Bucky Barnes' Heartsong

The Call

Sam went into the conference room and setup the call with Steve. He called for Bucky and had him come in after he made sure the connection was strong enough to last a while. "Good luck Buck, you're going to need it." He patted Bucky's shoulder and stepped out of the room to give them their privacy.

Bucky looked up at the screen and saw a very old but still very strong Steve Rogers. The man who had been his friend for close to 100 years but in that moment he found it so hard to speak to him. 

Steve looked at Bucky with concern but still with a smile because he was so happy to see his lifelong friend. 

"Hey Buck. It's been too long my friend. How're you? How's it going?"

Bucky smirked and put his hands in his pockets "Well, Steve, it's been better and it's been so much worse. I've met your granddaughter and well she's..." he paused not sure what to say next, he shook his head and thought 

just get it over with

 "Steve she's one hell of a woman and... he shook his head a little "well... I've fallen for her" as he said this he looked straight into the bright, blue eyes of his dear friend.

"Ah, I should have told you about her before, I suppose. Honestly, I'm not sure how to react to this. First, does she feel the same?" Steve stayed very stoic. He wasn't angry looking just concerned. His weathered features still showed the strong handsome man he had always been just aged now and much wiser. Bucky felt as though Steve was finally looking on the outside how he had been on the inside for years.

"I believe she does."

"And what about her husband Buck?"

"OH, Luke? I thought you knew. He died about a year ago now. Lyra and I just met a few weeks ago Steve. I would never go after a married woman."

"I'm sorry my focus has been on the skies and not on Earth. I have missed some, it seems. I really loved Luke. He was good for her and he protected her and their boy."

"Yeah Steve, about that. The reason I met Lyra is because of Luke's death. He was researching about you. Your legacy, he found out about Lyra. Someone calling themselves the Power Broker killed him for that information because he discovered that it was Lyra. He never revealed it to them. He sent clues to us and to Lyra. We were trying to find everything he left and Sam and I were protecting her and Erik when she and I...when I started to fall for her. Steve why didn't you tell me about your family. You know I would have kept the secret. I would have protected them."

Steve hung his head. "Buck I didn't tell anyone who I really was. I had to keep the secret for so long that by the time I gave Sam the shield. I had thought Lyra would never find out. That she would just live a normal life. Which is what I wanted for her. After my son was murdered and her mother...she didn't need to go through the heartache and pain being a super soldier brings with it."

"Steve, she should have had the choice. You had a choice" Bucky said with a soft tone.

"I know. I'm glad you found her. I'm glad that you found someone to love Buck. You need that companion in your life and if it's her. Maybe fate knew you would need a part of me to keep you company." He looked at his tired friend and he smiled. "You have my blessing."

"Thanks Steve but she now wants to activate and I'm scared for her. I know what it was like for me. I had no choice but I also know what it was like for you. Do you know if it will hurt her? Will she be okay? She isn't as young as we were, will that affect anything. Also her being female..."

"Whoa Buck, yes she will be okay. She isn't like us. She was born with my gene, with my serum. The original serum didn't have the issues yours had. She will be great. In fact she may be stronger than us both."

"That would be pretty incredible" Bucky smiled at the thought of Lyra being able to kick his ass.

"Well she is my granddaughter, Buck, and Peggy's. Her mother was strong too. She didn't kill herself. She worked for SHEILD as well. That is how she met, James. He fell for her hard. Before that he was a flirt much like his namesake" he smiled at his friend. "He saw Gretchen though and that all changed. She was his girl and he had to fight for her. She didn't fall easily. Lyra looks like her for sure. At least the last time I checked in on her."

"She looks like you and Peggy a bit too. I see it, now that I know. Steve, what happened to her mother?"

"She went looking for whoever murdered James. She refused help and wouldn't listen when I begged her not to. To stay for their daughter.." he hung his head sadly. "She just couldn't live without him, without knowing that whoever took him paid for it. Of course it was Hydra."

Bucky stiffened "It wasn't me, was it Steve? I didn't take her parents. Please tell me it wasn't me?"

"No, no Buck. It wasn't you. You were frozen. It was another soldier. Not sure who. Gretchen never returned from her mission and we assumed she died. I told her family it was heartbreak because the truth seemed so much worse."

"Steve, Lyra wants to be activated because of Erik. She and I were working to solve the clues Luke left and Erik and her adopted sister were taken by the Power Broker" Bucky hung his head in shame. 

"She needs time to learn her new abilities before she goes after someone powerful, Buck. You know how the power can be...but then you'll be with her and Sam. With the two of you to guide her she should be alright. I trust you both. "

"You're right. Steve, there's something else. Since she is like me. If we...um..the thing is..." He didn't know how to ask the one question he had dreaded but he needed the answer too. "You and Peggy...I know when she was pregnant and the births were difficult but Lyra is going to be stronger... I know that nothing you could do could stop.."

"Buck, have you BEEN with Lyra?" Steve asked cocking his eyebrow.

Bucky turned red and looked away uncomfortably. He mumbled "Yes"

"Well, there was a time when you would tell me all about your adventures with women. Ha, I guess since she's family it is a bit weird." He chuckled. "The answer to the question you are having great difficulty asking is I'm not sure. I do have a daughter but she chose to not get married or have children after what happened to her brother. I know for Peggy and me there was no choice when we were together a child came shortly after. Peggy, I almost lost her each time. After our girl, Natasha, she chose to get her tubes tide. To stop that from happening and that was the only way to stop it, but if you want a family still and Lyra wants more children it will happen quite easily I assume."

"We do but we're not sure if we want them so soon."

"Oh, like I said Buck after Peggy and I were married it all happened very fast. Being a father was one of the greatest joys of my life but also one of it's greatest sorrows. Be careful with my..." He paused and smiled at Bucky: "Our family Bucky" he chuckled. "I always thought of us as brothers but now...Grandson in law. Man our lives are so weird."

"Yeah that's an understatement, Pal" Bucky laughed too. "I'll do whatever it takes for them Steve. I promise."

"Alright Buck, when she is ready I'm here to talk with her. I would love that." He waved.

Bucky waved back and closed the video out "Bye, Steve."