Chapter 29
“Thanks for the hat, Killian,” Adelaide said with a smile, pulling it on over her hair. “I love it.”
“Sure thing, Addie. Thought you’d like it.” Adelaide looked over to the picnic table where Lilly, Tony, and Bruce were avidly talking about a new machine they were working on. Vincent was playing tether ball with Steve, Bucky, Sam, Natasha, and Pietro nearby, while everyone else was gathered near Clint at the grill, waiting for food. Was there a particular reason for this gathering? No, not really. Everything had been rather quite lately, so they took a day out to the park with Adelaide’s friends.
Speaking of friends, Adelaide and Vincent had been dating again for two months, and they had been getting along even better than before. He’d actually been kind of distant lately, and Adelaide was a little bit concerned, but she knew if it was really important he’d talk to her. That was the main difference this time around. They talked about literally everything. They were best friends first, after all. Everyone in her family had accepted him back with open arms, even though she’d caught Vincent and Cooper leaving a room, and Vincent was looking just a little bit pale as he left. Cooper had merely given her a smirk and a wink so like his father’s that she’d immediately apologized to Vincent on behalf of her cousin. Whatever it was he’d said, it’d done a number on him for about two days, and then he and Cooper where the best of friends. Cooper had actually moved to Manhattan two weeks ago. He wouldn’t tell Addie why; he just had. She suspected that someone had roped him into something to do with the Avengers or the good part of SHIELD that was rebuilding or something like that, but of course, no one would tell her. Killian had finally gotten up the nerve to ask Lilly out, and they’d been going out for officially a month now. If anything had actually changed between them, Killian was mellower than before, which led Addie and Rachel to theorize that he’d only acted the way he did to get Lilly’s attention.
Speaking of people named Lily, her cousin had graduated high school and was going to college at Oxford in England. Everyone was very proud of her, because she’d wanted to go there since Adelaide could remember and worked very hard to do so. Nathaniel had just gone into middle school and was doing well, and Adelaide had actually decided (to the surprise of her family) to get a degree, which she’d forgone for the past several years simply because she felt like she didn’t need it. However, she knew that she wouldn’t become an Avenger like the rest of her family was, even if she did have powers. For one thing, she didn’t like fighting, like, at all. She never had, despite what Hydra and the Avengers had taught her her whole life. If she did go on any missions, ever (which she hadn’t outside of her months in Hydra) it’d be only in dire circumstances. For another thing, her family wouldn’t let her, even if she did want to. She didn’t mind. She decided that she’d become a doctor so she could help them when they got hurt on missions. She’d stay at the Tower or go with them on planes to aid injuries (she was looking at her father and Uncle Clint for her reasoning. Those two got hurt more often than any of the other Avengers, which was terrible, because they were the only two with children) after missions.
Oh, she hadn’t mentioned that, had she? Bucky started going on missions with the Avengers soon after she got back from Hydra. He told Adelaide that it was to make up for all of the bad things he’d done as the Winter Soldier. He knew it wasn’t his fault, but he did want to prove to the rest of the world that he wasn’t that person anymore. Adelaide had sent him off on his first mission with her blessing (because he wasn’t going anywhere without that), and he’d come home with only a few nicks and scrapes for his troubles. Life was going great for Adelaide Barnes, and she was content for the first time in a long, long time.
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“Vincent, where are you taking me? You know I can barely walk in these things. Especially on cobblestone.”
“Trust me, Addie.”
“I do, or I wouldn’t have put up with you for the past two years. But even I have my limits.”
“Just a little further, I promise.”
“Vincent Barkley, I swear to Thor—”
“Adelaide Barnes, do you want me to pick you up and carry you?”
“Will you tell me where we’re going?”
“No. And if I carry you, you’ll have to close your eyes.”
“Deal. My feet hurt.” Vincent swung her up into his arms and set off. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited. “How much farther?”
“Not too much. You’re particularly annoying tonight. Who have you been spending your time with?”
“No one of importance.”
“So, Tony then?”
“Oh, you better be glad he didn’t hear that. Your bank account would be empty faster than you could apologize.”
“Which is why I told you and not him.”
“Are we there yet?”
“Yes, but keep your eyes closed.” He set her down, and she obeyed. “Okay, take my hand, and you have to trust me.”
“You know I do, Vince. I’m beginning to think you’re apologizing in advance for something you’ve done.”
“No, nothing like that, I promise. Just a surprise—well, I hope it’s a surprise.”
“I promise, I have no idea what the heck it is that you’re doing.”
“Good. Now, I’m going to let go, but you have to keep your eyes shut.”
“Vincent,” she said with a nervous lilt in her voice.
“You said you trust me, Addie. Don’t worry.” She took a deep breath and nodded. “Good. I’ll let you know when you can open your eyes.” There were faint sounds of movement and wind blowing through trees, as well as splashing water, for several minutes until finally, Vincent called out to her. “Okay, Addie. Open your eyes.” She did so, and gasped, her mouth dropping open. Lights hung from the trees around them, and she saw her family there. All of them.
“Vince—”
“I know,” he said, smiling widely at her. “I’m shocked they all got here on time too.”
“Vincent, what is this?”
“You have to promise to let me finish, okay?” She nodded slowly, looking over at her dad, who smiled at her encouragingly.
“Okay. I promise.” Vincent took a deep breath and stepped in front of her, only an arm’s length away.
“Room for an assassin, remember?” he said with a grin. She giggled a bit and nodded. That had been a rule her dad had implemented on their third date when they went to a dance club. His exact words were,
“You two better leave room for a Russian assassin, or I’m going to have to make room.” They joked about that saying ever since whenever they stood in front of each other. Adelaide’s nervously-beating heart calmed a bit at the inside joke.
“Addie, you’ve been my best friend since I met you. We just clicked when you walked into my uncle’s store. You know everything about me, and yet you still talk to me, even with all of my flaws and mistakes, which is more than I could ever ask for. We’ve been through a lot together, you and me, and I’m terrible at long speeches, so I’m going to make this short.” Adelaide gasped as she watched him get down on one knee. Her hands flew to her mouth, and she stifled a squeal. “Adelaide Barnes, with the blessing of your terrifying father and the rest of your family, would you please give me the honor of becoming my wife?” Adelaide looked up to her father, who was beaming at her. This wasn’t a joke. He’d really said yes to Vincent asking for her hand. She looked back to Vincent, who was holding up a gorgeous ring to her, and she nodded quickly.
“Yes! Yes, a thousand times yes!” she exclaimed, beaming down at him. Vincent grinned and slid the ring onto her finger before standing up and hugging her, spinning around several times. When he finally let go, Adelaide looked over at her family, grinning with teary eyes. Her father came over to her and scooped her up into a tight hug. “Thank you, Daddy,” she said into his shoulder. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome, moy malen'kiy kotenok. I love you so much.”
“I love you too, Daddy.” She looked over to where her uncles were shaking Vincent’s hand, and she smiled happily. “I’m going to get married,” she said quietly. She couldn’t grin any wider. She was going to get married!