Bring Me Home // Bucky Barnes

Chapter LXXVI - Mrs Barnes

Elizabeth took a steadying breath as Steve reached to the unit and took the bouquet from its resting place, handing it to her before kissing her cheek. She glanced down at the arrangement now clutched in her hands and tried to calm herself as nerves and anticipation bubbled under her skin. Peach and pink and cream roses were cushioned by gypsophila, while beautiful buds of stephanotis were sprinkled within the cascade of ivy and perfectly placed lisianthus, all complimented by the palest blush of hydrangea.

Steve tapped his ear as Lizzie looked up at him and her brow furrowed. She let him take her arm once more, only pausing to brush her hair back from her face and beam down at her, before speaking to whoever was on the other end of the coms line.

"Parker?" He grinned when a bubbling peel of laughter spilled from Lizzie's lips and she rolled her eyes. "Mission report."

*

Peter stood tall beside Bucky, grinning over to Nat as she stood on the other side of the archway, Thor and Loki leaning over to talk to her as they all waited. He tapped his foot as time passed and glanced over to the bag of nerves on his right.

"Mr Barnes?" Peter whispered as he leant in, wary of making Bucky's nerves even worse. "Are you okay?"

Bucky sighed as he fidgeted with his shirt sleeves and went to push his hair back, catching his movement just in time to realise his mistake. He huffed out a laugh and turned to his friend, smiling nervously.

"I'll be better when she's out here. You think it's okay?"

Peter laughed as Bucky jutted his jaw towards the simple archway he stood under before glancing around the space.

Hours had been spent making it just right, from piecing together the simple wooden frame, draped with soft white curtains that seemed to sway in the soft breeze, to adorning the aisle with white petals trailing from where she would enter all the way to his side. Each chair had a single rose, peach or pink or cream, fastened to it and each guest had been given a small bag of natural confetti. Bucky had spent the night before ensuring that every surface was covered in moments of their story; his dog tags hung from the welcome sign, small quotes from their letters were etched and carved into the frame around him, whispers of cerulean paint danced up the legs of chairs and silver specks wrapped around the blue. He had wanted to make it special and important, but now he worried it was too much. Or perhaps it wasn't enough?

"It's you guys." Peter shrugged nonchalantly. "She'll love it."

As Bucky nodded thoughtfully and watched the double doors, Peter grinned and listened as Steve's voice rang in his ear.

"Everything is ready Captain." He glanced to where Bucky stood laughing, finally understanding why Peter had insisted he wore his earpiece today. "The target is in position. Is the package ready?"

He could hear Lizzie's laughter as Steve guided her from the room and into the hallway, his voice filling with the thickness of tears as he answered.

"The package is absolutely perfect."

*

Elizabeth's heart hammered as she descended the stairs, her fingers gripping Steve's arm as her hands shook. She watched the ground, her eyes sweeping over each step as she tentatively made her way down to her future. As she walked towards the life she wanted her mind swam in moments of the life she had lived and Steve watched in amazement as they poured from her, trailing behind her in translucent scenes of blue, like the movies of her mind.

He watched as a baby faced Bucky draped an arm over her shoulder, pulling her from the darkness and the clutches of another man as she ducked her head and walked quickly. He saw how Bucky's eyes lit up with instant wonder and amazement as their eyes met, how his best friend held his breath for just a moment when she finally looked up to him. He witnessed the beautiful simplicity of their first meeting and the moment clung to the air behind them as they moved forwards. Steve chuckled when he looked ahead only to see the memory of Lizzie and Bucky nuzzled in the corner of the tents, his face buried in her hair as she laughed and others glanced back to them, rolling their eyes. He knew instantly where they were, what they were saying, and he grinned at his own memory that followed; the memory of telling them not to come to the commando meetings if they weren't going to listen.