Just a quick, fluffy update. We're having a snow day here, so expect an (bigger) update soon!

She bolted upright, her voice pouring out of her mouth. Lucy couldn't stop herself from hyperventilating; couldn't prevent the tears from streaming down her face. Before she knew what she was doing, another scream was coming from her. A scream that she put all her might behind—eyes closed, chest forward, fists balled. And now she wasn't just crying, she was sobbing; painful moans escaping her lips.

"Lucy? What's wrong?" Steve said worriedly as he rushed into his daughter's room

"Daddy," Lucy barely managed between sobs. Steve sat down next to his daughter in the bed and pulled her shaking form into his. "I want...Mama," the nine year old cried.

"Shh. Shh, it's okay sweetie. Mama's not here right now. But I'm here. You're safe." Natasha had been away on a mission for the past two weeks, and the Rogers household was seriously starting to miss their resident assassin. Lucy and James had been holding up fine up until this point. Steve pulled Lucy into a snug hold, and rocked her slowly back and forth. "What happened Lucy?" Steve quietly asked when Lucy's sobs subsided.

"I had a nightmare. A really bad one with Mama in it."

"You know, you can tell me about it if you want. It might make you feel better to talk about it."

Lucy hesitated for a few moments as Steve brushed the red hairs out of her face. She started off slowly, but then the words just came. "We were all in New York. At Uncle Tony's Tower with everyone else there too. And then, I don't know how it happened, but just Mama and I were walking down the sidewalk. But then this...man, this bad looking man came out of nowhere. And Mama made me stand behind her and the man came after us. And then the bad man just grabbed Mama and took her into the street. Another man, like the first one, came and grabbed me too. He pinned me down in the middle of the street next to Mama. And then..." she trailed off. "Then the first man started to hurt Mama. And I was screaming and fighting against the man who was holding me, but he wouldn't let go. And they wouldn't stop hurting Mama. The entire time, Mama was screaming for me to run, and to go get you, but I couldn't run. They made me look at them hurting Mama. And then, all of a sudden, Mama stopped screaming. Then the men let her go, and they let me go too. They left and I went to Mama, but she wasn't moving by the time I got there. Then you came Daddy, but you were too late. Mama was gone. She was dead and I couldn't help her. All I did was watch her die. After I told you what happened, you told me that men did the same thing to you and James. Except that this time, the men made you watch and they...ended James," she finished, shaking in her father's grip.

"I'm so sorry baby," Steve whispered soothingly. "But you know that that's not going to happen, right? Your mother and I will do everything that we can to protect you and James."

"I know Daddy, but it was all so real."

" I'll bet it was. But besides," he smiled in an attempt to cheer Lucy up, "you know that Mama can take anyone, right? Even me."

Lucy giggled to herself, "I know that. Because Mama's the toughest person I know. Next to you, of course."

"Thanks Lucy-Lou. And don't tell Mama I told you this, but I think that she's tougher than me too," Steve added.

"I won't Daddy, you can trust me."

"I know I can," he kissed the top of her strawberry-blonde hair and relished the presence of his daughter.