Thank you to Harliquinn for beta reading and editing

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Skye continued to take it easy for the next few weeks, trying to keep herself busy reading the books she needed to for the summer reading list, but she was getting bored. She wasn't allowed to do much of anything.

She went into the kitchen to find herself a snack.

Pepper was there with Bucky, who was being sent to the grocery store with a list.

"You sure you want me to go? I'm not usually the best choice for this," Bucky said.

Pepper smirked. "Well, I need someone to go as I can't, and you were the first one to come into the kitchen."

Skye giggled from behind the opened fridge, where she was pulling out some carrot sticks.

"Oh, was that a volunteer to go with me?" Bucky asked with a smirk.

Skye stopped giggling as she put a carrot in her mouth.

Pepper chuckled. "I think it would be nice if you went with him. You know the store better than he does. Assuming you are feeling well enough to do so."

Skye had gone shopping with Pepper numerous times, and she wasn't wrong. She nodded. "I'm fine. I'm bored out of my mind here anyways."

She finished her snack before she left to go with Bucky to the store.

While they were at the store, they went through the list, ending in the chip aisle.

"I don't think there are any chips on the list," Bucky said.

Skye smirked. "Well then you and I shouldn't have been sent alone."

Bucky smirked. "You're going to get me in trouble."

Skye chuckled. "I'll say I snuck them in."

Bucky shook his head but didn't stop her from looking.

"I still can't get over the amount of options there are available," Bucky said.

"Well, have you tried them all?" Skye asked.

"No, I'm good with the regular flavor," Bucky said.

"Come on, old man, live a little," Skye said with a smirk.

"Your favorite still dill pickle?" a man's voice said from behind.

Skye froze. She knew that voice, and she would never forget it. It had been a decade since she heard it last, but she would never forget it.

Bucky sensed instantly that Skye's mood had changed. He looked up at the man. "I'm sorry, do we know you?"

"I know Skye. I would never forget the sweetest little girl my wife and I had the honor of taking care of," the man said.

Bucky nodded a little before looking down at Skye.

Skye had managed to compose herself enough to put on a fake smile at the man who had been her foster parent many years ago.

"I'm surprised you recognized me. It has been a long time, and I know you took care of a lot of kids," Skye said softly.

"Yes, but you were always our favorite," he said.

Skye nodded a little.

The man looked at Bucky. "Are you her current foster father? I'm Randal Dyer. I was her foster father when she was around five, I believe." He extended his hand to shake.

Bucky shook his hand. "James. Actually no, I'm her father's friend."

"Oh, were you adopted?" Randal asked Skye.

Skye nodded a little.

"Her biological father found out about her and got custody. Well, it was nice meeting you, but I have to get her back home. Her dad will be worried if I don't," Bucky said. He could tell the more they spoke, the more uncomfortable Skye was getting.

"Nice meeting you, too," Randal said.

Bucky led her away, pushing the cart towards the cash register. He quickly paid and got Skye out of there and to the car.

Skye went with him. She said nothing at all, just helped him put all the grocery bags into the trunk of the car.

When they sat in the car Bucky looked at Skye. "Do you want to talk about anything?"

"Nothing to talk about," Skye said softly.

"Okay," Bucky said as he started the car and drove towards the compound.

The car ride was silent.

When they got home Skye helped Bucky bring the bags inside before heading toward her room and then down to the gym.

Steve and Sam had just come upstairs from training and went into the kitchen, where Pepper and Bucky were putting groceries away.

"Can I help?" Steve asked.

"Sure," Pepper said.

"Didn't Skye go with you?" Steve asked as he put things in the freezer.

"She did," Bucky said. "I'm pretty sure she went to her room after she helped me bring the bags inside."

Steve nodded.

"There was a strange encounter at the store," Bucky said.

"Oh?" Steve asked.

"We ran into one of her previous foster parents. Skye was uncomfortable," Bucky said.

"What do you mean?" Steve asked.

"She didn't say much. But when she did, she was very quiet and distant. She was happy and bubbly with me. It was like her mood instantly changed when he spoke to us," Bucky said. "And to be honest, I got a weird vibe off him. Skye seemed surprised that he remembered her since he was her foster parent when she was very young and that he and his wife had fostered many children."

Steve nodded. "She's never gone into much detail, but I know she has lived in some pretty bad foster homes. Maybe that was one of them."

Bucky nodded. "I did try talking to her about it in the car. She said there was nothing to talk about and pretty much shut down."

"Okay, I'll see if I can find out more," Steve said. Once he had finished helping put the groceries away he went to Skye's bedroom and knocked. When there was no answer he went in and found her room empty.

Skye had gone down to the gym and started to punch a heavy bag.

Bucky came into the room shortly after and saw her. He shook his head. She wasn't supposed to be working out right now.

Skye hadn't heard Bucky come into the room. So, when she felt someone behind her, she just reacted. She turned around and punched Bucky in the chest, sending him flying a few feet, where he landed on his back.

Skye gasped. "Shit! Bucky, I'm sorry!"

Bucky gasped for air and coughed.

"Shit, no, no. Bucky, I'm so sorry," she said again in tears. "I didn't mean to, I just," She started to sob and sank to the floor.

Bucky was able to catch his breath. He got up, moved over to her, and knelt next to her. "Hey, it's okay. See, I'm okay."

She just nodded and continued to sob.

Bucky didn't have much experience with a crying teenager and didn't know what to do, but he figured a hug could only help right? "Can I hug you?" he asked.

Skye nodded again.

Bucky wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in. She sobbed into him.

"It's okay," he said softly as he held her.

Skye just continued to sob into him.

Bucky didn't know what else to say. He just held her and let her cry.

Eventually, she calmed down enough and pulled away from the hug.

Bucky let her go and looked at her. "Want to talk about it?"

"About what?" Skye asked.

"About why seeing that man at the store has affected you this much," Bucky said.

Skye shook her head, "it hasn't affected me that much…"

"Skye, I can't make you talk about it. But I know it affected you more than you want me to think," Bucky said.

Skye shook her head.

"Want me to get someone else?" Bucky asked.

Skye shook her head.

"Anything I can get you?" Bucky asked. He wanted to help her, but he didn't know what else he could do.

Skye shook her head again.

They just sat there in silence for a few minutes.

"Are you going to tell my dad about this?" Skye asked,

"Well, I already mentioned to him about who we ran into at the store," Bucky asked

"Are you going to tell him that I- I," Skye said.

"That I scared you and you reacted to defend yourself?" Bucky asked.

Skye looked at him.

"I know you didn't know it was me, and you're on edge and were just reacting to defend yourself. You're not going to be in trouble for that. But you're not supposed to be doing anything strenuous right now," Bucky said.

Skye sighed. "I'm okay."

Steve came into the gym. He knew it was one of the places Skye would go when she was feeling overwhelmed and upset.

"Hey, there you are," Steve said, seeing his best friend sitting on the floor with his daughter. Her face was red and looked like she had been crying.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Steve asked Skye.

Skye nodded.

"I came in here. She was punching the bag, and I guess she didn't hear me coming in. When I got close to her, I guess she assumed I was someone coming to hurt her, and she reacted accordingly," Bucky said.

"Oh?" Steve asked.

"She is getting stronger. I went flying a few feet and landed on my back. I'm fine, just had the wind knocked out of me for a few seconds," Bucky said.

Steve nodded. "Is that why you look like you have been crying? You thought you'd be in trouble?"

Skye shrugged.

"Does it have anything to do with the man you saw at the store?" Steve asked.

Skye took a breath and stood up. "No."

Bucky stood up as well. "I will let you two talk."

"Thanks, if she hurt you more than you want to admit, please get checked out," Steve said.

"I'm fine, Cap," Bucky said before he left the gym.

"You want to keep punching? I can hold the bag," Steve said, standing behind the bag.

"You're not going to stop me from working out?" Skye asked.

"You're already doing it anyways," Steve said.

Skye nodded and tightened the gloves again before going over and starting to punch hard.

"I get it. You don't want to talk about things from your past," Steve started.

Skye took a breath and stopped punching. "There is no point."

"The point is that keeping things bottled up won't do anything good for you," Steve said.

"Yeah and telling will just get me labeled as a liar, again," Skye said.

"So, this involves something you have told someone who didn't believe you?" Steve asked.

Skye nodded.

"Well, what if I promise I'll believe you?" Steve asked.

Skye shook her head and just went back to punching.

Steve just held the bag for her as she punched.

"Should you take a break? Get some water," he said after she had been punching for a while.

Skye sighed but did so, knowing that it wasn't exactly a suggestion.

"You know, I can't help you if you don't talk to me," Steve said when she came back.

"What exactly do you think you can do to help me?" Skye asked.

"I don't know, because I don't know exactly what happened," Steve said.

"And even if I told you, it happened so long ago. There is no evidence. I was a little girl. I will be told I'm remembering wrong, that it would never happen in that home. You can't help me in this situation," Skye said.

"Sometimes just talking about our traumas can help, even if there is nothing more that can be done to get justice," Steve said.

"Well, I don't want to talk about it," Skye said.

"Okay, I can't make you, but if you want to in the future I'm here," Steve said.

"I'm aware," Skye said as she went back to punching the bag.

Steve held the bag and let her tire herself out.

When she was done, she took off the punching gloves and grabbed her bottle of water, and finished it.

"Skye, can you look at me?" Steve said.

Skye looked up at him.

"I know you have been through a lot in the thirteen years you have been on this earth. I also know you used to go to therapy, do you think you would benefit from it now?" Steve asked.

"Therapy in foster care was so far from helpful," Skye said.

"Okay, well do you think it would be helpful now?" Steve asked.

Skye shrugged.

"Because I think you need someone you can talk to," Steve said.

"I have people I can talk to around here," Skye said.

"I know you do, but I don't think you talk to them about everything," Steve said.

Skye sighed. "There are some things I just don't want to talk about. And I wouldn't talk about in therapy either."

Steve nodded and let out a breath. "You are incredibly stubborn."

Skye chuckled softly. "I've been told that is a trait you and I share."

Steve smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Dad, come on!" she said as she fixed her hair.

"I'm sorry," he said with a chuckle. "You want to keep punching?"

"No," Skye said.

"How is your shoulder?" Steve asked.

"It's okay," she said as she rotated it.

"Okay, well I'm not going to come down on you for working out today. But you have to wait until you get the all-clear from Banner before you do it again, okay?" Steve asked.

Skye sighed. "Fine, I'm just so bored."

"How is the reading list coming?" Steve asked.

"I'm halfway through the second book. I have had nothing else to do anyway," Skye said.

Steve nodded. "We can go check out the big bookstore next week to see if we can find you some more books."

"Okay," Skye said.

They both left the gym and went up to the living area of the compound.

Skye went to her room, flopped on her bed, and started to scroll through TikTok.

Bucky was sitting on the couch with an ice pack on his stomach.

"Buck, did you get checked out?" Steve asked.

"It's nothing ice and rest won't fix. I'm not wasting Banner's time," Bucky said.

Steve shook his head.

"You get anything out of Skye?" Bucky asked.

"No," Steve said, sitting down next to his friend. He picked up the remote and turned the TV on to a baseball game that was on.

There was a small knock on Skye's door.

Skye sat up. "Yes?"

Morgan opened the door and went into the room.

"What's up?" Skye asked.

"Can you read to me?" Morgan asked holding up a book.

Skye smiled. "Sure, come on up."

Morgan climbed up on the bed and handed Skye the book. Once they were settled, Skye started reading to her from Charlotte's Web, the book she had brought.

"Can you go and find Morgan?" Pepper asked Tony when dinner was ready.

Tony nodded.

"And get Skye, too, please. She's in her room," Steve said.

Tony went to Skye's room, peeked in the open door, and found the two reading. Tony smiled and snapped a picture on his phone before Skye noticed.

"Dinner is ready, you two," Tony said.

Skye reached inside her bedside table, grabbed a bookmark, and put it in the book before putting it on the table.

"Can we read more later?" Morgan asked.

"Of course," Skye said with a smile.

The two of them got up from the bed and followed Tony to the kitchen.

"Morgan, where did you end up getting to?" Pepper asked.

"Reading with Skye," Morgan said.

"Oh," Pepper said with a smile. "What book?"

"A book about a pig and a spider," Morgan said.

Skye smiled, "Charlotte's Web."

Pepper chuckled and nodded.

"Is it one you know?" Steve asked her.

"I have seen the movie. It's my first time reading the book," Skye said.

"There is a movie?" Morgan asked.

"Yes," Skye said.

"When you are done with the book, I will make sure you can watch it," Pepper told Morgan.

They all sat down and ate.

"So, I hear you were in the gym punching today," Banner said to Skye.

Skye nodded a little.

"I was with her. She wasn't showing any signs of pain," Steve said.

Banner nodded. "I want to take a look at your shoulder this evening."

"Okay," Skye said.

"I think someone else needs to get checked over, too," Steve said, looking at Bucky.

"Oh?" Banner asked.

"Steve, I told you I'm fine," Bucky said.

"I didn't think you were that hurt," Skye said.

"I'm not," Bucky said with a smile.

"What happened?" Nat asked.

"He snuck up on me," Skye said softly.

Wanda smirked.

"How far did he go flying?" Peter asked with a smirk.

"Not that far, I'm fine," Bucky said.

Banner looked at Steve. "You think otherwise?"

"Well, he was holding an ice pack to his gut earlier," Steve said.

"Right, because that was necessary. I don't need to get looked at to be told to use an ice pack," Bucky said.

"How about you talk about this later," Nat suggested, nodding over to Skye, who looked upset.

"Skye, I'm fine. Your dad is worrying about nothing," Bucky said.

Skye nodded a little.

"I will let Bruce check if it will help you see I'm fine," Bucky said.

Skye nodded again.

After dinner, Bucky went down to Bruce's lab with him, and half an hour later Skye came down with Steve following behind her.

"So, is he really okay?" Steve asked.

"Badly bruised ribs, but he will be fine," Bruce said.

Steve nodded.

Bucky got up from the table and left the room.

"Keep it iced," Banner called as he left the room before looking at Skye. "Your turn."

Skye got up on the table and Bruce looked at her shoulder.

"Rotate it for me please, slowly," Bruce said.

Skye did so.

"It seems okay. How does it feel?" Bruce asked.

"Maybe a little sore, but I promise it wasn't earlier," Skye said.

"I believe you. But you overused it too early and caused it to be reinjured," Bruce said.

Skye nodded. "Sorry."

"I should have stopped you," Steve said. "I will next time."

"I know it's hard, Skye, but you have got to take it easy," Bruce said.

Skye nodded.

"Ice it and rest. It will heal," Bruce said.

"Got it," Skye said.

"You're good to go," Bruce said.

"Thank you," Skye said, getting off the table.

"I'll be up in a minute. You get ice on your shoulder," Steve said.

Skye nodded and left the room.

Once she was gone Steve looked at Bruce.

"I realize that she only has half my DNA. I think it might be time to figure out exactly how the serum has affected her DNA and such," Steve said.

Bruce nodded. "I will need to take a lot of blood and other samples from her. But if she is also on board with it, I can start that. But I think we can wait until she is fully healed."

"Of course, we can verify with her, but she has asked multiple times to do it. I've been the one who has been hesitant about it. I don't want her to end up a pin cushion," Steve said.

"I will need a lot of blood. But I will take as much as I can safely at a time, so we will only need to poke her a couple of times," Bruce said.

"Okay," Steve said.

"I'm surprised that you let her punch at a bag when she still hasn't been cleared," Bruce said.

"She ran into a former foster father at the store with Bucky. Apparently, her mood changed instantly when she saw him, and it was clear to me she needed to get her anger about whatever happened to her with that family out," Steve said.

Bruce nodded.

"But, thanks for the help," Steve said.

"Of course," Bruce said.

Steve went upstairs and found Skye on her bed with ice on her shoulder.

He sat next to her. "Why didn't you tell me it hurt?"

"I didn't want you to be upset. I figured I could just ice it and it would get better, which is what Dr. Banner said," Skye said.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you're not supposed to tell me," Steve said.

"Okay, sorry, Dad," Skye said.

Steve nodded. "Well, it's late and been a long day. You should get to bed soon.

"I will, just going to ice it for ten more minutes, then shower and get ready for bed.

"Okay, good night," Steve said, kissing her head before getting up and leaving her room, closing the door behind him.