The Dark Heart(B.Barnes)

Epilogue 1: Have You Killed Sam Yet?

{Song: Leave A Light On by Tom Walker}

~Edited~

I heave a few bags of groceries out of the trunk, listening to Nat and Wanda chatting as they round the car and lift out the other bags. The current topic of conversation, and the topic that seems to be the only thing the girls want to talk about, is kids. More specifically, baby names.

"We're back!" I shout out as the three of us make it through the front door of my house and move through the house to the kitchen. Our three men were sitting around the dining room table, a few empty beer bottles in the center as they were watching the TV.

"Hey why did you let the pregnant women carry these inside? Aren't you two supposed to be worshiping at their feet?" Nat asks as she walks over and kisses Steve lightly before whacking Bucky upside his head.

"Hey, I'm capable of doing almost everything." I protest as I put a protective hand on my small baby bump, "It's Wanda you have to worry about, she looks like she might burst at any moment." I pointed over to my sister, her bump was so big she couldn't see her feet anymore.

Bucky stands and comes up behind me, resting his arms gently over the bump as he kisses the side of my head. I lean back into him and smile, "Have you heard from Sam recently?" I ask.

"Yeah, he was near Libya for a mission but he's back now. There's a ceremony Rhodey organized for the shield that he was invited to, we're waiting for it to start." Bucky tells me as he helps put the groceries away.

"He said he would try to visit after but he also wants to go home and help his sister out." Steve says from where he was sitting, Nat had claimed a seat on his lap and Wanda had taken Bucky's old seat and was whispering something to Vision.

As we all got comfortable, the news switched off and the screen showed a stage. Banners with Steve's picture on them were waving from each side of the stage and Sam was standing in the center.

"Steve represented the best in all of us. Courageous, righteous, hopeful. And he mastered posing stoically." Sam began, causing the audience to laugh lightly.

"He does know you're not dead right?" Bucky mutters as he takes a swig of his beer.

"The world has been forever changed. A few months ago, billions of people reappeared after five years away, sending the world into turmoil. We need new heroes. Ones suited for the times we're in. Symbols... are nothing without the women and men that give them meaning. And this thing," He chuckles and lifts the shield up, causing a flurry of camera flashes to go off, "I don't know if there's ever been a greater symbol. But it's more about the man who propped it up. And he's gone. So today we honor Steve's legacy. But also, we look to the future. So, thank you, Captain America. But this belongs to you." Sam hands the shield to another man who carefully places it inside a display case.

"That definitely sounded like a eulogy." I comment as the screen goes black and then the news recapping the ceremony plays.

"Captain America is dead. I retired, gave him the shield. I can't force him to use it." Steve defends. As the sun started to set, everyone started to head back to their homes. I wave from the front porch as Nat and Steve disappear into the house a few doors down and Wanda and Vision slip into the one across the street.

~~~~~~~~~

"I swear she is a terrible shrink." I hear Bucky growl out as the front door slams shut. I lean out from the half-finished nursery and see him angrily taking his jacket off and running his hand through his short hair. He makes his way over to me, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down as he keeps his eyes planted on me.