EPILOGUE

"I think I look hideous."

Natasha stared at herself in the mirror, glaring at the reflection.

Tony smiled, kissing her on the cheek and whispering, "That dress cost almost five hundred thousand dollars, sweetheart, and I think you look amazing. Bucky is gonna fall over when he sees you."

She grinned at him in the mirror, staring down at herself again. "It is a beautiful dress, isn't it my Tony?"

He hugged her from behind. "You'd look perfect wearing a t-shirt and jeans, 'tasha. Come on now, let's go get you married."

The music started up and they both stared at each other.

Natasha had tears in her eyes as she whispered, "I never expected to end up like this."

Tony frowned. "What do you mean?"

She smiled. "Happy, in love and part of…a family."

He held out his arm. "I'm damn glad that I joined this team, ain't you?"

Natasha laughed and put her arm through his. "Yes, my Tony. I've never been more thankful for anything in my entire life….except for maybe my James…and my…other Toni."

Tony laughed and they began to walk, the attendants on the sides of the tent lifting the doorway open so they could make their way through and outside. When they stepped out he took a breath and they began walking, though Tony stopped immediately when the altar came into view.

Natasha smiled, squeezing his arm. "I think someone else is in danger of falling over, my Tony. Come…let us both marry our loves."

Steve Rogers stood on the right side of the altar and James Barnes the left, both men in expensive tuxes though Steve's suit was the blue that Tony loved on the man while Bucky's was pitch black.

The double wedding had been Tony's idea, though initially Bucky had hated the idea Natasha talked him into it after several months of secret planning and the omission of the importance of the date.

It was March 3, 2014.

Tony's 42nd Birthday.

Steve had insisted on the date because Tony had proposed on his birthday so it was only fitting they be married on Tony's. Natasha hadn't yet told Bucky the significance of the date and was saving that for the honeymoon, which Tony was still contemplating putting listening devices on her just to hear the other man's reaction.

They got to the altar and parted, both taking their places at their prospective partner's sides.

Tony felt Steve take his hand and he again was struck by the man's appearance.

"God you look amazing," he whispered, his voice thick.

Steve was practically incandescent, his smile nearly melting Tony into the grass.

"So do you," he whispered, leaning in and kissing Tony's cheek.

The minister was talking and Tony couldn't take his eyes off of Steve, and when he heard someone clear their throat he stammered out, "I do!"

The audience behind them laughed and the minister smiled. "Yes, Tony we know you do but we were waiting for your vows."

He blushed. "Oh….um…," he pulled out his phone and came up with the file, beginning to read off of it without looking up, "Steve, I never expected to fall in love. I never wanted to and never needed to but…when we did, I knew there was nothing more important than this, than us," he looked up at Steve who was smiling with tears on his face, "And I promise to spend every single day devoting my life to making you as happy as you are right now because after everything there is no one who deserves it more. I love you," he took Steve's hand and kissed it, "I need you," he kissed it again, "I can't wait to start the rest of our lives together."

Steve swallowed, laughing nervously. "I can't…god, you've broken me here," he joked, making the audience behind them laugh, "Tony, when we met we weren't the best of friends but I always knew you would back me up when I needed you and that you would always be on my side in a fight. When we fell in love we had our ups and downs but I never not once stopped believing you would back me up, that you would protect me, even when I stopped believing in you, " he took Tony's hands to his chest, "The time we were apart I could barely breathe and when we were together again I was whole. I've never felt more alive than when we're together, when we're complete, and I have been in love before but never like this, never this right," he took Tony's hands to his lips kissing them, "I will never stop believing in you, Tony Stark. Never again. I will love you until the day I die and that will be a very long time from now. I've never wanted to be someone's husband more than I wanted to be yours and I will spend every morning after today thanking God that I am."

Tony grabbed him and they kissed before the minister could even finish, making the audience clap behind them.

The minister laughed, "Well then, I believe that Natasha and James have some vows of their own."

Natasha wiped her eyes, shaking her head. "I…I may need a moment."

James took her hands and smiled, "I'll go first."

He took a deep breath and let it out in a rush, "Natasha," he kissed her fingers, "Lapochka. The very first moment I laid eyes on you I fell in love with you, and you swept my legs out from under me and kicked my ass," the audience laughed, "I knew I would never stop loving you until the day I died. And then I did. I forgot us, I forgot everything and when it all came back the very first thing I spoke was your name," he looked up at her, "I will never love anyone until the day I die and will spend the rest of our lives making up for lost time every single second we're together as husband and wife. You're the love of my life, the mother of my daughter, and moĭ krasnyĭ tsvetok. Ya tebya lyublyu, darling."

Natasha nodded, tears covering her face as she tried to kiss him but he shook his head, smiling. "James, I…"

"Not yet."

The audience laughed and she sniffled. "I cannot…this is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be," she whispered before letting out her breath and squeezing his hands.

"James, my mother once told me that to love was to be weak. Since the second I fell in your arms I have never felt more strong, safe, and loved in my entire life. This is the second time I will have married and I so wish that it was the one and only because this is the only time I have married for love. I have spent a very long time dreaming of this, of us, standing here together declaring to everyone that we belong together and that no one will stand in our way ever again. I love you, my James, and never want to wake up next to anyone else for the rest of my life. I thank you for loving me, protecting me, and giving me strength even when we were so far apart. You are the light of my life, lapochka, in a never ending world of darkness and I love," she stopped mid-sentence when he kissed her.

The two couples continued to kiss and the audience applauded behind them, making the minister shrug his shoulders and declare, "I now pronounce you partners for life!"

Tony Stark twirled his husband around the dance floor, grinning from ear to ear. The reception had been going on for nearly an hour now in the main hall of the Ritz Carlton. The wedding was larger than both Steve and Bucky had wanted it to be but he was as determined to show Steve off to the world as Natasha was about Bucky.

He kissed Steve, making the other man moan against his tongue. When they pulled apart and he whispered, "Happy, Mister Rogers-Stark?" he felt Steve's smile against his mouth.

"As ever, Mister Rogers-Stark," Steve whispered, kissing him again.

They broke apart and pressed their foreheads together, looking over at Bucky and Natasha who were dancing not too far from them. "I'm so happy for them," Steve whispered, smiling.

Tony sighed. "Me too….but I can be a little happy for us, right?"

Steve smiled at him, pressing their lips together again. "Of course. It's our wedding, Tony. We're allowed to be a little selfish, even when we're sharing the day with someone else."

Tony grinned. "You promise you won't get mad then?"

Steve frowned. "At what?"

He lifted his head and turned to look at something to his left. "Um….well…dad sort of made a little call and…there's a helicopter waiting for us on the roof."

Steve stared at him, still frowning. "Tony, we can't leave. It's not…"

Tony sighed. "C'mon Steve, there's no reason for us to stay here and damnitt you said I can be selfish. You know how hot that is?"

Steve had to struggle not to smile but finally did, grinning. "You're going to corrupt me little by little every day aren't you?"

Tony grabbed his hand and kissed it. "I promise."

The two of them ran over to Bucky and Natasha, stopping them.

"We're taking off," Tony said quickly, grinning.

Bucky frowned. "The party's barely started, there are guests!"

Natasha smiled. "I take it the helicopter is your idea, my Tony?"

Bucky made an exasperated noise. "There's a helicopter? Jesus, Stark I thought for once you'd do the decent thing and," he grinned, grabbing Steve's arm, "Get the hell out of here. Both of ya. Have fun, brother."

Tony's mouth hung open and Steve just laughed, the two of them practically running out of the ballroom.

Natasha threw her arms around James's neck and kissed him thoroughly before pulling back and whispering, "I love you, lapochka. That was the best wedding present you could have ever given me."

He smiled, kissing her again. "Steve hates parties and I know he needs to run wild sometimes. They've been through so much shit I just want to see them happy, you know?"

Natasha smiled and kissed him again. "If only everyone was as happy as us, my James."

He grinned. "They can only hope," he kissed her cheek and whispered close to her ear, "Now what do I get as my wedding present if I just gave you that one?"

Natasha put her hand on his chest and pushed him off a bit, grinning and taking his hand. She put it on her belly. "A surprise guest."

He stared at her, his eyes wide. "Really?"

Natasha nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "It is only a few weeks but I…"

Bucky lifted her in his arms and kissed her soundly, twirling them around the room. When they pulled apart he pressed his lips to her forehead and whispered, "That was the best wedding gift I could have ever gotten. Toni's gonna have a brother or sister, and I can name this one after someone I don't despise."

She laughed and kissed him, whispering back, "You know you do not hate my Tony as much as you pretend to."

He sighed. "Don't tell him, okay? He'd never stop gloating if he knew."

She threw her arms around his neck and said, "I promise."

Nicholas Fury sat at a table drinking scotch while two of his best assets danced around the room, whispering in each other's ears and looking more in love than anyone he had ever seen.

He set down his glass and sighed. "I don't know what I'm gonna do now."

T'Challa grabbed his hand and squeezed. "Be happy, Nicholas. They are all happy and safe, and will be ready to take on the world again after their honeymoons. For now, just be happy."

He smiled at the man, taking his hand and kissing it discreetly before moving their hands under the table.

T'Challa smiled serenely before leaning over and whispering, "I know you do not like public displays of affection but…may I have this dance, ashiki?"

Nick looked across the table, glaring as Clint Barton was grinning at him.

He grabbed T'Challa and mumbled, "C'mon," leaving the table empty save for Clint and Bruce, along with Maria Hill and Sharon Carter who both looked very unhappy.

Clint kissed his boyfriend and whispered, "No dancing?"

Bruce turned and his eyes were nearly bright green as he whispered, "If I get you out there I will not be responsible for my actions."

Clint grinned and grabbed his leg under the table. "Promise?"

Thor and Luke woke together and smiled, staring at the bright light as it streamed across the room. The human kissed the god and whispered, "I don't know why you would ever want to leave here. I've been here a few months and I can't imagine being anywhere else. Give me one good reason why you needed to go to Earth."

Thor looked down at him and smiled. "To find you."

Luke blushed and kissed him softly, tasting forever.

Steve Rogers-Stark stared down at the man underneath him, face flushed and red, eyes wide and breath coming out in gasps. He pressed their mouths together in a groan as his thrusts became more frenzied and both men cried out as they came over the edge together.

He fell on top of Tony with a sigh, pulling out and rolling over just barely.

"Jesus, we're good at that," Tony said breathlessly, running his fingers through Steve's hair.

Steve nodded, kissing Tony's chest and running his hand over the arc in the middle of it.

"Tony?"

"Mmm?" Tony said sleepily.

"If we'd never gotten back together…" he started to say but Tony put a hand over his mouth and rolled them over.

"No, no, no Cap. Don't even go there," Tony said, shaking his head.

Steve moved his hand. "Let me finish."

"Steve it's our WEDDING NIGHT! Don't mess it up with what ifs and maybes! We're together, we're MARRIED and I don't wanna even imagine anything!" Tony yelled, moving to stand but Steve grabbed his arm.

"Can I talk?" he asked.

Tony wouldn't look in his eyes.

Steve smiled. "If we'd never gotten back together after that last time, if I'd gone off to the past and you stayed here in the future…what would you be doing right now?"

Tony still wouldn't look at him and didn't speak for several seconds. Steve sighed and said, "I just…"

"I'd probably be at the bottom of a bottle or dead, take your pick," Tony whispered, still not looking at him.

Steve swallowed. "Tony…"

Tony looked at him with tears in his eyes. "When I sent you away, Steve, a part of me died. I couldn't…I would have never let it live again if you never were here and that's the goddamn truth. Happy?"

Steve kissed him and Tony barely kissed him back, moving off of him and laying with his back to Steve.

"Do you want to know where I'd be?"

Tony was silent.

"I'd be spending every second of every day thinking of you. That's what I did before you got there and it's what I did for weeks after. I…god Tony I keep thinking of how close we got to…" he stopped, his vision blurring with tears.

Tony lifted his head and turned on his side and reached over, sighing as he brushed Steve's tears away. "But we didn't, Cap. We're here, we're together, hell we're fucking married. Nothing is ever gonna break us apart again."

Steve nodded and Tony kissed him, rolling Steve over onto his back. They explored each other's mouths slowly and tasted every inch before pulling back to breathe. "Fuck, what aren't we good at?" Tony asked, grinning.

"Letting go of the past?" Steve said with a smile.

"That's you, soldier. I for one am ready to move on with our lives and start to be happy for more than a few weeks before…" he stopped mid-sentence when a familiar noise interrupted him.

Tony sighed. "Jarvis, who's calling?"

"Director Fury, sir. Should I patch the call through?"

Tony looked down at Steve who smiled at him.

"Na. Tell him we're busy saving ourselves for once," Tony said, kissing Steve again.

FIN