Ten Years Later

"Daddy" came the voice from under a slightly oversized Yankees cap.

"What is it Ricky?" Bucky asked, bending over closer to his son's height, pulling the brim of the hat up so he could see his eldest's face. The blue eyes looked back at him.

"Can I go to uncle Steve's? he said he'd play catch with me today" Richard Barnes said excitedly.

"Of course kiddo" he said tapping the bill of the hat back down into his son's face "just be careful crossing the road. And don't try and play hide and seek with Uncle Steve's shield again, got it?" he warned.

"Yes daddy" he said rushing out the front door, looking both ways before crossing to the other side of the road and going to the home of Captain America.

He knocked on the door.

"Hey Ricky" came a sweet feminine voice.

"Hey Aunt Sharon" he said "where's Uncle Steve?"

"I see how it is, baseball is afoot I don't even get so much as a how'd you do. What would your mother say?"

"How are you Aunt Sharon?" Ricky asked obligatorily, scanning the entryway for his uncle. Suddenly he felt himself picked up and flopped like a bag of flower over his uncle's shoulder. "Uncle Steve" he said delighted. Even with the two families meeting almost every day, the kids still were excited about seeing their aunt and uncle. Steve and Sharon's two kids were a little young to do much other than giggle and crawl or toddle around, trying to get into things they shouldn't.

"Where's Ricky?" Candy asked coming into the kitchen with baby George on her hip and her twins clinging to her legs as she tried to walk, lifting them on her feet as she walked.

"At Steve's" Bucky replied. "You look like you could use some help honey" he said picking up the twins, one in each arm. Their blonde hair a mess from having a little too much fun in the playpen.

"Thanks" she said chuckling. She looked out the back window to see Sarah, their second child, running through the backyard sprinklers giggling hysterically as her cousin Carol, Bobby's little girl, followed her example.

Candy looked into Bucky's eyes, and he into hers, and for a moment the squirming kids in their arms and the giggles became background sound, like sweet music playing softly driven by the beat of their two hearts. He leaned over and gave her a sweet quick kiss before crying in the backyard ensued. Sarah had tripped and hit her knee on the concrete patio and therefore momma's kisses and daddy's arms were required to make all better.

Life wasn't always simple for the Barnes' and Rogers' but it was always filled with love, and they were free. Ever since the amendments to the Accords had put the responsibility for the actions of super heroes back into the hands of the heroes themselves there had been peace. Fractured friendships were mended and while now Steve and Bucky were more of a reserve, wanting to spend more time with their families, they still were at the ready as soon as crisis threatened. Whenever freedom was at risk for others the two best friends from a bygone era would always be willing to risk their lives to protect that freedom.

Bucky had been free since Wanda had severed the last ties with Hydra and the longer he lived around Candace, the more whole he became. The more like the sauntering sergeant with the jaunty hat and the big grin of yesteryear he became. Guilt faded to memory and pain to motivation to save others from pain. And while some nights he still woke up in a panic, having had flashbacks to the bloodshed done by the fist of Hydra, there was always Candy's hand to settle on his heaving chest and calm his nerves. Or follow him out of bed to wherever he had gone as soon as she realized that half the bed was missing it's beloved occupant. He had her to help steady him and she had him to be the shoulder she could lean on when life weighed her down. Together, as a team with God as their guide they were capable of overcoming anything, and they did.