This chapter was inspired by a picture that I saw online.
Removed the *'s and put in your browser to see
htt*p* *mg.*com/originals/04/f8/47*04f847af6c6c1e180905f617bb06d891*.jpg
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A few of the Avengers had been requested to go back in time. A villain had gone back and messed with something and the Avengers were requested to go even further back to stop the villain from doing what they were going to do. They didn't want to send too many people back for fear of someone accidentally changing something. They had been given clear instructions to get in, stop the villain, and get out. The Avengers at that time were unable to do it on their own.
After much discussion, it was decided that Steve, Bucky, and Sam would be the three to go.
They had gone back to 2016 and had successfully done what they needed to do and were just about to head back to their year but Steve's attention was grabbed.
"Skyler Rogers stop," a woman called out sounding a little afraid.
Bucky saw the little girl running towards them not paying attention to where she was running and ran into Steve.
Steve took a breath. Would interacting with her change things too much?
He bent down in front of her, "Your name is Skyler?" he asked forcing himself to keep his emotions in check.
The little girl bit her lip and nodded.
Bucky bent behind the little girl as well.
"That your mom calling you?" Bucky asked.
Steve gently took the little girl's hand. How could he not? This was his little girl.
"Foster mom," little Skye said.
"Well you should go back to her," Bucky said.
"And listen to her," Steve said letting her hand go.
The woman came over and took Skye's hand. "Thank you," she said to Steve and Bucky
"Of course," Steve said standing up. Bucky stood up as well and little Skye waved at them before she went off with her foster mother.
Steve waved back a little before looking at Bucky.
"I know," Bucky said softly.
"Let's get out of here," Sam said. He had stayed back and just let the two interact with the young Skye but knew they needed to get out of there.
The three went to where it was safe to do so and traveled back to the current time.
"How did it go?" Banner asked. He had been the one who had worked with them to get them back in time.
"Mission was a success," Sam said.
"Good, no one hurt?" Banner asked
"No," Steve said.
"Didn't change anything in time other than what you were supposed to?" Banner asked.
"I don't think so," Bucky said. "Nothing major anyway."
"Okay. Steve you okay?" Banner asked.
"We were about to leave when a little girl ran right into Steve," Sam said.
"And we heard a woman calling for her. Skyler Smith," Bucky said.
"Oh," Banner said. "I'm assuming you said something to her."
"Yeah. Just basically told her to go back to the woman calling her," Steve said. "I wouldn't have told her who I was."
"But still couldn't have been easy to see your daughter and a little girl," Bruce said.
"No. It definitely was not," Steve said before he left the room and went to the elevator.
Bucky followed him and got on with him just before the door closed. Sam stayed behind knowing the two would need their space for now. Once it was closed Bucky wrapped his arms around his husband and squeezed him.
Steve hugged him. "I could have saved that little girl from so much trauma."
"Yeah. But then she wouldn't grow up to be the Skye she is meant to be," Bucky said. "You did save her. It just took a few more years."
They got upstairs and found Skye playing Mario Kart with Loki.
"Dad! Papa!" Skye said pausing the game and going over and hugging them both.
Steve held her tight and longer than normal. When the hug was broken Skye looked at him. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing Peanut," Steve said. "Just missed you."
Skye looked at Bucky. "What happened?"
"I will let him tell you when he is ready," Bucky said pulling her into a tight hug as well.
"No one got hurt?" Skye asked hugging Bucky.
"No," Bucky said as they broke the hug.
"How were things here?" Steve asked.
Skye let out a breath, "you should rest first."
"Come on Steve," Bucky said gently leading him away to their bedroom. "We shower, sleep then we can talk to Skye about everything."
Steve sighed and went to take a shower. Once he was done Bucky took his turn to shower and they both crawled into bed to sleep.
In the living room, Skye had sat back down next to Loki but she wasn't paying much attention to their game. Loki paused the game and looked at her.
"You okay?" Loki asked.
"Yeah," Skye said focusing back on the game and pressing the start button. "Sorry."
"Okay," Loki said slowly before he went back to playing as well.
A few hours later Steve gave up trying to sleep. Part of the super serum meant he didn't need much sleep anyway. He turned over to stare at his husband who was still asleep. He smiled. The man looked so peaceful. He knew that with everything his husband had been through sleep was not something that came easy for him.
Bucky woke up about half an hour later. And smiled when he opened his eyes to see his husband watching him.
"You were very peacefully asleep," Steve said.
Bucky chuckled, "You were watching me?"
"I was," Steve said. "You sleep as well as it seemed?"
"Yeah," Bucky said. "I always do when I'm with you. Because I know you'd keep me safe."
Steve smiled, "Always."
"Did you sleep at all?" Bucky asked.
"Not really," Steve said.
"If you ask Skye I bet she'd tell you she wouldn't have wanted you to change things," Bucky said. "Who knows maybe that happened to her at that age too."
Steve let out a breath. "I know."
"Come on, let's go talk to her. Because you need sleep," Bucky said getting up.
Steve got up too and the two went and found Skye in the library reading sitting in a comfy chair
"Hey Peanut," Steve said sitting on the loveseat across from her
"Hi Dad, Hi Papa," Skye said.
Bucky took the seat next to Steve.
"Where did you guys go? No one would tell me exactly where you went," Skye said.
"We asked them not to. We didn't want you to needless worry. But we went back in time to stop someone from doing something to end this world," Steve said.
"But something happened," Skye said. "I can see the hurt in your eyes. I can feel how sad you are Daddy."
Bucky took Steve's hand and squeezed.
"Skye. This might seem like a weird question. But in the past did you ever meet me? Before that night in the alley." Steve asked
"So you didn't do that far back in time than . . . 2016?" Skye asked going back into her memory.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Steve asked softly.
"I know you, Daddy. You would feel guilty not knowing. And you do feel guilty. I can feel it. Tell me you didn't tell little me who you are," Skye said. "Do you honestly not remember it yourself?"
"No. I didn't. And no. I have no memory of that situation," Steve said.
"Probably same thing happened in the other time line, future us were called in to help. So we wouldn't have those memories because it was a different time line us," Bucky said.
"Daddy. I had to go through everything I went through. It's made me who I am," Skye said. "If you had known who I was when we met in the past. Yeah, it would have saved me some trauma. But I wouldn't be the version of me that I am. And I wouldn't have met Tucker. And Daddy. I don't want to think of a life without Tucker."
Steve smiled. "You are right."
"For the record, I'm happy you found me when I did. Because I can't imagine a world without you in my life either," Skye said. "Both of you. Everyone here."
"We know," Bucky said.
Skye moved from her chair and over to them both and they both pulled her into a tight hug.
Steve kissed her head, "Love you Peanut."
"Love you both too. Very much," Skye said.
"So what happened while we were gone?" Steve asked. "Because I can see from the bags under your eyes you have not slept much."
Skye pulled away and sat on the coffee table in front of them. "I need you to let me explain everything before you react," she said
"Okay," Steve and Bucky both agreed.
Skye started at the beginning and told them everything. From what happened when buying earrings for Morgan, at the police station and also what happened the day before with Pepper and therapy looking at her hands when she got to the point about how she had spoken to Pepper and not looking back up.
"Look at me," Steve said when she was done talking.
Skye looked up at him.
"I'm guessing the way you spoke to Pepper was handled?" Steve asked.
"Yes, Sir," Skye said.
"And everything with the police is all okay?" Steve asked.
"Yes, Sir," Skye said.
"Okay. Thank you for telling us," Steve said.
"Am I in trouble?" Skye asked.
"You have already been dealt with for being disrespectful to Pepper and you didn't do anything else wrong. What would you be in trouble for?" Bucky asked
"Well. Being disrespectful to Pepper," Skye said.
"You think you are going to be punished twice for the same thing?" Bucky asked.
"Well. Maybe. That's the number one thing he doesn't tolerate. Well that and lying," Skye said to Papa before looking at her dad.
"You're not wrong. But no. I'm not going to punish you again for it. Do you know why?" Steve asked.
Skye shook her head.
"Well, two reasons. One is that I think you learned your lesson already. And two you were honest with us about it. You didn't make it so Pepper had to tell us what happened," Steve said. "And also I know you had a really hard day and are hurting because of everything that happened with Morgan."
Skye nodded.
"Don't you ever take the blame for anyone for anything again. Ever. I do not care who it is. You do not take the blame. Understood?" Bucky asked
"Yes, Sir," Skye said.
Steve opened his arms and Skye moved into his arms and broke down sobbing into him. Steve wrapped her in a tight hug and held her in his lap as she sobbed.
"Everything is okay. It wasn't your fault," Steve assured her.
Skye slowly sobbed herself to sleep. Once she was asleep Steve stood up, carried her to her bed, and tucked her in.
Steve went back into the library afterward "She could be sitting in a jail cell if she had continued with the lie."
"I know," Bucky said. "But she has a good lawyer, who thankfully she trusts."
Steve nodded.
Bucky got up and went and hugged him.
Steve hugged him tight.
When they broke the hug Bucky looked at Steve. "Come on, we both need to eat something."
Steve and Bucky went into the kitchen and took out the ingredients to make sandwiches.
Pepper came into the kitchen. "Welcome back to the current year."
Steve and Bucky chuckled.
"Thank you," Bucky said.
"Skye told us what happened. I'm sorry she spoke to you that way," Steve said.
"Not your fault. And I had it handled," Pepper said.
"Yes, she told us that," Bucky said.
"Good," Pepper said. "She was concerned she would be in trouble a second time for it."
"Yeah. That's probably my fault. I've made a point of being harder on her with being disrespectful than anything else," Steve said. "But no. I wouldn't punish her a second time. Especially since she was upfront about it on her own."
"Tony and I are very similar when it comes to disrespect. And I feel like I owe you an apology for the situation Morgan put Skye in," Pepper said.
"Not your or Tony's fault," Bucky said. "She's a kid. She is still learning."
"Agree. We know you and Tony handled it and even when Tony was led to believe Skye had done that with Morgan there he still got her lawyer there," Steve said.
"Of course," Pepper said. "No matter what Skye does we will protect her as our own. As we know you would with Morgan and James."
"Of course," Steve said
Morgan came into the kitchen. saw Steve and Bucky, and went to go back the way she came.
"Morgan, get back in here," Pepper said.
Morgan went in slowly.
"Hi Morgan," Bucky said.
"Hi," Morgan said. "Are you mad at me?"
Bucky and Steve looked at Pepper who just told them to go ahead and say what they wanted to.
"Why would we be angry with you?" Bucky asked bending to be at her level. He knew why but figured getting her to admit it might teach her a lesson about doing it again
"Cause of what happened with Skye," Morgan mumbled.
"What happened with Skye?" Steve asked bending down to be at her level as well
"You weren't told?" Morgan asked looking up at her mom for help.
"No. You are going to tell them," Pepper said.
Morgan whined. "But mommy."
"No Morgan, you will tell them, consider it part of the consequence," Pepper said.
"I stole something and they thought Skye did it and I didn't say anything until Skye told Daddy," Morgan said softly looking down.
"Ah. Well yeah, we did hear about that," Bucky said.
"Why did you do it?" Steve asked.
"Cause I wanted those earrings. And Skye said no," Morgan said.
"But she explained to you why. Right?" Steve asked.
"Yeah. But I just don't understand," Morgan said.
"I know sometimes it's hard to understand why something is fair when you aren't given a full explanation," Bucky said. "But I don't think Skye has ever been unfair to you. Hrm?"
Morgan shrugged.
"She certainly has not been unfair to you. It's you who has been being unfair to Skye," Pepper said.
"I'm sorry," Morgan said looking down.
Steve gently lifted her chin. "You know when you apologize to someone you should look them in the eyes"
"Why?" Morgan asked.
"Well because it shows that you are not just saying the words. It shows you mean it and also it is more respectful," Steve said.
"I'm sorry," Morgan said again looking Steve in the eyes.
"It's forgiven," Steve said. "Now can I get a hug?"
Morgan nodded and hugged him. Steve wrapped his arms around her in a hug. Bucky ruffled her hair a little before he stood up.
When they broke the hug Steve stood up again
"You know I think Skye would probably like an apology too," Bucky said.
"Morgan, you told me you did say sorry," Pepper said. "Did you lie to me?"
"I- I said I was going to. I'm going to right now," Morgan went to go.
"She is napping at the moment," Steve said. "I don't think she slept much last night."
"No, she didn't. I went into the lab this morning and found her with her head down on one of the workbenches," Bruce said coming into the kitchen at that moment,
"Morgan you go to your room until she wakes up," Pepper said.
Morgan whined but a quick look from Pepper had her moving to her room.
"I feel like she is too young to be pulling things like this," Pepper said with a sigh.
"Morgan while she is not directly affected by the things the way the rest of us are. She has seen the people she cares about coming back hurt over and over again," Bruce said. "That would affect her. Make her grow up a little faster than is normal."
"I never even thought about how that would affect her," Pepper said shaking her head.
"How can any of us know how these things will affect our kids? We are all learning this as we go. There is no manual for raising kids as an enhanced human. Or as the partner of a human who despite not having superhuman abilities goes out there and protects the world," Steve said.
"A suggestion. Something you can bring up to Tony. Therapy. Even with young kids can make a big difference," Bucky said. "I can ask my therapist about someone who she can be referred to."
"Skye's therapist sees kids right?" Steve asked.
"Yes. But I know therapists don't tend to see two people who are close to each other outside of if it's family therapy," Bucky said. "Conflict of interest if they are hearing two sides of the same issue and risk of taking sides even unintentionally."
"Does make sense," Pepper said. "I'll talk to Tony about it. Thank you for the suggestion."
"Of course," Bucky said. "Let me know if you want me to get a name."
Pepper nodded and everyone went off to do their own things.