Part 22
Dusk came sooner than expected, with the last of the Suns rays disappearing behind the soft grey clouds in the sky. The outside of the Barnes family home began to take on the look of an old photograph. Slowly the view outside began to fade to blackness as night began to draw in for the evening. With Rebecca in her room and James doing his homework, Brogan and Bucky soon retreated to the comfort of the front room. With the slight chill in the air, she grabbed one of Bucky's old scarves as Bucky began to light the fire in front of them both. With that done, He curled next to his beloved wife as she rest her head on his chest. Both just happy to lay in each others arms, happily just listening to the crackling of the flames and both their steady breathing. she clung onto his waist, Bucky began to gently stroke her arm and then her back. Instantly goosebumps shot up over her body at the sheer tenderness of his touch. Just as always, all thoughts stopped when he touched her like this. It was almost like her heart overruled her head whenever she was in his arms...
Every now and then he would pause to squeeze her hand with his glowing metallic closed palm. It was almost like he needed to check that she truly was there with him and that he wasn't experiencing the terrible nightmares that had slowly eased from his mind since she had come into his life. Scared that he'd wake up once more under the control of hydra and forced to endure the horrific tortures once more. Just that once touch, instantly made his anxieties slowly melt away. It was all thanks to her that for the first time in decades, he finally felt free from his past and at long last could feel the future was that just bit more brighter with his love at his side. Brogan was with him and a huge part of his life now. She was his, mind body and soul. For brogan, Bucky Barnes would always be her hero, the love of her life and although he didn't know it right at the moment, soon to be father of her unborn child. Feeling content, Brogan lent up to his face for a kiss, the kind of kiss she just wanted to last forever. Breaking the kiss, she smiled softly at the man she loved. Gliding her hand over his face, brushing his long locks away so she could see his beautiful grey blue eyes that she adored...
"have I ever told you how much I love you James Buchanan Barnes?" she began to softly kiss at his neck as Bucky tilted his head back and let out a low animalistic growl
"once or twice... " he smiled, stroking her back "I will honestly never tire of hearing you say it though..."
"well as of now I'm going to tell you it every day" Bucky heard her words before she actually spoke them. Another sign of the incredible connection and bond they both shared "Scrap that...I'm going to tell you for the next eight and a half months instead... After that I might have to say it to someone else too so that love will have to be shared"
"What?" Sitting up, Bucky's eyes drew wide as he let out a gasp "Brogan? As you telling me what I think you're telling me?'
"Bucky...James... You and I Are truly soulmates. I think we have always been destined to find each other in this crazy world. We have more than a love, we have a connection and we share the strongest bond there can be" she kissed his soft lips gently before caressing his heavily bearded cheek "you truly are the only one that can reach inside my soul with ease. You Stoke my passion and you extinguish the storms that we face together... I adore you James Buchanan Barnes.. You complete me and I'm just so happy that at last I've been given the chance to say this to you... This is how it should have been before " she smiled through glistening tears of happiness, taking his glowing metallic hand and placed it on her abdomen "Bucky...the thing is...you're going to be a father...I'm pregnant"
Shock overwhelmed the former winter Soldier as he fell back into the chair, clasping his hands over his mouth and staring aimlessly at the celling. After a brief awkward nervous silence, a huge smile grew over his lips. The swelling symphony of happiness literally enveloping his soul and filling his heart to bursting point. He closed his eyes, still gripping her hand in his as if he just wanted to savour the moment. For the first time in months his body and mind relaxed in unison. He was going to be a father again and this time he was determined more than ever not to miss a single second of this new journey for them both. Getting to his feet, he immediately pulled her up to face him. Before she could speak or catch her breath, Bucky wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off her feet. Over the moon, he spun the two of them around as Brogans laughter soon filled the room. Happiness and joy passed through Bucky Barnes like a warn ocean wave, washing away the pain and heartache of Steve's departure. Soon the wave began to fade and the deep realisation of impending fatherhood began to settle within him. The feeling of love for his beautiful wife overwhelmed him, leaving him eternally grateful for that fateful day at the Smithsonian museum when she first entered his life and his world.
Over the moon with his reaction, Brogan couldn't help but cry once again. This was the exact reaction she hoped for with all her heart. His smile right now was the most perfect thing she had seen in a while, extending to his eyes and deep into his soul as he once again placed his metal hand on her stomach. A person smiles with mouth, yet brogan heard it in his voice, in the choice of his words and the way he relaxed...it was beautiful...
"you're amazing you know that right?" Bucky moved his head closer to Brogan's. He leant as close as he could and pressed his for head to hers. Both their breaths shaking in unison as Bucky caressed her soft ivory cheek with his fingertips "Thank you... " he cried in a voice no more than a whisper "Thank you"
"For what?" replied Brogan smiling
"for just being you..."
Bucky gently lent in once more and kissed Brogan's warm lips. Unable to control their passion, the kiss grew in intensity and fire. Slowly, her hands worked their way over his body, feeling each muscle, each part of his toned physique through the tight black T-shirt he wore. With the kiss over, the stared lovingly and deeply at one another. Bucky's full of wonder and love, Brogan's full of curiosity and passion. No words were spoken but a perfect story worthy of them both easily communicated. Kissing once more as the world around the both slowly began to fade away...
"sooo...you're Happy then?" the pair returned to the sofa, curling up once again in each others arms. Bucky running his hand along her arm "I know now this is the wrong time to bring this up but we need to discuss it Bucky...what if this new baby is like Rebecca? What if they have the serum in them again?. I mean its literally certain they will... Will you be OK with it?" slightly taken aback, Bucky kissed the top off her head, pulling her closer "I've killed the mood now haven't I?"
"Listen to me. Being apart from our family these past five years have taught me one thing now Brogan. Its taught me that life's too short and we should all embrace it and what we have now" smiled Bucky, as Brogan snuggled closer into his chest "yes they are likely to have the serum in them and yes there's a certainty that there's going to be nothing we can do" the flames of the fireplace burned just that bit more brighter as their shadows covered the walls "what I have now and what is to come is all that matters to me. You have taught me one thing Brogan...that little part of both we created that's growing inside you was made out of love... That too is all I need to know. Nothing else matters. Not the serum...nothing...that's our baby...that's the biggest most important thing that counts" he smiled, stroking her stomach "so with that being said...I guess I'll have to tell Sam I can't help him now...things have changed"
"help him? I don't understand"
"Yeah that's why he stopped by. He wants The Winter Soldier to help him. Can you believe it? After all that I did to him?" laughed Bucky running his hand through his hair "I tried to kill him multiple times and here he is asking me to stand by him...to take on the government. Life surely has a funny way of turning out at times"
"You don't have to say that again" smiled Brogan, playing with a lock of his hair and tucking it back behind his ear "I never thought I could be this happy with you in my life...finding happiness with a 100 year old super soldier! Nobody could have wrote our story Bucky. I just can't imagine life without our family now"
"exactly that's why I'm going to tell Sam no...family comes first. Brogan, I missed so much of Rebecca's childhood. I should have been there for her first words, her first steps and her first day at school. I'm not going to put you or our new baby through that...or our family. I want to be with you every step of the way...I promise you and give you my word"
"oh Bucky..."
The next thing Brogan knew, Bucky slammed his lips to hers and almost knocked the wings from her lungs. She barely had time to react before he slipped his tongue into the seam of her lips, granting him access to her mouth. Her arms reached up and locked around his thick, strong neck. Soon the kiss was over and Brogan edged into the warmth of his chest, splaying her hand over his heart. Bucky's breathing quickened slightly from her touch. Angling her head, this time she kissed him softly. Their breaths mingled. His heart fluttered intensely inside his chest as his arms encircled her, not wanting to let her go and savouring her scent
"Bucky hearing you say that makes me the happiest woman in the world. Being apart from you these past five years just broke me. I longed for that day when I'd see you again" whispered Brogan softly "Now with this new little Barnes on the horizon our family is complete... But..."
"But what?" as always, Bucky automatically thought the worst. Blood instantly draining from his face as looked on with pleading eyes "but what Brogan?"
"you're a good man James Buchanan Barnes. You still forget that at times so its a good job you have me to remind you" she cupped his face and playfully played with a lock of his hair "That's why I want you to help Sam...its the right thing to do and you know it deep down.. He needs you"
"what?" Bucky cried stunned. His growing anxiety hitting the roof "you want me to help him take on the government? Team up with him? What about the baby?"
"Bucky listen to me. Me, Rebecca, James and this baby are going nowhere trust me. This is about doing the right thing. Something you've struggled with since shedding your Winter Soldier persona" she reached for his hand and squeezed it reassuringly "The right thing to do is shape the future for our children Bucky. Shape it for the pair of us too...that's why I want you to do the right thing and help Sam..help him give the world the future Steve wanted... Help him and make the four of us proud..." she took his hand, kissed his palm and placed it back on her stomach "I know you will...I believe in you Bucky Barnes...always"
"are you sure you want me to?" her touch eased his nerves just as they always did "I missed so much before with Rebecca... I just don't want to miss a second of this new journey for us...for us all"
"Bucky Barnes... Trust me you won't...you go out there and be the best man I know you can be. I'm so proud of you and how you've overcome everything you went through" she smiled, stroking his beard tenderly "I love you James Buchanan Barnes. You complete me. Go out there and save the world. Save the world as Sgt Barnes once more" she kissed his cheek and soon pressed her lips to his, as Bucky pulled her closer. Gently caressing her back "you are never going to feel alone again... "
"how did someone as broken and damaged as me ever find such unprecedented happiness with someone as perfect as you?" Bucky smiled " I love you too and with this new little one our family is complete"
"fate..." she laughed, continuing to stroke his heavily bearded cheek with her thumb "its exactly how it was meant to be..."
Taking her beloved husbands hand in hers, the two headed to the hallway to call in Rebecca and James so they could share in their happy news just as it should be...as a family. A smirk was playing at the corner of his lips as Bucky gazed lovingly at his wife. The abundance of love the two shared was still apparent and stronger than ever. At last Bucky Barnes had found his happy ending. At last he was loved for who he was. He was loved from within and could truly saw in Brogan he had found his soulmate. To be around her was like he was never alone. As if all his life he'd been isolated in a windowless room and after that trip to the Smithsonian, the loneliness and hurt finally felt lifted. She owned his heart and as long as he had breath in his body, she was his in mind...body and soul...
The love between Brogan and Bucky was now set to grow even stronger with impending arrival of their new baby on the horizon. When before they first met, both were alone and ready to give up on the world. Yet after that fateful day at the museum, both their lives changed forever. There was, and still was something in Brogan's beautiful emerald eyes that was Bucky's safe haven. In her eyes, Bucky felt like he was "Home". Now here they stood together at last, ready to embrace the future together... Together as a family...