Nothing was said as we arrived at the airport.
My eyes and head hurt from crying so much, I could feel myself beginning to regret the decision. I missed Bucky and my babies too much.
The Hydra base was surrounded by mountains of snow.
Located in Verkhoyansk, Russia.
Why did this not surprise me? Hydra was always somehow connected to Russia.
As we arrived at the supposed location, the base looked to be nothing more than the side of a mountain but upon a closer look, I could definitely see technical enchantments.
It was then that I chose to call for some outside help.
He arrived a few hours later, and helped us by providing a map of the entire base.
Shuri helped me, and T'Challa get in as Vision went in ahead of us to eliminate all the possible threats.
T'Challa took down any threats in front of us while I took out the ones behind us.
Together we managed to extract any information that might have been useful to us before I inserted the USB Shuri gave me, which contained a kill code.
A few minutes later all three of us managed to leave just before Vision detonated the bomb Shuri gave him.
As we left, a calm finally began to settle around us as we realized that we managed to finally eliminate Hydra.
A Week Later:
Bucky's POV:
It's been a week since— since the day when life lost all meaning.
That's seven days of living just to live.
I knew I couldn't allow myself to buckle under the pain I felt, because my kids needed me.
Becca, Jamie, Gracie, and Joseph. They all needed me, and I would do my best to be the best father that they had.
Despite wanting so badly to end things so I could be with Arie. I didn't though, because I knew Arie would kick my ass if I left our kids without parents.
Arie's absence had been hard on everybody. Everyone had taken the news rather harshly. Especially Clint.
He blamed himself, even though we all reassured him that he wasn't at fault for any of the things that happened after the battle with Thanos.
Even then he blamed himself. There was no getting through to him. Eventually, we tried to convince him to head home and take a break from all of this. He left to see his wife and children, promising to check in soon.
Charlie and little Bella had flown back home to Washington State, a few days after him, while Tony said he'd come to see us in a day or so.
Steve and Nat, along with Sam were the only ones who were constantly showing up, unexpectedly.
Not that I blamed them. I knew they all were concerned about the kids and me, and how we were going to cope without Arie.
I knew they also worried that the kids would overwhelm me, but they were the only thing tying me to this planet and life. So, they didn't need to worry about that.
Becca and Jamie, with their constant chatter, had given me a way to distract myself from the pain, while Gracie and Joseph practically slept all day. Only waking up to eat, and be changed.
While these past few days had been hard on all of us, we had finally managed to work out a dynamic that worked for all of us.
I was cleaning up the mess left after breakfast, when I heard a knock at the front door.
Becca zoomed past me, excitedly, towards the door. Reaching up to open it only for Jamie to shake his head at her, and tilt his head in my direction. My first thought was that it might be Nat and Steve, possibly with Sam, but I had a nagging feeling that it wasn't them.
"What's going on with you two?" I asked as I passed them, and went to open the door.
Becca smiled, her eyes glowing slightly as she shrugged and bounced on her toes.
That made me suspicious.
"What's going on, Bexs? What do you know, princess?" I asked her.
I signed when she refused to reply, before turning to the door.
Something in the pit of my stomach clenched, causing me to hesitate.
Weird.
I wanted to debate and think about what that could mean, but I shook my head, and mover to open the door.
As I did, I gasped in disbelieving shock.
Standing there, was the one person I thought I lost seven days ago.
My wife, and love of my life, Arie Barnes.
I blinked in surprise, reaching to pinch myself, before hesitantly reaching to see if she was real.
"H—how?" I asked.
She looked hesitant, despite holding back tears. "I had to finish what we started long ago..." She told me in a soft voice.
I sighed, trying to be angry at her for lying but at that point, I was just relieved that she was here with the kids and me that I didn't care.
I also knew that if she did this, that it had to be for a good reason. She wouldn't intentionally lie to all of us, just to leave. That wasn't her.
I pulled her towards me, relief practically leaving me breathless, as I wrapped my arms around her tiny, delicate frame. The smell of her hair wafting to my nose as I did. Calming my emotions at once.
She was truly here.
I could feel as she began to shake, and I soon realized that she wasn't the only one shaking. We both were. Leaving must have been just as difficult for her as it was for me and the kids.
"Don't. Ever. Do. That. To. Me. Again." I firmly told her, as I stepped back to look at her.
My voice cracked, as I did, but I knew I got my point across when she nodded fiercely in response. "I need to hear you say it." I demanded.
"I won't." She promised, tearfully. "I—" she began to say only for a little voice to speak.
"Momma?" Becca called.
We both turned to see her and Jamie walking towards us, holding hands.
"See? She did come back." She whispered to Jamie, who rolled his eyes at her, and nodded in exasperation.
I frowned, "You two knew she was alive and didn't say anything to me?" I asked, in surprise.
They had the decency to look sheepishly at me, before nodding solemnly in response.
"We promised momma not to say a word to anyone. She promised to come back. We had no reason to doubt her." Jamie explained.
Arie but her lip, before turning to look up at me, with the same sheepish expression. "They knew I wasn't dead, they could feel that I was alive. They threatened to follow me if I didn't answer their calling so I did, but only after promising that they wouldn't tell anyone, even— even you. " She explained.
I sighed, shaking my head before pulling her inside and closing the door.
I led towards the sofa in the living room and sat down, pulling her down next to me.
"Explain. I want to hear everything that happened." I demanded.
She looked at me, "King T'Challa asked for my assistant shortly after I woke up. It was to take down the final Hydra base. I couldn't decline, not after everything that they put us through. So, I came up with a plan to fake my death, only Steve and Nat didn't fall for it, and quickly found my hideout. I forced them to promise me not to say anything to anyone and we continued with a plan." She explained.
"When did you leave?" I asked.
"Shortly after the funeral. It was difficult to see people who I love and care for mourn for me. Even the kids. When we arrived at the base Shuri and T'Challa quickly divided the work, and promised to meet me back at the safe point in forty minutes. It was straightforward and simple. We seize all assets, and information, and took out anyone who opposed. Then we blew the place up after we knew we were all safe." She said.
"Why did it take so long for you to come home?" I asked as Jamie and Becca climbed into her lap.
"I only just got back an hour ago from Wakanda. We had to go through all the acquired information and assets." She informed me.
I nodded, as I watched her hug and kiss Becca and Jamie, as I tried to sort through my feelings.
I knew that I was relieved that she was safe, alive and here with us. But I was also hurt and angry that she lied and felt the need to leave to protect us.
Though I could see that she was here, and safe. It was going to take time to allow myself to truly believe she was actually alive.
Her leaving even though she promised she wouldn't, felt like the ultimate betrayal to me.
I had lost her forever, and I was angry that she was gone, and hurt. But now that she was here, I didn't know what to feel.
A hand on my thigh brought me out of my thoughts.
When I blinked, I saw her beautiful eyes staring into mine with concern in them.
"Are they asleep?" She whispered, looking at the kids as they laid in her arms.
I nodded, before rising from my seat and taking Jamie in my arms. She adjusted Becca in her arms before following me to their rooms.
They used to share a room, but as they grew Becca requested that she be allowed to have her own room. Which we readily agreed.
Now, as I walked into Jamie's room, I laid him in his twin bed, and pulled the blanket over him.
I stood watching him for a moment before turning to go back to the living room.
My phone had been beeping like crazy as I sat on the couch, lost in thought.
I don't know how much time passed, but when she finally walked in the room, Arie had showered and changed out of her tactical gear and into sweats and t-shirt.
"You showered?" I asked her in surprise.
"Yes. I wanted to get more comfortable, after I checked on Gracie and Joseph." She whispered as she walked over to the couch and sat down on the other side.
I silently reached over and pulled her over to me by her ankles.
She yelped out in surprise as I did, chuckling when I pulled her onto my lap.
"What are you doing?" She asked between laughs.
"I thought I'd lost you forever seven days ago, I'd appreciate it if you didn't sit so far away from me." I murmured, burying my nose in the cork of her neck, allowing her scent to envelope me.
Her smell soothed me, and allowed me to think clearer.
Before I could say anything else, I felt her fingertips begin to slowly rub my scalp in a calming gesture.
"I'm so glad you're here." I whispered finally.
"I am too. I missed you and the kids like crazy. I think I was beginning to annoy T'Challa and Shuri with my constant crying. Even Vis was starting to get annoyed." She whispered with a chuckle.
I moved back to look at her in surprise. "You— You brought back Vision? How?" I asked, gaping at her.
She smirked, "I have my ways." She replied, before the smirk fell from her eyes.
"What's wrong, моя любов?" I asked her.
"Nobody else knows I'm alive, and I'm not sure how they're going to react." She told me, resting her hand on my shoulder.
I nodded, "I know. I'm actually wondering how your brothers are going to react when they find out." I told her, amused at the thought.
"I'm scared that they'll hate me." She whispered.
I pulled her closer to me, knowing she needed the hug as much as I did. "We'll do it. Together." I promised her.
I felt she pressed her nose in the cork of my neck, breathing on me as she did.
"I don't deserve you." She whispered into my neck.
"I could say the same about me." I mumbled.
She sighed, as we sat there enjoying the silence that surrounded us.
We ended up falling asleep there on the couch. Waking up sometime later to the sound of a pounding on our door.
I sat up in surprise, almost dropping her on the ground as I did.
"Sorry." I mumbled, as I steadied her, "Go to the bedroom, I'll go check who it is." I told her.
She was gone in the blink of an eye.
I took a deep breath, before running a hand over my face and heading to open the door.
Wanda, Vision, Clint and Tony stood there.
"Well, hello, what brings all of you to my neck of the woods?" I asked, as I leaned into the doorframe.
"Cut the sarcasm, Barnes. Where is she?" Tony asked.
Clint looked at me, with an unreadable expression on his face.
"Who?" I asked, feigning innocence.
"Arie's not here?" Vision asked.
I stared blankly at them, "Who?" I asked again.
"My sister. We know she is alive. Where. Is. She?" Clint asked, as he grabbed me by my shirt.
I stared at him blankly, waiting for him to say whatever he was going to say.
Before either of us could say anything a noise in the living room caused us all to turn.
Standing there, looking exceptionally angry was my wife, and Clint's little sister, Arie.
"Well, well, well. Won't you look at who's here. My little sister." Clint noted, angrily.
"You have ten seconds to let go of my husband and step away from him before I throw your ass into the lake." She said, in a deadly calm tone.
They stared each other down before she raised a brow, her fingers twitching slightly as she did. Causing him to wince before taking a step back, with an annoyed expression on his face.
After a few moments of silence, she finally sighed again and rushed forward to pull him into a fierce hug.
Clint hugged her back just as fiercely as we all stood around them.
"We thought we'd lost you forever." He whispered into her hair, tearfully.
"I'm sorry. But it had to be done. Now, we can all be happy and safe. We can finally live normal lives. " She said.
"None of it would matter if we'd lost you, kid." Tony said.
She frowned, before turning to look at me, with tears in her eyes.
Without a word I opened my arms to her, and she rushed towards me.
We held each other for what felt like an eternity, yet no amount would ever be enough.
Not to hold her. Not to have her by my side. Not to love her.
When we finally let go, we all looked at each other, and knew we all were feeling the same thing. Relief.
~Arie's POV:~
After Clint and I talked things out, we all agreed that Bucky would invite everyone over and explain the situation before he allowed anyone else to see me.
The relief I felt after seeing the rest of my friends and family was intense.
It felt like it was almost too good to be true.
Four Years Later:
The day had started off great.
We had all woken up early, and eaten breakfast together.
Then the kids decided they wanted to go on the boat Bucky had bought off a friend.
Though I was hesitant at first, I knew with Steve and Sam helping him fix the boat, it would be alright so I relented, and went about my day.
Cleaning the kitchen, rooms, and then heading to our room for a nap.
I woke up a short time later to realize that they still hadn't gotten back.
Bucky had sent me a message asking me if Gracie had gotten home already. To which I panicked, and began searching throughout the house for her.
When I found no sign of her within the house, I rushed towards the lake as fast as my feet would carry me.
I found myself running through the thin foliage, searching for any sign of her.
"Gracie?! Gracie?! Sweetie, where are you, sweetheart?" I called breathing hard as I searched.
"Mommy…?" A little voice called.
I turned sharply towards the direction I heard the voice call, sighing in relief as the little, blue-eyed, dark haired, girl with pig tails stared at me, looking confused.
Relief flooded through me as I rushed over to her, pulling her into a tight hug before letting her go, with my hands still on her shoulders.
"Natalia Grace, where have you been?" I asked, trying to get my breathing back to normal.
"I'm sorry, momma, I was only playing with Grant and Bailey on the boat. Uncle Steve, Uncle Sammy and Daddy were watching us play." She explained, with a lower wobbly lip.
"You were with your dad?" I asked, suddenly exasperated at the fact.
"Well, yeah, he said you were tired and needed some rest because my little brother or sister is going to be here any day now. So, Uncle Steve, Grant, and Daddy took us to the boat and Uncle Sam arrived with Bailey." She said, looking back towards the boats. "Are you okay? Does my little brother want to come now?" She asked, eyeing me concerned.
I bit my lip to not snort as I felt a kick in my protruding stomach, when I tried to kneel down to her level, and not without difficulty.
We hadn't had any more surprise pregnancy after Joey and Gracie arrived, for a while there we thought we were done having kids. Now, almost five years after the whole Thanos debacle, here we were expecting yet another child.
Funnily enough, I wasn't the one who realized I was expecting. It was Bucky.
He woke up in the middle of the night a few months ago and kept saying we were expecting. I didn't believe him, and simply rolled my eyes at him before going back to sleep.
When I went in to the doctor to check the next day, low and behold, I was already twelve weeks pregnant.
Ah, what a ride it has been.
Bucky couldn't be more happy for us to be having another baby. He was ecstatic.
"Oh no, it's fine, sweetie. Mommy is fine. Why don't you go ahead and go back with Daddy on the boat, while I go and prepare you all something to eat for lunch?" I asked, as I straightened up.
"Wait. I'll go tell Daddy I'm coming home, so I can help you. Don't start without me!" She called as she ran off towards the docks again.
"I won't!" I called back as I waddled back towards the house, up the porch steps, and walked inside.
I headed straight into the kitchen to begin pulling stuff out to make us all something to eat.
I ended up pulling out two lasagne I had made and frozen the week, placing them into the oven before pulling out fresh veggies for a salad, and some garlic bread.
A few minutes later all the troops showed up.
"Hey ma! We're home!" Jamie called, as he walked in, kicking his shoes off near the door and rushing up the stairs towards his room with Grant, Becca, Bailey, Joey, and Gracie on his heels.
"Kids, wash your hands and get ready for lunch!" Bucky called after them.
"Yes sir!" They all called back.
As the kids disappeared, Bucky, Sam, and Steve walked towards the kitchen to find me leaning heavily on the counter.
"Tiny." Steve greeted, smiling as he sat down on one of the stools.
"Should I be offended that I got the name Nat refused to take and kicked your ass for using?" I asked, amused.
Steve snorted, and shook his head, "No, she refused to be called something that makes fun of her stature whereas you actually like it. And she didn't kick my ass, I let her win." He replied.
"Keep telling yourself that, Cap. Maybe if you say it enough, it'll come true, eventually." I replied, amused.
"Whipped." Sam coughed, pretending to find the bottle of beer in front of him interesting.
Bucky chuckled into my shoulder as I snorted in response.
"You're all assholes." Steve muttered a moment later, pouting.
Bucky actually chuckled this time as I threw the veggies into the bowl and washed them again.
"So, should I be expecting Nat and Leila to show up later, or will you be leaving before they can?" I asked, as I set the salad in the fridge to keep it cold.
"Nat said, she's on her way." Steve said.
"Leila said she'd be here around three. She was finishing up something at work." Sam told us, "Do you need any help, Arie? I heard the doctor told you that you needed to get as much rest as possible." He commented.
I smiled in response, but shook my head, "I'm fine, really, I've done this before. It's a few weeks before the baby arrives." I said as I began putting the bread on the grill top stove.
"What are you making, моя любовь?" Bucky asked me as he walked over and stood behind me, wrapping his arms around me and resting his hands on my stomach.
I winced as I felt the baby begin kicking erratically. "I'm finishing the garlic bread, and waiting for the lasagnes to finish so I can take them out of the oven." I replied, in a strained voice.
"Are you alright?" He asked, eyeing me concerned.
"Yes, the baby's been extra active today. I'm sure it's nothing." I replied, reaching back to rub my lower back.
I could feel all their eyes on me, but before any of them could say anything else, all the kids rushed in, thankfully ending the conversation.
After the lasagnes came out of the oven, Bucky and Sam went to set the table on the back porch, while Steve and I quickly plated everything for the kids.
Nat, Leila showed up around the same time, joining us as we began to eat.
It appears that somehow all these family functions would be ending the same. Shortly after Nat and Leila finished helping me with the dishes, I began to feel the familiar pains of labor.
Bucky rushed me to the hospital, while Nat, Steve, Sam, and Leila stayed with the kids.
Unfortunately, they were unable to stop my babies, yes babies, from coming into the world.
My son, Henry Theo Barnes was born along with his sister Madeline Rose Barnes, who had been hiding behind her brother all along, and came into the world rather quickly.
They were both small, and had to stay in the NICU for a while, before coming home.
Both the babies and I had to stay in the hospital for a short while due to complications.
When we were finally released, all our friends and family were waiting for us at home.
Showering us with love, and unexpected gifts.
That night when I laid in bed, waiting for Bucky to come back after he put the kids to bed, I realized this was the first time in a long time that we both felt content.
And I knew that nothing would beat that feeling. Ever.
When Bucky finally walked in I couldn't stop smiling widely at him.
He walked straight into the closet to change and came out in a pair of jersey shorts and a white tank top.
"What's got you smiling so widely?" He asked after he got into the bed and pulled me to his side, carefully.
"Nothing. I just realized that nothing beats this feeling." I told him.
He looked at me with a raised brow, "Exhaustion?" He asked, playfully.
"No, dumbass." I replied, after I stopped laughing. "This." I said, gesturing around us.
"Home." He supplied.
"That's one way to put it, yes." I allowed, as his arm tightened around me.
"Well, how would you describe it?" He asked, curiously.
"Many ways actually. But a few words describe it all." I replied.
"Which are?" He asked me, with a yawn.
I smiled again, "Happy. Content. The best feeling in the world. Love." I finally said.
He sighed, turning his body towards me to lean in to kiss me on the lips. "You're right, моя любовь." He whispered.
"...and what's more, nothing will ever hurt us again." I whispered back.
"Finally, we have a happy life ahead of us. Nothing can ever take that away." He sighed, pressing his forehead against mine.
"Mhm." I hummed, as I felt his arms tight around me slightly.
"I love you, Mrs. Barnes." He finally whispered.
"And I love you, Mr. Barnes." I replied, as we both fell asleep, happy that nothing would hurt us, and that we would finally be able to live a happy, normal life.
The End.