*Four Months Ago*

"You don't need to do this Steve; we are perfectly fine here. There is no need for us to move." You argue, crossing your arms.

Steve stops putting stuff in a box, looking at you with hands on his hips,

"Y/N, we've talked about this. You need more room with the twins getting bigger…"

"They're five months Steve, they aren't even crawling yet. There is still time for me to save up and buy a house for the three of us. We don't need to move into the compound with you."

Steve sighs, "You would be safer there,"

"Safer from who Steve? Who would be coming to hurt us Steve? I'd think we'd be more at risk at the compound, LIVING with the people who the bad guys are really after."

"But that's just it, there would be more people to look after you and protect the twins. You know Natasha and Wanda would just love having the twins there. And Tony said he'd remodel two suits into one to give you more room, double what you have now. You'd have access to FRIDAY and…"

"Steve! Stop, you have said all of this. And as nice as it would be, I don't want to move to the compound. I don't want to raise the twins in that atmosphere. If I can prevent it, I'm going to keep the twins from a life that took their father, my husband, and your best friend away from us."

Steve deflates, shoulder drops hands fall by his sides, "Y/N…"

You hold up a hand, to stop him from continuing that sentence, "No," you say, pointing a finger at him with a stern voice, "do not say you are sorry. I told you there is nothing for you to be sorry for. Bucky… Bucky made his choice. And it is a choice we all have to live with now."

Your voice starts to break talking about Bucky. Five months and the loss still hurts, probably always will; but thanks to Steve, Peter , May and your other friends, the pain is starting to easy. But there are still nights you lie in bed and cry yourself to sleep; missing his warmth, the way he would hold you as if life depended on it, missing the sound of his voice, everything. You miss everything about Bucky.

Steve moves closer to you, bringing you to the sofa wraps you up in a warm, comforting hug, "Okay, I won't say sorry. But I had promised him, before every mission, Buck always made me promise that I'd take care of you is something were to happen. I want to make sure I keep that promise."

You shake your head at him, "Don't, don't promise something like that when there is a chance of the promise being broken. I want no more promises, ever. Bucky always made promises… no more promises."

You bury your face in Steve's neck, no longer able to hold back the tears. You cling to Steve as a lifeline, soaking his shirt with your tears.

Steve mumbles something under his breath that sounds close to a curse, running his hand and down your back trying to sooth you and calm you down.

"Shh, please don't cry Y/N, you'll get me crying and we both know I'm an ugly crier."

This gets a weak, choked laugh out of you, "Yeah, you're just hideous."

"See, glad we agree." He jokes, doing his damnedest to get you to smile.

"Hey, look at my Y/N," he tilts your head, cupping your cheeks to wipe your cheeks dry of tears, "I will keep this promise, I swear it to you Y/N. Whether or not I am here, out of country or dead, you and the twins will ALWAYS be taken care of and protected. I will make sure of it. I'm not making a promise to always be here, because even I know I can't keep that promise. But I am promising you that you will never need or want for anything, will always be safe, and most of all, you will always be loved."

You are honestly speechless. The look in his eyes tell you that he is as serious as he can be, completely honest, and there is something else there in his eyes, something that you can't quite figure out. But you notice his eyes move from your, over your face and locking on your lips. You freeze, unsure if you should pull away or see what he is going to do.

Is he going to kiss you? Is this just a hint at what he means by loved, he is just tempted but not willing to make a move. Do you want him to make a move? Are you even in the right state to allow him to make a move? Oh God.

"Steve…" his name nothing more than a whisper on his lips before…