A/N: Another late one, and for that I am SO sorry, though at least this time I have an excuse - we're getting a new kitchen! And, as such, the computer has been bagsied for kitchen-y plans. This has been my first chance to get on in four days. Still, I hope you enjoy the REUNION!

Big thanks to: heyhaley17, Madame. Viper and Jessiebaby96 for favouriting/following :)

Review Response(s):

Jessica959: Heh, glad you thought so! I tried. :)

CheekyLittleFoxy: Sorry to disappoint, I kept you waiting. Hopefully that'll mean this is all the sweeter. And you're one to talk, English ;)

10 - A Long Overdue Gift

"Oh my God," I breathed, rushing across the room and stealing my baby girl from Steve's arms, all but crushing her to my chest with the intention of never ever letting go. "Vera," I murmured, cradling her head against my shoulder. "Oh, my beautiful baby girl. I missed you so much. I'm never leaving you again. I promise." Vera squealed happily, reaching over my shoulder as Bucky came up behind me, wrapping one arm around my waist from behind and using the other to allow Vera to wrap her hand around his finger.

"Hey, Princess," he whispered, sounding just as choked up as I felt, both of us just relishing in the fact that our daughter was back with us.

I glanced at Steve, smiling tearfully at him in thanks. He winked at me. "H-How does she remember us?" I asked, glad beyond anything I could express with words that she did, but knowing she really shouldn't. "A baby doesn't form lasting memories for months, and we've been gone for half her life. How-?"

"Ever since you guys left we've been showing her things with you in. Videos, pictures, messages. Anything to keep you in her mind," he explained softly. "We were constantly telling her that you guys are her parents, so she'd know you when you came back."

I just stared at him, touched beyond words that they'd gone to such lengths. "Thanks, pal," Bucky murmured, his voice softer than it had been for what felt like a very long time.

"It's nothing," Steve said with a suspiciously shy smile and a shrug, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I don't think it was even necessary - Stark suspects that Vera might already be developing an eidetic memory."

Bucky grinned down at Vera, a proud gleam in his eyes. "Oh, I see how it is," he muttered teasingly, poking her gently on the stomach and making her giggle, trying to catch his finger when he pulled his hand back. "Not even a year old and you're already showing up your old man, hey, Princess?"

"It's her lifelong duty - she's a woman," I stated simply, winking at him when he raised an eyebrow at me. "If it makes you feel better, she's showing me up at the same time. I definitely don't have an eidetic memory."

Bucky hummed. "I'm not so sure. You never forget where you put things. I mean... anything. I could deliberately try to hide something from you and you'd probably find it without even looking. It's... actually kinda scary."

"That's cute," I retorted, planting a peck on his nose and then shifting in his hold, allowing him to take Vera in his arms. "Now, we have some visitors we're rather rudely ignoring." I gave him a quick smile, before heading back towards the door. Looking out, I couldn't help but smile to myself when I noticed the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents doing their best not to look awkward. Fitz and Daisy were having what seemed like an actual, proper conversation, but everyone else seemed to have no idea what to do with themselves. Coulson had actually disappeared entirely. "You can come in, you know," I called out to them, stepping away from the house and walking towards the group of people I could very easily start to call my friends. "Say hi to Vera, even."

"Is she your daughter?" Daisy asked, grinning with barely contained excitement.

I nodded, returning the smile. "Yeah, that's right. Just a warning, though - she can be a little bit irresistible when she wants."

"Noted," Daisy said, before rushing inside, dragging Fitz with her.

I turned to May and Bobbi. "Where's Coulson?"

"He asked us not to tell you."

I scoffed. "You think I couldn't find him if I wanted to? This is my home, don't forget. I know this place like the back of my hand. Even if you don't tell me where he went, it would take me forty minutes, tops, to find him."

Everyone was quiet for a moment, before Hunter threw a thumb over his shoulder and said, "He went that way."

I grinned at him. "Cheers." I then headed towards the treeline, hearing the others start to make their way into the house.

It didn't take me long to find Phil, sitting on a fallen tree trunk. His eyes widened slightly when he saw me approaching. "You weren't supposed to find me," he muttered.

"Yeah," I said with an exhale, sitting beside him. "I kind of gathered that." For a moment, both of us were quiet, before I asked, "Why are you so against telling the Avengers you're still alive?"

Coulson sighed. "It's never as simple as it looks. It hurts that they don't know. But that's the thing - I'm not just biding my time, waiting for this to happen. I'm doing my thing, and you guys are doing your thing. The Avengers are too busy to worry themselves about me, especially since S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't lead them anymore."

"I disagree entirely," I responded instantly, frowning. "How could you possibly believe that the Avengers wouldn't worry about you? Your death tore them apart, Phil. Maybe it was a necessary sacrifice to get them to realise they could be a team, but that doesn't mean they don't still feel the pain of it. Steve, Tony and Thor especially."

Coulson frowned. "Why would they feel pain for that? None of them knew me."

"They didn't need to. Five minutes in the same room is all anyone needs to know how brilliant Phillip Coulson really is. Thor feels guilt for the fact that it was his brother who stabbed you, for the fact that he was in the room and he could do nothing to help keep you alive. That's what gets to him most - his proximity. I can't tell you how many times I've heard him trying to discuss with his friends ways in which the whole thing could have been handled differently, so you didn't die." I smiled at him when he glanced up in surprise. "And Steve... Well, Steve is just Steve. He always puts every death on his own shoulders, somehow finding a way to put the blame on himself. He respected you - even with all the fanboying you did - and he was hit hard by your loss. I think, at the time, with him being so fresh from the ice, your presence helped to ground him." The shock on Coulson's face was mirrored by the rest of his body now. His whole frame had frozen completely. "And then, of course, there's Tony. He'd never say any of this to anyone out loud, but I like to think I know that man well enough to get a read on him. It doesn't happen often - your death is a subject everyone prefers to avoid - but whenever it comes up, Tony always goes very still and very quiet. He liked you, Phil. Truly, and genuinely. Oh, he may have acted like an asshole, but that's just him. I'm convinced there's more to it than just that. You saved his life, but, even more importantly... You saved Pepper's. There will never be anyone more important to Tony Stark than Pepper Potts, and you kept her safe from harm when he couldn't. He never got the chance to thank you for that, and I know that bothers him more than he'll ever admit."

Coulson looked at me again, his eyes skirting over my face. "You really believe that?"

"It's a fact, not a belief," I stated simply. I placed my hand on his shoulder. "I really think they deserve to know. You can't use the whole 'not being level eight' thing as an excuse anymore. And at this point in time, with all that's happened in the last few years, I think they need this one little bit of happiness returned to them. Someone they believe died because of them is still alive. Nothing could ever be more meaningful to them. Nothing."

Coulson stared at me for a long time, apparently lost for words. Then, an expression of the utmost determination washed over his face, and he stood up. "You're right," he said firmly as I also stood. "I have no reason to keep this from them anymore. And God knows I can't keep hiding - you found me in less than ten minutes!"

I shrugged, grinning. "Well, you do seem to have forgotten that this is my home. I know it better than anyone, and certainly better than you." I grin then shifted to a smirk. "But actually I was aided by the fact that Hunter told me which direction you'd gone."

Coulson raised an eyebrow, before nodding. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."

While he didn't say anything, I could tell that Coulson was growing increasingly nervous the closer we got to the farmhouse. Just before we reached the edge of the treeline I reached out a hand and stopped him, turning him to face me. "Phil, if this really makes you uncomfortable, I won't force you to go through with this. I know I said I would but... Truly, if you don't want to do this, just say so."

Shaking his head, Coulson glanced back at the house, only a small portion of which was visible through the final layers of foliage ahead. "No, you're right. They should have been told a long time ago. I just... didn't think this would ever happen. It's no secret I'm alive to some but most of the world didn't know I existed in the first place. I have to assume Fury had his reasons for keeping this from them."

"Well, Fury's not in charge anymore, and he respects your decisions, even if they undermine his. You don't have to follow every order, Coulson."

He nodded, smiling softly. "Yeah, I know." He shook his head, squared his shoulders, and then without another word strode forward. I had to admire the man for his determination.

"Tell you what," I said as I caught up with him, "I'll go in first, try to lessen the shock a little."

Coulson laughed. "No, you don't want to do that."

"Why not?"

"It's like Bucky said earlier - the element of surprise just makes the whole experience better." He grinned at me. "Besides, not everyone can say they surprised Captain America."

I chuckled. "No, that's true, though between you and me, it's easier than it sounds. He still gets surprised when a girl actively tries to talk to him."

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah. He may be the world's first superhero, but in his head he's still the little guy from Brooklyn with only a handful of friends." I shrugged. "I guess it hasn't hit him yet that he's actually a part of one of the biggest family-of-friends in the world."

Bucky, with Vera balanced on his waist, poked his head around the door. "There you are," he called, smirking at the sight of Coulson walking beside me. "Everyone was getting impatient."

"I said no more than forty minutes, didn't I?" I challenged, matching his grin. "I kept that promise, and then some. I have no idea what anyone is complaining about." I picked up my pace slightly so I could peck him gently on the lips, before we simultaneously wrapped an arm around each other. I turned back to Coulson. "Ready to face the wolves?"

He hesitated for less than half a second before nodding, and so Bucky and I led the way back into the house. Every pair of eyes turned towards the doorway, and we stepped aside so Steve got the perfect view of Phil Coulson as he finally walked through the door.

To say Steve looked shocked would be a gross understatement. The moment his brain registered just who it was standing in front of him, Steve's eyes were as immobile as the rest of his face, clearly struggling to absorb the bombshell that had hit him like a freight train. I could imagine the sparks flying through his brain, desperately trying to connect the dots and instead just causing his mind to short circuit.

It was a good few seconds before Steve managed to do as little as blink, and it was even longer before his body showed signs of movement. He let out a long breath, shook his head, and then turned to leave the room without a word.

Everyone exchanged looks, concerned for his behaviour, except Bucky and I. We both knew exactly where he'd gone, and what he'd gone to do.

"I'd have thought he'd handle the news a little better," Coulson muttered in a dry tone, a frown pinching at his features nonetheless.

Bucky smirked. "Yeah, just give it a minute. It's not what you're thinking."

"Then what is it?" We just stayed silent, getting distracted when Vera started to become restless in Bucky's arms, reaching out for me to hold her. I smiled fondly and gently pulled her out of Bucky's grasp, resting her on my hip and smiling when her hands immediately took hold of my hair. I was happy to see she still kept her adorable obsessions with both my hair and Bucky's beard.

Looking up sharply when I heard Steve walk back in, he again remained silent as he approached Coulson, before holding out his hand. In his grasp, were a small pile of cards.

"All signed," the Cap said at last, smiling when Coulson - completely dumbfounded - took the cards from him. "Just as I promised." Coulson stared at the cards for a moment, before smiling and pocketing them.

"Thanks. I'll make sure to add them to my collection."

Steve nodded, then clapped Coulson firmly on the shoulder. "It's good to have you back, Phil. But you have got a hell of a lot of explaining to do."

That smile still present, Coulson nodded. "I'll get right to it, though you may want to sit down. It's a long story."

Steve chuckled. "Oh, I don't doubt it."

And with no more said, the two men walked towards the lounge, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents following after.

Bucky hummed. "I was expecting a little bit more of a reaction than that."

I shrugged. "It probably hasn't registered properly yet. No doubt he'll have a bit of a moment halfway through Coulson's explanation as to how he died and came to be resurrected." I patted his chest. "Now, be a good host and make everyone a drink."

"And why can't you do that?"

"Because I'm on baby-duty," I retorted with a smug grin and a wink when he rolled his eyes. I pecked him on the cheek. "Thanks, sweetheart."

"You owe me for this, doll. And I won't let you forget it."

"Oh, I'm sure you won't."