Bucky Barnes' Daughter

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Can I go running?"  I ask the next morning.  Jason asked if I could join him and his cross country team for their morning run.  I wanted to be around Jason so I agreed but honestly, I just wanted to feel the flutter in my chest when he laughed.  It was such a strange feeling but I didn't want to ask Nat about it.  Even though she's my mother, I'm not comfortable asking her things like this yet.

"You're running a lot recently."  Bucky observes and I blush.  "Let me guess, you've met Jason?"  He teases and I turn an even brighter red.

"Jason?"  Nat asks as I move to put my empty bowl in the sink.  I didn't want them to see how red my face was right now.

"Can I please go?"

"Yes."  Nat replies.  "But take Dima." 

"I'm safe, I don't need Dima."  I reply.  "I'll be with other people."   I didn't want to explain but I couldn't bring my protector to a meeting with a bunch of new people.  I would be the freak with the giant dog that could easily kill someone .  "I can take care of myself."  

"Serenity, there are still people out there who want to hurt you."  Bucky reminds me and I take a deep breath.  "But since I know you're going to be with Jason and his friends, I'm going to let you go, but tonight we need to sit down and create boundaries."

I left the house before they could change their mind.  Dima watched me leave from the porch and I felt guilty leaving him behind.  Jason was waiting at the end of the driveway and all thoughts of my dog disappeared.

"Привет, Serenity."  Jason brings a smile to my face but I immediately blush when i notice the two guys who were with him.  "Его зовут Henry и его зовут Luke."  His attempt at Russian was adorable.

"I speak English."  I remind Jason.

"I know but I thought it would be nice to try and learn your language."  He blushed as if the idea had a deeper meaning.  "The rest of the team lives in town so we usually meet them by Walter Pharmacy."  

"So you're from Russia?"  Luke asks as we walk towards town.  We wouldn't start running until we were with the group.

"Born and Raised."  I reply and he laughs.  "What?"

"You have the cutest accent."  I playfully push him and he jokes around.  "What made you move here?"  He asks and I bite my lip nervously.  I hadn't talked to Bucky and Nat yet baout what my cover was.

"Her parents work for the government."  Jason interjects.  "Our dads talked a couple days ago."  I glance over at him, wondering where he got the small sliver of truth for the lie. 

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

"You really need to join track in the fall."  Henry bends over as he tries to catch his breath.  I wasn't even the least bit tired but I guess it was Bucky and Nat's blood that makes me the way I am.

"We might actually go to state this year."  Jason puts an arm around my shoulder.  I knew it was supposed to be a friendly gesture but I tensed up.

Drunken soldiers stumbled through the hallways looking for vulnerable young girls to have their way with.  I avoided the major hallways, hoping I could avoid being noticed.  But my distinctive hair caught one soldier's eye and he makes his way towards me.

"Come here, girl!"  He calls and I take a step back.  It only seemed to provoke him.  "I said come here."  It seemed I had only one choice but to comply.  I approached the soldier cautiously.

"Yes, sir?"  I ask unsure of what else to say.  He smiles at me before pushing me against the wall.  I fought all of my instincts that told me to hurt the man in front of me.  They would make me pay later if I fought them.

He kissed me forcibly before putting his hand up my shirt.  I tense up.

  "Hey, what's wrong?"  Jason removes his arm and studies me.

"Nothing."  I reply as I look away.  "I should be getting home soon."

"I'll walk you back."  Jason offers but I shake my head no.  "I wasn't asking."  I could see the concern so I allowed him to walk me back.

We walked in silence for several minutes and i wanted to tell him why I was acting strange, but I wasn't sure he would understand.  So, we walk in silence and he even walks me to my door.  

Dima came bounding towards me when he hears my voice.  My heart aches at the realization of how worried he's been about me.  My dog tackled me and Jason took this as his leave.

I laid in the grass with Dima on top of me for several minutes.  The tears started falling down my cheeks while I was laying there and this made Dima worry even more.  He started to whine which alerted Bucky to my distress.

"What happened?"  Bucky asks as he kneels next to us.  I bury my head in my dogs fur so he wouldn't see the tears.  "Come here."  He pulls me into his arms.

"I don't suggest going any further than that." The Winter Soldier's voice cuts through to the soldier. "She's not your normal play thing." The soldier studies me before letting me go. "You might want to be careful next time you pick a young girl, soldier."

I was shaking as the soldier walked away from me.

I couldn't move, so Winter came to me.  He didn't touch me and instead talked to me in a soothing voice.  Tears fell down my cheeks and finally I allow him to comfort me.  He pulls me close so I can muffle my tears into his shirt.