Bucky's mouth trailed down your throat as he rolled his hips against you. You were vaguely aware of something burning but for the life of you, you couldn't make yourself care. Steve shifted a pan off a burner and switched off the stove before moving behind you and lifting your shirt up over your head.
There had been a lot of changes over the past few years. You had decided to retire and Steve and Bucky had taken leave to spend your retirement at home with you. The kids had seemed to stall in their aging when they hit about 24. It was like their bodies finished developing and then just stopped when they were fully done.
Anthony still lived in California working as both an Avenger and a developer for Stark Industries. He didn't speak a lot about who he was seeing but the couple of times he had mentioned someone there definitely seemed to be a preference for Asgardian women. So far at least two of them had been Valkyrie. Alex and Rebecca had moved to the upstate compound, Rebecca taking on a team leader role. Alex had started working for a small gallery in the nearby town. Sarah had taken over the chocolate business which was now five stores in the US and she was looking at opening one in London. She had moved out, but not far. The speculation that she was in a relationship with America and Kate had turned out to be true. They had come out together a few months after Alex and Rebecca had gotten married. First to you, Bucky and Steve, then to Kate's family, then Clint and Natasha, and finally the world. They had moved in together a few months after that.
So with an empty apartment and retirement, there was no more time for each other. Which led to more of this. Bucky's mouth moved to your breast, sucking on your nipple as his hands ran down over your stomach and into the hem of your pants. Steve's lips brushed over your throat and you let your head fall back and your eyes closed as you let out a soft moan.
"Mom! Dads! Are you home?" Sarah's voice echoed from the living room.
"Fuckin' shit!" Bucky yelped, pulling back from you and searching around for your shirt.
"Shh..." You giggled, scooping it up off the floor. You pulled it on and checked Bucky and Steve over, nodded, and headed to the kitchen door. "Yes, honey! Coming."
As you reached the door it swung inward and you just caught it in time before it smashed you in the face. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry!" Kate shrieked.
Sarah and America stepped into the room after her, Sarah poking Kate in the side as America looked over the room. "Hello, Captain Rogers," she said, quirking an eyebrow at him.
"Morning, girls. What can we do for you?" Steve replied, crossing his arms over his chest.
Sarah looked at the other two women and then back at the three of you. "We need some advice."
The six of you moved into the living room, Steve bringing the coffee pot and mugs. Sarah put a paper bag on the table and Bucky immediately looked inside. It reminded you of when you first started hanging out with them, and he'd start digging in your bag for treats. "What are these?" he asked pulling out a small chocolate and stuffing it in his mouth.
Sarah laughed. "They're choc coated creme brulee. Something I'm trying out. You like?"
You took a piece and bit into it. There was a little crackle of chocolate before your teeth hit the soft custard center. A little hint of vanilla ran under the sweetness of the chocolate and custard. "These are really good," you said when you swallowed.
"Told you," Kate said, nudging Sarah.
"Was that it?" Steve asked, taking one of the chocolates.
America smirked at him. "Why were we interrupting something, Captain Rogers?"
A faint blush crept up the back of Steve's neck as you and Bucky both stifled a laugh. "No, America. And how many times do I have to remind you to call me, Steve?"
"It's not why we're here," Sarah interjected. She took a deep breath and dragged her hands down her face, looking at America and Kate to help her out.
"Oh futz," Kate said. "So. The thing is. We kinda want to have kids."
You squeaked and lunged and Sarah, wrapping her in your arms. "You're going to be a mom?" you squealed as your daughter melted into your embrace. "I'm gonna be a grandma?"
"I hope so," Sarah said. "But we need some advice."
You sat back and ran your hands down the back of her head, smoothing out her hair for a moment before it just returned to its natural state. "What is it, sweet pea?" you asked.
Normally calling Sarah something like that would make America and Kate start giggling but they just looked even more serious than before.
"So... so... how? I mean... we don't know what we should do. You guys just ..." She made a vague gesture with her hands. "But you didn't really know everything. With the serum and ... stuff. How it would affect us. Or how it affected you. And now you've found out that you're not aging," she said, looking at Bucky and Steve. "And it looks like we aren't either. And you talked to us about that. I know that it's made Anthony really hesitant about getting into relationships and when he does it's Valkyrie because they live so long. But I've got Kate and Rebecca has Alex and America isn't sure what her powers mean..." She shook her head and her eyes started to shimmer with tears.
You wrapped your arms around her and held her close to you. Beside her, America put an arm around Kate's waist and leaned in against her. Steve had sat up straighter his jaw set, while Bucky had made himself smaller and there was a real look of pain on his face.
"I'm so sorry, honey," you whispered. "This is such a burden. I'm so sorry we put it on you."
"What Sarah's trying to say, I think is; is it worth it?" America said.
Steve took a breath and let it out. "There is nothing I regret about my life with your mother," he said to Sarah. "It is going to absolutely hurt when she is gone. But if I had the choice to do it again, I would without hesitation."
Bucky nodded beside him, his jaw twitching a little.
"What about us?" Sarah said quietly.
"Are you asking if we regret having you?" Steve asked.
Sarah shook her head. "No. I mean... if there was a choice for if we had a normal life. No powers. No immortality. We were just regular kids. Would you choose that?"
Steve furrowed his brow. "I don't know."
"You see, Cap... Steve," America said. "We have the choice with what we do. We can decide we don't have kids. We can adopt. Or there are three different people who could carry them. If I do they might get my powers which might also be the whole 'living forever' thing, still not sure what the deal with them is, but I wouldn't be surprised. Sarah could and they almost certainly will get the living forever thing. Or Kate could and we get just regular old archer genes."
"Awesome archer genes," Kate corrected her.
"So what do we do? What choice do we make?" America asked.
"Do you wish you weren't enhanced, Sarah?" Steve asked. "That you were just normal?"
Sarah frowned. "I don't know. I know that Rebecca and Anthony are pretty happy about it, but I think of losing Kate and all my friends -" she shook her head and a tear escaped. She wiped her eyes and Kate nuzzled into the back of her neck.
You rubbed her back in slow, soothing circles. "I can tell you, I'm really glad I don't have to watch you die. Parents aren't supposed to outlive their kids," you said.
Bucky nodded. "I hate we forced this on you, but I was relieved when you stopped aging."
Steve leaned forward and took Sarah's hands in his own. "You wanted to know if it's worth it? Do you think the time you spent with your grandparents was worth it? Your uncle Tony?"
Tears slipped silently down Sarah's cheeks as she looked into her father's eyes. "Yes."
"Loving people, even if you know you can't hold onto them - it's worth it. It's worth it for the impact that has on your life. Losing them is painful. But life, even a good one, is not without pain. But I can tell you, the best thing that has happened in my life is marrying your mom and dad, and getting to watch the three of you grow. It was worth every second," he said. "We can't make this choice for you. You three are amazing, smart, strong women. You're going to be amazing parents. And if your children end up being immortal then you will raise them to be ready for it. If not, then the brief moment you have with them will be worth it." Sarah fell into his arms and he wrapped them around her and held her tightly, stroking her back as she cried against him. "I'm sorry you have to make this choice, but I promise whatever one you make, it won't be the wrong one."