Bound By Purpose

The Inbetween

2 Years Later

With the towel still strung over my shoulder I collapse onto the couch. Insisting to myself that I'll only rest a few minutes I curl up tucking my feet in the crease between cushions, too lazy to reach for a blanket. I close my eyes and realize that if I stay here I'll certainly fall asleep. I roll onto my back and look up at the ceiling. I contemplate doing work or catching sleep. Looking at my watch I see that It's only 11 PM. I squeeze my eyes shut regretting everything about responsibility. But I reluctantly push myself up. One of the things I've learned as a mother is to always take advantage of time.

Hunched over on the edge of the couch elbows on my knees and hands under my chin I look over the coffee table and the rest of the living room. My hair still drips from the shower so I roll it up and tie it back in a bun. I take a huge breath and then push myself up. I go to work, removing the leftovers and trash from the coffee table.

I think about turning on the TV but the quiet in the apartment is actually welcome. In the silence I can find my time to mourn and in a way I can imagine that Bucky is here. He is always here, I see him everyday, he's in his son, and in all the pictures on the walls. I stop a moment to look at the few I'd salvaged from Rebecca's collection. I smile.

A sudden knock from the door alerts me. My mind scrambles. The only people who it could be have keys to come in. My heart beats a little faster. I look down the hallway towards the bedroom. The person knocks again. "Evelyn... it's me." My stomach drops along with the rubbish in my hands. I run to the door. Seeing the face I swing the door open quickly.

"Clint?" I ask tears of happiness welling up.

"Hey." He says, tears also lining his eyes. I let out a squeak and then jump into his arms. I'd known he'd survived but he hasn't wanted to be found thus none of us have seen him since before the snap. There's a reason he's come here to me and not the compound. I pull away from him back inside. I wipe my eyes and invite him in. Out of habit I look down the hallway and then close and lock the door. Turning around I find that Clint has already picked up a picture of my precious babies.

"You didn't know?" I ask almost with a laugh. He turns the picture towards me.

"I knew you were pregnant, I didn't know you had twins." I laugh.

Looking back down at my watch I speak, "You'll probably meet them soon, they usually wake up around now. They may be toddlers already but I swear sometimes they act like newborns. We have some habits we still need to break." I roll my eyes and laugh but then I remember all that he's gone through. I can see the hurt in his eyes. His wife and 3 children, gone. I couldn't imagine it.

"What are their names?" He asks as he sets the picture down next to Bucky's old military photo.

"Thomas James Barnes and Margaret Carter Barnes." I say proudly. "They're a handful but Tony and Pepper help us a lot with the financial part and Nat and Steve come over to watch them most days... I've just gotten a job at the history museum downtown... So we manage."

"Laura managed on her own for years..." He stares out at space for a moment. I just look at him in understanding, trying to gauge what exactly he's thinking. He sinks into the couch rubbing his head, "I'm sorry to bother you Evelyn, but I'm rolling through... I needed a place to stay... someone who won't ask questions." I nod my head assuring him. It was nice to see him, anything that he did now was purely out of sorrow, I know the feeling. I go to the kitchen and get the milk from the fridge and pour two bottles. Running them under warm faucet water I set them on the coffee table. Right on cue I hear a cry from the back room.

Clint pops up from the couch. I smile kindly, "Clint you don't have to..."

He waves his arms, "I want to." I smile and hold out a hand to him. He takes it as we enter the lone bedroom. Margaret is doing the crying and in turn has woken her brother. He's on the verge of crying standing at the railing of his crib with his pouting lip out until he sees my face come into view. Clint surprisingly picks up Margaret. He lays her against his chest and she instantly calms down. I reach down for my son. Clint's already left the room. My heart is full. I kiss my little boy on the head and with just a bit of rocking he's fallen back asleep. Holding him tightly against me I kiss him once more before laying him back down gently in his crib. Everytime I look at him I see Bucky and everytime I do, I smile with a glowing love that only mothers know.