Lucky Penny // Avengers Fanfiction

Chapter Eight - Seven Bucks

Sooooo... it's been a while, like almost two weeks, and I'm so sorry for keeping it this long. It's finally the last day of school! Yay! So that's fun, but I was busy studying and things, that's why I didn't write much. But i'm back, so here's another chapter. 

Also, I just finished the TV show Sherlock and am currently crying. So yeah.

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Four Months Later...

November 13. The day was finally here. After four longs months of training, home studies, legal things Penny didn't understand at all, the day was finally here. The day Penny finally got to go... home? Home. That was a word that she didn't exactly understand. Yes, the orphanage was a home sort of, but it didn't feel, right. Not a normal home, it didn't have parents, siblings, a pet. Just 24 kids cramped into a building. But was Bucky's place a home? She had never been there, there were no memories. But she would try. 

"Penny?" She snapped out of her thoughts, looking up at Bucky, who had just come from talking to Pamela. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Yeah fine. I just need to say goodbye." Eyes slightly tearing up, she grabbed her small bag, heaving it over her shoulder, before turning, and looking at her room one more time. There were fun times here, sad times, and she would miss it. Penny felt a hand on her shoulder. 

"You ready?" Bucky said softly, not wanting to push her.

"Yep. Let's go." Penny put on a smile, half fake, half not, and started to descend the stairs, missing the creaky one for what might be the last time. They got to the bottom to see everyone gathered, and Penny picked out Charlotte and Isaiah from the crowd. They both had huge smiles on their faces, but Penny could see the tears forming in Charlotte's eyes. She smiled back at them as she caught her eye, and Charlotte chuckled, shaking her head, as if not believing that this was actually happening. 

"Are you ready Penny?" Pamela had come up to them, along with Callie, who seemed to be hiding behind her legs. 

"As ready as I'll ever be." She replied, before her eyes fell on Callie. "Hey Cal. Come here." Penny crouched down, opening her arms, and Callie ran into them, squeezing her tight. 

"I'm gonna miss you." She heard Callie whimper, and it was then that Penny realized that Callie was crying. 

"Oh Cal. I'll come visit. Alright?" Callie slowly nodded. "I'm gonna miss you too Callie." Penny hesitantly let go, standing up to find Charlotte and Isaiah. 

"You ready Pen?" Isaiah asked.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Penny questioned, laughing slightly. "But yeah. I'm excited." There was silence for a second, before Charlotte sucked in a breath, a few tears running down her cheeks. 

"Don't cry! You're going to make me cry!" Isaiah whined, rubbing at his eyes. "I can't ruin my image." Charlotte laughed a little through the tears, sniffling. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But I'm gonna miss you." She choked out, causing Penny to tear up a little. 

"Now we're all crying." Penny said, joining in the sniffles. She pulled Charlotte in for a hug, crushing her friend's frame.

"You better come visit. I will hunt you down." Charlotte threatened into Penny's ear.

"I don't doubt that." Penny quietly chuckled, pulling away. Before she could react, she was pulled into Isaiah's embrace, crushed by his grasp.

"Don't forget about me."

"How could I?" He pulled away and held her at arms length.

"Who's gonna be here to make fun of me now?" He complained.

"You've still got Charlotte, I'm sure she won't be stopping any time soon." Penny joked, as she shot Charlotte a smile. They both laughed, and Isaiah couldn't help but join in. 

Everyone had their chance to say goodbye. Penny knew almost everyone, and at least tolerated everyone, so she had 24 kids gathered around her. She hugged each of the littles in turn, reassuring them that she would come and see them again. Shawn and Emma gave her a drawing they had made of her, causing Penny to tear up again. Then Jake came. He gave her one of his favourite cars, shyly putting it into her hands and hugging her. If Penny thought that was sad, Callie came up to her again, bearing Milo, her small, yellow teddy bear. 

"Callie this is yours, and he's your favourite." Penny refused, trying to push the teddy back into her hands. Callie pushed him back into Penny's arms. 

"But I wanna give him to you." Her eyes were wide and shining, bottom lip quivering slightly.

"Callie-"

"No. Milo is for you." With one last shove, Callie heaved the bear into Penny's hands, and Penny didn't refuse this time, accepting that Milo was hers. 

"Alright. Thank you Callie." She glanced over at the littles, opening her arms and gathering them in, for one last group hug. 

Marla and Vera were next, hugging her, both bearing tears in their eyes. They said their goodbyes, Vera complaining that she wouldn't get to braid Penny's hair again. Next was Ginny and Oliver. 

"Did you get your ten bucks Oliver?" Penny signed, a slight smile on her face. 

"No." He complained, rolling his eyes. "Ginny insisted that it was only five, so we had to settle on seven."

"Because it was five, stop complaining." Ginny shot back. Penny laughed at their antics. 

"I'm gonna miss you two. Even if you did always get on my nerves." 

"That's rude! We never did that."

"Never. You must be hallucinating. Or have amnesia." Oliver backed Ginny up. 

"I'm not sure that's what amnesia is Ollie." Ginny pointed out.

"Well whatever, same difference. But I'll miss you too. Who's gonna be our fun teacher now?" 

"I saw that!" Pamela both shouted and signed. The three chuckled, and Penny pulled both of them in for a hug. Penny ruffled Oliver's hair one last time, before pulling away, tears filling her eyes once again. 

"I'm gonna miss you too you know." Ginny spoke quietly.

"You can't fool me. I always knew you would." Penny quietly laughed, a tear falling down her cheek. "I can see right through that toughness." At this point Ginny had tears in her eyes, and she sniffled, gasping for a breath, before running up to Penny and hugging her tight.

"You promise to visit? Promise?" Ginny whispered.

"Pinky promise." She wrapped her finger around Ginny's, identical tears falling down their faces. She pulled away, wiping away the stray tears that had run tracks down her face. She turned back to the last person she needed to say goodbye to. Pamela. 

"Oh honey don't cry. I hate seeing any of you cry."

"I know I know. Can't help it though." She pulled Pamela into a tight hug, before whispering, "Thank you. You'll never know how much you mean to me." 

"Well I'm glad. You deserve so much Penny. Don't ever forget that." Pamela said back, and Penny could hear her crying. 

"I won't." Penny whispered, so low Pamela had to strain to hear it. They pulled away slowly, and Penny sniffled, feeling tears run down her cheeks. Bucky, waiting by the door, gave her a soft, reassuring smile, before squeezing her hand. 

"You ready?" 

"As I'll ever be." Still with interlocked hands, they walked out the door, but not before Penny looked back, signing something she had taught everyone.

I love you.