The Child of Winter ~ Book 1

13. A Rough Homecoming

-- Here's a song I thought describes the battle going on within Steven's mind all the time and the image is what he looks like. Just imagine that he looks a little bit more like Bucky with a right arm made of metal and you're golden ;) --

    Finally, the elevator opened at the penthouse level and the three men stepped out, with Bucky helping Steven along as they walked. It didn't take long for all eyes to shift to the three of them. Everyone in the room rushed the group, full to bursting with happiness that Steven was safe...everyone except Peggy Rogers, that is. As Bucky set Steven down on the couch, he told the others that it might be a good idea to give the youngsters a moment to themselves. Understanding his meaning, the adults cleared the room, leaving Steven and Peggy alone. Steven started to say, "Peggy, I know there's no way to apologize for--"

    He was cut off by Peggy slapping him in the face. "Why did you do that to me, Steven?!", she screamed. "Why?! Do you even know how concerned I was? I was worried you might never come back!!" Angrily, she started throwing harsh punches at him.

    Knowing full well he deserved it, Steven just sat there and let her vent. Finally, he caught her flying fist in his flesh hand with a soft grunt of pain, his broken wrist protesting against the action. He grit his teeth as she began to hit him with her other fist, but didn't say anything to make her stop. "Are... Are you... done now?" he weakly asked her as she finally began to tire. Fresh blood trickled out of a cut above his eyebrow and newer bruises littered his beaten-down body. His eyes were filled with guilt and he groaned as he placed his metal arm over his newest bullet wound.

    It wasn't too bad of one, just a graze to most; however, it was affecting him because of the continuous loss of blood. He nearly fell forward off the couch, but Peggy was there to ungraciously catch him with a scowl, "You're not in the clear here, Steven, so don't think things will be back to the way they were!" She then stepped away from him, letting him fall to the floor with a grunt.

    Bucky slowly stepped in before Steven got pummeled anymore and gingerly lifted his son from the floor, "You know he took a bullet for you tonight and then was nearly beaten to death by some homeless, right, Peggy?"

    She scowled, "That doesn't excuse what he did, Bucky." Peggy then stormed off to her room and slammed the door closed.

    The ex-assassin gingerly guided his son down to the medlab, leaving him in the capable hands of Dr. Banner. He scowled at the bloodied teen on his operating table and sighed, "I'll do what I can, Barnes, but with several broken bones and fractured ribs... Steven looks like he got himself into a car accident and not a backstreet brawl! What the heck did he get himself into?!"

    "Peggy hammered on him a little just a moment ago, so that might be something attributing to his current state," Bucky said before heading back to the main room and begin the cleanup. As he scrubbed the floor, he couldn't help but think back to how Steven had allowed Peggy to vent on him.

    The teen hadn't even tried to fight back against her angry assault... "Just like back in Hydra...You kept your mouth shut and allowed her to just crush you under her heel, kid..." Bucky murmured softly to himself. He finally finished with the floor and was surprised to see that Pepper was working on the couch.

    She looked pained as she whispered, "That young man truly is a soldier... I don't know of anyone else who could take the beatings he's received this night and still be alive!" Her hands then grabbed the cloth and she worked on removing the blood from the fabric.

    Bucky helped her and soon the couch looked good as new. Both retired for the night with concerns about what tomorrow would bring.

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