Bucky Barnes' Daughter

Chapter Eighteen

"Where is everyone?"  I ask FRIDAY as I make my way around the house.  Everyone had disappeared on me without letting me know where they were going.  "FRIDAY?"

"I am not allowed to say, miss."

"Good to know."  I reply sarcastically as i continue to wander.  I finally give up and decide to retire to my room knowing they would find me when they were back.  I manage to get my computer up and running after struggling to understand the instructions Tony gave me, in ENGLISH!

"Choose a dress."  Nat tells me when she appears in my open doorway.

"Why?"  I close my laptop before heading over to my closet.  I saw a new dress hanging on the door that I didn't notice earlier.  "Is this okay?"  It was a dark purple with a large periwinkle ribbon around the waist.

"Yep.  When you're done open your door again so I can do your hair."  I nod reluctantly as Nat closes the door behind her.  I change into the dress as I start to wonder what was going on.

Nat ended up curling my hair then adding a simple tiara.  I was starting to suspect that they figured out it was my birthday recently.

"I'm going to blindfold you now."  She tells me once she's finished with my hair.  I agree and then I trust her as she leads me through the building.  I wanted to ask what was going on but it was nice being out of the loop for once.  

We make our way outside before Natasha removes my blindfold.

"SURPRISE!"  Everyone calls out.

The patio area was decorated for my birthday.  There was a large cake and tons of food set on a long table.  Everything was decorated with teal and silver.

"Happy birthday, Serenity."  Nat hugs me when she notices that I was crying.  "Hey, don't cry." 

"No one's ever cared about my birthday."  I sob.

"I know, that's why we did this."  Bucky kneels down in front of me.  "Come here."  He opens his arms and I run into them.  "I wanted to make up for all the years where you weren't cared about."

"Thank you."  I whisper.

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

"Put me down!"  I giggle as Thor scoops me up in his arms.  Even though the god just met me, he treated me like I was his niece.

"Yes, Lady Serenity."  He gently places me on the ground and I smile warmly at him.

"So this is the youngest Avenger now?"  Spider man appears out of nowhere.

"You're just jealous, you're not the youngest now."  I tease as he gently pushes me.  "So what's it like being normal?"

"It sucks."  He replies as he pulls out a cell phone.  "That's my Aunt May."  He walks away to answer it.

"Are you having fun yet?"  Bucky asks as he brings me more punch. I smile as I take the silver colored cup from him.  "I take that as a yes."  He jokes as he leads me towards the two other assassins.  "It's almost time to open your presents."

"You guys didn't have to get me anything."  I felt like they were giving me too much already.  Bucky didn't need to makeup for everything that's happened between us.  I forgave him a long time ago.

"Just shut up and open your presents."  Nat hands me the first present. 

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

Bucky's POV:

Serenity looked like a normal kid now as she opened the presents we got for her.  It was hard watching her and knowing that much of her pain was my fault.

"Why is this box moving?"  Serenity asks as one of her boxes moves. 

"Open it and find out."  Nat smiles as Serenity tears away the paper.

"What did you get her?"  I ask as Nat joins me on the sidelines.

"What do you think?"  Nat replies as Serenity squeals with delight.  I recognized the dog breed immediately and I shock my head light heartedly.  Nat had asked Tony if Serenity could have a dog but I didn't think she would get a Caucasian Shepard Dog.

"Thank you!" Serenity threw her arms around Nat in a tight embrace.

"A friend of mine will be coming here for a couple months so you can train..."  Nat waits for Serenity to give her dog a name.

"Dimitri, but probably Dima most of the time."  The dog came over and stood next to Serenity protectively. "See, he already knows his name." She pets the dog absentmindedly.

"You've had experience with these dogs before?"  Nat asks after Serenity gives Dima a command in Russian.  "For a while, HYDRA used these dogs to guard my brother and I.  I always liked animals and despite the fact that they were supposed to keep outsiders out and me in, well we bonded."

"Then I don't give you the speech."

I watched Serenity interact with Dima until the sun was starting to set.  My daughter was getting tired and soon I found her laying on her dog.  The dog didn't seem to mind and he even growled a warning when I got too close.

"Hush, Dima."  Serenity whispers before curling up closer to the dog.

"Let her sleep for a while.  We can clean up while Dima protects her."  Tony tells me and I reluctantly follow him.  "You're okay with the fact, Natasha got Serenity a dog right?"  Tony asks because he probably helped get the dog over here.  "He's trained to protect her."

"I know.  It doesn't surprise me."  I reply.  "I'm just glad someone will be able to protect her when I can't."