A/N: I don't own The Avengers or Captain America. R&R!
After breakfast, everyone moved into the living room and lounged on the sofa. Tony was aimlessly flipping through channels when the elevator dinged and Parker let out a squeal. Everyone turned to see Lt. Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes stepping into onto the commons floor.
"Rhodey!", Parker exclaimed, hurrying over to hug her brother's best friend.
"Well, it seems the little lost girl found her way home. How've you been? Where have you been?", Rhodey responded, hugging her back.
"I've been doing amazingly! As to where, in the last four months, I've been to Austria, Italy, France, England, Russia, and Brooklyn. I know the last one doesn't really sound like much, but it was the best of all of my trips.", Parker gushed, smiling over her shoulder at Bucky.
Bucky smiled too, because Brooklyn was the last trip they made before returning to the loft. Both of them felt that was the time when their baby had been conceived. The math simply added up to that trip.
"Who's he?", Bucky suddenly went serious and stiff when he saw Bucky on the sofa, blue eyes locked on Parker with an intense and almost possessive stare.
Parker turned around, noticed the way Bucky was looking at her, and let out a giggle. He was so sweet sometimes, but Parker was sure she was always going to have to remind him that she chose him over anyone else in the world.
"At ease, soldier. Why don't you walk over here so I can introduce you to Tony's best friend? He's almost like a second brother to me, after all.", she said, and Bucky did as she asked.
Rhodey, at only 5'8", actually had to look up when Bucky, 5'11", came to a stop in front of him; Parker, who only stood at 5'3", found this amusing. She was used to being the one who had to crane her neck to look Bucky in the eyes, so it was sort of fun for her to see it happen to someone else.
"Sorry, Rhodey. Parker apparently likes tall guys. I don't understand the appeal of it.", Tony called out as Pepper smacked him lightly on the arm.
"Well, for a woman, Pepper is tall. I think it's just a genetic trait you guys share or something.", Rhodey said, and Tony stuck his tongue out at his friend.
"That aside, Lt. Col. James Rhodes, meet Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, also known as Bucky. Yes, he is the same Bucky Barnes who supposedly died after falling off of a H.Y.D.R.A. train in Austria, Rhodey.", Parker introduced the two, and Rhodey was in a state shock.
"Tony, isn't he the same guy who…", Rhodey trailed off as his own best friend only nodded at the unfinished question.
"Let me guess, you read the S.H.I.E.L.D. and H.Y.D.R.A. documents that Natasha released? Yes, James was once under the control of H.Y.D.R.A., and he was the Winter Soldier. Yes, he did cause the accident that killed my parents. I know all of this, and I don't hold it against him. If you were half-dead, kidnapped, subjected to a painful procedure to remove your memories, and given a robotic arm, you might kill your friends if told they are your mission, too. This is especially true when you can't remember your own name, let alone who your actual friends are, and if you don't complete the mission, you essentially get tortured as a punishment.", Parker's voice went cold, the same way it had when she spoke to Tony before breakfast; Rhodey took a step back from the petite woman.
"All right, I'm sorry. I was just a bit concerned. Where did you find him?", he said to Parker as he held up his hands in surrender.
"Actually, he found me. Once James had been able to recall enough memories of his past and what he had been forced to do, he wanted to apologize to the children of Howard and Maria Stark. He thought I might be easier to talk to than Tony, so he found me while I was out and about in Manhattan about five months ago. He's why I went on all of my trips to Europe and Brooklyn. I'm not entirely sure what I'd do without him sometimes.", the dark haired young woman answered as she let Bucky wrap his right arm around her waist again, his hand on her abdomen, before allowing her head to fall back onto his chest.
"Rhodey, what's the reason you dropped by today?", Tony asked, walking over with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, considering you're the reason I attend the thing every year, I wanted to make sure you and Pepper hadn't gotten too distracted to remember the party tomorrow night. I'm guessing you did by your expressions.", Rhodey said, and every last member of the household paled.
"That's tomorrow night?", Clint called out.
"You mean the whole costume party thing wasn't a joke?", Bruce asked.
"I'm going to kill you, Stark!", Natasha snapped.
"Really? Do I have to go?", Steve asked, exasperated.
"Yes, you all have to be there, it is tomorrow night, it was not a joke, and no one will be dying because of this.", Pepper reasoned.
"I guess this means we need to go costume shopping.", Tony said, and everyone groaned at him.
"You guys go shopping all you want. Bucky, you want to go down to D.C. with me?", Steve called out, and Bucky grinned as he caught on to his "brother's" idea.
"Sure, what's another IOU?", he joked back.
"Oh, that's not even right! That is so cheating!", Natasha exclaimed through her warranted laughter.
"You still owe the museum a Captain America suit, so why would you go after anything else?", Parker giggled.
"Well, they're both senior citizens who served their country, so why shouldn't these two old veterans be treated kindly and be allowed to borrow their things that they did not donate to the museum themselves?", Tony said in the same tone he uses to justify poking Bruce with a pointy object to make him "let off a little steam."
"If they go to D.C., I'm going too. I've got someone to visit.", Parker reasoned, and Tony quickly caught on.
"Give her my love, if she's having a good day, and give Sharon a hug for me. Make sure, if it's a bad day, she doesn't know what happened to Dad or that those two are alive. You know what to do.", Tony told her quietly, only confusing those close enough to hear him clearly.
"You got it. James can drive, so let's go.", Parker said, but Steve held up a hand.
"How can he drive? I mean, I know he can, but does he have a driver's license? He needs one of those to drive, especially to drive to our nation's capital.", Steve asked.
"Yes, he has one. It took a lot of explaining and paperwork to make it to where he was listed as being alive, such as S.H.I.E.L.D. had to do for you, but we both wanted to make sure he could drive. Oh, just show him!", Parker said, but then she became exasperated when Steve seemed to not believe her.
So, just to appease Steve, Bucky reached into his pocket, withdrew his wallet, and pulled out his driver's license. Steve inspected it, looked at his surrogate big brother, and smiled. Bucky realized what Steve was thinking and laughed along with the blonde man.
"You always used to say that you would only have your license to help your mom and impress girls when we were teenagers! Things have changed, haven't they?", Steve asked through his laughter.
"I guess they have. I changed my mind, by the way; driving in the city isn't so bad now that most people seem to understand how to drive.", Bucky replied as he calmed himself down.
"Well, if you two have had enough reminiscing for the time being, we should probably head out if we want to get back in time for dinner.", Parker's voice brought both men back to the present, and the three left the tower.
An hour and a half into the almost four hour drive, Parker had fallen asleep in the front seat. Bucky smiled at the sight, but he kept on driving. About fifteen minutes had passed before Bucky pulled over. Parker seemed to be having some sort of fit in her sleep, twisting about and saying things that meant nothing but confusion to Steve.
"James! No, no! You can't do this to him! You don't control him! No, James, no! Stop! No! Let go of me, James! Fight them! Stop!", she suddenly stopped moving, and then Steve saw why.
Bucky had walked around to her side of the car and pulled Parker out of her seat and into his arms. Bucky pressed her head to his chest, and then Parker was calm.
"Steve, can you drive the rest of the way? If I let go of her now, she'll only have another nightmare. Hopefully, she's dreaming peacefully now, having a dream in which I don't kill her.", Bucky asked his "little brother."
"Sure, but what do you mean by that?", Steve replied as he got in the driver's seat and Bucky got into the back with Parker.
"You have to swear you won't tell anyone about this. I know it took a lot for her to tell Tony when they went into the elevator, but I know she would want me to explain this to you as you've now seen it happen. So, do you swear not to tell?", Bucky asked.
"I swear I won't tell. She looked so distressed, and there was nothing I could do. Is there any way I can help her if it happens again?", Steve replied.
"No, there isn't; only I seem to be able to. When we were in Austria, H.Y.D.R.A. found me, well, us. They didn't care that it was broad daylight; they didn't care we were in the center of town. They grabbed us and took us to a secret base, the same one where they took my arm off, if I'm right. They tried to brainwash me again, take my memories, but Parker saved me. She kept calling my name, yelling for my help. The whole time they attempted to lead me to the machine and erase who I am again, I heard her painful screams. I didn't know why then, though I do now, but her screams did something to me. I wound up taking down all of the H.Y.D.R.A. agents around me and ran back to where they had chained her up. I made sure we were the only two to leave that base in one, relative to how we entered, piece.", Bucky answered, but Steve knew there had to be more.
"So she has nightmares about it?", he asked innocently.
"No, what Parker has are called night terrors. These are nightmares that seem real and usually have something to do with unresolved issues within your subconscious. Parker doesn't know that I read up on night terrors after her third one since Austria. In one version, I kill her after they brainwash me and tell me that Parker is my new mission. In another version of the night terror, she's forced to see and hear me die. The first time it happened, we were in Rome, and I woke up to find her shaking me. I had never seen anyone, let alone happy and care free Parker Stark, so scared in my life, memories or no memories. I had been on the couch, so I asked her why she was out of bed. Parker said she just had to make sure I was alive because of the night terror she had. I assured her I was just fine, but she was just so afraid. I went with her to the bedroom and made sure she went back to sleep, and I stayed there the entire night to make sure she was okay. It's my fault this happened, so I had to make sure everything was fixed.", Bucky said, and Steve realized something.
"You have them, too, don't you? You have night terrors of your own, but you don't want to tell Parker because you already feel guilty. Please tell me that isn't why you're dating her, too!", he said, and Bucky looked ready to hit him for the last comment.
"Yes, I do have the occasional night terror. It usually involves us making it out of H.Y.D.R.A.'s grasp the first time, but they come back, and Parker leaves. She tells me she can't handle living her life on the run and that she doesn't love me. It's a classic case of abandonment issues coming to light because of all the time I spent being made to kill without a second thought as to my actions. However, I haven't had one since we came back home from Brooklyn. Also, no, I am not dating her because I feel guilty about Austria. I asked Parker out to dinner in London because I realized I'd fallen in love with her.", Steve was taken aback by Bucky's response.
"You're in love with her?", the blonde asked.
"Yeah, Steve, I am. Like I said, when I heard her screaming for me, something inside of me. I didn't care who I had to take out to do it, but I wasn't going to let them hurt her. I mean, aside from you, who could never not try to save my soul or what have you, Parker was the first living creature that saw anything good in me, in my heart, in nearly seventy years. Every time she smiles at me, I smile because her smile is just that infectious. When she hugged me for the first time, I think my heart skipped a beat. Before the metal arm tried to break her spine, Parker would sleep on the right side of the bed, facing me, with the back of her head on the metal and her ear over my heart. As of last night, she practically lies across me in order to keep her ear over my heart. She fits perfectly into either side of my body, and she isn't bothered by my left arm. She smells amazing, too, like caramel with a hint of apple. God, how sappy do I sound right now?", Bucky said, and Steve laughed before a thought struck him.
"Hey, didn't your dinner dates all end the same way back before the war?", he asked Bucky, who smirked.
"Oh, you mean with you being dropped off at home before I left out with my date to go have fun alone? That didn't happen this time, you or the other.", Bucky replied, but Steve raised an eyebrow at Bucky through the rear-view mirror.
"My friend, my brother, the ladies' man, is being a gentleman?", he questioned.
"Only where Parker is concerned. It wasn't until our last night in London that we decided how far to take our relationship. I refuse to pressure her into anything, and that night in London was at her urging. Parker is such an innocent and beautiful person, and I wouldn't dream of changing that in any way.", Bucky said carefully, and Steve sighed.
"I'm not sure what happened to Bucky, but the new guy that looks like him is such a softy! Would you do this for any other woman?", he asked, and Bucky shook his head before talking.
"There won't be any other women, Stevie. Parker is my one and only. I honestly hope I go first, because I don't think I could handle losing her or love another woman as much as I love her. I proposed to her last night, when we had dinner back at the loft, and I gave her my mother's ring. Turns out it was still hidden behind that brick in the wall of our old place where I left it before going over to fight.", Steve's jaw dropped as Bucky told him what had occurred the night before.
"You gave her your mother's ring? Whoa! So, are you two thinking of having kids and attempting to have a normal life once you get married?", he asked, and Bucky actually blushed this time.
"About that, Steve, I wanted you to know something. You can't tell anyone, other than maybe Tony, but we are going to have at least one child. Parker only told me yesterday, after I proposed, that she's pregnant. Everything has happened so fast in the last six months, but I'm happy now. I'm going to marry the most beautiful being I have ever seen, I am in love with said beautiful being more than I think is possible, and we're going to be parents. I'm going to be a father! Steve, I'm happy. I'm actually happy!", the dark haired man could only smile as the realization hit him.
"Buck, that is amazing! Do you have a preference of boy or girl? Do you have any particular name that you want to run by Parker?", Steve asked, and Bucky actually nodded affirmatively.
"I don't care, as long as the baby is happy and healthy. I guess I'd be more excited if the baby is a girl, but I won't be upset if the baby is a boy. As for names, I kind of like Chloe. Like I said, I think I might be more excited for a girl.", he answered.
"You always have been. When we were teenagers, you always wanted to have a daughter because you didn't want your child or children to have to fight like our fathers did, or like we wound up doing.", Steve said, adding the last bit as an afterthought.
"That don't mean a thing nowadays. Just look at Romanoff!", Bucky said darkly.
"Well, I'd say you're right, except for the fact that she was kidnapped and turned into a soldier by the Russians when she when she was three. Also, you have to look at women like Peggy. She volunteered to serve.", Steve told him, and Bucky sighed.
"You always have to be the smart one, don't you?", the nearly thirty year old said with a chuckle.
"Nope; when I'm with you, I just am.", Steve replied with a smile.
They fell into a comfortable silence which lasted until Steve pulled up outside the Smithsonian. Bucky knew how Parker was whenever someone woke her up, so he decided to do so as gently as possible. Steve just watched them in the rearview mirror.
"Parker, it's time to wake up.", he whispered softly, and Steve thought Parker was still asleep.
"Again with the whole waking me up when I'm perfectly comfortable where I am thing? What did I tell you about that this morning?", she replied sleepily.
"The same thing you tell me every morning. C'mon, doll, you have to go see your aunt and cousins.", Bucky told her, and she huffed.
"Screw what Tony said. We can go see them after this. I already called Sharon and Beth before we left the tower, and they aren't expecting me until an hour from now. Steve, how fast were you driving?", Parker asked the blonde as she began stretching and blinking her eyes at the sunlight streaming in through the car windows.
"I was going the speed limit. It was Bucky who was speeding!", Steve said, and Bucky glared playfully at him.
"Punk.", he said, eyes narrowed.
"Jerk.", Steve shot back, then all three began laughing.
"Let's just go and see about getting your uniforms back from the museum. Who donated your things anyway?", Parker asked as they got out of the car.
"I had a will, and all of my stuff was left to Peggy. She either turned everything over to S.H.I.E.L.D. when she and Howard started it and they did it, or her granddaughter that she mentioned donated it all.", Steve said.
"Everything I had should of went to my sisters. Their children would have had to be the ones to donate the stuff. Wait, that means I have to have a talk with a certain little raven-haired trouble-maker. Doll, remind me to call Rachel when we get home!", Bucky stated, and Steve looked confused.
"Rachel is his great-niece. We met her when we went to James' childhood home. His family still owns the house, so it was easier to get inside than it would have been otherwise.", Parker clarified for Steve, and he nodded.
After a moment or two of no one speaking, the trio made their way into the museum and made their way over to the front desk. The woman at the desk was physically older than all of them, about forty, and had an irritated look about her.
"Excuse me, Ma'am, but who would we talk to about recovering items that were donated to the institute without the permission of the proper owner?", Parker asked sweetly, and the middle-aged woman peered over the top of her rectangular glasses at the twenty-six year old.
"Miss, I assure you that we triple check to ensure that none of the items in the Smithsonian Institute are stolen. Items which are found to be stolen are either returned to the owner or are displayed with the owner's consent.", she said in a condescending tone that made Parker want to slap her with Bucky's messed up silver arm.
"Ma'am, the items in question weren't stolen at all. When Rachel Barnes, age twenty-nine, donated her great uncle's personal belongings, she did not know he was still alive. As for the Captain, he has a few things that he didn't want donated that wound up here. Now, who do we talk to about this issue?", Parker asked again, her tone getting more forceful with each word she said.
"You would need to speak with our Chief Curator, but he won't see just anyone without an appointment, Miss…", the woman trailed off with a smirk, but Parker was ready with a response.
"Stark. I am Margret Parker Howard Stark. My companions are Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, my fiancé; and Captain Steven Grant Rogers, a close friend of my father, brother, and fiancé. I think he'll make an exception and see us.", the woman stopped smirking and blinked a few times before picking up the receiver to the phone on her desk.
"Dr. Jones, this is Sarah at the information desk. I have some people who need to speak with you urgently. Sir, one of them is Captain Rogers. Yes, Rogers as in Captain America. I'll send them in.", she said into the phone, and Parker began to smirk.
"Which way should we go?", the soon-to-be-Mrs. Barnes asked.
"Take the elevator around the corner to the second floor. There, go all the way down on your right upon exiting the elevator until you reach the closed off area. Doctor Jones should be outside waiting for you. He's putting overseeing a new exhibit.", the receptionist replied, and Parker smiled at her.
"Thank you, Ma'am. Boys, let's go."
Sarah sat stunned as the two men walked off with the irritating woman. The one she knew was Captain Rogers smiled at the woman who identified herself as Tony Stark's younger sister as they stepped into the elevator, and the one who Parker Stark had claimed was Sergeant Barnes kept his right arm-his only arm, Sarah noticed, wrapped tightly around the young woman's waist. It was almost as if he was afraid of someone trying to take her from him.
An elevator ride later, the trio made their way down to the closed exhibit. A man in his early to mid-fifties stood waiting for them. He smiled warmly at Steve, but he was a tad bit colder towards the other two.
"Hello, Dr. Jones. It is a pleasure to meet the man who is such a big part in making sure this all can happen. I am Parker Stark, and I believe you should know the two men on either side of myself.", Parker said merrily, trying her best to appear likeable.
"Ah, Captain Rogers, it is wonderful to see you here! This can't be Sergeant Barnes! I thought you were KIA?", Dr. Jones ignored Parker.
"That was a belief proven false six months ago when Captain Rogers first made me recall memories that H.Y.D.R.A. had taken from me. I am very much alive, and I would appreciate it if you did not ignore my fiancé.", Bucky said angrily.
"Oh, right. It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Ms. Stark. Are you related to Tony Stark by any chance?", he asked, and Parker wanted to either face-palm or slap the man silly, again with the metal arm.
"If you have read any sort of scientific journal that did a biography about my brother or father, you would know I am Tony's sister. He's been the one to raise me since our parents died when I was three, and I attended every social event with him until I was ten. My full name is Margret Parker Howard Stark. Does that ring any bells?", she responded, trying not to snap.
"Oh, Ms. Stark, I loved your work on psychoanalysis that was featured in Science Monthly's latest issue. I did not realize that you were the same Ms. Stark.", Dr. Jones said as he tried to appease Bucky and Parker.
"Psycho what?", Steve asked, confused for what had to be the billionth time since first defrosting and waking up.
"Psychoanalysis is a form of psychiatric therapy, Steve. I'll explain more to you when we head back to New York.", Parker told the blonde, and he nodded.
"What was it you three needed to see me about?", Dr. Jones asked as Steve nodded to Parker.
"My great-niece, Rachel Barnes, donated my belonging for the Captain America exhibit. Rachel didn't know I was alive when she did it; and as I was never dead, all of those items should still be mine. I'm okay with letting most of the stuff stay here, but there are a few things that I never wanted to go outside my family. I was hoping it might be possible to get those things back.", Bucky explained calmly.
"And while I will be sending you a new suit for the mannequin as soon as Tony and I finish creating one, I have a few things I would like back as well. S.H.I.E.L.D. never told me what was being donated, so I was never able to okay what all I was all right with the museum having, even if it is only on a temporary basis.", Steve added.
"And you, Ms. Stark?", Dr. Jones asked.
"Oh, me? No, I'm just here to support and back up their claims. Once we leave, I have to go and see some relatives of mine who live in the area, but I have no other business here. However, I do believe my brother has offered to make a donation of a large sum to the museum in the near future.", Parker said with a light laugh, and both Steve and Bucky knew she was lying about Tony's plans to make a donation.
"In that case, gentlemen, tell me what you need.", the two came to a silent agreement that Tony better make the donation sizeable.
About forty-five minutes later, the three exited the museum; each of the guys was carrying a large box of his belongings. Parker had the keys, and Steve found himself back in the back seat. Bucky was in the passenger seat, but he got out of the car wordlessly after looking out the window to see Tony beside the car.
"Tony, what are you doing here?", Parker asked as she got out of the car and made her way over to her brother.
"Whatever you do, do not crank that engine. Rogers, get out of that car with the boxes right now. I can replace the car, but I can't replace you three.", Tony said in an uncharacteristically serious voice.
"Tony, what's wrong with the car?", Parker asked, and Tony just motioned for the three of them to follow him.
Steve got out of the car, both of the boxes in his arms, and the three followed Tony for several blocks before stopping at an average silver sedan. Tony motioned for them to get in, but he still said nothing. Bucky noticed something that the other two did not seem to pick up on: Tony was scared.
As soon as Tony say down in the car, he let out a sigh. Steve took the front passenger seat, and the other two slid into the back, Bucky taking the boxes. Then, Tony started talking again.
"Okay, we're safe now. Look, I figured out how H.Y.D.R.A. found you two in Austria and why Bucky's arm locked up last night.", he told them, and they all leaned in.
"How?", Parker asked quickly.
"They put an entire system to monitor his missions in the arm. From what I could tell, H.Y.D.R.A. was able to turn it on at any time and take over the arm entirely. It took me a while to figure it out, and I had to turn to one of my biggest enemies to do so, but I cut off the feed.", Tony said, and neither Bucky nor Steve understood him.
"What type of system was it, and you didn't let him think he could ask me out again, did you? I've been rejecting him since I was twenty-one, and I don't intend on ever going out one even one date with another man. I happen to be very content in my current relationship.", Parker said, confusing the two soldiers even more.
"I have no clue what he thinks, but I know Hammer would have to make it through Bucky in the first place to ask you out again anyway. As for the system, it was a series of mini-camera and microphones woven into the wires of the arm. Only an engineer, like myself, would have found them. H.Y.D.R.A. was able to take control via a program that they put into the arm itself when they, I'm guessing, serviced it after one of his missions circa 1980. That's what I needed Hammer for, too. I wasn't going to try to break the program in my lab and let it invade my software, so I let him do it. Ever since he got out of prison, he's gotten even more distrustful of me; so, I let it slip that H.Y.D.R.A. had sent agents after you. I told him it was because they only just realized that you didn't die in the crash with Mom and Dad because you were home with Aunt Peggy at the time. In short, the metal arm is toasted, a complete waste to reconstruct.", Tony explained, and Parker rolled her eyes.
"So now he thinks you trust him with me. Great! So, you're telling me that H.Y.D.R.A. was watching us? What if they know about…", but Parker trailed off, and Bucky pulled her close.
"I promise you that I will do everything in my power to keep our family safe. What are we doing about my arm?", Bucky replied, his gentle and loving tone changing to a more neutral one when his focus shifted from one Stark to the other.
"Glad you asked, Bucky. Open this box and enjoy!", Tony said with a smirk, and Parker rolled her eyes again; clearly her brother was more childish than she remembered.
Bucky opened the box Tony had handed him to find an arm. It looked like a regular, human arm; but the arm was obviously a mechanical prosthetic. Bucky could see the wires and hook-ups that were at its top end to connect with the plate he already had. Amazed that a man who hated him so much twenty-four hours earlier had done this for him, Bucky gave Tony a bewildered look.
"I don't even know how to thank you for this, Tony. You have no reason to trust me or even like me, but you made a new arm for me. Why, not that I'm complaining about it?", he asked Tony, but the billionaire simply shook his head.
"Look, I hated your guts yesterday; we all know that. Then, a little bird told me about Austria. You saved her life, you kept her safe, and you've made her happy. Sergeant, you are the reason my only blood relative is still alive; you are the reason my baby sister is here right now. For that, my friend, I could never not like you. As for trusting you, see aforementioned statement. That arm is my gift to you for protecting her and being there for her when I couldn't. For that, I will never be able to thank you enough.", and Steve felt extremely awkward as the conversation occurred.
"Then, by your standards, Tony, what should I be getting for Bruce and Pepper as a 'Thank You' gift for each of them?", Parker asked sarcastically with a smile.
"You would have to buy gifts for Rhodey and Natasha, too.", Tony responded, and his sister gently smacked him upside the head.
"Jerk!", she giggled.
"Dweeb!", Tony shot back maturely, and Steve just looked at Bucky before everyone fell into peals of laughter.
"I still have to go see Aunt Peggy, so somebody better get to driving.", Parker stated, but Tony sent her a wary look.
"Tony, she called Beth earlier and talked to her. It's not like Peggy doesn't know I'm alive. I saw her when we had a layover in DC on our way to Brooklyn. Yeah, I know that we didn't tell you. It doesn't matter anymore, so just drive. To be fair, you haven't been to see her in a year, and we had just over twenty-four hours' notice about the party.", Bucky said bluntly, and Tony started the car.
"Hey, Aunt Peggy!", Parker said as she gingerly hugged the elderly woman lying in the bed before her.
"Something's different about you, Parker. Something has changed in the last month, and I can tell. What is it, child?", Peggy Carter asked her honorary niece.
"Well, James and I are getting married.", Parker offered up, only to hear a squeal behind her signaling Sharon's arrival.
"Congratulations, Parks! May I please be a bridesmaid?", the blonde woman begged, and Parker could hardly say no.
"Of course, Sharon. We're family after all!", Parker said as she hugged Peggy's biological niece, Steve dumbstruck at the familiar blonde's appearance.
"Sharon, explain yourself to the Captain. Steve, take all of your problems to Nick Fury after she explains who she is. Parker, dear, there's something else, isn't there?", it never ceased to amaze any of them how Peggy could remember nothing past 1949 one day, but she could be entirely on her game the next.
"Yes, Ma'am.", both Sharon and Parker said, and Sharon took Steve into the hall of the nursing home to talk to him.
"Aunt Peggy, I know you weren't too happy when I first told you I was dating James, but I love him and nothing will change that now. To answer you as candidly as possible, I've been helping James reconnect with who he was. After our third technical date, James and I… Tony, if you don't want to hear this, leave for a moment." Tony left as Parker got to the part he considered to be too much information about his sister. "Okay then, where was I? Oh, right! In that hotel room in London, we had sex. The same goes for our time in Western Germany and in France; to be perfectly honest, we've had a lot of sex. So, naturally, Aunt Peggy, I'm pregnant."
Peggy was silent for a moment or two, clearly letting the information sink in. Parker felt torn as her honorary aunt remained silent. She loved Bucky with all of her heart, and she would have agreed to marry him if he would have proposed the night of their first date in London. But still, Peggy had been the only motherly figure she knew for most of her life, and Parker could not bear to have Peggy disappointed in her.
"Which happened first, the proposal or the pregnancy announcement?", Peggy asked gently.
"The proposal was exactly five minutes before I told him I was pregnant, Aunt Peggy. I only found out for sure yesterday. Please don't be disappointed in me.", Parker said quietly, and Peggy placed her pale, wrinkled hand on Parker's, which sat on the edge of the bed.
"My darling girl, with the total repair I have seen this man go through, based solely on what you, Sharon, and James himself have told me, I am beginning to believe you may be the better mechanic in the family, not your brother. I have been like he was. I thought I'd lost everything when Steve went into the ice, but when I met your uncle and actually agreed to go on a date with him, I realized that it was possible for me to love someone again. With some friendly advice from your father and Edwin Jarvis, I realized it was possible to have a family and friends outside of work. I realized that it was all right to live. You have made Bucky see that, too; you saved him when no one else could. I could never be more proud of you, Margret Parker Howard Stark, than I am now.", Peggy said, stressing Bucky's name when she stopped calling him by his first name.
"And now I know you like me again, Peg.", he said jokingly, and she smiled at him along with Parker.
"Just don't hurt her, Barnes.", Peggy told him with a fond smile, though she sounded exasperated, and Bucky nodded.
It was then that Tony reentered the room, and he looked terrified.
"Tony, what's wrong?", Parker asked.
"Aunt Peggy, Steve is outside making out with Sharon!", Tony cried out, and Peggy just smiled.
"Good, because this is exactly what I was hoping for when I asked Nick Fury to assign her to watch over him. What about you, Anthony? Are you getting married of becoming a father?", was he only reply.
"Pepper and I aren't getting married, yet, but I have sort of become a surrogate father to this kid in Tennessee. When everyone thought I was dead, he was there to help me get back at the people who were trying to kill me. He's an amazing kid, he loves science and engineering, and he's every bit the same as me when I was twelve. I have never met anyone that sarcastic and aggravating before or since, but I love the kid. His sister is a good kid, too, and she kind of reminds me of another rambunctious nine year old I once knew.", Tony responded, and this was news to Parker.
"What is his name, dear?", Peggy asked, and Tony sighed.
"You won't believe me, Aunt Peggy, but his name is Harley. I didn't decide to name him after a motorcycle, he was already named Harley when I met him. I promise that's the truth!", Tony said with a laugh, and Parker laughed too.
"We believe you, Tony, but I want to meet this kid.", Parker said with a bright smile, one that Peggy shared.
One thing was clear at this point, the two Starks and Peggy Carter were extremely proud of each other and being able to call one another family. Bucky was just glad that all of three of them wanted him to become a part of their family, as family was extremely important to him. He could not wait until he and Parker could share their extended family with their baby. It was just the way he had always, secretly, wanted to live his live. While several people might beg to differ, Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes wanted nothing more than the American Dream. He was always a sucker for a classic.
A/N: I own nothing, especially any bands or songs mentioned in this story. I only own Parker and the story.