[𝟭.𝟯] 𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂 ➣ {𝕛•𝕓•𝕓} ❘ [𝖒𝖛𝖔𝖒 𝖝 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖗]

*:･ﾟ𝟯𝟲 ༉‧₊❒┊𝗚𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 ☰

༘♡ ·˚ ₊˚ˑ༄ؘ

"Mama!"

You dropped the bag your carried on your shoulder, your suit transforming back into casuals with a glimmer of green. You crouched enough to receive Natalie when she came running towards you and lifted her up by her arms.

"Hi baby," you pressed a loud smooch to her cheek.

Mara and Aaron hugged your legs, nearly knocking you off your balance as you embraced them back with one hand sloppily.

"I swear I feel like I've been replaced by mini versions of ourselves," Bucky appeared into view, walking out of the back

"I'm afraid that's the sad truth," you pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, patting his cheek in mock sympathy.

"So, how was the mission?" Bucky asked, picking up the bag from the floor.

You let Natalie to the floor and she followed Mara and Aaron to the backyard of the house.

"No more special missions," you promised, stretching your arms above your head, "I told Charles and Reeds I'm done. And I won't be involved in any kind of situation that forces me to be away from my family,"

"So, no more kicking ass?"

"Nope. Only yours, if you piss me off too much,"

Bucky chuckled at your words. He led you over to the backyard and you leaned against the bench and table, leaning over to pick up a cookie for yourself from the plate in the middle. 

"What are you doing here?" you asked your children.

"Getting flower," Mara replied shortly, walking beside a flowerbed.

"Whoever gets the prettiest one wins," Natalie added, bending to pluck a petunia flower from the ground.

You gave your husband a weird look over your shoulder, "Wins what?"

But he didn't answer you and instead walked over to you, wrapping his arms around your form from the back, "I win,"

Natalie and Mara snapped their heads to him, "How?"

"I said pretty one. I didn't say pretty flower," he grinned, resting his chin on your shoulder, "And I got my pretty one right here,"

The kids all groaned at their father's wordplay. Mara deadpanned, Natalie face palmed with both her hands, and Aaron didn't even care much, already heading towards the table to get a cookie for himself.

"Cheesy," you scrunched your nose, tilting your head to look at him over your shoulder.

"Only for you, Mrs. Barnes," he replied smoothly, pressing a hard kiss to your cheek.

But the peaceful scenery morphed into a dark setting. A hellhole. A forsaken no good place that you couldn't identify. As though it was a universe on the brink of extinction. About to collapse and was held together by mere strings of magic.

"M-om!"

"He-lp!"

You sat up straight on your bed, chest heaving up and down as you took deep breaths in. 

When you found yourself in the bedroom, you realized what you dreamt of wasn't a memory but a scene from another universe. Where you had a peaceful life without putting any of your children in harm's way.

You covered your face with your hands, feeling hot tears blur your sight. Your shirt clung to your back as sweat rolled down your shoulder blades. You could still hear the screams, and cries for help. And there was nothing you could do. 

You didn't understand what was happening. You didn't know how to get them back. You didn't know how you lost them in the first place. But you wouldn't stop until you got them back.

A set of footsteps announced the arrival of Wanda, at whose place you were currently staying at. She didn't talk and remained by the door, noticing your distress.

"I don't wanna talk about it," you pulled your knees up to your chest and rested your chin on them, knowing that she'd ask you about it.

Feet padded against the wooden floorboard and the mattress dipped beside you, indicating that Wanda had sat by your side.

"It doesn't get easy," Wanda placed her hand on your back, "You just get used to it,"

"Do we have to?" your voice broke off in desperation. Grief. Hopeless desperation.

"Not for long," she trailed off, making you look up at her, "If we do as I say," Wanda brushed away a fresh tear with the back of her hand.

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