Steve grinned a bit. "She?" he asked. "You know for sure yet?" The baby was still a bit of a sore subject with Buck, but Steve was curious.

Colbie focused entirely on Maya for a few moments before she decided everything was fine. And then she went back to scanning, standing closer to him than strictly necessary.

Maya smiled again.

"Bruce-- Doctor Banner said it's a girl," she said. "And, well... I'd rather think of her as a girl than as uncertain." She looked at him and turned just the slightest bit pink. "I-- She's still kicking, do you...?"

Bucky noticed that she was a bit closer.

"Alright?" he asked.

"You don't mind?" Steve asked, watching her. She had volunteered, and she certainly looked pleased. She always looked pleased when she was talking about her baby, Steve had noticed.

Colbie made a face rather than actually answering.

"You watch the other side," she said, as explanation. "What I can't see."

Maya nodded. She reached out, taking one of his hands, and she gently placed it where the little one was kicking.

"She's very energetic sometimes," she said.

Bucky nodded.

"I do," he said. "It's easier with a second person to keep an eye out."

Steve grinned. "So she is," he agreed in a murmur. "Strong, too, already. That's good."

"Right." Colbie let out a breath. "It's easier, with you." She made a face again. That still wasn't everything, but that was as good as she could reasonably do right then.

"She will be strong and perfect," Maya murmured. She rubbed her belly a little. "And she will be loved."

"Is that bad?" Bucky asked, watching her.

"Yes, she will," Steve agreed. "She'll probably be the best protected kid anywhere."

"No, it's not--" Colbie huffed, frustrated. "It's not bad. That's just... I can't think how to explain it better."

"I won't let anything happen to her," Maya said firmly. "I'll make sure she grows up like normal children do."

"I know what you mean," Bucky said, nodding. "It's the same feeling I had when Sam and Steve were watching my back for me, at the beginning. It's comforting, to know someone's looking out for you."

Steve grinned. "Best thing that's happened to this kid yet," he said approvingly. He was all for the kid being raised like a normal child, after all.

"Exactly." Colbie relaxed a little at that, because of course he understood. "It's easier."

"I will protect her," Maya said, this time more softly. "I won't let anyone do to her what was done to me." Because at this point, her programming had worn away to the point that she realized she'd been messed up from the start.

Bucky nodded.

"I know," he said. He couldn't help but crack a slight grin at her.

Steve nodded. "She'll be fine," he said. "No one will get their hands on her. They'd have to get through us first, and that's a little difficult."

Colbie snorted at him. "You are a menace." Fortunately she'd broken enough of her programming that she didn't immediately flinch at saying that. She was still fairly relaxed.

"Good," Maya said. "I will kill anyone who tries, regardless." And she was perfectly capable of carrying out that threat.

"So I've been told," Bucky replied, giving her an easy grin.

Steve just smiled a bit, because he wouldn't even try to dissuade her of that.

"Here we are." He pulled open the door to the coffee shop for her.

Colbie snorted again and stepped behind him to keep an eye out on the rear as Maya went inside. She trusted Steve to watch Maya by this point.

Maya headed into the cafe with a quick smile to Steve and got into the line. After a moment, the older woman in front of her happened to turn around, and looked a bit surprised when she saw Maya.

"Please forgive me saying so, dear, but congratulations," the woman said with a gentle smile. "May I ask when you're due?"

Maya turned a bit pink, but smiled back.

"Near Christmas," she replied.

"Do you know what it will be yet?" the woman continued.

"A girl," Maya responded, gently touching her belly.

"I see," the woman said. She glanced at Steve. "You're a lucky man."

"Ah..." Steve immediately blushed, because whoops. But also not about to blurt out the story to someone. "Thanks?"

Colbie looked briefly disgusted with how easy it was to embarrass Steve, but she didn't say anything to correct anyone.

"You take care now," the older woman said, smiling one more time at Maya before turning away again. Maya smiled back, and waited until the woman was sufficiently distracted at the counter to look at Steve.

"Thank you for playing along," she murmured. "I didn't have the heart to tell her that the baby isn't yours."

"Sure," Steve murmured. "No problem." His ears were still red, though, as he stepped up to order.

Maya just smiled at that and let him order first. Once it was her turn, she ordered a hot tea and stepped aside so Colbie and Bucky could get what they wanted.

Bucky just gestured for Colbie to go first.

Colbie hesitated for a moment but got plain black coffee. She was still working on having actual preferences for things, and black coffee was just easier.

Steve headed over to the best (most defensible) table in the place and let the others settle first so they could get their lines of sight set.

Maya deftly sat herself down in the most defensible spot, with her back to the wall and not directly in line of any of the windows. It was more habit that any conscious decision, and she was confident that Colbie would either sit to her right, or directly in front of her.

Colbie sat in front of her, giving Steve the seat to Maya's side.

Not that it actually helped when Doombots started going to town on the city, several of them landing right next to the café.

Maya jumped when the Doombots crashed down, reflexively reaching for the knife in her boot. The baby started kicking hard, startled.

Bucky swore under his breath in Russian when he saw the robots and put himself between the girls and the danger without thinking.

Steve swore, wishing he had his shield, and put himself between the bots and everyone else.

Colbie immediately got in front of Maya, not because she thought Maya incapable, but because that was still her mission, the last bit of her programming that had never gone away. So when the bots started attacking the café, and Steve got pulled away helping another civilian, Colbie didn't leave Maya.

Bucky was rapidly recalibrating his arm, more than ready to punch some Doombots in the face. This was the stress relief he so desperately needed. He headed outside, intent on heading the robots off before they could cause too much damage. Unfortunately, he wasn't quite quick enough to catch the one that came smashing through the wall of the cafe. Most of the debris rained down harmlessly, away from people, but one fair-sized chunk caught Maya on the hip, knocking her over. She clipped the table with her shoulder on the way down, but was getting back to her feet quickly enough, one hand supporting her belly.

Two more bots made it to the two in the café, mostly because they went around or landed behind Steve and Bucky, who were rapidly destroying the bots. Colbie disabled both and waited until the situation was well in hand before she risked taking her eyes off things long enough to check on Maya.

And then she froze, because Maya was bleeding a bit, and she'd failed. She had failed her mission. She actually blanked out for a few moments, just standing completely still, looking at Maya, her eyes wide.