in your world, but as a SHIELD agent, you knew enough about protocols to navigate his questions with care. Cooperative but careful, you deflected when you needed to. There was too much at stake for you to be careless.
Your main concern was not disrupting this timeline—or whatever this place was. You weren't sure if you'd stumbled into an alternate universe or the past, and the last thing you wanted was to say the wrong thing and cause irreversible damage.
Still, the environment was suffocating. Every sterile surface, every question, every watchful eye wore down your defenses. You felt the pressure building, the weight of what you couldn’t say pressing against you. Who could you trust?
Steve... Steve was too close. Bucky and Sam, who you were certain had been watching from behind the two-way glass, were no better. They were his closest friends. They’d never keep something like this from him.
Tony? He'd spill your secret within minutes, probably with a joke at your expense. Bruce? Too fragile—you couldn't burden him with this.
Only one person might understand.
"As you see, I pose no threat to your world," you said quietly, staring at the water bottle in your hands. "If I’m holding anything back, it’s for everyone’s benefit." Your chin lifted slightly, defiance flickering in your eyes as you finally met Steve’s gaze. He didn’t speak, but you could feel the tension building between you.
"I’ve answered your questions." Your voice grew firm, steady. "Now, I have one request."
Steve leaned forward, eyes narrowing slightly.
"I need to speak with Natasha Romanov."
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The door opened quietly, and Natasha Romanov walked in, her posture sharp and formal, as expected. Her green eyes scanned the room, assessing you in an instant, her expression unreadable. There was no hostility, only the cool professionalism that came with her reputation.
“You asked for me,” she stated, her voice calm, more of an acknowledgment than a question. She stood across from you, arms folded loosely, poised for whatever might come next.
You met her gaze, fighting to maintain the calm facade you’d worn since the moment you arrived in this world, but the cracks were beginning to show. “I need privacy,” you said, your voice steady despite the rising storm inside you. “No one else. No surveillance. No one listening in.”
For a brief moment, Natasha’s eyes narrowed in consideration. Trust didn’t come easy to her—certainly not in situations like this. Dimension travel was something they’d dabbled in before, but your sudden appearance was still an anomaly. Yet, there was something in your voice, something restrained, that made her pause. She gave a small nod.
Without a word, she pressed her comms, signaling the all-clear. The subtle beeps of the surveillance equipment shutting down echoed in the silence, followed by a nod to the mirrored wall. One by one, you knew the Avengers were stepping out, their eyes no longer on you.
When the room was still, Natasha pulled up a chair, sitting across from you. The silence in the room was thicker now, more intimate, free of SHIELD’s ever-watchful gaze. She leaned forward slightly, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp, as if giving you space to speak but ready to catch anything you might reveal.
“Alright,” Natasha said, her tone still formal but more open, as though she were offering a quiet invitation. “It’s just us. You can talk.”
Your fingers gripped the edge of the table, holding on like it was the only thing keeping you anchored. The walls you had so carefully built around yourself—the silence, the stoicism—it was all slipping. Natasha was waiting, giving you room to breathe, but you could feel her gaze piercing through the cracks.
“I didn’t mean to come here,” you said quietly, your voice a little more fragile than before. “I don’t even know how I got here. One minute I was in my world, and then… this. Everything’s different. I didn’t expect any of it.”
Your eyes flicked down to your stomach, the weight of your secret pressing harder as the silence stretched between you. Natasha’s gaze followed yours, and though her face remained unreadable, you could sense the shift—the slight softening in her guarded stance. Her suspicion of you wasn’t gone, but it had changed.
“And what are you hiding from them?” Natasha’s voice was softer now, her eyes flicking briefly to the glass wall that once separated you from the rest of the team.
You swallowed hard. The truth had been clawing at you for days, but you didn’t know how to explain it, how to make her understand. And yet, sitting across from Natasha, seeing the woman you once called your best friend—even if she didn’t remember it—everything inside you broke.
“I know you, Natasha,” you said, your voice cracking with emotion. “In my world, we’re best friends. We’ve been through everything together.”
Natasha’s gaze snapped to yours, her cool demeanor wavering for the first time. There was a flicker of something—confusion, maybe disbelief—but she remained silent, letting you continue.
“I know about the Red Room,” you said softly. “I know how you hate the smell of jasmine because it reminds you of things you’d rather forget. I know you prefer to wear your hair down after a mission because it makes you feel human again.”
Her face faltered, just for a moment, the rigid mask slipping as she stared at you. “How do you know that?” Natasha’s voice was low, barely hiding her surprise.
“Because we’ve been through it together,” you said, your own voice thick with emotion. “In my world, you’re more than just an Avenger. You’re my family. You’re the person I trust most, the one I’ve always turned to. And right now, I need you. I need you more than ever.”
Natasha’s expression hardened slightly, skepticism returning as she processed your words. “How can I trust you?” she asked, her voice edged with caution.
You held her gaze, and without breaking eye contact, you gestured subtly toward your stomach. “How can I possibly pose a threat to you?” you asked, your voice even, though the tension in the air was palpable.
Natasha’s eyes flicked downward for a split second before they locked with yours again. “You never know,” she replied, her tone cautious. “You could poison relationships, shift dynamics, mess with our heads.”
You gave a humorless smile. “While pregnant?”
Natasha shrugged slightly, though her gaze never softened. “I’ve seen too many things. A pregnant spy is disarming enough.”
“Possibly,” you admitted. “But I won’t risk it. Believe it or not, I’m only trying to keep myself and my baby safe.”
There was a long pause, Natasha’s sharp eyes studying every inch of you. She leaned back slightly in her chair, arms still crossed, but the tension in her posture had loosened just a fraction. The air between you felt heavy, as though the truth was hanging just out of reach.
“Who’s the father?” Natasha asked, her voice quiet, careful. The question hung between you, laden with implications.
You froze, your breath catching in your throat. This was the moment you’d been dreading, the revelation you had tried so hard to keep hidden. You glanced down at your hands, fingers trembling as they rested on your stomach. When you finally looked up at her, Natasha’s eyes were fixed on you, waiting.
For a moment, you hesitated, the words stuck in your throat. But you couldn’t lie—not to her.
“It’s…” you started, your voice barely above a whisper. “It’s complicated.”
Natasha didn’t move, but her eyes narrowed slightly, the wheels turning behind her gaze. She was close to piecing it together, you could tell. Her silence pushed you to continue.
“I can’t tell anyone,” you said, your voice trembling slightly now. “If the wrong people find out, it could change everything.”
“Change what?” Natasha pressed gently, her voice not accusatory, but curious.
You hesitated again, your heart pounding. Finally, you exhaled shakily, your eyes meeting hers. “The father… he’s someone you know.”
Natasha’s expression remained calm, but you could see the faintest flicker of recognition in her eyes. She didn’t speak, waiting for you to confirm what she was beginning to suspect.
“It’s Steve,” you whispered, your voice breaking with the weight of the confession. “In my world, the father is Steve Rogers.”
For a long, agonizing moment, Natasha didn’t respond. She simply stared at you, her mind undoubtedly running through every possible scenario, every potential consequence. Then, slowly, she leaned back, exhaling softly.
“And you want to keep this quiet,” she said finally, her tone measured. “For his sake. For the timeline.”
You nodded, feeling the tension in your chest ease just slightly. “I need medical care,” you explained, your voice softer now, more pleading. “The baby… it’s not just a normal pregnancy. I need monitoring. Close monitoring. But no one can know.”
Natasha didn’t answer right away, her sharp mind already calculating the risks, the complications. After a moment, she gave a slow, deliberate nod. “I can get you the care you need. But I’ll have to involve Fury. He’s the only one who can help keep this off the books.”
Relief washed over you, and you nodded gratefully. “Thank you,” you whispered.
Natasha stood, her eyes still sharp, but softer now. “Don’t thank me yet. This is complicated, and Fury’s not going to be easy to convince. But I’ll handle it.”
As she turned to leave, Natasha paused at the door, glancing back at you. “And for what it’s worth,” she said quietly, “if we were best friends in your world… I guess I didn’t make it easy for you then either.”
You smiled faintly, a soft, genuine smile. “No,” you said softly. “But you were always there when I needed you.”
Natasha gave a small nod before disappearing through the door, leaving you alone in the quiet room. But for the first time since you’d arrived, you didn’t feel completely alone. You had an ally. And that was enough, for now.