Chapter 19
Clint’s water broke three days before his due date. Bucky was awake in bed, laying next to his slumbering Omega and unable to fall asleep. He had too much pent up energy thinking about the soon to be born pup, while his mate was snoring - the poor Omega constantly physically exhausted from carrying their pup.
So while the Alpha lay awake, praying to anyone listening that the actual event turns out fine, he felt the sheets wettened beside him. Except...this had happened before. Fear shot through the brunette’s spine as he shifted to a sitting position, reaching over to turn on the lamp.
Wanting to get over his fear, the Alpha quickly whipped the blanket back to see.
And what he saw...wasn’t blood. It was...a clear liquid. Bucky, knowing just how crazy he looked, bent down to smell it - if only to eliminate the smell of pee. Except nope, that was a scent his inner and most primal Alpha instinct perked up at.
That meant a baby was about to enter this world.
Their baby girl was about to enter this world.
“Clint!” the Alpha cried as he jumped off the bed, so overwhelmed with adrenaline he literally forgot his mate has been deaf for almost as long as he's known him. The brunette changed his clothes and pouted when he noticed no movement from his mate. Whimpering with anxiety, the Alpha ran back over to his Omega and shook the smaller man’s shoulders. “Clint it’s happening!!” Bucky yelled again, reaching for the hearing aids as his perfect Omega stirred awake, carefully but quickly putting the aid in the blonde's ear.
Yes, he was so panicked he also forgot ASL.
“Babydoll, my love, wake up! Your water broke!” Bucky forced himself into a quieter tone as he grabbed his mate’s hand and led it to the damp evidence. “We gotta get going.” The Alpha rolled off his mate before he grabbed the bags he prepared in the closet. Placing both bags on the bed, Bucky grabbed his phone from the bedside table to call his brother.
“When did you make a to-go bag?” his mate asked sleepily, still sounding in shock but at least sitting up in bed.
“Like a week ago. I’m going to call Steve then go wake Wade up. You just...you take your time getting ready. Or I could stay and help! What...which-what should I do first?” the Alpha asked frantically, doing everything in his power to remain calm and be strong for his Omega.
This...this wasn’t about Bucky.
“Come here, Alpha,” Clint cooed, shocking the brunette who jumped to obey the Omega. His mate smiled and grabbed the bigger man’s hands. “Sit with me.”
“How are you so calm right now?” Bucky whined as he did what was asked of him, sitting and smelling the calmly radiating scent coming from his better half. Clint didn’t answer for a moment, just gently grabbing Buck’s face before bringing him into neck to scent. Like a life raft, the Alpha hung on to his Omega and breathed in as deeply as he could.
“Because, my Alpha, I was just dreaming about her. About our girl. And everything turns out okay. I think for the second time in my life I am experiencing...true faith in something I really love,” Clint soothed as the Alpha inhaled his Omega's scent for comfort. Those words rattled in the brunette's fuzzy mind as he tried to make sense of it.
“...second?” Buck asked as he pulled back to see his pretty mate’s face. Frowning when his mate licked his lips sadly in thought.
“First time was when you were in the Army hospital. And they told me you might not make it…”
The implication, the meaning behind those words and how truly serious Clint was...it helped Buck center himself in a way that had his Omega purring in delight.
“There’s my man,” the blue eyed beauty said to a zenned out Alpha. “Now, I don’t know how long we have before contractions hit and I turn into a rage monster, but - I want you to know Buck, I love you so fucking much. And I am so sorry in advance for the horrible things I will say to you…”
“I love you too, my brave and beautiful Omega. And I promise I won’t hold anything you say against me,” Bucky said with a chuckle, kissing his mate soundly before standing back up again. “Okay, you change and I’ll go wake up our first born.”
“Call your brother first. And Dr. Cho!” Clint reminded him as Bucky was almost out the door, swinging back to grab his phone and make the calls.
Steve was his usual over cheery self for it being two in the morning. Though Wade was also cheerful, asking a thousand questions as the pair drove him to his uncles’ house.
This time both he and Clint answered the many questions until the Omega’s first contraction hit. They were pulling up to his brother's when his mate keeled over with a groan.
“Mama?!” Wade cried from the back seat, filling the car with the scent of stressed puppy.
“He’s okay baby, Mama’s having a contraction. They hurt but it means the baby is coming,” Buck explained as he threw the car in park. Hopping out, he unbuckled his son and brought the boy into a tight hug in reassurance.
“Buck, bring him to me,” Clint growled out before slumping back against the seat. “I’m, I’m okay,” Clint said with a pant, “I’m going to be fine puppy.” Buck walked around, opened his mate’s car door and let the blondes hug and scent each other. “I promise we’ll send for you the moment it’s over, okay?”
The Alpha kissed his brave pup’s forehead when he nodded, carrying the boy over to his uncle who had his arms stretched out in invitation.
“Don’t worry Wade, your Mama and Daddy are going to be just fine,” Steve said as he took the pup into his arms. “Love you Buck,” he said more quietly and in a soothing tone. “Call me, okay?”
“I will. I love you puppy,” Buck said before kissing the tiny blonde. “Love you too Steve. Don’t give him too much sugar,” the Alpha warned before running back to his car. Clint experienced another contraction just as they pulled into the hospital.
Dr. Cho was waiting for them - thank god, as they were whisked away to a private delivery room. Buck helped Clint change into a hospital gown before changing into his own set of sterile scrubs. It took him a moment, but the Alpha realized the Beta doctor was doing everything in her power to make this a safe delivery.
The Omega's calmness quickly wore out once the contractions really got under way, the blonde bringing out curse words James hadn't heard from him in the twenty plus years they've known each other.
"Breathe doll, you're doing great."
"You shut UP YOU COCK-SUCKING MOTHER FUCKER! YOU DID THIS TO ME YOU STUPID BITCH!"
"I did and you can rip me a new asshole but after we get this puppy out of you. You are doing so great, Clint."
"I'm going to rip your fucking dick offfffffff!" the Omega screamed as he hunched over in pain, squeezing Buck's hand as another contraction shook the smaller man's body.
"Alright Clint, you are doing so well. You're at about nine centimeters dilated so she won't be long now," Dr. Cho reassured the Omega who was probably breaking Bucky's hand at this point. He had tried giving his Omega the metal one, but blonde insisted he had to suffer in solidarity...so Buck was just thankful they were already at a hospital.
"I want the drugs! Give me the drugs Helen!" Clint cried out in pain, scent switching from anger to sadness as the Omega turned to the Beta.
"We talked about this Clint, you agreed no drugs for the safest birth plan."
"I don't give a flying fuck!" the Omega screamed, quickly switching back to anger. "Give me an epidural or I swear I will kill you slowly in front of your entire family." Bucky startled at his mate's threat, but just quirked a brow when Helen took it in stride.
"Clint, you specifically told me - 'no matter what I say, don't give me any drugs. Even under threat of death'," the Beta quoted him back, giving him a smile from where she sat between his legs.
"I was stupid! Don't listen to that dumb fucker! He didn't know what he was talking about! Past Clint has never felt the pain current Clint is feeling right now, so give me the goddamn drugs yoU COCK-SUCKING INSURANCE-WHORE!" Clint cried as he was hit again with a new wave of pain, the poor Omega curling in on himself again.
"You also warned me that you'd insult me, so no I'm not giving you an epidural. I care too much about you to risk anything right now. If I'm giving you medication, it'll be due to complications. And since there will be no complications, there will be no drugs. Plus, your window has closed...because now, you are at ten centimeters. It's time for you to start pushing..."
"Oh my god...oh my god this is it? No, no I take it back I'm not ready," Clint cried as he turned to his mate with fear in his beautiful eyes. An Alpha instinct James didn't even know he had him take a calming breath, totally and completely prepared to help his mate through this. Bucky kissed his love's cheeks, gently releasing his hand from the blonde's death grip before wrapping both of his arms around his mate's back, allowing the Omega to not only be close enough to scent him but also able to squeeze both his hands at the same time. His mate visibly relaxed in his arms, scent now wreaking with love and confidence and with only the slightest hint of fear.
"You are ready. You're ready because our daughter is ready. Our girl's ready to meet us, ready to meet her big brother. Clint, you are already the greatest mother I have ever known...you've got this my beautiful and strong Omega," James said, pushing a little of his Voice into to let the Omega know how serious he was.
Bucky joked about a lot of things, but George Barnes was not one of them. Don't get him wrong, he loved his Pops. Loved his brother and sister. But he loved his Mama. So when he said that Clint was the greatest mother he had ever known, he fucking meant it.
Don't get him wrong, he loved his brother, sister and Pops. But he wasn't even aware he could feel a greater kind of love he felt for his Mama until Clint came into his life. But Clint as a Mama? Well, it was the most beautiful things James thanked god he got to witness. And then...Wade came along and well, this little one will soon join her brother in also stealing a piece of Buck's heart.
"Push!" Dr. Cho called, interrupting the couple's moment as the two turned their attention back to the miracle of life.
Buck held his hands tightly as the Omega pushed, ignoring the ear piercing scream happening next to his literal ear. One of the nurses that were also assisting gave a quick and terrifying update of 'the baby's heart has slowed.'
"Clint, I want you to take a deep calming breath," the Beta said in a tone that gave herself away as her face turned stern while her hands were in between the Omega's legs.
"What's wrong? Fuck Helen what's wrong?" Clint cried, the stench of despair so consuming it almost overtook the Alpha.
"Breathe, baby..." Buck reminded him, pushing down his own sense of dread.
"Clint, she's breeching. Her feet are coming first so you need to push right now. Otherwise I'll have to preform a c-section." Relief flooded through the Alpha as he encouraged his mate further. From what he'd read, breeching was considerably less scary than the cord being wrapped around her neck. Or any of the other many things that could go wrong.
"That's alright, she's going to be fine baby, just like you said. She's almost here, you just have to push with everything you've got rightnow." His Omega screamed as he did just that, squeezing Buck's hands as Dr. Cho spoke words of encouragement. The Alpha strained his neck to see, just barely able to see feet before with one final push, a tiny puppy shot into Dr. Cho's hands.
Covered in...gunk.
And was the most beautiful thing Buck had ever seen in his life.
Hearing her proceed to scream at the top of her lungs may have been the most beautiful thing Buck had ever heard. Even if his logical side knew he'd get tired of this in another minute.
"She's okay?" Clint asked as he finally released the Alpha's hands, giving Buck the chance to kiss his love before he stood up, stretched out his back and flexed his fingers from their cramped state.
"She's perfect. Want to cut the cord, Daddy?" Helen asked with a smile as scissors were suddenly dropped in his hand. He looked back at his mate with a smile before reaching over to cut the cord from the still screaming puppy. "Healthy set of lungs this one," the Beta chuckled as she wrapped the puppy in a soft blanket and handed her over to Clint to scent. Not caring how much his back already hurt, he leaned back over to kiss his mate and daughter, scenting her as well and finally calming the baby to quiet whimpers. The naked puppy curled up around her Mama's neck, the skin to skin contact and seeing his mate hold their daughter in his arms had the Alpha just flat out start crying.
"She's beautiful," James cried, ignoring the chuckle from his Omega as he stood up to go hug his doctor. "Thank you Helen. And nurses whose names I never bothered to learn," he choked out, wiping his eyes as the medical staff laughed while the Alpha turned back to his mate.
And his daughter.
"I'm so fucking proud of you," Buck purred into Clint's neck, switching back and forth from scenting his mate to scenting his daughter and back again.
"I know her name," Clint said quietly, scent and overall aura soaked in love and peace.
"Yeah?" the Alpha asked with a soft smile. "Don't tell me, tell her," he finished with a nod to the puppy. The Omega took a deep breath as he gently pulled the puppy out of his neck so the two could see her beautiful face.
"Welcome to the world, Katherine Georgia Barnes. We'll call you Kate for short. I'm your Mama and this handsome fella is your Daddy," Clint cooed at the puppy. "Looks like you got his good looks." It did something to Buck's ego, seeing this tiny puppy with a tuft of brown hair on her head. It also did something to his eyes, leaving the Alpha permanently leaking tears as he bent down to kiss the pup again. Then of course, moved to kiss his perfect mate.
"I love it. And I love you. I love you so fucking much, doll," Buck cried before turning to the baby girl. "Hi Kate," Buck whimpered, not caring the chuckles he could hear from everyone else as he stared at his perfect baby girl.
"Clint, Bucky, can I take Miss Kate and clean her off? We've got to get her measurements too but then I'll bring her right back. Is that okay?" Helen asked as the pair reluctantly handing over the puppy.
"I still can't believe she's here," Clint said with a much deserved sigh, leaning his blonde head back to rest against the hospital bed. Bucky watched his mate with a fond smile, no longer whimpering but still crying silently from the amount of love the Alpha was feeling. With his flesh hand, he reached over and ran his hands soothingly through his Omega's blonde hair.
"Me neither. She may look like me, but she's perfect, like her Mama," Buck cooed as he kissed Clint's neck, lips resting over the bonding gland. His mate shivered and sighed contentedly as he let his eyes close. "So, so proud of you doll."
"You should...you should call your brother," Clint purred sleepily between yawns, turning to smile up at the Alpha. There was so much love, confidence and warmth in the Omega's beautiful eyes that the Alpha was really close to simply bursting from happiness.
"Okay," Buck said as he grabbed his phone, just letting the tears go at this point as he called Steve. He picked up after the first ring.
"Buck? Hey how's everything?"
"It's...it's great Stevie. Mama and puppy are both healthy and doing great. You guys, you should come to the hospital. Call Ma for me too, okay?" the Alpha said, not wanting to be away from his mate right now if he can help it.
"Oh um...about that. You should probably just head to the waiting room..." his brother said in a weird tone, making Buck scrunch his face up in confusion. He was in such a happy daze from the successful birth that the Alpha didn't understand what was happening right now.
"Um, alright hang on," Bucky said as he looked over to his mate, who was watching him with a curious brow. "I'll be right back, doll," he said to the Omega who nodded sleepily. He kept the phone to his ear on the short walk to the waiting room, opening the door before his sight overwhelmed him on top of his already fuzzy brain.
Because there was a crowd in the waiting room, and it was everyone he knew and loved that wasn't Clint or Kate. Bucky dumbly still held the phone to his ear as he looked around the room, smile growing at each and every thing he saw. Because on top of balloons and teddy bears, there was his Ma and Pop, Becca, Nat, Sam, Harley, Peter, Tony, Steve and the last piece of his heart - Wade. Who, looked like he was about to burst himself by the way he hopped from one foot to the other.
Finally lowering the phone from his hand, Bucky shut it off and put it back in his pocket before announcing the good news to his family.
"It's a girl!" Bucky cheered, eyes still wet as he squat down to accept the running hug from his son. The sounds of his family cheering filled his ears as he picked his pup up to swing the boy around. "You have a little sister!"
"I HAVE A LITTLE SISTER!" Wade screamed in equal excitement, getting some chuckles out of the rest of his family. Everyone took turns coming over to Buck and pulling him into a hug, with Wade still on his hip of course. He had no plans to put his son down anytime soon.
"What's her name? Is Clint okay?" Ma asked, walking over to the pair with tears in his own eyes.
"Clint's great. And...he decided her name is Katherine Georgia Barnes. Kate for short," Buck said to the Omega, his daughter's name sake who burst into tears from the news. His Pop hugged the older Omega, kissing his cheek before turning back to Bucky.
"We are so proud of you, honey. Why don't you take Wade and go see how your Omega is doing? See if he's up for visitors? Or at the very least bring our grandpup out to meet her family."
"Come on Wade, lets go meet your little sister," the Alpha said to his son, kissing the boy's head and carrying him back to the delivery room. Inside, Clint was feeding Kate, holding the puppy against his small chest as she drank her fill of milk. "Hey Mama, up for a visitor?" The Omega turned his attention to the pair, smiling and nodding at seeing his other pup join them.
"Hi Wade."
"Hi Mama, are you okay?" their pup asked in a soft tone, his scent filled with curiosity and concern.
"I'm okay puppy, come meet your sister," Clint cooed, shifting Kate to one arm so there was space for Wade to join them. Buck gently put their son on the bed, kissing his hair before walking over to the other side to snap several photos of his loves.
"She's so...squishy," Wade commented after a moment, bending down to smell her. "But she's smells really good." Buck and Clint both chuckled at that, watching fondly as their kids met each other for the first time. Their son reached a hand out to pet her before hesitating, looking up for approval. Both parents nodded as the pup gently brushed the baby's arm.
"They tend to be squishy," Clint said with a smile before turning to his Alpha. "You weren't gone very long, did Steve actually break the speed limit to get here?"
"Actually, everyone is already here. And have been for a while. They're all in the waiting room, wanting to know how you and Kate are doing. And there have been some requests to see the baby..." the Alpha explained as Kate finished eating. "Here, let me burp her." Grabbing a nearby towel, Bucky laid it over his shoulder before gently taking the baby from the Omega.
"So what do you think of your baby sister, puppy?" Clint asked as he snuggled their son with both arms.
"She's soft and smells good. But she still looks kind of weird," Wade said before leaning up to scent his Mama.
"You should've seen her earlier," Buck commented with a smile as Kate finally burped, grabbing the towel to wipe her mouth before putting it back on the table. "She was gross and covered in gunk."
"James," his mate said with a sigh at the same time that Wade chuckled. "Why don't you take her out to meet the rest of the family? Let me cuddle my first baby for a bit." Buck couldn't help but smile at the blush coming from their son, walking over to kiss both blondes before taking his daughter out to the waiting room. There were loud noises coming from the waiting room, no doubt his family either celebrating or just being themselves.
The loud sounds immediately died out when he opened the door, holding a sleeping baby and walking over to the rest of his family. The Alpha was suddenly surrounded as everyone crowded him to get a look at the baby.
"She's so beautiful!" his Ma cried with out-stretched arms. Bucky happily handed his daughter to her namesake first, accepting the hug from his brother when his arms were free.
"Congrats Buck, my niece is perfect."
"She's gorgeous, are you sure she's yours?" Becca asked as she went in for a hug, which Buck reluctantly gave her. Actually he didn't care. The Alpha was still too happy to let anything affect his mood.
"She's perfect. How's Clint doing?" Nat asked as Sam hugged her from behind.
"He's great. Napping with Wade. Still pretty much in shock like me."
"Congrats, man," Sam added with a smile.
"George hand her over!" his Pop whined at the older Omega. "Buck tell your Ma he has to share."
"Back off Alpha! She's my namesake," Ma grumbled as he held the puppy away from the Alpha.
"Ma, you have to share Kate," Buck said fondly, disbelief for a moment that this was his life.
This crazy, wonderful group of people - plus two more probably napping together - was his life. And he wouldn't trade it for anything.