The Arranged Marriage

Happily Ever After

10 YEARS LATER...

The room is silent in the wake of the early morning sun streaming across the floor of the room. I'm comfortably warm under the covers with my head resting on Steve's chest.

The last few years have been very busy for everyone. A few months after our victory against Thanos my father had passed in his sleep. Sarah and George were still alive and happily traveling the world in search of adventure. Bucky and Sam had finally accepted their feelings for each other. Nat had fallen in love with the palace's head inventor/healer Bruce Banner, the two had gotten married and were looking into adopting a little girl from the town where Bruce grew up. The rest of the country had healed from the destruction the war had brought; buildings were rebuilt; families reunited, all in all, the people were happier than ever before.

As for me and Steve, our sleep was brought to an abrupt stop when the door flew open with a bang and three small bodies jumped onto the bed, landing on Steve and proceeding to shake the two of us awake. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!" our eldest son, James, crowed.

"Come on mommy! It's time to get up!" our daughter Sarah joined her brother in shaking us awake, while Nat, our youngest, could only say, "Up!"

"Alright we're up, we're up!" Steve groaned as he shifted to sit against the headboard while the children climbed all over him. The sight drew a tired laugh from me until Nat crawled over and started to clamber onto my stomach.

Luckily Steve intervened quickly, reaching over and snatching the toddler off and placing her between us on the bed. "Careful bean, don't squash your sibling," Steve's voice was warm as he gave me a fond smile.

"Sorry baby," Nat said, planting a kiss on my round tummy before curling into my side.

"It's okay sweetheart, they know you're just excited," I reassure her before clapping my hands to get Sarah and James' attention. "Alright my monkeys, it's time for breakfast!" No matter how busy our days are, we always make sure to eat all three meals with our children, using the time to bond as a family.

Later that afternoon as I sit in a comfortable chair under the gazebo and watch Steve play with our children I reflect on our life together thus far and I can't help but smile. We finally had our happily ever after and nothing or no one could take that away from us.