April 27, 2015
Denver was draped across Steve's lap as he sat at his desk studying the file Maria Hill had sent over. The Avengers were being called in by an anonymous party to check out a Doctor List who had broken out of prison. He was heading back to a quiet Hydra base in Sokovia to continue his work with Baron von Strucker, and Hill's lead believed Loki's scepter was being held there.
They needed to leave by twenty-two hundred hours, which was rapidly approaching, but Steve wasn't ready to leave his two-year-old daughter.
"Daddy? Why you sad?" Denver asked as her blonde hair waved beneath her head while she laid upside down on her back. Steve chuckled and carefully pulled her head back up so she was sitting on his lap.
"I'm not sad." Steve lied, then amended, "Well, I'm a little sad. I have to go away for a few days, and I'll miss you."
"Are you going to Heaven to see Mommy?" Denver asked sincerely, reaching up to pat Steve's cheek, "Tell her I say hi."
He shook his head, "I'm not going to Heaven, Honey. I can't see Mommy yet." Steve told her, picking her up and moving her to the bed so he could kneel before her, "Denny, do you know what Heaven is?"
"It's where Mommy went to work!"
"Well, not exactly." Steve said, deciding to have this conversation with his daughter now, before he had to go. He knew he wasn't invincible, as much as he wanted to believe he was. He needed to make his daughter understand that her mom was gone, and God forbid, if anything happened to him, that she would understand that too. "So, Mommy died. There was an accident, and she stopped living with us here on Earth, and went to Heaven. Does that make sense?"
"Like when I get a boo boo?" Denver asked in frustration, "Why didn't you give her a band aid?"
"It's like a really big boo boo." Steve explained, "She got a big boo boo on her stomach and she didn't get better. So, she went to Heaven so she wouldn't hurt anymore. But she can't come back from Heaven. Once you go there, you're there forever, do you understand?"
Denver looked down, kicking her feet against the side of Steve's mattress, "Mommy's not coming home?"
"No, Honey. She's not." Steve said as he grabbed both of her tiny hands in his big ones, "But you've got so many people who love you, like me, and Aunt Dallas, and Uncle Bucky, Aunt Nat and Uncle Tony-"
"Uncle Bruce?"
"Uncle Bruce! And Uncle Thor! You have so many people who love you, and your Mom is always watching over you. She's in your heart, remember." Steve pointed at the heart locket around Denver's neck and she looked at it for a moment before looking up at him.
"You won't go to Heaven, will you?"
Steve smiled sadly, "Someday, but not today, Kiddo. I'll be back in a few days. You're gonna hang out with Aunt Dallas and have the tower all to yourselves."
Denver leaned forward and threw her arms around Steve's neck to hug him tightly, "I miss you, Daddy."
"I'm gonna miss you too, Sweetheart. But I'll be home before you know it."
Steve wanted to put his daughter to bed before the Avengers left for Sokovia, but she kept following him around as he put on his suit. Eventually, he gave up and let his young daughter see him and his team off on their mission.
Dallas was looking Bucky up and down worriedly, adjusting the straps on his leather vest and making sure he was ready to go. "Make sure you eat okay? Did you bring snacks? I don't want you to come back and tell me you didn't eat for several days. And be careful, don't let Sam be mean to you, okay?"
"Yes, Doll, I brought snacks, and I won't let Sam be mean to me. Dad will make sure we behave." Bucky drawled sarcastically as Dallas clung to him. He used his metal hand to push back her hair and she leaned into his cool palm, gazing at him worriedly, "This isn't my first rodeo. I'll be fine."
"Well, it's my first rodeo being an Avenger's girlfriend, so I'm understandably nervous." She argued, turning her face to press a light kiss to his metal hand, "Be careful, James."
"It's that punk you aught to be worried about." Bucky gestured to Steve, who glanced over at him as he bobbed up and down with a sleepy Denver in his arms. Dallas followed Bucky's gaze and sighed, "Does he need a speech, too?"
"Better make sure he has his snacks." Bucky teased, gently tugging Dallas towards his lips for one last kiss, "Love you."
Her eyes widened, having heard it before, but still unsure about responding. She gaped a moment, then patted his chest and stammered, "You got this. I'll see you when you get back."
Sam raised his brow to Bucky as Dallas wandered off to harass Steve, "Still hasn't dropped the L-word?"
"Nope." Bucky answered, his voice melancholy as he gazed after her, "Not yet."
When Dallas reached Steve, he knew it was time to go. Denver sensed it too and tightened her grip around his neck, "Don't leave."
"I have to, Sweetheart. I'll be back soon though. I promise."
Dallas pursed her lips but didn't say anything as she took the girl from her father, "It's time for bed, Denny. Tell Daddy you love him."
"Love you."
"I love you, too." He answered before placing a soft kiss to her head and addressing her aunt, "Take care of her. I'll be in touch as soon as I can. Shouldn't be more than two or three days. The flights will be longer than the fight."
"Just be careful." Dallas warned, "I know ya'll have gone on missions, but this is different. Nat told me what's at stake. Come home for her. She needs you."
Steve sighed and nodded, then gestured for his team to head out. Bucky looked over his shoulder and gave a sad wave to Dallas and Denver, but Captain America never looked back.
Dallas's phone began ringing at six am the next morning, pulling her from her deep slumber in Steve's bed, "Hullo?"
"Hey! We're done. We've got the scepter and are heading back home! How's Denny doing?"
Steve's voice was far too perky for this hour of the morning, and Dallas wanted to smack him through the phone, "She's asleep, as was I before you called. I'm glad you're coming home, but it's really early, so I'm not gonna wake her up to talk to you."
"Is that Daddy?" Denver asked innocently, peeking her head up over the side of the mattress, "Can I say hi?"
Dallas groaned and handed the phone to the child before pulling the pillow over her head so she couldn't hear them chattering away with the same level of excitement before the sun was fully up.
By lunch time, the Avengers were back at the tower and Stark's catering team was whipping up a celebratory feast as Dallas watched them mill about with an unamused expression from the couch. Stark and Banner took Loki's scepter, something Dallas had never gotten a good look at before, to the lab to study for a few days while Natasha stuck by a very injured Clint's side. Sam and Bucky argued incessantly about a stray shot from Bucky that grounded the Falcon that Bucky swore wasn't on purpose.
"Daddy!" Denver squealed when Steve emerged last from the quinjet with Maria Hill, getting debriefed on the information she'd received from Stark before they arrived.
"Hey Sweetheart!" Steve greeted as he scooped up the little girl, carrying her in his arms as he kept pace with Maria Hill, listening to her explain the two enhanced kids they'd encountered in Sokovia.
Denver ran her fingers through Steve's hair roughly as he reached the elevator, turning around to face Maria Hill as she said, "File says they volunteered for Strucker's experiments. It's nuts."
"Right." Steve grunted, rubbing his hand absent-mindedly over his daughter's back, "What kind of monster would let a German scientist experiment on them to protect their country?"
"We're not at war, Captain." Hill argued but Steve just answered evenly, "They are," as the doors closed.
Once alone, Steve leaned back to turn his full attention to his daughter, "Did you miss me?"
"No."
"No? What do you mean no?" Steve yelped as they rose to their home, "You didn't miss me?"
"You wasn't gone long." Denver stated factually. She patted Steve's cheeks and looked at him with big, bright blue eyes, "You came back so fast."
Steve leaned forward to kiss her nose, murmuring softly as the doors opened to their suite, "I didn't want to be away from you." He tightened his grip on the child and laid his forehead against hers, "I love you, Denny."
"Love you, Daddy."
Meanwhile, Bucky found his girlfriend sprawled out on the couch reading her book nonchalantly. He carefully lifted her legs and plopped down beneath her, feeling the couch dip below his weight, "Hey, Gorgeous. Miss me?"
She shrugged, but her eyes darted to him from above the pages of her novel, sparking mischievously to tell him she was teasing him. He snatched the book from her fingers and held it over his head, causing her to lean forward so he could capture her lips and murmur between kisses, "I missed you... I ate all those snacks you harassed me about… but I'm still so hungry… for you…"
"James!" She giggled as he moved his lips to her neck, scratching her teasingly with his growing stubble. Dallas looked over to see Sam smirking at them and she waved her hand, telling him to go away as the other grabbed onto Bucky's neck to keep him close, "If you missed me so much, why don't you take me back to your room and show me-"
"R2! Party Friday before Point Break takes off. You got something to wear?" Tony called from the balcony above, smirking knowingly. When Dallas and Bucky looked up at him, he pretended to be shocked, "Oh! I'm sorry, am I interrupting something? I didn't realize I'd stumbled into your private sex dungeon."
Dallas pushed Bucky's face away and stood to face Stark, smiling coyly, "You buying?"
"What? Something for you to wear?"
"Yeah."
"If I need to. Can't be wearing that to our revels." Tony sneered before disappearing back into the lab.
Dallas looked down at her yoga pants and baggy t-shirt, then to Bucky, "What's wrong with how I look?"
He snorted, then widened his eyes in panic, "Nothing! You look perfect, Doll. No need to conform to the modern world's standards of beauty."
She reached down and grabbed the strap of Bucky's vest to tug him up so she could kiss him again, "That's better."
By the time Friday night arrived, Dallas had made good use of Tony's offer. She stepped onto the party deck on Bucky's arm wearing a black dress with a puffy tulle skirt with real crystals sewn into the bodice. A diamond choker clung to her neck and golden earrings dangled all the way to her shoulders.
When Stark saw her, he about choked on his beer, "Did I buy all that?"
"You did! Thank you so much, I think I look great!" Dallas exclaimed, leaning into Bucky's side as his hand rested on her hip. He wore a black leather jacket over his maroon Henley, and his nano-sleeve beneath so he didn't draw any unnecessary attention away from his stunning girlfriend. She'd forgone heels to let him keep his little height on her, but even her converse were covered in crystals. "Where's Denny?"
"With Steve, where else would she be?" Stark answered, gesturing towards the big windows overlooking Manhattan where the little blonde was spinning around in circles to the music while her father watched with his hands in the pockets of his slacks. He bobbed his head a little as he smiled down at the little girl, thankful she didn't understand the wild party she was present at. She was just having a good time.
Sam approached them, dancing towards Denny and causing her to laugh loudly and jump up and down excitedly as he took her little hands and carefully moved her in a circle as she danced. Steve chuckled and looked over his shoulder, seeing Bucky and Dallas had finally arrived at the party.
The past two months had been bliss for Steve's best friend and Dallas. He's watched them move on from inadvertent lovers to best friends, and suddenly, Steve was the odd man out. He was happy for them, because he realized that Dallas had truly gotten what she wanted: somebody to care about her the way Steve had cared for her older sister. Bucky knew in the back of his mind that Dallas was related to someone he once knew, but Brooklyn was a foggy memory compared to the vibrant, brash woman in front of him. She was bold while he was quiet, and he was thoughtful whilst she was quick tongued. Together they balanced each other in ways that Steve envied, because he wasn't so sure even he and Brooklyn had that. After spending over a year without her, Steve wasn't so sure what he and Brooklyn had. She was becoming a little foggy for him, too.
"Daddy dance with us!" Denver yelled and Steve looked back at Sam and Denver, seeing Sam had picked her up and was dancing with her against his chest, able to move smoothly to the rhythm without worrying about stepping on the toddler.
Steve took a long step towards them and Sam tossed Denver in the air, causing the girl to giggle as Steve stepped up to catch her easily and swing her around. "You dance good!"
"Why thank you, I have a great partner." Steve answered the girl sweetly. She wore a little blue dress that matched his shirt, and she practically blended into him with her blonde curls, pale skin, and matching eyes. She grabbed the corners of his leather jacket tightly as Sam mussed with her hair, causing her to whine and Steve to laugh, "You wanna go see Auntie Dallas? I think I saw her arrive."
"Auntie Dallas!" Denver yelped, looking around the crowd until she saw the tall woman standing with Bucky and Stark, "Uncle Bucky!"
The Winter Soldier looked up at his name and beamed at the child, so when Steve let her go running towards them, he didn't worry about her getting lost. Once she was scooped up in Bucky's arms, Steve turned to Sam, "You having fun?"
"I am." Sam answered easily, looking over at Steve, "How about you?"
Steve shrugged, "This isn't really my thing. I'm just here because it's too loud to sleep."
"You found a place in Brooklyn yet? Or are you reconsidering the suburbs?"
Steve sighed, "Honestly, I can't afford Brooklyn, and the suburbs are too far. It's just too complicated logistically to be that far from the team. Dallas is here pretty much full time now with Buck, and I want Denver to be close to her aunt."
"Yeah, but she's a kid, Steve." Sam said cautiously, "She needs fresh air. Friends. Sure, she's tiny now, and she's got Cupcake and all of us, but in a couple years she's gonna realize that she's different. Both physically and socially. Putting a little space between yourself and the Avengers might not be the worst thing for her."
"And what happens when the Avengers need me?" Steve asked sadly, as if it were a death sentence instead of an honor to be leading the most famous team of superheroes in the world. "I can't just not pick her up from school one day because the world is in danger. I can't abandon her at home alone if Dallas is working. You know Dallas would kill me if she realized I once used JARVIS as a babysitting for an hour when we had to stop that robbery downtown-"
Sam chuckled, "You know there are real babysitters? People who do that for a living? Or a nanny, which I know you're very against, but having somebody around to help you isn't the end of the world. You can't have it both ways. You can't do it alone and drop everything to be Captain America, something's gotta give."
"I know." Steve grumbled, looking back over his shoulder at Dallas and Bucky, noticing that Denver was nowhere to be seen, "Shit, where is she?"
Sam followed his gaze, then scanned the room before eventually pointing over towards the bar, "There."
Steve finally saw his daughter perched on Thor's shoulders, slumped over his head as he told a story to the band of partygoers around him. Her eyes began to droop, but then Thor let out a mighty yell to emphasize his story and she jolted awake, throwing out her arms and yelling to match Thor. He laughed boisterously and raised his fist triumphantly as Denver did the same, having the time of her life being among the Avengers.
"I can't take her away from all this. It's her home." Steve told his friend, and Sam nodded with a sad smile as they both watched Denver and Thor cheering loudly above the crowd.
Around one in the morning, the party had died down and the guests had gone home. Sam was asked sweetly by a tall redhead to make sure she got home safely, and he obliged, being the gentleman he was. Dallas, after becoming what Tony described as 'beautifully smashed', was chugging her third water while Bucky ran his hand up and down her legs that sat across his lap. Beside him sat Steve, who's daughter had fallen sound asleep against his thigh long before the party ended and was so cozy against him, he decided to stick around and spend time with his family a little bit longer before retreating to bed.
Steve and Bucky looked to each other, sharing a knowing look. Never in a million years, not even before the war, had they thought they'd end up here. Bucky settled down, professing his love to some dame, and Steve a single father. Somehow, despite how it happened, the men were happy with how their lives eventually turned out, even if they lost so much along the way.
"Well please, be my guest."
Steve turned to his right to see Thor gesturing towards his hammer, inviting Clint to try and pick it up. The soldier looked back to Bucky who just shook his head, not giving a fuck about what gave the demi-god the ability to wield it. One thing was certain for Barnes: he sure as hell wasn't worthy.
After several failed attempts, Rhodey looked to Steve, "How about you Cap? Gonna give it a try?"
"Sorry, can't move. Guess you'll just always have to wonder." Steve teased, looking over at Thor, who just laughed and placed his gargantuan palm over Denver's head.
"Come on, Captain. I'd be curious to see whether or not you are worthy, being Captain America and all." Thor said as he threw back a shot of his Asgardian liquor. He eyed Steve tauntingly, and the soldier looked to the other Avengers, seeing them motioning for him to try.
Finally, Steve carefully moved Denver from his leg to sit with Dallas and Bucky, watching the little girl fall into her aunt's arms instinctively. Bucky held Dallas's back to keep her sitting up as she murmured drunkenly into the little girl's hair, but her piercing hazel eyes stayed locked on Steve curiously.
He clenched onto the handle with both hands and pulled, swearing he felt it move beneath his grip. Steve quickly released the handle and raised his hands in defeat with a humble smile.
"Ha ha, nothing." Thor taunted as Steve sat back down beside him and pried Denver from her aunt's arms. "Barnes?"
"Naw. I already know the answer to that question." Bucky said quietly, but Dallas squirmed until her feet finally found the ground.
"I'ma do it." Dallas squawked as she stumbled forward, reaching out and grabbing the handle of Mjolnir to keep from falling. She pulled on the hammer, then whined, "Babbyyy, help me!"
Bucky stood and sauntered over to his girlfriend, careful not to trip over Steve's and Thor's long legs as he reached her. He put his arms around Dallas and slid his hands down her arms to grab onto the handle with her, "Say when."
"Pull!" Dallas said as she leaned hard against Bucky, finding the hammer stuck to the table, "Ugh! This thing is stupid!"
Thor laughed as Bucky pressed a kiss to Dallas's cheek, guiding her back to their spot beside Steve as Thor stood and picked up his hammer easily while Tony chattered about it being imprinted with his fingerprints.
"Oh, yes, that's a very, very interesting theory. I have a simpler one," he flipped the hammer and caught it easily, "you're all not worthy."
Everyone groaned loudly, causing Steve to shush them and gesture to Denver as she snuggled against him, tugging the hem of his shirt from his pants, and clinging to it like a blanket. He rubbed her back until a shrill ringing echoed through the party deck, causing everyone to flinch at the noise.
"What's that?" Dallas whined as Bucky steeled his jaw and stood quickly, turning towards the direction of an approaching robot who stumbled towards them. Dallas gasped and leaned back into the couch as Steve shoved Denver into her arms to stand between Bucky and Thor.
"No." The robot's metallic voice taunted, "How could you be worthy? You're all killers."
"Stark?" Steve didn't take his eyes off of the robot as he waited for some sort of explanation, but one didn't come. He didn't so much as move, but from the corner of his eye he could see Bucky fidgeting, something he'd come to realize was abnormal for the Winter Soldier. He was genuinely scared.
"Had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy."
"You killed someone?" Steve spat, wanting to scoop up his daughter and run, but he didn't know if the thing would attack if he tried to leave. As of now, it seemed like the robot was more intent on rambling than fighting, but Steve wasn't about to test that theory.
Dallas held Denver tightly to her chest as Bucky took her hand and gently pulled her to her feet behind him, guarding them both with his stocky frame as the robot continued talking. Dallas clung to his right wrist with her free hand while his metal one clenched into a fist. His fidgeting stilled, and Steve could feel him readying himself for a fight. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.
"Daddy?" Denver whimpered and Steve instinctively looked to her, seeing her looking up at him with sleepy eyes.
"I'm on a mission."
"What mission?" Natasha asked nervously, hearing Maria Hill ready her gun as her gaze swept over to Steve, seeing his whole body tense. His Adam's Apple moved up and down in his throat as his mouth twitched, seeing what was about to happen and resigning himself to it.
The robot called Ultron turned it's broken head to look at the Avengers and said, "Peace in our time."
Half a dozen robots burst through the wall towards the Avengers, and Steve kicked up the table they'd been sitting behind as Bucky grabbed Dallas and Denver to pull them onto the ground as Steve was knocked over the back of the couch.
"Daddy!" Denver screamed as Bucky placed his real hand over her mouth to silence her, tossing his head up to see a robot come at him and knock him off of the women. Dallas gasped as she sat up, but Bucky grabbed the robot's head with his metal arm and ripped it clear off, "Go! Now!"
She did as he ordered, clutching Denver's little arm and dragging her towards the bar. She held Denver close to her chest as the child cried out nonsense in between sobs. "Sputik… sput… t-tick…" Dallas looked down at her, trying to figure out what the little girl was trying to say, but a shot hit over their heads, causing Natasha and Bruce to slide over the top of the bar and collapse onto Dallas's bent leg.
"Ouch! Fu-dge!" Dallas cried out as she held Denver's hand tightly, trying to pull her long legs out from under Bruce, "That freaking hurt!"
"Don't turn green!" Natasha ordered Banner, holding his face between her hands as she ignored Dallas.
Dallas clamped her mouth shut, biting her lip to hold back the pain in her leg as she realized the Hulk would crush her and her niece in his fury if he changed. Natasha looked to Dallas, pointing farther back into the corner of the bar and Dallas tried to pull Denver, but pain shot through her leg and she winced, "I think it's broken."
Bruce looked to Dallas and Denver fearfully and Natasha grabbed his lapels and pulled him to face her again, "Don't turn green!" She repeated and he breathed, "I won't."
"Daddy! I want Daddy!" Denver shrieked as Dallas held onto her as tightly as she could, but the girl was sobbing uncontrollably at the sound of gunfire and shattering glass around them. "I'm scared!"
"I know, Baby, I know. You're gonna be okay. We're gonna be okay, Daddy is gonna protect us, we just have to stay hidden, okay?" Dallas whispered loudly as she looked up and saw a robot fly overhead as Natasha grabbed a gun from under the bar and peeked over it to begin shooting. "Cover your ears, Denny!"
The little girl screamed at the top of her lungs as Natasha shot at the robots, inadvertently getting their attention. When she realized one of them was coming towards them, she grabbed Bruce's wrist and looked to Dallas, "We'll lead them away. Stay hidden. Come on!" She growled at Bruce as she sprinted towards the stairs, shooting as they ran until they reached the landing above, giving them something to hide behind.
Dallas could still see them, but it was what she couldn't see that scared her even more. The unmistakable grunt of Steve being thrown around caused Denny to cry harder until Bucky somersaulted into the bar, "You guys okay?"
"What do you think?!" Dallas snapped bitterly, but the sound of glass shattering across the room drew her attention, "What do we do?"
"Stay here, we'll take care of it." Bucky said, then reached under the bar to grab another gun and leap easily over the bar to begin shooting. Dallas was tempted to lean up to get a look, but she couldn't risk giving away their location.
Suddenly, the sound of revving sounded above them caught her attention, and Dallas looked up to see a robot aiming its hand at them moments before being sliced in half by Captain America's shield. She sighed and leaned her back against the bar shelves as she realized the only sound was Denver's sobs, signifying the fight was over. Steve scrambled over the bar and was kneeling in front of them, cradling Denver before Dallas even realized she'd let go of the girl.
"That was dramatic."
Dallas leaned her head back and closed her eyes as Steve stood and faced Ultron, clutching Denver in his arms as he glared at the original tangled mess. He was tense, like he wanted to bolt and attack the thing, but he held back behind the bar as Ultron taunted the Avengers.
"I'm sorry, I know you mean well, you just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to… evolve."
Steve tightened his grip on Denver's back and her terrified sobs became pained whimpers, but he didn't loosen his grip as he reached down and grabbed his shield to hold in front of her, so she was out of Ultron's sights, but the movement only drew Ultron's gaze, and it tilted its head before saying, "There's only one path to peace: the Avengers' extinction."
Thor chucked Mjolnir at Ultron and shattered it, causing the metal pieces to clamor to the ground in a heap as the thing sung quietly until the lights went out.