Entwined (A Bucky Barnes story - 18+)

Chapter 48

[Laurel's POV]

"So you're sure the serum ended with him? No more of Walker's batch got out?" Bucky asked Tony as Steve interjected.

"We've been out there, we've hunted down every potential contact from the whackjob scientist that modified it to give that guys powers. I swear Buck. It's gone." Steve said definitively as Nat and Clint nodded behind in agreement.

Some of the team had gone out to Madripoor and other various missions over the last week to ensure our gifted Hydra friend was a one off incident.

"Ok, ok, thank you." Bucky sighed as he leant back in his chair, his hand on my thigh lazily.

Annabel was strapped to my chest as she snoozed on her visit to the Compound.

Despite the trauma she'd endured last week, she seemed to have recovered relatively quickly. Wanda and Nat had assured me she wouldn't remember it and it wouldn't impact her but I'd felt so terrible, letting her even be in that position.

Pepper was still beating herself up too as she recovered physically, as was Loki, despite Bucky and my protests that they'd done the best they could. All that mattered is we all lived to see another day, another fight.

Out of all the self-blame however, Bucky was the worst. He spent every day apologising over and over, watching us both intently and not letting us out of his sight. I knew he felt responsible that Hydra would forever be tied to him, but I didn't blame him one bit.

"How's Morgan doing?" I asked Tony as his eyes softened in sadness a little.

"She's tough. She's a brave kid. I'm so proud of her for finding her safe spot." Tony beamed as his eyes glistened a little.

"You guys did such a great job with her that's why." Nat said as she hit Tony lightly on the shoulder.

"I feel incredibly lucky. It could've all gone a lot worse." I mumbled as I stroked Annabel's soft scalp gently.

She was the most soothing thing in the world to me.

"How on Earth did they manage to modify the serum into that though?" Steve asked, his brow furrowed as we thought back to Agent 4's black magic.

Tony shrugged.

"I don't think we'll ever know. But it seems that scientist is dead and we used the last of the serum on Laurel, so I think we're safe for a while now, dare I say it." Tony replied with a sad smile towards us.

"I honestly can't thank you all enough. You're the best family we've ever had." I said in a rare moment of sentiment, as I felt the love for my daughter within the room.

She was so blessed to have so many people around her.

"Laurel, we love you guys so much, Annabel means a lot to all of us. You will always have us." Nat smiled.