Bruised

Chapter Four-Love

Chapter Four

Love

*Bucky's POV*

Our first stop when we get back is Percy's room, but she isn't there. We leave her stuff there on the floor before looking elsewhere. Figuring she just woke up, we head to the gathering room only to find her happily snuggled between Natasha and Tony on the couch. They've apparently given her control of the remote and she has it on the History channel like we were watching the other day. I glance at Steve when he chuckles and shove him when I see the smug smile on his face. I make my way over to the group and only get concerned when Natasha shoots me a warning with her eyes.

"Percy?" I call and watch her completely ignore me. I sit on the recliner beside them. My eyes look between Natasha and Tony who look at me helplessly. "Hey, Percy. We got some stuff from your house." Her arms cross and she still doesn't even look at me. "What's wrong, kiddo?" Natasha sighs.

"She's upset you broke your word." She informs me and I sigh.

"Percy, I had to go. I had to grab your stuff. I'm here now." I assure her and finally, she meets my eyes.

"You broke your promise!" She accuses. "You left me, so yes, I'm angry at you!" Little pools gather in her eyes, but she holds them back.

"Look, I'm sorry. Really. I'm back now, kiddo. And I don't have to go anywhere else, okay?" I try apologizing, slowly growing a little desperate. "I'm not going to leave you again, Percy." Her little bottom lip quivers slightly before she stands, thinks about it another moment, then walks over to me and stretches out her hand.

"Swear." She tells me completely seriously. A smile teasing the edge of my lips, I take her forearm.

"I promise, kid." I relent, feeling the weight of it settle on my shoulders. But the second she nods and smiles, the weight gets a bit lighter. We release each other and she instantly climbs into my lap, relaxing back against my chest when I recline.

"How'd the trip go, anyway?" Tony asks as Steve sits on the arm of the couch. He shakes his head.

"Didn't even have a bed. Percy, why didn't you tell us about that? And that you barely had anything else?" Eyes turn to the kid in my lap as she tugs my left hand into her hands. She shrugs.

"The couch was big enough for me and I could get books at the library. I just didn't like Paul." She says without a qualm in the world.

"Hey, Percy. Do you remember ever having a mom?" Natasha leans forward and tickles the girl's feet. After a light giggle, Percy shakes her head.

"She's dead." Percy frowns deeply and presses her palm to mine. "Paul made her disappear." My jaw clenches as everyone in the room takes a breath.

"Percy, what does disappear mean?" I ask, sitting up and turning her so I can see her face. She presses her lips together and both her hands latch onto my left. She doesn't look up to answer.

"He killed her."

*Percy's POV*

"I don't...I don't wanna talk about it." I tell Bucky before turning into his chest. His hands are heavy and comforting, one curled around me and the other clasped in my hands. It's quiet for a few moments before he talks again.

"Kiddo?" I look up at his light eyes reluctantly. "We need to talk about this, so we can either finish now or continue this later. It's important." My lips press together with indecision, but I can feel the weight over the room.

"Okay." I allow.

"Okay, what happened?" Bucky asks and I think back to that day. I'm not stupid. Paul would watch his cops shows and I'd see what they talked about. I know what happened, but I wish I didn't.