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Once upon a time, Sam was a heavy sleeper.
His family used to joke about his dad having to carry him inside whenever a quick car ride to the store or visit to his grandparents inevitably put Sam to sleep. Then, they joked, not even the wrath of ole Grandma Wilson herself could wake the boy.
Begrudgingly, Sam wonders what those days were like.
Because now all it takes is the sound of two bare feet hitting a carpeted floor for Sam’s eyes to fly open. His brain may still be muddled with sleep, but his body moves instantly and he's out of his bed seconds before the doorknob turns. His feet are already moving across the room when the tiny girl manages to throw the door open.
“Autumn?”
“Da~!”
He kneels in time to avoid another accidental headbutt to the stomach and manages to catch the girl into his arms. Automatically his eyes scan her from head to toe looking for any signs of danger. Her braids were tossed from sleep and her favorite jumper, a light blue with Ororo Munroe pictured on the back, had a milk stain near the collar. While her face was currently hidden in his shoulder, she looked just as she did when he put her to bed a few hours ago. Then he feels it. His lingering drowsiness disappears the second that warm tear hits his skin. His eyes immediately go to Redwing now entering behind the girl. He fires off his question through their bond and the bird’s response comes just as fast. In his head he sees the pitch darkness behind Red’s closed eyes until the sound of whimpering jolts the bird awake. He looks through Red’s eyes as he flies over and runs a feathered wing gently over the now shaking girl. Red coo’s the way his own mother did to calm her young until the girl’s eyes flew open. Her eyes dart around the room before she shrieks and hops out of bed. Knowing where she was going, Red decides to stay and circle the room a couple times searching for danger. When he’s satisfied he found none, he takes off to meet his family in Sam’s room.
Humming in thanks to his partner, Sam runs his hands throw the girls small braids holding her close. “Did something scare you baby?”
“Mon-ter” she hiccupped into Sam’s shoulder. “Gonna eat me!”
Sam gasps loudly moving his hand to rub the girl’s back. “Eat you? Eat my baby?? He couldn’t!” Sam rises keeping her in her arms. “Come on, me and Red will handle this. Right Red?”
Red caws’ in agreement as they head into the room next to Sam’s. Autumn whimpers into Sam’s neck as he flicks her light on. Together he and Red walk around her room going over every picture and decoration covering her walls to the toys scattered on her floor. He opens every drawer and closet and allows her to peek her head inside until she’s certain the room is empty.
“Hiding” she mumbles sleepily. She’s calmed down now but keeps her death grip locked tight around Sam. He knows that attempting to put her down now would lead to a fight neither had the energy for. Instead, he places a kiss on her forehead and with full of love towards the little wonder he cuddles in his arms says, “every monster knows better than to go after Captain America’s baby.”
Gosh how he wished that were true.
Shaking those thoughts from his head, the three head back to his room. He places her in the middle with Sam on her right and redwing curling up on her left. He goes into his own closet and takes out the shield. He runs his fingers over the cool metal for a few seconds allowing it to ground him. While he may not show it, his daughter crying or being distressed in any way always worked him up as well. He takes a few breaths in and glances over at the girl now eying him warily. The need for sleep caused her eyelids to drop but kept her big black eyes locked on the shield. He knows that there have been many times in her short life where he’s had to suit up and leave unexpectedly dropping her off with his sister or parents with a kiss to the forehead and a promise to return. And each time he left out the door he prayed that she would be safe and unharmed until he returned. Yes, he was the world’s avenger, but he would always be her guardian first. Sam places the shield by the door and crawls back into bed. He holds her close as sleep reclaims her small form. He kisses her forehead once more and hopes she knows that even in her sleep, he will always be her defender.