Bucky Barnes' Daughter

Chapter Twelve

Two Weeks Later:

The sun woke me up as it sent rays of sunshine into my room.  I smiled knowing it was going to be a nice day.  Wanda and I were planning on going swimming today and thankfully the weather didn't rain on my parade.

I scramble out of bed quickly throwing on a change of clothes over my swimsuit.  The sun dress was a light green color that made my hair look darker than usual.  I stared at my reflection for a moment trying to ignore all the features I shared with Bucky.

The conversation about Bucky possibly being my father still haunted me.  I know everyone is curious but I was worried what would happen when they found out who my father was.  I'm not even sure who he is but I had a feeling that they wouldn't like the results even if they were Bucky.

"Are you ready yet?"  Wanda calls as she knocks on my door.  

I grab my beach towel and I slip on a pair of flip flops.  "I couldn't be more ready."  I tell her as I throw open my door.  We race through the halls then out into the summer sun.

"Are you two going swimming?"  Bucky asks as we run past him.

"Of course!"  We call as we make our way to the pool Tony installed at Wanda's urging.  The water was so clear that I could see the bottom.  I went swimming a couple times while I was with HYDRA but the water wasn't ever this clean.

We quickly throw off our clothes and I run to the edge and jump in.  The water welcomes me like an old friend.  My powers swell up around me and I relax realizing I was safe from my brother in the water.

Wanda jumps in shortly after but she has to swim to the surface for air sooner than I do.  I finally surface even though I could stay under the water for forever.

"I missed this."  I tell her as we float on our backs.

"You can control water right?"  She asks and I move my hand.  An orb of water appears above us.  "You wouldn't?"  She cries as I let it go.  We are engulfed by the warm water.  I swim under the water before coming up again.  Wanda laughs as she splashes me when I come up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bucky's POV:

Serenity's laugh greets me as I come to towards the pool.  I usually wouldn't go swimming but Nat convinced all of us to join the girls.  It would be nice having a normal day with Serenity but part of me knew something was looming on the horizon.

"Are you joining us?"  Serenity sits on the edge of the pool dangling her legs in the water.

"Yes."  I smile at her as she flashes a dazzling smile.  I again saw the similarities between the two of us.  Banner was going to talk to Serenity later this week about studying her genetic makeup.  Her powers were amazing but we all mostly wanted to know if she was my daughter.

"Come on soldier."  Wanda splashes water at me.  I take off my shirt before jumping in.

We all mess around and before long Nat and Clint joined us.  Captain came later and even Tony joined in.

Serenity had a blast and we all smiled when she laughed.  Nat seemed to care about the girl more than even I did.  I know she was thinking about her own past.  Maybe she was thinking about giving Serenity everything she couldn't have. Right now, Serenity was just thankful to have a childhood.

"I wouldn't trade this in for the world."  Serenity tells us.  "I like having a family again."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Bucky's POV still:

I carried a sleeping Serenity back to her room.  She fell asleep in the living room during our Lilo and Stitch marathon.  I remembered how much she loved that movie growing up.  That was one pass time that HYDRA allowed her to have as long as she completed her training.

I remember when she was around seven, she told me that we were both the ugly duckling because we were lost and didn't have a family.  I didn't understand the reference at that point but when I was assigned as her baby sitter one time, I finally grasped what she was telling me.

"You're a beautiful swan now."  I whispered to her as I gently pulled the covers over her sleeping form.

I left the room making sure to turn on the nightlight before fulling closing the door.  I wanted to promise her that nothing bad would ever happen to her again but with her brother still looming on the horizon, things could go terribly wrong at any point now.

When my thoughts finally drifted to Lev, I realized that if Serenity was my daughter then Lev would also be my son.  Could I really choose to kill him in order to protect Serenity.  I knew in my heart that the only way to protect the girl was to dispose of her brother, but a parent shouldn't have to kill their child.

I didn't notice where my feet were taking me until I ended up in Banner's lab.  The man was studying something under the microscope so it took him a moment to notice me.

"Is there any way we can do the paternity test any time soon?"  I ask Banner when he finally notices me.  "I want to know if Serenity really is my daughter."

"I already talked to the girl.  She's allowing me to draw her blood tomorrow so I can start studying her mutation.  I'll draw an extra vile or two so we can see if you're her father.  I'll need your blood before then."

"I'm free now."