GROW (BUCKY BARNES x OC)

36

Happy got Olivia home from school safely. Everyone was okay, but no one really felt in the mood to celebrate Olivia's birthday as joyfully as usual. They still cut the cake, opened presents, and sang to her, but there was an air of sadness around the room. Aurora was terrified that this was the last birthday she'd ever get to celebrate with her daughter.

Nevertheless, they all tried to hide their fear and put on happy faces for the little girl. Olivia knew something was deeply wrong, but no one would tell her exactly what, so she just tried to continue playing the part of the oblivious birthday girl.

Aurora knew that her daughter was no fool, nor was she ignorant. She knew for a fact that Olivia was aware something was definitely amiss, and was probably worried about it.

Aurora didn't have it in her heart to tell her daughter the truth though. The truth that they weren't safe, that it wasn't going to be okay. That the man who'd haunted them for years stuck in his house or in their nightmares once they escaped, that Chris knew where they were. That he was coming. That he had walked into their home, taken the elevator up to their floor, and dropped off a note in Aurora and Bucky's room, mere feet away from Olivia's own room. That nowhere was safe anymore, and Olivia couldn't leave the Tower, not even for school.

She had decided to use the excuse of Wanda and Vision's upcoming wedding taking more time and preparation than they had expected. Aurora claimed they needed everyone's help here at the Tower, even Happy and Olivia.

Aurora phoned in to Maple Elementary School and informed the secretary at the front desk that her daughter would be out of school for the next few upcoming days while they attended a family member's wedding. She had mentioned Olivia missing a day or two of attendance before when talking to the secretary, so now the woman didn't question her and just assumed that this was the time away from school that Aurora had forewarned her about.

Wanda and Vision still decided to have their wedding. Aurora was upset when they told her, worried that something bad would happen to them, nearly spiraling into another panic attack out of fear for her friend's safety. Wanda had reassured her with confidence and a kind but firm tone that canceling is what Chris would've wanted them to do. The awful man would've wanted them to be spending their days miserable and anxious for his next move, not rejoicing and having a good time at a wedding. Since the wedding was located at the Tower, and Tony was advancing his security now more than ever, Wanda and Vision argued that continuing on with the nuptials and planning would be perfectly safe, and even better for their mental health.

That night after the panic attack and rude interruption of her beautiful daydream of a life with her loving family, Aurora was hesitant to go to bed. She hadn't said it outright but she felt terrified at the very hint of the thought of going to bed with Bucky. She was scared to touch him, to look at him. To love him. She was scared he would know. Somehow he would find out.

If Chris had managed to somehow break into the Avenger's Tower and bypass all of Tony's numerous security measures, as well as find out about the necklace from Bucky that Aurora always wore, all without getting caught, he must have connections and spies. She didn't know who, but some members of the staff employed at the Tower must have sided with HYDRA and been scheming against them all by assisting Chris on his journey of mayhem. That thought made her feel even more paranoid. She trusted her family and a few close friends, but besides that, Aurora didn't know any staff member working at the Tower personally. The housekeeping crew didn't even ever go on their floor and the Avengers did the household chores around their personal floor on their own, often taking turns rotating through assignments to promote equality and fairness, according to Steve.

The spies could be anyone anywhere and it was about nerve wracking to think about.

That night her paranoia was still skyrocketing high and Bucky had definitely picked up on her avoiding touching him or even getting to close to him. It hurt to see her hiding herself away, but he tried to respect her need for space. When they went to sleep that night Bucky offered to sleep on the couch in the room and give Aurora the bed to herself. He absolutely despised that Chris frightened her so much, and that he couldn't even comfort her without making her worry and panic even more.