Bucky Barnes' Daughter

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Lev's here."  I tell Bucky as he and Steve come running into the room.  I was already feeling dizzy from sitting up this long but I couldn't pass out again.  I lasted about thirty seconds with this resolve before I ended up puking into the trashcan by my bed.

"We need to get you out of here."  Steve moves to pick me up as Bucky moves to do the same.  "You can't go with her.  He'll know you would want to protect her."

"Where are you going to go?  He'll find her."  Bucky argues as he moves closer to me.  I didn't want to see the two friends argue.

"I need to face him." I tell them even though I was in no condition to face my brother.  I couldn't keep running from him and right now was a good a time as any to finally face him.  I move my leg so it's hanging off the edge.  Blood rushes to the limb and I feel pins and needles.  "I'm done running."

"He'll kill you."  Bucky looked hurt as he studied me.  "I can't lose you."

"What does it matter if I die?"  I ask him wanting to know why he was caring this much.  "You don't owe me anything anymore."

"Bucky, you need to tell her."  Steve puts a hand on his friend's shoulder.  I watch both of them as I try to decipher what they are hiding from me.  I wouldn't use my powers to discover what's going on.  "It's now or you'll lose her." 

Bucky looked defeated and I had a feeling I knew what was coming next.  I shock my head as a single tear slipped down my cheek.  I didn't need to hear this right now but at the same time, I wouldn't be able to face my brother not knowing the truth.  So I wait for the inevitable to happen.

"You're my daughter."  Bucky reaches to take my hand.

Snow.  It seemed to always occupancy my best memories but also my worst ones.  Winter first met me when it was snowing outside and I was making snow angels in the area around the compound.  

They knew I wouldn't try and run because where would I go?  That changed when I started getting older, that's why they assigned him to me.

He was a terrifying person to be around but slowly I realized that he wasn't so bad.  He would even help me up so I wouldn't ruin my perfect angels.

"Why snow angels?"  Winter asked after i made the most recent one.  I shrug not really having an answer for him.  "How about an easier question, do you like the snow?"

"They only let me out when it's starting to snow. It's too cold to run away."  I inform him as I rub my cold hands together.  "Can I go inside now?" He nods and follows me back inside the building. 

This couldn't happen.  Bucky didn't need all the guilt from our shared memories.  He'll blame himself now because he was my father and didn't do anything to protect me.  I close my eyes tiredly.

"I need to go."  I whistle for my dog and he comes bounding into the room with Nat close behind.  "Dima, heel."  I command before attempting to stand.  My knee screamed in protest and I sit back down angrily.  I grab the knee brace that I used before my knee started heeling and I put it on.

"Don't try and stop me."  I tell Bucky knowing he would want me to tuck tail and run.  This was my fight and I wasn't going to run from my brother.

"I can't lose you."  Bucky watches as Dima offers me support as I limp towards the door.

"I need to do this.  I'm tired of running."  Dima followed diligently as we made our way towards the door leading outside.  This was going to end here and now.  

I almost forgot about my concussion until the dizziness took over again.  I put a hand on Dima and I close my eyes for a moment.  This wasn't the time to black out.

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

"What you couldn't face me by yourself?"  Lev taunts as he watches me approach him.  "And now you've got a guard dog.  How original."  I could hear the sarcasm dripping off his words.

"Lev, this needs to end."  I tell him before telling Dima to stay.  He couldn't get involved, not now.  This needed to be settled between siblings and Lev would kill Dima without a second thought.  "One of us will not be walking away."

"You'll be the one dying, Seri."  I flinch at the nickname.  My brother used to use it when he was saying how much he loved me.  Now it was being used to hit a sore spot.  "I'm surprised you're not trying to reason with me."

"Where would that get me?"  I demand.

"The grave."  He takes a step forward but I don't move.  I wouldn't start this by backing down. 

"You know I love you, right?"  Lev asks me as he brushes my hair.  I nod not knowing how to reply to his show of affection.  We both weren't used to seeing love in the open and even now we're not sure how to respond.  We're only four after all.

"Я люблю тебя.  I love you."  I reply after a few minutes of silence.

"I won't hurt you.  I promise."  I turn to face him and I see a single tear falling down his cheek.  I hug him tightly.

"Я знаю.  I know."  I reply before hugging him tightly.

"I know."  I repeat the words quietly as I think about what his threat meant.  My brother was gone and this person standing before me isn't him.  I should be able to kill him.  Lev wouldn't ever hurt me.

He takes another step towards me and I will myself to let this happen.