-In which, despite Indigo and Bucky's shattered and bruised state, their love for each other is the anchor that prevents them from completely crumbling.
Mature Content 18+
[Book Two]
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7 Months Later...
"Isn't she just precious?" Indigo smiled warmly, casting a glance over at Tony, who was cradling his daughter, Morgan, with evident adoration.
She and Gracie had flown out to see the new baby, and Tony seemed to revel in the attention. He sat comfortably on the couch, Morgan nestled in his arms, while Gracie sat beside him, happily babbling away.
Indigo's gaze shifted to her own daughter. Gracie had recently begun taking her first steps, tentatively piecing together the mechanics of walking.
They found themselves spending more time at the compound these days. With Nat and Steve finally together, Indigo brought Gracie along, leaving her in Steve's capable hands while she and Nat pitched in wherever needed.
They couldn't bear to stand idly by, not after the devastation of Thanos's snap. Indigo despised seeing families torn apart, left shattered by the aftermath.
She and Gracie were a broken family too, and it tore at her heart. Every day, every step, every breath seemed to remind her of Bucky. His absence loomed large in her life, a constant ache that intensified with every glance at their daughter.
She could feel herself starting to spiral, a sense of dread creeping in with each passing day. Yet, for Gracie's sake, she clung desperately to whatever semblance of normalcy she could muster. Nights turned into an agonizing vigil spent in her daughter's room, watching over Gracie as she slept.
Indigo couldn't afford to let her guard down, fearing that if she closed her eyes, she might wake up to find Gracie gone—just another casualty of the chaos that had consumed their lives since Thanos's snap.
The nightmares haunted her relentlessly, a ghostly echo of the trauma that had shattered her world. She longed for the comfort of Bucky's arms, yearned to feel his presence once more. But all she had left were photographs and the faint, lingering scent of his shirts—a bittersweet reminder of a love now lost.
"How are you feeling?" Indigo asked, turning to Pepper with a warm smile.
"I'm great, Tony has been the biggest help," Pepper replied, her eyes shining as she glanced fondly at her husband cradling their newborn daughter.
Indigo felt a pang of jealousy flicker briefly, but she quickly pushed it aside, focusing instead on the joyous scene before her. She smiled down at Gracie, who was curiously observing the baby in Tony's arms.
"I'm so happy for you," Indigo said sincerely. "Steve and Nat are going to be so jealous that we got to come and see her."
"Well, Steve can—" Tony began.
"Mmm," Indigo interrupted with a playful yet stern look at Tony. "Unkie Stevey is going to be thrilled to see the new baby, isn't he, Gracie?"
She didn't want any hint of violence around Gracie, not even in its subtlest forms. Having grown up around it herself, she knew firsthand how damaging it could be—it had transformed her into someone she never wanted to become, and she was determined to shield her daughter from that fate.
