Little Situation

Chapter 11

Sam and Bucky rushed back the minute Steve called. They were relieved because their latest lead included something called an Ant-man and after meeting the guy they knew he was of no help. The apartment was massive when they entered late at night. Steve showed them around and let them pick their rooms, like Sam suggested Sarah took the biggest room— kicking Steve out of the master bedroom. She was already asleep so they decided to just say hi in the morning.

Sarah didn't put her new hearing aids in when she got up to get water in the middle of the night. While she figured that they would probably spend more time in the common room than anything, she was glad to have her own kitchen for moments like this. Sarah shuffled to the kitchen in one of Steve's too big shirts and socks, having not much of her own currently. Aside from the small box of her stuff that he took when he moved into the Tower, it was too painful for Steve to keep a lot of Sarah's things physically in the house. He had to get what wasn't damaged in DC out from storage which was his plan to do first thing tomorrow. She didn't even have a bonnet, stealing one of Tony's fancy scarfs as a headscarf— not that the billionaire really minded.

Sarah reached up for a cup of water when she felt the footsteps. They were heavy and off balance, one side stepping harder than the other producing a heavier vibration. Not her dad. Sarah grabbed for the knife in the little knife rack on the counter and threw it.

"Woah." Bucky's eyes went wide as he grabbed the knife in his metal hand before it had hit him.

Sarah gasped in surprise and ran to hug him.

"Hey, kid," Bucky said as he held the back of her head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you we—"

"No harm, no foul. Wasn't trying to sneak up on you, just got thirsty."

Sarah and Bucky got their waters and sat down on the couch. Sarah held the cup up to her face, not stopping her drinking, when Bucky turned his head to look at her. He was analyzing her and Sarah knew it. She could always tell when he was doing it. Bucky took the cup from her and moved her head around as if he were looking for any injuries.

"Why did you get up for water?"

"I just got thirsty."

"You still lick your top lip when you lie."

Sarah looked down. One to try and find a better answer and two because she couldn't see what Bucky was saying if she wasn't looking. He turned Sarah's face towards him again.

"How many times did they wipe you?"

"Every morning," Sarah confessed.

Bucky's metal fist clenched at his side. He was hoping Sarah getting up was because she actually just needed water. It was the same thing he did when a nightmare of being wiped appeared. It felt like a dry burning in your mouth that could only be subdued by cold water. But he was less worried about the wiping and more about the implications. They wiped Sarah every few months to keep her scared when he was under their control. Wiping every morning? They wanted her to forget things, things she did. And Bucky was worried that she would eventually remember and it would drive her insane like it was threatening to do to him.

"I'm tired, Uncle Jamie."

Uncle? That was new. He didn't know that Sarah was already aware of his connection to Steve. Well at least that wasn't something they'd have to go over later. It felt weird. Jamie, James. Being called anything other than Barnes or Bucky. He couldn't even remember when he had become cognizant enough once to tell Sarah his first name. It wasn't much but she had stuck to it.