The Aftermath

Epilogue

One year later....

"Just one more big push and she'll be here," the doctor encourages you and you grip harder to Bucky's hand and bare down with all your might. "We're never doing this again," you growl out as you strain your body to deliver the little miracle that you've housed within your womb for nine agonizing months. "Okay," Bucky says calmly even as he brushes your hair out of your face and kisses your sweat soaked forehead. "You're doing so good doll." You let out a small shriek as you put your all into one final, mighty push and then you hear the most magical tiny cry fill the room. "She's absolutely perfect," the doctor announces as a nurse gives the baby a quick clean up before handing her to you, laying her tiny body against your chest as you sob with happiness. "Hello sweet baby," you coo happily as she nuzzles instinctively against you. The bed shifts slightly as Bucky settles in next to you and you carefully transfer your daughter into his arms. Your breathing stalls and you swear that your heart feels so full that it could burst at the sight of your husband delicately holding the product of your love in his arms as if she were the most fragile treasure in the world, stars shining in those steel blue eyes of his.

He looks up as you release a quiet sniffle. "What's wrong doll?"
"Nothing, it's just the hormones," you assure him before leaning in to share a deep kiss. "I take it all back. I want another one," you murmur against his mouth and feel a smile form on his plush lips. "Whatever you want doll." A light knock at the door has both of you pulling back to greet your first visitors. "Oh, I told you that the two of you would make pretty babies," Sarah singsongs as Bucky reluctantly hands your daughter over to her honorary aunt and you giggle slightly. "You weren't wrong," you agree. "So did the two of you finally settle on a name?" Sam asks and you and Bucky share a soft smile before he announces. "Samantha Winnifred Barnes." Sam's face seems to blank in momentary shock as you continue. "We thought it would be fitting to name her after her godfather...and Bucky's mother." At this, Sam's eyes well with happy tears before he turns to accept the precious girl from Sarah. "Hey Sammy girl. I'm going to spoil you rotten and give you anything that your mean old man says no to."
"Hey," Bucky complains as the room fills with quiet laughter. "Where are the boys?" you ask Sarah once the laughter subsides. "Peter's watching them. Thought he could use a little babysitting practice before unleashing him on little miss here."
"Parker is not watching our child," Bucky grumbles as Sam nods approvingly at this ridiculous refusal. "Watch it," you giggle, "Pete is practically family so whatever weird grudge the two of you have with him, you'll have to get over it." Both men grumble but don't argue the point.

Fatigue sets in after your visitors leave and Samantha is taken to the nursery leaving you alone with Bucky. You scoot over in your small hospital bed as he slips in beside you and ticks you into his arms so that you can pillow your head against his chest. "Thank you doll," he says softly as he presses gentle kisses to the top of your head until you tilt your head back to look up into his beautiful face. "What are you thanking me for my love?"
"For everything. For loving me. For marrying me. For carrying and delivering our daughter. You are everything to me and I love you so much. I can't imagine life any other way than how it is now." Happy tears glaze your eyes as you smile up at him and move your hand to brush his slightly shaggy hair out of his eyes. "Thank you for all of those things too my love," you whisper back to him. "Except for the delivery part...that was all me and my vagina hasn't quite forgiven either of us for that just yet." You playfully swat him as he shakes with silent laughter. "You are the love of my life Buck. Since the day I first laid eyes on you...it's only ever been you. You and our daughter...and any future children we may have...this is all I've ever dreamed of and I love you so much." The two of you share a long, lingering look filled with all of the emotions that neither of you can truly put into words before sharing a deep kiss, a silent vow that seals your souls together for the rest of time as they have always meant to be.