It was a beautiful morning. Bucky was awake, looking at the sunlight streaming in through the windows. He smiles. It was going to be a good day.
He gets up from his bed, groaning, as his body protested against the movements. Old age had claimed him slowly but surely, and with it, came the rest of the aches and ailments. Despite all that, it felt great to be alive. He walks to the bay windows, to look out into the garden and the bayou beyond it. Everything was old, but lovingly taken care of. Bucky and Sam had done their best with their home, and it showed with the riot of colours that had come alive around their cottage.
His eyes lingers on the shady spot just under two elms, not too far from the water. Sam and Bucky's wedding took place there, a long, long time ago. Their wedding was supposed to be a small one, but, how small could a wedding be with colourful aliens and androids, mutants, talking raccoons, a walking tree, a Norse god and about an eighth of the Wakandan population?
The celebrations lasted for three days, but Bucky would easily swear every day of his life married to Sam Wilson has always been a celebration.
Barring the time, of course, when alien lasers managed to penetrate Sam's Captain America suit and recovery was nine days of induced medical coma, as Shuri and her best minds worked to save Sam. Sam finally woke up, the wound on his side, just below his ribs, finally closed. Bucky and Sam had a long talk and Captain America retired. Sam and Bucky agreed to let Fury have the shield and do what he must with it. Fury announced that Sam will be running things now and disappeared, probably into space. Sam only reluctantly agreed and ran the Avengers for three years. On the first week of his retirement, he watched with horror on a live relay as Bucky, leading a team to take down semi-mutant vampires, fell from a twelve storey building, holding his breath until Bucky finally got up. Bucky's recovery had been longer than it usually took. Shuri had called Sam before Sam could call Bucky, informing Sam that Sergeant Barnes' super – soldier serum was wearing off. Not immediately, but the serum had run its course.
Bucky had cried when Sam told what Shuri had told him. They had been at their cottage, standing in the threshold into the living area.
"Baby, it will be alright," Sam had said, pulling Bucky into his embrace.
"Babe, it is going to be glorious," Bucky had told him, laughing through his tears, hugging Sam as tightly as he could. "I am finally getting to be who I have always wanted."
"A grumpy ol' fool?" Sam had asked, pulling away to look at his husband, unable to control his own laughter.
"Yes! And I will be my grumpiest possible self!" Bucky had whooped, lifting Sam off his feet. And had thrown his back out, for a couple of hours. But those aches and pains began to linger longer and one day Sam noticed the grey in his hair. Bucky had laughed, touching Sam's curls, which were more silver than black. He doesn't tell Sam though about how Sam's hands shook when he reached for his own.
Sam didn't wake up a month to the day after their twenty-seventh anniversary. Bucky woke up with Sam's hand in his vibranium one, his head on Bucky's shoulder. His heart had given out somewhere just before dawn. Bucky had kissed the love of his life, his tears falling on Sam's still unblemished face.
That had been three years ago. Bucky misses Sam each day, the ache in his heart a reminder of their love and bond, for which, Bucky had always been grateful for. And life happened to him and around him.
The vibranium arm became too heavy for Bucky as the serum wore off and Queen Shuri designed him a lightweight one. Bucky wore it for a while, but lately, he leaves the arm in the beautiful carved box it had come in.
Bucky became Pops (Sam's designation was Grandpa) when AJ and his wife welcomed twins. The young family, along with Sarah, usually spent their weekends at the cottage. Cas was a pilot with the Air Force and had introduced his partner to Bucky on video call. Bucky was proud of them all, happy to have been a part of their lives as much as they had given meaning to his.
Every day is still a celebration, Sam, he whispers to the breeze that lifts his hair.
Bucky finishes breakfast, taking his coffee out to the porch to wait for AJ and Sarah. He settles on his chair (built by Sam and him, as was the porch). The cottage was at the edge of Sarah's property and from where he sat, he could see the trees where Sam and he had taken turns to throw the shield the first time. The same place where they had kissed for the first time when returning from New York from the beginnings of their journey as Captain America and Winter Soldier ("Claim the name, Bucky. You are no longer a weapon wielded by HYDRA. Let any idiots who cross your path know what you can do on the side of good"). He could almost see them, in their prime, throwing the shield, talking, Sam just being a gift.
Bucky's eyes grows heavy. He could see Sarah walking out of her house, hauling a huge picnic basket. Bucky puts his cup of coffee on the table beside him.
The trees before him begins to fade, replaced with his favourite dream. The field of flowers outside Munich. Bucky opens his eyes to blue sky.
"Took you long enough."
Sam's voice was clear, without any of the dream induced haze.
Bucky became aware he was lying on the field. He could feel the ground beneath him, the smell of the flowers, the rustle of his tact suit as he gets up to a sitting position.
Sam was beside him. Waiting. Smiling.
"Hi, baby," he finally speaks when Bucky looks at him.
Happiness and love surges through as he reaches out to touch Sam. It was one of the good dreams, he thinks to himself, as he was completely himself. James Buchanan Barnes. All human and flesh and not a trace of metal.
"It's the best dream, Bucky," Sam says leaning into Bucky's touch. "And it's ours."
Bucky kisses Sam. His partner, his co-worker, his friend with a mutual friend, his husband. Most of all, his gift.
"Do you think he was in any pain?"
Sarah and AJ stood on the porch of the cottage, looking at Bucky. AJ had his arm around his mother, who was wiping tears from her eyes. Sarah looked at the man her brother had loved more than life itself. Bucky looked at peace.
"Not anymore, baby."