Sarah knew what the Winter Soldier's hands were capable of; The way they ripped Bucky from his pleasant dreams and had him pacing their bedroom for hours was enough for her.
The Winter Soldier was gone, but he left those hands behind. As Sarah reached for those very hands to try and coax Bucky back to bed, she still couldn't believe it.
"I-I don't want to hurt you…" Bucky would try to fold in on himself, but his wife wouldn't let him.
"You won't." She'd try. It seldom ever calmed his nerves, but Sarah refused to believe the opposite.
While the hands she held used to be weapons, she knew what Bucky Barnes' hands were capable of.
"Try that word again…" Metal digits traced the phrase in a chapter book before coming to rest on her youngest son's shoulder. Gentle, yet firm enough to remind the child he wasn't getting up from the table until his homework was done.
"A-acom- Uh…" Cass paused, chewing on the end of his pencil. The older man taps the utensil and the boy stops immediately; They've been at this awhile…
"Accommodate…" Bucky mumbled, squeezing the boy's arm once, "Good job, buddy. You can go-"
Cass set his own hand on top of the metal one and, while the Super Soldier could easily remove it, he doesn't, "Wait! Can you look over my math homework first! Pleasssssssse?"
The man's free hand reached for the sheets in question, tracing each problem as he mumbled along, "Uh...Try number 14, again."
The boy tugs the paper free to look it over when Bucky's head snaps upward. Super Soldier hearing meant he always knew when someone was about to walk through the front door.
Or in this case, storm through the front door.
AJ came crashing it like a bat out of Hell, throwing his backpack to the floor as he did. Sarah opened her mouth to scold her child, but her husband had entered the room before she could, "Hey-"
AJ's hand took hold of the adult's, tugging once to get him to follow, "Can I talk to you? Alone?" He mumbled, shuffling quickly from the living room.
It wasn't like Sarah to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help it; Whatever upset her oldest that much must've been serious. She watched the pair dissappear into the hallway before following.
"Hey, just calm down, okay? Start from the beginning." She heard Bucky prompt, causing her to peak around the corner. Those hands cup her child's face, brushing away the tears that have started to fall.
"K-Kyle said-..." AJ's voice drops to a whisper, inaudible to Sarah, but clear as day to the Super Soldier. Whatever was said has Bucky setting his hands on the child's shoulders, tugging him into a hug that's just as gentle as the way he traced the words on paper.
Those hands, the ones that committed unspeakable horrors, the ones Sarah had seen rip metal effortlessly from her boat, the ones that apparently tore Sam's steering wheel from his car(she still doubted that one) now traced circles on her son's back.
Sarah wasn't sure when she started tearing up as well, but she wiped them away before it was obvious.
The mother had just enough time to duck back into the living room as Bucky and AJ head back into the kitchen. The man ruffled the child's hair before heading to the fridge, "Ice cream sandwiches make everything better, don't you think?"
"Can I have one, too?!" Cass jumped up from the kitchen table, rushing to Bucky's side. Without hesitation, the child hugs the adult's free arm, smiling brightly.
"Did you finish your homework? And does Mom want one, too?" Bucky closed the freezer door just enough to glance at Sarah. Apparently she wasn't as well hidden as she though…
"Um, sure! Thank you." Sarah stepped into the kitchen, watching intently as her husband used his metal hand to tear open the cardboard box. It was moments like these that made Bucky's current state even more heartbreaking.
Those hands that had helped her boys during their day, the hands that handed out ice cream sandwiches before helping with dinner, now shook violently, "I-I don't want to hurt you…" Their owner repeated himself, near frantic.
"You can't." She'd try this time, but his mumbling would continue.
"I-I'm dangerous, Sarah…"
"You didn't have a choice, back then, but you do now."
He knew that already, but the remains of his nightmare still cling to him, making reason near impossible, "W-what if I-"
Bucky doesn't have time to finish his sentence their bedroom door is pushed open, the smaller of the two brothers piping up quietly, "Can we sleep in here tonight?"
The tension leaves Bucky's face as he steps forward, those hands he had fear seconds earlier reach out to rest on the children's shoulders, "Yeah, what's up?"
"Cass had a nightmare, now he won't let me sleep…" AJ said, tucking himself against the older man.
The accused boy scowled, "I did not! I just heard you and Mom talking and-"
Sarah watched as her husband guided the boys toward their bed, nodding gently as the two argued.
"Alright, guys, it's fine. We're all safe and it's time for bed…" Bucky mumbled, pulling back the blankets with his metal hand. Cass and AJ crawl in without another word, nightmares and arguments completely forgotten.
"That goes for you, too." Sarah insisted, walking around to her side of the bed. While she doesn't expect much hassle from her husband, she can't help but sigh in relief when he gets into bed without a protest.
Any remaining doubt from Bucky's nightmare seemed to fade away as he draped his arm across the boys, metal hand reaching around for Sarah's. The woman took it instantly, a gentle smile covering her face.
Sarah knew what the Winter Soldier's hands had been capable of; However, she also knew what Bucky Barnes' hands were capable of now, too.
Either way, she didn't fear them.