Marley opened her eyes, enjoying the quiet of the room. The lights had been dimmed and she was warm. Looking around, she saw someone in the chair next to her bed. Turning on her side, she smiled to see Bucky trying to read his phone. He was nodding off. He looked so tired.

"Hi there, doll," he caught her staring at him with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

Marley nodded. "Sleepy."

Tired as she was, they both were, she skimmed his mind. Finding nothing tense there, she asked the question she had to ask.

"Did everything go okay?" Marley asked carefully.

Tucking the phone into his hoodie pocket, Bucky moved to sit next to her on the bed.

"Everything went perfectly," he told her. "The baby is just fine but they are going to monitor Emily for the next few days to make sure. You're fine. There were no complications."

Marley breathed a sigh of relief. Her baby would survive. She and Bucky would be parents if everything else went okay.

Then she startled Bucky when she burst into tears.

"Hey," he pulled her against him, holding her to his heart. "Are you okay? Baby, talk to me."

Looking up into his beautiful face, Marley didn't know how to put what she felt into words. She continued sobbing into Bucky's chest and he just let her. He was worried because he didn't know what was wrong.

"Marley, sweetheart, you're okay," Bucky whispered into her hair. "Our baby is okay. Everything is fine."

Marley's hand slid down to her tummy. She felt empty. How could she explain that? How much she wished he could read her mind as she could his.

Bucky watched the movement, realization dawning on his face. The loss she felt reflected back to her in his blue eyes.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I'm sorry that you won't get to… have the entire experience." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "But Emily, well, Emily's a great girl and I know you guys will be able to share this."

That was so carefully put that she sneaked into his thoughts, a discussion with Steve. Something Emily shared with him. Marley stopped there. She'd get Emily to share that story with her when she was ready.

Bucky's arms tightened around her. "I love you and in a few months, he or she will be all ours. You're going to be the best mom, I know it."

"You'll be a good father," she told him, meaning every word.

"And just wait and see, doll, what poor Emily is heading for. This is the first Avenger baby. She's not going to be allowed to walk across the floor by herself, much less do anything else," he explained as her tears started to give way to laughter.

"All of those overprotective superhuman aunts and uncles, hovering. She's thinking she's going to be able to return to her pizza job for a while. The look on Steve's face," Bucky grinned. "Well, I feel sorry for her."

Marley knew she'd have to champion Emily as much as she could.

"We're having a baby, Marley," he continued quietly, "and just maybe that wouldn't have been in the cards for either one of us if we hadn't found each other. That's what matters. And they took some of your eggs to freeze. In time, we could have another baby or two if you wanted."

"Do you want more?"

"Let's see if I live through this one first." He laughed as she playfully punched him. "I want what you want, doll. I just want to be with you."

Marley's heart melted. How lucky she was to have this man and how much she loved him.

"Tony's already designing an Iron Baby suit," Bucky told her. "And he's suggesting names."

"Seriously?" Marley laughed. "How is Steve?"

Bucky shook his head. "The man with the plan has been flitting around here like a mother hen between the both of you. Emily's going to have her hands full."

They exchanged a knowing expression. It would be fun to watch. Marley knew Emily was attracted to Steve though how she'd deal with that considering what she'd been through would be interesting. Steve definitely liked her. And he was a patient man. She hoped it worked out.

"I'm so sorry," Marley told him. "I'm sorry I lost it like that."

Before he could say anything to that, Nat walked into the room. Slowly for her but without assistance. That was good. She looked so small in the hospital gown and robe.

"How are you doing, Nat?" Bucky asked.

"I'm getting out tomorrow," Nat told him, sitting on Marley's other side.

"How is Emily?" Marley asked.

Natasha smiled. "Good. You should come see her."

Marley nodded. "So now she can stay here in the compound?"

Bucky's face darkened a little. "About that…"

Marley grinned at him. "Let me guess, while I was out, you moved me into your apartment and are working on getting Emily settled into mine."

Nat was laughing out loud. "That's exactly what they did."

"Steve helped," Bucky stated.

"Of course he did," Nat was still laughing.

"You said you'd live with me," Bucky reminded Marley, worry still clouding his beautiful blue eyes.

"I meant it." Marley liked the idea of Emily being so close. "That's good. This is all going to work out. I just wonder when I get out of here."

"Tomorrow," Bucky told her. "We'll stay here for tonight and tomorrow, we'll head up."

With Bucky's help, she was able to climb out of bed and had little trouble walking at all, just slight soreness as she moved. Marley wanted to visit Emily, see how she was doing.

Tony cut her off before she could walk into the other woman's room.

"Hey, Fawkes, how you feeling?" he asked.

Marley smiled. "I'm okay."

Bucky frowned next to her, trying to figure out the reference.

"Harry Potter," she whispered, and he nodded. She'd insisted on him watching that series.

"So, did tin man go over names with you? Because we really need to start making some choices here," Tony told her. "Anthony for the first name. Edward would be a good middle name but if you don't want any confusion with sparkly vampires there's also Howard and –"

"Tony, shut it," Nat cut in. "And move."

"Okay, yeah, rest. Visit." Tony winked at Marley before continuing down the hall. "Names tomorrow, okay?"

Nat shook her head. "And it's only going to get worse."

Steve smiled at them from the chair next to Emily's bed. Emily was propped up on pillows, smiling at them as they walked in. Marley went to hug her.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm fine," Emily told her. "Not a lot different at this point. How are you?"

Pushing the word empty out of her mind, she smiled. "I'm good."

The five of them talked for a long time while others came and went, stopping to visit and share a laugh. Marley realized that she'd gone from being an outsider in this incredible group of people to being part of a family. And her baby would belong to all of them really. What a life for a child to have with so many people who cared. She'd been alone but their baby would never be and it was a blessing.

Things got back to normal after a couple of weeks, or as normal as they could ever be for the Avengers. Emily had lunch with Marley each day when they weren't out on a mission and they quickly became good friends.

When Emily finally told Marley of her pregnancy from before, Marley understood the generous offer of a stranger to help save her baby. Emily took good care of herself. She ate well when she could keep food down, and she got plenty of rest. She didn't put up much of a fuss when others insisted on helping her which was often.

The only thing Emily had been insistent about was her job. While Tony and Steve didn't see the point of her doing anything but being pregnant and taking online classes, everything else was taken care of for her, Marley knew she needed something for herself and took her side. In the end, they agreed Emily could work part-time at the pizza place in the compound. For a while. It seemed enough to make her happy.

It wasn't only Emily who had to deal with the wishes of others. Bucky had been adamant that Marley be sent on no other missions that they even suspected involved HYDRA. While Steve appeared about to lean to her side in that meeting, Tony came in and agreed with Bucky. Marley reluctantly went along since they let her go on other missions, always with Bucky and Steve both.

Marley sighed as she walked into the apartment she shared with Bucky, stripping off her workout clothes to take a shower. She surveyed the littering of bruises on her skin as she got clean. All of them from sparring.

Marley kind of missed the bruises Bucky would leave on her in more intimate places. They never hurt but they did remind her of their private time together.

He'd been so careful with her since the baby had been moved to Emily. He held her at night, let her cuddle up to him when they watched movies. Outside of that, he didn't try a thing. What was he worried about?

Privacy had gotten to be an issue with Emily and Steve constantly over. But Emily was working until later and she knew Steve would find excuses to keep an eye on her.

Hmmmm.

Climbing out of the shower, Marley pulled on one of Bucky's t-shirts from a drawer and a cute pair of panties. She brushed out her hair and let it air dry.

Not a bad place to start.

"Friday?" she called.

"Yes, Miss Cooper?"

"Please let me know if anyone aside from Sergeant Barnes comes to the door until I tell you otherwise, please."

"As you wish."

She grinned to see the fridge had been restocked today, pulling out spicy sausage, fresh cheeses. Everything she needed to make a lasagna was right there, so she got to work, putting together one of Bucky's favorite dishes for dinner. There was even some nice, fresh Italian bread. Perfect!

"Miss Cooper? Sergeant Barnes is at your door with Mr. Wilson," Friday alerted her.

"Fuck!"

Marley dashed into the bedroom, closing the door behind her and listening. The two men exchanged jabs at each other, good-naturedly, before Bucky told him he'd see him tomorrow and entered their apartment alone.

Well, since she was here…

Marley grabbed her phone up from the nightstand and stretched out on the bed, acting like she wasn't waiting for him to find her, so she could climb him like a tree.

"Doll?"

She heard the oven door open and his muttered "wow." Thank goodness the lasagna would need at least another hour to bake.

Finally, finally, he opened the bedroom door, and it was never shut so he had to wonder, to find her there doing her damnedest to act like she wasn't a needy mess right now.

A low whistle had her looking up at him in feigned surprise. The way his eyes narrowed told her he didn't buy it. Bucky smirked as he pulled off his tank with one hand, his gaze moving over her slowly.

"There you are," he said, blue eyes smoldering. "And you baked."

Marley nodded, smiled. Went back to acting like her phone was really, super interesting.

"Have a good day?" he asked as he headed for the shower.

"Uh huh," she muttered, keeping up the act.

Bucky was out of the shower in record time, a towel hanging low on his hips as he came out and headed straight for her with the predatory look she missed so much on his face.

"How long until dinner?"

She tried, she really did, not to just stare at him as he loomed over her, hands on his lean hips. Oh, she failed miserably.

"Forty-five minutes or so," her attempt at sounding bored? Pathetic.

"Yeah?"

Marley kept it up for maybe fifteen more seconds and when he didn't budge, she lowered the phone and smiled at him sweetly.

"Did you need something?" she asked.

Bucky nodded. "Almost as much as you do."

Marley couldn't have said how he was able to take a seat on the bed and swing her over his lap with so much finesse. She let out an indignant cry as he snatched the phone out of her hand and tossed it to the carpet out of her reach. With his metal hand on her back holding her down, his flesh hand literally ripped off her panties before swatting her ass enough to sting but not hurt.

"Playing games with me, doll?" His hand rubbed at the sting on her cheek. "Here I am trying to be gentlemanly and give you time to recover and you're teasing me? Is that it?"

Marley loved that tone in his voice, demanding but a shade playful.

"I don't know what you mean, Sergeant." Marley squirmed on his lap. It didn't take much for her to feel how rock hard he was under that towel.

"Oh, I think you do," he purred close to her ear. "Count them out for me."

Marley's ass wasn't the only thing that ached as she counted to seven. She moaned when his fingers finally slid between her cheeks and down to feel the results of his efforts.

"You're so wet," he whispered. "God, I've missed this. I've missed you. I'd really love to keep playing right now but I'm dying to be inside you."

"Please," Marley whispered.

That's all it took. Twisting on the bed he dropped her in the middle, pressing her onto her stomach. She could feel the heat of him all around her as he climbed onto the bed, tossing the towel away. He grabbed her wrists, stretching her arms up to the bars of the headboard.

"Don't let go until I say," his voice was low in her ear. "You understand me?"

Marley nodded.

"I need to hear you, doll."

"Yes, I understand."

"There's my good girl."

Marley gasped as he grabbed her thighs and pulled her down until she was stretched out beneath him. Then he grabbed her hips and yanked them up. She braced for him to push into her, but she was surprised when he dove in with his mouth.

She did her best to be quiet, knowing it would frustrate him. And it did. With the only sound to be heard the sharp rasps of her breath, he began a devilish torture where his tongue darted into her, driving her crazy, before sliding down to her clit to work that bundle of nerves, and then back again. Over and over he made the circuit until he pulled a low wail from her.

"That's it, baby," he whispered, sliding a finger into her carefully. "That's what I want to hear."

When he was three fingers in, he began to work over her g-spot, making her squirm with the mastery of his touch. Marley's fingers gripped the bars so hard, her knuckles turned white. She was on the edge, chasing her release…

When he pulled out those magical fingers she cried out in protest and then he attacked her with his mouth again, low moans and hums vibrating into her channel until she thought she would scream.

She came within seconds, her world whiting out as the force of her orgasm shook her.

She hadn't yet come down when she felt him push into her. Her body clenched, preparing itself. He stopped.

"No, no sugar," he whispered near her ear, dropping some of his weight on her and pressing her into the mattress. It felt heavenly. "Going to take my time now. Take you apart slowly. Relax."

Marley did but her thighs were trembling. He nudged them apart as he pressed further in, the burn of stretching around his width felt so good. His elbows were planted around her ribs as she hung onto the bars.

"So tight, doll. I even tried to work you open." His tongue teased the shell of her ear. "Love this. Love the feel of your tight little pussy, grabbing my cock so tight. Did you miss this?"

"So much," she whispered as he continued to tease her ear, her neck, and shoulder with his sinful mouth.

"Not that I'm complaining about you laying yourself out like a buffet for me. Your nipples sticking out through my shirt, making sure I can see your little panties." When his tongue dipped into her ear, she shuddered in pleasure as he slid further into her. "Probably been thinking about getting my cock in you all day, haven't you?"

"All week," she managed. Bucky laughed, sliding in deeper.

"My girl's been feeling neglected, is that it?" Bucky bottomed out, grinding into her in a way that almost had her seeing stars. "How can I make it up to you, doll?"

Marley could barely speak. "Fuck…"

"What was that?" Bucky used shallow thrusts, trying to hit the right angle.

"Fuck me," she got it out. "Hard."

When he pressed against her g-spot with the next thrust it took her breath.

"Your wish…"

Bucky began moving his hips, angling into her to hit that spot each time. Using his weight to trap her between him and the bed, Marley began to cry out each time.

"Mmmm, you sound so good, doll. Bet you're ready to come again, aren't you?"

Marley couldn't speak. She couldn't hold onto the bars either. The pleasure was so intense as she cried out, struggling beneath him. She wanted to get away, she wanted more. She cried out, she begged him to make her come. Her second orgasm shook her to her core and he kept moving within her steadily, dragging it out.

When she finally came back to herself, she noticed he'd slowed down, still rock hard within her.

"You ready, baby?" Bucky asked.

"Don't you want… to…"

"Mmmmm, I do but I'm not done with you just yet." Supporting his weight on his metal arm, he worked his flesh hand between her and the bed, devastating her with whisper-soft touches to her throbbing clit. "You got one more for me, baby? Hmmmm? I need it. I want it so bad."

Marley could barely breathe, she felt like a bomb that would explode any minute.

He thrust sharply into her, getting her attention.

"Answer," he demanded.

"Bucky, I… can't…"

"Yeah, you can." He began to move faster, his knees keeping hers from closing, his hand working her clit as he established a rhythm. "And you will, doll. You're going to fall apart so hard for me."

"Bucky, please…."

Bucky did exactly what he promised and took her apart. Marley knew half the compound had to hear her but she couldn't care as he fucked a third orgasm from her, then a fourth.

By the time he'd shouted out his release, tightening around her as his cock throbbed inside her, Marley was face down on the mattress, blissed out beyond belief. She felt him pull out gently and climb off the bed. She assumed he'd gone for a washcloth to come back and to clean her up, but she heard the sound of running water.

The smell of lavender drifted out to her as Bucky came back, gloriously naked, and bent down to press a kiss on her cheek. She hadn't moved.

"Come on, doll," he whispered. Gently he rolled her onto the back and gently pulled her up. Her t-shirt was gone in an instant and the world spun as he lifted her in his arms, heading for the bathtub.

Marley was nodding but once he had her settled, her back to his chest in the bathtub filled with soft, white bubbles and warm water, she had to admit it was very nice.

"I love you, Marley," he whispered.

"I love you too," Marley told him, meant it more than anything she'd ever said. "Glad I got that shot now."

"Yeah, Bruce told me you'd stopped by yesterday," he muttered, his hands teasing her breasts beneath the foam.

"There are no secrets here, are there?"

"None," he said chuckling. "I don't know why you're worried about that. Most of the compound had to have heard what we just did."

"Really?" Marley pressed her face into her hands. She'd never live it down.

"Friday, you can take the soundproofing off the room now," Bucky announced.

"Yes, Sergeant Barnes," her pleasant voice answered.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Marley wondered out loud. "How much time left on my lasagna, Friday?"

"Seven minutes, Miss Cooper," Friday responded.

"Miss Cooper," Bucky muttered behind her, kissing her shoulder.

"What?"

"I was just thinking, that I don't really care for that. Miss Cooper. Mrs. Barnes? Now that would sound nice, don't you think?"

His tone was teasing but there was something else there too, a slight tremor in his voice. Marley's heart clenched.

"Oh, so you're thinking you should do the right thing and marry me since you knocked me up?" Marley teased him.

"It would be better for the kid," he admitted. "That's just how things were where I came from. But that's not the only reason or even the main reason."

Marley leaned her head back against his shoulder. "What is it then?"

"I want you to belong to me," Bucky's tone was serious. "I want everyone to know you belong to me. Even if you don't want to tell people. I mean –"

"I would never, ever be ashamed of you," Marley turned as much as she could between his legs. "I would never hide being married to you for any reason."

His smile lit up his entire face. "Is that a yes?"

"I didn't say that," Marley said, half teasing, half serious. "I just meant if I ever did agree to it, I wouldn't be ashamed."

"What would make you agree to it?" he wanted to know. "I can be very persuasive, you know."

Marley laughed. "Yes, I know."

They kissed, his soft lips teasing her until she was breathless.

"And there'd be no confusion on the kid's name." He wasn't going to let this go. "Just makes things easier."

"Maybe. Anthony Edward Barnes," Marley said slowly.

"Oh, hell no! Please tell me you're not considering Stark's attempts to name our child."

She loved the color that rose into his face. "Nah, I just wanted to get you worked up."

He nudged her beneath the water. He felt very worked up and she doubted it had anything to do with Tony.

"I can name a hundred ways you can get me worked up without bringing Stark into it," he told her.

"Do it then."

"How much time do we have?"

"Maybe four minutes until the lasagna?" She guessed.

"It will need to cool." Splashing her with water, he climbed out of the tub. "I'll get it out of the oven and then I'll do some demonstrations."

"You can't be serious," she said as he stalked down the hall.

Oh, but he was. Marley shook her head, already contemplating what excuse she could use to get out of sparring with Nat tomorrow. It was going to be a long night.

She absolutely loved it. And him.

THE END