* Kindergarten *
Five years had passed since the ratification of the Romanoff-Stark Accords, delay of the Patch Act, and the birth of Steven Samuel Barnes.
Within those five years, the Barnes household had continued to grow. Steven grew to be a bright, young boy, receiving the promotion of big brother twice. The first had been at just a year old when his little sister, Sarah Natalia Barnes, had been born. Sarah had been named in honor of both her grandmother and the woman who had been the namesake for the Romanoff-Stark Accords.
The second time Steven had become an older brother was when his little brother Timothy John Barnes was born. Timothy, or TJ as his family called him, was named for Timothy Dugan, a close family friend, and John, a soldier that had been a friend of his father's during World War II.
Life for the Barnes family had, for the most part, been a happy one. Allison Barnes and her husband James 'Bucky' Barnes had loved the way that their family grew. Despite loving their apartment in Brooklyn and loving Brooklyn itself, they had come to a decision to find a home outside of the city. They moved to a beautiful house in a smaller town, just around an hour and a half from the city.
Allie had continued to act as the liaison for the Avengers and the government, only being recruited for missions with the government a handful of times. Outside of those few missions and her typical daily conferences, Allie had been more than happy to stay at home. She found that she enjoyed the time she had with her children.
Bucky had been happy and relieved to be there for Allie when Sarah and TJ had been born. After watching what had happened, feeling the ache of knowing the stress his wife had been under the night of the GRC attack, he had done everything within his power to make her life easier. A large part of that was aiding her in her work for the Avengers.
A dream from their younger years seemed heavenly and sweet as they thrived each day. As Bucky had expected, Allie was a natural when it came to being a mother. Everything she could have dreamt to be, she was. And Allie was certain she couldn't fall more in love with her husband but watching him grow and take to his paternal role naturally, she found that she did.
In addition to their young family, despite the teasing from one of their best friends who insisted they couldn't be called a young family when in their one hundred tens, the Barnes were constantly surrounded by their extended family and friends. There were aunts and uncles galore for Steven, Sarah, and TJ, something that Allie always remained grateful for.
Steve Rogers, Allie's older brother, had been a constant for the family. A few times after work, and every Friday night, he would find time to make the drive out to see his niece and nephews. From time-to-time he would take them back to Brooklyn and watch them for a weekend, something his sister and brother-in-law found to be incredibly helpful. It was often impossible to find time for themselves.
After Sam Wilson, a close friend of the family, had made good on his promise to Sharon Carter and helped her to receive a pardon of her own, he had paired with Allie and Bucky to slowly bring her back to Steve. Allie had been the first of the Rogers siblings to spend time with Sharon, often inviting her to go out to have meals or go out to do some form of activity. The two had become close, something that Bucky wasn't entirely certain if he was annoyed by or grateful for. After all, he had remembered Sharon's grouchy nature when he had first seen her five years prior.
After Steve had seen her for the first time since their goodbye in Germany, he had found himself smitten all over again. They had started out by being friends, but slowly, over the course of a year, they fell in love. Allie was over the moon to see her brother finally having time to enjoy himself. She had made the comment more than once to Bucky that she was certain that Steve had fallen harder for Sharon than he had for Peggy.
Steve and Sharon had dated for a couple of years, often joining in family trips and vacations, holidays, and weekends with Allie and Bucky. His sister could never stop gushing over how she was happy to have a growing family. She and Steve had never experienced the memories that they were giving her children. Their mother had been resilient, but it was difficult being single and raising two children in the 1920s and 1930s. She was thrilled when Steve had proposed to Sharon, more than excited to have another sister.
As for Bucky's family, they had remained quite close to Thomas and Ruth, Bucky's younger, but still quite elderly, brother and sister. They had partaken in Sunday dinner at the Barnes family home in Brooklyn, watching as his children ran around the very same house that he grew up in. Their great-niece, Grace, had lived in the home as a caretaker for Thomas who had inherited the property when George and Winnifred Barnes had passed on.
Bucky knew that he would forever be grateful to his wife for finding them, and he was grateful for the extra time he had with his little brother and littlest sister. But it broke his heart when that time came to an end. Ruth had passed just after Sarah had been born with Thomas passing the following year.
Time had passed on and the family had continued to grow. The life that Allie and Bucky had dreamt of and been determined to see come true had done just that. It may not have looked entirely the same as they had planned so long ago, but it was still theirs and it was still beautiful.
On one particularly sunny Tuesday morning, just at the beginning of September, it was finally time for the oldest Barnes child to start kindergarten. He hadn't stopped chattering about his excitement since his fifth birthday a few weeks prior. Sarah, who was about to turn four just a few weeks later, had demanded to know why Steven was allowed to go to school but she wasn't. Being reminded that she was younger than him didn't seem like a very satisfying answer, but she finally relented after her parents reminded her that she would still get to play all day.
Allie had had a difficult time accepting that she had a child old enough to go to school. There were tears after she and her husband had settled into bed for the evening, especially after Bucky reminded her that there would be two more children they would have to send to school. She had told him, with a very pointed look, that she understood that, but it wasn't any easier to watch their children grow so fast. He only reminded her that she still had plenty of time for Sarah and TJ to be hanging from her legs as she made the attempt to work and cook.
The Barnes family had formed a tradition of playing vinyl records every morning. On a given day, they would play big band music from the 1940s, or they would play either Elton John or ABBA who happened to be two of Allie's favorites. They would celebrate birthdays and special occasions by allowing the person of honor to pick the music. Steven had chosen his favorite song, James Brown's "I Got You".
Bucky had taken to starting the record player and putting the vinyl on the turntable as Allie fixed up Steven's favorite breakfast. The smell of pancakes and bacon filled the kitchen and dining room, slowly spreading through the air as it reached the living room and stairs. TJ had been sat on Allie's hip as she cooked, Sarah sleepily walking downstairs in her pajamas. The sounds of footsteps could be heard running around upstairs before the shouting of a little boy echoed down the staircase.
Steven came bounding down the stairs and singing along to the song. He danced around the living room, where his dad watched in amusement. With open and spacious layout of the home, Allie could see her son from where she began to plate everyone's breakfast. She placed her younger son in his booster seat where nearly fell asleep sitting there. Sarah only giggled as she noticed her older brother.
Dancing had remained special and constant for Bucky and Allie. Their children had taken to dancing with their mom and dad, Steven often preferring to dance with his mom and Sarah preferring to dance with her dad when she decided to dance at all. It was sweet and fun, something that reminded Allie and Bucky of when times were simpler for them. It had always provided them an escape, though now it had also become an amusing view for their children, particularly when they would swing dance in the living room.
Allie danced with Steven for a moment, listening to his laughter that bubbled and was utterly contagious. Bucky had helped her plate the food for the children, setting the plates on the dining room table as he did so. It was light and bright in their household, and as Steven caught his breath and hopped over to his spot at the table, his mother could only grin at him.
"You'd better eat your pancakes before the bus gets here," she reminded him with a smile, watching his quick nod as he shoveled the food in his mouth. She gave him a pointed look as she shook her head. "Not like that!"
"Sowvy," his voice was muffled through the half-chewed pancakes.
Allie pursed her lips. "Don't talk with your mouth full either," she glanced over at Bucky who gave her an amused smirk. "Don't you talk with yours full either."
"You had medical training, it's fine," Bucky teased as he ate his own breakfast.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I was a nurse a very long time ago," she agreed. "But that doesn't mean I want to start the day by having to stop my son from choking. Now, eat your breakfast."
She ignored Bucky's continued smirk as she turned to check on their youngest son. Music continued to fill the house as the family sat together. Steven continued to chatter about his excitement, practically bouncing up and down in his seat as he spoke. Allie hid her amusement as she watched him finish his plate, dismissing herself to help him finish readying for the day.
Before they knew it, the bus had arrived and Steven was bounding down the porch's steps. His backpack bounced against his back as he ran up to the door, not looking back once as he disappeared inside. Allie stood with her head against Bucky's shoulder, a small smile curling her lips she watched the bus drive away.
"You know," she sighed as they went back inside the house. "I really don't know what I'll do with only two kids in the house."
"Really?" Bucky held back a small laugh. "Weren't you the one who had to chase TJ around the house the other day? Remember? He'd found his way out of his diaper and didn't want to be put back in one?"
She only glared at him. "Yes, I remember that because you thought it was funnier to watch than help."
"No, I laughed after you caught him," Bucky corrected her. "And I was good. I didn't laugh where he could see me."
Allie only rolled her eyes at him, though he still caught the amused smirk on her lips. She had taken to cleaning the kitchen and dining room table, listening as Bucky put a new vinyl on the record player. Glancing into the living room, she could hear the laughter of her daughter and son. They were playing and building with blocks, shouting out "Mommy! Daddy!" whenever they had built a tall tower.
That morning, there was a peace in the Barnes household.
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"Mom!" Steven's voice rang out happily in the late summer air. He was running to the porch, filled with excitement as he bounded up the steps to the front porch.
Allie had barely opened the front door as her son barreled through, almost tripping her backwards at her knees. A small laugh bubbled form her as she held onto her son. Bucky, hearing the excitement in his son's voice, turned to look over his shoulder. He'd been sat on the couch with a sketchpad in his lap. Allie hadn't been paying attention as he drew her with a napping TJ in her lap. They had taken to watching a movie that afternoon.
"You'd think I didn't exist," Bucky grumbled under his breath, though he was grinning the entire time.
Steven's eyes settled on his dad, and before either parent knew it, their son had launched himself onto the couch, crawling over the top of it. He clumsily clawed at the fabric as he toppled over it, his backpack flinging over his head as he blinked in amusement.
Bucky's brow rose as he lifted the backpack enough to see his son's face. Steven continued to grin as he looked to him. Allie only sighed, noticing the dirt on the couch she was now going to have to clean.
"I love school!" Steven exclaimed as Allie took his shoes off of his feet and put them aside. At the look she had given him, his smile dropped. "Sorry."
"Well, tell us about it," Allie sighed as she made her way around settling down on the comfortable couch cushions. Steven shrugged off the arms of his backpack, tossing it to the ground as he curled up against his mom. "What did you do today?"
Steven looked at them both in a very matter-of-fact manner. "Well, I got to color and play, and I did everything at lunch like I practiced."
"Ah," Bucky nodded with a small grin. "Is that so?"
"Yup!" their son looked between the two. He looked rather proud of himself as he reached for his backpack and unzipped it, pulling out two pieces of paper he had crammed into it. They were crinkled and nearly torn at the corners, but he was proud, nonetheless. He handed one to each of them. "See?"
Looking at the paper in her hands, Allie grinned at her husband and looked back to her son. "This is great! Look at that. You know, you might even be able to color better than Daddy before we know it."
She noticed the small grin on Bucky's lips, taking the paper he held and rising from her seat. She made her way into the kitchen, taking magnets from the fridge and hanging the artwork to be on full display. She took to making a quick afternoon snack for Steven as he bounded over to the dining room table.
"Steven!" Sarah's voice sounded as soon as she had heard her brother. She appeared in the room, looking at what her mother was making. "Ooo!"
Allie watched as her children sat together, putting the small plates in front of them. "Did you make any new friends today?" she looked to the little boy with widened eyes who nodded his head quickly.
"Yep! I sit next to Emmeline. She's nice," he smiled and ate a bit of food. "But Uncle Peter is still my best friend."
Bucky narrowed his eyes at Steven. "Is that because he made you a trampoline with his webbing?"
"He took me to swing from the trees too!" Steven's eyes had lit up as he ratted out Peter in his confession. Allie's eyes widened as she looked to Bucky.
"God help us if he has kids of his own," Bucky muttered to her.
Allie pursed her lips after a moment. "Well, I make fire and ice. Swinging from the trees like Tarzan aside, I think mine might still be scarier."
"Scarier?" Bucky laughed aloud. "I'm pretty sure our daughter is convinced that you're Elsa."
"You know, Tony called me that once," she walked past him. "Granted, he was insulting me at the time, but still. And besides, when it comes to Peter's possible kids, we'd be their aunt and uncle."
Bucky followed her, keeping his eyes on the children. "Speaking of uncles, is Steve coming for dinner tonight?"
"Yes," she nodded. "And he's bringing Sharon with him. They wanted to talk to us about the wedding."
Bucky nodded, turning to go and wake their toddler who had still been asleep upstairs. Allie stayed with the older two, watching as they chattered and grinned, eating their snacks happily. After a conversation between the two children where Sarah asked what a wedding was and Allie explained it, Steven looked at his mother skeptically.
"Was I at your wedding?" he scrunched his nose in thought. When his mother told him no, he almost looked offended. "Why not?"
"You weren't born yet," Allie informed him with a small grin. "None of you were." He frowned, his jaw dropping in an overexaggerated manner. Allie scrunched her nose at the sight of half-chewed food. "Chew with your mouth closed."
"Yesh ma'am," he nodded, but mumbled under his breath: "That's not fair."
Allie grinned, walking over to him, brushing his hair out of his face, and placing a kiss on the top of his forehead. "Life's not fair," she teased. Playing with his hair for a moment, she frowned. "You three are going to need haircuts soon."
"No!" Steven looked up at her. "I don't want one. I want to look like Daddy in the pictures."
"Pictures? What pictures?" her brow furrowed as she looked at him.
He pointed to the living room. "You're in the white dress. But your hair was brown."
"Oh," she nodded and smiled. He had meant her wedding pictures. "Yeah, well, if your dad couldn't figure out how to take care of his long hair, I don't think you'll be having it either."
Steven looked between his mother and sister. "But you two have long hair!"
"I've had long hair since I was little," his mother only gave him a smile. "But maybe once you're a little older and taking care of your own hair."
"Awww," he complained, but didn't argue any further. Instead, he looked at a picture that hung on a nearby wall. It was of the Commandos and Allie's nursing friends from 1943. "I want to look like Daddy in that."
Allie turned to look at the picture. There she stood beside Bucky and Mary, one of her best friends on the basecamp she had been a nurse at in World War II. In the picture, she didn't have the beautiful locket that laid around her neck. She hadn't been dating Bucky at the time the picture had been taken either. The picture itself had been a gift from Dugan's family recently, something they had found and wanted to return to their patriarch's friends.
Smiling softly, she told her son that they could see about it later. Seeing the empty plates, she shooed them out to the backyard to play, watching as her children chased after one another. Bucky soon joined, their youngest waking up quickly as he noticed his brother and sister playing without him. He was adamant to be let down, toddling after them.
Standing at the sliding glass door, Allie glanced up to Bucky. Her smile was warm as she looked out at the three. "You know," she started, her voice as soft as her gaze. "Looking at that picture from before we all left on the road, I still find it hard to believe that that was ever me. Everything I've seen and done since then, I don't know if she would ever believe it."
"But it led to this," Bucky nodded to their children. He looked over at her. "You told me the night we got married, I mean the first time when we eloped, that maybe the way things happened were how they were supposed to happen. Remember? When we were teasing one another about Brooklyn and what we would have said if someone told us what was going to happen?"
She took a small breath through her nose and nodded. "I remember," she looked up at him. "I also remember teasing you in high school about if you'd ever get married."
"Yeah," his smile was soft. "I'm glad it's you. If I had to go through the hell I went through, I'm glad that it was to get here."
Allie studied him for a moment before letting her smile tug at her lips once more. She leaned her head against his shoulder, turning her attention back out to the backyard. And in that late summer heat, she felt content.
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With her brother and his fiancée on their way to the Barnes home, Allie had taken to the kitchen to cook one of their favorite meals. Bucky, knowing better than to try and interrupt Allie's cooking, kept the kids with him in the living room. While they played with toys on the floor, he changed through channels on the television.
Around their living room were photographs taking by Peter Parker. Even after five years, Peter had constantly found excuses to travel out to see Bucky and Allie. There were times when his aunt, May Parker, would tease her close friends that they had practically become a father and mother to him.
There were just many photos taken by Peter that had been framed and hung as there were paintings and framed sketches that Bucky had around his and Allie's bedroom. The home was full of life and full of the faces that they loved. One particular photo in the living room was of Allie and her Sokovian best friend.
Wanda Maximoff, one of Allie's closest friends, had been held responsible for her actions in Westview, New Jersey. There was a small trial, though it was conducted by a committee put in place by the Romanoff-Stark Accords. Allie was pleased when the legislation she had worked tirelessly on helped to give her friend a fair chance. With Allie and Bucky personally holding themselves responsible for the decisions Wanda would make, the committee had agreed to grant her a pardon if she could fulfill a two-year agreement.
If Wanda could live peaceably for two years, without provoking the public or abusing her powers, she would be granted her pardon. Wanda had been grateful for Allie's presence, though she felt guilty as a condition of the terms was that she would be within Allie and Bucky's custody for the duration of the two years.
She had apologized on a number of occasions to the two, and it did take Bucky time to forgive Wanda for the pain Allie had gone through when she found out about Westview. Allie had insisted that there was no need to apologize. She was righting her wrongs and proving that she really could control herself. Wanda found that her way of thanking the two was often by babysitting and helping Allie around the house.
Wanda did eventually earn her pardon, though Bucky had unintentionally developed a habit of checking the different news outlets to see if anything bad had happened. Though, he wasn't certain if he was looking for Wanda's name to appear or for another group to appear.
As he changed the channel and found the news, he found himself pausing. Instead of feeling a bit of relief and feeling a bit silly that he had even looked at it, he felt a sense of dread. Swallowing harshly, he didn't look away from the television.
"Allison!" he called out to her.
She only glanced over in his direction. "What is it?" she called back, not turning away from the food.
"Allison, get in here!" his voice was firm, almost harsh. It wasn't how he spoke to her.
Her confusion grew and as she took the food off of its heat and wiped her hands on a kitchen rag. Making her way into the living room, horror filled her at the images she saw on the television. There was an overseas government building that was enveloped in flames, another building beside it encased entirely in ice.
"A building catching fire, that's one thing," she pursed her lips at the moving text on the screen. "The ice is what confuses me. How can a building be covered in ice when it's not a snowstorm?"
Bucky nodded to her hands, and she felt the sick weight of dread settle in the pit of her stomach. She shook her head, telling the children to go to the restroom to wash their hands before dinner. Once they were gone, she looked to her husband frantically.
"I'm the only one that control fire and ice," her voice broke. "Are they assuming that it's me?"
"They mentioned The Spark," he frowned at her. "You may not like that people called you that, but that's what they're saying."
She shook her head. "Except that I'm here in New York. I'm not overseas."
Bucky let out a breath. "Well, someone there did this."
She turned away from the television, focusing on her husband instead. She could only shake her head as she felt the burning sting of tears in her life. She knew better than to think that whatever it was that took place on the screen would disappear. She dreaded to know what was really going on.
"Then I'd say that I have a problem on my hands."