Only 70 Years

Who Are You?

Who are you?

Steve glanced at Bucky and then at Grace, "Can I get you guys something to drink?" he spoke only to divert Grace's attention away from Bucky's stare.

"Anything." Natasha didn't even look up from Grace, "Actually make that some sort of alcohol... strong." Grace tried to comprehend why this man was so fascinated by just her name.

"Do we know each other-"

"Op- Grace can you help me. I can't figure out the-um- the fridge. Where do I get the ice?" Steve interrupts giving what ended up being a lame excuse.

She popped her head in the other room, "Uncle Steve! I'm on an assignment. Press the Ice button."

"Uncle Steve?" Bucky looked at Natasha who looked blankly at the wall. He stood up and walked towards her. He tried to look at her to see if he recognized her face. It was thin, sculpted. She looked exhausted, but he assumed that was a temporary thing. Then he looked at her hair, her blonde hair. Adeline had always joked about how their daughter had the brightest blonde hair, unlike their dark hair. She turned around and there he stood.

"Oh- sorry." She said looking down at her toes. She brushed a piece of hair out of her face, taking a step back.

"Grace? What's your middle name?" Bucky looked down at her catching sight of her eyes. His eyes. Their eyes.
"Excuse me?" She looked at Natasha for help.

"Grace, just answer him."

"...Adeline... I guess it was my mother's name, that's what Uncle Steve says at least." Bucky gasped silently and without thinking, wrapped his arms around her. She pushed back.

"What the heck! Leave me alone! I'm sorry but I don't know you! You obviously know me. But I have no idea how!"
Steve ran back in, "Grace!" Natasha shook her head in the back and mouthed, 'don't say it'.

"Grace, listen... can you go sit down. Nat go with her." Natasha nodded and practically pushed Grace to the couch.

"Nat, what's going on?"

"Grace, trust me when I say I'm letting your uncle handle it. This is a matter that I think you won't want to hear from me. You need someone with a soft spot." Grace would have laughed normally at this remark.

Steve took Bucky into the next room over, "James..."

"Steve, that's my daughter isn't it?"

"James!"

"No Steve! I haven't seen my daughter since the war! That was 70 years ago... I need to know. Is that my daughter?"

Steve swallowed hard before nodding slowly, "That's Grace." Bucky buried his face in his hands and starts to cry.

"That's my daughter! How is she so young? What-?"
"James! Shhhh. I'll explain," Steve pulls him up and walks into the other room. "Grace, I know you are gonna hate me after today, but I need you to listen very carefully to my next words. What year were you born?"

"1945..."

"And by some strange incident, you fell into a SHIELD experiment." He glares at her, saying each word sarcastically. When she turned 18 she decided to join shield, more specifically the experimental side. She ended up receiving a similar treatment her uncle had, only without the massive steroids. "So you are now 26... I guess... and- and this man you've heard his story. He's my best friend... and you know I'm not your biological uncle."

"I'm sorry. I'm really lost here."

"That man's name is James Buchanan Barnes."

"I know. Do you think I didn't read the chart."

"Barnes. B-a-r-n-e-s. Grace, he's your father."

Bucky watches Grace with a harder concentration than he meant, "I know, it's a popular- wait..."Grace's eyes went fuzzy, "What?"

"Grace, it's me..." Bucky tries to talk to her.

"You left me! Who do you think you are? You are not my father... my father died at war... there's no way..."

"Grace, I never meant to hurt you-"

"Get away from me!" She turned around bursting through the door. She didn't stop running. She had no clue where she was going, just away. Once she made it past the street, Bucky had freed everyone's grasps and he followed her. Natasha shouted at him and Steve tried to keep him back, but ultimately failed. Grace's tears slipped down her face as she ran only to have a hand grab her hand. She squealed, "Let me go!"

"No... Grace... Look at me!" She turned her head just enough to get a clear view of where to aim. She slapped him hard across the face and he grabbed her hand with his free one.

"Please.. I don't know you!"
"Grace, we both know that's a lie... at least let me explain!" She ripped her hands away from him, pulling herself closer to the wall behind her, "Grace, I had to...you know that... Peggy's told you that hundred times, right? Your mother was killed with you still in her arms and that was because I loved her... and I loved you.. and at the time, love was a danger. Whoever you loved would be dead. I'm so sorry, Grace... I had to, if I didn't you'd be dead." His eyes pleaded with mercy.

"You left me... you were supposed to come back. Peggy told me that you died, when I was 10... I had so much hope you'd return," she was crying now, "why would you do this to me? You're my father..." She looks away saying the last word. Down the street the rest of the crew watches. Bucky reaches across and wipes one of her tears away, "Don't touch me... please," She turns her head looking away. Bucky pulls his hands back and sits down across from her.

"You have questions... ask them," he tries to resist the urge to embrace her right there.

"Not here. Do you drink coffee?" She looks up somewhat hopeful that he'll answer her, but also fearing that he'll want to spend more time with her.

"Yeah," he stands offering her his hand.