A/n: I only own Ellie, Grant, Beckie, Kasie and Sarah; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.

a/n2: I apologize for the delay in posting as I traditionally post this in the morning my time, life got in the way this morning. Stay safe my friends! It is scary out there right now. Also one more chapter until Chapter 100! I never thought I'd go this far with the story but here we are! Thanks to you guys!

FYI have you ever wondered what the characters look like? Here is how you can find out! /user/PrincessCaptainWinter

Thank you to the new followers: Betabdo,and rel2003!


I had a dream

I got everything I wanted

Not what you'd think

And if I'm being honest

~ Everything I wanted by Billie Eilish


*~*~* December 28, 2018- Irvington, New York *~*~*

The closer Ellie got to their new home, the more anxious she felt. Steve had been there but only to do the lawn. This would be the first time for either he or Natasha to be inside. Putting her turn signal on to pull onto their street, she waited for the traffic to clear before turning onto the street. Their driveway was only 500 feet off the main road, so she turned right into their driveway and stopped at the gate.

"Smart, gated," Natasha said from the backseat as Ellie entered the code, 1937.

"I may have talked to Tony and in turn Happy about security, there is a fence along the whole property going in as well in the Spring," Ellie said as she pulled through the tree line so that they could see the complete house for the first time.

"This is a gorgeous house," Natasha said as she looked out the windows of Ellie's car at their home.

Ellie smiled as she glanced over at Steve in the passenger seat, "Bucky, and I fell in love with it as soon as we saw it. We never looked at any other house."

Putting up to the garage, she hit the opener and slowly pulled into the garage. Parking the car, the garage door shut behind them casting the car in semi-darkness. Hitting the off button on the car, the engine shut off as she looked over at Steve, "Ready to see our new home? I wanted it to be finished and now it is."

Steve smiled, "Let's go home."

Ellie opened the driver's door and got out, then pulled Beckie's carrier from its base. Steve did the same for Kasie so that Natasha could climb out of the far backseat going over Beckie's base.

"Little did I know that my car was going to become a clown car," Ellie said sadly as she took the girls towards the side of the garage so that they could get Grant and Sarah out, "Not even room for one more."

Steve squeezed her shoulder as he set Grant's carrier onto the concrete of the garage as Natasha took Sarah out on the other side, "He'll be back to sit in it. Then we will get a van or something"

Ellie opened the door to the house, "Well guys, welcome home."

"Welcome home Ellie," FRIDAY announced as she went back to grab the girls' carriers.

Closing her eyes, she swallowed hard imagining Bucky right next to her holding Kasie's carrier as she held Grant's hand in one hand as she carried Beckie in the other arm into their home for the first time

"Hi FRIDAY thank you," Ellie said clearing her throat as she took her shoes off and Nat and Steve did the same after getting all the sleeping kids into the house.

"Miss Ellie, I was told to inform you as soon as you arrive for the first time, that they took the bathroom out and put an elevator in down on this lower level," FRIDAY informed her.

Ellie grinned, "Thank you, I wonder who suggested that," Ellie said as she walked over to where the bathroom used to be to see a simple elevator.

"It was Mr. Barnes," FRIDAY informed her, "He left a note and the contractor found it."

Ellie bit her lip trying not to cry, "Damn you Bucky… even in death, you are still thinking of me," She thought outload as she swallowed back tears.

Steve rubbed her shoulder, "He loved you."

Ellie let out a breath, "I miss him so much Steve," Ellie said as she cleared her throat, "Anyways, let's take the kids upstairs to their rooms… God thank you, Buck, we don't have to carry them up there now."

She hit the button to go up and the doors opened right away.

Grabbing the girls, Natasha took Sarah while Steve grabbed Grant's so they could ride up to the second floor. Once everyone was inside, they rode to the second floor.

"So until we get all the cribs set up, I have the Porta-crib… we can put the girls in it and the kids should be okay in their cribs. I don't have Grant's room set up or Sarah's-"

"El, it's not going to be done overnight. We aren't moving in today. We came to see what needs to be done to move into it," Steve told her with a smile as he rubbed her arms, "We will work on it all week."

They climbed out of the elevator and Ellie smiled, "So… Bucky and I thought that this room could be your own little personal apartment living room area, so this can be whatever the two of you want."

Natasha walked over to the windows and looked out, "Perfect, I can see all over the front of the property."

"Exactly, come on," Ellie said as she carried the girls through the living room to the first bedroom, "This will be your bedroom."

"This is a big bedroom," Steve told her in disbelief, "This is as big as both our bedrooms in the old apartment."

"Well, it is for two bedrooms. I had them knock down the wall between them and make one half of a bedroom into a walk-in closet," Ellie told him as Natasha set down Sarah and walked into the bedroom to look in the closet.

"Oh Ellie, you are my new favorite person!" Natasha gushed looking at all the closet space.

Ellie smiled, "Come on," Ellie told them as she led them out of their apartment area, "So the laundry room is here on the righr. I put it up here so we don't have to lug all our clothes downstairs. There is a laundry room downstairs too with a larger washer and dryer, for bed linens and such," Ellie said as she led them to the next set of doors, "So plans changed from before, but I am thinking Sarah in this room to the left and Grant to the right. The room to the left has a huge closet that a little girl will use over a little boy."

Ellie opened the door to what would be Grant's bedroom, and bit her lip as she turned the lights on. Inside she saw the crib set up and the room was done. The floor had a large rug covering it and the walls were a warm light brown with contrasting white ceiling. The window was covered by two sliding weathered appearing doors in the same color as the matching crib. Over top of the crib was a buck antler chandelier with artificial candles, much like the chandelier at the cabin. A small table sat next to it with a picture of she and Bucky on it, taken when they were in Wakanda. A comfy chair was on the other side of the room, for her to sit in with a bookshelf filled with books. Sitting next to a dresser with a changing area on top, that had a quote above it that stated, 'You have my whole heart for my whole life'.

Ellie wiped her tears as Steve put his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

Steve looked over her head, "This is cute."

She let out a shaky breath, "I didn't even know that he did this. When did he do this that I didn't know about it?"

Steve walked Grant over to his crib, and gently set him into it, then stood there for a moment before giving her a thumbs up. Gently shutting the door behind them, he looked at her as she wiped her eyes, "He did a good job."

"He did," Ellie said shaking her head, "I don't know when he would have had time to do that."

Natasha opened the door to the other room, to see an empty room for Sarah, with one crib inside.

Steve unbuckled Sarah and gently he put Sarah down into the crib.

"I didn't do anything to it, so that you could do it how you wanted. Obviously Bucky thought the same too," Ellie told her, "Grant has a walk-in closet too but not as big as Sarah's. Every room has a bathroom."

She led them down to the next door, "This was going to be a playroom but now it will be the twins' room. This one doesn't have a walk-in closet but they have this area for their dresser and I'll have their clothes in my closet. I don't need all the space."

Ellie sighed as she looked around the small room that they had originally set up for Grant until he and Sarah were old enough for it to be a playroom. Opening the bottom drawer, she saw all the envelopes.

"What are those?" Steve asked seeing them over her shoulder.

Ellie picked up the one marked #1 anytime before 2019, "Bucky was recording videos for me and Grant."

"Oh those, yeah I knew about that. There are some he gave to me to hold onto," Steve told her.

Ellie quickly looked at him, "Why?"

Steve grinned, "He didn't want you watching them all. We both know how you can get."

Ellie rolled her eyes, "Of course, you both are ganging up on me."

With a sigh, she took the girls over to the porta-crib and gently set them inside; making sure that Beckie's sock monitor was on so that her phone would notify her if she started having issues breathing.

"Let me show you the rest of the house," Ellie told them as she looked down on the girls one more time, "I need to go downstairs to get the monitors first though."

"I'll go run downstairs to get it… umm maybe I'll just take the elevator," Steve said as he walked back down the hall.

Ellie led Natasha into the master bedroom sitting room and office.

"Oh I love this," Natasha said taking in the desk.

"This is going to be my office and sitting room to relax," Ellie told her.

Natasha walked over to the wall, "So…" She said as she pointed at the handprint, "Someone forgot the paint wasn't dry?"

Ellie blushed.

"I'm surprised there isn't a body print underneath it," Natasha chuckled.

"Shut up," Ellie said rolling her eyes as she opened the bedroom door.

"Oh I love your room," Natasha said looking around.

"Thanks, Bucky chose most of it," Ellie told her as she looked at the sculpture above the bed, "Although that is going to go. I hate that. I think I am going to put pictures above the bed instead."

Natasha walked through the open door to the wardrobe, "Holy shit!

"Yeah, it's a bit much," Ellie said as she walked up behind her, "The glass is a set of doors for more closet space. I am just going to put the girl's clothes in there."

"I hate you right now," Natasha told her as she slapped her arm, "Can I have this room?"

"Ellie? Nat?"

"In the closet," Ellie called.

Steve walked in, "Holy shit Ellie! This isn't a closet!"

"Well it's a wardrobe technically, the closet is over there," Ellie told him as Natasha opened the mirrored doors to see a large closet, "But yeah, our bedroom is done and well… Grant's room. Downstairs a lot of the rooms have furniture but if you guys do not like something and especially on your side of the house, do it the way you want."

Steve put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head, "Thank you, Ellie, we finally have a home."

Ellie turned into his chest as he pulled her into a hug and let the tears fall, "I always wanted to take care of you the best I could."

"You are, but now I can take care of you too," Steve told her resting his chin on her head.


*~*~* December 31, 2018- Irvington, New York *~*~*

Stepping off the remaining stair, Ellie walked into the living room after putting Kasie back to sleep and sighed as she laid back on the couch in the living room with a yawn.

Natasha looked up from her book from her spot on their large comfy recliner, "She had a hard time getting to sleep?"

Ellie nodded as she looked over at her, "Beckie is supposed to be the hard one. Where is Steve?"

"Downstairs putting one of the gym machines together," Natasha told her as Ellie yawned and she laughed, "You have until…only 20 minutes left until New Year, and can you make it?"

"Fuck, I hope so," Ellie sighed as she looked at the only picture up so far in the house, a picture from the Wakandan wedding of Ellie, Bucky and Grant, Steve, Nat and Sarah, T'Challa, Shuri and Ramonda all standing together with Sam and Wanda, "I'm ready to put 2018 behind me and I want to be awake for it."

Natasha shook her head as she placed her bookmark on the proper page of her book and closed it, placing it on the table next to her, "This year seemed so long."

Ellie didn't answer her as she just stared at the wedding picture.

"Are you okay?" Natasha asked Ellie noticing the haunted look in her eyes.

Ellie looked at her, "I have to be. I have no other options at this point."

Natasha closed the recliner and sat up, "You do have options, and you have us. You are going to make yourself sick by shouldering all the responsibility on yourself."

"It's just hard for me. I was so used to depending on one person other than myself… and suddenly he was gone. He… he took care of me and Steve for so long… I don't know any other way other than depending on myself," Ellie told her as she wiped her tears.

"Steve isn't helpless anymore and I'm definitely not. Don't be afraid to ask us for help," Natasha stressed.

"I know," Ellie told her as she cleared her throat, "Thanks."

Natasha looked at her phone, "Shit FRIDAY, let Steve know that he has 10 minutes until New Year."

"Yes Miss Romanoff," FRIDAY stated.

Ellie sat up and pulled her knees up under her, "What will 2019 look like?"

"Well hopefully no Earth altering events," Natasha told her, "Thor is MIA again, Clint is… doing whatever he is…Tony still isn't talking to Steve, and Bruce is off doing something. I can't do it all, Steve can't do it all."

Ellie looked at her, "If you guys ever need me. I'm there."

Natasha sighed, "I know but hopefully we never do need you. If this horrible thing did one thing… I hope it is that we can… rest."

They heard Steve coming up the stairs and then a crash as he tripped over the baby gate.

Natasha laughed, "One of these days you will clear it."

"Honestly, how do I trip over that damn baby gate every time?" Steve asked as he sat down next to Natasha.

Ellie reached for the remote and unmuted the TV. She closed her eyes listening to the people on the TV talk to people in Time Square and a band sang a song.

"Are you asleep?" Steve asked.

"No," Ellie said as she looked at him, "Just resting my eyes."

Ellie sat and watched the ball sparkle as it started moving down towards the base, "This isn't the same as being there. I wonder if I'd be able to handle it now."

"Oh I'm sure you would," Steve said, "That was before the stabilization chip."

"10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1, Happy New Year!" They yelled on TV.

Steve leaned over and kissed Natasha and Ellie looked up at the family picture, 'Happy New Years Buck.'

Ellie stood up and put the remote in front of Steve and Natasha, "I'm heading to bed. I'm tired and the girls will want," She said as she yawned, "To be fed in two hours."

"Happy New Year El," Steve told her.

"Happy New Year," Ellie said as she walked over to the elevator and took it upstairs.

First, she checked on Grant, to see he was still sound asleep in his bedroom. After checking on the girls who were both asleep as well, she went into her bedroom and changed into her pajamas.

Climbing under the covers after finishing getting ready in the bathroom, she rolled onto her side looking at Bucky's side of the bed.

Closing her eyes, she thought of Bucky in Wakanda right after Grant was born in December. When she opened her eyes, she was back in their bed in Wakanda. Bucky was asleep beside her and Grant was in his bassinet.

Ellie gazed down at Bucky taking in his sleeping face. After five minutes his eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks.

"Buck," Ellie said as she looked at him.

Bucky groaned as he turned over away from her, "Go back to sleep… it's too early."

Ellie leaned over him, "Bucky wake up," Ellie said shaking him.

Bucky opened his eyes and glanced over at the bassinet to see Grant asleep, "What's wrong?"

"Hey," Ellie said with a sad smile.

Bucky sat up and placed his hand on her face and she couldn't help herself as she closed her eyes moving into his hand, "Hey baby."

A tear fell from her eye, "I missed you so much."

"How long has it been?" Bucky asked pulling her into his arms.

Ellie looked at him with sparkling blue eyes, "It's January 1st of 2019."

"Shit… Grant is a year old," Bucky said glancing over at their newborn son.

"Yeah… God Buck… He's growing so fast it's scary," Ellie said as she shook her head, "I mean you look at him next to Sarah… he could probably pass for two."

"Any more traveling?" Bucky asked rubbing her back.

"No…no more traveling. I… haven't been able to," Ellie told him looking over at Grant.

"Why?" Bucky asked, "Your power issues?"

Ellie nodded, "I wasn't healthy enough to travel," She told him as she saw how concerned he was, "But I'm okay now. Tired… it's been a long last few months but… I'm okay. I can't complain. The world… God, the world is struggling Buck. No one knows what to do after the big battle," Ellie said as she shook her head and bit her lip trying not to tell him everything, "A lot of people died that day and… you can't just… move on easily."

Bucky pulled her down onto his chest, and she settled onto it with her head over his heart and she sighed in relief hearing his heartbeat again for real against her ear. Feeling the warmth of his body and the muscles move against her body.

"Steve is doing… better with it," Ellie told him making shapes on his chest, "He's running support groups for the survivors."

"You are talking to Steve again?" Bucky asked rubbing her back.

"Yeah… I had to. I… I couldn't go without talking to him very long," Ellie said as she kissed his chest, "When I started having the health issues, he figured out who he could get to help me. I… I was basically running from him and Nat, she found me and Grant and forced me to come home."

"Well then thank God for Steve," Bucky said running his fingers through her hair.

Ellie inhaled his scent, "I don't want to leave… but I have to."

"Give Grant a big hug and a kiss for me. Tell him that I love him. I love you so much" Bucky told her as she looked up at him and he kissed her.

"I know you do," Ellie said with a tearful smile, "That's the only thing that keeps me going some days."

"Do something for yourself. Go somewhere… exciting. Go to the zoo, you always loved the zoo," Bucky told her.

Ellie laughed as she gazed down at him, "If you only knew. I've visited a lot of them lately. I love you."

"I love you too," Bucky told her as he laid her head on his chest again.

She sighed and was so exhausted she nearly immediately fell asleep.


*~*~* January 18th, 2019- Irvington, New York *~*~*

Ellie stood in her bedroom, early in the morning, a fire already going in the fireplace that was warming the room. She sighed as she watched the first snow of the year falling from the sky. She stretched and her robe fell off her shoulder. As she righted it, she turned and looked down at the girls asleep in their bassinets.

It was now creeping up on her first month of being a single mother of three children under two, which had not been as hard as she thought it could be thanks to Steve and Nat. The transition had been easier than she expected. Of course, she was still exhausted but they were a great team. Natasha went to the Avengers compound every morning, and she and Steve stayed at the house. Between taking care of the kids, cleaning, and still decorating the house and unpacking, there was always something to do.

Ellie yawned as she made sure that the monitors were on, and took the girls and Grant's monitors, slipping them into each pocket of a robe that she was wearing. She decided to take the stairs and walked down the hallway to the stairs. She paused at the top, where she and Bucky's wedding picture was hung. She almost cried when she saw the picture that Steve had painted and presented to her for Christmas. It was of their first wedding in Brooklyn and the one in Wakanda wedding, side by side. After staring at it for a few minutes, she continued downstairs to the kitchen.

Walking over to the refrigerator, she pulled out the strawberries as well as the pancake materials from the fridge and the pantry. While the griddle was heating, Ellie grabbed the tea kettle. She spaced out while filling the kettle, until she heard footsteps, and looked back to see Steve.

"Morning how was the treadmill?" Ellie asked as she turned the water off, knowing that Steve wanted to try the new treadmill first thing this morning.

Steve opened up the refrigerator, "Piece of shit," Steve replied as he poured himself a glass of water, "I need to find out where Tony got ours at the compound," He downed the glass, "I ended up running to town and back. Oh, I ran into Rose, she runs every morning by the way."

Ellie scoffed, "Only time you'll catch me running is when I'm running away from something."

Natasha came into the kitchen, "Good morning."

"Good morning, babe," Steve said as he kissed her.

"I'm heading out, I'll see you at dinner," Natasha told him as she put her hand on his cheek and rubbed it with her thumb.

Steve looked at her with a goofy love-struck look that she hoped that had never been on her own face.

"Drive safe, I love you," Steve said.

Ellie tried not to grin at him as she turned to finish her tea.

Natasha left and Steve cleared his throat as he scratched the back of his neck.

Ellie looked at him over her cup of steaming tea with a grin.

"Shut up," Steve said with the narrowed eyes.

"Not saying anything," Ellie told him as she took a sip, "Just wondering when the wedding is?"

Steve blushed, "I don't know about weddings, but…" Steve trailed off as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "I think I'm going to propose."

Ellie coughed on the tea, sputtering as she gasped for air for a moment, "Really?" She asked as she recovered her breath after coughing.

"Do you think it's too soon?" Steve asked unsurely.

Ellie sat her mug down and put her hands on his arms, "Steve, I've never seen you truly happy, until Nat. Does she make you happy?"

Steve nodded, "She does. I know what I had with Peggy… and I never had a chance but until now… I just…" Steve sighed, "You're right, even before Sarah… she just she makes me happy."

"So what's your plan?" Ellie asked as she went back to making the pancakes.

Steve shrugged, "I have honestly no clue."

Ellie poured the batter onto the griddle, and looked at him, "Do you have a ring?"

Steve shook his head, "No I never thought of it until recently."

Ellie concentrated as she sensed the item that she wanted in the house and held her hand out in front of her. Moments later, a black box landed into her hand.

"That is becoming much easier for you," Steve said.

"Now that I have access to my powers again," She agreed as she handed him the box,

"Your turn."

Steve opened the box and looked up at her, "Ellie?"

Ellie bit her lip, "After the girls were born, Hank wanted to test my abilities while I traveled. I wasn't ready to see Buck, not yet, so I went back to see Mom… to tell her about the girls."

She swallowed hard, "Anyways, I told her about Nat and she said it was only right that you got it back. She loved what I told her about Nat," Ellie took the pancakes off the griddle, just in time to hear crying, "And there's the mommy crown goes back on again."

"I'll finish breakfast," Steve told her as he took the spatula from her.

"Thank you, Steve," Ellie told him as she went towards the stairs.

After he saw her go up the stairs, he opened the box and stared at the ring inside, "I do hope you'd like her Mom."


*~*~* January 21st, 2019- Irvington, New York *~*~*

Steve drove down the driveway and stopped at the end to look to make sure traffic was clear. Turning left, he drove out onto the street then drove down to the stop sign to see Rose walking with a young woman with reddish brown hair. Rose waved and Steve rolled his window down.

"Hello Rose, how are you this morning?" Steve asked.

"Just on a brisk walk to awaken my senses this morning. Steve this is my granddaughter Annabelle. Annabelle this is my new neighbor Steve," Rose introduced.

"Hello sir," Annabelle said with a smile.

"Hello, Annabelle. Visiting your Grandmother?" Steve asked.

"I thought her and Gramps were getting bored so I decided to move in with them for a bit," Annabelle said with a grin.

Rose rolled her eyes, "She decided that city life wasn't for her anymore and is staying with us while she does online schooling."

Steve looked at her, "Is online school complicated? I was thinking of doing some classes myself."

Annabelle shook her head, "It is a little more work than in-person classes but I prefer it. I still have to do my observations and service-learning but the learning is on my pace over a set schedule."

"What are you in school for?" Steve asked as she and Rose came closer to his car as a car turned onto their street.

"Early Childhood Education," Annabelle told him.

"She has already worked with children for nearly five years right?" Rose asked.

Annabelle nodded, "I started working as a Preschool assistant in high school when I graduated I became the infant teacher. I miss my kids but my asthma is all over the place lately and all the smog and pollution in the city doesn't help. I can already breathe better here."

Steve nodded, "I understand I grew up asthmatic."

"You have a child right, sir?" Annabelle asked glancing at Sarah.

Steve nodded, "Yes I have a daughter."

"If you ever need a sitter, I would love to watch her for you," Annabelle told him.

"Well, I usually come as a packaged deal. I live with my sister who has newborn twins and a one-year-old. I appreciate the offer though," Steve told her.

Annabelle shrugged, "I can help out even, I haven't applied anywhere around here yet, so if you need even someone just to be there with you as an extra hand… just let me know. Grandma talks about your sister a lot."

"Really? We may take you up on that for sure," Steve told her with a smile, "I'll let you girls go get out of the cold. Have a great rest of your day."

"Drive safe, Steve," Rose told him as they continued walking.


Ellie was rocking in the rocking chair after feeding Kasie and burping her, while Beckie was already snoozing in her bassinet.

She had her eyes closed her head back against the rocker, when she heard light footsteps coming down the hallway. They were not Steve's, as he left over an hour ago and Natasha walked nearly silently when she was home, so someone else was in the house.

Opening her eyes, she saw Pepper at the door of her room. Looking down at Kasie, making sure she was still asleep, she slowly stood up and gently laid her back in the bassinet. Ellie put her finger to her lips and pointed outside the bedroom.

Pepper followed her out into the hallway.

"Hey Pep," Ellie said as she quietly shut the bedroom door.

Pepper hugged her and looked at her, "How are you doing?"

"Well better than I expected, I'm too busy to overthink things," Ellie said rubbing her eyes as she yawned, "Thank God for Steve, I'd be lost without him. He put Grant down for a nap before he left so that I could get the girls by myself," Ellie told her as she opened Grant's bedroom to check on him then shut the door.

"How's the wedding planning going?" She asked as she looked at Pepper.

"About that, so you know that cabin and property well… can you help me with the planning of the layout?" Pepper asked Ellie, "My planner wanted $40 an hour to drive out there just to look at it."

"Are you kidding me?" Ellie asked in disbelief.

"It's ridiculous, so I'm trying to come up with it on my own," Pepper explained.

"Sure let's go downstairs," Ellie said as they walked down towards the elevator.

Ellie hit the down button, "Shit I forgot the monitors."

"Ellie, you have FRIDAY. FRIDAY put on monitor mode on the kids' bedrooms please?" Pepper stated.

"Monitor protocol activated, the quiet mode in the main bedroom and, Mr. Grant's rooms," FRIDAY notified.

"Well shit, what else can she do that would make my life easier?" Ellie asked as the elevator opened.

Pepper laughed as they got onto the elevator, "Well don't ask Tony. He will have robots running your house."

Ellie snorted, "That I don't doubt."

They got off on the first floor and Ellie led her into the kitchen, "Want tea, coffee, and wine? I can't drink it, but we have some for Natasha," Ellie offered walking into the kitchen.

"I'll have some tea …" Pepper said, "Wine will be later when the nerves get too bad."

Ellie got the kettle out of the cabinet, and filled it with water as she looked back at Pepper as she sat at the kitchen island, "So how many people are you expecting?"

Pepper sighed, "Well the guest list was at 200 before, now we only have 75 and that's with Clint."

Ellie shook her head sadly as she swallowed hard, "Nat can't find him anywhere."

Pepper shook her head, "It's horrible, and I didn't lose much of my family thank goodness, but Tony's side of the guest list…" She trailed off, "Even without the deaths from… the well… fight, so many people that Tony knew, they're just gone."

Ellie swallowed hard at the invisible force in her body that seemed to squeeze both her heart and her stomach, "It is hard to say that we were lucky when we don't feel that way."

Pepper looked outside stoically, "My wedding party was going to be two of my friends from college. Now one of them is gone, Tony has Happy and Rhodey left, so it will be Happy, Rhodey, Nat, and Jenny."

Ellie wiped the tear that fell down her face, "They're going to come back. Bucky told me about my visit in 2023, I have faith that they will all be back. They will all be back by then, and I'd rather wait for five… well, now four years, instead of having to wait a lifetime to see Bucky again."

The tea kettle whistled making them both jump, "Shit," Ellie said shaking her head, "Well enough sad talk, we have a wedding to plan."


*~*~* January 21st, 2019- Esopus, New York *~*~*

Steve walked into the Avengers facility, carrying Sarah on his hip and heard Natasha speaking Russian. By the tone of her voice, she was swearing. In all the Russian that he had learned, he had never taken time to learn the swear words.

Steve set Sarah down into the Porta crib, which they had kept here just in case at the compound.

"Жопы, все они (Assholes, all of them)," Natasha mumbled in Russian as Steve walked up behind her and rubbed her shoulders.

"Everything okay?" He asked as he kissed her temple.

Natasha rolled her neck and looked up at him, "The new Ross total asshole. He's only temporary though," She told him as she pushed herself up to put her feet under her, "The up and coming leader is the Ross that helped us in Berlin and the one that helped Wakanda. He is looking to take over the panel. Rumor is to make changes," Natasha informed him as her eyes fluttered shut as she moaned when he hit a particularly sensitive spot, "Can't be any sooner. This guy, Steve… he's horrible."

"So I have an idea, tomorrow night… you, me… nice restaurant, dinner and maybe a movie?" Steve asked, "What do you think?"

Natasha looked up at him then laughed, "And leave poor Ellie on her own with four kids?"

"She won't be on her own. Rose, our neighbor, the one she likes? I ran into her while she was walking today with her granddaughter. Her name is Annabelle and she offered to watch the kids. Obviously, she wouldn't watch all four by herself, but she could help Ellie," Steve told her.

Natasha stared at him. "You mean we can have a real quality adult time evening?" Natasha asked surprised since it had been so long since it had just been her and Steve.

Steve grinned, "Yes."

"Well then, hell yeah," Natasha said as she jumped up and threw arms around his neck and kissed him.

Steve smiled against her lips, "Sarah is asleep," He said moving his hands down to her bottom.

Natasha groaned against his shoulder, "There are actually people roaming about today."

"Fuck them," Steve said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards their old bedroom.

"FRIDAY baby monitor protocol," Natasha said as she shut the door as Steve already had pulled her shirt off.


*~*~* January 22nd, 2018- Esopus, New York *~*~*

Ellie groaned when she noticed more spit up on her shirt, "Fucking a," She said as she went to the sink and grabbed a washcloth.

She wet it and tried scrubbing the offending stain off her shirt to remove it as the doorbell rang.

"Fuck it," Ellie said throwing the washcloth into the sink as she glanced over at Grant who was playing with toys. Grabbing him she put him in the Porta-crib.

He frowned at her giving her a look that reminded her of Bucky when he was pissed, "No Momma."

"I know but Momma has to answer the door," Ellie told him as she walked to the front door and opened it to see Rose and a young girl.

"Hey Rose," Ellie said as a piece of hair fell into her eyes and she blew it out of the way.

Rose smiled, "Oh Ellie, hard day?" Rose asked.

Ellie looked at her as she leaned on the door frame, "I'm crazy to think I can be a CEO and a mom of three. Shit, it looks like crap in here but come on in."

She stepped aside so Rose and her granddaughter could come in, and shut the door behind them. She was able to get a good look at her granddaughter for the first time.

"Hi, Annabelle is it?" Ellie asked staring at her.

The young girl looked at her, "Yes, is something wrong?" Annabelle asked.

Ellie shook her head, "No, gosh you just look familiar," Ellie said with a smile, "Steve said you worked in childcare?"

"Yeah, during my teenage years I was a babysitter, and then I graduated high school and I continue working at the preschool that I've been working at after school. So I have five years of experience as a teacher, but eight years with children. I'm 20 now," Annabelle told her, "I was in the infant room for the last two years so I have experience with babies. I had six at one point by myself."

"But she decided to move in with me and her grandpa," Rose told Ellie, "Steve met her yesterday."

Ellie nodded, "He told me."

"The city while I love it, I want to drive around and be able to breathe," Annabelle explained, "I do have asthma, but it's controlled with my inhaler. I have no allergies or anything to be concerned about."

"Did you go to college?" Ellie asked leading them to the kitchen.

"Well I'm taking online classes," Annabelle told her, "I am two years into the program. I still have to do service learning and observations."

Ellie stopped at looked at Annabelle as she sighed, "Look, Annabelle, it's not that I don't trust you. I am sure you are fully qualified, but… besides me, Steve and Natasha… these kids haven't been with anyone else. Especially my girls. So I apologize ahead of time because I am used to it honestly being just me and Steve… or family. My Mother helped out before she had to leave."

Annabelle smiled, "I get it, and I do. It's hard in my experience, especially for first-time mothers and single parents. I am here to help where you need me."

Rose smiled as she looked at them, "I'll leave you two at it. If you need me, you know where I live."

"Let me walk you out," Ellie told her as she went to follow her.

"No need," Rose told her with a smile, "Remember I knew this house before you moved in. See you tonight Annabelle."

An hour later, Ellie watched Annabelle as she played with Grant and Sarah while feeding Beckie a bottle as Ellie nursed Kasie.

"Annabelle?" Ellie asked in awe.

Annabelle looked over at her, "Yes?"

"I'm sorry. You may be my new best friend," Ellie said with a smile as she tried to hold back her tears at the sheer relief that she was feeling, "It's never this quiet with everyone in the same room."

Annabelle smiled, "If you ever need help. I'm here."

Ellie bit her lip, "I wish I could work from home and keep the kids here. I'd hire you full time, but I know I'd go stir crazy. What college do you go to?"

"NYU, which does offer online classes," Annabelle told her as she put Beckie on her shoulder to burp her, "I might switch to a school closer to here though in the future."

"Did you grow up in the city?" Ellie asked as Kasie pulled away and she fixed herself so that she could burp her.

"No, I was born in Maryland. We moved to the city when I was 8. My Dad is a Cop and was from the city. Mom grew up in the DC area," Annabelle explained as she put Beckie in her swing after she burped, "I hated it… it's too loud and too… dirty."

Ellie bit her lip as she watched Annabelle roll a ball to Grant, who giggled, "Tell me about your family."

"Well, I'm an only child. My mother nearly died giving birth to me so… it's just me," Annabelle told her, "We were close when Nana was alive. There are a lot of us. Do you have a big family?"

Ellie shook her head, "No, at least biologically. It's just me and my brother Steve. Do you know about us?"

Annabelle looked at her, "I mean I know he is Captain America."

"Well he is but I was born in 1919," Ellie told her.

Annabelle stared at her, "What?"

Ellie laughed, "I am just like Steve, in a way. I was frozen after I was given the Super Soldier Serum just like he was."

"Wait, your brother was frozen?" Annabelle asked surprised.

Ellie nodded, "At the end of World War Two, he crashed an airplane into the Arctic and saved a lot of people. The plane froze with him in it. They found him in 2012, unfroze him, and by some miracle he was alive."

"Wait… what is your brother's last name?" Annabelle asked interested.

"Rogers, Steve Rogers. I was Rogers but I'm now Ellie Barnes," Ellie told her as Annabelle gasped, "What?"

"You are Elizabeth Rogers?" Annabelle asked surprised, "Grandma just said this was the Barnes house. I kinda thought Steve was a Barnes too."

Ellie laughed, "Yeah I am. Why did you read about us in the history books?"

"Something like that I… I had to do a report on the SSR and Peggy Carter in high school but…" Annabelle trailed off as she played with Sarah, "I never… I never put the connection together when Grandma told me who you were that… Captain America was Steve Rogers, as in the guy that is alive. Wait that makes this Steve Rogers daughter?"

"Yep, that's our Stevie," Ellie told her with a laugh, "And yes, Sarah is Captain America's daughter."

Annabelle shook her head as she stared at Sarah, "My Great-Grandpa is your age and… you just had twins."

Ellie wiped her eyes as tears fell while she laughed, "Weird, isn't it? Your Great-Grandpa is still alive?"

"Yeah, our family has good genes. Everyone is still alive from Great-Grandpa on down. Well, my Uncle did die in Iraq when I was younger and Great-Grandma, well my real Great-Grandma died a long time ago. Grandma Rose was like five years old when she died, and Great-Grandma she died about 4 years ago but we were lucky… with the whole snap thing. My Aunt Jenny is gone but everyone else is still alive," Annabelle rambled then groaned, "I'm talking too much."

Ellie smiled, "No you are fine, and it's refreshing. I… am stuck in the little bubble of my world and sometimes it's hard to see out of it," Ellie chuckled, "You remind me of myself when I was your age. I annoyed Steve with all the talking I would do."

Annabelle smiled, "Really?"

"Seeing as you are an only child you wouldn't know, but I lived to annoy him back then," Ellie told her with a grin causing Annabelle to laugh.


*~*~* January 22nd, 2018- New York, New York *~*~*

Natasha sat back with a smile as she looked over their private table at Steve, "I'm glad we did this."

Steve set down his glass, "Me too, hopefully, everything goes well with Annabelle tonight and we can get out more often. Go out on dates, go to a movie, go plan things… like buying cars, shopping for rings or-"

Natasha looked at him over her wine glass, "Shopping for rings?"

Steve took a big breath, "Yesli ya isporchu eto, ya proshu proshcheniya (If I mess this up I apologize)," Steve told her.

Natasha grinned at him as she took a sip of her wine, "Old dogs learning new tricks?"

Steve took a breath, "Vozmozhno, v lyubom sluchaye, Natasha, ty sdelala menya samym schastlivym, kogo ya kogda-libo pomnyu. (Maybe, anyways Natasha, you have made me the happiest I can ever remember,)" He told her as he reached for her hand, "YA dazhe ne mog predstavit', chto u menya yest' chto-to bol'sheye, chem ty. Ty moy luchshiy drug. Lyubov' moyey zhizni. (I couldn't even imagine having anything more than you. You're my best friend. The love of my life.)"

Natasha grins, "Best friends? Is that what we are, Rogers?"

"Ty dlya menya vse, Nat. Ochevidno, ya bol'she nichego ne khochu. Vpervyye ya mogu byt' s toboy ryadom s lyubym, kto ne Ellie ili Bucky (You're everything to me, Nat. Obviously, I don't want anything more. I can be myself with you for the first time around anyone who isn't Ellie or Bucky,)" Steve informed her.

Natasha smiled, "If that's so, then you have to do this in English. Be yourself."

Steve got up and knelt next to her, "Ellie, helped me. She went to visit Mom, to tell her about the girls and she asked for my Mom's blessing. You see before she died… I told her that Bucky needed her engagement ring for the future for Ellie. She never argued. Now I know that is because she knew in the future… we'd be here. Ellie has also told her about us, and Sarah, about you. The last visit, she asked Mom a question for me and now it is up to you," Steve told her as he opened the ring box, "Natalia Alianovna Romanova, will you wear my mother's ring for the rest of our lives and marry me?"

"On one condition," Natasha told him.

"What is that?" Steve asked.

"Ask me using my name," Natasha told him.

Steve smiled, "Natasha Romanoff… love of my life, will you marry me?"

Natasha threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, "Yes."

Steve grinned against her lips then pulled away taking the ring out of the box then slid it onto her finger, "I love you."

"I love you so much Steve," Natasha said gazing at the ring, "Is this your mother's ring?"

Steve nodded, "She wore it until right before she died, gave it to Bucky then Ellie wore it for five years before she was frozen, then she wore it up until Paris last year when Bucky gave her the new engagement ring. If you want a different one-"

"NO, no… this one is… perfect," Natasha told him with a smile, "I just can't believe this is happening."


*~*~* January 22nd, 2018- Esopus, New York *~*~*

Ellie looked at the clock, "It's seven… just in case you are here for it again, do you want to see our bedtime routine? It's not bath night. That was last night, so it will be pretty simple."

"Sure," Annabelle said with a smile.

"Alright, just grab Kasie for me and Sarah, and we will head upstairs. Come on Little Man," Ellie said holding out her hand.

Grant pushed himself up and grabbed her hand as she grabbed Beckie's bassinet.

Annabelle followed her to the elevator holding Kasie and Sarah's hand and looked at Ellie, "There is an elevator?"

"Yes, thank God. When we were remodeling the house, for some reason my husband put the request in," Ellie told her as they got into the elevator, "By the time I came back here, it was here. By that time I had the twins that he didn't know were coming either," Ellie said as they exited on the second floor.

Annabelle followed her to Grant's room and followed Ellie's lead as she put Beckie's bassinet in a frame that was set up in his room.

"I'll admit, I spent a ridiculous amount of money on the frames for these bassinets. It is just so much easier to have one set in my room, one in here, in the living room and one in the basement… just in case," Ellie told her as she took Grant's hand again and led him into the bathroom, "Teeth time little man."

She held his hand as he stepped up on the tiny steps so that she could lift him onto the sink. Grabbing his tiny toothbrush, she put the tiniest amount of toothpaste onto the brush then worked it over his gums and the teeth that had come in.

"Alright, time to get into our PJs," Ellie said helping him down.

He toddled to his bedroom and Ellie opened up his dresser. Pulling out a pair of pajamas with dinosaurs on them, she changed his diaper then put him into his new pajamas. She put Grant into the crib and handed him his 'Daddy Pillow'.

"Daddy loves you to the moon and back, to the stars and beyond. All we have to do is look to the stars because your Daddy is watching over us," Ellie told Grant as she ran her hand over his head then turned on his mobile and the star machine.

Grant put his thumb in his mouth and put his hand on his pillow, "Hi Grant, Daddy loves you so much," His pillow made Bucky's voice echo through the room.

Ellie grabbed a book and sat down in the rocking chair after checking on the girls, who were staring at the stars dancing on the ceiling.

Annabelle sat on the floor with her back against the door as Ellie read a book by the author Eric Carle. Halfway through the book, Ellie looked down at Grant to see him sleeping away.

Ellie reached down into his crib and picked the pillow up. She moved it to the foot of the crib then motioned out of the room.

Each woman grabbed a bassinet as they left the room after Ellie turned on the noise machine.

"FRIDAY baby monitor protocol," Ellie said.

"Activated," FRIDAY informed her.

"I put Grant to bed around 7:30, spend 30 minutes with the girls while I feed them then I put them to bed around 8 or 8:30," Ellie told her with a sigh, "I'll go put Sarah to sleep-"

"I can do it," Annabelle told her.

Ellie stood back as Annabelle changed Sarah, put her pajamas on then put her into her crib, "That is it with Sarah. Natasha usually sings her a song but she has it recorded, FRIDAY play Natasha's song and turn on baby monitor protocol on this room."

Natasha's voice quietly came out of the ceiling so Ellie and Annabelle left the room.

"And that is it, besides the girls. I feed them and spend the next 30 minutes with them before putting them down. Then it is Mommy's time until I'm so exhausted that I have to go to bed. Many times it is Steve carrying me to bed, but I have to sanitize bottles and put laundry in… that is a daily occurrence now. Two babies and Beckie spits up a lot," Ellie told her as she went to the elevator and they rode it down.

Annabelle looked at her with a smile, "Superhero and supermom."

Ellie scoffed, "Superhero? Nah that was my brother. I never actually did anything. I have the suit but I only wore it once and that was something police officers could do."

Kasie started fussing.

"I hate to ask this of you but, do you know how to use a bottle warmer?" Ellie asked, "Beckie prefers bottles over… well me. She gets a better hold."

"Can do," Annabelle said as she went over to the refrigerator, "Any certain bottle?"

"The ones in the front are the ones to use first," Ellie said as she pulled her shirt up and Kasie latched on and she sighed as she closed her eyes, "Sometimes I wish Hydra would have given me Octopus arms like their logo was… there is not enough of me to go around."

Annabelle looked at her, "Hydra?"

Ellie opened her eyes looking at her, "Before your time."

"No, I know what Hydra was but… they gave you stuff?" Annabelle asked interested.

"They had a hand in my powers," Ellie told her sadly, "I thought it was just SHIELD, but they had someone on the inside even then… but I was their failure. Bucky was their success," Ellie sighed, "Look, Annabelle, if you help me and Steve out… there are things that you may hear or see that aren't… normal. If I was Pepper, I probably would have you sign an NDA-"

Annabelle walked over to her purse and pulled out an envelope. She handed it to Ellie, who opened it.

"You came up with one on your own?" Ellie asked surprised.

"My Nana was in the Government as a secretary… it has been passed down for generations to cover your ass," Annabelle told her with a grin.

Ellie looked over it, "Annabelle Thomas… I never even asked you your whole name. Shit, I don't even know Rose's last name."

"Johnson," Annabelle told her.

"Rose Johnson and Annabelle Thomas," Ellie said.

"Grandma Rose had my mom, Natalie and she married my Dad, Matthew Thomas. I was born in 1999," Annabelle told her with a smile, "Just in case you want to do a background check."

Ellie laughed, "Nah I trust your Grandmother. She has been a good friend to me."

Annabelle went to open her mouth when FRIDAY announced, "Miss Romanoff and Captain Rogers have returned home Miss Ellie."

"Thank you FRIDAY," Ellie said as she walked over to the stairs carrying a still feeding Kasie.

A giggle caught her off guard as Natasha's back appeared first pulling Steve up the stairs as she walked backward.

"There are children in the house you know," Ellie said with a grin.

Natasha looked back at her, "Hey sis."

Ellie smiled, "Congrats. Sarah is in bed so upstairs is all yours."

Annabelle appeared behind her.

"Hi Annabelle," Steve said as he saw her.

Natasha walked over to her, "I'm Natasha."

Annabelle looked up at her, "Hi, you're… you're the Black Widow."

Natasha laughed, "Yeah I am. Nice to meet you kid. I'm going to get a drink then I'll meet you upstairs Steve."

Ellie elbowed Steve as he walked by, "I didn't think you'd be able to do it. Way to go."

"I have learned a thing or two about women since the 40s," Steve told her.

Ellie snorted, "You couldn't form a sentence in front of Peggy, glad that changed. H…hey… Na… na… Nat, W…will you parry knife me?"

Steve glared at her, "I hate you."

Ellie just giggled.


A/n3:Thank you to everyone who read this. Here in America we just had Thanksgiving and I am so thankful to each and every one of you that reads this! Hoping for your health and safety this holiday season

Now to the reviews:

PrettyRecklessLaura: Thank you for reading and reviewing! Hope you are doing well!


Preview of Chapter 100- Landslide

Ellie looked down at her hands as she swallowed hard.

"I am just waiting for that moment that it is easier to breath you know?" Robyn said.

There was silence for a few minutes.

"For that moment you feel like you aren't underwater?" Ellie said quietly.

Robyn looked over at her, "Exactly, I'm treading the waters trying to find the surface but the surface is out of my reach."

Ellie nodded