He's back
There was a steady beeping coming from somewhere. Kat turned her head to the side and felt something tug at her nose. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She was in the med wing. She felt around her face and pulled the oxygen tubes out of her nose.
She heard voices outside door. One was Loki’s, one was Bucky’s, Nat's and the other one…was Steve. That’s right. Kat remembered now. Bruce had called them down to the lab because there was an emergency. That emergency had been Steve returning. Then she remembered passing out.
The voices grew louder, angrier and she slowly got up out of the bed and walked over to the door, listening in.
“Enough.” Loki interrupted, angrier than Kat had ever heard him. “This arguing isn’t good for her.”
Bucky cut in, also furious. “It isn’t good for the baby either.” He growled.
There was a second of silence and Kat rubbed at her stomach as she waited with bated breath for Steve’s reaction.
“She’s pregnant?” His voice was high pitched and nervous.
Tears filled Kat’s eyes. That wasn’t the reaction she was hoping for.
“Yes. Something you would have KNOWN if you were HERE.” Bucky growled again.
“As you should have been from the start.” Loki cut in with icy firmness.
"You have a lot of nerve coming back here Steve." Nat spat.
"I know." Steve told her. "I fucked up okay? I know that."
"You should have been here." Nat told him.
Steve let out a long sigh. There was so much more to the story than they knew. “I wanted to be here . . .” He started.
Anger consumed Kat and she threw the door open and flung every furious pregnancy hormone directly in Steve’s face. “SHE is right here, and yes SHE is pregnant. Which is something you would have known if you had cared enough to stay. How can you say you wanted to be here when you left?!” She demanded, jabbing him in the chest with a finger so hard, Steve actually stumbled back a step. She took note of the bruise that was already forming around his eye.
“You LEFT Steve. We all knew you were going to. Hell, Bucky’s had his brain in a blender for seventy years but even he knew exactly when you were going and who you were going to be with.” She took a breath, trying to calm down as Loki grabbed at her arms and murmured soothing things in her ear, trying to remind her to be careful of the baby. Kat turned to Bucky.
“No offense, Buck. I’m really thankful for everything you’ve been doing to help.”
Bucky sent a weak smile in her direction. “That’s okay, doll. At this point, I’ve done more for this baby than this punk ever did. Baby might as well call me daddy when it’s born.” Bucky turned back to Steve, stepping close to him. “You better hope Nat doesn’t get you alone, or she might do worse to you than I did.”
"Oh you can bet on it." Nat said, and if looks could kill Steve would be on the floor.
Bucky sent another glare in Steve’s direction before he moved to Kat’s side and took her arm gently. “Come on, doll. You should really stay in bed till Cho takes a look at ‘ya.”
Kat smiled at him gratefully as he led her away from Steve. She really just couldn’t deal with him right now.
Steve moved to step towards Kat and Bucky but Loki gracefully slid in front of the him, blocking him from getting through. “I think you’ve done quite enough for now, CAPTAIN.” He spit.
Steve tensed for a fight but Loki wasn’t done.
“And know this. Regardless of who sired that child; until Kathrine says otherwise, you’re not a part of this family. Now, will you leave voluntarily? Or do you need to be escorted?” His skin slowly turned blue as he pulled on his magic. “I know which I’d prefer.” He smiled darkly.
Steve made one last glance toward the door where Kat had Bucky had gone through, before he slowly turned and walked away, Nat following him. Loki really hoped she punched him in his other eye.
Kat was shaking and in tears when Bucky got her back into the bed. He and Loki pulled the blankets over her and got her some water while Loki went to find Cho.
“Why Buck? After all this time, why did he come back?” She cried. Bucky didn’t know what to say to her. He had no idea why Steve had chosen now to come back, and he hadn’t given him a chance to explain before he knocked him on his ass.
“I don’t know. I really don’t. I’m sorry, I know this isn’t fair to you, or to Loki.” He told her, running a hand over her hair.
“I saw the bruise; I can only guess that’s your handiwork?” She asked. Bucky chuckled and nodded.
“Right after you passed out, Steve tried to run to you, but I stepped in and knocked him straight on his ass. I’m so mad at him Kat. He should have never left you. He’s an idiot and I know you love him but I swear to God you better not forgive him.” Kat had never seen Bucky this mad before.
Loki returned a few minutes later with Dr Cho and she checked Kat over. “Well, other than a little bit of high blood pressure, everything else looks good. Just rest for a few days okay?”
“Not likely.” She mumbled. Dr. Cho left them and Kat sighed.
“I’m so tired.” She said, putting her head in her hands.
“Let’s get you upstairs love, into bed where you can get some proper rest.” Loki told her. She nodded and he and Bucky helped her out of the bed and took her back upstairs to their apartment.
Once Kat had gotten settled into bed, Bucky went to find Nat to make sure she hadn’t killed Steve, and Loki had gone back down to the lab to talk to Bruce about how Steve even got back in the first place.
It gave Kat a little while to think about everything. Why had he come back? Had he spent some time with Peggy and decided he didn’t want her anymore? Or did she decide she was done with him? Either way, Steve didn’t come back for her, not when he should have. She didn’t want to be a second choice.
Why should she ruin the good thing that she had? Loki loved her, and she loved him. He loved this baby, and that meant more than anything. She huffed and got out of the bed, walking into the kitchen to get a water.
Why did this happen? Why couldn’t she have just missed Steve, knowing that he was living the life he deserved, rather than having him back here, confusing everything, and bringing back feelings she had tried so hard to lock away.
She sat the water down on the island and put both hands against it, stretching her back. It had begun to hurt the bigger she got, and now it was just annoying. She heard the elevator open and smiled, thinking it was Loki coming back from the lab.
It wasn’t.
“Hey Kit Kat.”