Winter's Daughter

Chapter One

╚»★«╝ Two Years Later ╚»★«╝

"Rebecca! Come on! You're going to be late!" Bucky calls to his daughter as he places the stack of chocolate chip pancakes on the table.

Rebecca rushes in and sits in her seat. Bucky watches as she pours syrup on top and cuts up the pancakes. He kneels next to her as she eats helping her put on her shoes. It was Rebecca's first day of kindergarten. It took almost two years for them to get all of the stuff out of Bucky's head and the whole civil war mess cleared up.

"Now, starlight, do you remember what I told you?" Bucky asks.

Rebecca nods and recites through a mouth full of pancakes, "Play nice, be safe, listen to the teacher, and don't fight anyone unless they start it."

"I did not say that last one! That was your Uncle Steve and Aunt Nat! Don't listen to them! Do not get into any fights!" Bucky objects. "Now come on."

Rebecca gulps down the last of her pancakes and grabs her backpack. Bucky and Rebecca rush down to the school. The pair say their goodbyes on the steps of the school before Rebecca rushes up the steps to join her class.

╚»★«╝ Later That Day ╚»★«╝

In the middle of Bucky's training session with Steve, Bucky's phone starts to ring. The two men take a break so Bucky can answer it. To say the least, it was not the kind of phone call you'd want to be getting. It was at Rebecca's school. She had apparently gotten into a fight with one of the other kids and Bucky had to come and get her. When Bucky got to the school and into the principal's office, he was upset with Rebecca, who seemed unharmed. Unlike the other kid, who had an ice pack pressed to his eye.

"What happened?" Bucky asked.

"Your kid punched my son! What does it look like happened?" The woman next to the boy snaps.

"Rebecca Winnifred! You apologize to... uh..."

"Killian," the mother interjects.

"Killian," Bucky repeats.

"But–" Rebecca starts.

"No, 'but's, little missy, apologize," Bucky scolds.

"I'm sowwy, Killian," Rebecca mutters.

Killian nods and leans into his mother. Bucky looks at Killian's mother and offers an apologetic smile. The mother simply sighs and picks up the boy.

"You better keep that girl in check," the woman sneers as she walks past Bucky.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. It won't happen again," Bucky apologizes to the woman before she walks away. He sighs as he looks at his daughter. "Come on, Rebecca. Let's go."

The small girl nods as she gets up to leave with her father. The principal stops them on their way out.

"Mr. Barnes, I understand that it's hard being a single parent especially given your lack of experience and complicated past, but I would like to remind you that this school has a strict no fighting policy. Rebecca is getting off with a warning now, but if this happens again, the consequences may be severe," the principal states.

"I understand that," Bucky says as he pulls Rebecca close to him. With that the pair leave.

╚»★«╝ Meanwhile ╚»★«╝

The bell dangling from (Y/N)'s shop's door fills the bakery/bookstore like the first notes to a sweet song as you carry Killian inside. Killian is still holding the icepack over his eye even though it has long since warmed. You quickly make your way back behind the counter, weaving past your employee, and set your son on his little stool. You grab Killian a fresh icepack and a small cup of cinnamon hot chocolate before you make your way back to the front. You are thankful it has been such a slow day, given the fact that you had to pick Killian up a little early. With a heavy sigh, you go to check the inventory.