Frostbite

All a Gift

The screaming from outside was enough to shatter anyone's eardrums, but I just smiled as I pushed through the back door. Bucky had James hanging upside down, holding him over the pool as he squealed in delight. Finally, Bucky dropped him, and he spluttered water as he came back up laughing.

"Here, let me take that from you," Sam offered as he popped up next to me. He took the large tray from my hands and walked it over to the table and set it down. I followed him slowly, murmuring a thank you as I sat in one of the chairs.

"You know I can handle carrying things, Sam. Especially considering this is the third go around," I mused, popping a piece of fruit into my mouth. He tossed me a wry look and plopped down next to me. "This half-baked super soldier serum has been good for something even after retirement."

"Doesn't stop me from being a good friend," he shrugged, watching as Bucky and James chased one another around the pool. Dear lord, one of them was gonna get hurt.

"Hey!" I called to the pair, "Bucky- if one of you falls and there's blood- you're cleaning it up. And you get to tell Steve."

He tossed me a look before continuing with their horse play. James managed to shove Bucky in this time and roared in laughter before running away.

"You'd think I wouldn't always have to nag the one hundred something year old," I mumbled to Sam. He burst into laughter, and Bucky gave us a dirty look and stuck out his tongue. Some things never changed.

Sarah appeared next to me, as silent as always. She had a habit of sneaking up on me and scaring me senseless. She blinked at the two rough housing and shook her head with a small smile, pushing her long blonde hair from her face. My Sarah was quiet and sweet, but when she got mad- oh boy. She was just like her dad.

She opened her mouth to say something but gasped instead when a jet of water erupted from the pool and smacked into her. My head whipped around to my son as he tried to bat his eyes at me innocently.

"Hey!" she yelled, flapping her arms as she dripped with water.

"James," I barked, narrowing my eyes at him, "What have I told you about using magic on your sister?"

"Uh- not to."

"Good going," I heard Bucky mutter to him from beside him. He ruffled the young boy's dark hair and gave me an apologetic look. He had a tendency to get him riled up.

I sighed, "Don't do it again."

I turned back to Sarah and swiped my hand in front of her, drying her and her clothes completely.

"Thanks, mom," she smiled, "Hi, Uncle Sam."

She sat in the chair next to him, picking from various plates and bowls.

"Hey little one. How have you been?"

They began chatting as Tony, Morgan, and Pepper, who carried a sleeping baby Howard, made their way towards us. Morgan ran straight for me, and we tightly hugged before she immediately dashed straight to the pool to join the boys. She had grown so much over the years. The laughter and screaming intensified if possible. Pepper sat the car seat next to her as they made themselves comfortable.

"I just can't get over how precious he is," I told them, gazing at the infant with adoration, "He has to get it all from Pepper."

Tony rolled his eyes and Pepper snorted in amusement. "Hilarious, Lanie."

Steve and Natasha came out last, carrying even more food. We tried to have weekly get togethers, trading who would host. The kids loved it and honestly, so did we. It was even better when Clint, Thor, Bruce, and Wanda managed to make it, but they were all off doing their own thing. Which we understood. Growing up it had just been Tony and I; now we had this huge family, which I was eternally grateful for.