"Awe look at you guys, the perfect fifties family!" Tony called as he strode toward them. "All you need is the white picket fence and two point five kids!"
Peggy grinned and slid a marker into the pages of her book and looked up to the billionaire. "How do you have a half of a kid?"
"One on the way of course!" He remarked with an exaggerative wink. "Really though, put a martini in Steve's hand and turn Barnes into a little kid, and you fit the ideal!"
"Why do I have to be the kid?" Bucky asked, halting his restless pushups to push himself into a seated position.
"You aren't the one that's practically married of course!"
Peggy grinned at his response as she and Steve sent the brunette man a pointed look. Bucky just rolled his eyes. "Hope you came with good news Stark?"
"I most certainly did! Our missing buddies are back and I think we're finally able to talk shop!"
"Finally!" Bucky cried jumping to his feet. "Did they run into problems or something?"
Tony shook his head. "Nah they don't look like they did. Clint said something about a quick scouting trip to Georgia."
"Did they find something there then?" Steve asked as he and Peggy followed the other man to their feet.
"Hydra stuff?" the genius stated with a shrug. "Nothing more than what would be usual I don't think."
"Did they hear from Phil?" Peggy asked while they followed him down to the main floor.
"No, none of us have. I really hope Agent has something going on for him, otherwise I'm going to start to get worried."
"All of us will." Steve agreed and the others fell into a silence for the duration of the trek up.
"Hello team forties!" Clint cried when they reached the floor. "Here to welcome us home?"
"Good to see you guys." Steve greeted happily.
"So good!" Bucky agreed.
"They're only happy to see you because they want to get out of the tower." Peggy informed them teasingly.
"You're not part of that?" Sam retorted shooting her a grin in return.
"Oh most definitely!" Peggy stated bluntly and then smirked at his laugh.
"These guys have been playing at domestic family life." Tony informed the three as they joined them around the couches. "All wholesome happiness with stay at home artist daddy, agent mommy and terrifying baby!"
"I'm older than they are." Bucky grumbled in feigned annoyance.
"Please never call James a baby again." Natasha asked, her expression slightly appalled. "It's a little disturbing."
Tony's grin widened and he winked. "Whatever you say darling spy! Point is: I think our soldier trio is getting restless."
"Wanna go to Georgia then?" Clint asked. "It's pretty and warm and there are Hydra agents that I think are trying to take over satellites down there?"
"For what?" Steve asked in confusion.
"They can do far more than take pictures Cap." Tony replied.
"Some are armed." Sam added.
He nodded. "Georgia sounds like a good place to start."
Peggy leaned her head against Steve's shoulder and asked, "Other than that, nothing new?"
"No." Natasha answered. "Nothing from Phil, nothing from Hydra."
"Waiting is awful." Peggy muttered and received a murmur of agreement from the rest of them.
"Not much we can do about it though." Sam pointed out.
"I think we should have a movie night!" Tony exclaimed suddenly. "You three need a rest, and I don't want everyone just running off immediately again. Maria is getting a Quinjet to us tomorrow, and I've got a few things to finish as well. Let's just, chill okay?"
Peggy frowned at his slightly nervous tone. "Tony, is everything okay?"
"Peachy Peg! It's not like last time my team went without me they got blown up and could have died or anything. Nothing like that at all!"
The six stayed silent for a second and then Clint asked, "Are you missing your suits Tony?"
The billionaire sighed and nodded. "Yes. I feel so useless with you guys going out and dismantling Hydra while I just sit here. Bruce and Thor are busy with Skye, so I don't even have the comfort of them going."
"What, are us regular people chopped liver?" Sam asked almost indignantly.
"No, you guys just need some big guns! I think we would all feel better if there was an additional flyer, or a Hulk."
"Your worry is sweet Tony." Peggy told him, reaching over Steve's lap to pat his hand. "And we appreciate it a lot. A team movie night tonight sounds fantastic."
"It's practical." He rebuked but gave her a little smile. "Movie it is then! J, get Thor Bruce and Skye!"
"Right away Sir."
"You old timers seen Star Wars yet?"
Clint gasped loudly at Tony's question and nodded his head enthusiastically. "Oh you so have to! Some of the best!"
"It was on the list." Steve answered. "I haven't had a chance to see it yet though."
"I just started reading the Harry Potter novels, if they're as good as that I would love to watch them." Peggy added.
"Oh so much! Space ships and futuristic fighting, syfy weapons, wookies, and the best plot twist in history!" Clint cried happily.
"He's a bit of a fan." Natasha clarified.
"Star Wars it is then, and tomorrow I'm going to give you all awesome presents and you can think about leaving me to my lonesome then. For now though, we can all play at happy domestic family!"
"As long as I am not the baby." Bucky conceded.
"Fine, you get to be the terrifying older brother we all use to threaten people with as long as you agree that Cap and Pegs are mom and dad."
"No argument there."
Peggy rolled her eyes fondly at his definitive tone and leaned up to whisper in Steve's ear. "Is this anything like what you would have pictured your family to be?"
"Well, there's far more technology than I had ever thought." He answered with a small laugh. "And I never envisioned so much, well, that." He pointed to where Tony and Bucky were playfully arguing with each other, threats flying back and forth between the two like bullets while the other three just laughed and egged them on, "but despite it being 2015 and nothing is in anyway the same, as well as there being the always hovering threat of destruction, I have you and since the moment you punched that annoying smart ass in the face I knew any family I would have would have to include you."
"From that moment huh? Pretty optimistic of you Rogers."
He gave a sheepish grin and squeezed her waist. "No one else would ever do. It was either you or no one."
She frowned at the hint of sadness to his tone and jostled his hand so he would look into her eyes. "Tomorrow night, let's go out. A real date. Dinner, dancing. Everything we missed out on then."
"Really?" he asked, his eyes shining brightly at the idea.
"Absolutely. We deserve it. You will always be a soldier, and I will always be a spy, but that doesn't mean we can't have the happy domestication as well." She pointed at their laughing team mates. "Tony said we were playing at family, but there's no play. We are a family, and with everything that has been happening, it is hard to see anything beyond Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D, but we need a life too."
"It is about time I cashed in on that rain check, huh?"
"Oh you are damn right it is."
AN:
I am so so so sorry for the long wait everyone! I just moved back home and had to drive all the way across the country to get there and it didnt leave a lot of time to write unfortunately. I do have the next few days completely free though so expect lots of updates on this and all my other stories, including a continuation of A Chance for a Family. Thank you so much for being so incredibly patient!
