Bucky entered the home quietly, after so many years of being an assassin for Hydra and now an Avenger operating quietly came naturally these days. Without even looking he shut the door barely hearing the soft "click" of the doorknob latching into place. He listened closely, trying to determine what room you were in and a grin appeared on his face when he heard you humming. He dropped his duffel bag from when he had to stay at the compound for a mission by the door and made his way through the house. The light was on in the bedroom and Bucky walked in to find you rocking your daughter against your chest.
He stood in the frame watching you for a minute. There was no particular name to what you were humming but it was a familiar melody the two of you would hum back in Bucharest after a hard day to calm the other down. That was before Steve found you and Bucky and life as you knew it began to fall apart.
Things were better now, you had house in the middle of nowhere. Steve had it set up for you, mentioning something about "the Barton's" lifestyle. Records of your connection to Bucky or your daughter were not in any SHIELD databases. Steve was the only one who knew of your existence and where you resided. That's exactly how you wanted it. Being any closer to the Avenging life than you already were was not for you. You preferred the quiet, no where near the spotlight, and no giant target on your back.
Your daughter was about a year and a half old. She was a tiny thing when she was born. Part of Bucky didn't know how something so small and innocent had come from him. Regardless little Hanna was a carbon copy of her father. With a dark head of hair that was usually pulled into small ponytail that stuck straight up with a bow, and piercing blue eyes she was the light of his life, other than you of course. Bucky enjoyed watching the two of you have alone time, bonding between mother and daughter. The moment was over when Hanna picked up her head from your shoulder and looked towards the doorway, making some kind of incoherent noise that sounded like "Da" and pointing.
You turned around seeing your husband, looking a bit worse for wear standing in the doorway watching the two of you rock back and forth. Relief fell upon your features as you quickly crossed the room to hug him tightly. He was still in his uniform, suggesting that he came straight from the mission to see you. He typically did that, not wanting to waste anytime between finally being clear of the danger and seeing you at home safe with your daughter.
"Bucky." You spoke holding him at arms length, checking him over for any injuries the team might have missed.
"Y/n." He whispered as Hanna reached out for her father. He gently took her from your arms kissing her forehead softly "hello babydoll."
Hanna giggled and tangled her fingers into Bucky's hair pulling gently. She was excited to see her father. Missions were rough on all of you, Hanna didn't necessarily know why her father left every once and a while for a couple days. You were constantly worried about Bucky and Bucky was just trying to make it back home to you where he belongs. She placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek and Bucky smiled. He missed this, even if he wasn't gone for long he waited being away from the two of you.
"I'll get her in bed, you go wash up." You spoke framing his face with your hand. "Then we'll talk."
He took his metal hand and placed it over yours, giving your palm a soft kiss, and embracing your touch. Afterwards he gave Hanna one last kiss on the forehead and handed her back to you. "Goodnight babydoll."
You watched as his shoulders slumped and he walked to the bathroom that connected to the master bedroom. That was something you had decided early on in her life. No talking about work in front of her. She didn't need to listen to the things her father went through. You thought back to when Steve had found your shared apartment in Bucharest when she was just a couple months old. He had to fight his way out, leaving the two of you behind. You told him to, knowing the danger he was in. To anyone else you and Hanna were civilians, but one look at Bucky's conflicted face and Steve knew that his best pal in the world had found his own family. That moment had terrified you, especially when you heard Bucky had been arrested. You were sure you had been left alone with a 3 month old daughter until Steve found you afterwards, saying Bucky had a breakdown and needed you.
You walked Hanna into her bedroom and laid her inside her crib, letting her hold onto your fingers for a minute as you smoothed her hair out of her face, and gave her baby blanket to her. Hanna took it and giggled a little bit, something she was doing more often lately. You watched her for a moment more before turning on her nightlight and baby monitor and exiting the room, turning off the lights. The shower had just turned off and you heard Bucky step out of the shower. You approached then bathroom door, hesitating for a moment before walking in. He had a white towel draped around his waist and was unsuccessfully towel drying his hair. You laughed taking the towel from him and drying his hair for him. He hung his head down, giving you easy access to his hair. It was now that you got a good look at his body and assessed his injuries. You lightly touched his chest where a big purple bruise was extremely visible.
"Buck-" You spoke looking deeply into his bright blue eyes.
"You should see the other guy." He spoke trying to seem light hearted and you scoffed grabbing his face again.
"Are you okay?" You asked gently stroking his cheek.
"I am now that I'm home." he told you truthfully. "I took a couple hits doll, but I'm here, I'm safe, and I have both of my girls."
You blushed lightly and tried to hide your smile unsuccessfully. He tilted your head up to his and pressed a gentle kiss onto your lips. When the kiss broke, you kept your forehead on his almost like letting him know you weren't going anywhere anytime soon.
"Hanna is getting really close to walking." You told him and he smiled widely. "I guess I was worried about nothing."
"That's my girl, she's strong." He said his smile never leaving his face. "I'm gonna get changed, how about we watch a movie before bed?"
"I'll set something up." You told him and exited the bathroom placing the towel you had used on his hair into the laundry basket. You had done a hell of a job of getting him caught up on pop culture over the years of your relationship. You picked up the remote to the TV in your bedroom and turned it on, flipping through the channels and looking for something to watch. Before you even had the chance, Hanna's cries from the baby monitor rang through the room and you set down the remote rushing to see what the fuss was about. Hanna typically was a quiet baby, especially when it was time for her to go to bed so this was strange.
Walking into her room you could see she had pulled herself up into a standing position on her crib and was crying, tears streaming down her face.
"What's wrong Han?" You spoke softly, picking the girl up.
"Dada" She cried and you rocked her gently.
"Is she okay?" Bucky asked alarmed. No matter what, hearing her cry always seemed to freak him out.
"I think she just wants her daddy." You mumble giving her a sad look as she reaches out to Bucky who takes her gently. A loud noise sounds from outside and Hanna begins to cry harder. "What was that?"
"No idea." Bucky states already on high alert, he scans the area of Hanna's room seeing bright light coming from the outside of your home.
"What the hell?" You ask beginning to walk towards a window only for him to grab your hand pulling you back.
"Stay away from the windows." You could see the gears in his brain working. At the moment he was in Avenger mode, processing skills going a million miles a minute trying to figure out what was going on. He handed you your daughter and guided you back to the master bedroom, that was when a knock at the door sounded. You lived in the middle of no where, nobody should be knocking at your door especially in the middle of the night. He grabbed the handgun you knew he kept in his nightstand and went to investigate. "Stay here."
"Be careful." You told him grabbing his hand in letting his fingers slip through your own. He looked back at you and nodded, a strand of hair framing his face. You placed Hanna's head down on your shoulder rocking her back and forth to calm her down. Time seemed to pass eternally slow the minute he left. You sat in a rocking chair that was placed in the corner of your room, thoughts racing and heart beating a million miles a minute. A couple minutes seemed to pass until you heard Bucky's voice let out an exasperated sigh.
"Dammit Steve." He spoke and you loosened up a bit. "The hell are you guys doing here man?"
You hear multiple footsteps enter your home and slowly walk out of the master bedroom, Hanna attached to your hip. Her cries have turned silent but tears are still rolling down her face gently as she sucks on her fingers. Bucky turns around as he hears the quiet sniffling coming from Hanna and your eyes widen when you see the entirety of the Avengers standing awkwardly in your living room.
"We didn't have anywhere else to go." Steve told him. "Sorry for intruding Y/N. I know it's short notice."
"More like no notice." Bucky grumbled walking to your side and taking Hanna who had reached a small hand out to her dad. The daddy's girl seemed to not be getting as much attention from Bucky as she wanted.
"It's no problem," You spoke fiddling with your now free hands. "You know you're always welcome."
"Hold on, Barnes has a girlfriend? and a kid? And you knew?" The man you presume to be Tony Stark asks Steve.
"Wife actually." You told him. "Why exactly are you here though?"
"The compounds been compromised Y/n." Steve told him. "You know I'd never come here without it being an emergency. We would've called but we didn't want to risk having your phone being tracked. The quinjet has stealth mode, that's the only reason we weren't followed."
You took this time to take in their appearance. They truly looked worse for wear. Every word of what Steve said seemed to be true. Natasha had an arm thrown around Steve's shoulder and looked like she was about to pass out at any minute. Clint looked like he saw something out of his worst fears. Thor and Tony both had scratches all over them, some deeper than other and Steve was covered in rubble, his usually perfect hair sticking out in odd directions.
"That would explain why Hanna woke up." You muttered looking at your daughter who had fallen asleep on your husband's shoulder. "We have a couple rooms, you'll have to double up, and someone get's the couch, and there's a recliner in Hanna's room. She can sleep with in ours."
"Thank you lady Barnes." The tall blond Asgardian said graciously.
"Of course. We can talk more in the morning." You told them, grabbing ahold of Bucky's metal hand. "You guys look like you need to get cleaned up and some rest."
With that you exited the room, and entered your own, setting up a spare crib you had for Hanna. It was from when she was really young and required a lot more maintenance during the night than she did now. Still, it would get the job done for however long the Avengers were staying in your home. The thought was crazy, the avengers were residing in your home for who knows how long.
You heard the door shut behind you and turned to see Bucky with a sleeping Hanna. The duo looked adorable together and regardless of how stressed your husband was, him having Hanna in his arms always made him relax. For the longest time he thought he would accidentally hurt her with his metal arm, you of course knew he never would and helped him remove that fear from his mind.
"She's out like a light." He spoke beginning to place her in her crib only for her to begin to stir again and have him pause his actions.
"She missed you." You told him placing your chin on the shoulder that Hanna wasn't asleep on and looking up at him. "We both did."
"I know." He spoke, feeling guilty for being gone for so long. Part of him wanted to quit the hero life and live his life in your home quietly, watching Hanna grow up and the future children you planned on having. The other part of him felt like Avenging was the only way for him to make up for the horrors that he committed as the Winter Soldier. "I'm sorry Steve brought them here."
"Don't apologize Buck." You told him wrapping your arms around his waist and squeezing him softly. "It was only a matter of time. Besides, Steve looked terrified I'm sure he has good reason."
"I suppose you're right." He spoke suppressing a yawn trying to escape. "Why don't we get in bed. It's been a long week and I've missed you both."
You couldn't argue with that and settled down in bed with Bucky doing the same. He had Hanna on his chest and you heard her whimper the slightest bit to being jostled around but she quieted down once Bucky began rubbing her back.
"You're an amazing father, you know?" You whispered watching how gentle he was with your daughter. "She adores you more than anyone."
"You two are my world." He tells you and you work your way into his side, cuddling close and stealing all of his warmth. "You got me out of a dark place, I don't know what I would do without you."
"I love you more than life James." You tell him pressing a kiss on his chest. "You gave me our daughter, and we might have 6 avengers sleeping under our roof right now but I wouldn't change our lives for the world."
"Neither would I." He laughs quietly as to not wake up Hanna. "Even if my best pal is a punk."
"He sure is." You laughed with him. "Now get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow, you get to deal with the Avengers and I get to help miss Hanna walk."
"I think you might've gotten the short end of the stick." Bucky says sarcastically and you nudge him gently.
"Avenging is your thing. Being her mom is mine."
"Yeah I know doll, and you're damn good at it."
___
The next morning you awake before Bucky, Hanna is fast asleep on his bare chest and you can't help but snap a photo of the two of them laying so peacefully together. You smile to yourself and reluctantly pull yourself out of bed, doing your absolute best not to wake the father daughter duo. Sneaking out into the kitchen you pull out pancake mix figuring that would be something easy to make considering the amount of people currently in your household. Around half an hour later you look back to see Bucky coming out with a bright eyed Hanna on his hip.
"Well good morning princess!" You cooed, tickling her sides making her giggle softly.
"I sure hope you weren't talking to Barnes." Tony Stark said appearing from the bedroom, looking much cleaner than he had yesterday.
"Very funny." Bucky grumbled and you kissed his cheek.
"Cheer up Buck." You scolded and Hanna copied your actions putting a slobbery kiss on her fathers chin.
"Why thank you sweet girl." He told her, eyes wide with amazement and his mood having done a complete 180. Hanna always had that affect on him, no matter what was going on in that mind of his, Hanna could make it better. You took her from his arms and strapped her into her highchair that sat right beside the dining room table.
"Breakfast is on the counter if you'd like some, help yourself." You told the Avengers that were staggering into your kitchen. Pulling a chair to sit in front of Hanna you began to cut up some pancakes into tiny pieces, you'd feed yourself with whatever Hanna didn't eat. You placed some on her plate and watched with a small smile as she held a piece out for you.
"Mama bite." She said choppily, and you took the food from her tiny fist with your mouth, thanking yourself for not giving her syrup. Steve walked into the room and Hanna's eyes lit up at her (second) favorite avenger. "Unca!"
You looked at Bucky and Steve who both had equally shocked expressions. Steve looked extremely exhausted from the past couple days and whatever he was dealing with but Hanna's newfound word seemed to put a smile on his face. "Your vocabulary is getting so big little miss!"
"She's got about a whole 20 words now." You spoke laughing as she shoveled more pancakes into her mouth.
"Sorry to interrupt the moment but we should talk about last night." Natasha said leaning against the wall. "How was the compound compromised?"
"I'm assuming Hydra isn't as gone as we thought." Steve began to speak.
"Steven Grant, you know the rules no business in front of her." You interrupted giving him a glare, he sheepishly looked down and apologized with Bucky giving him an amused smirk. Hanna was done with her breakfast, so you picked her up and took her to the bathroom. "Leave your dishes in the sink, I'll get them later."
"I like her." Natasha said nodding towards Bucky.
Bucky walked into Hanna's room about an hour later where you were reading to her and she was pointing at the pretty colors. There was a grim expression on his face and he tried to hide for a moment but failed miserably. You put Hanna on the ground, handing her a toy to distract herself with and stood up to grab Bucky's hands.
"You have to go don't you." You spoke, both you and Bucky's eyes began to tear up. He only nodded and pulled you into a tight hug.
"I'm so sorry doll." He whispered placing his forehead on yours. You swallowed your throat, Bucky leaving was never easy but the fact that the Avengers got their asses kicked and had to come to your home as a safety net? That made it harder. You didn't know if he would come back.
"You come home to us okay?" You told him authoritatively, holding back tears. "You come home and tuck your daughter in for bedtime, to kiss me goodnight, and to tell us you love us okay?"
"I will doll." He told you leaving was never easy, but the fact that HYDRA was involved this time? The main reason Bucky was plagued with nightmares and considered himself the villain of his own story? That scared the hell out of you. You couldn't bare them taking him away from you, from your daughter. You kissed him deeply, his hands grabbing onto your waist like a lifeline and when he let go he picked up Hanna and held her close. "Hey babydoll"
His words were gentle, and you heard him promise her he would come home, and if he didn't that he'd always be in her heart. That she was his greatest accomplishment. Of course Hanna didn't understand a word he was saying but it made Bucky feel so much better about himself that he had to before every mission. With that he grabbed you by the waist again, enveloping the two of you in a tight hug. "I'll come back to my girls, and I'll do my best to keep you updated."
"I know you will." You told him. "I love you James."
"I love you most." He told you. You heard a knock on the door frame and let go of Bucky's embrace to see Steve in full uniform.
"Hey, we've got to head out." He said sadly interrupting the moment. "I'm sorry."
"Just make sure he comes home okay?" You told Steve.
"Anything for my pal's best girls." Steve promised.
"I'll see you later doll." Bucky said giving your hand one last squeeze before walking out of the door. You waited until the house was eerily quiet to let out a shaky breath you didn't know you were holding.
____
It had been nearly a week since you had last heard from Bucky, a month since you had last seen him. You were worried, you always were when he went on missions. This one seemed to take longer than usual and it didn't help ease you're conscious at all. Since then you tried to keep yourself occupied. The house had never been cleaner, Hanna was pulling herself up and trying to walk along things such as the coffee table and even your bed frame once. As sad as it was, she wasn't let out of your sight much and you had her sleep with you most nights. Just to have some kind of company.
You were in the middle of doing dishes while Hanna sat in her highchair eating banana's. That's when you heard her squeal with excitement. Curious, you turned around dropping the plastic cup in your hand when you saw Bucky standing there. He had stitches in his forehead and a black eye and looked worse for wear but he has home.
"Buck." You whispered forgetting about the dishes completely and immediately running towards him. He caught you in his arms with an 'mph' and held you closer than ever before. Tears were streaming down your face as you hugged him. "It's been so long."
"Hi doll." He said refusing to let you go. "I missed you both so much."
"Daddy hug!" Hanna yelled at Bucky and he chuckled.
"I can't forget my sweet girl now can I?" He said picking her up gently and pulling her into a tight hug. She squeezed him as tight as her little arms could handle and you could hear her blow a raspberry into his neck. You laughed quietly wiping away your tears as he pulled you into his embrace once more.
"What happened to you out there?" You asked that night after putting Hanna to sleep in her crib.
"Hydra's done for." He told you playing with your fingers. "And I'm done working in the field."
"What?" You asked sitting up on your elbow and looking directly into his eyes. "No more missions?"
"No more missions doll." He told you. "I'll maybe work behind the scenes but it's time I leave Avenging behind. I want to be here with you, and Hanna and grow our family."
"I'm glad you say that" You spoke biting your lip. "because two kids would be a handful with you in the field."
"What?" He said sitting straight up.
"Another baby Barnes, coming to a cradle near you." You spoke. "Surprise."
"Really?" He asked, his eyes were wide like saucers and he sounded like a little kid with how excited he was.
"Really." You told him.
"God, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me Y/n, I swear it." He whispered kissing you softly and placing his hand on your stomach gently.
"I love you more than life Buck. I don't know what I'd do if I hadn't found you."