Hey guys! He's the final chapter. In case you missed it, I posted 19 right before this one. This chapter is a little shorter. Thak you to anyone who has read, followed, or favorited this story. Thank you so much. I'll keep writing.
Shoutout: Anyone reading this
Warnings: Cuteness!
Disclaimer: Really?
One Year Later
I take a deep breath and open my eyes. I look in the mirror one more time. My hair had been done up that morning and I barely recognized myself. I twirl a little in my wedding gown. It's a simple long white dress with a full ruffled skirt. I didn't want anything over the top.
"You look beautiful," Banner says, "Are you ready to go?"
"I-I think so," I say. I had asked him to walk me down the aisle. In the past year, he'd become like a father figure to me. He had been surprised but had agreed to do so.
"Then let's go get in line," he says, holding out his arm. I take it, definitely needing it. I'm wearing flats. I had tried heels, but I was already the same height as Bucky and I couldn't walk in heels to save my life.
We go stand in the procession line behind Clint and Natasha. In front of them are Vision and Wanda and in front of them are Gabi and Steve, before them Rebecca and Noah, who are right behind Melody and Toby, who respectively are flower girl and ring bearer. The music starts and the two two year olds, who have been thoroughly instructed, head down the aisle. I can't see what's going on, which is probably a good thing, because if I saw Bucky I probably would forget the formalities and rush down the aisle.
Soon Clint and Natasha make their way down to the end of the aisle and go off to their respective sides. I look over and see Bucky standing at the end of the aisle, smiling widely. I smile back at him. He is wearing the same thing he was when I first met him - his old tan military attire. He even is wearing the cute little hat. The bride song comes on and everyone stands. Banner and I start walking slowly down towards Bucky. I grip Banner's arm tightly. I know I have to stay in step with the music. Why was this aisle so long?
When we get to the end, Banner hands me over to Bucky and moves to sit down next to Laura and the kids. He sets Rosie on his lap. I look into Bucky's eyes and smile.
"You look beautiful," he whispers as the ceremony starts. Tony had insisted on officiating it. We gave in, but told him that absolutely no nonsense was allowed. It had to be proper. He got ordained online.
"Well, after waiting such a long time, I think we are all happy to see these two finally get married and start their life together," Tony says, "I'm so happy they agreed to let me do the honors."
Tony put his own spin on the wedding, but he kept true to his word. It was a very romantic ceremony.
"I understand that you wrote your own vows?" Tony says, "Would you like to start James?" Bucky knew better than to glare at him and let it slip.
"Jessica, when we first met, I knew you were the one for me. You weren't like other girls I've met. You didn't throw yourself at me. In fact, you wanted nothing to do with me. But with time, that changed. And I was so glad when you agreed to be mine. Then, after the accident, I never stopped thinking about you, but I never thought I'd see you again. Then I run into you in the last place I expected to. In this amazing city. I was so happy to find out we had a little boy and that you still loved me. I know it hasn't been easy, but you are the bravest, kindest, smartest woman that I have ever met and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you." I am crying by the end of his speech. I'm glad I had waterproof makeup on.
"James Buchanan Barnes, how do you expect me to top that?" I ask him, "I never thought I'd ever find someone like you. I never thought I'd be the type of person to fall head over heels in love. Sure, at first I thought you were like all the other guys out there. I could not have been more wrong about you. I'm glad you never gave up on coming after me. When you had your accident, they told me you were dead. I thought I'd never see you again. I had found my soulmate and then lost him. Then I found out that I had a little piece of you. And he's standing right there. Tobias. He changed my life so much and so have you. I couldn't believe it when you asked me to marry you. You're so perfect and I have so many flaws. You always encourage me to be myself and never give up. You're a wonderful husband and a wonderful father. Our life is like a book that I can't wait to keep reading."
"Can the really cute ring bearer give his uncle Steve the rings now?" Tony says. Steve unties the two rings from the pillow. I went to Tony to design Bucky's because of his fake hand was his ring hand and I didn't want to break tradition.
Bucky repeats after Tony and slides the ring down my finger. I smile at the new feeling on my ring finger. I love it. Then I repeat the same words and slip Bucky's onto his hand.
"Does anyone have a reason why these two shouldn't get married? Because if you do, you're probably wrong. So don't say anything. Or do. Or don't and forever hold your peace." Of course no one says anything.
"James Buchanan Barnes, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," Bucky says confidently.
"And do you, Jessica Marie Arnold, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," I say a little too enthusiastically smiling.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Mr. and Mrs. James Barnes," Tony says, "You know what you need to do." Bucky leans in and kisses me. I happily kiss him back as everyone cheers for us. Bucky pulls away and lifts up Toby and kisses his head. I take him hand and we head back down the aisle and stand outside to receive a long line of congratulations. I steal Bucky's hat and put it on my head, despite the fact that my hair is done up all nicely. Luckily for him he doesn't have hat hair.
"I'm so happy for you two," Gabi and Steve walk up to us. Their three month old son, James, is fast asleep in Gabi's arms now.
"Thank you," I smile, "How is mini Cap?" That was what Tony had nicknamed him and it had stuck.
"He's fine. He slept through the whole thing, according to Pepper," Steve says, "I wish you would stop calling him that, though."
"Well, Little Soldier was taken," I say, bouncing my two year old son, "Besides, it suits him."
"Well, you have other people to talk to an I think we're supposed to talk to people too," Gabi says. They join our line. As Nat and Banner reach us. Rosie is giggling about something, but I'm not sure what.
"Is little Toby ready to come spend some time with Aunt Nat and Uncle Bruce when Mommy and Daddy head to Italy and hopefully do some sightseeing there?" Nat smiles. She became a great mother really quickly and they had volunteered to watch him. We knew it wasn't a good idea to leave him with Gabi and Steve, given that James was still so little.
The reception is at Stark tower. Tony hired a professional party planner for us so that we didn't have to worry about a lot of details so we could just focus on planning the actual wedding. I'm not really sure what to expect when I step into the floor the party is on, but the room is extravagant. The wedding colors, silver and purple are all over the place. There are a few ice sculptures in the room. The dance floor is huge and I can't think of the DJ's name, but I know he is a famous one. We're escorted to our places at the head table and we sit down as the room starts to fill with people.
Dinner is amazing. The food was some of the best I've ever tasted. The buffet features all of my and Bucky's favorite foods. I have to force myself not to eat too much food. I don't want to get sick on my wedding day. Tony would never let that go. He still is teasing Steve about the whole 'language' thing.
Steve gives a toast, telling about how Bucky has always been there for him since they were kids and how happy he is. Then he gets into funny stories about young Bucky that make my husband bury his face into his hands. I laugh along with everyone.
Our first dance is to 'You'll be in my Heart' from Tarzan. I have always loved that movie and that song. I had suggested the song to Bucky, who had informed me that he had never seen the movie. We ended up having a Disney movie marathon snuggled up on the couch with Toby. Bucky quickly agreed to the song. We had put a few other songs on the list for Tony to give to the DJ.
People flood to the dance floor after my first dance with Bucky. I could have danced all night, but we have other wedding cliches to do and then we have to go off to Italy.
Even the cake has silver and purple frosting. On the top are bride and groom figures that look exactly like me and Bucky. I wonder how Stark managed that. The cake is ridiculously tall at five tiers. We cut into the cake and then shove the red velvet - my favorite kind - into each other's faces. I may have purposely gotten a lot of frosting on Bucky. He kissed me and made both of us even more messy. Yep, another wedding cliche, but who cares? I've always wanted a big fancy wedding. When my mom got remarried I was surprised she didn't do a lot of the cliches and that there weren't a ton of people in attendance.
After cake, I stood at my spot and turned around and threw the flowers into the crowd of unmarried woman. Then I turned around to find my bouquet in Wanda's arms and I smile when I see the look on her brother's face. Sooner or later he is going to have to stop playing the role of the overprotective older brother. I notice someone missing from the crowd.
"Rebecca," I walk over to her, "Not a fan of cliches?"
"No. I'm not," she smiles, "I'd rather leave it to the single women." She flashes her left hand at me for a second.
"Congratulations," I smile, "How are all those former Gemini kids doing?" Rebecca and Noah along with a few others at SHIELD had taken to caring for the kids that we rescued. A few of them had been returned to family members after they were deemed stable by SHIELD psychiatrists. Many of them didn't have any family to go to, so SHIELD gave them a building where they had rooms and also had schooling and one on one attention. They even recruited a few actual teachers, but they kept the kids who were still unstable away from the civilian teachers.
"Most of them are good. Our polar bear and wolf friends are doing a little better, but they're still getting mostly one on one."
"Have you seen your brother?" I ask her. He had been arrested, but had been put into a psych ward.
"Yeah, he says he's sorry," she says, "I'm not sure I'm ready to forgive him yet though. I'm working on it. It's just really hard after everything."
"You have earned the right to do that," I say, "He put you through a lot."
"Yeah," she says, "Twins are supposed to have a special bond. I guess they took that away. I just hope we can get it back."
"You will, just give it time," I say, "And don't worry, I won't tell anyone your news. I should probably go talk to my other guests, though.
I spend a lot of time socializing. People start to head home as it gets later. We see them off and tell them that we're glad they came.
"Ready to head out?" Tony approaches us, "Jet's all ready to go. Just make sure you leave the hotel room."
"Tony!" Pepper glares at him as Bucky and I both turn red.
"Just let us go say goodbye to Toby," I say. I pull my husband over to where Banner and Natasha have him. I pull him into my arms.
"Toby, Mommy and Daddy are leaving now. Be good for Aunt Natasha and Uncle Bruce. You listen to them, okay? And play nicely with Rosie. Mommy is going to miss you so much."
"Love Mommy," Toby says, "Miss Mommy."
"I love you too," I smile. I kiss his head and pass him to Bucky to have him say goodbye.
"Daddy will miss you too," Bucky says, "I love you, Little Soldier."
"Love Daddy."
We painfully finally leave Toby and get onto Tony's jet, which has a bed and a bathroom on it. I change out of my wedding dress into comfy clothes.
"So, Mrs. Barnes, are you happy now?" Bucky asks me, putting his arms around me from behind and then he kisses my neck.
"I definitely am," I tell him honestly.
"Good. You deserve it more than anyone," He says. I turn around in his arms so that we're face to face.
"We both deserve it. I can't wait to see what our new life brings us," I smile.
"Me neither," he says, "Gemini and HYDRA are gone. SHIELD is completely reformed. All we have to worry about us and Toby."
"And any future kids of ours," I remind him, "I don't want a huge family, but I definitely want more than just Toby."
"Yeah me too," he smiles, "What could possibly go wrong?"