[Quiet in the Chaos]

Epilogue 4 (Dani)

LAST CHAPTER!  Well, this is it. I can't thank you all enough, I never expected this much support on this story. And I've thoroughly enjoyed writing it. I hope that it lived up to your expectations and you enjoyed it as much as me. I hope to start writing another marvel fanfic soon, so stay tuned. Let me know your thoughts. Once again, thank you all and happy reading x

(Dani's POV)

4 YEARS LATER.

I feel like my sister when my eyes start watering. But I can't help it as I stare out at the lawn of the house we've owned for three years. Our home.

My cheeks hurt from smiling as I watch Bucky and Conor play soccer, Bucky pretending to go down from a tackle and sending Conor into fits of giggles. He's almost four now.

Conor Steve Larson Barnes.

A mouthful, to be fair. But we had given him my name as well, with the hopes that one day he wouldn't have it anymore - if we were to get married. Bucky had offered to not add his name but I didn't want that. And we had both agreed that his middle name should be Steve, it was never really a discussion.

I had never seen him this happy. Consistently at least. Since we had Conor, since we moved in together, since we became a family. My mother had come around - for the most part, she loved her grandchildren. That's all that really mattered to us.

I blink, broken from my trance when I hear a small noise from beside me. I unfold my arms, turning to bend over the crib. "Hey small girl," I smile softly, her eyes opening slowly to meet mine. I scoop her up into my arms, planting a kiss on her cheek. I rock her slightly in my arms.

Anna yawns, showing her little gums. I blow an amused breath. She was a little more difficult than Conor. My stomach still hurt a little from the c section.

"How're my favourite girls?"

I look up, sharing a quick kiss with Bucky before he takes her from me. He raises his eyebrows and sticks out his tongue, holding her up in the air until he's rewarded with a small smile. He laughs softly, supporting her up on his chest again. He looks to me over her shoulder, suddenly his forehead creasing. "What's wrong, Doll?"

I blink, realising my eyes are still glassy from earlier. I wipe my thumbs across the underneath of my eyes. He places Anna back down in the crib and steps over to me, brushing my hair behind my ear. "Has something happened?"

I shake my head, smiling stupidly even though I can't dry my eyes. "Stupid hormones," I croak.

He smiles a little, reaching up to cup my face. "Happy tears?"

"Happy tears," I confirm.

He presses his lips in a line before kissing each tear that falls. I sniff. "Ew, that's disgusting, Dad." We break apart as Conor gives us a glare, stomping back into the house.

Bucky purses his lips and whispers, "Little cockblocker."

"Bucky!" I scold, though a laugh makes it's way past my lips.

He looks back to me, shrugging. "It's true."

I shake my head. He scoops up Anna, making his way towards the door. "I'll make dinner."

I cock an eyebrow. "I think you might be the most modern man from the 1940s I've ever met."

"You've met many men from the 1940s?"

"Just two."

"You're lucky then. Most dames nowadays don't have the pleasure."

     
                                      •••

"I'm hungry."

"You just had dinner, kiddo. You're not hungry," I raise my eyebrows, pursing my lips. Conor huffs a little and I pull the duvet up to his chin. "Go to sleep."

I press a kiss to his cheek and he groans. I laugh, switching off the light and pulling out the door so it's only slightly ajar. I check briefly in on Anna in the crib in our room before making my way downstairs. I glance around.

"Buck?" I frown when there's no reply. An uneasy feeling nudges it's way into my stomach but I ignore it. I hadn't been given a reason to feel like that in a long time. I might be less paranoid, but It doesn't mean the feeling goes away.

I open the front door, my hand flying to my mouth. Bucky stands in the middle of the lawn, lit candles surrounding him and illuminating the small garden. I smile gingerly, taking in the scene in front of me as I walk towards them. "What the hell are-"

My question is answered when his throat bobs and he lowers himself into one knee. I feel my breath catch in my throat, my feet frozen in a spot half a foot away from him. His tongue runs over his bottom lips, nerves engraved on every inch of his face.

Slowly, he reaches up and grasps my hand, pulling it down between his. "Dani," he begins, his voice slightly shaky. I laugh a little in shock. "The last time I did this - not very well, admittedly - I told you I'd have preferred to do it on a beach in Hawaii."

I nod, remembering vividly. He brushes his thumb over my hand. "And I was going to do that - but then, last november, I was watching you here, sitting in the snow, building a snowman with our son. And I realised that I wanted to propose here. In our home, on a regular night, with our kids asleep inside. Because this is how I want to spend the rest of my life, here with you and the kids."

He wipes a tear that falls from my eye. He smiles a little. "If you're still not ready for this - if you never want to put a ring on your finger - I'll just love you as your boyfriend. I'll love you whatever way you need. I'll never stop. Watching you become a mother - I didn't think I could love you anymore, but I do. I just keep loving you more every day. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

I clamp my teeth around my bottom lip. Marriage. Something I never would have considered, something I never wanted. Until now. Until I saw everything I could have, everything I have.

I tuck my hair behind my ears and drop onto my knees in front of him, taking his face in my hands. "James Barnes," I breathe, snaking my arms around his neck. "I want to tie myself to you in every way humanly possible."

His grin grows with every word, by the end his mouth is against mine and his tongue is in my mouth. His hands are wrapping around me, slipping underneath my clothes to my bare skin, caressing any inch he can find.

Then I'm in his arms, my legs wrapped around his waist. His mouth doesn't leave mine as he leads us into the house. "I can't fuck you in our room, so I guess the kitchen table will have to-"

"I told you I was hungry."

Bucky drops me onto my feet, though his arm remains around my waist. Conor turns back around to face the open fridge. We stare at him and I bite my lip from smirking.

"Cockblocker, what did I tell you?" Bucky whispers into my hair. I snort and he plants a kiss on my head. I look up and he shrugs. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

I smile gratefully. Grateful for the man who will be my husband. He leans down to whisper once more into my neck so only I can hear, "But when he leaves, we're gonna have the best sex we've ever had."

I hum, watching our son make his way up the stairs. Once his bedroom door shuts, we resume our actions, his hands slipping down to my waist and sitting me on the table.

Then we hear a baby crying.

Bucky pulls back, hovering over me. I close my eyes sighing. "We're never having sex again, are we?"

He narrows his eyes. "I'm booking a hotel right now."