Chapter 12
“Coming through!” a voice yelled, and Adelaide jumped backwards to avoid getting run over by Pietro as he ran by. “Hi, Addie,” he said as he passed.
“Hi!”
“Addie, are you ready to go?” Steve asked. She looked up and smiled.
“Yes, Uncle Steve.”
“Tony and Wanda are waiting for us in the training room. Let’s go.”
“Do you think I’ll make a good Avenger when I get old enough?” Adelaide asked as the two walked down the hallway.
“I think you’ll make a very good Avenger, if any of us ever let you fight.”
“Uncle Steve, you promised!”
“Addie, you know all of us are trying to keep you our little girl for as long as possible.”
“At this rate, I’ll be an old maid before I become an Avenger!”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Addie. We just want you to be safe and get a chance to be a kid.” Adelaide sighed.
“I wanna help you save people, though.”
“I know, Addie. You’re already great at keeping yourself and other safe. We just don’t want you to grow up too fast.” The two entered the training room control area, and Adelaide smiled at Wanda and Tony.
“Ah, there’s she is!” Tony yelled. “America’s sweetheart!” Adelaide laughed while Steve rolled his eyes.
“Why don’t you think Uncle Tony’s funny, Uncle Steve?” Adelaide asked, allowing Wanda to pull her over to the bench she was sitting on.
“Yeah, Capsicle. Why don’t you think I’m funny?” Tony parroted.
“I just didn’t find it funny, Addie. That’s all.”
“He’s a bit old-fashioned, Bit. Nothing to do about it,” Tony sighed. Steve groaned good-naturedly.
“You two should get along better,” Adelaide said, shaking her finger at the two men.
“They’re acting like children, aren’t they?” Wanda asked. The two girls nodded to each other, and Adelaide entered the training room.
“Okay, kiddo. You ready down there?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Alright. You know the drill. Ready? Set? Go!” For the next hour, Adelaide fought of holograms of all kinds and perform various tasks, never stopping for rest. She used both of her powers and fought off those who got to close with her hands. She vaguely registered that Wanda and Steve got called away, leaving Tony the only one watching her, about halfway through her session. He’d bump up the difficulty every so often, giving her warnings before he did so. Finally, the session ended, and the holograms disappeared. She stood where she was, her back to the entrance, but gave Tony a thumbs-up over her head, who returned the gesture with a thumbs-up of his own.
“Nice work, kiddo!” he said over the intercom. Catching her breath, she stood where she was until she heard clapping behind her.
“Good job, Addie,” she heard her Uncle Steve say. She turned around, smile wide on her face, before she froze, her eyes rounding in surprise.
“I don’t look that different, do I? I got a haircut, but that was it.” A wider grin broke out across her face—if that was even possible—and she sprinted across the room, ignoring the protests of her tired legs. She leapt into the newcomer’s arms and held him tightly.
“Daddy!” she said happily, burying her face in his neck as he stood upright, holding her tightly above the floor. She vaguely registered that Steve had left, letting the two to be reunited.
“It’s me, moya dorogaya vozlyublennaya. I’m back.” He held her close to him so tightly that the two were hard to differentiate between which was which. And that was the way they wanted it to be. (my darling sweetheart)
“I’ve missed you,” she said. “I thought you wouldn’t make it back in time.”
“I know, myshka, but I’m here now. Everything’ll be alright. Oh, moye serdtse, I’m so glad to see you again. You haven’t changed at all.” (my heart)
“I grew a few inches,” she corrected him. “And my hair is longer.”
“But you’re still my little girl. My darling kotenok. Did Steve take good care of you?”
“Da, papa. They all did. I made us a new family.”
“I’m glad, myshka. I’m glad that you’ve been happy.”
“I missed you, though. More than anything. I wanted you here so much. I have so much I want to tell you about. I’ve learned so many things, and met so many new people.” Her father turned, still holding her tightly against him, and walked down the hallway, the two of them in their own little world as they made their way through the Avengers headquarters.
“I can’t wait to hear all of it, angel. Tell me everything.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------
“—and then Pietro grabbed me and ran out. Uncle Sam wouldn’t talk to us for a week!” Her father laughed loudly, ruffling her hair fondly.
“Sounds like you’ve been a little troublemaker while I’ve been away, haven’t you?’
“Oh no, Daddy. I’ve been good. It was only a few times, I promise. And it was never my idea. I just went along with it.”
“So you’re saying I left my little angel, the light of my world, the reason I live and breathe, in the hands of overgrown children?” Adelaide nodded and giggled, hiding her smile behind her hand. “I might have to speak with them about that.”
“I’m okay, Daddy. I promise. They took great care of me. I had everything I wanted. Except—” Her voice trailed off.
“Except what, myshka?”
“Except you,” she said quietly. “I wanted you there. Uncle Steve tried to help, and I know T’Challa was working as hard as he could, but you missed my thirteenth birthday, and when I learned to ride a bike, and I just wanted you to be there to see it.” Her father sighed and pulled her up into his lap, cradling her in his arms.
“I know, printsessa. I’m sorry I missed it all, but I’m here now. All better, and Hydra’s out of my head for good. And see? T’Challa even gave me a new arm so I can pick you up better.” Adelaide smiled and nodded, running her hand down her father’s left arm.
“It looks so real,” she said. It was true. The only thing that gave it away was the scarring still on his left shoulder, but that was all. Everything about the arm looked completely normal. “Does it feel different?”
“A bit. I can feel things better than I could before. The metal fingers didn’t really have sensors that worked as well as my real hand. Now, I can feel pressure and temperatures and textures better. It’s like I never lost my arm at all.”
“I’m glad. Now you don’t have to wear long sleeves all the time.” Bucky laughed.
“Yeah, that is a good thing.” The two were quiet for a long time before Adelaide yawned loudly. “You tired, zvezdnyy svet?” She nodded a bit and curled into his side more. He began to hum “Moonlight Serenade” quietly under his breath, and she was asleep a few moments later. Bucky gently shifted the two of them underneath the blankets and held her tightly to him, kissing the top of her head lightly. “YA lyublyu tebya, moya malen'kaya lyubimaya devushka. YA vsegda budu zdes' dlya vas. YA vernus' k vam seychas. YA obeshchayu, vy nikogda ne budete skuchat' po mne snova.” With that, he turned off the bedside lamp and kissed his daughter’s forehead one last time. “Goodnight, kotenok. I’ll see you in the morming.” He was asleep within seconds, and all was as it should be in the world, if only for that moment, for father and daughter were happily reunited and slept soundly knowing that they were tighter again, and nothing, and no one, could ever tear them apart again. (I love you, my little darling girl. I'll always be here for you. I'll come back to you now. I promise, you'll never have to miss me again.)