A/n: I only own Ellie, Grant, Beckie and Kasie, and Sarah; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.

A/n2: So Falcon and the Winter Soldier is so good if you haven't caught it yet. How are we already halfway though :( So sad news, this was the last chapter I had written. I have my plan. I have a layout of the rest of the story, but it is finding the time. Pray for us teachers right now, because we are struggling. Our school district only got one day of Spring Break. So now it is counting down to Memorial Day. This month is going to be super busy, so there may not be a chapter in two weeks. Just keep your eyes open. It might be three weeks to a month from now. The last few chapters, reactions have been sparse. It really helps me as a writer to see any type of reaction. Even if it is just 'More soon'. I will finish this story, I just want to know people are "listening".

Thank you to aleesky for the follow!

Everybody knows my name now
But somethin' 'bout it still feels strange
Like lookin' in a mirror, tryna steady yourself
And seein' somebody else
And everything is not the same now
It feels like all our lives have changed
Maybe when I'm older, it'll all calm down
But it's killin' me now

~ Lonely by Justin Bieber

*~*~* March 7, 2020- 12 AM- Irvington, New York *~*~*

Ellie sighed as she looked at the piles of luggage that were sitting in her living room. Luggage for three adults and four children for a week and three days trip to Peru, South America, seemed as if they would be taking up the entire planes' luggage compartment. They would be leaving JFK at 2:30 AM and would have a five-hour flight that all the kids would hopefully sleep through. After an hour and a half layover in Panama City, they would fly into Lima, Peru, to hopefully enjoy lunch before joining their tour group the next day.

Ellie focused her energy and held her hands out as all their luggage glowed orange. Guiding the bags to the elevator, she opened the door and deposited all the bags inside. Ellie looked at everything, holding her hands out, and hovered in the air, moving her body into the elevator. Pressing the button, she rode down to the basement, and as it opened, Ellie saw Natasha.

Natasha laughed as she saw Ellie, "That's one way to get everything down here."

Ellie glided out of the elevator then set her feet on the ground, "I wasn't sure if it would even work, honestly."

Holding her hands out in front of her again, she concentrated on their bags. Glowing orange, she moved everything out of the elevator out to the garage.

"That was pretty darnn accurate," Natasha said as she grabbed the two bags that she had downstairs then followed her out to the rented van.

Ellie shrugged as she looked back at her, and everything fell to the ground, "Shit!"

Natasha grabbed her stomach as she bent over, laughing.

"Haha, I guess I need to maintain eye contact and concentrate on it," Ellie said as she grabbed one of the bags and checked it, making sure nothing broke.

The driver got out of the van, "Is this everything?"

Ellie looked over all their bags and the carrier for the porta-crib and laughed, "I hope there isn't much else. I'm not sure there will be enough room on the plane for everything."

Natasha looked at her, "We are flying on a private plane. Tony's plane. There is no reason to worry. Hell, if we are a little late, that doesn't matter either. It leaves when we are ready."

Ellie yawned as she looked at the dashboard to see it was closing in on 12:30, "Damnit, Steve, we need to get going." Climbing out of the van, she walked back into the house, "Friday, tell Steve to hurry up. We need to get going."

"Miss Ellie, Captain Rogers is in the room with the twins and is currently under baby monitor protocol."

Ellie sighed as she walked over to the stairs and yelled up the stairs, "Steve! Are you almost ready?!"

"Give me five more minutes. Sarah had an accident," Steve's voice came over the house's internal speakers.

Ellie sighed as she looked down at the ground then looked over at Natasha, "Now we wait."

*~*~* March 7, 2020- 5 AM- In the air *~*~*

Ellie breathed through her nose then breathed out a yawn as she looked over at Steve, who was asleep with Sarah on him. Natasha curled up into his side, fast asleep.

Grant shifted against her as she pulled her arms tighter around him, kissing the top of his curling hair. Between her curls and Bucky's wavy hair, Grant was getting some wave to his own.

Kasie and Beckie snoozed away in their seats as they had been thankfully since the plane took off. Taking a deep breath, Ellie looked out the window. As she took in the glittering lights below, all the cities as they passed over them, she pulled her lip in between her teeth. Some were darker than others. Some glowed brighter than others like groups of shining stars in the sky.

Ellie sighed as she wondered if she'd ever visit any of where else other than for work again. At the same time, she was thankful for the job which Pepper and Tony bestowed upon her. It weighed her down more than helping her. She felt no purpose anymore other than to make money, to help Stark Industries. While she was grateful to help Tony and Pepper, she didn't feel that she truly was meant to do the job had, but instead, she was going through the day-to-day motions. She missed being with her kids. She misses seeing them grow up.

With a yawn, she saw Steve stretch his arms out of the side of her vision. Glancing over at him, he opened his eyes then looked over at her. Ellie put her finger to her lips and smiled at him.

Slowly pulling Natasha off of him, he stood up and placed Sarah in her seat. Walking over to Ellie, he sat in the empty chair next to her.

"What you doing?" Steve asked quietly, "Did you not sleep at all?"

Ellie shook her head, "I slept a little," Ellie admitted with a yawn, "It's hard for some reason, I think, being in this plane with the electronics and everything. It's just messing with my head."

She yawned again, then glanced out at the sky as it started to lighten in the distance to their East.

Steve looked at her, taking in her pale appearance and the bags under her eyes that hadn't been there since the heart episodes stopped, "Is there anything I can do?"

Ellie shook her head, "Not really," She told him casually.

"Is there something else wrong?" Steve asked, concerned.

Ellie chewed on her lip for a moment, "I'm just really missing him today. Getting on the plane, I just," Ellie trailed off, "I'm missing him right now." Ellie pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers as she looked at Grant, "Steve, It's only been almost two years. How am I going to make it through three more, or heaven forbid forever?"

Steve swallowed hard, "I wish that I could tell you what to do, I know how I feel, and I can only imagine how you feel."

"How it's so hard to get through that next day?" She said, trying to hold back the tears, "That's all I think about it when I go to bed anymore. God, it's going to be another day of the same old, same old."

She squeezed her eyes shut and kissed the top of Grant's head, "Well, all we can do is enjoy our next day and our next days. We will be in the warm Amazon and Peru. Goodness Steve, could you imagine back 1941, would you ever think that we'd be going to a whole other continent?"

Steve shook his head., "At least until the war, I didn't think we'd be leaving New York."

"Exactly, see, then the war happened, then you and me," Ellie said, pointing between the two of them, "God, I fucking hoped when I shipped over to Europe, I remember landing in England for the first time. I couldn't believe how I was on a different continent. Everything seemed so dreary." She laid her head back against the headrest, "I miss him, Steve. I know the sleeping thing has gotten better, but some days it takes my breath away while I'm awake just how much I miss him." Ellie swallowed as she rubbed her hands together as she attempted to get the tingling feeling away from her hands, "How much I want him here with us, with me. People tell me I was lucky. I don't feel lucky most days."

"Well, we got pretty lucky with the kids," Steve told her as he placed his hand on her leg.

"Yeah," She said with a sigh, "I know, and I love my kids, and I would not give them up for anything. Even to get back, Buck, but it's just I miss him, and I keep thinking that maybe tomorrow will be a little bit easier." Ellie buried her face in Grant's hair, "but it never gets easier, and then I miss Mom, and I miss our life before all this shit happened to us."

Steve ran his thumb over her leg, "I'm damn lucky, Steve, don't get me wrong, but the weight of being a single mom and working and just surviving is harder than I ever thought it would be. I don't know how Mom did it," Ellie placed her hand over his.

Steve gave her a small smile, "Because Mom was a special brand of person. There were a lot of things that she did. Looking back, I don't know how she did them."

Ellie took a breath as she thought of it, "What if it was that she had some… underlying powers?"

Steve thought about it for a moment, "She might have, we will never know, but that doesn't change how amazing she was."

Ellie swallowed hard, "I feel so much for other people who don't have the opportunity to know that they're losing their loved one. I don't know if it was a blessing or a curse that we knew that Bucky was going to be gone, because it," Ellie shook her head, "It's just not easy, it's just not fair," She sighed then groaned, "God Steve I can't do this pity party anymore. I can I hear myself, and I can't do this. Now I got to figure something out. It's just not working."

Steve squeezed her knee, "What do you think you can do about it?"

"I don't know, I wish I did, or I change it," Ellie whispered, "I don't know. I guess once Pepper comes back full-time, things might get better. She's still part-time, but I can't do it anymore." Ellie pulled at her hair, "No, don't get me wrong. It's not like I want to end it. I just thought by helping her would help me, that I would find a purpose. But I'm not, and I feel like I'm missing out and being stuck in one place," Ellie shook her head as Steve tried to say something, "I know, I know everybody does. Maybe it's the whole old 1930s, 1920 s mindset in the back of my head staying at home with the kids while your husband goes to work. It's an ideal notion, but it'll never happen."

Steve stayed silent as he looked at her, then she shook her head, "But you know what, I guess it's time to pull up on the bootstraps and get back to normal, at least what I can find as normal. What do you think?"

"You can find that normal is what you want it to be," Steve told her with a sad smile, "There is no true definition of normal. Normal is different for every person. It evolves and changes from time to time."

Ellie looked out the window biting on her lip, "I wish I knew, I do it. I mean, don't think that I don't want this. It's not that, there's just a life that I wanted to have, and I guess, in a way, I mourn it."

"It's okay to mourn and be sad, sis. You may have to reinvent yourself a little bit. I had to when I came out of the ice," Steve told her as he took her hand in his.

Ellie sighed, "I mean, Rhodey's doing that himself too. I just, I don't know. All I can think about was that there six of you in the original Avengers. Then Sam, Rhodey, Wanda, and all the others came around. You guys had each other and chose to stick together-"

"Out of obligation to others," Steve admitted, "I didn't know what else to do with my life. I came out of the ice, I went to the cabin, and I was lost, El. I wasn't sleeping; I was missing you and Bucky. When Fury came to me saying he had a mission, I jumped at the chance because, as you said, it gave my life meaning again."

Ellie wiped the tear that rolled from her eye, "I didn't know if I was going to survive when I got the serum. Oh, I thought it was going to kill me, then I didn't kill me. Then I thought it would kill me when the technology glitches happened, but I wanted to help people. Like Mom, like you and Bucky."

"You've never had to be like anyone but yourself," Steve explained.

"It's not your fault, but it is just… living in the shadow of greatness," Ellie said sadly, "But I'm not feeling that, by not doing what I'm doing, because I don't feel it's helping people. I don't want to be a superhero," Ellie ran her hand over her face, "I need this vacation, even if it's a work vacation. Maybe this trip will help me get some perspective. You know, that's what I need. I mean, we grew up poor. Then I got into the pool to speak with the rich people, but at my heart, I'm still scraping by. It's hard to see things from both perspectives."

Steve nodded, "Tony and I always butt heads over those issues."

Grant shifted in her arms, and Ellie sighed as she pulled him closer, "I guess I need to feel like maybe, I just feel entitled is the best word for it. Something needs to happen to you; shake up everything, and make me realize how thankful I am for what I have—maybe seeing the people in the Amazon that are struggling. I mean, look at the people in Wakanda. They were doing so well for themselves, but if you'd leave the country, Shuri made sure she took me out of the country, and it was night and day. They help those people, but before they opened the borders, those people were third-world countries. My goal is to see how I can help these people, take what I learn back to Pepper and Stark Relief. It isn't just about getting help from Emintitos to make the new tablets."

Steve smiled as he put his arm around her and pulled her into his side, and kissed the side of her head, "I'm so proud of you."

Ellie smiled at him, "Glad to know someone is. I'm just doing my best."

*~*~* March 7, 2020- 9 PM- Lima, Peru *~*~*

Walking down the walkway that connected their hotel to the beach, Ellie breathed in the salty smell of the ocean. Waves crashed against the shore in front of her. In the distance, she could hear the sounds of a party as people enjoyed themselves. As she reached the end of the walkway, she took her shoes off then ventured into the sand. The warm sand massaged her feet as she walked closer to the water then sat at the edge where the water could lap at her feet.

Hugging her legs to her, she closed her eyes, breathing in the smells around her. Digging her toes into the sand, she tried to even out her breathing.

"Just breathe, Angel."

"I'm trying, it's just so hard… at night, during the day. I just miss you," Ellie whispered into the wind.

A gust of calm wind blew against her cheek, "I'm here with you always."

Ellie swallowed hard as she let the tears fall. After a few minutes, she was sobbing so hard that her lungs were protesting, and her hands were numb, as were her lips.

An arm slipped around her, "Just breathe in slowly as you can."

Ellie looked over through her red, swollen eyes to see Natasha.

"Now breathe out, slowly. There you go. Keep going," Natasha told her, guiding her through her anxiety attack.

Ellie swallowed hard, her throat hurting as she spoke, "Thanks, Nat."

Natasha rested her head against Ellie's, "I miss him too, you know?" She let out a breath, "I know we didn't have a relationship like yours, but he was there."

Ellie wiped her eyes on her sleeve, "He would be 103 this week. He is missing out on so much of their lives."

"We will get them back. I trust in you and Steve," Natasha said, linking her arm in Ellie's.

"You'll be right there with us if we figure it out," Ellie told her.

Natasha sat silent for a minute then folded her lip before taking a breath, "Ellie, I know that with your powers, you see the future-"

"I've never seen the future," Ellie told her, shaking her head, "I don't think I'd ever want to."

"So if you knew something that possibly could happen, you'd keep it to yourself?" Natasha asked.

Ellie looked at her, "What do you know?"

"The future can always change, but just… that last op that I went on, something didn't sit well with me. If I find out more, I'll let you know, but it could be a big part of our future," Natasha admitted.

"Did you find something? Someone?" Ellie asked, turning towards her, "Something that can help bring everyone back?"

Natasha sighed, "No, I ran into one of Peggy's kids. Something just doesn't sit well with me there."

"Was it James… Daniel James or whatever the hell his name is?" Ellie asked.

Natasha nodded, "I haven't found much on him, and you are right. Something isn't right there, but nothing to worry about now. Side note, did you hear the governor announced a state of emergence? I guess the Coronavirus cases jumped today to almost 100 cases."

Ellie looked out to the dark ocean in front of them, "This just… sounds so much like what I heard people say about the flu before I was born, Nat. It's scary. I know it probably won't affect us, but what about the kids?"

Natasha laid back on the sand, "I never thought of it that way."

"Beckie, we know her lungs aren't good. They say it attacks the lungs?" Ellie thought out loud.

"We just have to keep the kids as safe as possible until we know," Natasha told her as she sat up, "I'll work from home to help Steve. We have always scoffed at food delivery, but we can do it. When we get home, we stock up. Until then, Peru is safe. I saw on the news before I came down here, they have one case. In this whole country. So we enjoy ourselves and have fun before we head back to our reality."

"Sounds good," Ellie said as she laid back on the sand, "God, I feel so old, Nat."

Natasha laid down next to her, "We are only as old as we think we feel."

"Well, I think I feel old," Ellie told her as she put her arm over her eyes.

"Disculpe senoras."

Ellie groaned as she opened her eyes and saw the sun rising in the distance, "Shit, Nat… Nat, wake up."

Natasha opened her eyes and moaned as she sat up, "What time is it?"

"Senoras, it is 6 de la manana," The man told them.

"Thank you," Ellie said, wiping her eyes, "Shit, now I have sand in my eyes."

Natasha stood up and wiped off her clothing, "Come on, Steve is probably worried," She said as she held her hand out to Ellie.

Ellie took it and stood up, "I can't believe we slept the whole night out here."

Natasha linked her arm in Ellie's, "I don't know about you, but I feel awesome, though."

Ellie giggled, "I do, but my breasts might explode. I can't believe I didn't wake up to that."

"I can't believe you are still breastfeeding with how busy you are," Natasha said as they left the beach and walked up the walkway to the hotel.

Ellie shrugged, "I just want to do it as long as possible. We didn't have a different option when we were growing up, but shit, I'm leaking through my shirt."

Natasha laughed, "It could be ocean spray."

"As long as it's not bird shit," Ellie said, sniffing at her shirt, "Nope, definitely milk." She smoothed her hand over her shirt, and the spot appeared to get wider, "Shit, let's get upstairs before someone can milk me like a cow."

*~*~* March 11, 2020- Lima, Peru *~*~*

"Mrs. Barnes?"

Ellie looked up from her magazine as she heard her name called.

"Right this way, please."

Ellie followed the tall olive-skinned woman through a set of doors carrying her briefcase. They walked down a series of hallways and into a conference room filled with men.

"Hola senora, por venir hoy," The man at the head of the table said with a smile, "Por favor tome asiento."

Ellie smiled at him as she took in his condescending tone, "Gracias senor, pero estare de pie para mi presentacion."

Ellie walked to the other side of the table and set her briefcase on top of it. Opening the case, Ellie set her laptop and her tablet on the table, "Le gustaria mi presentacion en ingles o en espanol?"

The man stopped smiling as she raised her hand over her tablet and activated the 3D display. Pulling her hand up, she held the image in her hand as she looked at him, "Cual es tu contrasena wifi?"

"We all know English, ma'am," One of the men next to her stated with a smile, "But I will commend you on your Spanish."

"Thank you. It wasn't one of the first languages that I learned," Ellie said as the man wrote the password down for her, and she entered it into her system. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on their system and found access to the screen. Throwing the image to the screen, it appeared 2D on their screen.

Turning back to the men at the table, she smiled, "Thank you for being here today, gentleman. I am Elizabeth Barnes of Stark Technologies. I am here to show you the next generation of tablet technology."

Halfway through her presentation, one of the men cut her off, "All well and fine, but how do you see that our LEDs would be the best fit for your tablets?"

Ellie slowly turned around, "Simply put; no one has stronger and more durable LEDs that we have found in the market. The Stark Pro 3.0 tablets with the folding technology needs your companies LED technology to help us meet the quality that only can be achieved with your help."

"What data do you have to back up your findings?" He asked.

Ellie flicked a finger, and the slide with their development team's findings using different LED manufactures showed, "This is our findings. As you can see through our test emulating-"

"I'm sorry, but I don't see how this can be positive for our company," He stated.

"All due respect, that is a bunch of crap," Ellie stated as she pulled a tablet out of her suitcase and slid it down the table, "This is our prototype. We used LEDs from one of your previous models and reformatted them. That tablet has been simulated for over 1000 uses. All the other models we used didn't make it past 700 uses."

Ellie suddenly found herself in a staredown with the head man when the door opened.

"Senor, senor, we have a problem."

He sighed and looked at the man, who had just entered the room, "Pascal, what is it?"

The younger man glanced at Ellie, "Rumors are going around the country. They are looking to shut down the country. There were more cases announced today. In America, the shutdown Broadway."

Ellie stared at him confused, "Excuse me, Broadway the street?"

"No, Senora, Broadway… the lights are out. Plays are on hold for at least a month, if not longer," Pascal told her.

Ellie frowned then looked at the men in front of her, "Look, Stark Industries knows that your company is the best. Can we do it without you? Yes, but will our partnership make it better for both of our companies? I say yes. You have my data, make your decision and get back to us. Until then, I need to get back to my family."

"Mrs. Barnes."

Ellie looked up from where she was gathering her things, "Yes?"

"You brought your family to our country?" A man introduced to her as Baz asked.

Ellie closed her briefcase after placing all her electronics back into it, "I wanted to give my children a cultural experience. If the country doesn't close, we are going to Machu Picchu as a family."

He nodded, "We will be in touch. Be safe."

Ellie nodded in reply, "Thank you, I'll see myself out."

*~*~* March 14, 2020- New York*~*~*

As their plane descended and the New York skyline grew closer and closer, Ellie held Grant's hand, who was still awake despite the late hour.

Ellie glanced over at Steve, "So what do you think we are going to land into?"

Steve sighed as he looked out the window, "I don't know."

Natasha looked over at her, "Times posted two hours ago, 500 total cases and the first death today."

Ellie exclaimed, "In the city?"

"No, in the entire state, but it is still scary how fast it is spreading. It only came here a month ago, and now 500 cases?" Natasha said as she looked at her phone, "Broadway is closed, schools around the country are closing," She read as she looked up at Ellie, "I don't think this will be going away for a while."

*~*~* April 14, 2020—Irvington, New York*~*~*

Ellie sat back at her desk and looked at Pepper on her computer screen, "Do you think we will be able to go back next week?"

Pepper shifted Morgan, who was in her lap, "Hopefully, we will at least be able to get the manufacturing division back soon. We will have to play it by ear. I've been in contact with the governor's office. So hopefully, soon, we can get back with the rumored mandates. Until then, we keep virtual. We will at least have plans in place once manufacturing gets back in."

Grant ran into the room, "Momma, I want to play."

Ellie looked over at him, "Grant, honey, I am talking to Aunt Pepper. Where is Uncle Steve?"

Grant sighed, "Uncle Steve is playing with the girls," Grant said as he scrunched up his nose, "I don't play with dolls."

Ellie bit her lip as she tried not to laugh, "If you don't want to play with dolls, you can stay in here with Mommy, but you have to be quiet so that I can hear Aunt Pepper."

"Where is Peppa?" Grant asked as he climbed onto Ellie's lap, "Hi Peppa."

"Pepper is on the computer at her house," Ellie told Grant as he waved at the computer.

"Hi Grant, how are you today?" Pepper asked with a smile.

"I played outside on the slide. Kasie got fell and got a boo-boo," Grant told her as his eyes got wide, " I poo-pooed in the potty!"

"Good job, Grant!" Pepper encouraged as Steve came into the room.

"Hey Pepper, Grant, where did you put Aunty Nat's keys?" Steve asked.

Grant put his hands up, "I don't know. Alpine knows."

Steve sighed, "Alpine knows?"

Ellie bit her lip, trying not to laugh as Grant jumped off her lap, "Alpine, take them to sleep," Grant told Steve as he waved towards the camera, "Bye-bye, Peppa."

Steve shut the door behind them, and Ellie looked at Pepper, "Sorry."

Pepper just smiled as she shook her head, "I can't believe how well he is talking. He isn't two and a half yet, right?"

"Next month, but keep in mind, he has accelerated development. He might be two years, five months but is closer to two years nine months from what his doctor thinks," Ellie told her as she bit her lip, "When we do get to go back, do you think that they will allow the kids back?"

"As an employer who knows that many of my employees need it, I hope so, but again, we have to wait on the governor's office to say when we can go back. Why? Are you considering enrolling him at our preschool?" Pepper asked as Morgan started fussing.

Ellie nodded, "He is so bored. Steve does his best to keep all the kids busy and entertained while I work, and Natasha makes the relief efforts that she can to help with the distribution of supplies. He is just growing so fast, and I don't want to hold him back because of his," Ellie paused as she thought of it, "circumstances. Bruce is studying my blood and Grant's to see if the virus might affect us. Most, if not all, viruses don't affect Steve and me. I hope the kids have that level of immunity if I gave them anything."

"You gave them a lot more than possible immunity, Ellie. Don't sell yourself short," Pepper told her.

Ellie closed her eyes as she pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, then opened her eyes looking at Pepper, "Then why do I feel like such a failure most of the time?" Ellie shook her head, "I have to go, Pepper."

"Ellie-"

"Bye, Pepper," Ellie said as she ended the call. She took a big breath as she laid her head down on the desk. Closing her eyes, she thought of Bucky.

Ellie opened her eyes to find herself lying back against Bucky's chest and nearly cried at the overwhelming feeling of being in his arms. Shifting around, she lightly laid her lips against his, "Bucky, ohhh Bucky wake up," then kissed him again.

Bucky smiled against her lips, then opened his eyes to look into her own, "Hey baby… I'm so glad you visited again. I was getting worried."

She snuggled back into his chest, "It's been a busy time," She said with a sigh wishing that she could tell him all about the Coronavirus and prevent it.

"When is it?" Bucky asked, rubbing her arm.

"April 2020," Ellie told him, "Steve and I just got back from South America. We crossed that off our travel list. We went there for your birthday. Machu Picchu and such."

"Did you take the kids?" Bucky asked.

Ellie shook her head, "Yes… Grant is nearly three years in development, so he developmentally, handles himself I guess you'd say. He travels well. Sarah, she was a little fussy, but we had carriers to strap them to us."

"God, he is developmentally a three-year-old?" Bucky asked, surprised.

Ellie swallowed hard, trying not to cry at how much of their lives he was missing, "Yeah… height wise he is in the 99th percentile. They have no concerns there," Ellie told him.

Bucky squeezed her as he ran his hand up and down her air, "Oh… I have a question," Bucky said.

"What is that?" Ellie asked, turning to look at him, "I'll tell you if I can."

"What was the whole help me thing about from Disneyland?" Bucky asked.

Ellie looked at him confused, then remembered the previous incident, "Aw shit, I forgot about that. I don't know it wasn't me at least, not yet," Ellie said with a frown, "Unless it was me from the past I forgot, and I was struggling with the… jump? I don't know. There is nothing wrong. I'm healthy. Nothing is wrong. You never actually tell me if I visit to tell you what happened, so I don't think I do. It must have been just me when I had my power issues trying to jump, and I couldn't. It was painful a few times."

Bucky took her hands in his, "I want you to promise me… if it ever hurts, or you could hurt yourself doing it, don't," Bucky told her.

"I promise, but the power issues are solved, so no worries," Ellie told him.

"Was it the chip?" Bucky asked.

"No, just a… sickness, I guess. But I am cured and healthy and back to normal," Ellie told him as he went to speak, "And no, I won't tell you what it is so that it can be cured before it happens. We can't change anything, Buck."

Bucky sighed, "I know."

Ellie laced their fingers together and played with his.

"You okay?" Bucky asked.

Ellie sighed, "Just really missing you. Grant has finally stopped occasionally sleeping with me. He is a little you, Buck, so it was like having you. The nights are the hardest, and I lost the recording you made, probably after this conversation, of you sleeping, you dork."

Bucky laughed, "I'll make a second one and hide it somewhere, I guess, or give it to Steve."

"Shit, I didn't think to ask Steve. I didn't want to sound like a baby saying that I can't sleep well at night because my son won't sleep with me anymore," Ellie said as she snuggled deeper into his chest, "I am trying to fight it, but I am… so tired. I wish I could just sleep here in your arms but…" She said as she looked at the clock, "I know I'll be back sooner than later."

"I love you," Bucky told her, pulling her closer.

Ellie breathed in his scent, and she saw her tear fall from her face onto his arm, "I never doubt that, Bucky. Don't ever think that I do doubt you. You made such a sacrifice for this family not once but twice. You mean so much. Don't ever doubt it. I love you more than you know."

"I know you do… or else you wouldn't be here… mentally or physically. I wish I could take your pain away," Bucky told her.

Ellie sighed as she let him pull her in tighter, "You are… just by being here when I need you."

Ellie reopened her eyes as she felt her body picked up, "Steve?"

"You need a nap," Steve said as he carried her into her room.

"I'm fine, I just," Ellie yawned, "I needed a Bucky visit."

Steve laid her down and sat next to her, "Feel better?"

"A bit," Ellie closed her eyes, "I just, I'm struggling. I was struggling before, but," Ellie swallowed as she opened them and looked at him, "The lockdown and not being able to see people, not that I don't love my people. I guess I just really liked bossing people around."

Steve laughed as he laid down next to her, "You can always boss me around. You loved doing it when we were younger."

Ellie looked over at him, "Thank you, Steve. I don't tell you that enough, and I just want you to know, I do appreciate all that you do for my kids and me."

Steve put his arm around her, "I would do it even if Bucky hadn't asked me to watch over you."

*~*~* June 12, 2020- Irvington, New York*~*~*

"Momma, why are you asleep?"

Ellie forced her eyes to stay closed, and a set of tiny fingers pulled her eyelid up.

"Momma, your blue eyes not open. Why not opening?" Grant asked.

Ellie smiled as she pulled him down onto her stomach, "Because Momma wanted to sleep."

"Grant!" Steve whisper shouted, "Where are you?"

"In bed with Momma, Uncle Stevie!" Grant yelled.

Steve walked into the room, "Grant, I told you to leave Momma alone."

Ellie sat up, "I get to go in later today, but that doesn't mean I have to sleep in."

Grant stood up and started to jump up and down, "Why sleep?"

"Because our bodies need rest," Ellie told him, "Stop jumping. You are going to fall."

"I don't like naps," Grant pouted as he sat down.

Ellie looked at Steve, "Miss Kay says our Grant is not a fan of napping."

"Naps aren't fun," Grant said, crossing his arms over his chest as he gave her a look that took her breath away, then shook his head as he jumped off the bed, "I gonna find Sarah."

Steve frowned, "Grant not napping?"

"I can't go in because parents aren't allowed but from what I saw in the window when I was on break. The teacher cleans, so I have a feeling he is watching her more than sleeping. It's only the first week. I have a feeling he will be fine once things settle in," Ellie told Steve as she got out of bed.

Steve sat on the bed as she went into her closet and started to get ready, "So Banner called."

Ellie paused as she looked at her salmon-colored suit, then looked back at him, "What did Bruce say?"

Steve got up and leaned on the frame of her wardrobe door, "He studied your blood, and he thinks that it does have immunity."

Ellie sucked in a breath then shook her head as she went back to find an outfit, "Is it bad of me that I'm not sure anymore that I want to do this?"

Steve sat on the chair in the wardrobe, "Why?"

Ellie bit her lip, "I'm afraid the wrong people would abuse it or that heaven forbid they'd come after the kids."

*~*~* June 12, 2020—New York, New York*~*~*

Ellie sighed as she led Amanda, both their heels clicking on the tiled surface of the floor as Ellie hurried into her office

"Those scumbags," Ellie mumbled as she threw open the door to her office.

Amanda hurried in after her, then shut the door behind her, "I cannot believe you did not punch him."

"That egotistical asshole, he needs to go fuck a skunk," Ellie vented as she threw the file folders in her hand.

"Honestly, I wish I could have spoken up, but you are right. Monetarily, it just doesn't make sense to go about the new watch the way he suggests," Amanda said, gathering her file folders, "With the current supply chain and manufacturing. It just isn't possible to get the motherboards for the watches from China in the time frame we need them in."

Ellie threw herself in her chair and screamed into her hands.

"You should go to talk to Pepper about it," Amanda suggested.

Ellie looked up at her, "No, no. I'll handle it." She laid her head back on her chair and took some calming breaths like her therapist had told her to do when the dread came creeping up, "When are they going to take me even a little bit seriously?"

Amanda went to answer her when the phone rang, "I'll get that. You turn on some meditation, music, or something and just relax for 15 minutes."

"FRIDAY, dark mode," Ellie said as Amanda turned to walk out, 'Thank you, Amanda."

Amanda left the office, and Ellie got up from her office chair. She sat on the couch and laid back. Closing her eyes as she laid on the sofa as she sighed. She nearly groaned out loud when the door opened, "Was it, Pepper?"

Amanda sighed, "No, it was the daycare."

Ellie looked over at her, "Is Grant alright?"

"He is," Amanda said slowly, "But the other boy is not."

Ellie sat up, "Fuck, what happened?" swinging her feet back onto the floor.

Amanda's eyes scrunched behind her mask, "Grant punched another boy."

"Shit," Ellie ran her hand over her face as she stood up, "I knew this would happen eventually between his Uncle Steve and his daddy."

Amanda chuckled, "But Captain America is more of a motivational speaker than a hitter."

Ellie snorted as she adjusted her clothes and put her blazer back on, "You never met him when he was 100 pounds soaking wet and had to be pulled out of alleys like a stray cat."

Amanda laughed, "Was he really that small?"

Ellie nodded, "Barely taller than me," Ellie adjusted her mask, "Hopefully, I'll be back shortly. Hold my calls."

After an elevator ride down to the second floor, Ellie swiped her card to enter the daycare. As she opened the door, she heard a man saying, "That kid is a literal baby. You let a baby beat you up?"

Ellie came around the corner to see Seth, the man who had been giving her so much trouble, this time giving trouble to a boy that must be who Grant had punched.

Seth looked over at her, "What the hell are you doing here?"

The daycare director walked out, "Mrs. Barnes, thank you for coming, right through here, please."

Seth shook his head as he scoffed, "Of course, the bully is your kid. Better put him on a leash."

Ellie walked over to Seth and stood six feet from him, and glared at him, "Don't you dare say anything about my kid. You know nothing about him."

"Mr. Tare, I did state that the situation started when your son was name-calling to Mrs. Barnes, son."

"But it's true. He is an orphan. His Daddy is dead," The little boy stated.

Ellie couldn't help her intake of breath as she felt like someone punched her in the gut.

"Elijah, that is very unkind," The director, Lisa stated.

"It's true," Seth stated.

Ellie bit her lip, "Could you just show me to my son, please?"

"This way," Lisa said as she opened the door.

Ellie kicked her shoes off as the opening of the elevator as soon as it reached the main floor, "Go play, Grant."

Grant threw his arms around her waist, "I'm sorry, Momma."

Ellie swallowed down the lump in her throat, "Next time, get a teacher when someone bothers you. I love you, little man."

"Love you too," Grant said as he kissed her belly.

"Go play," Ellie told him.

Grant ran off, nearly knocking Steve over.

"What are you doing home so early?" Steve asked as he yelled after Grant, "Walk in the house!"

Ellie punched him.

"Ow! What was that for?" Steve asked, rubbing his arm.

"Your nephew was suspended from daycare for the rest of the day for punching a kid. Sound like anyone?" Ellie asked as she walked into the kitchen, "Also, Seth Tare is a fucking asshole, and he is raising his kid to be a little shit too."

Steve frowned, "Grant wouldn't just lash out at another kid for no reason."

Ellie paused as she went to open the refrigerator and laid her head on the partially open door, "The kid was making fun of him for not having a Dad," Ellie's voice broke at the end of the sentence.

Steve pulled her into a hug, "He has a Dad. Despite all the odds against him. Buck is an amazing Dad, who kept fighting his demons and the demons of the world until the very end. We will get him back."

Steve ignored the tears that soaked his shirt as they fell from her eyes.

a/n3:Now to the reviews:

Michele Angela Smith- Thank you for reading and reviewing! I appreciate it!

PrettyRecklessLaura- Thank you for your continued support!

Preview of Chapter 109- Untitled

Once entering the library, she breathed in the scent of real books. Smiling at the woman behind the desk, she looked around to find the adult section. Her heels clicked on the floor beneath her, echoing through the quiet library. She walked down to the appropriate section that she was looking for in the library. The humanities section where she could find books to help her catch up more on the areas she missed out on in the past.

"It's overwhelming, isn't it?"

Ellie looked up and fell to the ground as she gasped.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you," The man said as her heart raced.

Ellie swallowed hard as she took in the man in front of her as he walked closer to her.

"I'd help you up, but with everything going on, I'm not sure if you'd want me to," He said as she barely heard him through the pounding of her heart in her ears, "I'm Sebastian, Sebastian Stan."