GROW (BUCKY BARNES x OC)

40

"Do you think Olivia should go back to school?" Wanda asked Bucky as they sat together on the couches in the living room.

The other Avengers were busy working or trying to track down Aurora. Trying and failing.

Bucky sighed and ran a hand down his face at Wanda's question.

"I don't know." He admitted after a moment.

"Maybe the normal routine would be good for her." Wanda suggested.

Bucky nodded, but he wasn't absolutely sure. He'd have to talk it over with Betty, Olivia's therapist. He hated the fact that he didn't know how to care for his daughter in the best way. Being Olivia's only parent was very new territory and he worried he was already failing. He definitely wasn't anywhere near the kind of parent Aurora was. A part of him wondered if he ever would be, or if that potential had been snuffed out of him years ago when HYDRA stole his mind.

"I'm just worried about HYDRA." Bucky sighed in frustration.

Wanda bit her lip before speaking again.

"They already took what they came for. They already have Aurora. Chris promised to leave the rest of us alone if she left with him, and she did."

Bucky just scowled darkly at the name.

"I trust Chris about as far as I can throw him. Actually, less than that. With all the anger I have toward him, I could probably throw him pretty far." He said.

"I know that he's an awful monster. I'm not saying he's not, I'd never say that. I'm just saying that he kept his promise to Aurora before about not hurting Olivia as long as she stayed with him." Wanda said carefully.

"I can't trust him." Bucky just insisted.

"No, we can't." She agreed, "But if returning to school is what's best for Olivia, we should make sure it happens. I can talk to Tony about how to increase the security of the building and everyone who enters. We can keep HYDRA car from getting even close to her."

Bucky frowned, but Wanda did have a point. Olivia wasn't doing well cooped up in the Tower everyday. She hadn't been outside in weeks and she spent most her day shut up in Aurora's room, looking after her mom's plants and growing little flowers of her own, treating to match the ones Aurora had grown. The closest Bucky had seen Olivia to playing was when she'd spend time with Alpine. The cat seemed to be one of the only things that could bring even a hint of a smile on her face.

At night Olivia had been sleeping beside Bucky in their bed. She was afraid to sleep in her own room, scared that Chris would come crawling out of the shadows for her. Her nightmares weren't helping either. Instead of spending the night alone in her room, she would sleep next to Bucky who left the soft fairy lights on all night to comfort her. Bucky had been experiencing nightmares of his own, but luckily he'd managed to keep from waking Olivia up every time he jolted awake.

Olivia wouldn't call or play with the Bartons anymore. Cooper and Lila kept asking to come visit her in person, but Clint told them it wasn't the right time. She hadn't seen Riley or Kinsey since her birthday sleepover either. Bucky had updated Tara on the situation, taking her number off of Aurora's phone and calling her. Tara had been horrified to hear that her friend was missing and offered to have Olivia over the house anytime if it would help. She'd insisted they could even show up at her doorstep in the middle of the night and it'd be fine.

Maybe returning to school would indeed be good for Olivia. Bucky didn't know, but he had a meeting scheduled to speak with Betty about how Olivia had been doing recently coming up soon.

Wanda smiled at him sadly.

"Why don't you go check in on her? She's been in your room alone for a while." She suggested gently.