Avengers: The Recruits (On Hold)

Chapter 1

Giggling and laughing a toddler hops around in a green,freshly mowed lawn. The sun kisses her pale skin as the light bounces along with her hair,making her hair look like sun rays. A mother with long dark hair jogs slowly behind her little bundle of joy as she chases the girl through 'a jungle'.
"You can't catch me," the little child teases as she runs around a few trees.
"You're as fast as a cheetah," the mother says laughing.
The child giggles as she then quickly hides behind a tree.
"Where oh where could my sneaky daughter be?" The mother says out loud as she walks slowly towards the tree that hides her silly daughter. "I guess I'll never find her." The child giggles in response and suddenly the mother finds her child and scoops her up in her arms as she tickles the little girl.
"Mommy!" The child exclaims in delight and then the mother sets her child back down onto the ground.
A year later, the child now slightly older, she runs through the house and into the yard. Hearing rapid gunfire and the brakes of cars screeching to a halt, she screams as tears pour down her swollen face "Mommy!!!"

I suddenly wake up from my nightmare with a cold sweat and my heart racing as I lean up in my bed. My heart is pounding in my chest and I swear you can hear it throughout the whole house. I wipe my face with the back of my hands and reach over for my water bottle beside my bed. After taking a swig, I finally calm my breathing and then lean against the headboard of my bed. If only I had the luxury to call that memory a nightmare, I tell myself.
I sit there trying to relax my now tensed muscles as memories race through my mind.
"Daddy,do you ever miss Mommy," I ask as I gaze at my 5 year old reflection in the window of a hotel bedroom.
"Yes," he replies as he runs his silver hand through his dark hair "I miss her everyday."
"Do you think those bad guys will come back to get us?" I ask as I play with the threading of the curtains.
"No princess,I took care of them," he replies as he then comes over and places his cold hand on my shoulder as we gaze out the window together. I yawn and my eyes grow heavy. He chuckles and then lifts me up into his strong arms. "It's time for bed sweetie."
He lays me down in the small bed and tucks me in. "Daddy," I say sleepily.
"Yes princess?"
"Are you going to tell me the story of your arm?" I ask as I rub my eyes.
"Maybe some other time," he says as he then looks away from me as painful memories flash in his mind.
I yawn and say "I'll protect you from bad guys Daddy, you'll raise me up to be a strong soldier." He laughs and then smiles as he gently runs his hand over my dark hair. "I love you Daddy," and then my sleepy 5 year old self falls asleep.
"I love you too princess," he says and then places a soft kiss on my forehead before he walks back to the window, "I'll keep you safe no matter what."
I look over at the digital clock beside my bed, 2:00 AM. I huff in defeat as my mind refuses to go back to sleep. Moving the bed covers off of myself, I then quietly leave my bedroom and make my way through the dark hallways of my house and into the kitchen. Opening up a wooden pantry door, I then pull out a container of Oreos. A sick feeling suddenly grows throughout my stomach as I feel as if someone is watching me. I slowly turn around and find my dad watching me as he turns on a light lighting up the kitchen.
Relief spreads throughout my body as I relax and then sit the Oreo container down on the table.
"Couldn't sleep either?" He groggily asks as he takes a sit at the table and I take a sit beside him.
"No sir," I respond as I pull out an Oreo and take a bite. We sit there in a comfortable silence as I munch on Oreos at 2 in the morning. "Dad?" I suddenly say after I swallow an Oreo.
"Yes?" He answers back after he runs a hand through his messy brown hair and then props his head onto his silver arm.
"Can you teach me how to fight,like you?" I ask.
His eyes grow wide in shock and he stammers "you are too young."
"Dad I'm only ten," I respond "and Alex started training with her dad at the age of six!"
He groans as he rubs his temples "She started training at an early age because of who her father is."
"So? You're The Winter Soldier,"I state. He groans in response. "Come on dad,pleeease?"
He stares at the table while I wait for him to say something.
"Fine," he says suddenly and then adds "only because I promised your mother that I would train you one day."
A huge smile grows onto my face as I happily run over to him and give him a bear hug, while saying "thank you,thank you,thank you!"
"BUT,"he adds "if you get hurt that's no more training for you, got it?"
"Yes sir," I say beaming at him.
"I think you need to lay off the sugar before bed," he jokes and then adds "go back to bed sweetie."
"But what about my training?" I ask with wide brown eyes gazing at him.
"We will start in the afternoon," he says and then I run up and wrap my little arms around him once again.
"Thank you Daddy, goodnight," I say smiling.
"Goodnight sweetheart."

I remember that night 7 years ago, no longer my innocent 10 year old self, I am (recently turned) 17 years old now. Seven years of training with my Dad, at the age of 12 I started shadowing him on missions. Watched how he took down the bad guys, made sure that no one but myself was following him. Went on my first mission when I was 15 years old, met some of my Dad's allies. Guess you could say I never had a normal childhood, which is fine because I don't think I ever would've turned out to be a normal teenager. Failing classes, starting drama, and making the cheer team were and never will be my style.
My name is Harley Michelle Barnes and I am 17 years old, and I am the daughter of James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes a.k.a The Winter Soldier.

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Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of my new story "Avengers: The Recruits"!!! Please show your support by voting and commenting your opinions on the story. Also check out my other story "Caught in the Wave". Thanks and happy reading!

-American_Sk8ter

P.s.-I do not own the Avengers or any MARVEL characters in this story. I only own the characters that I make up.