play pretend | BUCKY BARNES

epilogue

4 years later.

It had been a few months since you and Bucky had moved into the beautiful stone house that you dreamed of settling down in.

It had always been Buckys fantasy to live in a house like this, but it hadn't been something you had thought about until Christmas day when you visited Becca and Elliot.

Seeing a house so close to the city, but far enough away that it formed its own haven which you could raise a family as wonderful as theirs made you wonder if that was the life you dreamed of, and after hearing Buckys vows the day of your wedding you were instantly sure it was what you wanted.

And now everything was falling into place.

Your new house was only a few blocks away from Becca and Elliots, so much to Buckys delight you saw much more of your sister-in-law and nephew than you had when you lived further in the city.

Once Natasha and Steve had given birth to their beautiful baby boy, James Rogers, they eventually outgrew their Brooklyn apartment and moved further out nearer you and Bucky, even ending up on the same street.

And as soon as you fell pregnant, you knew the time had come to leave the Buckys apartment and search for some place bigger in which you could raise your perfect family in.

When Cristina Pamela Barnes was born, your life couldn't have been better. You missed your mom every day, so your daughter was given her middle name after her late grandma, and Bucky reminded you all the time about how proud Pamela would have been of you.

Dave visited a lot more now, too.

He and Tonys golf sessions had become much more frequent, with Dave splurging out on first class flights to New York once every one or two months.

You had no idea where the money was coming from for him to afford this, but you weren't complaining.

Dave had even considered buying an apartment over here to be closer to his family. But you weren't sure if he would ever leave the Californian weather behind and commit to the move to New York. Between his wardrobe primarily consisting of pineapple shirts and all of his friends living in LA, you didn't know if he would genuinely be able to handle it.

"Mommy, Daddy?"

You were awoken from your sleep by a young voice standing in your doorway.

You wriggled out of Buckys arms which were wrapped around you as you both slept, and slipped out of the bed to see to your two and a half year old daughter.

"Hey Crissy, what's up, honey?" You asked, lifting the toddler up into your arms.

"I don't feel good." She replied, burrowing your head into your shoulder.

"Right, sweetie let's go get you a glass of water." Bucky said getting out of bed. You hadn't even realised he was awake.

"Sorry for waking you, Buck-"

"It's okay, doll. I haven't had a great night sleep anyways."

Bucky lifted your daughter into his own arms and carried her through to the large kitchen of your home, placing her down on the countertop next to the sink.

You stood leant against the doorframe of the kitchen with a soft, loving smile on your face as you watched your husband take care of your child.

After pretending for so long that you would never have anything like this, you really did end up with the perfect family.

Cris only went back to bed for another hour before she got up for the day. She had been told that all of her family and friends would be coming over that day for a party to celebrate her Dads birthday.