Bucky took a deep breath, and smiled as he gently took the flower from Brooklyn who is being picked up by Steve, and Bucky walked around the filled grave, kneeling to plant the flower, roots and all, within the gravestone sign, and patted the dirt around it, and then got up, looking around at everyone who's standing around the grave, and bowed his head, intending to do his best.
"I didn't know Mole that much really, compared to some others in attendance. Some of you had fought with him multiple times before I did… others knew him from before even the occupation and the war. But I certainly know that I wouldn't be here today if not for him. He found me when everyone else would've thought me lost. He helped carry my broken body all the way back to friends and loved ones…", Bucky began.
Steve wrapped an arm around Peggy as he held Brookyln close to his chest, while Audrey squeezed Sweet's shoulder, with Harrison and Amanda close yet respectable, with Jones and Dugan pressing their hats to their hearts.
Bucky then exhaled, "Mole has given us hope, friendship, support, and love, in all his crazy, unforgettable, loud, well-meaning, and mischievous moods. He has faced fears for us, fought for his homeland, and he would never forget us as much as we would never forget him, for he's a great friend, and a darn good hero. Thank you, Mole, and we hope that the Lord and the Great Kings have given you permission to tunnel through the heavenly land in wherever you are, provided that you do not make too many pranks. Amen.", with a small smile.
"Amen.", the others repeated as there came another moment of silence. After that, Bucky walked away, back towards Audrey and Sweet before he looked at him. "What do you think?", Bucky asked him in regard to the eulogy.
Sweet glanced at him, smiling, "I wouldn't have done it any better, Bucky. I'm sure Mole heard all of that.", and Bucky nodded, looking relieved to hear that.
They soon left the cemetery, thanking the drivers later on after they got to a fine hotel, recommended by General Phillips as the owner knew him, and with rooms able to be thick-walled somewhat, and in different hallways as the hotel was popular yet well-trusted, everybody went to share stories about Mole in a room before going to have lunch in their rooms.
They went their own ways of relaxing like swimming, napping, and listening to the radios in the rooms for the afternoon, making their own plans for the night, and so, with Jones and Dugan heading off to the bar and play poker, Sweet babysitting little Brookyln as he got to know her all day, and thankfully, Brookyln seemed to love him as it was the first time she ever met him, and all three couples of Audrey and Bucky, Steve and Peggy, and Harrison and Amanda went to have their own style of a romantic night.
For the parents of Peggy, they went for a peaceful stroll to some of the famous landmarks and had dinner near the Tower of Lights, while Steve and Peggy went to have a dinner cruise and headed back to the hotel to make love more than once without interruption or having to obey Brookyln's schedule.
Peggy moaned in pleasure as Steve passionately pumped his hand into her vagina in foreplay between the second round and the third round, "Oh, yes...Steve...", wrapping her legs around his waist.
Steve smiled, "So beautiful and so perfect, Peggy...", and Peggy smiled, opening her half-lidded eyes, "Thank you, luv...Do you know what Bucky told you about his plans with Audrey? Audrey told me that she's in the dark, though she has planned to talk with him about something serious, if you know what I mean.".
Steve got a bit worried, hearing that. "Serious? Is there something bad?", Steve wanted to make sure to look out for his brother, no matter what.
Peggy shrugged, "It's not bad per sec, but it's serious...Audrey would swear that it would be blamed on the war...She wants to synchronize her now available window with me so my possible youngest child would grow up and play with her child, and she is determined to talk with Bucky about it, to convince him that he won't fail her...especially if the fall and the end conclusion did something to him even if he came out fine, with the story Mole told him about the shape he found Bucky in before he woke up.".
Steve listened before his eyes widened, "Wait, you...you aren't on the anti-pregnancy tea tonight?", as he climaxed in her for the past two rounds already, and preparing her for the third round, and Peggy smiled sheepishly, "Surprise...It's just that...today is your birthday, and I wanted to get as much as I could get from you, hence resting up and such all day to catch up on your wonderful stamina as it has been a long time...I'm sorry I didn't ask you and-".
"It's alright…", Steve told her. "It's just a bit surprising, that's all. I would've thought that maybe we'd be fine with just Brooke alone, or at least waiting until the war was over before we'd try again for another.".
Peggy smiled softly, "I know, but I wouldn't want Brooklyn to be alone, since I never imagined her being a only child, you know?", and Steve chuckled warmly, "Fair enough...Gods, on my birthday night, in Paris, the city of Lights...Now knowing that you are so ready to try again...it's turning me even more...", looking at her so deeply as he made his hand find all the sensitive spots in her vagina as he pumped again, and she gasped, moaning loudly, "Steve!".
Steve leaned down to hold her with his other arm, kissing her passionately, and after a long minute, they pulled back, panting, as he smiled, "And for Bucky's plans, he told me that he's taking her to the Luxembourg Gardens for a stroll and a cafe date for dinner, through by now, they're probably finishing up dinner, and heading back to the hotel...I hope Audrey gets through to him...Bucky told me that Audrey was really insisting that she loves him, arm or no arm...They're smart...They would figure something out in bed.", with a blush as he can't believe he's talking about his brother and future sister-in-law this way.
Peggy caressed his cheek, smiling, "I'm sure they will, and Bucky never would dare to ignore Audrey when she's really serious...Now, no more talking as I think you want to forget thinking as I want you, Steve...Please make me yours, my hubby captain... Fill me again, give me a baby again.", with a flirty, sultry purr.
"Well, if that's what you want, what sort of husband would I be to deny you that request?", Steve teased as he kissed her neck and gave her a quick tickle.
Peggy moaned in pleasure, smiling as they passionately, slowly went to have their third round of lovemaking, hoping, being already positive that she's already getting pregnant from who knows how much Steve gave her tonight, for conceiving on his birthday night makes it even more special.
Meanwhile, Audrey and Bucky are finishing up dinner by having dessert at a lovely, kind of upscale yet casual cafe, and Bucky still is wrapping his mind from seeing Audrey in a gorgeous dress. She was in casual clothes on their stroll in the Luxembourg Gardens, remarking occasionally on a passing French automobile or such, and then upon checking out a beautiful fountain, Audrey asked Bucky to wait in a line for refreshing lemonade while she went to use the bathroom at a store nearby...
Then she appeared like an angel, her hair almost sleek yet still a bit curly, wearing a dark blue dress, smiling nervously yet shy, and strangely enough, she didn't need almost no makeup, yet having a bit of eyelash liner, but not too much, just right, and wearing flats as Bucky knew Audrey absolutely hates high heels, and his heart raced at seeing her, shocked by the whole gesture she didn't have to do for him.
"Bucky, you okay? You look like you're staring off into space. Your ice cream is melting already.", Audrey's voice calls him. "Huh?", Bucky said as he shook his head. "Oh, sorry, didn't mean to make you worry there, was just thinking about things, that's all…".
Audrey smiled in understanding, "Good things, I hope?", and Bucky chuckled as he took spoonfuls of his ice cream between talking, "Yeah, good things. I guess I'm still reeling over the fact you truly went beyond your comfort zone to wear a dress. You are gorgeous as I'll say it again and again...".
Audrey blushed, smiling, doing the same with her ice cream, "Well, Paris is the city of love, and strangely enough, I don't feel awkward wearing a dress as I kept my share of the deal long ago, even if we didn't win the race...And I know blue is one of your favorite colors...I apologize again for having you wait a long while in that line to grab lemonade, and going into that store, but I...I didn't want to mess up our dinner date by coming here in casual clothes after walking through the gardens, especially when you've been shocking me with every turn tonight by paying for everything and being a gentleman in your plans which I've been in the dark about, so I figured I'd do my turn at shocking you...", mentally biting her lip, knowing that the serious talk needs to happen somewhere without eyes looking and such, sooner or later tonight, not any other night, definitely in their room, but she's willing to be patient if Bucky has any more surprises for her.
"Well, mission accomplished on that shock front.", Bucky chuckled as he glanced at his arm. "How does it feel? You got some of that phantom pain I've heard about?", Audrey asked.
"A bit. Still doesn't feel real at times that it's even gone. My brain still feels like it can move my fingers and such but… nothing happens.", Bucky replied.
Audrey nodded, "Don't worry, you will eventually get used to it on the trip back home.", referring to Atlantis for a moment there, and she then smiled, "But you won't have to worry about me complaining as you really clean up nice, arm or no arm...", as Bucky is wearing a dashing long-sleeved dark green shirt, a bomber jacket, with dark gray pants, and stylish shoes.
Yes, it was obvious with the missing part of the arm, but luckily, with the bomber jacket, most people didn't remark, maybe a glance here and there, not wanting a soldier glaring at them when he's out with a very lovely woman.
"Yeah, well, still feels all wrong, that I screwed up… I mean, the whole arm thing means I'm pretty much out of active duty… and it tears me apart inside that I can't be able to be out there to try and make a difference.", Bucky said.
Audrey finished the last few spoonfuls of her ice cream, and raised an eyebrow, looking at him, "You're lucky that we're in public right now, or I'd be ripping one again at you, but listen to me good, Bucky Barnes, you're not a screw up, and you're making a difference right now by being alive, and being with me as it should be.", touching the back of his hand as he pushed away the empty plate of his completed ice cream.
"Yeah…", Bucky glanced away. "But part of that guilt does revolve around you.". She raised an eyebrow before he put a hand up, "Let me quickly say it, at this point now, all the fighting for me was wanting to help end this war as soon as possible for you… for all of us. And now that I'm an invalid to frontline combat or any commando raids, I feel like I've lost that ability to do all that.".
Audrey was quiet before snapping her fingers, sharply looking at one of the waiters, and he recognized the signs of an incoming temper, and quickly got the bill, coming over to their table, and Bucky can feel the aura coming off his girlfriend, which is kind of hot, swiftly grabbing a few wads of dollars as he signed the bill and paid it off, following her as they left, making the waiter so relieved as the cafe didn't need a scene.
As they were out of range soon enough from the cafe, Audrey looked at Bucky sharply, poking him in the chest hard, pinning him soon against a tree, near a lantern post's light as she shouted, "I ain't leaving you, James Buchmann Barnes, as I damn, fucking love you! You think you can't do anything, but you can, if you can find an angle around it! You feel that you're guilty because you think you can't help me? What about me? I'm guilty too! If I didn't obey Phillips, not dropping you off at that airport, talking you out from going, you couldn't have gone on that damn to hell mission, putting Sweet in danger temporarily, falling from the train, nearly losing your life twice, from that fucking fall, and that ambush, and Mole would have been alive, and you wouldn't have been right now pitying yourself, not having an arm, when you should be grateful that you are alive!", tears flying, her eyelash liner running.
"I was in hell all that week, I nearly wanted to die! I regretted taking that tea that night, but I kept thinking of that wonderful, blissful, amazing night, and I dreamed so much about being a family with you, having a baby in my arms, a kid running from you as you chased them, laughing, that every morning I woke up, for a single moment, just a moment, that I thought it was real...Then I remembered... my heart broke a bit more. I thought I was dreaming when I heard the report with Sweet at the radio, hearing that the patient was you...I cared for seeing your face, to taste your lips against mine, to hear your voice, to feel your heart...Alive without an arm, I'd take it over anything...including losing you, lunkhead...", Audrey whispered, panting, as her temper ran out on her, wrapping her arms around his waist, burying her face into his shirt, tears soaking the fabric while more tears prickled at her eyes.
"I'm sorry.", Bucky said. "I didn't mean to upset you like that, I was more blaming myself.", he told her. "I know that losing an arm wasn't going to cost our relationship; I just- I already said it. Probably putting the whole war effort on my shoulders alone with that line of thinking.".
Audrey replied softly, "You...you aren't the only guy in the whole world, Bucky...If there wasn't a damn war, every guy would literally take up trains, boats, and planes to return home to their families, and they weren't putting the whole war effort on their shoulders alone either, hell, they are here, because their leaders are wanting war to stop, like President Roosevelt...".
Bucky exhaled, wrapping his good arm around her, kissing the top of her hair, "I know...You're right...You're always right.", and Audrey gave a small chuckle, looking up at him, "And don't you forget it...", with a smirk as he caressed her back, moving his hand to gently wipe her tears.
"I love you, Audrey Rocio Ramirez.", Bucky smiled, leaning his head down, and they met in a tender, loving kiss before they pulled back, and he gave his charming smirk, "You know, I would never think that a Latino woman like you would even be more beautiful, turning me on when you get that fire in your eyes, ripping me one...".
Audrey blushed, seeing the desire in his eyes, and she whispered, "Bucky...", feeling that familiar heat in her body simmering, and she took a deep breath, "Any more surprises for me, Bucky? I...we need to talk privately...It's nothing bad, I promise, but it's serious...".
Bucky felt a bit concerned hearing that, "Well, not really, at least in terms of surprises.". Audrey nodded, saying, "Good, like I said, nothing bad, but it's something we need to discuss.".
Bucky nodded, "Okay.", and Audrey smiled, letting go of him, and squeezed his hand, as they went to find a taxi, and then headed back to the hotel.
Several minutes later, after they got to their room, Bucky sat on one of the beds, as he told the desk manager that they are engaged, but in the chaos of a battle, the engagement ring got lost, and the desk manager obliged to do a two-bed arrangement for the room out of tradition.
Bucky looked at Audrey after she locked the door, and asked her, "What's up?", and Audrey took a deep breath, looking at him as she came closer, "I won't beat around the bush...Did you get checked thoroughly down there by Sweet while I had to be kicked out to obey that rule of modesty in the hospital tent?".