Bucky Barnes' Daughter

Chapter Twenty-Two

A/N: The next couple of chapters will contain a lot of flashbacks.  Just a reminder, Bold means it's a flash back and italics mean the person is speaking Russian, unless another language is noted. 

"You're doing great."  Banner tells me as he starts stitching up the cut.  I wanted to tell him that this was nothing but I didn't want to make Bucky feel uncomfortable.  Instead, I keep my mouth shut.

"Do you remember when I tried to run away?"  I ask Buck trying to keep my mind off of the needle sewing me back together.  

"How could I forget?"  He asks as he squeezes my hand gently.  "You were what nine?"  I nod.  "The other soldiers there kept talking about it for months after the fact."  I smile remembering my defiance.

"What are you two talking about?"  Banner asks and I laugh lightly.

"The first time I had to stitch Serenity back together.  She's one tough little girl."

"What were you thinking?"  Bucky catches me in his arms when I collapse.  I feel his arms pick me up and carry me to the dining table.  He pushes everything off of it before laying me on my stomach.

My back was torn to ribbons from the bite of the whip.  I only received ten lashes for my defiance but considering I'm only nine, I guess it was a feat to survive the pain.

"What if they had decided to kill you?"  He demands but I was already starting to black out.  "Kid, keep talking to me."  He kneels next to my head and brushes my curls away from my face.

"I'm going to be sick."  Bucky quickly hands me the trash can.  He holds back my hair when I finally puked up my breakfast.  

"Did you hit your head?"  Banner asks after he finishes up the stitches.  

"I don't remember."  I reply.

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

Bucky's POV:

"We'll monitor her for the next couple days."  Banner informs me as Serenity sleeps in the cot.  She didn't remember hitting her head when she fell but she's displaying signs of a concussion.  I know from past experience that she is susceptible to concussions.  It's happened so many times before that even she should have recognized the signs.

"I'll keep an eye on her.  I'm used to looking for the signs."

"This has happened before?"  Banner asks and I nod.  "Let me know if she worsens."  He walks quickly away.

"Why do I keep puking?"  Serenity asks as she manages to throw up for the fourth time in a thirty minute period.  She looked dazed and confused and even though I've told her this twice before, I explained that she had a concussion.

"You have a concussion."  I hand her a glass of water which she slowly drinks.  "Let's get you in bed." 

She wearily nods as I lead her to my bed.  Once she was under the covers, I took up my guardian position on the chair next to her.  Throughout the night, I would occasionally wake her up to ensure that she was alright.

Over the years, it became a routine between us.  It never got as bad as the first night but the symptoms varied between episodes.

"Bucky?"  Serenity reaches for my hand.  She seemed to be out of it and I quickly took her hand to comfort her.  "Don't leave me, okay?"  

"I wouldn't leave you."  I promise her and she slowly falls back to sleep.

"Winter?"  Serenity opens her eyes and sleepily watches me.  "Did my brother mean to hurt me?"  

I didn't know what to say.  Her brother caused her concussion but it's hard to tell if the Lev she loves is still inside of his head somewhere.  If he's gone, then he did mean to hurt her but if he's still inside, then he probably didn't mean it.

"I don't know."  She nods sadly and I feel my heart break.  It takes a lot now a days to make me feel something.  "How's the pain?"  She shrugs before drifting off again.  I watch her diligently through the night. 

It was touch and go for a while but when morning finally came, Serenity was starting to feel a little better.  I kept her hidden in my room for several days, and thankfully no one looked for her.

They knew she didn't leave the compound because they recently installed a tracking device in the back of her neck.  It would say she was in the compound but because of the multitude of floors, it would be hard to track her down without her brothers help.

Lev.  I should have thought of it sooner.  Serenity is vulnerable when she is like this and knowing her brother, he would know this was the perfect time to come after her again.  Her defenses were down and we wouldn't expect an attack after a month without anything happening.

I didn't want to leave Serenity's side but I needed to alert Cap to the danger that was quickly approaching.  We wouldn't have much time before he would arrive.

"Steve!"  I call as I see him turn a corner.  My childhood friend comes back towards me.  His eyes fill with concern when he sees the blood that was caked on to my sweatshirt.  "It's not mine."  I assure him.

"Is Serenity okay?"  Steve glances behind me.  

"That's the thing.  She has a concussion and I'm pretty sure her brother will choose this time to attack.  She's defenseless and we're not expecting him to show up."  I explain in a hurry.

"Where is she?"  Steve and I break into a run and we manage to make it the infirmary within a minute.

Serenity was sitting up in bed and judging by the panic in her eyes, her brother was already here.