Disclaimer: Marvel Characters are property of Marvel. Original Characters are mine. Just for fun, not for profit.

Foundations

The next morning, Bucky awoke to find both of his children snuggled up against him, still asleep. He took advantage of the relative quiet and lack of distraction to try and catch up on his emails. Much of it was junk or spam, but there were a handful of crucially important ones. He was half kicking himself for not staying on top of them. He had thrown himself so fully into the role of Daddy that some of the other things had fallen by the wayside. He sucked in his breath and reread the email from Fury, then double checked the calendar. He swore aloud, then immediately glanced guiltily down at the sleeping children.

"Fuck what, Daddy?" Brooklyn asked, eyes still closed. She blinked sleepily up at him a moment later, rubbing her bright blue eyes as she woke up more fully. Bucky sighed.

"I think we're going to have to cancel our trip to the aquarium with the Bartons today," he said regretfully. "I have a really important meeting that I have to go to."

"Awwww," Brooklyn groaned disappointedly. She sighed. "Fuck." Bucky glanced over at her, torn between amusement, pride and disapproval at hearing the profanity coming out of her mouth, but didn't scold. Instead, he pulled her closer to his side.

"Hold on, though," he said thoughtfully. "Just because I can't go, doesn't necessarily mean you can't. Let me check with them."

"Thanks for being flexible," Bucky said as he set the diaper bag on the counter. "They were really disappointed when I thought we might have to cancel." Laura nodded. Brooklyn and Jameson bumped against his legs, rushing to greet Gracie.

"Happy to do it," she replied. "I'm not sure who's been looking forward to the trip more, Gracie or Lila." Bucky raised his eyebrows at her.

"Really?" he asked, skeptical that the teenager wanted to go to an aquarium with his precocious toddlers. Laura nodded.

"It helps to have things that feel… normal," she explained, glancing away. "And she does love the twins." Bucky felt a twinge of sympathy at her still-fresh grief. Patting the diaper bag, he deftly steered the conversation away from their recent mutual loss.

"There should be enough diapers in there," he informed her. 'They each have a water bottle, and I packed enough snacks to feed a small army, so hopefully it will be enough to keep them satisfied." Laura chuckled softly,

"I'm sure we'll manage," she assured him.

"Keep a close eye on Brooklyn," he warned her. "She's been running off on me lately. Especially when it's time to leave and she doesn't want to." Laura nodded.

"Nate went through a phase like that," she said ruefully. "So did Gabriele, as a matter of fact. Thanks for the heads up. Good luck at the meeting." Bucky nodded.

"Thanks. I'm not really sure what it's about," he admitted. "We already all had our debriefing on the battle."

"Well, let me know afterwards," Laura requested, then grinned sheepishly. "I mean, if they'll let you. I'm not sure I have the appropriate security clearance." With a half grin, Bucky tossed her a tongue in cheek salute.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, then went to go say goodbye to his children.

One of the first things he noticed when he arrived at the UN headquarters was that they had taken extra security measures. A van from NY1 was parked outside, and a reporter was arguing with a pair of guards, who did not appear inclined to allow her inside. Bucky showed his identification and endured a search and a DNA scan before he was allowed past the entrance. To his surprise, he was greeted inside by not one, but three men in black suits and sunglasses. One of them gestured for him to follow them. They led him, not to the General Assembly Hall where they usually went on their visits here, but down into the basement, to one of the smaller conference rooms. They paused and gestured him inside, then vanished once he was through the door.

This room was considerably smaller than the one he was used to, but felt even more cramped and crowded. Bucky spotted Steve seated at a table set along one wall, sitting uncomfortably between Tony and Natasha. Name placards were set at each place, and Bucky scanned down them as he went. He found his name between Sam and Dr. Steven Strange. He sat down with a sigh and noticed Fury arriving.

"Nyssa coming?" Sam asked as he settled in next to Bucky. Bucky frowned slightly. He had been so preoccupied with making last-minute arrangements for the twins that he hadn't asked if Nyssa was planning to attend. It seemed unlikely, given that she was in Thailand the last time he checked.

"Dr. Taylor has chosen to abstain from the proceedings," Fury answered, pausing in front of them. Bucky detected a note of irritation in his tone. "She says she doesn't want to be a part of it." Bucky gave him a confused look.

"Does she already know what this is about?" he asked. Fury shrugged.

"Said she figured it out," he replied cryptically.

"What is it about?" Sam asked bluntly. Fury gestured, but before he could reply, they heard the call to begin the meeting. With an "oh-well" gesture, Fury took his seat. The US Ambassador to the UN, Julianne Page, rose to the podium and surveyed all who were gathered there.

"This meeting is now in session," she announced. "As a first order of business, I want to thank the Avengers for coming to meet with us today. I am sure you are all wondering why we asked you here today. Allow me to explain the intent of this meeting." She paused, and surveyed the room. "The intent of this body is primarily diplomatic, but one of our first charges is to maintain worldwide peace and security. In recent years, it has become painfully obvious that we must be aware of threats, not just from each other, but from beyond our planet. After the last attack, which you so skillfully repelled, several of our governments have begun discussing adding military branches that would be better equipped for fighting outside our atmosphere." She paused. "I don't think I need to elaborate on the potentially disastrous results of several different great powers building opposing intergalactic armies." She took a deep breath. "And so, this august assembly has come to the conclusion that the most effective solution to this would be an international peacekeeping force charged with helping to mediate international disputes, attending to crises around the globe, and keeping our planet safe from future extraterrestrial attacks." Bucky exchanged surprised glances with Sam. Ambassador Page paused to allow the astonished murmurs to subside. "That brings me to you, the Avengers," she continued when silence had again fallen. "Most of us have persuaded our governments to commit to this idea already, and we have dedicated funds at our disposal, as well as a wide array of generals and admirals to help us build this first-ever global fighting force. What we lack are veterans. The only people who have successfully fought a space-based battle are… you. And so we are requesting your aid and your knowledge, whether that be simply as a consultant, in an advisory capacity, or – ideally – in training the new recruits and preparing them for the particular hazards they may face in defending our planet against alien threats. With your help, we hope to usher in a new age of a global community united to face a common enemy." Bucky sat back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest as he considered this unexpected request carefully.

The discussion stretched for hours. Tony immediately volunteered to head the R & D team to begin developing weapons and spacecraft that would withstand long voyages and combat in the vacuum of space, and the members present eagerly voted to accept. From there, the discussion stalled. They seemed eager for Bucky, Steve, Sam and James Rhodes – the ones with the most actual military experience – to take leading roles in taking their fledgling concept and turning it into boots on the ground. Or in space, as it were. The fat contracts that were placed in front of them made Bucky's eyes widen. Sam whooped out loud as he perused the salary and compensation section. Steve was more reserved in his reaction, which Bucky understood. He was also torn. Had he still been single, it would have been an easy decision. But this would mean long days away from home, lots of international travel, and occasional trips out into space. He didn't feel comfortable accepting something this potentially life-altering without discussing it with Nyssa first.

By the time they broke for lunch, very little had been decided. Wanda and Natasha also seemed somewhat hesitant, although they had been offered smaller, more advisory roles. The spread in the cafeteria was better quality than Bucky was expecting, with smells that made his stomach growl and remind him that he had missed breakfast in his haste to get the children out the door. He filled his plate and settled down at the table with the others.

"….could be an incredible opportunity," Sam was arguing. "Shaping a global power, getting in at the ground floor, influencing what the future looks like…."

"It's not often an opportunity like this comes along," Rhodes agreed.

"It's a pretty big commitment, though," Steve pointed out. "Lots of time, lots of travel…"

"Since when do you have an issue with travel?" Tony asked with a derisive snort. Steve raised his eyebrows at him.

"I have a lot more reasons to stay at home now, Tony," he pointed out. "You know how that is." Tony conceded the point with an open-handed gesture.

"I'm lucky R and D is something I can do from home," he agreed. "Or at least, I can dictate where I want to set up shop."

"Considering they need our specific talents, I'm sure you could negotiate something that works for you," Bucky pointed out. "I'm sure they'd rather have a part-time Captain America than none at all."

"Is that what you're planning to do?" Natasha asked. Bucky took a bite of his lunch and chewed contemplatively, then shrugged.

"I haven't decided yet," he replied.

"It would help if they had a definitive timeline," Wanda said thoughtfully. "They are asking for a lot of commitment from us, but it could be in a few months, or in a few years. I don't know how much I want to hold off on the rest of my life."

"I mean, that's not really all that different than being an Avenger," Bruce pointed out. There were chuckles of agreement from around the table.

They reconvened, but the afternoon discussions didn't seem much more productive, stalling out on specifics. Bucky was in a pensive fugue on his way home. There was a lot to process. It felt like he was on the cusp of something major, if it came to fruition, but there were so many variables and possible repercussions to consider. The future was going to look different, that much was certain. The only question was what it would look like, and what his role would be in it.

As he approached the Barton's apartment, he could hear the joyful shrieks of children playing inside. He knocked, but nobody answered immediately, so he opened the door and went in. In the living room, Brooklyn was standing on top of the sofa, tiara upon her brow and play sword upraised. The cushions were piled on the floor, Grace and Jameson crouching down and looking up at their queen. Bucky shook his head with a half-grin. A loud clang from the kitchen drew his attention, and he went to investigate. He found Laura kneeling on a pile of towels in front of the open cupboard doors below the kitchen sink. Her head and shoulders were inside the cabinet, and he could hear her muttering invective in between clangs of metal against metal.

"Need some help?" he asked. She startled, then withdrew to look up at him with harried exhaustion.

"Possibly," she groaned. She gestured with the pipe wrench in her right hand. "I ran the dishwasher while we were at the aquarium, and when we returned, it was flooding all over the kitchen. This sink has been draining slow. I treated it with Drano last week, but apparently it didn't fix whatever the issue is."

"I can take a look," he offered, holding his hand out for the wrench. With a relieved smile, she handed it over.

"Thanks," she breathed. "I'm about ready to call a plumber, but I don't need a $500 bill."

"I don't mind," Bucky assured her. He glanced down at his attire, remembering he had put on one of his more expensive shirts for meeting with the United Nations. Stripping off the shirt, he laid it carefully on the counter, then got down and crawled under the sink in his undershirt.

"Daddy, what are you doing?" Brooklyn crawled abruptly into the confined space next to Bucky.

"Trying to fix this pipe," Bucky replied, gesturing to the detached U-joint.

"I help," Brooklyn offered firmly, poking a screwdriver into the end of the open pipe. Bucky chuckled.

"Thanks, Babydoll, but I think I got this."

"Any luck?" Bucky glanced down to see Laura's jean-clad legs standing by the open cupboard door.

"I think I found your issue," he announced. Climbing out, he stood and held up a short section of pipe he had removed from the sink assembly. Holding an open end over the garbage can, he reached in with two fingers and pulled out the clog that had been blocking the pipe. Tangled in with long, dark hairs and scraps of waterlogged food, a dull gleam of metal glinted. Bucky carefully extricated a plain gold band and set it down over the counter. Laura clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide and staring at the ring. Caught off guard by her reaction, Bucky lowered himself back down to reattach the now-clean section. Brooklyn was playing with his abandoned pipe wrench, twisting the nut with her fingers and watching the jaw open and close, tongue caught between her lips. "Can I have those back?" Bucky asked her, holding his hand out for the tool. She shook her head, moving the wrench further out of his reach. Bucky sighed. "Brooklyn Winnifred," he said warningly, reaching for the pipe wrench. With a squeal of protest, she moved it just out of his reach.

"I help, Daddy," she insisted, waving the wrench around. It collided loudly with the underside of the sink.

"Okay," he grudgingly gave in. "We'll both do it. Okay?" She hesitated a moment, then nodded. He slid the pipe into position, then put a hand over his daughter's, guiding her through the motions of tightening the sink assembly back up. It took several minutes longer than he would have working on his own, but after seeing the look of pride on Brooklyn's face as the pipe stayed in place, his impatience and irritation melted away. "And that's it. We did it. Thanks for your help." With a grin, Brooklyn climbed out from under the sink and scampered away. Bucky stood up more slowly. Laura had picked up the ring, cradling it in her palm. Her cheeks were wet, but aside from an odd catch in her breathing, she made no sound. She glanced over at Bucky.

"He lost this the first week we moved in here," she explained, her shaky voice barely above a whisper. "He was putting in a dimmer switch… for the lights over the sink. Since he was handling electrical, he took it off. We didn't even realize it was missing until after dinner. It must've gotten knocked down the… the…" She curled her fingers around the wedding band, pressing her closed fist against her chest. Her face crumpled, and she covered it with her other hand. Her shoulders shook. His gut twisted, and he pulled her closer. She buried her face in his chest, letting him hold her for a long moment. Her hair smelled faintly of ginger and coconut, and he resisted the sudden urge to bury his face in it. After a minute, she pulled away a step, glancing apprehensively towards the living room, where the kids were still playing. "God, I'm sorry," she sighed. "I don't want them to see me like this." Bucky raised his eyebrows at her.

"You don't want them to… see you crying?" He cupped her upper arms comfortingly with both hands. "Letting them see you grieve is healthy. It gives them permission to grieve openly, too." She looked up at him with appreciative surprise. He was somewhat surprised, himself. Every now and again, he opened his mouth and Nyssa came out. He gave Laura what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "You don't always have to be the strong one," he reminded her. At his gentle words, her face crumpled again, and she sagged back against him. He put his arms around her as her body shook with grief. Movement drew his attention, and he saw Lila freeze at the end of the hallway, eyes wide as she stared at them. Before he could call out to her or explain what was going on, she turned around and disappeared back down the hall. Bucky sighed, rubbing Laura's back comfortingly. Pulling back, she sniffled and gave him a bleary smile.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" she asked. With another sniffle, she wiped tears from her cheeks. "As a thank you. For fixing the sink. You and the twins." Bucky gave her a half-grin.

"I don't mind helping out," he assured her. "I'll do it any time. No repayment necessary."

"You saved me a plumber bill," she reminded him. "Dinner is the least I could do. I insist."

"Well, since you put it that way," Bucky relented. "I accept."

It was late by the time they arrived back at their apartment. Bucky steered the twins directly to their bedroom. Brooklyn made a beeline for the bed and started bouncing on the lower bunk, holding onto the frame of the upper bunk. Jameson went immediately to Herbert's terrarium to check on his frog.

"Come on, pick out your jammies," Bucky coaxed, opening the appropriate drawer on their dresser. "Or I'll pick for you." Brooklyn jumped down. Crossing to the dresser, she pulled several sets of pajamas out of the drawer and threw them on the floor.

"This one, Daddy!" she announced, holding up a set of purple pajamas with unicorns dancing across them.

"Great!" Bucky said approvingly. "Now, can you put back all the clothes you threw on the floor?"

"No," Brooklyn replied easily. She sat down on the floor and started pulling her socks off. "I hafta put my pajamas on." With a sigh, Bucky rolled his eyes and scooped the nightclothes back into the drawer.

"Jamie," he chided at his son, who was still crouched in front of the terrarium. "Do you want dinosaurs or race cars?" He held up the two options and shook them at his boy.

"Dinosaurs," Jameson decided. Crouching down on the carpet, he hopped like a frog towards his father. "Ribbit! Ribbit!"

"Whoa there, slow down, Kermit," Bucky said with a chuckle, catching Jamie in mid-air as he hopped around the floor. "Let's get your diaper changed and jammies on before you hop in the pond for bed."

Fifteen minutes later, the twins climbed up on the couch, teeth brushed, faces washed, hair combed. After nearly two weeks, he had finally gotten the hang of braiding Brooklyn's hair before bed, and naturally Jameson had wanted his hair braided, too. Bucky settled in next to them, bedtime stories in hand.

"Okay, which do we want first," he asked, "The Quiltmaker's Gift, Wherever You Are, or I Love You, Stinkyface?"

"Stinkyface!" Brooklyn cheered.

"No, Quiltmaker's Gift!" Jameson decided.

"And who do you want to read it? Mommy or Daddy?" Bucky looked up, startled, as Nyssa's voice came from the doorway. There she stood, Darshan beside her, suitcase in hand. She looked exhausted, but she was smiling.

"Mommy!" the twins chorused, jumping off the couch and launching themselves at her. Jameson wrapped his arms around her legs, while Brooklyn climbed her like a tree, squeezing her neck enthusiastically. Nyssa coughed slightly, but merely dropped her suitcase and folded her daughter into a tight hug.

For the first evening in a while, Bucky found himself completely unoccupied. He could hear Brooklyn's excited chatter from their room, punctuated every now and then with Jameson's interjections, Nyssa's quiet, calming tone a counterpoint to their babble. Bucky settled onto the couch and turned the television on. Motion drew his attention, and he glanced over to see Darshan approaching. He was limping slightly, and Bucky wondered what must have happened. With a heavy sigh, the dog laid his head in Bucky's lap.

"Did you miss me or something?" Bucky murmured teasingly, stroking the canine's head and neck, scratching behind his ears. With a groan, Darshan climbed up on the couch next to him, settling half in Bucky's lap, cuddling insistently. Bucky chuckled and rubbed the dog's soft coat. "Good thing I have a remote, huh?" he commented to the canine, hefting the device with his other hand. "I don't think you're about to let me off this couch."

He was halfway through the movie he had selected when he heard the door to the twins' room open. Nyssa's quiet footsteps came down the hall, along with the whisper of her fingers along the wall as she guided herself back to the living room. She paused as she reached the end of the hallway.

"Hello, my love," she greeted him. Despite the shadows of fatigue on her face, she was smiling at him. He grinned back.

"Hey, Doll," he drawled. "Want to come snuggle on the couch and finish watching your fourth all-time favorite movie?"

"Sure," she agreed, her smile broadening. "Just let me change out of these clothes first." She vanished back down the hall. Bucky got up off the couch and followed her. He stopped and leaned against the doorframe of their bedroom, watching as she undressed and changed into a fresh pair of pajamas. He had intended to enjoy the sight of his naked wife, but instead he found himself frowning slightly as concern muted any other intentions. Nyssa had always been slight, but now her ribs and hip bones stood out in sharp relief. Bruises and lacerations in various stages of healing scattered across her back and shoulders before trailing down her legs. She turned as she grabbed her pajama pants, and Bucky raised his eyebrows.

"Is that new ink?" he asked. Across her left hip, two new birds perched. One was a hawk, head turned and eye prominent. The other was a black-feathered bird on fire. Both images looked fresh, the skin around them an angry magenta and shiny with ointment. Nyssa nodded. "I didn't realize you still got memorial tattoos."

"I haven't had a reason to for quite a while," she reminded him. "But it's still part of my process."

"Seems like an awful lot of pain to go through for something you can't see," he observed. She gave him a ghost of a smile and pulled the pajama pants up over her new tattoos.

"The pain is partially the point," she said ruefully. "An important part of the ritual." He didn't comment further as she shrugged into her robe. He offered her his arm as she passed by him on her way back to the living room.

"Shall we?" he asked, his tone humorously formal. With a smile, she looped her arm through his and allowed him to escort her out to the living room. He settled back on the couch, and she climbed up next to him. He put his arm across the back of the couch, and she nestled in closer. Darshan jumped up on her other side, sandwiching her between them as he rested his head at her hip.

"So I think I finally figured it out," Bucky informed her as he hit play to resume the movie. "You are a Jedi, like your father before you." Nyssa let out a surprised giggle.

"Not quite," she said ruefully. "I can't use the Force to make things go flying around, or lift space fighters."

"True," he agreed. "That's more Wanda's speed. But you can do the Jedi mind trick thing. And you can call for help just like Luke called to Leia. And maybe you could move things with your mind, if you tried." Nyssa chuckled again.

"No. There is no try, remember? Just do. Or do not." She smirked as she quoted the movie back to him. "I have tried on a few occasions, without success." She leaned in, tilting her head against his chest. "It's probably better that I'm not actually a Jedi. As I recall, they're not supposed to get married. Allegedly makes it easier for them to fall to the Dark Side."

"Are you saying I'm going to lure you to the Dark Side, Skywalker?" he asked teasingly. She chuckled and raised her eyebrows at him.

"I'm not a Skywalker," she protested with a shake of her head. "I always identified more with Yoda." Bucky snorted.

"Really?" he asked in disbelief. "Yoda?" Nyssa nodded serenely.

"We're both small. People make assumptions because of our appearance," she reflected. "And we both understand that wars don't make one great." She smirked as she quoted, then her lips twitched into a sly grin. "Besides, I always kinda had a thing for Luke. So it would be a little awkward if I was his sister."

"Oh, I dunno," Bucky replied slyly. "Isn't that pretty normal for that family?" He chuckled as she made a noise of indignation.

"Not knowingly," she replied pointedly. "Now, did you want to watch the movie, or poke it apart?" Her question was punctuated by a yawn. There were many things Bucky wanted to do now that she was home. He badly needed to discuss with her the new opportunity he was being offered. He wanted to share with her things that had happened while she was gone; relate all the funny things the twins had said and done and the mischief they had gotten into. He wanted to tell her about Sam and Izumi's engagement, about how the Barton's were doing, and everything else that had been going on with their friends. He wanted to show her how much he had missed her in the most carnal of ways. For the moment, though, he wanted to hold her and take comfort in the fact that she was once again safe by his side. It had been a long twelve days without her.

"We can just watch the movie," he said with a sigh, bringing his arm down around her and pulling her in closer. He breathed a sigh of contentment, which he felt her echo a moment later. As the credits rolled, he glanced down at her to see that she had fallen fast asleep.

Thanks to karina001 and SomebodyWhoCares for your kind reviews! And thanks to anyone else who might still be reading. Every art form needs an audience!