Final Lap - Sambucky AU

167

Quali came.

The kids were at the track getting ready. Natasha was doing some warmups when Maria walked over to her.

"Your father isn't participating in the qualifying laps?" Maria said quickly. Natasha looked at her confused.

"He isn't? So he's starting tomorrow... 20th!? What is he doing?" Natahsa said as Maria showed her the interview on her phone.

"Bucky! Why are you not participating in quali?!" A reporter yelled to him.

He looked at the interviewer. "I'll win from 20th!"

Natasha let out a chuckle of disbelief. "If he's saying it, he's gonna..."

Natasha pulled her helmet on and jumped into her car. She took a deep breath. She suddenly saw a fist appear in front of her.

She looked up and saw her father. It was Bucky. He smiled and looked at her. "Show me what you got!"

She nodded and gave him a fist bump.

She pulled onto the track and thought back to everything her father taught her. She saw him standing on the side.

He gave her a nod. She took a deep breath and pulled her visor down. The lights turned green and she took off.

The cars roared down the track.

Bucky watched her closely. He had a pose of nervousness. He wanted to see if everything he taught her would come in clutch.

Clara overtook Natasha and was having the fastest time. Natasha overtook her on the turn and kept going.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Bucky Barnes, sets a new track record here in Brazil! Taking down Nick Fury's record that stood for 3 years!"

Bucky raised his fist to the sky. The young driver had done something that hadn't been done before.

This caused the world to focus on him, and recognize his ability.

"I DONT BELIEVE! Ladies and gentlemen! Natasha Barnes, breaks her fathers fastest track record. The only person to do so on any track!  And she has POLE POSITION! SHE IS IN POLE POSITION IN BRAZIL!" The reporter yelled in excitement.

"NATASHA! YOU BROKE BUCKYS RECORD." Maria said to her on the coms. Natasha's eyes widened.

"I did...?"

"YES!"

Natasha cheered in her car, throwing her fist to the sky as she pulled out to the victors circle. She jumped out of her car and threw her fist to the sky.

Clara came in behind her with Kylo in 3rd. Natasha congratulated Clara and Kylo. She got her award for getting pole position, before she was crowded by interviewers.

She ended up answering questions for awhile, which she had no interest in doing. All she wanted to do was see her dad and see what he had to say.

Bucky watched from the side with a smile of pride. He said as so so so... proud. Eventually the interviewers finished and she saw him.

She ran over to him. "Well? How'd I do?"

Bucky chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Spectacular. But don't worry, tomorrow I'm giving you my best." He said with a smirk.

"I'll keep up." She said with a smile.

He nodded and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Good. Now, let's go find your father and see his reaction."

Everyone went out to celebrate Natasha's pole position and record breaking performance. Sam was beyond proud. He made sure everyone knew he was.

They partied in the hotel room for a little while so that they wouldn't have to worry about getting back to the hotel. And there were no drinks.

Bucky ended up out on the hotel balcony. He hummed as he drank some fake champagne. He honestly liked it better than the actual stuff.

As he sat out there, he heard the door open and someone sit next to him. He turned and saw Natasha.

She smiled a bit at him and then looked at the view. "You're gonna win tomorrow aren't you?" She said with a chuckle.

"That confident in my abilities?" He said with a smirk.

"Oh yes. Mr. 11 time world champion. Been watching you since I was little. It's one of the fun little tricks you do when you planning something in the background."

Natasha knew her father well. She knew when he was up to something. That's how she always knew he was getting her a present or surprising Sam.

He would do something to throw everyone off.

"I always have something planned in the background." He said with a chuckle. He looked at his hands and his rings.

"Just going to be taking a different look at life from now on." He said as he looked at her. He knew she didn't accept that answer, but she just nodded. "Alrighty."

He patted her back. "Proud of you..."

"Proud of you too dad." She said with a soft smile. The two clinked glasses and just relaxed.

Bucky knew his time in racing was coming to an end. And he was ready for it now. But of course...

He had to have one last hurrah.

The next day was race day. The track was in an uproar about Bucky starting in 20th. People were confused as to why he did that.

And he would simply say...

"I'm checking things off the bucket list!" He would smile and then walk off.

Bucky stood in his drivers room and looked at himself in the mirror. Bucky saw a man who had seen a lot, accomplished a lot,  been through a lot, and was ready to rest.

He fist bumped his reflection. "You've done good..."

Bucky turned and zipped up his racing suit and grabbed his helmet as he walked into the bustling garage.  Mina was doing jump rope to warm up as she stood outside.

"You ready kid?!" He said with a chuckle.

"Yes I am! Crazy how you're gonna be in the back." She said as she stopped her jump rope and put it away.

"Eh, it won't be too bad." He said.

"It's 20th place Bucky... you're in last."

"I won't be for long. I got 19 places to make."
He smirked and pulled his helmet on.

He got this.