Mami
Bucky was in the middle of training some new recruits when a ping rang in his ear piece.
"Sergeant Barnes. I'm sorry to interrupt. There is a woman here claiming to be Doctor Foster's mother trying to bypass security and we can't get a hold of her or Ms . Lewis to identify her."
"Copy," he said before turning to Sam who was eyeing him. "They need me downstairs for something. Can you handle this?" He motioned to the recruits.
Sam nodded and patted his back before turning back to the recruits as Bucky ran out of the gym.
They weren't expecting Jane's mother, but he wouldn't put it past the woman to surprise them. Jane was twenty weeks now, in a day they would find out the sex of their babies, and he could tell by her messages to both Jane and himself, that Luci Foster was getting more and more anxious.
Today Jane was out of the tower, at least for the morning with Darcy. They were attending some prenatal yoga class that Darcy had convinced her to take, to help with the constant aches that were raising havoc on her body.
Bucky nodded at several agents as he passed them in the corridor, not bothering to say anything. While he had shed most of his Winter Soldier persona, there was still a little glee he experienced that the underlings were still afraid if him. He hit the elevator button to take him to the first level, the stairs would probably be faster, but he needed time to calm his nerves.
He was about to meet his girl's mother. He was about to meet his girl's Catholic mother. In person. Something he knew that text messages and phone calls had not prepared him for.
He inhaled deeply and then let it go as the elevator doors opened. Thank God the car was empty.
He spotted Luci before she spotted him. She was beautiful. Looked younger than her age. She looked like a more Latin version of Jane, which is why the security team probably didn't call the police.
"James Barnes," she greeted him with a smile that calmed his nerves slightly. Her accent wasn't nearly as thick as it was on the phone. He nodded at the security guard to let her pass, and she did with the grace of a dancer with her suitcase and purse wheeled along behind her.
He smiled back not knowing what to say. She had completely disarmed him, like her daughter before her.
She smiled and seemed to understand. She sat her things down and reached up to give him a hug. The room went silent as they stared. He couldn't blame them. He'd built up a reputation of being a hardass, but he didn't resist the pull to hug her back.
Hugging Luci Foster felt like what it was to hug his mother back then. They were around the same size, granted he was a little more bulky than he was back then.
She pulled back and put a hand to his cheek and smiled. "Yes. She did very well. Very well indeed. My daughter is stubborn like her father. But I can see why she chose you."
He still hadn't said a word and she seemed to understand. "You can call me Ma. Or Luci if you are more comfortable. I've been using the Google to research you. I know your parents are no longer with us, God rest their souls. They would be proud of the man their son has become."
He wanted to break down and cry, but it wasn't the time and place. He kissed her cheek as a way to thank her for her kindness and motioned to the bank of elevators as he picked up her bags.
"Jane is out of the tower this morning, she's at a yoga class with Darcy," he said as they waited for an empty elevator.
She nodded. "Good. I'm glad she's moving her body. She's a small person, like myself. I've been worried. Is she eating well?"
He nodded, glad they quickly found common ground between them. "I make sure of it."
Her laugh tinkled across the lobby. "Good. She is too skinny. I keep telling her. Eat more, pero you think she listens to her mami? No."
He chuckled. "She doesn't listen to me either. But I think the babies got her attention quickly." He ushered her into the elevator car and pushed the button there their floor. "We finally got everything unpacked and settled, so you came just in time."
"I should have called. But I haven't seen my daughter in over a year, and she was too sick to fly out for the reunion. Though I don't blame her or Darcy for not coming. El diablo was there. "
He laughed. "What was Nick doing there?"
"¿Quién sabes? Who knows. He never showed up when they were married. He brought the tramp with him. Knowing my daughter she would have gone after him and then we would have had the police there too."
"Yeah probably," he laughed. "She doesn't like him very much."
"Well she's got good judgment, barring the whole Dr. Blake situation. Though I think that was my fault. I I pressured her."
Bucky raised a brow but didn't say a word. This was version of Luci he was sure Jane didn't even know.
"I'm sure she's told you all about how I am hard and the old-fashioned. But I am proud of my daughter. She is brilliant. And strong. And loving. I see what she did for Darcy getting her out of that situation, though most of the family is upset Darcy is so far away now. My Janie did that. She said "No. You move." And mira, look. Now she has you, and the babies," Luci wiped at her eyes. "That's mi hija."
Bucky smiled at her and motioned as the doors opened on their floor. "I think Jane would love to hear that from you." He gave her a hard look to which she nodded in understanding.
"I am not the most loving of mothers. But I do understand, James."
He smiled and let them into the apartment and chuckled at Luci's gasped of delight. He gave a silent prayer of thanks that he deep cleaned the apartment yesterday. He'd wanted to get started on the babie's room this week.
He wheeled her luggage into the guest bedroom and walked back out. "Can I get you anything to drink? Or would you like to rest? Jane should be back within an hour or so." He pulled his phone out to shoot her a text so she wouldn't be blindsided.
"Oh I should start cooking. You have groceries, yes?" She walked into the kitchen to roll up her sleeves and wash her hands in the sink.
"Darcy does our grocery shopping for us," he grinned and she laughed.
"At least I know mi hija is getting a home-cooked meal every night. Though Jane is a good cook, don't let her fool you," she reached into the fridge and pulled out some beef cubes and a beer. She popped the top off and passed it to him as he sat on the bar stool. "Chile con Carne with frijoles and arroz and tortillas. I'll get it started."
Bucky smiled and watched as she moved around the kitchen like she had been cooking there for years. He finished his beer just as he heard the door open.
"We heeeere," Sofia announced and he watched Luci light up and wipe her hands on a towel as Sofi skidded into the kitchen. "Uncle Bucky!" She grinned at him then looked away. "Tía Luci!" She ran and jumped into Luci's arms as Luci smothered the toddler's face with kisses. Darcy walked into the room and then Jane with a nervous smile.
He stood and wrapped his arms around her to calm her nerves and gave her a gentle kiss. "Nice and easy, precious love. She's not here to berate. She's here because she's worried about you."
Jane let out a breath and he immediately felt bad. He should have followed up his quick text to her earlier, but he'd been so fascinated by Luci's cooking skills in the kitchen that he'd forgotten. She'd probably been worrying this whole time.
Darcy finished greeting Luci, and letting her know the other two kids were in school, when Luci found Jane, and like only a mother could, made her way through the array of bodies and wrapped her arms around her only child.
"Mi vida," Luci cried. "You are so beautiful! Mira, look at you Janie!"
He watched from the corner of his eyes at Darcy who was mouthing 'hug your mother, Jane' and laughed. Jane slowly wrapped her arms around her mother's frame as best she could. "Hi mami. I'm so glad you're here."
"I wanted the surprise!" Luci pulled back and put both hands on her daughter's rounded belly. His chest swelled with pride as it always did when he looked at Jane's noticeable bump. "You are getting so big! Sit down, I make you lunch" she motioned to the stool and looked at him. "James ayudar."
He helped Jane onto the stool and she smiled up at him in relief. "Thank you," he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. Sofi climbed up in the stool next to Jane as Darcy wrapped an apron around her waist.
"Tía Luci, let me help with the tortillas," she said and Luci flashed her a smile.
"Mami, when did you get in? Why didn't you call?"
Luci smiled at her daughter as she seasoned the rice. "I wanted the surprise."
"Well we are definitely surprised! But we could have come and gotten you."
"No! I wanted to feel like a Nueva Yorker. I wanted the drama. I wanted the, how you say, realistic feeling," Luci grinned.
Bucky laughed and Jane rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Well we are glad you are here." Bucky gave her a gentle squeeze of approval and she smiled at him.
"Sí mija, you are my daughter and I take care of you. And you," she pointed to Darcy. "Call your mami. And you two," she pointed at Jane and Sofi who's eyes widened. "I make tres leches cake for dinner, si?"
Both Jane and Sofi nodded dramatically that lead Bucky into a bout of roaring laughter as he escaped into the living room.
Darcy wasn't sure what to make of her aunt Luci visiting. Jane, so far didn't seem to mind. But she was sure that as much as she was using this visit to make sure Jane was ok and to connect with Bucky, as soon as Steve walked through the door for lunch, at Bucky's invitation, Luci had begun to size them both up.
As close as their families were, her aunt Luci was just as much of a mother to her as her own mother and could see right through her, which was exactly what Darcy didn't need right now.
Thankfully Steve hadn't seemed to notice. Or if he had, he was too polite to say anything.
Truthfully their chemistry lately was too intense not to notice. Even she had dreams about it now, which is something she refused to talk about no matter Jane's smug look whenever she blushed at some old-fashioned thing Steve did for her, like open the door, or pull out her chair for her.
But aunt Luci had noticed with her eagle eyes, and while she was still fussing over Jane and Bucky, Darcy could see from afar that she was watching them. The way Steve helped Sofi with her food, as only a father could, didn't help matters. But Sofi and Steve had built an amazing relationship since Nick's calls had stopped, that Darcy hadn't the heart to interfere. Sofia was thriving in areas she wasn't before, and the majority of that had to do with Steve.
And still, she'd only ever kissed him on the cheek.
Her therapy sessions were coming three times a week now. The fact that she had more therapy sessions a month than Bucky Barnes now, let her know how messed up she had become.
Not that Bucky's trauma had anything to do with her, or that he could help it, he was an amazing man despite everything he had been through. But she had went into therapy thinking a month of therapy sessions would be good and then she'd be done.
That had not happened. A once a week session turned into two within the same week! And then three! The therapist didn't work weekends or else she was sure that Saturday's would have automatically been four. She had no idea that all the pent up frustration from the years and years of her failing marriage, could actually result in a trauma that was interfering in every aspect of her life lately.
She'd even met with Sam to talk about it when it just felt like it was overwhelming. And Bucky was becoming one of her closest confidants, because he too, knew what it was like to be fucked up in the head. She tried not to lay too much at Jane's door recently, her pregnancy was high-risk and she didn't want to complicate matters any, but Jane was an amazing listener. Something she hadn't realized when they were younger.
That was another realization that had come from her months at living at the tower now. She'd always assumed because of the different paths she and Jane had taken, that she was the low-key family one, and Jane was the wild child, forever running from family and commitment.
She could not have been more wrong.
Recently Jane had become a surrogate mom for her children, while Darcy went out and made friends with co-workers and the families that lived at the tower. Whether it was a party, or a club, or a Wine and Paint night, Darcy's social calendar was packed in a way it never was during her marriage. Jane preferred low-key, at home nights with Bucky, or even the kids or some friends, and that was before she was pregnant! Now it was almost impossible to get Jane to leave the tower!
Which in itself was probably a good thing. A lot of bad people still wanted Bucky and would probably stop at nothing if they found out he and Jane were an item.
But still! The realization had come to her in a therapy session, one of many, where she was recounting her weekend events to the doctor, and the aha moment was clear.
She judged her cousin based on loose facts that didn't necessarily make the whole, but based on her cousins choices, she wasn't married yet, no kids, seemed to go through boyfriends. She would never ever call Jane irresponsible, though sometimes the woman could scare her in her lab. Jane had an investment portfolio thicker than her favorite novel. Her children's college, though already paid for through the Avenger's Initiative Scholarship Program, would have been paid for by Jane in cash even if it weren't the case. She owned a home in Colorado and upstate New York. She wouldn't need to return to work for maternity leave until she absolutely felt ready. Those were the things Jane was preparing for when Darcy was flailing in her marriage. A future for her and her family, even though she didn't have one at the time. Something Darcy and Nick planned for as they went along.
If something happened to Bucky, God forbid, Jane and their children would never have to worry about money, or where to live.
She and Nick, though Nick was wealthy, but it was all for show. He always had to have the prettiest house or the nicest cars. They were both kind of spend-thrifts. What would happen to their children? Did Bella even have a college fund anymore.
After the realization with her therapist, she'd gone straight to Jane and Bucky's place. She'd held her cousin for hours, crying and apologizing for her misconceptions.
Jane had taken it in stride. "I'm well aware of what the family thinks about me," she'd said. "It's not something that keeps me awake at night."
Bucky had beamed at his girl, probably because he had known the truth all along. He knew Jane in a way that she or even her mother had never gotten to know. Because if Jane had let them in in that way, the expectations would have been far too much to bear.
And truthfully, after the Nobel, Jane was just getting started.
Bucky was watching her, amused, clearly her face had shown she was a thousand miles away. His super spy sense must have been tingling. Luci was fussing over his arm and Jane was trying to get her to stand down.
"Mami, he's all right!"
"NO! No. You sit down and let me fuss over my son!" Jane rolled her eyes good naturedly and sat down on Bucky's right side as he pulled her in for a kiss on the head.
Steve grinned at Bucky, probably relieved because for once he didn't need to defend his best friend. Luci just accepted him because it was so obvious he loved her daughter and that he was a good man, much like her own kids had accepted him right away.
And why Sofi still thought that as long as he wasn't married to her Auntie Janie that she still had a shot at marrying him some day.
Jane held onto Bucky hand, the right one, the next morning as she waited for Bruce and Dr. Cho to arrive. She was in the Avengers medical bays, one of the offices that offered a lot of privacy. Not that it mattered since anyone and everyone had fought their way into the room to be here for the big reveal.
Her mother, Darcy, Steve, and even Tony and Pepper.
Apparently her babies were a big fucking deal.
Though she was thankful for everyone's support, she wished that it was just her and Bucky. Looking up at Bucky, he didn't seem to mind, so she let it go.
Everyone was chatting amongst themselves while she and Bucky had their own private conversation, with her inhaling and exhaling deeply to calm her nerves.
He seemed to sense them, as he always did and bent down to kiss her head. "You ok, sweetheart," he asked just low enough so that only she could hear, and that was good enough for her.
"I'm nervous," she said back.
"Me too," he admitted. "But there's nothing we can't get through together, right?"
She nodded and squeezed his hand, as he shifted to sit on the bed partially behind her.
"I love you with every fiber of my being, Jane Foster."
Bucky never had any reservations about expressing his feelings to her. And when he did express them, Jane felt she could move mountains. "I know you do. Me too. I'm glad that it's you who is the father of my babies."
His face fucking beamed, that was the only word that could be used to describe how his smile lit his face at that moment. He bent down and placed a slow kiss to her lips on her upturned face. "I will be the only father, to your babies."
"We are not having anymore after this, James Barnes," she said under her breath.
"We'll see, sweetheart," he squeezed her to his side and gave her another kiss.
Truthfully he was probably right. They'd probably at least have one or two more. But that seemed so far away, for now all she could focus on was Baby A and Baby B. The twins that had taken up so much of their lives already and they weren't even here yet.
Bruce walked in with Cho and things quieted in the room.
"We have a full house," Bruce remarked and looked directly at her.
"Yeah," Jane responded quietly and he nodded.
"Ok everyone," Bruce said to the room. "I know we are all excited, but let's clear out so we can examine the mom-to-be in private, and then we can let everyone know together. This is already overwhelming enough."
Jane smiled at him grateful and Bucky mouthed a 'thank you,' in his direction to which Bruce saw and nodded briefly.
She looked up into Bucky's blue eyes and saw a lifetime there, before squeezing his hand to prepare herself for the exam.
"You ready," he murmured, his lips pressed against her head.
She blew out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and nodded. "Yeah. You?"
He gave her a brief smile before looking at Bruce and Cho who were reviewing her charts. "I'm nervous."
"Why," she asked.
"Because I don't want to see you in pain," he admitted and looked down at their clasped hands. "And because I can't protect you from it when it comes. And I know with each passing week it's getting closer and closer."
"You know, if we were seahorses, it would be you in this position," she teased and he smiled.
"You're too beautiful to be a seahorse," he said. "But I would gladly become one if it meant I could lift some of this burden off of you."
"Flatterer," she laughed and pushed him gently and he laughed in return. She reached up and ran one of her hands through his newly cut hair. "I'm sad you cut your hair."
"I'm sorry, sweetheart."
"I had fantasies," she said.
"That's how I know we will have more kids," he teased and she smacked him.
Bruce stepped in smiling and holding up her files. "Blood work looks amazing and like we expected, both babies do have at least a trace of the serum in them. It doesn't seem to be affecting you though, Jane. So that's great."
"In fact," Dr. Cho stepped up. "It might be helping you. I know you have been really fatigued lately, but not in the normal amount that woman carrying twins do, though in that we really can't compare."
Bruce nodded. "We expect fatigue will be greater in the later stages of pregnancy, and we may need to talk about bed rest. Though I do know that you have been only working half days, and I reccomend, if you absolutely have to work, to continue doing that. Our goal right now is to deliver these babies at thirty-four weeks."
"Why not forty," Bucky asked confused.
"Twins can deliver at forty, depending on the pregnancy and the mother. But more often then not they deliver early for their safety and mommy's," Cho said. "Thirty-four weeks is a good goal. And we may even try thirty-five. I don't want to overdo it. It's all going to be based on how we feel it's going and how Jane is doing."
Bucky nodded, seemingly ok with that answer and she cleared her throat. "Is there anything I can do, to maybe try to keep them in longer?"
Bruce smiled. "What you're doing is enough, Jane. You're being active when you can. You're resting. You're eating right. That's all we can ask. Delivering early is NOT a failure on you as a mother. You need to believe that."
"He's absolutely right," Cho interjected. "Like he said. Twins tend to deliver early. It's all about safety. What we absolutely don't want is to create an unsafe delivery environment by letting it go passed a time frame we are uncomfortable with. We will let you go as long as we feel is possible, but thirty-four weeks is the goal."
She nodded this time and squeezed Bucky's hand. They had fourteen weeks at least until they became parents and their lives changed forever.
"We'll talk about labor plans a little later, maybe next month," Cho continued. "Your blood work looks phenomenal. The twins are developing like normal. I see no signs of sugar or anything in your urine but in about four weeks we will test you for gestational diabetes."
Jane wrinkled her nose and Bruce smiled.
"It's a necessary evil, but that will also let us know if we need any sort of bed rest, or diet precautions to help with this last part of your pregnancy," he said.
"So we'll do a sonogram, just to let mommy and daddy see their little ones. Are we wanting to know the sexes," Cho asked and Bucky lit up like a kid on Christmas.
Bruce chuckled at his teammate's exuberance. "I heard he's been shopping," he leaned down and whispered to her.
Jane grinned and nodded. "I haven't had to lift a finger. It's been nice."
Cho had the ultrasound machine turned on and warned up. The gel was warmed as well and Jane was thankful. She watched as Cho and Bruce looked at and pointed at the screen, talking gibberish, but all she could do was stare.
She could only identify a head, and she was sure that was only because she took basic biology in college that was mandated for her.
"Ok," Cho pointed to the screen at a little blurb towards the back of the screen. "That's Baby B. Measuring a little smaller than A. But that's definitely a girl!"
Jane gasped and looked at Bucky who had tears in his eyes. A little girl like their precious Sofia and Bella. A little girl that would bring so much laughter, and drama into their lives. Jane would have been perfectly happy with either sex, but deep down she knew, Bucky needed at least one little girl.
A little girl to look up to him the way Sofi did. Like he hung the moon and the stars. Like he was the white knight there to fight away the monsters for his princess.
Bucky needed a girl. And she was so happy they were having one.
He squeezed her hand and looked back at the screen.
"Baby A is a being a little ham," Cho said and Bruce chuckled. "It doesn't want us to see. It's being modest."
"My mom will love that," Jane remarked and the room laughed.
"Ok, come on baby," Cho moved the want over her stomach, and pressed gently trying to get the stubborn child to move a little. "Mommy and Daddy want to know what you are. Just a little more."
"Takes after you," Bucky murmured. "Stubborn as hell."
Jane smacked him gently and remained quiet. It wasn't like she could deny it.
"Ok," Cho exclaimed. "Baby A is a little boy. One of each it looks like. Definitely bigger than his sister, but they both look healthy. I'm just going to take some measurements and we'll be done."
Jane brought a fist to her mouth. A little boy. If Bucky needed a girl, Jane definitely needed a boy. She herself was a tomboy.
It was fittingly perfect that they were getting one of each.
"A boy and a girl," Bucky whispered in her ear. "How amazing is that?"
"Pretty amazing," she smiled. "I'm so happy."
"Me too." And she was. Had someone told her last year that this would be her life now, she'd laugh in their face and go about to prove them wrong.
"Now we have to tell your mother," he said.
"Not it," Jane exclaimed.
He opened his mouth then closed it. "Well crap. I thought I was going to win that one."
Steve sat on the couch facing Dr. Raynor.
"So. How would you like to begin," she asked.
Steve looked around awkwardly and rubbed his hands against the rough material of the couch.
"It feels awkward talking to you. I mean you are Bucky and Darcy's therapist."
"Mr. Rogers," she said. "If I wasn't able to keep my clients separate, I wouldn't have become a therapist. And I definitely wouldn't have signed up for the Avenger's tower gig."
He laughed drily and looked away.
"I am a little concerned, that this is your first therapy session since they found you," she said.
"I was fine," he said. "Just got back to work."
"I find that hard to believe, Steven," and suddenly he was ten years old again getting scolded by his mother. "I've done my research. Repressing one's trauma always has a way if coming back to haunt you. And you have one-hundred years of it."
He remained quiet and stared out the window. Suddenly he didn't know why this was such a good idea. It had something to do with Darcy, and now everything was all mixed up because his past was something that he needed to talk about to get to his future.
Fucking Bucky making sense all of the sudden.
Tell me about your childhood," she opened a notebook and began writing. "You were sick a lot. You had your mom. And you had Bucky."
Steve nodded. "Yeah. My my was a nurse and Bucky was," he began. "I met Bucky when I was five."
"He fast became your friend, then," she stated.
"No. He was my hero. In retrospect, I guess he was my Captain America."