Winters Storm~Bucky Barns~

Chapter 25:

       I give myself a once over in the mirror as I smooth out the black fabric on my dress. My left hand clutches a flimsy piece of paper with my speech on it. I'm not ready to do this. This gentle knock enters the room as my door swings open. Bucky walks in looking handsome as he looks me up and down. "You ready for this?"

      "Nope, not at all."I say to him. "I understand but the funeral is about to start." I give a simple nod before heading down stairs and outside. The service goes on with Peter and Pepper both giving speeches and then my name is called. "It is with pleasure that I as my newly found friend Sapphire to please come up and talk about how amazing I was."

       Slowly I make my way up to the docks edge and look out at the crowd. I glance down at my paper and decide to tear it to pieces. Gasps erupt from the crowd as they watch me hand them off to Peter. "I'm not going to sit here and pretend to act like I was best friends with this man."I tell them bluntly.

       "Actually Tony and I started out quite the opposite, we didn't really like each other in the beginning. In fact we hated each other, but that's the funny thing, hate turned into love. You see he and I both lost people very near and dear to us. We would sit up some nights and talk about those people together. Tony and I grew very close. He truly was a great man with a heart of gold even though it was misplaced sometimes. Tony taught me that being a hero doesn't make you perfect, you have flaws just like the rest of the world. I hate having to say goodbye to my new friend, hate having to feel the pain that consumes you. I have been there once before and was starting to feel as if maybe I couldn't make it out and then Tony came along. If there is one thing I could tell Tony right now it would be to rest easy, I will make sure Pepper and Morgan are okay. I will make sure Morgan knows just how much of a hero her dad was. And if there is one thing I could say to Morgan it's goodbyes are not forever. Your daddy will be with you forever, he will live on in your spirit and your heart. So whenever you feel alone just know that you are never alone. Rest easy my friend, Lord knows you truly do deserve it."

Claps erupt from everyone as Pepper stands and wraps me in a warm hug. "Thank you so much for that Blue." I don't say anything as I give her a kind smile before walking back to Bucky, tears slipping down my cheeks. "Damn if that is what winging it looks like then I have been doing it wrong all these years." "Shut up."I smirk as I playfully elbow him.

Finally we all watch as Pepper walks out of the house, Morgan in tow, with the gift she got for Tony all those years ago. She had it gently sitting in the center of a bunch of wild flowers. Tears left her eyes as she softly placed it in the still water and pushed it off.

Small sniffles escape everyone as we all watch in silence, remembering our fallen friend. Tony truly was a man of honor who taught me a lot of things in the short time we were together. He was truly something special.