Chapter 2
- How is the little girl?
The blond turned around following her friend's voice, he had spent the last minutes thinking about how he was going to do this, Bucky had had sisters, had taken care of them, not to mention that he had taken care of Steve too, but he, he had never had to take care of a kid, someone who depended completely on him, but he could not turn his back not when she was the daughter of his best friend, a best friend who had left when Thanos won, when they lost.
-She fall asleep, the trip to America must have exhausted her
The redhead approached her friend, sitting in the armchair next to him while watching the small kid cover with a blanket while she slept in the sofa in front of them, innocence reflected on her face, Natasha was not stupid, she had read all the reports that the doctors had written about the little girl, she thought she knew Hydra but trying to imagine that they would reach the same level as the red room, trying to recreate their own program to train their little "winter soldiers” was insane
She took her friend's hand, implying that she was going to be for him in this new mission that destiny had put for him.
-I will go to the city tomorrow, I will look for things for the kid
-Thanks, I really wouldn't know what to buy from a 6-year-old girl
Steve looked at her grateful to have her with him, with Tony still upset, Bruce and Clint missing, Thor somewhere intoxicated by alcohol, Natasha was the only one left of his team.
-I'll take her to my room, she shouldn't sleep in the living room.
-You will do well Steve.
And the eldest gave her a smile before taking the little girl out of the room.
…
The morning had been chaotic, Steve thought that he had lost the little girl when he opened his eyes and did not find her in the bed where he had placed her the day before, frightened he rose immediately from the armchair where he had rested while watching the child.
-no no no
He began to lift the blankets looking for her, nothing, he look under the bed, nothing, he was about to alert everyone in the building when the bathroom door opened revealing a little girl very surprised to see the scared face of the elder who lifted her and hug her. He felt the girl being uncomfortable at the hug and had to remind himself that he was a stranger in her eyes so he lowered her
-are you hungry?, I can prepare you something to eat
Just like the day before the girl didn't say a word, Steve began to think that the reports were wrong and the little girl doesn't speak English, offering her a hand. He walked with her to the kitchen, where he began to look at all the drawers-
-Just give her some milk
-what?
-to the girl, small humans drink milk
The little girl looked at Rocket fascinated, when he sat down in one of the chairs at the table the little girl got up from hers to sit on the one next to him
-It looks like you have a fan! -Natasha entered the kitchen followed by Nebula both seemed to have been training
-she sure thinks he's a teddy – Nebula mention
Steve extended a glass of chocolate milk to the little girl, and 3 cups of coffee for the other adults
-ey, the girl knows who is the best here
-puppy! -exclaimed the child excited, everyone in the room began to laugh at the offended face of Rocket, who was trying to get away from the girl when she tried to pet him like a puppy.
Steve and Natasha looked at each other thinking the same, in 9 months nobody had smiled.
After some efforts from Steve to get the kid away from Rockey, he finally got her to eat something, prepared by Natasha who seemed to know more about children which surprised Steve, had it been part of her training to learn how to take care of children?
----
This was not working, her hair was too long and he keep messing it more with his fingers while the little girls just snort maybe because she was bored or maybe because he was mistakenly pulling strand of her hair again and again, angry with himself he called Natasha, the only one with long hair.
-If you continue like this you will leave her without hair
The little girl raised her head and alarmed hugged her hair with her hands looking reproachfully at Steve, who just raised his hands
-Natasha! Now she won't want me to touch it anymore
-and I wouldn't blame her for it
The woman sit next to the little girl and with a brush began to untangle the infant's hair.
-Your hair is very pretty
- Aren't you saying it just because it's the same color as yours? - Steve questioned
-the redheads are the best
The girl one giggled and turned to see Natasha
-we have finished- the older one had braided the little girl's hair in two small braids, she put the girl in front of the mirror so she can look at herself, and from the smile she had she seemed to have loved the braids
-thanks! – she gave her a hug that surprised the two adults in the room
- It was a pleasure Annika
-You can tell me Anny just like dad
-Alright Anny, now why don’t we go with Uncle Steve and watch a movie, would you like it?
-Uncle Steve- the little girl pronounce the words making angry faces as if she didn't like the sound and left the room when she saw someone outside
Steve approached Natasha whispering -I think she doesn't like me-
-It's just a little girl, don't exaggerated
-she is fan of Rocket, she gave you a hug and I just get angry faces
-come on Rogers at least she likes you better than Nebula
As if she was summoned, Nebula entered the room carrying Annika who was smiling
-Beautiful blue! – she repeated happy
-I think you lost your little human
Steve look at Natasha with a disappointed face
-what were you saying Romanoff?
The redhead just tried not to laugh.