Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Part I: With

"My hands are tied, my body bruised.

She's got me with nothing to win,

And nothing left to lose."

With or Without You – U2

Darcy really hated these kinds of things.

The kind of things when Tony Stark flaunted his money around and threw parties that she had no business attending. Especially when her cleavage was included as her plus one.

Jane had wanted to double date with Thor, but who the hell was Darcy supposed to take? There was no one that she was seeing. No one sneaking out of her apartment in Brooklyn in the wee hours of the morning.

Meaningless sex was not at the top of her desired list and her one experience with an alpha had proved to be disastrous. And alphas had been sworn off since.

Jane, dear clueless, beta Jane, didn't understand that being an omega had its downsides. She whined to Darcy all the time that she wanted to carry a babe from Thor, but alphas couldn't breed with betas. It was omega or nothing. Sure, betas could breed without a hitch, and omegas could get knocked up at the flip of a switch no matter designation, but beta women couldn't conceive with alphas. And alphas couldn't breed with alphas. It was a known anomaly since the beginning of time.

Hence one of the reasons why Darcy stripped her natural omega scent with horrible shampoos and suppressants. Being around the Avengers when most of them were alphas could be a big problem otherwise. Especially if they found out she wasn't bonded.

So, she was stuck at a stupid gala, in a stupid dress - it wasn't really stupid since Pepper had sent it for her - with her clueless best friend and wonderful eye candy. And she was bored to tears.

But hell if she wasn't awake enough to notice Captain America across the room looking like a stick had been shoved up his ass. Which, since the Winter Soldier was back in action, could be entirely possible.

Reports said they weren't bonded - two alphas, duh - but she thought their brotherly love went a little deeper. But, eh, she had been wrong before. Not like she would turn down a front row seat to that bedroom.

"Darcy! Quit staring!" Jane hissed, jabbing her pointy elbow into the brunette's ribs.

Sighing, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned away from Captain Perfect. "Just because you have the best looking guy here doesn't mean I can't look at the second. I mean. He's been out of ice for, what, two years? I'd take a ride on that stick - "

"Darcy!"

"Just sayin'. They don't make 'em like they used to."

Darcy would climb him like a tree if given half a chance. Even a quarter of a chance. If she was going to be arrested by SHIELD for assaulting a national icon, she had better make it count. And nothing would beat seeing Coulson's face when he discovered she molested his hero. Payback's a bitch, Agent iPod Thief.

At least he looks as miserable as I feel, Darcy thought. It was true; the blond looked downright miserable when he was left alone for more than two seconds. Maybe public appearances weren't his thing when he didn't have his suit and shield. Weirder things had been known to happen.

The night drifted along and Darcy took up residence at the open bar since Stark's money had to be good for something. It wasn't a drink to get drunk sort of night, so vodka and cranberry was high on her list of indulgences. At a slow pace, if that. Glacier, even. With the way Captain Tight Ass was staring at her from across the room, she damn well hoped her night was about to get more interesting.

Getting to her feet, she coyly shot a look over her shoulder at the seemingly bored alpha and wiggled her hips in just that right way that he should come running. She wasn't a petite ball of fun for nothing.

And she was not disappointed.

Nearly two minutes after she rounded the corner to an empty office on the residential floor, he was there, scenting the air in a complete alpha fashion that left her panties wet.

Thank God for suppressants, she thought happily.

"You're... Miss Lewis, aren't you? Dr. Foster's assistant?"

"One and only," she grinned back. "It's a little stuffy in there, don't you think?"

He smiled shyly. "Not really my scene."

"Mine either."

His blue eyes trailed up and down her form appreciatively. "Could've fooled me, Miss Lewis."

Darcy shrugged. "Pepper knows how to dress to impress."

Banter was good. It meant that there might be some substance underneath all the pheromones he was unconsciously excreting. And, damn, did he smell good.

Like fresh air and coffee, and lead.

Did lead have a smell?

Maybe granite. Graphite. Like pencils.

She knew from Thor that she smelt of cinnamon and clove with a hint of citrus. To her own nose (yes, she had gathered up the ingredients and squashed them together) it wasn't that appealing. But, then again, she was on suppressants. It could smell completely different. A God was a God for a reason after all.

With the way the previous alpha had acted, it was a damned good smell. Even if he had smelt like cigarettes and oil.

He growled when she shifted her thighs and she nearly tilted her head in submission, but she could hold onto her instincts better than that.

"Beta?"

She gave a noncommittal hum and Steve had her crowded against the wall in record time, sniffing her neck intently.

"Lemons," he murmured, mouthing just under her ear. "Delicious."

His thick thigh wedged itself between her legs and Darcy fought back the urge to grind against it. It was hard. He was so warm and smelt so good and...

"Good girl," he praised her when a whine slipped out of her throat. His fingers rucked up her dress and suddenly she was bare from the waist down. Who needed panties, anyway? "Are you wet for me, honey? Are you wet for my alpha cock?"

Another whine and suddenly the head of his cock was nudging against her bellybutton. When had he taken his cock out?

Steve thrust into her without preamble, coating himself in her slick with ease. His forehead rested against her shoulder as he panted out praises and damnations.

"Christ, you're soaked for a beta. You feel so good, honey. You like that?"

"Steve, alpha, please!"

She wasn't too sure what she was begging for, but when his calloused fingers swiped along her swollen clit, fireworks were bursting behind her eyes in a kaleidoscope of colors. She could feel his knot swelling at the base and she wrapped one of her legs around his waist to urge him closer. To take the knot she was being offered.

"Dammit, honey. No, my knot isn't for ya. Don't wanna hurt ya."

The Brooklyn slid across his tongue and his thrusts became more shallow before he buried himself as deep as possible without allowing her to take his knot. His seed flooded her waiting womb and she slammed her head back against the wall at the feeling, baring her neck.

His teeth barely nipped her, leaving her high and dry as he kissed her forehead when he withdrew from her soaking heat.

"You're..." he took a deep breath as he steadied himself, tucking his cock back into his pants. "You're somethin' all right. You...you do this often?"

It was like a switch had been flipped.

One second she was blissed out and her little omega heart was almost completely happy and the next had her tugging down her dress and scowling.

Darcy did not sleep with guys for fun. She had slept with three guys including Captain I-Put-My-Foot-In-My-Mouth, and it was more than a little offensive how he casually threw it out there. Like it was an occurance he had heard about before. Which, she was one hundred percent sure Clint hadn't said anything.

"Darcy?"

"It's been real, Cap. Thanks for the jollies." His hand caught her wrist when she turned and she yanked it out of his grasp. "Shouldn't be touching what's not yours."

"Are you...are you looking for an Alpha? I...what I mean is - "

Darcy held up her hands to stop him, a horrified look on her face. "Look, dude, when you fuck a girl, you don't need to offer to be her alpha. Alphas have unattached sex all the time. Betas, too. We're not so old fashioned anymore. It was fun, okay? Let's not make more of it than what it was; a quick fuck to take the edge off."

It looked like he was going to argue, but he nodded after a couple moments. "I...I'm still adjusting to everything, but, uh. Thank you. If you're ever - "

"Aaaaand that's the end of it," she cut him off. Halfway out the door, she shot a half-assed smile over her shoulder. "Have a good rest of your night, Cap."

"It's Steve," he said to an empty room.

Darcy was fifty shades of fucked.

It took a month for her suppressants to start causing her a migraine. Exactly a month after she slept with Captain America, alpha extraordinaire. And, apparently, the serum helped his little swimmers tear through every defensive birth control she had. Hell, she even took the 'morning after' pill just to be sure.

A quick pee test confirmed her suspicions – she was an omega that was pregnant with an alpha's baby.

She was so fucked.

A pregnant, unbonded omega wasn't completely unusual – there were maybe a dozen cases in New York alone – but someone was bound to notice it eventually since there was no way she was terminating.

"You smell different."

Darcy squeaked, her hand flying to her chest in a futile attempt to calm the hammering of her heart. This was why she hated using the communal kitchen – she normally stayed in the lab – but they had ran out of poptarts and she and Jane both needed sustenance for science.

"I didn't mean to scare ya," the voice said. "You just smell – "

"So, the first time I meet you, you insult me?" She asked, turning and meeting blue eyes. Bucky held up his hands in defense, but she kept going. "See? This is why I stay in the lab."

He shook his head, his dark hair tumbling about his face. "I didn't mean it like that. I meant that you smell… familiar or somethin'. Good," he nodded, settling on the word. "Real good. You're a – "

"Why does my designation matter?" A hard edge had crept into her voice and she could see him backpedaling, trying to fix it. "You're an alpha. Good for you."

He sighed, "Awh, doll – "

"Excuse me? No Just…no. You don't get to give me pet names or whatever the fuck that just was. You got it? You don't know me."

"Then why do you smell like that?"

She growled. "Like what?"

"Steve."

"I-I don't."

Bucky grinned wolfishly. "But you do. I live with him, baby. I know what he smells like. Did he get in those pretty little panties of yours – "

SMACK!

Her hand shook as she lowered it, thoroughly impressed with her brashness. And a little scared knowing she had just hit the Winter Soldier. A fucking assassin.

Who did he think he was? Stupid alpha. Trying to make her feel like she was less. Well, he could go fuck himself. Or Steve.

And she hoped that was the impression she left him with as she stalked away.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Darcy was still screwed.

If she were already starting to scent like her baby daddy, then her omega status would be made apparent sooner rather than later.

Which meant that she had to make arrangements. Work arrangements, scent arrangements, baby arrangements. She couldn't tell him that the baby was his. She had never said she was a beta, but she hadn't corrected him, either.

How smart could he be?

Maybe she could get him to sign something. Without his knowledge.

Christ. She was fucked.

Chapter Text

Part II: Without

"See the stone set in your eyes.

See the thorn twist in your side."

With or Without You – U2

Pepper Potts was one smart beta. She was clinical and could be completely ruthless when the situation called for it. How else was Stark Industries so successful?

So, when the assistant to Dr. Jane Foster appeared in her office, scenting fear like no other, the prim redhead closed the door and ushered her inside with the promise of fresh muffins and a sympathetic ear.

"What can I do for you, Miss Lewis?" Pepper asked once the other woman was settled and happily nibbling on the promised muffin. "I assume this isn't a social call? If you were harassed, we take that very seriously – "

"What? No, I wasn't – I mean – I – " the petite brunette shook her head and set her prize down on the solid desk. A deep breath shuddered through her and she calmly asked, "Are you capable of drawing something up? A…a way for someone to sign over their parental rights for a baby that isn't born yet? Hypothetically, of course." She rushed to add.

Pepper's eyes flicked down to her flat stomach and a single eyebrow hitched upwards. "Is paternity – "

"It couldn't be anyone else."

"All right. And, hypothetically, does the father know of the pregnancy?"

Miss Lewis shook her head minutely. "No. I was hoping to get him to sign it without him actually knowing what he was signing."

"Miss Lewis – "

"It's not hypothetical, okay?" She cried, throwing her hands up in frustration. "I mean, it would be a lot easier if it was, but I can't get rid of it and I don't want a stupid alpha telling me what to do and – and – "

"Oh, dear." Pepper handed her a box of tissues, empathizing with the young woman. Until something she had said clicked. "I don't think I heard you correctly. Alpha? Your file – "

"I know, I know," she sniffled. "No one's supposed to know any different. And I can leave instead! I just…I don't want him to have a claim to my baby. To me. I have enough money to make it by on my own for awhile."

The redhead blinked. "You want the father to sign away his parental rights to the baby without him ever knowing. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

"That's…that would be against the law, Miss Lewis."

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure that Captain America having a kid out of wedlock would be more harmful to the public image he's trying so hard to keep."

As soon as she said it, the brunette snapped her mouth shut and her eyes went wide.

"Steve?" Pepper breathed. "Steve Rogers is the father?"

"I mean – "

"Were you drunk? Was it consensual? Oh my god, Tony's going to have a field day – "

"And that's why I don't want anyone to know!" Miss Lewis exploded. "If he knows, I'll never…I just can't be bonded to an alpha, okay? I don't want to miss out on my life because I'm some sort of submissive slave. He has his life and I have mine – no clashing!"

It would be very tricky – and very, very illegal – but Pepper knew she could help. She could help a scared omega and her child while keeping up appearances within the Avengers. A transfer or a move…a few signed papers…

"Miss Lewis, how do you and Dr. Foster feel about relocating?"

The petite woman shrugged. "I don't think we're opposed, but – "

"Or perhaps a lab on a lower floor – no Avenger access but Thor."

"More likely. I can't be the cause of Jane losing tall, blond, and godly."

Pepper smiled softly. "I'll get something drawn up. I'll have it signed and filed away."

She didn't have any time to brace herself before she had a lap-full of thankful, pregnant omega.

"You're the best!"

Steve was bewildered. When his mate stalked into their apartment and started firing off questions, he had no idea what to make of it. Especially when he was in the middle of a call with Ms. Potts.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Potts. I'll need to call you back." Ending the call, he glared at the brunet. "What now?"

"You been fuckin' dames, again?"

"What – no!"

"Then why does the sweet little beta that works for Foster smell like you?" He growled. It was a good smell. A very good smell, but it did things to his cock that made him question his relationship. Not that he didn't enjoy pussy.

"I…" he trailed off, remembering the gala. "I fucked her at a party a month or so ago. Maybe she was wearing something?"

"She's the lemons?"

Bucky had nearly lost his shit when the blond came home smelling like that. It put him into a rut that lasted almost a week. Poor Steve had been worse for wear after that one.

"Uh, yeah. Citrus." Steve scratched his head before his eyes went wide. "No, we just got you out of rut!"

Bucky grunted. "She smelled like you. Coffee and lemons… I wanted to fuck her and bite her in the middle of the kitchen! She smelt so good…"

"Yeah, well, she doesn't like me very much anymore." Sighing, he explained when the brunet cocked his head. "I may have asked her if she had sex with strangers on a regular basis – "

Bucky groaned and flopped on the couch.

" – and then asked if she was looking for an alpha," he cringed at his own words. Even seventy years couldn't change the fact that he still didn't know how to talk to women.

"I wonder if she'd let me – "

"You can't use a beta for your rut."

"Why not?" Bucky asked petulantly. "She started it! A beta has no damned reason to smell that good. Didn't you like her scent? Like ripe, fresh lemons off a tree…"

The problem was that Steve did like her scent. He spent too much time with his dick in his hand because of it. But she wasn't interested in his pack. He had put his foot so deep in his mouth that nothing would ever fix that.

"I have to go sign a few things for Ms. Potts," he said, trying to shake away the thought of how good she had felt wrapped around him. "Don't do anything stupid."

"How can I?" The brunet called after him. "You're takin' all the stupid with you!"

Darcy was phenomenal at hiding her insecurities. She hid them in the over-sized cardigans and knitted beanies she wore. She hid them in her mountain of curls and behind the glossy finish of her red lipstick. She even hid them in the sports bra she wore on top of her normal bra to keep the girls in check.

Oh yeah. She was a pro.

So, why on earth did the Winter Soldier shake her so much?

Why did it matter so much if she slept with Steve? It must fuck up their alpha/alpha dynamics or some shit since she claimed to be nothing more than a beta.

A beta that caught the eyes of two alphas. And the nose of one.

She had stocked up on scent-stripping shampoo and body wash. She even bought a spray to neutralize it. And lemon perfume! That was hard as hell to find. And expensive, too.

But if she could explain her way out of any situation that would call attention to her designation, no amount of money would be too much. Especially if she was trapped with alphas for part of the day.

As promised, Ms. Potts moved Jane and Darcy to a lab that had restricted access and a killer view. Jane had complained for only a little while until she realized that she didn't have to move any of her things and that Thor was welcome whenever he was on earth. Thank god for small mercies.

It had been a week since she spoke to the redhead and she was getting a little nervous since a little, well-defined bump had began taking up residence between her hips. It wasn't that noticeable to anyone else – what with the baggy clothes and all – but Darcy knew it was there.

The nesting process had already started in her tiny apartment. Comfy blankets and squishy pillows were compiled in one corner of her room. She even caught her hindbrain thinking about how nice it would be to steal once of Captain Asshat's jackets just for the scent.

Bad omega!

Her poor biology was so confused.

"Do you wanna join us for pizza tonight?" Jane asked, oblivious to her inner musings. "The team always gets together when Thor comes back."

Pizza sounded perfect. Pizza with her baby daddy and his main squeeze? Less perfect. Disastrous, in fact.

"Yeah, I'd rather gouge my eyes with rusty spoons."

"Darcy!"

"You asked," she mumbled, clicking 'save' on the document she was working on before shutting her laptop. Plastering a fake smile on her face, she added, "Besides, I'm a grunt, right? Comic relief. I feed you and make sure your notes make sense."

Jane was exasperated. "You do so much more than that and you know it. We wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you! Stark thought I was about as interesting as mayonnaise, but he thought the sun shined out of your ass!"

Darcy giggled despite herself. "That's an exaggeration."

"Shut up. You're eating pizza with us and that's final."

She groaned. This was going to suck.

He could smell it. Just barely, but the small, tiny, miniscule hint of lemon mixed with coffee couldn't be missed. His blue eyes found her in a second, noticing how uncomfortable she looked. Probably because the last time she was around all of them, she fucked his mate.

Not that he blamed Steve; that dame was certainly something else. Hell, he wanted to drop to his knees and worship her.

"Can you please stop staring?"

They never went to these sorts of things. Normally, they would catch Thor in the gym and welcome him back, but Bucky just knew that she would be here and it gave him an exuse to watch her without being creepy. Not that it was working.

Bucky grunted and looked away, focusing on Barton trying to juggle tomatoes instead. "Why does it matter? Shouldn't I get to fuck 'er, too?" He shrugged, aiming for nonchalance. "It would be fair."

Steve glared at him hard. "Fair would be me fucking every dame in Brooklyn that got your cock wet."

"Didn't think you were into necrophilia, Stevie." He whistled low. "Learn somethin' new every day."

The blond turned red and looked down in embarrassment while he attempted to collect his words. "You know what I mean," he finally muttered. "You wanna try your luck with her? Be my guest. Just…just don't treat her like I did. She's a lady, Buck. Not a good time gal."

"You at least made her come, right? I know you're shit with dames, but – "

"Of course I did!" Steve hissed, the redness returning. "Can we not talk about this here?"

"I'm gonna go talk to her."

The blond sighed. "She knows we're together."

"Yeah, but she fucked you knowing that, too."

No. No, he definitely wasn't walking over to her.

Except that Bucky Barnes was and Darcy was really hoping the ground would swallow her whole. Or, at the very least, drop her to the floor down below. But fate was never that kind.

"Hey."

Darcy blinked up from her plate of pizza, a scowl on her face. "Can I help you?"

He grinned. "I'm sure there's a lot of things you can help me with, but I'll settle for the pleasure of your company."

"And if I don't want yours?"

"My what?"

She rolled her blue eyes. "Your company."

"Well, you don't really have a choice if I'm gonna be sittin' next to you."

"I could leave," she suggested. God, he was such a prick. "I've already talked to Thor; no one would miss me."

"I would," he said softly, the cocky edges of his attitude fading slightly. "Never met a dame that wasn't interested, y'know? New territory."

She dryly said, "How unfortunate for you. It must be so hard to not have a girl in your bed when you have Steve – "

"Sometimes I want somethin' soft." Bucky shrugged. His eyes were twinkling again and it made it easy to see why Steve went through hell and back for him. "It's a nice addition," he continued, dragging her eyes away from his mouth. "We've never shared a dame, though."

Oh. So, that's what this was about. He wasn't jealous; he just wanted some, too.

"So, it's a pissing contest." The petite brunette nodded thoughtfully. It was a little less difficult to tramp down on her anger that she thought it would be. "I get it." She stood and leaned into his personal space, her plush lips brushing against his stubbled cheek as she whispered, "You want to come deep inside me like Steve did, don't you? Fill up my little womb just like your mate did."

Bucky was nearly panting by the time she pulled away. A beta should not have had that effect on him, but, damn it all, she was something. And he wanted to pin her down and make her submit to his knot.

"But it's not going to happen, Barnes," she continued, oblivious to his plight. "I'm not looking for an alpha and now that I know how involved you and Steve really are, I'm not getting in the middle of that."

He watched as she walked away, the steady sway of her hips intoxicating. If only she knew how badly he wanted her in the middle.

Bucky had a plan. A plan to win the sweet little beta's prize that lay between her plush thighs. When he was younger, he used to be a player; he could talk just about anyone out of his or her pants and he was intent on laying all his charm on Darcy Lewis.

He bought her flowers and coffee, meaning to leave them in the lab for her, only for JARVIS to tell him that he didn't have access to the lab and that Darcy didn't drink coffee. Which was a lie because he had watched her guzzle her entire weight in dark roast. So, he settled by leaving it outside with a tacky note, hoping that she didn't just throw it away.

For lunch, he left her a box of sushi from an expensive place in the city that she had went on and on about a few months before. But JARVIS said she wouldn't eat it.

Was the AI trying to sabotage a chance of sex? Seriously?

"Well, what does she like then?" Bucky finally asked, frustration bleeding into his voice.

"Miss Lewis enjoys fruits and vegetable that aren't the 'leafy, green trees of death'. Also cheese and chicken. No caffeine except chocolate."

He smiled. She had the taste buds of a toddler. "Mac and cheese it is."

Three days of being spoiled and Darcy had no idea what to do with herself. She had nearly cried over the large coffee. She had sacrificed it to Jane – for science! – but what had really broken her heart had been the sushi. Her favorite sushi that the parasite growing in her womb denied her.

This kid was so grounded when it was born.

And her morning sickness still hadn't tapered off, but her second trimester was approaching steadily. Not that it helped with the tapering of her nesting instincts.

The flowers that Bucky had bought her went straight into the bedroom she had converted into the nursery. They sort of smelled like him – he must have rubbed the petals a lot. It helped manage her hindbrain's need for an alpha.

She had passed Steve in the hall the day before and had nearly whimpered in submission before she caught herself. She split her lip from biting it so hard.

But three days had gone by since the flowers and Darcy just knew that Bucky was trying to woo her into his bed. Part of her figured that she should just get it over with – what with only a tiny baby bump and all – and the other part didn't want her to because it put her in a precarious position to be claimed by an alpha that wasn't her child's father.

But her child's father's mate.

It was so confusing.

"You'd better just let him in your pants or put him out of his misery."

Darcy startled at the archer's voice. How the fuck did he get into her apartment?

"I have a key, remember?" Clint asked as he dropped down on the couch beside her, earning a jostling glare. "Or has the pregnancy brain already set it?"

She gaped before she – unsuccessfully – recovered. "I don't know what you mean – "

"Spy, remember? Besides, I'm pretty familiar with what you've got goin' on under there." His finger trailed under her cardigan, caressing her rounded flesh. "And that's certainly new." His eyes widened. Jerking his hand back, he asked, "Is it mine?"

Oh, bless his ignorance of her true designation.

Darcy shook her head. "Just some rando. Drank a little too much and boom! My eggo is preggo."

"You gonna keep it?"

"Yeah," she shrugged. "Single motherhood isn't what it used to be. Besides, I always have your help, right?"

Clint smiled and slung his arm around her shoulders. "'Course y'do. That means I get pregnant sex, right? Ow!"

It was true that they had hooked up on a few occasions, but now that he and Natasha were 'on-again' that was definitely out of the question. Death by Black Widow sounded extremely painful.

"Yeah, I'm gonna pass. I don't need Natasha beating the shit out of me."

Darcy had spent entirely too much time riding her most trusted dildo that night. Granted, she could have slept with Clint, but she had more class and self-preservation instincts than that. And if she was walking funny the next day, Clint didn't mention it.

"Why're you walkin' like that?"

Bucky, however, had no such tact.

He had been hiding in the shadows next to the lab entrance and nearly scared the piss out of her when she exited the elevator. Thankfully her womb spawn hadn't taken up residence on her bladder just yet.

She scowled and tried to walk a little slower to hide her awkward gait. She did exhaust herself the night before, after all, and her thighs were definitely protesting now. "Why're you always insulting me? First, I smell. Now, I walk funny. What's next?"

"Well, I'd rather you smell like me and be walkin' funny because you spent too much time on my cock," he answered bluntly. And, fuck, if that didn't turn her insides to jello. "But I'm askin' 'cause I want to make sure you're okay."

"Awh, you care about me, Barnes?"

"A little, yeah." He shrugged, a grin betraying him. "I mainly don't want to miss out on the best pussy Stevie's ever had."

Darcy rolled her eyes. "You know, sometimes I really think about giving you a chance and then you open your mouth and say shit like that."

He crept closer to where she was leaning up against the wall. He was big enough to cage her in without even trying and her omega self whined internally in satisfaction.

"Yeah? You don't like it when I talk dirty, baby? It doesn't get you wet?"

"Barnes – "

"You don't want to feel my alpha cock inside you? Making you come all over me?"

Her voice was way too breathless for her liking. "You're full of yourself."

"Yeah? Well, I'd rather you be full of me."

Darcy didn't even register that he was kissing her. Not until his thick thigh wedged itself between her legs and she ground down against it with a gasp that was quickly swallowed by his mouth.

And, fuck, could he kiss.

Not that she could compare him to Steve; they literally did the deed without preamble or foreplay.

But Bucky could slot himself inside her at that very moment and wouldn't meet a single iota of resistance. Damn super soldiers and their charm.

"Not here," she barely managed to hiss. She really didn't need to be caught fucking against the wall barely twenty feet from the lab.

"Yeah?" He rasped against her ear, making her shiver. "Later? In your bed?" He kept forcing his thigh harder against her and she nearly lost her mind.

She finally relented. "Yes!" She yelped, pushing him away the second he chuckled. Christ, he was going to kill her.

"See you tonight, baby."

Darcy was so fucked.

Chapter Text

Part III: With

"On a bed of nails, she makes me wait.

And I wait, without you."

With or Without You – U2

Regret was not a feeling that she was well versed in. It was neither familiar nor comforting and if Darcy was being honest, which she always was, she hated it.

Not that she could regret Bucky. Jesus Christ, she could never regret – or forget – a night with him. She only regretted that she hadn't gotten to him before Captain Asshat managed to so thoroughly destroy her birth control with a single fun-filled half hour.

"Please. Please!"

Bucky smiled and gave her clit one last lingering lick before he kissed his way back up her flushed body, hovering over her lips. "'Please' what, baby?"

She shivered and arched her back. "Please get inside me. Please! I need to feel your alpha cock so deep inside – oh!"

He hadn't waited for her to finish her sentence. In one smooth thrust, he was buried as deep inside of her quivering heat as he could be without letting his knot slip inside her. As tempting as it was, he didn't want to hurt the little beta.

His hips set a punishing pace almost immediately. Pulling out only to thrust back inside a little bit harder, a little bit stronger. His eyes were focused on her face; the way her pearly teeth worried her bottom lip and the sweet sounds coming out of her mouth each time the head of his cock hit the end inside her.

Darcy's nails bit into the flesh of his hips, simultaneously pushing him away and pulling him closer as if she was unsure of what she wanted. But he didn't want to stop. He couldn't stop when she felt so damned good wrapped around him.

"Bucky!" She wailed, her tight channel convulsing around him at the same time that she threw her head back in pleasure.

It would've been so easy to bite her. So easy to take advantage of her pleasure and sink his teeth into her skin to mark her as his. So no other alpha could even think about looking at her without fearing his wrath. But he refrained.

Biting without consent was just as bad as rape in his mind and he had no desire to ever do that.

Instead, he nuzzled his face against her neck and growled as he met his own end, his warm seed splashing against her womb and leaving him with the heady feeling that Steve had felt this exact same thing. His mate had filled the same woman writhing beneath him with his own seed.

And he intended to do it again and again until they both couldn't walk.

She shivered. He was certainly a gentleman, which was more than she had been expecting. Sure, he was a renowned lady's man in the '40s, but she wasn't sure if that carried over or not. And she wasn't disappointed.

"Mm…g'mornin', baby."

She smiled despite herself and snuggled back against the hard body behind her that had molded itself around her. "Good morning yourself."

"Sleep good?" Bucky asked. His stubble rasped against her soft neck and she sighed in contentment. "I know I did. Been awhile, too."

The brunette nodded sleepily. "Mhm. You're a good bed buddy."

"So I've been told."

It was easy to forget that he wasn't hers. That he still had to go back to Steve in the end. That was one love story she was not getting in the middle of, so it was easy to clam up when the bubble around them finally popped and reality set in.

The reality that no matter how good their night together was, he would still leave her in the morning and she would be alone again.

Alone and pregnant with a babe she already loved more than anything else.

"You should probably be getting back, then," she whispered. If she kept her voice quiet enough, maybe he couldn't hear the hurt she was trying to hide.

Bucky stiffened, his lips pausing next to her ear. "Is that what you want, baby? You want me to get out of here?"

"I don't want Steve to get jealous that you spent the night with me."

"Darcy – "

"You're even now, right? You each got a turn – "

"It was never about that."

But wasn't it?

He had approached Darcy because she had slept with his mate.

"Beta."

He used his alpha voice. A voice that should never be used on anyone other than a mate or pack. And she was clearly neither, yet her omega biology demanded she submit.

With a grimace, she bit out, "I'm not your mate, alpha. If you want someone to submit to you, I suggest you leave."

"I think we should at least be courting then," he said after a beat of silence, clearly worried that he had upset her. "Steve will be over the moon; adding a pretty little beta to the bedroom."

Darcy sat up so fast that her head spun. Uncaring of her nudity, she flung the comforter off of her and stalked to the closet in search of clothes. "You can leave now," she tossed over her shoulder as she pulled on a pair of leggings.

He at least had the decency to leave.

"We're bad with dames."

Steve looked up from the file he had spread open in his lap. "What?" He sniffed the air and his blue eyes widened. "You didn't."

The brunet collapsed on the couch next to him and groaned. The walk of shame wasn't nearly as entertaining when it was him doing the walking.

"Bucky – "

"Yeah, I slept with her."

"Bucky!"

"And I don't regret a single second of it," he added, scrubbing his hands against his face. "I just wish she wouldn't be so damned opposed to us."

Steve sighed. "Did you really suggest a…pack thing when she's only slept with each of us once?"

"I said we should court her – "

The blond's groan cut him off. "She's a modern beta, jerk. She's not…she's not into the pack mentality like it used to be. She's independent and – "

"Stubborn."

"You can't just expect her to fall into a relationship with us."

Bucky thought about it for a few minutes. "I'm not gonna stop fuckin' her, though. That pussy is just…"

"I know," Steve grimaced. "Heaven on earth."

Darcy evaded both super soldiers for almost a month. A month of her body changing in uncomfortable ways, but leaving the morning sickness behind, thank fuck.

And it was getting colder so she could try to conceal her little bump without odd questions.

Clint had been around more often than not, making sure she was taken care of and fed, resting his hand on her stomach every chance he got.

"You've got a baby in there!" He had exclaimed when she had asked him why he was always touching it. "Like, that's…that's the best thing ever. I didn't create it, but I'm gonna love it."

So, the avoiding was going well until Bucky cornered her coming out of the lab and it was too late – and she was too horny – for her to fight his advances.

"Make it quick," she hissed, dragging him back through the lab and into a seldom-used office; she and Jane preferred to work together, spread out in the lab.

It was a really bad idea, but she had an itch that only a man could scratch. Her poor vibrators didn't stand a chance.

He chuckled and grabbed her by her ass, picking her up and sitting her on the desk. "Little impatient, are we? I missed you, too, baby." His lips found hers and she wiggled out of her tights as quickly as she could.

"Less talking, more fucking."

His rough hands pushed up her shirt and found her hips. Confusion welled inside of him as felt a small swell when his hands fanned outwards and cradled her against him.

"Bucky, please."

Well, he couldn't deny her.

Bucky really didn't mean to watch her as closely as he was. Watching what she ate, how often she went to the restroom, how much sleep she got. It was becoming a bit of an obsession, especially when he knew it couldn't be possible.

A beta couldn't have an alpha's child.

But Darcy had all the signs – he had been around enough pregnant women to know – and he was more than a little confused. She didn't have sex with anyone but him or Steve. It didn't make sense. The archer hovered a lot, though. And he was a beta.

Anger flared through him and he struggled to control it. Darcy wasn't part of his pack. He had no claim to her or her potential child, but he wanted to. The urge to bite her every time they shared a bed was overwhelming.

"What's got you all worked up?"

The brunet blinked. How long had he been staring at his coffee cup? "I think Darcy's carryin'."

"What?"

"A baby."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I got that. Why…why does it matter? It's not ours – "

"But she should be part of our pack. She's ours. And so is the babe."

The blond looked pained. "Buck – no. She-she's not interested in a pack dynamic. Do you even know who her mate is?"

"No – "

"Then butt out."

"She slept with me while she was pregnant."

"What?"

Bucky sighed and met his mate's worried eyes. "I know it was supposed to be a one time thing, but I couldn't help myself. When she was against me," he closed his eyes against the memory and flexed his metal hand. "I could feel it. The flutter of a heartbeat, the roundness of her belly…why would she sleep with me if she was carryin' another man's child?"

It was apparent that Steve didn't have a satisfactory answer. It was an odd situation. A woman that he wanted to bond with was already pregnant, but that didn't change the way he felt. If anything, it made her more attractive knowing she was fertile. Not that he or Bucky had a hope of knocking her up.

"Does she smell pregnant?" He finally asked when no good questions came to mind.

The brunet shook his head. "I can only smell lemons and coffee. I can't…I can't figure out her designation, but I know she's a beta. She smells so good..." he paused and shook his head. "We gotta find a way to get her to be with us, Stevie."

"I know," he sighed. "I know."

"Your sweaters aren't going to hide her forever," Clint's voice whispered in her ear as his hands wound around her waist to cradle her more than noticeable bump. "Someone's gonna notice."

Darcy melted against him. She was so sore all the time. Her feet were swollen, her leggings struggled to stay up, and she literally felt like she was on fire with all the sweaters and cardigans she was wearing. Five months of pregnancy was not fun.

"Is your back hurting again?"

Bless Clint and his masseuse abilities.

"Everything hurts," Darcy whined pitifully. "I just want tequila and sushi, but no. My new tenant says no. I'm gonna die."

"Four months left, babe," he reminded her. "Then you can do whatever you want." He kissed the shell of her ear and pulled away. "Any word on the baby daddy?"

"All's quiet on the paternal front."

He glanced down. "He's really missing out."

"Eh, I've got you," she smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "What else will this kid need?"

Bucky watched hawkishly as the petite brunette rubbed her lower back gingerly. He had seen her stumble this week and, in her condition, he couldn't leave her alone. Granted, he was always in the shadows, but Steve was more obvious.

Steve was almost as obsessed as Bucky. He asked JARVIS about her at least once an hour. He ensured the small fridge in the lab was stocked with healthy options as well as the communal fridge. He had panicked when he learned that she had an apartment outside the tower – outside of his safety net – but it had been remedied with a security upgrade and a SHIELD agent that Steve had nearly begged Coulson for.

But Bucky still watched. He couldn't be too careful with her in such a state. At a moment's notice, he would be ready to defend her, catch her, or whatever she may need. Hell, he was so whipped.

"Should we give her a warm bottle?" Steve asked, following her slight form as she flitted around the kitchen.

The brunet shook his head. "They don't do that anymore."

Thor was back on earth. As usual, it ended up with a team dinner. The pair had thought about skipping out, but as soon as they knew Darcy would be there, they changed their minds.

She was busy making sure everyone had drinks, carefully excluding herself from her favored alcohol. The archer hovered behind her, handing out drinks as if he knew. Which, if he was the father, maybe he did. They didn't act like mates, though. Especially since Bucky was pretty sure he was with Natalia.

"You should be sitting down," the archer whispered while Bucky cursed his hearing. "Too much strain – "

"I'm fine, Clint. I promise."

So, not an actual confirmation, but the brunet could put two and two together. And, hell, she was beautiful pregnant.

Darcy glowed and was just the most amazing thing Bucky had ever laid eyes on. And her smell? Lemons in abundance with hints of mouthwatering coffee. He had been staving off a rut, but he knew it was close.

Blue eyes narrowed when Barton's fingers brushed against the swollen flesh that housed her child. His child.

"If you start growling, I'm going to drag you back to our apartment."

Bucky grunted. "He's touching her."

"He's allowed to."

"I don't like it."

Steve smiled wryly. "Neither do I, but we don't have a choice, do we?"

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

It was late. Darcy hadn't meant to be the maid that cleaned up after the Avengers, but it was nearly three in the morning and she was doing dishes while the tower was asleep. She needed practice in sleep deprivation for the months to come.

Her lower back had been aching all night, but it was truly hurting now. Just a few more dishes, she kept telling herself. It did no good if she didn't finish.

When the last dish was rinsed, she wiped down the counter before setting her forearms against it and hanging her head. Controlled breaths slipped through her lips and she tried to focus on anything but the radiating ache.

Darcy must have been delirious from the pain because it felt like gentle fingers were probing her back, soothing away the ache a little at a time.

"You should be resting."

She would've jumped if she didn't feel like a noodle. "Yeah? Then who would clean up after all of you?"

"I've been known to wash a dish or two, baby." Bucky chuckled. His hand, the metal one, reached around her hunched body and caressed her protruding stomach. "I'm also pretty handy with changing diapers."

Darcy went rigid. The breath stilled in her lungs and she struggled to get her bearings. How the hell did he find out? She had kept it quiet – Jane didn't even know!

"Your sweaters aren't going to hide her forever."

"You're beautiful, y'know. Prettiest pregnant woman me 'n' Stevie have ever seen."

"Shut up," she mumbled, blushing down to the roots of her hair. "No one else knows."

Bucky cocked his head at her. "Except Barton and Ms. Potts."

She bolted upright, whirling to face his as she ignored the protesting of her back. "What do you know about Pepper? Did you – "

"Calm down, baby. I didn't do anything. It's not my business." The regret tasted weird in his mouth, but there wasn't anything that could be done any differently. Sometimes his designation was a bitch. With a sigh, he asked, "Is Barton the father?"

Darcy's face relaxed and a small laugh bubbled out. "Clint? No. No – it was a random guy. Just a fling."

"He doesn't know? The father?" He asked after a beat. "Shouldn't he – "

"I can be a single mom," Darcy bit out, cutting him off. "It's not exactly common, but I can do it. Once this job becomes too much, I'll probably break my lease in Brooklyn and move back home or, at least, somewhere safer."

His blue eyes went wide and he opened and closed his mouth a few times as the panic set on his features. "Why would you do that? You could move in here – there's nowhere safer."

"And nowhere with a bigger target on it."

"We'd protect you," he instantly protested. "Me and Stevie and Barton, I'm bettin'."

"It's not about that. I need somewhere safe for my little bundle of joy."

Darcy – "

She shook her head, chocolate curls tumbling about her face. "I appreciate the concern, I really do. But I'm not yours. Or Steve's. Or even Clint's. The help is great, but me and my child have to make a life for ourselves away from the Avengers eventually. I'm not super powered or dating someone that is. In the grand scheme of things, I'm a liability."

"Then let me make you my liability," he coaxed, very much aware of the 'now or never' mentality. "I'm not askin' for a pack or anythin' like that. Just…let me take care of you until you get on your feet. A newborn is hard. Don't make it harder."

Darcy was tempted. Very tempted. Sure, being a single mother would be difficult, but that was when it was only her. She had options now.

"No strings attached," he was quick to add, noting the hesitation. "No pack. No Steve. Just some help and security."

She snorted. "And the sex wouldn't be considered payment?"

"I'm not expecting it," Bucky said seriously. His eyes had gotten a shade or two lighter as he spoke with conviction. "I'm going into this with the expectation to help you and your babe."

It only took a week for Darcy's Brooklyn apartment to be cleaned out and all her earthy possessions to be moved to the tower – with Thor's help, of course. She thought that she was nesting pretty well now that everyone knew she was expecting. She received congratulatory food and flowers and she was content having Bucky in and out of her new apartment to keep her hindbrain in check.

Part of her knew it was a bad idea to be so close to Steve, but, as much as she hated to admit it, she had fallen in love with his mate.

And fuck did it suck to love someone that was bound to another.

Obviously fate hated her.

"I'm gonna head out. Did you need anything else?" Bucky appeared in the doorway of her living room, a screwdriver in one hand.

He had volunteered to put together the crib that had been sitting in the middle of the nursery since she moved in and she was more than grateful. Especially since there was no way that she would end up putting it together. She and tools did not mix. Except for the occasional fire extinguisher that Jane had made mandatory.

"No," she answered, glancing up from the baby catalog in her lap. "You didn't have to – "

"It was my pleasure, baby." His smile was breathtaking and she struggled with the sudden want to jump him. "So…how much longer?"

Darcy sighed. "If I'm lucky? Two months. If this little parasite is on time? Another three."

He cocked his head. "You're still pretty small – "

"It's 'cause I was fat before – "

"You're not fat."

"Hush," she sighed. "Just accept it. Anyway, I'll 'pop' eventually. But I like the little bump."

He nodded, obviously knowing better than to argue. "Well, I'm makin' dinner tonight. In the common room if you want to join. Steve'll be on his best behavior."

She tensed. Eventually, Bucky would get smart and realize the reason she smelt like Steve. Eventually, her whole world would implode because she was controlled by her hormones and her designation.

In two – or possibly three – months, she wouldn't be able to get out of the intricate web she spun without hurting someone. And everyone would know the father of her child. Darcy would be back to being fucked again.

"I'll see how I feel," she lied, a slight shrug of her shoulder. "Clint should be coming over later." His face clouded and she sighed. "He's my best friend – be nice, please."

Darcy knew something was wrong the moment she stood up from the couch. The floor rushed up to meet her as she tumbled down, just barely caught by Clint's quick thinking.

"What the hell – Darce? Can you hear me, babe?" The archer tapped one pale cheek gently before he cursed. "JARVIS? Can you get Darcy's doctor on the phone?"

"My records indicate that Miss Lewis does not have a designated doctor – OBGYN or otherwise."

Clint blinked. He hadn't actually seen her go to the doctor, but…

"Call Bruce," he finally said, scooping the limp brunette into his arms, he added, "Tell him to meet me in the medbay."

The humming of a machine was what woke her. Hazy blue eyes blinked awake and she spotted Bruce sitting next to her.

"What's up, doc?" She rasped, entertained by her own joke. Logically, ending up in a hospital while pregnant, and not giving birth, wasn't exactly a good thing. The look Bruce was giving her also wasn't a good thing.

"When was the last time you went to the doctor, Darcy?"

She had to think about it. Technically, she knew that she should've been getting check up for her and her parasite, but she didn't want the attention a super soldier spawn would bring. Finally, she settled on. "Willingly?" His glare made her sigh. "I haven't gone since I got knocked up."

"Darcy!"

"I know!" She cringed. "I should've gone sooner. A lot sooner. I just – with Jane and moving and all that jazz, when did I have the time to vet anyone?"

Bruce scrubbed his hand across his face. "You make time. A pregnant omega needs care and – "

"Shut your mouth!" She hissed, wild eyes roaming around the room to make sure no one heard. "You can't just go around saying things like that!"

"You mean the truth?"

"It doesn't matter if it's the truth or not. I'm a beta here – "

"Your biology didn't change."

"Well, then, I'm trans-designation, okay?" She flushed. It was a struggle to try to get upright and he looked at her without sympathy. "I'm a pregnant female. Not a designation. I'm more than that."

Bruce sighed and nodded in agreement. "Of course you are. But a pregnant omega needs different things than a pregnant beta. I'm willing to bet you've been taking over-the-counter prenatals, too." He pinched the bridge of his nose when she nodded. "Were you anemic before you conceived?"

"In high school," she shrugged.

"Apparently, that came back, then. You collapsed in your apartment. You're lucky Clint was there."

"Does he know..." she left it open, afraid to say it.

He bluntly said," That you're an omega? No. I'm still a doctor, Darcy. Everything is confidential." He paused. "Although, he is going to be disappointed that he didn't father that child."

She groaned and fell back against the pillows. This was a clusterfuck. And she just knew that any second Bucky would come bursting in.

Biting the bullet, she asked, "Where's Bucky?"

Bruce blinked. "He and Natasha were called away from recon. Shouldn't be back for a dew days. JARVIS did say that Steve was to be alerted as per protocols that were set up – "

"Oh, no."

"I believe it's safe to assume that one of them is the father?"

Darcy grumped, "Unfortunately."

"And you'd like to keep that as quiet as possible?"

"Preferably."

The doctor pursed his lips. "It's not my place to tell you what you're doing is wrong. But you should have proper care during the remainder of your pregnancy. By someone that understands the serum a little better than someone SHIELD would set you up with."

"Bruce…" she trailed off, unsure of what to say.

Yes. Her choices were going to bite her in the ass sooner rather than later. Steve would find out and then he would realize he signed away his paternal rights. The he would hate her. And Bucky would hate her because his mate hated her. She would have to move out of the tower and leave Jane.

But she would still have her baby. Wouldn't that be enough?

"I packaged your prenatals myself," Bruce said, oblivious to her inner dilemma. "Wrong bottle, right pills. We can do an ultrasound now, check the growth and get a due date."

She nodded tiredly. "Sounds good."

Clint had walked her back to her apartment. He had chastised her about proper care until his voice was hoarse and she had simply nodded dutifully. He had a reason to be upset – she had scared the shit out of him – but all she wanted to do was sleep. Darcy could get through a few days without Bucky.

Or, at least, that was what she had told herself when she crawled into bed nearly three hours ago and hadn't gotten a single second of sleep.

Part of her wanted to go find Steve and demand that he cuddle her into a blissful coma while the other part of her wanted to drive to California to get as far away as she could.

Her hormones sucked.

Resigning herself to a night without sleep, she flipped onto her side and cradled her bump protectively.

"I hope that you end up a lot smarter than me, kiddo, because your mom's a goddamn mess."

Steve was alerted as soon Darcy was admitted to the medbay. It took every ounce of willpower not to go sprinting after her, but he managed. He was beyond worried to hear that she collapsed.

Was the baby okay? Was she okay?

Bucky was over the moon that she was pregnant. He had always wanted a big family and a pack of two alphas was not going to help with that. But the babe wasn't going to be raised in their pack.

Darcy made it abundantly clear that she was not interested in having an alpha. Maybe his mate was the exception. Maybe she wouldn't mind calling Bucky her alpha. Then they would have a child in their pack. With the potential for more.

But, pregnant or not, Steve wanted Darcy. He wanted to take care of her and have her in his pack. The need to expand their pack had never crossed his mind until he met her, until he was inside her. Peggy was an alpha that hadn't wanted a pack during wartime, but Darcy…he wanted her.

They would never be able to father her children, but there were other ways. They could make it work if they all wanted it badly enough.

"Captain Rogers, Miss Lewis has been escorted back to her apartment," JARVIS' voice said, pulling him from his daydreams. "Would you like me to continue monitoring her vitals?"

The blond blinked and scratched the back of his neck. "Yes, please. Is Clint staying with her?"

"Agent Barton is not staying with her."

"Thanks, JARVIS."

So, she was alone. Alone and pregnant and probably scared. Christ, Bucky was always better at this kind of stuff than he was.

Steve was supposed to go on the mission in place of his mate, but Natasha had insisted that she needed Bucky for whatever it was she was doing. It was fine. Steve just didn't like being the only one at the tower when Darcy was obviously going through things.

Being a single mother wasn't a foreign thing to him – his own mother had raised him by herself, after all. Sarah Rogers was a proud omega and she did everything she could to survive when his father died. He had wanted to do anything and everything he could to make her life easier and he found himself wanting to do the same for Darcy.

Time had passed, lost as he was in his own thoughts before he dared to ask JARVIS how she was.

"Miss Lewis is currently in the lounge."

Lounge? It was well after midnight. His head swirled with all the things that could be wrong before he decided to walk down there and make sure she was all right for himself.

The walk wasn't nearly as long as he hurried to his destination. He practically melted at seeing the petite brunette bopping her head to some unheard melody as she sucked on a spoon that held a less than healthy amount of chocolate ice cream.

She must've been the prettiest woman he had ever laid his eyes on, even in ratty pajama bottoms with little moons on them and a black tank top that was valiantly holding on against the swell of her unborn child and the heaviness of her freed breasts. Her pale face was scrubbed clean of any makeup while her dark curls were piled on top of her head in the messiest bun he'd ever seen.

Silently, he thanked whatever god was listening that he was still wearing jeans and his – ah – reaction wouldn't be as noticeable.

However, his hip smacked against the counter as soon as her scent hit him. And it definitely hit him. Like a freight train.

Lemons and coffee and cloves and –

"Oh! I didn't know anyone was in here. I can go – "

"No!" He growled before he took a deep breath through his mouth. "I mean, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Darcy blushed from her place at the counter, redness traveling down her chest. "You heard about that? Embarrassing."

He hadn't talked to her since that night at the gala. One of the best nights of his life. One he had tried to forget so his mate could enjoy a little slice of heaven instead.

"I couldn't sleep," she offered hesitantly. Steve could smell fear on her and his brow furrowed before she added, "I'm so sorry. I just have no idea how to act around you. Normally, I would've hightailed it out of here by now, but I guess I'm missing Bucky and you smell like him."

"And you smell delicious."

It was out of his mouth before he could stop it and he felt his face heat up.

"Oh." Was her quiet reply.

Scratching the back of his neck, he asked, "Do you want a few shirts of his or something? I can get 'em for you."

"Isn't this weird for you?" She blurted out. "I mean, I'm sleeping with you mate on a fairly regular basis. He helps me with, well, partner things. Not to mention, he practically moved me into the tower so he could help me with my pregnancy. Just…isn't that weird for you?"

Steve was forced to confront his earlier thoughts. Did it bother him? That his mate was looking after another and seeking comfort in her body? Not as much as it should have. The only thing that bothered him was the fact that she wasn't with them.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." She gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I didn't have much of a filter before I got pregnant and now I have none."

He smiled softly, taking up residence on the barstool next to hers. "I like the honestly. Sometimes people forget that I'm just Steve, too, and I'm talked at instead of talked to."

She cringed, remembering how they had left their dalliance. A harsh word of his title and a sudden exit. "Sorry about that."

"If we're being honest, I'm sorry, too." He shrugged and watched the ice cream melt in the paper pint. "I've never been real good at talking to women. I didn't mean to make the offer of pack just because she slept together. I…I like you, Darcy."

"Is that why you tolerate me?" She whispered.

Steve blinked, noticing how she had curled in on herself. One hand protectively curled around her stomach while the other limply held the spoon. The fear scent came back, only this time it was with anxiety and uncertainty.

"I tolerate you because I care about you." When she looked up at him, he cradled her cheek and brushed away a tear that was clinging to her dark lashes. "Being with you was the first time I ever strayed from my mate. I didn't do it lightly. I made that choice and the only thing I regret is not being smarter with my words when we were finished."

A small gasp slipped through her parted lips. "But – "

"Bucky is so in love with you. Head over heels, in fact. And I'm not far behind," he admitted, smiling when Darcy blushed once more. "You make him happy – he spent a lot of time unhappy. I could never take that – you – away from him. Only you can do that. That's why he's so careful about pushing any pack dynamics on you."

"I don't want an alpha," she said instantly. "If that's what this is all leading up to, then – "

Steve shook his head. His hand traveled down to hers, the one on her babe. "Neither of us would ever push you. It's not expected. It's…no strings attached. You say stop, we stop. Bucky would rather fall on his own blade than cause you any sort of discomfort."

She was appalled. "I'm not asking for that."

"And that's exactly why he would do it."

"JARVIS, can you ask Steve if he would like to join me for movie night?"

The olive branch that he had extended to her in the kitchen two nights prior didn't do anything to calm her nerves, but her need for an alpha was beginning to be too much for her to handle by herself.

True to his word, he had brought over a few of Bucky's dirty shirts, but it wasn't the same. It kept her calm enough during the day, but she was sleeping horribly. Most nights she would just lie awake and stare at the ceiling while she talked to her little bundle of joy that missed Bucky just as much as she did.

"Captain Rogers will be arriving shortly. He also asks if you would like him to bring any additional shirts of Sergeant Barnes'."

The petite brunette sighed. "Yes, please."

"Of course, Miss Lewis."

It was slightly embarrassing that Steve seemed to be just as intuned with her body as Bucky or Clint were. That morning, he had lemonade waiting for her in the lounge and she had nearly cried of happiness. Hormones, man.

Sighing, she flipped through her movies again, settling on an animated one by Disney. He probably hadn't seen it yet and she knew it by heart. Maybe she could get some sleep while he was there.

"Darce? Honey?"

Darcy jolted awake and blinked groggily. Steve's concerned face hovered above her and she frowned. "Did I fall asleep?"

"JARVIS let me in," he said softly. The corner of his mouth hitched upwards and he rubbed her stomach gently. "This one has been so active while you've been out."

Wiggling onto her back, she stretched languidly. "How long have you been here?"

His ears turned pink. "It's a little late. I…didn't want to wake you up."

"Steve."

"It's after two – "

"In the morning?!"

He shrugged, properly chastised. "You've been tired. I thought you needed some sleep. Besides. It was nice to relax for a little while and I got to spend some time with the little one."

Sure enough, her little parasite was kicking away, thoroughly enchanted with hearing her daddy's voice. Smiling, her rubbed her swell softly. "She likes you."

"She?"

Darcy shrugged. "Just a hunch. I wouldn't let Bruce tell me."

"I should let you get back to sleep," he finally said. Standing up, he offered his hand to her. "I brought some more shirts. And his pillow," he sheepishly added.

"Man, I ruined movie night," the brunette pouted as she allowed him to help her up.

She managed to waddle into her bedroom and slithered into the bed, grateful that she had a new pillow to use. Steve gave her an indulgent smile as she wiggled around to get comfy.

"I'll let myself out."

"Or you could stay."

It was bold of her to ask. Bold of her to want. But she had slept so good. Maybe that made her selfish.

"Is that what you want?"

His voice was nearly as quiet and unsure as hers was. It was a big step.

"Please?" She settled on.

"Oh, honey. You don't ever need to beg."

Chapter Text

Part IV: Without

"You give it all, but I want more.

And I'm waiting for you."

With or Without You – U2

It was just before dawn when Steve woke again. The remaining moonlight scattered across the bed partner that he was wrapped around. His left hand curled around her swollen stomach, trapped underneath them while his right arm was squished between her breasts with her cheek lying on his palm.

All in all, it was a wonderful way to wake up.

What wasn't so wonderful was the stiffness of his cock incessantly nudging against her.

Pressing a kiss below the hollow of her ear, he whispered, "You are so beautiful." There was a flutter against his left hand that ended with a kick which made him chuckle. "You're beautiful, too, little one."

"Shhh…" Darcy mumbled in her sleep before she flipped in his arms, her head ducking beneath his chin. "Mommy and daddy need sleep."

Daddy.

His heart soared before it plummeted. He would never be the father to her child.

He would never have a little girl with her eyes and his hair call him daddy.

And it hurt.

"Mmmph," she mumbled, blinking open tired eyes. "Good morning to you, too."

Steve smiled down at her, momentarily forgetting his mental, and biological, crisis.

"Good morning," he rumbled back. The feel of her in his arms was something he never wanted to forget. "Did you sleep good?"

"The best I have in a while," she admitted. She wiggled against him and smirked. "Seems like you're not the only one awake." When he went to pull away, she clung to him. "Don't go."

"Bucky – "

"Has been angling for this for months."

She wasn't wrong. His mate had been extremely vocal about his desire to get them comfortable with each other.

"What do you say, Steve?" She coyly asked. "I may be a little thicker, but I'll definitely take a ride on your patriotic pole – "

The blond chuckled and flipped her carefully onto her back, hovering between her spread thighs. The thin barrier of their underwear between them wasn't nearly enough to deter him.

"You sure about this, honey?"

Darcy finagled around him and flung her panties away with a smirk on her face. "Why don't you find out?"

There wasn't much talking after that.

Steve gladly shoved his own underwear down his thighs, letting his hard, throbbing cock bob up and down enticingly. Normally, he would have preferred to use his mouth on her silken folds, but she was pregnant and impatient and so damned wet that he could hardly think straight while the heady scent of her arousal hit him.

Taking his cock in hand, he gingerly rubbed it up and down her slit before pushing himself into her tight heat. It was as if a velvet fist was gripping him with every push and pull until he was fully seated inside her save for his knot pulsing at the base.

Darcy whimpered below him and wrapped her legs around him, digging her heels into his ass to get him moving.

"You're not going to hurt the baby," she assured him, "So you'd better get it in gear and make me come all over your alpha cock."

He growled and did as he was told – he wasn't a soldier for no reason. Orders were his bread and butter and if the pretty little dame beneath him wanted to be his commanding officer, he would happily oblige.

The rough pad of his thumb rubbing repeatedly against her slippery clit had her coming in less than three minutes and he had to grit his teeth to keep from following her over the edge. He could definitely coax a couple more orgasms out of her pliant little body.

It was another orgasm later that Darcy managed to flip him onto his back and ride him for all that he was worth. Large hands kept a firm grip on her hips to keep her from sliding too far down, too close to his knot, but she just felt so good that it was hard to focus.

"Darcy – honey – be careful," he managed to pant out, close to meeting his end inside her. "I don't – Christ! – I don't wanna hurt ya."

A nonsense moan escaped her and Steve looked up at her, really looked at her.

Her bright blue eyes were half-lidded with a pink sheen shimmering over them. Her plush mouth was lax with little, pleasurable noises breaking free with every thrust.

She was in a haze.

He had seen something similar with the unlucky omegas that were passed around during the war. The ones that were in a sort of trance that only came from truly submitting to an alpha.

He struggled to sit up with her planted so firmly on him and his cock heavily protesting. "Honey? You gotta snap out of it, okay? Darce, look at me, honey."

Darcy's eyes rolled back in her head with a final thrust down. Taking every inch of his cock and his knot in one fell swoop.

A pleasured cry tore itself from her throat before she collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut against his chest.

A beta had taken his knot. Without screaming in pain. Steve was in shock. It was heaven inside her. Warm and wet and so tight –

"Ouch!" He yelped when he felt a sharp pinch against the edge of his jaw.

Darcy snuggled closer and whispered, "Alpha."

The hand that wasn't securing their bodies together reached for his jaw and he blinked at the red staining his fingers.

Darcy bit him. A beta bit him.

Bucky was going to be thrilled. But how was she going to feel once the haze wore off?

Fuck.

Steve knew how to take care o an omega – all alphas did. It was taught from a very young age because that was the endgame. Mate and claim a pretty little omega and produce even prettier offspring.

So when his knot deflated enough that he could slip it out of her without causing pain, he eagerly did before returning with a warm wash cloth to clean their combined mess from the inside of her thighs. He swaddled her in the nest that was her bed and kissed her bump sweetly before leaving the room.

In her small bathroom he investigated the bit she had left behind, grimacing when he realized it had already healed and left behind pearly skin.

He still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that she was an omega. It was the only explanation for, well, everything. But she certainly hadn't been pregnant when he had slept with her at the gala. And biology…

Is that why she smelt like him? His scent always lingered on her skin, but what if it was inside her?

"JARVIS, when is Bucky due back?"

"Sergeant Barnes is en route with Agent Romanoff. Arrival time two hours."

And an omega haze would last longer than a couple of hours. Darcy would be out for most of the day.

He sighed. "Tell me when he gets here."

"Hey – Steve?" Bucky blinked at seeing the blond sitting on Darcy's couch looking a little dim. His brow furrowed. "Where's Darcy? Is everything okay?" He paused. "The baby – "

"Is fine," Steve rushed to assure him. When he relaxed, the blond gave a small smile. "The baby is absolutely fine. I – uh – actually wanted to talk to you about Darcy. We – uh, well – we – "

"Slept together? Don't give me that look, punk. The whole place reeks like sex."

"No! I mean, yeah, we slept together, but did you notice anything…different went you slept together?"

Bucky looked confused. He took a moment to shoulder off his go-bag and take a seat perched on the arm of the couch, opposite his mate. "What do you mean?"

Sighing, he asked, "Has she ever taken your knot?"

"Steve!"

"Has she?"

"She's a beta – did you…Christ. She's gotten close a few times, but I've been able to control it." The brunet shook his head, his eyes pained. "Did you…did you hurt her?"

Steve shook his head. "That's the thing, Buck – she took it. Without hurting her. She was in a haze – "

"You're talkin' stupid." He was in disbelief. His mate had never been with a dame besides her, let alone an omega. Maybe she really was hurt. Maybe –

"I didn't hurt her, Buck. I promise."

He was unconvinced. "But she took your knot."

"Because she's an omega," he nodded. "I didn't want to believe it, but it makes sense. She took my knot, Bucky. She went into an omega haze. She – "

"Claimed you," Bucky finished. His blue eyes were focused on the silvery mark on his mate's jaw. "She claimed you. Betas can't do that, but omegas…" his mouth went slack and he whispered, "She's an omega."

"Buck – "

"A pregnant omega." The brunet blinked hard. "The baby – "

Steve smiled. A shit-eating grin that lit up his face. "It's mine. It has to be. That's why she smelt like me so long after the gala. We didn't use a condom – I figured she was a beta."

Bucky was over the moon. A family. He could have a family! Him and Steve and Darcy. A beautiful, pregnant little omega. "Thing of how many babies – "

"We're not keeping her pregnant." Steve was adamant, the grin on his face melting away to seriousness. "If she wants it, fine. But I think she might be opposed to alphas because of all the backwards views that have. She's an independent omega. Everything's her choice. We can…we can talk to her when she gets up."

Bucky nodded, properly chastised. "A haze can last awhile. How deep was she?"

"Almost as bad as the girls in the war."

Darcy woke up feeling the oddest she had ever felt before. She was safe and warm and everything was so good. She could smell her alpha in the living room and she smiled before she realized what was wrong.

Her alpha.

That wasn't right.

Her hindbrain perked up to correct her. That Steve was indeed her alpha, but she shook it away.

Memories were muddled in her mind. Sweaty limbs, skin on skin, the taste of blood in her mouth –

"Oh my god," she whispered.

Her babe kicked happily and her throat constricted in fear. What had she done? If she did claim her, she couldn't undo it. There wasn't a way to un-bite someone.

Frantically, Darcy checked her own skin for bites, exhaling heavily when she felt nothing out of the ordinary. It wasn't as bad as she thought.

Normally in an alpha/omega relationship, the alpha bit the omega first to show a visible claim on the submissive partner. But she had bit Steve first. Did that make her the alpha in this scenario? She giggled at the obscene thought. An alpha like Captain fucking America giving up his control to a lowly omega like Darcy. Ridiculous.

"Baby? You awake?" Bucky's voice drifted through the closed door of her bedroom.

When had he gotten back? Her blue eyes cut to the window and she noticed it was already dark out. She must've been out for a while.

"Clearing her throat, she said, "Come in!"

The door opened and there stood her favorite person in the world. The one that made her question her stance on alphas. The one that she was almost positive she was in love with.

"When did you get back?" She asked softly as he sat down on the bed next to her.

The brunet smiled and rubbed her belly affectionately. "A few hours ago. Did you sleep good?"

"I guess so…"

He hesitated for a moment. "Me and Steve would like to talk to you when you feel up to it. It's nothin' bad or anything."

Darcy had always hated the phrase 'blood ran cold'/ It insinuated that something had the power to disturb someone so deeply that it made a biological change within them. Granted, it was just an expression, but she hated it nonetheless. Until she experienced it.

Bucky's words turned her blood to ice. Worry crept through her veins and she knew. She just knew that they knew. They knew she was an omega. Her cover had been blown in the matter of an hour and not she was irreversibly fucked.

"I don't…I don't want to talk," she whispered as she sat up. She shied away from his touch and she tried to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat.

It wasn't like she had planned out how she would tell him of her true designation. Maybe she had never planned to do it at all! Fuck, how stupid was she?

"Baby – "

"It's my choice." Darcy had already slipped out of the bed and was clutching the threadbare sheet against her chest in a mockery of preserving her modesty. He had already seen quite literally everything she had to offer, but it felt like things were different now.

It felt like she as truly naked. Her true designation laid bare for judging and persuading and she didn't want to hear any of it.

Darcy didn't want to hear that they could be a real pack now. That she could have his children. That they could bond and she could be the perfect submissive omega that would cook and clean and all the other domestic things that made her want to vomit.

As if reading her mind, he quietly said, "You can't run forever."

"No," she agreed. That was true. Eventually, she would have to face the music, but now was not that time. "But I can try."

"Darcy, please."

The brunette remained silent as she filled a small suitcase with clothes. And a few snacks. The two men watched her sadly, each one offering to leave her home so she could stay, but to no avail.

"Baby, please." Bucky was not above begging. "We'll leave. This is your home."

"No. This is the home you gave me," she correctly icily. "I shouldn't have let you talk me into it. I should've stayed in Brooklyn." She zipped up her bag and squared her slight shoulders. "But it's my fault, too. The bubble was bound to pop eventually."

Steve had been biting his tongue. Seeing his mates bicker was something that caused him distress, but he didn't want to aggravate her any further. Especially in her condition.

"Omega."

Darcy hissed away from the brunet, turning wide, blue eyes full of hurt at him. "Bucky," her voice broke.

His mate wilted. "Baby, I'm sorry – "

"This is why I don't want an alpha." She sniffed and rubbed her belly soothingly. Shouldering her bag, she sighed. "You don't realize the power you have. You don't realize that you can hurt me if you want to. I can't…saying sorry doesn't mean anything if you keep doing it."

"Where will you go?" Steve asked, wanting to be a part of the conversation without adding more to the fire.

"There's omega shelters. I could…I could go a lot of places. I just can't be here." Tears gathered along her lower lashes and she quickly wiped them away. "I need to be away from alphas. I need…I need to clear my head. I can't do that here."

"Any my child? If you give birth?"

Darcy's face went from heartbroken to fierce in a matter of seconds. Gone was the dejected girl and in her place was a proud woman. "My child will be fine. You have no claim to her," she spat. Steve may have been more than a foot taller than her, but he still shrank back. "She is mine. Do you understand that?"

The brunet shook his head. "That's not fair – "

"You don't get to tell me what's fair, James Buchanan Barnes!" She roared. A pregnant omega could be extremely volatile when provoked. "What's unfair is the fact that a-a sperm donor thinks he had a claim to my baby! If this is how either of you think this is going, this will be the end of it. Do you understand me? I will take my child and disappear."

Steve was pained. "Darcy, that's my child, too."

She shook her head, a little of her anger dissipating. "No. No, she's not. I was on my own. I went through everything on my own until Clint figured it out. You and me? We slept together and made a baby. That doesn't make you a father."

It was a week without any alpha contact and Darcy was doing surprisingly well. Clint had heard about what happened, showed up at the omega shelter, and put her on a plane to the country.

He had a home away from the Avengers, away from all the crazy. It was safe and secure and he could keep an eye on her while he stayed in the city.

She had come clean about everything with him and he had simply held her while she cried, promising to keep her hidden while she finished out the remainder of her pregnancy – possibly after, too.

The archer was confident in keeping her safe and happy. Even with two alphas sniffing around for absolutely any trace of her. But Clint kept his mouth shut while they scoured omega shelters and watched her old Brooklyn apartment – even though a new family had already moved in. They were scared and restless to find her.

It didn't come as a surprise when they cornered him, demanding answers that he coolly disregarded.

"You know where she is," Barnes accused.

Clint shrugged, sipping his coffee slowly. "I never said I didn't."

The brunet narrowed his eyes. "You wanna share with the class, Barton?"

"Nope," he answered, popping the 'p'. "She's safe. The baby's safe. Everything's fine."

"Steve had a right – "

"Rogers has sperm," he volleyed back bitterly. "He knocked her up and now he wants to play daddy. It's not gonna happen. There is no law that says an unbonded, pregnant omega has to tell her baby daddy anything."

"She claimed him."

Clint nearly choked. "What?"

"She bit him when she took his knot."

The archer sighed. "A partial claim doesn't mean anything. Especially if the baby wasn't conceived after it. It still leaves Rogers ass out. Darcy's not gonna give up her baby. You're both delusional if you think she will."

"We want a pack."

Clint snorted. "And she doesn't. She'll just keep running. Darcy is…stubborn and vindictive and kind and loving. Take away her biology and what do you have? A pregnant, scared girl that has two men chasing her and trying to make her do things she doesn't want to do."

Darcy liked the farm. She liked the quiet away from the bustling city. The stars were actually visible at night and she spent plenty of time falling asleep beneath them.

Sometimes, she missed the creature comforts of the city, like on demand take-out and instant internet access, but she was adapting. Having so much time alone forced her to deal with all the thoughts that rambled through her head. She wasn't a therapist, but she felt like she was getting somewhere.

Two months had passed with Clint and Bruce popping in occasionally, but there had been no other contact. True to his word, the archer had kept her secret and allowed her and her parasite to have a safe haven.

But it was getting close.

Darcy was rapidly approaching her due date and her phantom contractions were only getting worse. Omegas were literally made to give birth, so she wasn't worried. It would be like a second nature to her when her water broke. And she'd have to call Bruce, of course. She could handle it. She knew she could.

Chapter Text

Part V: With or Without

"And you give yourself away.

I can't live, with or without you."

With or Without You – U2

Harper Rae Lewis was born three and a half weeks early in a small cabin in Iowa. She was healthy, just shy of seven pounds, with a full head of dark hair and porcelain skin. And, like her mother, she was an omega.

Clint had waited anxiously for his chance to hold his goddaughter and, when he finally did, he cried. Which only served to upset the newborn and make Darcy give an exhausted giggle.

Bruce was in and out in record time. A quick assessment, a little blood, and he was on his way back to New York. Which suited her just fine.

"Do you think her eyes will change?" Clint asked when Harper was a few weeks old.

Darcy had taken to motherhood easily, especially with Clint's willingness to help her. Midnight diaper changes and feedings were a breeze.

"I'm not sure," she mused, glancing down at where he sat with the babe curled onto his chest, fast asleep. "Chances are they'll stay blue. She doesn't look a thing like Steve."

It was a blatant lie because the child obviously had her father's cheekbones. And possibly his height.

"She's beautiful," Clint said honestly. His calloused finger caressed her soft cheek and Harper nuzzled into the touch.

"In a couple of months, we'll make it back to New York." It needed to happen sooner or later, anyway. Sighing, she grabbed a knitted blanket and fitted it around her daughter. "Jane's planning on going to Washington for some grant or something – I want to tag along."

"Whatever you say."

Four months had come and gone since Darcy left Steve and Bucky standing alone in her apartment. Four months of worry, anxiety, anger, and, well, everything.

They had been terrified to learn that she had given birth alone. What if something had happened? But Steve's daughter – he had a daughter! – had been born with all ten fingers and ten toes. Not that he had gotten to count them. Nor had he been able to hold his mate while she brought their child into the world. He hadn't been able to kiss her sweaty, exhausted forehead as they gazed at the life they had made together.

It hurt.

But the baby was doing well, At least from what Bruce had been allowed to share. Steve had begged for more. More anything, but he was denied.

The claim Darcy had made on him had significantly faded in her absence. So much so that Bucky sad they weren't even mates, not that he believed him. His daughter's mother would always be his mate, whether she acknowledged it or not.

"Darcy's coming."

Steve looked up from his sketchbook, leaving the cupid's bow on the baby's mouth unfinished. He had taken to drawing what he thought his daughter would look like. His therapist called it a coping mechanism. "What?" He finally asked, a little too breathless.

The brunet sighed impatiently, pushing himself off of the doorframe and further into the room. "I heard Foster talking to Thor about moving to Seattle. He said Darcy would meet them here and help her move."

He blinked. He dreamt about seeing her again. About getting down on his knees and begging for her forgiveness. He would do it, too, if it meant she would stay.

"Well," he started, cracking a smile. "Better clean up her apartment, then."

Harper was almost seven months old when Darcy finally arrived at the tower. It was intimidating, being back after so long, but also good because she finally felt like she was home.

Her child squirmed in her arms and she kissed her forehead. "All right, little girl. Are you ready to meet the rest of your dysfunctional family?" Harper cooed in agreement and Darcy headed into the lobby with her head held high as if she was going to war.

"And you're sure that Natasha's okay with me staying here?" Darcy asked for the tenth time. Getting murdered for trespassing by a former Russian assassin didn't have much appeal.

"It was her idea," Clint shrugged, making a fish face at the baby. "She loves kids and she likes you."

"She doesn't even know me!"

"Well, she likes Rogers, so."

The brunette grimaced. She wasn't looking forward to seeing either super solider, but she didn't think she had a choice.

But she only had to stay long enough to finish packing up the lab. Jane had been in Seattle for the better part of two months and was fitfully settling in to the new city; not that she saw much of it being secluded in her new lab.

"Are you taking Rae to the lab with you?" Clint asked, drawing her attention back.

She shook her head. "Thor is gonna watch her. Since she started teething, she's a pain in the ass."

"Walking yet?"

"No. Just pulling herself up on everything." Darcy sighed. Baby-proofing the farm had been loads of fun. Clint had been ecstatic.

He cleared his throat. "Barnes has been hovering. Coulson tried to send him on a mission, but he turned it down." Swiping the baby from her mother, he grinned. "I can teach her to crawl through the vents."

"Be my guest – she needs all the help she can get since she isn't super powered."

In fact, Harper favored Steve's health before the serum.

She had a slight hearing issue that was slowly getting better and colic that didn't quit. Mix that with asthma and she was a mess. But she was healthier than Steve had been at that age from what she could read about. Bruce had insisted in breast-feeding and she readily agreed, knowing that would help, too.

"So, guns and a bow?"

Darcy giggled. "As soon as she's old enough to not hurt herself."

"Well, you are her mother – ouch!"

Bucky was hovering. In any way that he could. Steve had been so relaxed about the whole thing, but now that Darcy was actually in the tower, he was on edge.

The brunet had desperately longed for a glimpse of his girl, the woman he was absolutely head over heels for. Sure, he put on a front for Steve – he didn't want his mate to see how badly the little omega truly affected him – but he was sure that his hovering was going to blow it.

Especially when he missed dodging a bullet when he and Wilson were sparring.

"Dude! You're bleeding!"

Bucky looked down and, sure enough, there was blood from where the bullet had grazed his right bicep. But he couldn't feel it. His gaze was focused on the petite brunette walking to the elevator.

Darcy had filled out some. Her bust was more ample, if that was possible, and her hips had definitely gotten a little wider. It made him drool.

Wilson rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers in front of the alpha. "Hello? Barnes? Jesus, go talk to her instead of staring at her like a creep."

And, just like that, the trance was broken. The elevator doors closed and his arm throbbed as it healed. Shaking his head, he sighed, "It's not that easy."

"True." Wilson would give him that. "She'll seek you out when she's ready." He paused, his brows furrowing as he wondered, "Why was she even down here?"

"Lady Rae! How joyous to see you!" Thor's voice boomed from the locker rooms attached to the gym. "Shall we go see the man of iron?"

Bucky was thankful they took the other elevator. He just couldn't see the baby yet.

Rae.

"Where's Harper?"

Darcy was exhausted. Between Jane making a surprise visit and the lab being in shambled, she had her hands full. Thankfully, she had a revolving door of babysitters that adored doting on her spawn so she could work.

Harper was with Thor most of the morning and was passed off to Natasha later in the day, but now that the sun had set and Darcy was baby-less, she wasn't too sure where her child had ended up.

With a groan, she face planted into the soft blankets of her bed. A quick glance to her left proved that her daughter wasn't in her crib and she sighed.

"Clint?" She called, flopping onto her back. Her eyebrows creased when she heard a giggle and muffled humming. "What the…"

The vent above her head disappeared and the 'Mission Impossible' theme got louder as Harper was fed through the hole with something sturdy wrapped around her waist.

Darcy wanted to chide him, but the look of joy on her daughter's face let the rebuke die on her tongue.

"Ninja baby!" Clint announced, the humming stopping. "She's a pro, babe."

"Yeah?" She asked, reaching for the giggling child. "When did you feed her last?"

He flipped out of the vent and landed on the bed like a cat, jostling the girls. "She had some oatmeal thing earlier. She's probably due for some milk. Nat said she drank the last of what you had in the fridge."

She nodded absently. She knew she had to pump sooner rather than later. "She was good, though?"

"Thor got custody with the tantrum earlier, but she's been great."

"Teething is gonna kill me."

Steve watched for a week.

He didn't want to blow what might've been his only chance.

He had told Bucky to back off, too. Closing her in would make her feel trapped all over and she would run. Again.

Surprisingly, with all his lurking, he had yet to see his daughter. Bucky told him that her name was Rae.

Fitting since she was a Rae of sunshine in his life.

There was a feeling in Steve's chest that ached. It wouldn't go away until they were a pack, he knew that, but he doubted it would end like that.

Bucky was so in love with her that he had convinced himself that he despised her; just to make her abandonment hurt less. It wasn't working.

"Can you burp her? She gets gassy if she eats without burping."

They were in the lounge. She probably thought it was safe seeing as he was supposed to be gone on a mission that was cancelled while Bucky was at the training facility with Sam. Getting new SHIELD agents trained was serious business.

He peeked around the doorframe of the kitchen. Clint was on the couch with his daughter in his arms. Darcy stood behind them with a content smile on her face. It was a beautiful scene.

Steve felt like he was intruding. Like it was a family moment that he was definitely not a part of.

And, Christ, did that hurt.

"Hi, little parasite," the brunette cooed lovingly. "Are you sleepy?"

The archer snorted. "You know she'll be awake for awhile longer. I know you and Nat are trying to get her on a schedule, but," he shrugged, "I don't like schedules."

"Well, Mr. Self-obsessed, it's not about you, is it?"

The way they teased each other seemed so easy. Had she joined their pack? It seemed unlikely, but they didn't have an alpha to report to.

He shifted slightly and Darcy froze. There was a slight twitch of her nose before she looked down at the pair and asked, "Can you take her back to the apartment? She should have a treatment for bed."

Clint looked confused, but did as she asked anyway.

"I can smell you, you know," she said to the seemingly empty room. "If I knew you were still in the tower, we would've stayed at Clint's."

Dammit, he thought. With all the grace he could muster, he slinked his way into the living area of the lounge, keeping his eyes downcast.

"You're not very stealthy," she continued and his heart constricted at seeing her up close after so long. "So, I'll make this quick. What do you want to know?"

There were so many things he wanted to know. So many questions. He finally settled on, "She's healthy?"

"She didn't get a trace of the serum. Her health is similar to yours…before. She has asthma, a hearing aid for her left ear." She sighed. "But she's healthy otherwise."

His health? Before the serum? That was a death sentence. He was more than lucky that he survived his childhood and now his daughter –

"Hey, she's okay," his mate said softly. Her hand reached out to him before she thought better of it and snatched is away. "Modern medicine is great."

"Yeah," he nodded, his voice thicker than he would've liked. No matter how far apart they were, he and Darcy had something that would tie them together for always. Composing himself, he asked, "Rae?"

"Harper," she corrected automatically. An errant curl had fallen across her forehead and he itched to brush it away. "Her middle name is Rae and the boys like it."

"Harper Rae…"

"Lewis. Harper Rae Lewis."

He had expected as much. His daughter was very much Darcy's daughter. A last name could be changed in a pinch if needed.

Swallowing his pride, he smiled. "She's beautiful."

"You didn't even see her face," she deadpanned.

"I don't have to."

They stood in silence. A silence that began with an air of awkwardness that morphed into sadness and hurt.

"I'm not sorry for what I did," the brunette said, breaking the spell. "I'm not sorry that I ran. I think it was the only choice if I wanted my independence – "

"What do you think having an alpha means?" He blurted.

There had been such a stigma around packs and alphas since he met her and he was genuinely curious about her hesitation. She avoided commitment like the plague.

"I just…" she tried to find the words she wanted. In a matter of seconds, she had sat on the couch, her head in her hands with her elbows on her knees. "Do you know how it feels to have your free will taken away? It doesn't sound fun, right?" At his nod, Darcy sighed. "Being a bonded omega is like that. Like…you're signing away your own thoughts and dreams and plans to be able to please your alpha however he deems fit."

"But – "

"And don't you dare tell me that it's not true. I watched it happen to so many omegas." She shrugged. Defeat was written all over her face. "I just…I've got Harper and my job and plans. I'm not giving up anything for an alpha."

"I love you."

It was plain, unembellished. The bare bones of the truth that needed to be said.

She nodded, seemingly accepting it. "I'm not going to argue when you've already managed to convince yourself. But Bucky?" Steve hadn't even noticed she was crying until she wiped away a tear. "I loved him. It all started as a stupid game for you two to get even and then I was an idiot and fell in love with him. How fucking dumb am I?"

The blond shook his head. He longed to hold her, to reassure her. "Why is that stupid? Why does that make you dumb?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She laughed self-deprecatingly. "I can't have one without the other. You and Bucky? You're a package deal."

"And you don't want me," he surmised. It wasn't the first time he was passed up in favor of his mate. "I get it."

"You obviously don't because if you did, you'd realize I'm just as in love with you as I am with Bucky!"

Blue eyes widened and Steve gaped. "Wh-what?"

She sighed. "I love you, too. You can't just create a life with someone and walk away. Fuck, I tried, okay? I love you. I love Bucky. I just don't want a pack."

Steve woke up with a wicked crick in his neck and a blanket thrown over his naked groin. A satisfied smile lit up his face and he could see the sun breaking over the Manhattan skyline, but that wasn't what woke him.

No, there was a metal sound to his left. A sound he normally associated with…

"Bucky?"

The brunet looked up from where he was sharpening his blade. His face was impassive as his brows hitched upwards. "Yes?"

"You mad?"

"That you fucked 'er again? Nah."

Oh, yeah. Darcy had ridden him to hell and back. All without letting him finish inside her. A grin broke across his face as his head lolled to the side. "I love her."

"Yeah? Me, too."

Having a child was scary. Having a child with asthma was absolutely terrifying.

The wheezing started just after midnight and slowly progressed into labored breathing that not even a nebulizer treatment could help. With Clint and Natasha away on a mission, Darcy was by herself, Harper struggling to breathe.

Cuddling her daughter close, she asked JARVIS, "Is Bruce here? Harper can't breathe and I don't know what to do." Her voice broke at the end and she struggled to keep a fresh wave of tears at bay.

"Dr. Banner will meet you in the medbay, Miss Lewis. Would you like me to alert anyone?"

"Clint." He deserved to know even if he was a world away.

Struggling into an oversized shirt – who needed pants? – she left the apartment and made her way to the medbay.

"Captain Rogers?"

The blond blinked sleepily, his eyes squinting as he tried to wake up. "Yeah?"

JARVIS didn't intrude unless absolutely necessary and worry coursed through him. What happened? Was the tower under attack?

"Agent Barton requests that you go to the medbay."

"Is Bucky – "

"Sergeant Barnes is still in Ontario. I'm not at liberty to discuss – "

Steve yawned and made his way to the bathroom. "Thanks, JARVIS. I'll be there soon."

There was a slight hesitation on the AI's end. "Captain…I urge you to make haste. It is of the upmost importance."

"What?"

What could be important enough to wake him so early in the morning? Bucky was safe and accounted for. What would Clint – Clint. Darcy.

Harper.

Steve scrambled for a shirt, hopping around on one foot as he pulled off a sock.

"I'm on my way."

"Very good, Captain."

His bare feet smacked against the tile as he fairly jogged to medical. He had no patience for the elevator and chose the stairs without question. Why had Clint called for him? Was it as a stand-in because he couldn't be there? Steve wasn't sure, but he didn't care.

The door to medical was in danger of coming off its hinges as he pushed it open carelessly. Anxiety crawled up his throat at seeing Darcy in nothing but a t-shirt, shivering in front of a closed door. Whether she was cold from being dressed so little or if it was the fear of the unknown, he wasn't sure.

Steve wasted no time in getting to her. It had been almost a week since their night together, but that didn't change a thing.

"Oh, honey," he murmured as he pulled her shaking body into his strong arms. Her tears were hot against the skin of his neck and her frazzled curls tickled his nose, but he didn't care.

The woman he loved was in his arms. Willingly, unapologetically.

He blinked before it came back to him. "Harper?" He asked fearfully.

Darcy cried harder, her voice a mess of tears. "I thought it was a normal asthma attack. She couldn't breathe! It didn't get better. JARVIS called Bruce and-and he's doing what he can."

He held her tighter, hoping that if he held her tight enough that it would keep him from falling apart, too. One of them had to be strong.

"I'm so sorry." Her voice was etched in grief when she whispered. She pulled away just enough that her watery blue eyes and her red nose were visible. "I'm so sorry, Steve."

"Honey, it's not your fault for a second," he rushed to reassure her. Her face was cradled in his hands and he thumbed away her tears as he fiercely told her, "You're a wonderful mother. You couldn't have done anything different. Do you hear me? You did everything right."

She was scenting fear and anxiety so badly that he all he wanted to do was crowd her into a corner and soothe her with his scent.

Unfortunately, he didn't realize he was doing just that until Darcy went limp in his arms.

"Darce? Honey?" He panicked before he swore. "Dammit."

The door they were standing in front of swung open and a tired looking Bruce stepped out. "Darcy – what happened?"

Steve picked up his mate and held her gently as he shrugged. "Omega in distress. Harper?"

"She's stable. She's strong; Darcy did the right thing."

"Can I…can I see her?"

The doctor took a long minute to decide. He glanced between the couple before he sighed. "Just don't let Clint know."

The blond rearranged his mate in his arms so he had a free hand as he slid past Bruce. His eyes easily found his daughter in a medical crib with a type of plastic around her, keeping the medicine inside as she breathed.

He had been drawing her lips wrong the entire time. They were pouty and full just like her mother's. It was the same with her crop of dark curls, but her cheeks were all his.

His daughter was devastatingly beautiful and he idly wondered how he could've helped create something so perfect against the wall in under an hour. A beautiful accident, indeed.

His nose couldn't decipher her designation will all the scents around him, but if loving Darcy had taught him anything, it was that designation didn't matter.

Not a damned bit.

"Hello, Harper," he whispered to the slumbering babe. "I'm your da. I hope you'll love me as much as I love you."

Bucky was…surprised wouldn't be the right word. He needed something stronger.

Bucky Barnes was stunned.

He was stunned to come home from his stupid mission in Canada to find a petite brunette curled around his mate with a small bundle cradled between them.

A small, breathing bundle.

What the hell had happened in two weeks?

As if sensing his gaze, Steve opened his eyes and smiled lazily at him as he managed to disentangle himself from his bed partner and keep the babe on his chest.

"What the hell?" Bucky hissed when the blond closed the door behind him.

"Language!" He chided gently. "Darce would kill me if that was her first word."

"Rae?"

"Harper," he corrected. "Beautiful, isn't she? Just like her ma."

Confusion swept across Bucky's face. "I was gone for two weeks – did you…she our omega, punk?"

"No," Steve answered easily. "She's an omega that chooses to spend her time with us."

"But – "

"None of us are submitting to each other. No pack rules, no bonding, no nothing. We're…mates. She's not our omega, just like we're not her alphas."

The brunet blinked. "So…we're doin' this like the betas do? No…pack or nothin'?"

Steve grinned goofily when Harper giggled against his neck. "Yeah. I guess we are."

"You love her?" He asked, referring to the petite brunette still fast asleep in their bed. "You love her enough to give up your biology? Your instincts?"

"I do," Steve answered with certainty. "Don't you?"

Bucky grinned and stole the little girl from his mate's arms. "You bet I do. I was just waitin' for you to catch up." He blew a raspberry against Harper's cheek. "Now, let's go wake up our girl."