My Joy (Bucky Barnes's Daughter)

Sticky Fingers

Bucky got dressed and fixed little Joy's curly hair into two thick braids, she hummed a happy little tune as they entered the hall where the smell of bacon and coffee was stronger. Bucky stopped, seeing Autumn working in the kitchn.  Her lose ponytail lay over her blue robe. He felt the blood heat up his cheeks as he took in her beauty. clearing his throat he alerted her of their presence. the woman turned with a smile on her face. "morning you two, how did you sleep?" she asked dumping some pancake batter in a pan. "Wonderful, thank you." Bucky smiled. "No, daddy. remember you had a bad dream again." Joy corrected him. Looking down to his daughter he lightly patted her head. "Go get the puppy, I'm sure he needs outside." he said. Joy ran off back to their room. 

Autumn was in awe of this little family, he was such a sweet dad but for some reason, he seemed nervous, as if parenting was scaring him... or maybe she was just reading to much into it.

Autumn shook herself from her thoughts and poured some of the fresh brew into a mug. "How do you take your coffee?"  she asked. "black is just fine," he responded.

"daddy, the puppy went potty on the floor." the little girl rushed up to him. 

Bucky spun to look at Autumn "I'm so sorry Miss, I'll clean it. he is new and not housebroken yet... and" she smiled and cut him off, he was starting to sound panicked. "No worries, I'll get some puppy pads today at the store, we will have him trained in no time."  Bucky calmed down and took a deep breath. "thank you." he said as he went to the bedroom to clean up the mess. 
Joy stood her head cocked to one side looking at Autumn. "So kiddo, what do you want for breakfast?" Joy looked at the pan as the woman flipped the fluffy looking food. 

"What is that?"  the little girl asked. "Pancakes, you want some?" Joy nodded excitedly.

Autumn put a large pancake on a plate. "You like syrup?" Joy's inquisitive eyes looked at the bottle she was holding. "I don't know."  Autumn smiled sadly "well you can have a bite of mine and if you like it I'll put it on yours." the girl agreed and Autumn cut a piece for her, hading the fork to the little girl, joy popped the sticky bite in her mouth, a huge smile came across her face "I like it!" she giggled.  Autumn sat down at the table and patted her lap telling joy to sit. she climbed up on Autumn and the woman cut up each bit feeding it to the happy little girl. soon Joy took the fork on her own and started to feed herself.

Bucky walked back in the kitchen spotting his daughter in the woman's lap eating, by herself. "Detka! You're feeding yourself!!?!?" he said with excitement. The smile on his face was priceless, it was as if she just took her first steps, which he could not remember, due to the brainwashing Hydra had done.

"Yep, a little sticky but I think she has got the hang of it." Autumn laughed, lifting the little girl off her lap and setting her on the ground. "Ok little one lets clean those hands." she walked joy to the sink "Your food is on the counter." she smiled, Bucky felt his heart speed up, she was so good with his baby. His heart them plummeted as a vision of  Amy came to his mind, why would God allow him to live on after all he has done, and take Amy leaving Joy without a mother. 

He tried to suppress the sick feeling he had as he siped his coffee, but when Autumn held Joy over the sink and helped her suds up her hands Bucky could do nothing but pray his tears would stay at bay. 

Setting on the couch,  Bucky looked through the newspaper, after flipping the page to the job adds he ran a hand through Joy's now messy hair. she cuddled into his side as she napped. 

Autumn had left for work, and now Buck was alone with his thoughts. he had been trying to look for a job on his phone and now turning to the more comfortable method he looked through the paper. 

He sighed, how was he going to go to a nine to five job and leave Joy alone, and on top of that what if someone finds out he was the Winter Solider.  

He felt anger fill him for a second, he closed his eyes and started to pray. "Ok, God... What do I do?  How do I rase this little life and keep her safe from all that could harm her. Please show up now! I'm alone and I dont know what to do! In Jesus' name Amen. " he whispered the prayer and hoped God was listening since he had not prayed since the day he met Joy, and before that, he had not prayed since the '40s.  He thought back to church in Brookland in the 1940' s Steves's mom had always dragged the two alongside her every Sunday. Steve was always so good with church: listening to the preacher, singing from the hymnal,  and he even helping with Sunday school when he could. Steve even prayed before they ate and at night. As for Bucky, well his prayer life was shot and sweet, he would pray when he wanted something desperately, like to win a baseball game or that Steve would get better when he was sick. His faith, even though it was little was taken from him in Hydra.  but now being a dad alone in this world he needed guidance.

Looking at the clock there were two more hours before Autumn was to come home. he smiled and then lightly kissed Joy's forehead he whispered: "Joy, you want to do something for Autumn before she gets home." Joy sat up  rubbing her eyes"What do you want to do daddy?" 

"Go get your coat, we are going to the store."