Chapter Text
Steve loved many of the advancements the super soldier serum had given him. But honestly, he especially loved not being tired all the time.
Before the serum, just working as a sign painter had tired him out by the end of each day, whilst Bucky could still return from the docks with a wide grin on his face, trying to persuade Steve to go on a double date. With the serum, he could infiltrate enemy camps, fight off countless troops and march back to base and still have residual energy from the adrenaline rush. He loved feeling so awake and alive.
So it was understandable that Steve was feeling less than his wholesome self as he stumbled out of bed for the umpteenth time and headed over to old his art room which had gradually been converted into a nursery.
Steve looked down at the little wiggling being before him and despite his seriously intense fatigue, he couldn’t help but smile as he picked the baby up and held her close to his chest.
It had been three weeks since the team had infiltrated a Hydra layer hidden deep within the Amazonian rainforest. Steve had used his powers of persuasion with a touch of what Clint had referred to as ‘the ultimate puppy-dog eyes’ to convince Natasha and Clint to help follow a weak lead. The mission had not been a complete bust. They may not have returned with the Winter Soldier, but this had been one of the few Hydra layers that had not been completely burned to the ground. They had managed to get several paper files and digital documents before the security system had been reactivated.
It was also revealed that Hydra had kept several hostages in the layer. There had been twenty-two female cadavers in glass chambers within an underground scientific lab, all of which had crude stitches across neat scars on their abdomens; evidence of C-sections. The blood in Steve’s veins had run cold and his stomach had churned at the sight, but he’d had little time to dwell on it before he’d heard soft high-pitched cries coming from another room connected to the lab. That was where he’d found the infant lying on her back in a hospital cot, flailing her arms and legs as her little cries grew louder. Without much thought into his actions, Steve had picked up the infant and after scanning the room for other hostages, ran out of the compound which had been rigged to explode.
Four days later and Steve had been in the medical wing of the new Avengers facility, staring at the baby that he had saved. Helen Cho had been notified of the infant’s presence and had arrived with advanced equipment which could perform detailed blood-work on the infant. Steve had just been praying that the baby was healthy. The image of the dead women in the Hydra lab was imprinted in his brain. It made him sick and angry. He could only hope that he had saved the baby from such an ugly fate.
The baby had been healthy. A healthy baby girl who Dr Cho approximated was around 3 months and showed no signs of any scarring or wounding, something which made Steve’s tense shoulders relax minutely.
But then things became a bit more complicated.
Dr Cho found evidence of the super soldier serum in the baby’s DNA. And at first she’d assumed that the serum was entirely new, one Hydra had been able to create and inject into the child. The theory had been that they had wanted to raise a child soldier who would follow their every command without the need for constantly wiping away their memories as they did with the Winter Soldier. That idea had made Steve even angrier.
Except, the theory had been wrong. Further blood tests alongside decrypted files revealed that actually, Hydra had used his DNA and some reverse engineering to inject the serum into the female hostages in the hopes of breeding an army of child super soldiers. The lab had gone eerily silent and Steve had stared in shock at the DNA test which revealed that the baby he’d saved was actually, biologically his daughter.
“We can take the appropriate measures to ensure the subject is kept in a safe environment.” Maria had stated. And that had been exactly the wrong thing to say. At that moment Steve’s posture had straightened into his ‘Captain America’ stance, a sign that he was preparing for a fight.
“She’s not a subject, she’s a baby.”
Maria tore her eyes away from the screen at the tone of Steve’s voice. She raised an eyebrow.
“She’s not just a baby Steve, she’s a weapon. She has the serum in her DNA from both you and the…mother. From the looks of these files, it seems Hydra succeeded in creating a more potent serum. She could grow up to be more dangerous than the Winter Soldier if they get a hold of her again.”
Steve’s gaze travelled towards the little cot in the lab where the baby lay asleep. She looked completely angelic, her tiny fingers twitching occasionally as she dreamt innocent dreams.
“She’s not a weapon and Hydra is never going to get anywhere near her again. I won’t let that happen.” It was only until the word left his lips that Steve had realised just how strongly he’d meant them. It had shocked him to his very core, but he couldn’t afford to freak out in front of Maria who had been watching his every move with her sharp gaze.
“It’s in everyone’s best interest to ensure that the baby does not get taken back by Hydra.” Natasha piped in, attempting to diffuse the tension.
“We’ve seen what can happen when we’re wrong about people’s interests. Shield can’t be trusted with her.”
Maria crossed her arms, already knowing the answer to the question she was about to ask.
“And who do you think can be trusted with a weaponised new-born baby?”
“I’m her father.” The super soldier responded, as though realising it for the first time. And he was. In the sense that Steve realised that being the baby’s father meant he technically had the most authority in deciding what would happen to her.
With more confidence he said “I’m going to take care of her.”
And that had been the end of that.
Well, not really. Pepper had ironed out the technicalities of the adoption process, because according to the public record, the baby was not biologically Captain America’s. Pepper had advised Steve to go public with his adoption, but he’d refused, not wanting to put a target on his daughter, even if his many enemies didn’t know she had the serum running through her veins.
The adoption process had not yet been officially finalised, but it was all for show anyways. And so three weeks later Sarah Luiza Rogers, who was named after his mother and her Brazilian ‘carrier’, was residing in Captain America’s New York apartment, filling it with the sounds of her gurgles, laughter and crying.
So much crying.
Clint had warned him about the crying, but Steve had shrugged it off. It wasn’t as though he needed much sleep; the serum meant that he didn’t tire very easily.
Except, Sarah also had the serum, and she didn’t tire very easily either. That, combined with the fact that she wasn’t fully adjusted to the dramatic change in environment and time zone, meant that Steve had finally met his match.
...
Clint wasn’t much of a morning person. He needed at least two cups of coffee before he could string together a coherent sentence, unless he was running on pure adrenaline during a mission. But that morning there’d been no time to sneak in his mandatory liquid fix because most of the Avengers had been called in by Maria Hill for an urgent meeting in the wake of yet another baddie of the week.
So he felt pretty crap. But nowhere near as crap as their valiant captain looked.
Steve’s eyes were wonderfully adorned with grey bags underneath and he looked like he could barely stay awake as Maria droned on about protocol and strategy and ‘no Tony you cannot play truth or dare over the comms as a team-building exercise.’
Soon after Steve had adopted the super-soldier baby, he had decided to withdraw himself from active duties. He would only be called upon in the field in cases of code red danger, but otherwise he would play a more ‘behind-the-scenes’ role in the Avengers. At least, that had been the plan. But anyone could see that Steve was exhausted. He could barely tell left from right, let alone plan battle strategies for the team. Clint knew better than anyone what the captain was going through, which is why after the meeting, which Steve eagerly slipped out of, he gathered the troops.
“Guys, Cap needs a break.”
“Yes I agree, I saw him go into the ladies’ room yesterday, but I didn’t see him go out.” Wanda added as she doodled on a mission brief.
“Yeah, I remember when Cassie was that small, she would keep us up all night! God knows how the guy even made it here so early.” Scott said, rocking back on a swivel chair. Clint sighed just seconds before- yep- he almost toppled over and fell flat on his ass. Clint found it hard to believe that this guy had a daughter. And everyone said HE was the immature one. Well.
“He wouldn’t have this problem if he’d given her up to SHIELD.” Natasha added with no real conviction. The team had silently unanimously agreed that Steve taking care of Sarah would be best for her and everyone.
“Well he’s made his bed, now he has to lay in it. Figuratively speaking of course, since he can’t really lay in the bed that he made because the baby’s keeping him up.” Tony rambled unhelpfully.
“We gotta help him out and I think I know how. But be warned, Scott you may have to stay up passed your bedtime.” Clint smirked at the scowling man-child until he yelped suddenly when he felt an ant bite on his ankle.
“I don’t think Steve will want you five-year olds anywhere near his baby.” Natasha said dryly.
Clint rubbed his ankle and glared at Scott, “Well, we’re the best he’s got.”