Thank you for reading and reviewing! As always, if you guys want to see something happen in this story, just let me know!

I was going to put some teasers but I figured you guys are about to read this chapter so what's the point? Don't worry though, there's teasers for the next chapter this time.

I do like this chapter, though a little short. I enjoyed writing it and I hope you guys enjoy reading it and let me know in the reviews!

Words: 1,577

Ada's starting to think there's a switch in her brain. One that when it's flipped, sucks all the joy from her. All the happiness and ease she'd felt earlier that day after meeting her new furry friend is gone, no traces left.

The teenager lies in her bed that very night, her pillow soaked with the tears pouring from her eyes. She's not even sure why she's crying. Whenever she thinks about anything, her father, the events of the past few days. The way she let Mr. Stark down. The way she let Peter and Pepper down. And the way she treated Jamie and her friends. All of it makes a new wave of sobs break free.

She tries to smother the sound in her pillow but someone still hears her.
Ada feels pressure on the bed behind her before a cold, wet nose touches the back of her neck. The teenager sniffs and turns to see Apollo staring at her. "Hey, boy," She manages to whisper to him, her hand reaching out to scratch his ears.

Scooting back, Ada makes room and pats the bed beside her. Apollo jumps up at the invitation and lies beside her. He has his own bed that he'd gladly been snoozing on but Ada would rather have him with her.

Apollo, knowing that his human is upset, turns his head and licks her chin before letting her wrap her arms around him and cry into his fur.

When Ada's cries turn into soft sniffles, the teenager closes her eyes, her fingers funning over Apollo's hair. She tries her best to drift off to sleep but the hours pass by her slowly and that doesn't happen. Though Apollo snores softly next to her. At least one of them is getting some rest.

The alarm clock on Ada's nightstand reads 5:30 when she decides to pull herself out of bed. In doing so, she wakes Apollo, but the fluffy animal doesn't seem to mind. He only jumps up with her, his feet padding silently on the ground beside her.

Apollo hears the other set of footsteps before she can. His ears perk up right before they round a corner. Ada jumps when Bucky suddenly appears and she blows out a breath, mumbling to herself. "Ex-assassin, right." Do assassins and ninjas have the same stealth trainers? "You need a bell or something."

Snorting, Bucky shakes his head. "It's early," He tells her as a greeting, eyes surveying her carefully. "Don't teenagers sleep until noon?"

I wish, Ada thinks but doesn't say aloud. "That's a stereotype and I refuse to live up to it," She says instead.

"Uh-huh," Bucky hums before nodding towards the dog smelling his hand. "Who's this?"

"Apollo," Ada responds easily. The name had just felt right.

"He's yours?" Bucky questions without looking up but Ada still nods. She's sure he can...feel the movement or something.

"Yeah. Tony and Pepper got him for me." Ada crosses her arms across her chest and raises an eyebrow at him. "Why are you up?"

"Going for a run," He answers truthfully and Ada nods, patting her leg to get Apollo's attention. After a moment of hesitation, he asks. "Want to come?" Bucky is no stranger to not being able to sleep. He can recognize the signs anywhere.

Eyebrows furrowing, Ada looks up at him in question. "High energy dog like that, he'll need lots of exercise."

"I don't think I can keep up with a super soldier," Ada says thoughtfully. She used to run when she was younger but it's been a while. Though even then she knows she wouldn't be able to keep up with him.

Huffing, Bucky's lips twitch into a small smile and he shakes his head. "I'm sure you're faster than Sam."

"Hey, that's my friend you're talking about," Ada defends but she smiles a little herself.

"He's faster in the air," Bucky shrugs. "Go get your shoes, I'll meet you at the track." And with that, he walks away, leaving Ada to rush back to her room and slip on her running shoes.

When Tony wakes at 6:47, instead of rolling over and wrapping his arms around Pepper before going back to sleep, he quietly gets out of bed. He leaves his fiancée. He doesn't usually get up this early, but he knows he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep without first checking on his kid.

Opening the hallway door, Tony rubs a hand over his face with a sigh. Ada had seemed better the day before but he's not stupid enough to think that everything's going to go up from here. No, he's well aware that this path Ada is on is a long one. And a hard one. But she's letting them in, letting them help her. He knows she's strong enough to make it through, but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy.

When he reaches Ada's door to see it cracked open, he doesn't think anything of it. She goes back and forth between having it closed and open. Though usually at the compound, she closes it.

With his hand firmly planted on the door, Tony quietly pushes it open and peeks inside. only he doesn't see his teenager asleep in bed. Or anywhere in her room. Eyebrows furrowing, and heart definitely not dropping, Tony quickly looks around.

Ada's bed is unmade, she was obviously in it at some point. But nothing else looks out of place. Not even Apollo is on his bed.

"Friday," Tony calls out softly to his AI. "Where's Ada?"

"Ada is currently in the common room," Breathing a sigh of relief that's short-lived, Tony heads that way. Why is she in the common room? He knows she's still having trouble sleeping, maybe she's watching tv? But she has a tv in her room.

When Tony gets into the room, he does in fact, see the tv on, the volume turned almost all the way down. At first, he doesn't see anyone. Then he sees a blur of white fluff and he shakes his head. He should've known that rule wasn't going to last.

Resting on the couch next to a sleeping Ada is Apollo. He wags his tail when he sees the billionaire but he makes no move to leave his humans side.

"Good boy," Tony whispers to the dog and pats his head. He looks down at Ada then and smiles softly. Though the dark circles under her eyes are prominent, at least she's sleeping peacefully for now.

Grabbing the blanket off the back of the couch, Tony places it over the girl, his eyes trailing to the floor. Tennis shoes. Tony hums to himself and looks back to Ada, noticing for the first time that her hair is pulled back. Did she go running? It is a healthier coping mechanism than what she'd been doing.

Before he accidentally wakes her, Tony makes his way into the kitchen. He's awake now, might as well stay that way.

Tony will never admit to startling when he runs into Bucky in the kitchen. The man is making breakfast but he's not making any noise. How is that possible?

"I'm getting you a bell," The genius grumbles while moving towards the coffee machine.

"The kid said something similar," Bucky huffs a quiet laugh. He hadn't run as much or as fast as usual but that's okay. It seemed to help Ada. She relaxed a bit and as soon as they got back inside, the kid crashed on the couch, out like a light. Hadn't even taken her shoes off.

The bruises on her knuckles hadn't escaped his attention either. They're faded, nearly gone, but he'd asked anyway. "I punched someone and didn't break my hand." She had told him with a grin. Though it didn't look like a very happy one. "You'd be proud." And he'd be lying if he said he wasn't just a little.

"Have a nice run?" Tony questions flatly, watching Barnes turn to him out of the corner of his eye.

"Something else you want to say?" Bucky asks quietly, picking up on the man's tone.

"Yeah," Tony shifts quickly to face the man. "That's my kid," He gestures into the living space, standing tall in front of Bucky without backing down despite the height advantage the other man has over him. It's not that he didn't trust Barnes, he does, mostly, at least. But Ada is his child. He's not sure he trusts her with anyone. Not even himself. "I will not hesitate to put you in the ground if you so much as breath wrong around her."

Looking slightly...impressed, Bucky nods. Though he's never had his own children, he understands. "You have my word," He doesn't need Stark to tell him not to hurt Ada. He would never do that of his own free will. Whether he liked the kid or not. And he does. She's a good person.

"Good," Tony smiles, satisfied. "Coffee?"

Only Tony, man. Lol. Threatens the winter soldier then proceeds to offer him coffee. But that is his daughter, no one going to stop him from protecting her. It's so adorable!

Anyway, thanks for reading! I really hope you guys enjoyed! Let me know by leaving a review! They really motivate me to write more and I really want to get chapters out faster for you guys!

Teasers: she shudders just thinking about it. / She's sure there's some sleeping pills and pain medicine in the med bay but it's locked up tight. / "You can, and you will,"

'-'