The Clone

30

Tony smiles looking over Sara, it's not very often that she dresses up, and it's even rarer that she'll attend one of his parties, but this is the New Year, and the first one she'll be attending since the creation of the Avengers. And Sara always looks hands down gorgeous. This party is no different, the floor length low cut black dress is stunning on her.

"Well don't you scrub up nicely" Tony tells her as she reaches him setting her silver cross around her neck. "Can we talk real quick?" Tony asks, Sara nods a little. "About Bucky"

"Tony" she warns.

"No, just hear me out" he begs of her, she sighs and looks to him. "I love you" Tony admits. "You're my big sister.....but these last 9 months I've watched Dean break your heart, and I've watched Bucky....tape it back together again" she smiles a little. "I won't ever like him, Barbie, and you can't ask me too, but I get it" he clasps her face in his hands and smiles. "I'll try to be civil, for you" he kisses her forehead and pulls back. "Shall we?" he asks, she nods and smiles.

"Thank you" she whispers, he nudges her softly and takes her arm.

.............

Bucky leans at the bar with Steve and Sam Wilson who are laughing together, Bucky's waiting for Sara, it's only been 3 hours and he already misses her. And when he sees her, his heart actually skips a beat and his palms start sweating.

"Wow" Bucky whispers, Wilson and Steve follow his line of sight. Sara is stood talking to Vision who looks so uncomfortable in a suit, but seems genuinely interested in what he and Sara are talking about. She looks stunning.

"No offence, Steve" Sam starts. "But girl you is so much hotter" Steve and Bucky look to him. "Just stating the facts" Sam offers and pats Bucky's shoulder and then walks away.

"Can I kill him?" Bucky asks, Steve chuckles and shakes his head.

"No" Steve answers.

"Boring" Bucky complains and looks back to Sara who glances to him and smiles, he smiles back at her. "Steve" he starts.

"Yes?" Steve asks.

"I really love her" Buck admits. "Like....Like one day 'I'm going to marry her' love her" Steve smiles at his best friend, Bucky looks to him. "I'll kill anyone that gets in the way of that"

"Okay, now it's crossed the line a little" Steve tells Bucky who shrugs back.

"Well I mean it" Bucky admits. "Because I have never met anyone like her, I've never met anyone who makes me feel the way she makes me feel.....And I want to keep that"

...............

Bucky waits till the party's died down a little before approaching her, she's been busy with press and party guests. She's been busy and he didn't want to get in the way. Bucky slips an arm around Sara as he reaches her.

"I felt like I've barely seen you all night" he whispers, she takes his hand on her waist and turns to face him.

"I know. People get chatty when they realise I'm Tony's sister" she threads her fingers through his hair at the back of his head, he smiles at her.

"You don't seem bothered to cosy up to the in house head case in front of all these people, all these members of press...." he points out.

"Because I'm not ashamed of you" she counters. "Look at you" she whispers. "After everything Hydra did to you, look at you now" she touches his suit jacket and smiles lovingly at him. "I'm proud that I can say that I am in a relationship with you, Bucky, that I love you" he smiles at her. "Do you know how to dance?" she asks, he takes her hands and smirks.

"I do" he answers leaning closer. "I have to admit that once upon a time I was a pretty good dancer" he pulls her towards the dance floor, she chuckles letting him. He gently weaves them both through the dancer to the centre and turns pulling her closer to wrap an arm around her waist, taking her hand in his other, then he sways with her to the music of the big band Tony hired. Tony leans on the bar next to Steve who smiles watching Bucky and Sara.

"I haven't seen him dance since...." Steve starts. "Stark Expo" he admits and looks to Tony who raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, well....I've never seen Sara dance" Tony counters. Steve gives him a look. "Don't make me say it" Tony whines. "I'm never going to admit he's good for her, not after....."

"I get it, Bucky killed...." Steve stops. "It wasn't his fault and Sara's forgiven him"

"But Howard left her care to me" Tony argues. "I have to look after her, I have to protect her, out of everything....I have to get this right" Steve sighs.

"Howard screwed you up just as much as he did her, didn't he?" Steve asks, Tony nods.

"Yep, he did" Tony admits and then walks away. Steve looks back to Bucky and Sara, Bucky whispering to her as she laughs, Steve smiles at the two of them.

................

Bucky sits with Sara on the couches in the corner of the room, she leans against his side, his arm around her as he whispers in her ear, they're people watching and he's making up conversations as she laughs at them.

"Countdown is about to start" Tony announces to the room, Bucky looks around and takes Sara's hand in his.

"Come with me" he whispers and pulls her up out of the seat and away from the crowd onto the balcony. She smiles as he pulls her closer to him, the two of them looking out over the city.

"10" they countdown from inside.

"Wait right here" Bucky whispers to her and then heads back inside.

"9" Bucky grabs two flutes of champagne before returning to her, she watching him as he smiles at her holding it out to her, she takes it. "8" Bucky brushes Sara's hair back. "7"

"I'm going into a new year with the most beautiful woman in the world" he tells her lovingly, she smiles at him.

"Too many more?" she asks holding out her glass, he nods and sets his glass against her.

"Many, many more" he agrees.

"3.....2...." Bucky kisses Sara. "1" fireworks explode in the sky above them, the party guests cheers, champagne corks pop, and party poppers sound out. Bucky and Sara just loose themselves in the moment. It's cheesy and corny and cliché, but it's their moment and it's perfect. Bucky pulls back and smiles.

"Happy New Year, Sara" he tells her warmly,

"Happy New Year.....James" he chuckles a little and kisses her again.