The Type You Save (Bucky Barnes)

F I V E

Three years earlier... a week after the wedding...

"So, we never talked about stuff."

"Your eloquence is lovely my darling husband but I'm going to need you to be more specific." James rolled his eyes as he continued to stroke Alex's hair.  "I know you just rolled your eyes at me."

"I hate that you can do that."

"I hate that you still look at MY painting but here we are."

"Will you let the painting thing go? Please?"

"You didn't want it."

"I didn't say that.  I said we could see art in a gallery." He could feel her frown against his chest. "Allie, please.  I'm sorry ok.  The painting is lovely.  Just not as beautiful as the girl who bought it."  Now he could feel her smile and he knew he had her.  "She's the most beautiful thing in the world."

"Dammit," she whispered as his chest rumbled with laughter. "Fine.  I forgive you." She kissed his chest.  "What did you want to talk about?"

"Where are we going to live?"

"What?"

"Yeah, where are we going to live? How many kids are we going to have? Do you even want kids?  Is Steve going to live with us? Can we have a dog? A cat? Do we want a house?  In Brooklyn, Queens?"

"Whoa! Baby, slow down.  Jamie, take a breath."  Alex leaned up to her elbows.  "Jamie, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry.  It's just, when I went to the file the paperwork to have you as my emergency contact and benefactor and stuff, it just hit me.  We always talked about dreams but here we are, a week later and reality is finally hitting me."

Alex smiled as stroked his cheek.  She kissed him softly.  "Of course, I want to have kids.  I want at least two if not three.  I want our first to be a boy and then a girl.  Andrew James and Delilah Rose.  I want a house for us with a dog and a cat, where ever it makes it easier for you to come home from work to be with us. And of course Steve can live with us. Didn't expect him not too."

James frowned. "You've thought about this."

"For a long time.  You have been my dream for so long.  And I want all of this with you."

"I love you Allie."

"Love you too Jamie.  Are you ok with my dreams?"

James smiled. "I want a German Sheppard and then a white kitten.  We'll get them after the kids.  Three of them."

"Its sounds perfect to me, Detective."

*~*~*

Present day...

"About that," Alex swallowed. "We may have to slow down on just going after him.   I don't want him to know that I'm here with you."

"It doesn't matter.  I'll protect you," James said.

"No seriously, there is a really big reason I was trying to stay off radar." Alex played with her fingers.  James took them in his own hands to try and calm her.

"You can tell me anything.  I'll be here."  He kissed her knuckles.

"Maybe I should tell you this alone." Alex glanced at Steve.

"Oh no.  The last time I left you alone with him, you jumped out of a window," Steve said crossing his arms. "I'm staying right here."  Alex shot him a glare that could have melted skin. "Or, I could go get us some lunch."  There was only one thing Steve was scared of: the wrath of one Alexandra Richards. Steve grabbed his keys and left.