TWO YEARS LATER
"Stella Barnes you get back here right now!" Bucky said firmly. The toddler wobbled over to her father and climbed up on his lap.
"Just where do you think you're off to without giving daddy a kiss?"
Stella laughed and pressed her lips against her father's cheek before scrambling back down off his lap and scurrying away. Her brown curls bouncing as she went. Bucky watched her go and felt his heart squeeze. He loved that little girl.
His mind wandered back to the night he wasn't sure if he was ever going to get to meet her. The night everything came to a head with Karli and the Flagsmashers. If it weren't for the help of Walker...who knows how differently the night would've turned out.
"Bucky, could you bring me a towel? I forgot to grab one."
Annie's voice pulled him back to the present. He fetched a towel from the line closet before appearing in the bathroom doorway. Annie was sitting Stella down in the bath water.
"Thanks, babe," she smiled at him. "What time is Sam picking you up?"
Bucky looked at his watch, "Any minute now."
Annie sighed, "Please be careful."
"Hey, Careful is my middle name,"
"Yeah," she rolled her eyes, "Right."
"I'll be home tonight. I promise."
They heard a knock on the door and Bucky bent to kiss Annie's lips and Stella's head. Sam was waiting on the other side of the door and in a split second the duo was off.
"Daddy hero, mommy," Stella told her mother.
Annie smiled thinking about all the time Bucky had come to her rescue. "Yes, baby girl your daddy is a hero."