"I need to go back again soon. For longer this time, mother."

"Oh," Renny's shoulders drooped. "Can't you delay it a little longer?" She asked hopefully.

Anya shook her head and sighed, "Loki is having a little too much fun in Asgard. He deserves his happiness, but... Someone needs to be the responsible one to take care of the more bland aspect of ruling. Other than that, I need to help direct Thor's quests as well."

Nadia perked up from where she was mixing a batch of cookie dough for an order one of Peter's decathlon teammates had made. "We should have a few days away then. You know, just us."

The grey and brown splotched dog barked from his place sitting by her feet. "And Stevie too, if Rhodey can't keep him at the Avengers compound." The youngest Capelli chuckled.

Anya continued, "I was hoping… perhaps we could go…"

Renny swallowed. She knew who her daughter wanted to visit. For all the older woman's bluster months ago, she had not followed through. She had yet to go to Wakanda.

The eldest Capelli sighed. "You're right. I've been putting this off for too long."

Bucky finished his session with Shuri. Just a follow-up to make sure anything HYDRA could have put in his brain was really scrubbed out.

It was a thirty-minute walk from the labs to his hut on the outskirts, which was fine with him. He preferred that to riding one of the city's transports. He was still slightly uncomfortable around too many people or having someone escort him. He didn't want to burden anyone more than he already did.

T'Challa already did so much for him, providing him asylum, treatment-

"Sergeant."

Speaking of. The dark-skinned man called to him before he could exit Shuri's lab. "Good. You have finished already. I need to speak with my sister."

Bucky nodded, but before he could move past and continue on his way, the other man added, "Ah, yes. You have visitors in the lobby."

Visitors?

Steve or any of the others would have called ahead or sent him a message. Though, as far as he knew, they'd just come back from a mission two days ago and haven't left Wakanda yet on another.

T'Challa wouldn't call them "visitors" either.

Bucky tilted his head, confused and somewhat curious, moving to the lifts that would take him to the lobby of the building.

When he reached the proper floor and stepped off, he could hear Steve chatting with someone. As he got closer, he could clearly make out the words.

"Where've you been?" Steve said. Whoever his pal was talking to was blocked by the partition that separated the elevator lobby from the main reception.

The former Winter Soldier heard her before he saw her.

"Sleeping. Not as long as you though."

No.

There was a familiar chuckle.

He had to be dreaming. He dreamed about her every once in a while, sometimes he even daydreamed. However, this was definitely the most vivid daydream he'd ever had.

Well worn brown leather boots, scuffed at the toes.

Wide burnished bronze armbands that glinted under the light that streamed from the floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

Dark blue coat and hood that was now down so her face wasn't shadowed.

Grey eyes that were framed by grey, almost silvery hair.

Huh.

Those last details were off though. Even when he imagined her with her hood down, her hair was supposed to be ash brown and there should have been a little more blue in her eyes.

He probably needed to go back upstairs and have Shuri do some kind of scan.

Or he was just delusional… his sleep was troubled last night, haunted by a nightmare. He still had them sometimes.

"Buck…" Steve looked between his two friends. They needed a chance to work this out. He'd had his chance to catch up a little with Renny when she arrived while Bucky was still busy with his checkup.

The dark-haired man brushed by, briskly walking outside like he didn't notice they were there and turned in the direction of the road that would take him out of the city and to his farm.

Steve sighed as Renny watched the figure of the man she'd loved, he guessed she was pretty much still in love with from the look he saw in her eyes, disappear behind a bend.

"Maybe… I should just go." Renny bit her lip, looking at the two other figures at the other end of the lobby who were looking at her intently. If Bucky reacted this way to her, then introducing her girls was definitely going to be too much for him.

Steve looked in the direction of Renny's gaze, recognizing one of the women and something in his mind clicking.

"Those are…?"

Renny's eyes were a bit glassy and her smile just a bit watery when she nodded. Anya had told the story of how Steve had called her out when she decided to give her father a visit while he was still in cryo in Wakanda.

Introductions wouldn't be so jarring for the blond then, and Renny needed something to take her mind off how she was brushed off.

"You've met Anya," She sniffed and smiled a little more genuinely as she watched them shake hands.

"Not formally," Steve said after a pause. It still awed him how Renny's daughter had Bucky's steely blue eyes. "Glad to finally put a name to the face."

"Yes, good to officially meet you, Captain," Anya replied, her tone formal.

"Just Steve. Please." The blond scratched the back of his neck. He didn't feel exactly like he was Captain America anymore. After all, he was considered a criminal since Berlin.

"And this is Nadia," Renny had to move to the youngest of their trio who made no move to greet Steve, but had an awkward smile on her face.

"Shit…" Nadia cursed under her breath, realizing that her inner freaking out had translated into her lack of movement. She sputtered when she caught Steve's slight flinch at the word. "I- Sorry."

The man waved a hand, "No. No. It's fine." He had gotten used to supposedly "bad" words over time, especially being on the run.

"I'm Nadia." They shook hands, finally and Steve got to look at her. She was starkly different from the two other women who had light hair and eyes. Nadia, on the other hand, was a brunette with dark chocolate brown eyes. She was slightly tan as well.

"Definitely a pleasure meeting Renny's family," Something about her was familiar, but he couldn't place exactly what.

Thoughts were swirling in Bucky's head. It was chaotic. He didn't have such messy thought processes since he was the Winter Soldier trying to reconcile foreign yet familiar memories and fragments of information.

Renny was old or dead. Either way… Gone. Like Peggy, and Howard, and the Howlers-

One of his goats bleated in displeasure when the pitchfork he was using to transfer hay to the barn stalls scraped the ground roughly and the metal gave an unpleasant screech.

"I thought you were going to skewer the poor boy." A voice said from behind him.

Bucky stopped what he was doing and his shoulders tensed.

"Or girl. I can't tell."

If his mind was playing tricks on him… if he turned around and she wasn't really there...

"Sorry, girl." He muttered, putting aside the pitchfork and bending down slightly to pat the animal's head apologetically. Shuri had called them phantoms, bits of memories that would manifest either visually, through sounds or voices... but just memories. He hadn't encountered any for a couple of months now. Why-

A light hand touched his shoulder, and with the tension and slight anxiety plaguing him coming to a head, his one arm shoved at the potential threat roughly. He expected that his hand would simply hit against air and the phantom would disappear, but what came next was a solid thump and the sound of something hitting the ground with a grunt.

Of course, he had to turn around now.

Grey eyes looked up at him in surprise and he spotted a hint of sadness and resolute acceptance.

Bucky stared wide-eyed, frozen with his arm out in front of him.

"Y-You're…" the word was a raspy whisper of disbelief.

"This was too soon." She whispered, likely to herself. Her eyes were glassy. She knew though. He'd already been under Shuri's care for months. He was more stable than he had ever been since HYDRA. If he pushed her away even now…

Bucky's thoughts were in chaos, but they ground to a complete halt the moment sparks came to life on the ground.

Fear, desperate hope, and longing made him spring into action. Winter Soldier reflexes- no they were his reflexes. Shuri said part of becoming more stable was accepting that the skillset he gained from his time as the Soldier was now part of who he was now. Bucky lunged quickly to tackle the target before it could get away.

He felt wind rush past him as he hit the ground and pinned the figure beneath him with his legs. His arm braced on the side of her head to keep him up.

Hands were pushing on his shoulders and he was staring into stormy grey.

They stayed as they were for the longest time.

Renny stared back at him, unsure and afraid to move at all. Bucky breathing hard, hovering over her.

Reality slowly started to sink in.

Puffs of warm breath on his face.

Warmth that was coming from the hands that moved his chest.

The softness underneath him instead of hard ground.

It couldn't be, could it?

Maybe this was someone trying to mess with his head again. One way to be sure…

He gulped.

"When we made a bet... about guessing your name… what did you ask for?" Bucky said haltingly, digging up old memories.

"I…" Renny was a little taken aback by his voice. He was actually addressing her this time. She wasn't surprised though, of course he would do something to test if it really was her. She took a breath, remembering the notes she and the boys used to exchange because of that guessing game. "Syrup. I had no idea what to ask for, so… I asked for all the syrup with a stack of pancakes every week for a month."

If you guess wrong, I get all the syrup and a stack of pancakes just for me once a week for the next month.

The memory of the note came back to him, clear as day now that she said it. More memories came to the surface.

Bucky didn't hesitate to ask another question, "When did we first meet?"

"The first time you talked to me was the day after the funeral for Steve's mom." She smiled softly at the thought of what happened back then. "The first time we saw each other properly though... during one of the pol sci lectures you and Steve had together." She chuffed, remembering a teenage Bucky's face when he gave her a cheeky wave. A short chuckle managed to bubble out when she remembered how their teacher had chucked a piece of chalk at their heads and yelled at the two.

"Coney Island. What-"

"A chalkware horse. It was white with a black mane and tail. I also got two of those goofy pictures we took at the photo booth." Coney Island… She actually hadn't been back there since. Renny's smile slowly faded and she sighed, her breath stuttering slightly, "I don't know what else I can tell you, Buck. I don't know what I can say so-"

The air rushed out of her lungs when Bucky's full weight was suddenly on her. His head was beside hers, nose burrowing into her hair and his one arm wrapping around her back.

"It doesn't matter…"

He knew her answers were all correct, but the words didn't matter as much to him. Not with the emotion in her voice and in her eyes. You could always find out the right words, but you could never truly fake emotion.

He had so many questions… but they didn't matter. Not right now.

She was real.

She was here.

"Ah-Air..."

Bucky only shifted his weight to the side, rolling them slightly, not relinquishing his hold.

Renny gasped, filling her lungs with air that was inherently Bucky.

"Sorry." The man mumbled, his arms relaxing but not unwinding from around her. After a few moments of letting her breathe, he spoke up again. "You changed your hair, Sunshine."

She huffed, smiling again now, "So did you, Pancakes."

Grey eyes stared into blue.

This was real.

He pulled her to him again and this time Renny melted into the hug.

"You'll have to let go of her soon, you know, jerk."

Renny squeaked and scrunched the material of Bucky's shirt in her fists and drew her face in as if to hide. Her cheeks burned and heat climbed her neck, reaching her ears.

"Great timing, as always, punk." Bucky groaned and tilted his head to look over the silvery strands of the shaking girl beside him. She was muffling embarrassed chuckles in his chest.

She moved an arm's length away from him, her eyes moist because of laughter this time and her cheeks flushed. God, her smile was beautiful. He'd always imagined what she'd be like without the hood up all the time, more carefree- and here she was. His old daydream. He wanted to just put his arms around her again but he realized they were back in the lobby.

"Come on, Bucko." Renny pushed herself to her knees and held out her hands to help him stand.

Her voice was nice. He always liked her voice, even when she was just talking. The man nodded, taking note of the attention they seemed to have drawn.

T'Challa stood with his mother and his sister. Shuri had a Cheshire grin on her face.

Steve looked happy, a sly, almost smug, smile on his lips. The blond stood beside two other women he didn't recognize. One though… was almost a carbon copy of Renny as he knew her back in the 40's. Just taller and with bluer eyes.

Part of his heart ached a bit. Then again… of course… he couldn't blame Renny at all for moving on without him. He hadn't been himself for a very long time.

But something was rattling in the back of his mind.

Renny had seen the sudden change. How Bucky seemed to suddenly retreat into himself.

This wasn't how she had planned things at all. She hadn't wanted to rush it… but with every passing moment, Bucky was drawing further away.

"Bucky," she said, gently putting a careful hand on his cheek so he would look at her. She gestured with her free hand, not taking her eyes from his. When the other woman stood next to Renny, her grey eyes flickered to the newcomer. "Bucky," she repeated, voice meaningful. She took a deep, steadying breath before continuing hopefully, "This is Anya." She took his hand in both of hers.

The man took several moments to process her words, gaze focused on the woman who looked so much like an older version of 1940's Renny.

Realization slowly dawned in his eyes. Bucky squeezed her fingers, suddenly nervous.

""Anya"?… like the little girl…?"

"Yeah… the one from the village."

A village they'd come across during one of their missions with the Howling Commandos.

A cute little girl that had had been adamant about helping Bucky with his minor wounds after a HYDRA raid, offering food and water, and apparently had a bit of a crush on the sergeant despite only a few days they had stayed there before they had to leave for the next mission.

Anya Werner. She'd been enthralled when she saw Renny take over Bucky's medical treatment with her magic.

"Teach me!"

Not possible at all with just two days, but Renny taught her the basic tenet of creating magic- clearing your mind. Maybe little Anya wouldn't be able to do spells, but clearing your mind through meditation helped you think more logically and helped you deal with strong emotions.

That was probably one of the reasons they fell deeper for each other. Seeing how Bucky patiently sat through the little girl's first aid, making her smile with assurances of a job well done. How Renny acted happy and relaxed around the little girl while teaching her how to meditate, though little Anya would start fidgeting under five minutes.

"Anya's determined…" Renny had mentioned then with a soft smile, watching the little girl shift in her seat, peek an eye open, and squeak when she saw the two adults watching her. She readjusted her position and immediately closed her eyes.

Bucky's heart warmed seeing his Sunshine's expression. "Pretty name for a pretty girl too." He chuckled. A gentle smile curved his lips.

Steve wished then that he could take a picture.

"I…" Anya Capelli was usually unflappable, but she had always had a soft spot for the father she never really got to know. "It's good to meet you, sir." When awkward or nervous, her default was severe formality.

Bucky was glad that Shuri had done so much to fix his head. He might have been completely stoic otherwise. Or probably run away. Avoiding unnecessary threats was drilled into his Winter Soldier program. He was supposed to be a ghost.

But that was before.

He was now, like Anya, nervous and awkward, normal emotions, but he still had the Soldier's calm. He managed a genial smile. "Just Bucky, please." He paused, doing his best to gather his thoughts, "Can you tell me about you?" Some of Bucky's old charm, no matter how small a percentage, had returned.

"Of course." Anya was happy, though the only indication was the soft smile on her face. "I'd love to hear about you too. Other than from my mother." Her smile was actually a little more like his than Renny's.

Sweet Jesus…

Anya Capelli was his daughter.

Crazy. This was all so crazy. This woman looked a little older than he was, and she was his daughter.

He'd missed so much. So much. He definitely had a lot of catching up to do.

Steve was ecstatic that his pal had progressed and grown so much since Shuri had started working with him.

"You did a pretty good job, Shuri." The blond complimented, smiling widely as he watched Bucky finally get to meet his daughter.

The Wakandan princess was grinning. "Of course, Captain." She elbowed him in the arm, catching the blond's attention before continuing in a conspiratorial whisper, "We'll see how well he handles his emotions when he actually finds out he has a granddaughter too."

Winter Soldier he no longer was, but Bucky was still a super-soldier with enhanced hearing.

"Wh-What?" He managed to wheeze out, feeling like the wind had been blown from his lungs.

Shuri, completely amused and intrigued at his reaction only repeated in an unnecessary yell, "You have a granddaughter too!" Ecstatic, she pointed at Nadia whose wide eyes met Bucky's own stunned and practically overwhelmed stare.

Nadia didn't know how to act and suddenly being in the spotlight like that had her overwhelmed and anxious. What immediately tumbled from her mouth was, "Shit."

A/N: Really long chapter. It occurred to me that in fact, I hadn't posted a family get together chapter for Bucky and Renny. Thanks for pointing that out to me bookwriter123456.

I don't know exactly what, but something about this chapter has been bugging me. I tried reading it over and over, but I can't pinpoint it. Thoughts? Criticisms? Suggestions? Next chapter will be the continuation of the AU Infinity War. So look forward to that.

'Til next time~