Mama loves me
In a span of a week Belle had filled several notebooks with important information for the Avengers. She wrote names, places, dates, bank accounts, projects, and experiments. She was spilling everyone's secrets. But while doing so she kept asking for Mama.
"Where's Mama?"
"When can I see Mama?"
"I want Mama."
The boys avoided these questions by offering other things and changing her attention but that was soon failing.
"Where's mama?" Belle asked for the 5th time in the last 20 minutes Bucky was done, Bucky was most definitely done.
Standing up from his bed Bucky pulled her to the edge and kneeled in front of her holding her hands.
"I need you to listen and listen carefully... Mama isn't coming back, Mama didn't love you." Belle tried to pull her hands away.
"No, no, no, no." She refused to listen or acknowledge what they were saying. Shaking her head furiously like a toddler during a tantrum.
"Mama doesn't love you, she never loved you." Steve spoke up at that point. He took hold of her face with his hands to hold her head still, making her look at him.
"Mama loves me." She said and looked away, pulling her head out of Steve's hands.
"She doesn't love you, she hurt you, she used you, she abused you." Steve pressed on.
"But Mama, Mama loves me." Bucky took her chin and made her face him. Tears were rolling down her face.
"Tell me, tell me. Remember, remember a time when she was kind to you when she didn't hurt you. When she touched you kindly and gently. Remember a time like that and tell me."
"But... she loves me...she does." Belle cried loudly.
"She doesn't love you. But I love you and Steve loves you. We love you." Bucky took a seat on the bed and pulled her into his lap straddling him. He kissed her shoulder.
This was completely useless Bucky knew this enough but for some reason, he had to tell her. He had to at least tell her who loved her, who really loved her, even if she wasn't listening. He just had to tell her. It made him feel better to know she knew he loved her even if she didn't believe him. One day maybe a long time from today she would know and believe him.
"Mama loves me."
"I love you."
"Mama took care of me."
"Steve loves you."
"I need mama."
"We love you."
"Mama needs me. She loves me."
"She doesn't love you." Bucky felt her tears on his shoulder as she tucked her head into his neck and cried. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back. He continued to fight that losing battle.
"We love you and we're not letting you go." However, she held on to her own words.
"Mama loves me."