Winter's Daughter

Prologue

It comes as a shock to Bucky when Steve's backup call came to the airport with not only two other people, but also a little baby girl with bright blue eyes and curly brown hair holding a little bear dressed in a 1940's military uniform. The little girl giggles and shouts "Stebie" as she stumbles towards Steve. Steve laughs as he bends down to hug the little kid. It comes as an even bigger shock to Bucky when the little girl finally sees him and points at him and shouts "Dada." Bucky was so lost at that point he just stares at the child and points to himself.

"Dada!" The girl shouts again and squirms out of Steve's grip. She runs to Bucky and clings to his legs.

"What–?" Bucky starts.

"Bucky, meet your daughter, Rebecca Winnifred Barnes," Steve introduces. "I picked out the name after they found her abandoned in a HYDRA facility and traced her DNA back to you. I thought you would have wanted to have her named after your sister and mother."

Bucky sucks in a breath as the memory of HYDRA forcing the Winter Soldier on to a woman comes flooding back to him. Bucky winces at the memory. He had raped a woman and impregnated her. He doesn't even know the woman's name. He didn't even know he had a child until now. How could a monster like him be a father?

"Dada! Up! Up!" Rebecca's shouts break him out of his thoughts.

Bucky smiles slightly as he picks up the child, careful to keep her away from his left arm. She giggles and wraps her arms around his neck. Rebecca was so small and light in his arm. She yawns and buries her face into Bucky's neck.

"Dada, I sweepy," she mutters.

Bucky nods and holds her close to him. "I know, babydoll. I know," he whispers to the child. Bucky goes to set her down, but Rebecca's grasp tightens.

"Pwease don't weave me. I wove you," she pleads.

Bucky knew at that moment he was in trouble. He knew she had him wrapped around her tiny finger in a matter of minutes. Bucky holds the child and buries his face in her hair.

"I love you too, baby," Bucky whispers.

"Bucky, suit up," Steve orders. "We need to leave soon."

Bucky nods and gently rest the small child in the car. "Ok, sweetheart. Just wait here so I can get dressed. I'll be back soon."

"Pinky pwomise?" Rebecca asks as she holds out her pinky.

"Pinky promise," Bucky confirms and locks pinkies with the girl. After that he closes the car door, he turns to glare at the man that brought his daughter and hisses, "Why would you bring her here?"

"Would you have rather me left her unsupervised?" Clint asks. "I couldn't just leave her there. She needed to meet her father at some point. Besides, if I had left her, Tony would have used her as leverage."

Bucky looks at the small girl cuddling with her little bear and sighs. Bucky wanted to say yes because she is in more danger near him than she is unsupervised, but he couldn't. Rebecca brought out this innate sense of protectiveness that Bucky never even realized he still could possess. Bucky shakes his head and goes to get dressed.

~~~~

Somehow, despite all the fighting and being jostled around in her baby carrier, Rebecca had spent the entire fight at the airport asleep and strapped safely to Bucky's chest. Also, somehow, Bucky was able to get her out of there unharmed. Granted, the baby carrier had a lot of padding, protective metal plating, a little protective head guard, but still.

Bucky kisses his daughter's forehead as he lays an extra warm blanket over her. Rebecca was snuggled in Bucky's lap holding her stuffed bear. Her eyes were closed and Bucky thought she was still asleep. How much sleep can one need? He's going to have to do some research on babies later.

"Dada?" Rebecca asks sleepily.

"Yes, Rebecca?" Bucky replies.

"Where we going?" She asks.

Bucky glances at Steve, who gives him a small nod. Bucky smiles softly at his daughter. "Uncle Stevie and I have to beat up some bad guys who are trying to hurt a lot of people," Bucky explains.

Rebecca nods against Bucky's chest. She snuggles closer to her father. Steve can't help but smile at the sight. He had known that Bucky would be an amazing father and instantly click with Rebecca.

"Dada?" Rebecca calls again.

"Yes, baby?" Bucky asks.

"I wike staw," the girl says.

"What star?" Bucky questions, very confused.

"Dat one," she says as she points to Bucky's shoulder.

Bucky smiles and laughs. He kisses the girl's cheek and whispers, "I love you my little star."

Rebecca giggles and hugs her father. It wasn't long until they get to the base in Siberia. Steve reasons that there was no point in putting Rebecca into more harm, so they could leave her in a little bedroom area on the jet.

"Dada, do you have to go?" Rebecca asks.

"Yes, baby, I have to go. But I'll be back," Bucky smiles as he places her on the bed.

"Pwomise?" Rebecca asks.

"I promise, my star," Bucky says.

"Dada, I scared," the girl confesses.

"I'm a little scared too, star, but we have to be brave. I won't let anyone hurt you and I promise I'll come back safe and sound. Ok, my star?" Bucky asks.

"Ok," Rebecca agrees.

"Now, I need you to be quiet and stay put while you wait for me to come back. Everything will be alright," Bucky says.

"Ok, dada," Rebecca says.

Bucky smiles at the girl and kisses her forehead. He heads out and locks the door to the room so no one can get in and harm his little girl. Bucky was thankful that the door was concealed to look like nothing was there. Bucky grabbed a gun from the jet and heads out with Steve in the snow.

~~~~

"Dada!" Rebecca shouts as she runs into the Wakandan lab where Bucky is about to be put under again.

Bucky kneels down as the young child runs into his arms. Rebecca is crying as she hugs her father. Buck rubs circles on her back as he holds her close.

"Don't weave me! Pwease! Don't weave me!" Rebecca begs.

"Starlight, I have to go. It's for your safety," Bucky whispers to the child.

"Hey, Rebecca," Shuri interrupts as she bends down next to them. "In my calculations, it'll only be a few months at the least. We'll get your father all fixed up in no time. In the meantime, I can teach you all about Wakanda tech to show your father when he wakes up. How's that sound?"

The little girl looks up at the woman with a pout. No one could deny how easily this girl could wrap you around her finger in a matter of minutes without even trying. Shuri gives Rebecca a kind smile and holds out her hand for the girl to take. Rebecca reluctantly lets go of her father and takes Shuri's hand. Bucky gives Shuri a thankful and sad smile. Shuri nods at the man as she leads his daughter out of the room. When they leave, Steve approaches Bucky.

"You sure about this?" Steve asks as he glances towards the door Rebecca and Shuri just walked through.

Bucky looks away from Steve to the tube he is about to be put in as he says, "I can't trust my own mind." He pauses to smile at Steve. "So until they figure out how to get this stuff out of my head, I think going back under is the best thing. For everybody."

Bucky thinks of Rebecca when he says the last bit. He wouldn't forgive himself if he went back to being the Winter Soldier and she got hurt, if he kills her, it would devastate him. In a matter of a few short hours, Rebecca has become his peace, his starlight in a moonless dark night, and Bucky wasn't about to let his mind, his past demons, take that away from him.

"Sargent Barnes, it's time," one of the doctors inform the two men.

Bucky smiles and nods at the woman. Steve says his last goodbye before they strap in his best friend to be put under. After thanking King T'Challa and a quick goodbye to his niece, Steve sets off to break out his other friends and, for Rebecca's sake, sort out the mess they made.