A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are the property of Marvel.
A/n2: Christmas break went well, I am now right up to Infinity War. Literally days away in the story. Infinity War's time period will probably be covered over multiple chapters. From there… we will see.
Thank you to the new followers: Canyan, Vanessadelatorre, Kellylouise95 and Carsyn12345. I appreciate each and every one of you that read this!
Things keep coming and I keep wondering
I start feeling the walls close in
Things keep coming and I keep stumbling
I start feeling I'm strong enough to break
~Strong Enough to Break by Hanson
*~*~* March 13, 2018 – London *~*~*
Ellie smiled as she stared up at Big Ben, "God I missed London. Did I ever tell you that I lived here?" She asked as she looked over at him.
"In London or this area?" Bucky asked as he rocked the stroller back and forth as Grant fussed.
"This area. About a mile that way," Ellie said pointing towards the direction it used to be in, "I shared it with Peggy for a year, then she came back to America and I stayed here."
"You lived with Peggy?" Bucky asked surprised, "I never knew that."
"Only for a year then like I said, she moved back to the states," Ellie told him as she looked at him sadly, "I was literally living as a different person here."
"Did you ever sightsee like we are doing?" Bucky asked as they walked towards Westminster Abbey.
"No, I never took the time or had the time. When I was working, I was working and when I wasn't…I was building my intel," Ellie told him.
Bucky frowned as he suddenly noticed a gentleman in the distance, "El… have you seen that man before?"
Ellie glanced, "He looks familiar I saw him at the Globe too"
"Let's go sit over there and see what he does," Bucky said pointing to a little café.
They pushed the stroller to the small café and went inside. Bucky ordered a coffee for himself and a tea for Ellie then they sat down at a table to watch for the man.
"He didn't come in. Maybe he…" Ellie said as the door opened as she went to take a sip and the man walked in.
Bucky looked at him over his cup as he watched him order a drink then sit down a few tables from them, "I'm going to say something"
"Buck don…t," Ellie said as Bucky got up.
Bucky walked over to the man and noticed he was on the phone.
"No Lizzie, I won't. That is your forte, not mine. No, I swear they don't even know-" He said as he saw Bucky, "Shit! Gotta go."
Bucky glared at him as the man ended his call, "Why are you following me and my family?"
The man sighed, "I'm sorry I just… I have connections, and they told me that you two were in town… and I couldn't help myself," He said glancing at Ellie, "Let's not worry her. I'll join you two if that is okay?"
Bucky frowned as the man led Bucky back to their table and Ellie sat up straight.
"I'm sorry for alarming you. Spying was never my skill set," He explained, "I'm James… I'm Peggy Carter's son."
Ellie frowned as Bucky sat next to her and James sat across from her, "Wait… Peggy had a son named James? What about DJ?"
James frowned, "Who is DJ?"
"When I visited Peggy and Daniel, she told me that she had two children DJ and Lizzie," Ellie explained.
His eyes got wide for a moment, "Oh… shit… I'm Daniel… James, I never went by DJ though… or Daniel" He said confused, "My sister is named Lizzie though."
Ellie squeezed Bucky's leg then drew 'L-I-E' on his leg, "I am so sorry about Peggy. I wish…I wish I could have seen her one last time before she passed."
James sighed, "It was so hard on all of us. The strong woman we all knew… struggling with the basic tasks of life and then forgetting us all. She never completely forgot Dad of course."
"How long were your parents married?" Bucky asked.
"God…from 1951 until Mom died," James told him sadly, "But as Dad always said, 'Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; Love leaves a memory no one can steal'. She was the center of our family."
Ellie bit her lip.
"Is Lizzie still around?" Ellie asked after a few moments.
"She lives in California," James told her, "We all spread out after Mom died."
Bucky sipped his coffee as he felt James eyes on him, "Yes?"
"No… sorry," He said as he shook his head, "I... I heard a lot of stories of you growing up. I just… I can't believe Bucky Barnes is in front of me." He told Bucky as he looked at Ellie, "Not that I didn't hear many stories about you as well Aunt Ellie but… it's just amazing finally meeting you."
Grant started fussing and James looked over, "Wow… you have a baby… Grant right?"
Ellie nodded, "Yeah, this is Grant," She said as she looked at her phone, "Oh no, Bucky we aren't going to have enough time for the National Portrait Gallery if we don't get going."
"I won't hold you guys anymore. I am glad we were able to meet," James said holding his hand out and Bucky shook it.
They all stood up and he looked at Ellie, "Can I give you a hug?"
Ellie tried not to frown, "Sure."
James hugged her, "If you ever need anything… look me up. James Carter, I live in Surrey."
Ellie sighed as they walked through Trafalgar Square.
"Something is bothering you," Bucky stated.
"Yeah… I'm surprised it's not bothering you either," Ellie said looking around as she noticed the man was no longer following them, "How did he know Grant's name?"
Bucky frowned, "We didn't mention it?"
"No," Ellie told him, "And Peggy, she told me that he was Daniel Junior… plus Sousa is a Spanish name. That proverb he recited was Irish. Why would he know an Irish proverb? Mom used to say that about Dad."
Bucky stopped and looked at her, "Do you think he was lying?"
"Oh hell yeah but… about what? Was he really not who he says he was?" Ellie asked as she brought up the Google thing on her phone that Shuri had shown her and Googled his name, "Shit there are a lot of James Carter…wait why would he be James Carter?"
She changed it to James Sousa, "One professor who has passed… something just isn't right Buck."
"You would know. We can have Natasha look into it," Bucky told her.
"Nah… we will probably never hear from him again. It's just weird… why would he pretend to be someone too? Then the whole Aunt Ellie thing?" Ellie said as Grant started fussing and she stopped to check on him.
"Yeah, he called me Bucky Barnes and said Peggy told stories of me," Bucky said as she took Grant out of his stroller, "Why is his mouth all wet?"
"He woke up like this too. For some reason he's drooling like crazy today," Ellie told him as she held Grant out, "Hold him while I get the carrier on please."
Bucky looked him and Grant looked up at him with sad eyes, "Shit… Grant, I don't like this," Bucky said as Grant grabbed onto his shirt whimpering.
"Does he feel warm?" Ellie asked.
"No… but… we can't get sick but can he?" Bucky asked rocking him.
"I don't know… that is the scary part. How about we just head back to the hotel?" Ellie suggested, "I could care less about the museums."
"Sounds good to me," Bucky told her as he kissed the top of Grant's head.
*~*~* March 14, 2018 – London *~*~*
Ellie held Grant as their bus drove across the English countryside.
Bucky leaned over, "Is he still sounding congested?"
"Yeah," Ellie said with a sigh, "It might be all the pollution in London. Maybe he is a little more sensitive than we are."
She kissed the top of Grant's head and he snuggled more into her in his sleep.
Bucky sighed as he laid his head back against the seat, "Just the thought of him possibly being sick kills me El."
"I know... I don't know how Mom did it with Steve," Ellie said as she rubbed Grant's back, "But this is just allergies. He has a serum in his veins. He won't be sick."
Bucky bit his lip, "Maybe we should let them test Grant."
Ellie looked at him sharply, "What?"
"Just so we know. How much exactly is in his blood," Bucky told her, "we know his DNA is mutated. He has powers."
Ellie sighed, "He hasn't really shown any of them since he was a month old."
"Because everything was new and he was scared. If he has the super hearing, everything was loud. The sight was magnified. Had to be overwhelming," Bucky told her.
"I guess," Ellie said as she looked down at him, "I don't want him to get tested because… what if he isn't… strong like us? What if he…can really get sick Buck?"
"Then he's a real boy," Bucky told her with a smile.
"Quit with the Pinocchio reference," Ellie said as she rolled her eyes.
"We are lucky El… we have a son that probably won't get as sick as other children. Do you know how many parents would die for that opportunity? Think of just in Wakanda," Bucky told her, "All those kids that we saw sick in the pediatrician's office. We may be lucky and that won't happen. If it does, we'll deal."
Ellie rested her head on his shoulder, "I wish I had your strength"
"You do, and more. You just need to believe that you do," Bucky told her as he kissed her head.
"I wish I didn't have these powers Buck," Ellie whispered.
"I know you do, but this world is going to be much better because of them. You just have to have a little faith," Bucky said with a smile.
"Using my line," Ellie said with a small smile.
"It's true," Bucky said as he kissed her hand.
Ellie rocked Grant as their train started to come to a stop, "I know honey, we are almost back at the hotel."
Grant pulled on his ear again as he whimpered.
"I don't like this Buck," Ellie said as Grant coughed again.
"If it doesn't get better by tomorrow, we will fly back to Wakanda so that Nalia can check him out," Bucky told her, "It's only gotten worse since a couple hours ago. Maybe he is just really tired"
"I hope so," Ellie said as Grant fussed again and she rocked him.
Five hours later, Ellie and Grant were both crying as Grant struck up a fever. Super baby or not, 103* was too high for Ellie's liking. Ellie bounced him as she paced in the bathroom as the steam rolled from the shower as she saw her mother do with Steve before.
Bucky walked into the room, "I'm sorry. I should have known you had the mother's instinct. I just called Shuri, they are sending a dragon flyer for us," Bucky said as he walked over and pulled them into his arms.
Ellie sniffed, "Thank you, Buck."
Bucky kissed Grant's forehead then sat on the toilet, "Want me to take him for a bit?"
"No… he's finally calming down," Ellie told him looking down at Grant who was down to a whimper, "Go try to get packed up."
Bucky nodded as he stood back up and kissed Grant's forehead.
In less than two hours, a dragon flyer was landing outside their hotel. Hurrying up to it with all their belongings, the door came down and Nalia stood at the door.
"Do you need help getting anything else?" Nalia asked as she walked down the ramp.
"Nope we have it all," Ellie told her as they walked onto the flyer, "Nalia thank you for coming."
Bucky set their stuff down as Ellie handed Grant off to Nalia and he cried reaching for Ellie.
"Shhh, its okay little one. Look, you have yourself a mess," Nalia said as she sat him down on the table and the Vibranium formed instruments.
She looked at the screen, "He does have a fever even for him. Let's have a look in those ears… nothing. Some redness but nothing alarming," Nalia stuck her finger in his mouth and ran it along his gums and Grant started chewing on her finger, "I think we have our answer."
"What?" Ellie asked as the Dragon Flyer took off.
Nalia grinned as she picked Grant up, "He's teething."
"Teething?" Ellie asked surprised, "This young?"
"It can happen at any time they decide to grow. His development is a little more advanced as it is so I'm not surprised. His gums are inflamed," Nalia told her as she rocked Grant, "I know sweetheart, we need to get you something cool."
Shuri pointed towards the wall, "There is a cooler in there, it depends on if whoever used this last used up the ice."
Bucky walked over to the wall and a handle appeared, "You know Shuri, you are quite the genius."
Shuri looked at him with a grin, "Make sure you tell brother that please."
"Not much ice but it's here," Bucky said as he took his shirt off and placed the ice inside and brought it over to Nalia.
"Break the ice up a little," Nalia told him.
Bucky crushed it in his metal hand then handed it to Nalia.
Nalia put it in Grant's mouth and he sucked on it a bit.
Ellie sighed in relief, sitting down when Grant started kicking his feet happily, "Thank God"
"We will be landing home around midnight," Shuri informed them.
"Nalia, Shuri… thank you so much for coming to the rescue," Ellie told them as Bucky took Grant from Nalia, "I am sorry we bothered you over teething."
Nalia sat next to Ellie and patted her hand, "You haven't been… well other than pregnancy, you haven't been sick in how many years?"
"Well since 1949 but really only about three," Ellie told her.
"Still three years of no sickness. Bucky hasn't been sick since 1943… then suddenly your newborn son is not feeling well. New parents experience this all the time Ellie. There is nothing to feel sorry about," Nalia told her.
Ellie looked at her then glanced at Bucky, "We talked and… maybe we should do the testing you suggested when he was born."
"Cross-matching the serums with his blood?" Nalia asked.
Ellie nodded, "To see how… affected by them he really is."
"We can do that. How long are you two planning to be back in Wakanda?" Nalia asked.
"We will play it by ear," Bucky said as he rocked Grant, "We were planning a whole week in England but… we need to go back. Until we see how my little bud here does with the teething."
*~*~* March 14, 2018 – Somewhere over Africa *~*~*
Ellie yawned as she rested her head on Bucky's shoulder.
"We should be there in 30 minutes right?" Bucky asked Shuri looking at the instrument panels.
"Just about that, yes," Shuri told him.
Bucky kissed the side of Ellie's head, "So close your eyes and take a quick nap," Bucky said as he put his arm around her.
Ellie glanced down at Grant in his car carrier and yawned again as she laid her head back on Bucky's shoulder and closed her eyes.
She groaned as her phone rang and looked at it, "It's just Nat."
Bucky took it from her, "Hey Nat."
"Bucky, are you guys coming home or was Nalia just coming to you?" Natasha asked him as someone screamed in the background.
"What was that?" Bucky asked alarmed.
"Steve's mission went south. He… he inhaled something and… I don't know what it is. He was having a seizure when Sam brought him in," Natasha told him.
"Fuck," Bucky said as Ellie looked at him concerned, "Steve got into something during the mission. He's having seizures."
Nalia frowned, "Seizures? Shuri, we need to get there as soon as possible. That means whatever it is… it is attacking his nervous system. The medical team will need to have all the help they can get."
*~*~* March 15, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~*
Ellie rushed through the doors to the medical wing and came up next to Natasha, "How is he?"
"They got the seizures under control," Natasha told her staring through the glass window, "They still don't know what caused it."
Ellie watched as the doctors put something in an IV attached to Steve's arm, "Has he been awake yet?"
"No" Natasha answered.
Dr. Ksie walked through the doors, "Good you are both here."
"Is he okay Ksie?" Ellie asked.
Dr. Ksie sighed, "Honestly… I don't know. Until we know what he was exposed to… we won't be sure. It is as if he has an infection and his body is fighting it. His body temperature is at 103* which for a normal person would be high, but it's Steve. It reminds me a lot of when you had the African Sleeping Sickness. Whatever it is… it is very strong."
"Could it be the Sleeping Sickness?" Ellie asked.
"No, not this time. I sent a rush to the lab but… whatever the infection… I think it has reached his bloodstream," Dr. Ksie told them, "We are giving him anti-seizure medication and antibiotics-"
"Ksie!"
Alarms started to go off inside Steve's room and Ksie rushed back inside. Ellie and Natasha watched as there was a flurry of activity around Steve as he went into another seizure.
After what seemed like an eternity, his body stopped convulsing and his eyes opened. Without being in the room, Ellie couldn't hear beyond the panes of glass but Steve's face showed that he was scared. Ellie gasped as he vomited then went into convulsions again.
Bucky walked into the medical bay and pulled a sobbing Ellie into his arms, "What's wrong?"
"He's having seizures and they can't get it to stop. He has an infection," Ellie told him as she sobbed into his shirt.
Bucky rubbed her back and looked over at Natasha, who stared at the window.
"Nat," Bucky said through the lump in his throat.
Natasha looked at him with tear-filled eyes, "I can't lose him."
"You won't. Ellie has mentioned him in the future," Bucky told her as he pulled her over to them.
*~*~* March 17, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~*
Ellie sat in Steve's hospital room as he laid in the bed in a medically induced coma, the same that he had been for the last two days.
"Any change?" Bucky asked as he walked in the door.
Ellie looked up as he walked in with a cup in his hand, "No… they finally found the dosage they think and is working. It's close to the dosage for a normal man," Ellie said as she touched his hand when he placed it on her shoulder, "God Buck… it has to be Hydra that did this. Why would someone have a drug that bonds and breaks down the serum?"
"I don't know," Bucky told her with a sigh, "Budge up"
Ellie stood up and Bucky sat on the chair then pulled her into his lap.
Ellie snuggled into his body, "I hate this Buck… we haven't had to do this since… what 1934?"
"God I forgot about that… actually sharing the chair with you is nicer than sitting on the other side of the room from you," Bucky said as he kissed her nose.
Ellie smiled sadly, "We nearly lost him then."
Bucky sighed, "We nearly lost him four times."
Ellie looked at Steve and watched the heart rate monitor, "What if… what if the serum never recovers Buck?"
"It will… Ksie said that it is already showing signs of trying to fight the infection," Bucky told her, "It will just be slow. This isn't 1934."
"Thank goodness," Ellie said as she closed her eyes and remembered the last time they were in this situation back in 1934.
"You cheat!" Ellie yelled as Steve ran the bases.
"Sore loser!" Steve yelled as he ran to the home plate then started circling again.
14-year-old Ellie huffed then stormed off.
"Ellie, wait up!"
Ellie kept walking as she kicked a can that was on the ground as Bucky continued to yell after her.
"Wait, slow down," Bucky said as he finally caught up to her and stopped her at the road.
"What Bucky?" Ellie asked looking up at him.
"Why are you so mad? It was just Steve joking around," Bucky said confused as he rubbed her shoulder.
Ellie sighed as she shook her head, "I'm just tired and… cranky. Sorry. It was a bad day."
"Is Mark bothering you again? Do you need me to beat him up because I will," Bucky said with a grin as he pulled on a stray curl.
Ellie smiled, "No, I'm good. We don't need you getting into trouble."
Bucky tucked the piece of hair that fell from her bow, back behind her ear, "I'm not the boxing champion for nothing."
Ellie rolled her eyes, "Seriously? Are you still on about that?"
Bucky laughed as he put his arm over her shoulders and walked with her, "It's pretty swell El."
Ellie just shook her head as she looked towards the field, "Where is Steve?"
"Who knows maybe he decided…" Bucky said as he saw something on the ground, "Oh God."
Ellie ran over to Steve and collapsed to her knees on the ground next to his body, "Steve! Steve! Wake up."
Steve wheezed as he gasped for breath.
"Buck, go get the doctor," Ellie told him as she rubbed Steve's chest.
Bucky looked at Steve's lips as they turned bluer and picked him up, "We don't have time."
Ellie followed him as they ran to the street then ran to the apartment of the local doctor. Ellie beat on the door, "Doctor Woodward! Doctor Woodward, its Steve! He is having an attack!"
The door swung open and Dr. Woodward put his glasses on, "My goodness... Quickly bring him in here."
Bucky brought him into the apartment.
"Ellie go get your mother. We will have to take him to the hospital," Dr. Woodward told her.
Ellie nodded as she left.
"Are you two okay here? I am going to go speak to the nurse," Sarah Rogers asked Ellie and Bucky.
"Yes ma'am we are fine," Bucky told her, "Go get something to eat. We will keep an eye on him."
"Thank you Bucky," Sarah said as she kissed the top of Ellie's head then left the room.
Bucky looked at Ellie as she cleared her throat then sniffed, "El, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," Ellie said as she held Steve's hand, "He's cold… we should get him another blanket and-"
Bucky walked over to her and knelt in front of her, "He is going to be okay El"
"It's all my fault!" Ellie cried as she lost it.
"Oh Angel, no it is not," Bucky said as he sat on the edge of the bed.
"I was arguing with him and he was showing off because I was pulling a fit," Ellie cried.
Bucky pulled her up into a hug, "It was Steve being the punk he is. He is going to be okay."
Ellie nodded, "Thank you, Buck."
Bucky smiled down at her, "Don't mention it."
*~*~* March 18, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~*
Ellie was snoozing in the chair when she heard Steve groan on the edge of her consciousness.
Blinking open her eyes, she looked at him, "Steve?"
"Fuck El… no…not so loud," Steve croaked out.
Ellie sat up as she hit the button on the bed, "Steve, do you know where you are?"
Steve squinted as he looked around, "Shit no, I can't see well… I can't hear out of my left ear too… oh god," He said as he looked at his limbs, "I'm so sore. Is my serum failing?"
Ellie grabbed his hand, "You were exposed to some chemical. You inhaled it and when it hit your bloodstream it started fighting against the serum."
Steve looked at her wide-eyed, "Am I going to be… okay again?"
"They are doing their best to counter it," Ellie told him as Dr. Ksie and his team came in.
"Can you step out a moment Ellie?" Ksie asked.
"Yes sir," Ellie said as she squeezed Steve's hand as it trembled, "I'll be back."
She left the room and leaned against the wall, sliding down it until she sat on the floor.
"What's wrong?" Natasha asked as she walked down the hallway.
Ellie looked up at her, "He's awake. He is freaked out. He can't hear out of his bad ear again and… his sight is bad again. He hurts."
"Shit the serum is actually failing," Natasha said as she sat next to her.
"I hope not but sounds like yes," Ellie told her as she took Nat's hand, "Bucky has the kids?"
Natasha scoffed, "No, Ramonda. Bucky is coming. I just beat him."
Bucky appeared as the door to the stairwell slammed open, "How the hell did you get… is Steve okay?" Bucky asked as he saw them.
Ellie looked up at him, "He's awake and…it's not good. The hearing loss is back and so is the bad vision."
"Fuck," Bucky said.
Natasha stood up, "Look… he can't hear us right now but we have to remain positive about this. This is Steve, who went from the tiny guy to a superhero in less than five minutes. We don't know how this is going to go. We need to remain positive for him."
"Agreed," Ellie said.
Ellie touched her hand to the pad next to their front door, and the door opened as she and an exhausted Bucky walked through the doors.
Wanda looked up from her spot on the floor with Grant and Sarah, "Hi guys, Ramonda had to leave. How is he?"
"Awake but… the serum is failing," Ellie told her as she plopped her body on the couch.
"Shit," Wanda said as Bucky picked up Sarah.
"Go get some sleep Wanda, thank you," Bucky told her.
Wanda stood up, "If you guys need anything. Let me know."
"We will," Bucky said as he walked her out.
Ellie sighed as she laid her head back on the couch, "I don't know about you but I'm exhausted."
"Same," Bucky said looking down at Sarah, "Want to put them to bed?"
"No, poor Sarah doesn't understand that Mommy and Daddy are gone and we haven't had much Grant time today," Ellie said as she sat up, "Come here, Grant. I can't wait until he…"
Bucky watched wide-eyed as Grant pulled his legs up under him like he had been doing but pushed off with his legs moving forward onto his face, "Shit."
Grant turned his head and looked at Bucky surprised then did it again and again.
"Well we have a mobile son now," Ellie said as she stood up and picked him up, "Little Man… you are too little to be doing this."
Bucky sighed as he left the room.
"Buck? Where are you going?" Ellie called.
"Hold on," Bucky said as he walked into Grant's room and put Sarah into Grant's crib temporarily.
He turned the monitor on and clipped it to his waistband, then walked over to Grant's closet. Kneeling down, he opened the bottom drawer of the dresser and pulled a camcorder out of the drawer.
Opening it up, he took the card out and put it in the envelope that he had already written on and placed it with the other envelopes. Opening a package with another card, he put it into the camera then closed it.
Getting up off the ground, he checked on Sarah then walked back out to their living room to hear Grant laughing as Ellie blew on his belly. He leaned on the wall looking at them with a smile.
"Mmmmaaa," Grant squealed swatting at her.
"Really sounds like you are trying to say Ma to me," Ellie said as she kissed his cheek.
"Sure does to me too," Bucky said and she looked up at him.
"What's that?" Ellie asked as she pulled her shirt up and Grant started sucking away as soon as she placed him against her breast.
"A video camera," Bucky told her as he sat next to her, "I honestly forgot about it. It takes these SD cards," Bucky showed her how they popped out, "Just be careful not to shock them or they lose information. You put it in here and close the door. Then this is the power button. This button allows the screen to come out. You can turn it like this to see yourself or flip it like this and hold it to see what you are recording" Bucky showed her.
Ellie looked at it, "then all the videos are just stored on the little card?"
Bucky nodded as he put it into his right hand then aimed it at her, "You just hit the red button and it starts recording."
The red light on and Ellie rolled her eyes, "Seriously Buck, I have my breast hanging out with our son eating dinner. We don't want a video of this" she said as she put her hand up to block the recording.
Bucky took her hand and lowered it down, "I think you look as beautiful as you ever have."
Ellie rolled her eyes as she blushed and he leaned over to kiss her, "Flatter"
"No, just the truth," Bucky said as he kissed her again.
"Mmm… tonight. Shit… we have Sarah tonight," Ellie said with a sigh, "I really loved having our room to ourselves again. Where is Sarah?"
"In Grant's crib," Bucky said as he set the monitor down, then planned the camera around.
"Are you still recording?" Ellie asked him.
"Just testing it out," He told her as Grant let out a loud burp, "That's my bud."
"Mini you," Ellie said with a smile, "Here take him and I'll play with it."
Bucky took Grant, then handed off the camcorder to her after she adjusted her shirt.
Ellie looked it over, "Crap still recording, hello future me… from me. It's… me"
"Dork," Bucky said as he bounced Grant.
"Careful, he just ate he might spit up," Ellie told him as she panned the camera over to Grant and Bucky, "Say hi Bucky."
"Hi Bucky," He said with a grin.
Ellie rolled her eyes.
"You know what Mom always said, quit rolling your eyes," Bucky told her.
Ellie played with one of the buttons and laughed, "Look there are your nose hairs"
Bucky set Grant down then walked over to her.
"Hey now… I'm just playing-" Ellie said as he took the camera and set it on the table then tackled her to the floor tickling her.
Ellie screamed as she laughed, "Stop, stop, stop!"
Bucky kissed her smiling against her lips, "I love you."
Ellie pushed a piece of hair back from his face, "I love you too."
Suddenly a squeal was at their side and they looked over, "Shit, you can move fast," Bucky said as he grabbed Grant and rolled onto his back holding him up in the air.
"Buck be ca…" Ellie said as she laughed as Grant spit up, "I warned you."
Grant giggled as Bucky sat up.
"I'll take him. I'm going to put Sarah in our room tonight," Ellie said as she got up and grabbed Grant giggling herself at the spit up in his hair, "Go get cleaned up."
Bucky smiled as he watched her walk away, and walked over to the camera to see the light still on. Glancing back towards the bedrooms, he picked up the camera.
"Angel… when you see this. I want you to remember how much I loved you, and loved Grant. Time… distance… death. Nothing changes that," Bucky said as he put his fingers to his mouth then blew the camera a kiss. Hitting the record button, he turned it off then powered it down.
*~*~* March 19, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~*
Bucky woke up as he felt eyes on him and saw sparkling eyes next to him in bed. Reaching over, he turned the lamp on, "Hey Angel."
"Hey Babe," Ellie said as she kissed him.
"When are you visiting from?" Bucky asked as he pulled her into his arms.
Ellie sighed as she laid her head on his chest and listening to his heartbeat, "August 2021, today is my birthday. Grant is nearly four and is… God… so smart Buck. He loves to tell stories and… he is so imaginative. He has this imaginary friend named Jimmy that goes with him everywhere." She smiled against his chest, "He dresses himself and can ride a tricycle now. Don't worry I am recording it all with the camcorder. He knows most of his letters. Oh and he can draw really well, in fact, the other day he drew you. It's hanging up on the refrigerator. He idolizes you, Buck. I can't wait until you come back so he can really get to know you."
"Where are you right now?" Bucky asked.
"Actually India," Ellie told him, "The Richards, you know, Reed and Sue, they invited all of us to their home here. Sue got Grant these skates and she is teaching him how to skate."
"What are you doing? You've never skated," Bucky said.
Ellie laughed, "My leg is finally on the mend, not going to test it by falling on my ass on a pair of roller skates."
"How is everything?" Bucky asked.
"Well, it's still there. Dr. Cho and Tony were talking about if this… if this surgery doesn't hold… reinforcing my leg. But then my left leg will be very heavy. I don't want that," Ellie told him shaking her head.
"If it will help you," Bucky said.
"But it won't cure everything Buck," Ellie told him, "It's… it's just a means to get me through. It's a crutch." She sighed, "Sometimes I wonder if I would have been better if they would have just amputated it… then we would be a matching pair. Bionic arm and a bionic leg."
"No… if they can keep from it," Bucky said as he moved his arm out from under her and took his arm off, "You aren't a puzzle… you are a whole person. The strongest person I know."
Ellie gave him a slight smile, "Without that arm, you are still strong too Buck"
"Now… it's your birthday…that means pancakes," Bucky told her as he sat up and put his arm back on.
Ellie laughed, "Pancakes really? We have a room to ourselves… you could just make love to me."
"We don't… remember, Sarah is with us," Bucky told her pointing towards the bassinet.
"Oh shit… Steve," Ellie said, "He is still alive right?"
Bucky's breath caught in his throat, "Yeah, why does he-"
"No, no… I was just worried I changed something accidentally. Has he started to shrink yet?" Ellie asked.
"Shrink?!" Bucky asked alarmed.
Ellie sighed as she sat up and moved back against the headboard, "Yes. The serum starts failing and he starts aging, the first thing that went was his muscles. Then he started having heart issues. When that happens, I go back to confront Howard so see if he knew something that could help."
"You confront Howard?" Bucky asked surprised as he laid his head on her lap.
"Yes and thank goodness that I did because one of the last things he developed before he died was the serum's remedy. He sent it to Wakanda with me. Well… Peggy did," Ellie told him as she ran her fingers through his hair.
Bucky sat up, "So wait it's here?"
"Yes but… I need to go back and confront Howard. It should happen tomorrow or soon, I don't remember the exact date. He can't invent it until I confront him," Ellie told him, "If we find the serum before I go back… I'm afraid it won't be there or it will disappear from his bloodstream or something."
Bucky groaned as he laid back down, "This sucks"
"I know… but it has to get worse before it gets better sadly," Ellie told him, "Knowing the future… is a terrible burden. It's why I try not to tell you too much,"
Bucky hooked his arm under her and pulled her down the bed closer to him, "I am sorry that you have to carry all this weight on your shoulders."
Ellie touched his face, "I'll take the weight of the universe on my shoulders if it brings you back sooner."
Bucky took her hand and placed it on his heart, "When this stops beating, I'm not gone. Half my heart is yours."
Ellie closed her eyes as she started crying, "Half mine is yours… my heart is beating for you."
"Exactly," Bucky told her.
"I wish I could figure it out," Ellie told him as she swallowed hard, "I have been reading books on time travel but it's just science fiction. Nothing that I found is a fact… no one has done it."
"But you," Bucky told her with a smile, "You do it… it will take some time but you are going to figure it out and save us all."
Ellie shook her head, "I don't know-how… I just wish I did. Tony says there are just too many risks at trying… we don't even know how to try."
"Come on," Bucky said as he got up and pulled her up, "Let's go get some pancakes."
"I miss your pancakes," Ellie told him as she let him lead her out of the room, "They aren't the same when I make them."
a/n3: And that was Strong Enough to Break. She is trying to hold it together but her façade is cracking more and more.
Now to the reviews!
Gingin1975: Things have to sometimes get worse before they can get better. Thank you for reading!
Tuckerjnp1: Thank you for reading!
PrettyRecklessLaura: I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Preview of Chapter 77- Save Me:
"What?" Howard asked as he came over to her.
Ellie punched him with her right hook and sent him to the ground, "Howard? Shit, sorry. I promised Tony I would do that if I ever came back to visit. I didn't mean to knock you out."
She turned around to see Peggy standing at the door with her brow raised.