Super Flower

Chapter Three

They rode to the helecarrier in silence. Once aboard and cruising, Natasha looked around at the group around her.

"Guys. What are we going to tell her?" She asked.

"The truth, of course." Bruce said, bewildered by her question. He had a pair of yoga pants on and a blanket wrapped around his body.

"No. That isn't a good idea." Tony said. "She'll be devastated if she knows that her father just gave her up."

"Hate to say it, but I agree with Tony." Steve said, looking at the little girl in Natasha's arms.

"So, what exactly are you going to tell her?" Bruce asked angrily.

"Simple." Someone brought him a glass of whiskey which he took a sip from. "He died."

"How the hell would that not devastate her?!" Natasha exclaimed. Luckily, Lily didn't wake up.

"She knows that dying is permanent, and she won't get mad. But if she knows that he gave her up..." He shook his head. "It will destroy her."

Lily opened her eyes slowly. She had almost forgotten what had happened that day, but then she remembered. She found herself in Natasha's arms, and a man with salt and pepper hair next to her. He was the first to notice she was awake.

"Hey, darling." Bruce smiled.

"Hi." She said shyly.

"Oh, you probably don't remember me. I was the scary green guy from earlier."

"You aren't scary. And that's really cool that you can turn into that." She beamed and Bruce smiled.

Lily looked around. It seemed like she was a huge airplane. She could see the clouds outside the window. But she didn't see her father.

"Natasha." She poked the woman who was holding her. "Do you know where my daddy is?"

She didn't answer, she just glared at Tony.
"Kid. Come here." The man in the iron suit beckoned. She slowly walked over to the other side of the table they were all sitting at. "I'm sorry to tell you this...but your father died."

"Wh-What?" She backed away slightly, tears forming in her eyes. "B-But he can't die."

"I'm sorry. One of the things came up and chopped his head clean off." Tony said.

She stumbled backwards, her whole world crashing down around her. She was both sad and angry.

"You did this!" She screamed at him. "You made him fight! He wouldn't have died if it weren't for you!"

"Lily, I-"

"NO!" She exclaimed. "If you had just left us alone, he would still be alive!"

She felt a hand on her shoulder and found Bucky there. He picked her up and she cried into him. He glared at Tony and Steve. "Its gonna be okay, Lily. I promise."

"No, it isn't!" She cried. Bucky didn't respond.

He began to walk around the helecarrier as she continued to cry. He strolled along until he came to his room. It was covered in newspapers of the last 60 or so years, highlighting various things about the era. A TV hung on the wall furthest from the bed.

The man collapsed and had the little girl's legs across his lap as she sobbed. She had mostly calmed down, but she was still very upset. She sniffed every once in a while. Bucky just held her, spoke comforting words and rubbed her back.

After a little while, he clicked the TV on.
"Is there anything you want to watch?" He asked her.

"No." She grumbled.

"Alright. I'm just gonna turn on Big Hero 6." That made her perk up.

"That's my favorite movie." She whispered excitedly.

"Mine too." He smiled.

The movie began and Lily watched intently, leaning her body against Bucky. They laughed at all the witty lines.

"Bucky..." The little girl turned to him. "Are you gonna be like Tadashi?"

"Well, I could be...but I don't want to blow up in a fire." He smirked.

"No! I don't want you to die either. But are you going to be like my big brother?" Her hazel eyes shone bright, contrasting with her dark hair.

"Yeah. I guess I am. I'm gonna do my best to keep you safe and raise you. I'm sure the others will help, too. Like Natasha, who has taken quite a liking to you. And I think Bruce will like you, too."

"I like them, and Steve seems nice. But I don't like Tony." Bucky laughed at that comment.

"Not many do, darling."

There was a knock on the door and Bucky paused the movie.

"Come in."

Steve walked in. "Hey. Just letting you know that dinner is ready."

"Thanks, Steve. We'll be down in a minute."

"Look, Buck. I-"

"Don't." The dark haired man's voice was soft but sharp. He moved the little girl so that he could stand up. "I blame you and that prick's ego."

He took the girl's hand and led her through some hallways to a dining area with a round table. Bucky helped her into her chair and sat on her left. Bruce was on her right and Natasha was next to him. Steve came in a little later and sat next to Bucky and Tony between him and Natasha. Lily glared at Tony, making Bucky and Natasha smirk.

"Kid, I own this carrier. Which means if you cross me, I can-" He was cut off by a knife landing to the left of his head in his chair. Bucky's hand was still in the air.

"You touch her, I won't miss." He said in a low voice.

Natasha's hand came from her side, where her gun had been.

"Has someone grown attached to something other than Steve's d-"

"Stark." Bruce warned.

"If that's the case, you're in charge of it. You get to feed it, clean it-"

"I hope Pepper doesn't want kids, because you would make an awful father. She isn't a dog. She's a little girl who's scared out of her mind." Natasha yelled at him.

The two went back and forth. The more they yelled, the more uncomfortable Lily got. She placed her hands over her ears. When that didn't work, she hid under the table.

There was a loud thunk above her head and she knew Bucky had just thrown another knife. The room was silent.

"Fucking assholes." He muttered as he scooted his chair back and ducked under to see her clutching the table leg. "It's okay, sweetie. They're done now."

She came back up hesitantly. She saw that the knife had landed right next to Tony's wrist. It looked as though he was reevaluating his entire life. Natasha looked just as spooked.

"Let's eat." A black man with an eye patch said, walking in. A few people came in behind him carrying trays of food. Lily shied away. She did not know the newcomer, and he frightened her with his one eye.

"Who is this?" He asked, looking at the girl, which made her shrink back in her chair.

"Her name is Lily, sir." Steve said. "We acquired her-"

"Acquired?!" Natasha said sharply. "Seriously? That's the word you used?"

"What else am I supposed to say?" He asked angrily.

"Make something up. You and Tony are really good at that." Bruce said, his fist clenched.

"Dr. Banner, maybe you should excuse yourself-"

"No. I'm staying." He looked angry, which made Lily uncomfortable. She got out of her chair and ran.

"Lily!" Several voices exclaimed.

"See what you did, Fury. You made her upset."

"Me?! How the hell was this my fault? It was probably all of you all being so damn egotistical."