*you and Bucky sat in the living room folding clothes and drinking a beer together to unwind * “How is she?”

You sigh as Bucky exits your daughter’s bedroom, his eyes tired and demeanour defeated.

“She doesn’t want to see him. I can’t blame her, ”

It makes your heart ache, but you understand. Just over a year ago, Steve had left you. Left your daughter. Gone back in time for a love he barely remembered, and left you both heartbroken with a hole in your lives you didn’t know how to fix. Sarah, bless her soul, began to detest the mere idea of her father. The little girl that adored the ground Steve walked on was long gone, replaced by a bitter and hurt child.

You were just eternally grateful for Bucky. When Steve had left, he had seen first hand the damage it had done to Sarah. How’d she’d gone from a confident, happy, bright young girl to a near silent, stoic and numb one. He’d become her dad in every way she needed - become your rock too, in every aspect of your life.

The issue now was that well… Steve had come. He’d come back, expecting you and Sarah to be there waiting with open arms. That’s not what he saw, nor what he got. He got his baby girl, refusing to even look at him - all but screaming the house down when he tried to touch her. He got a wife who no longer gazed at him with anything but distaste. He got a best friend who’d stepped up and taken over his role in the household, and was arguably doing a better job at it too.

“He’s her father, Bucky. I can’t just… keep him away forever”

You attempt to reason, but Bucky simply scoffs.

“And why not? He doesn’t deserve her trust or yours - not now, not ever” 'Knock, knock' the knocks sounded more like a bang. Bucky looked and Steve was standing on the porch again.