The Type You Save (Bucky Barnes)

S I X

"Are you my daddy?"

Alex froze.  How?  How does she explain to her almost three-year-old about his father?  But it was like instinct when James opened his mouth.

"Yea buddy.  I am.  I was able to come back for you and your mama."

"Yay!  Does that mean we can ride in your police car?"

Alex tried to stop the giggle that escaped but failed.  Of course, that's what Drew wanted, to ride in the police car.

"I don't have it with me, but we can later ok?"

"Okays." Drew started to exam the badge again.  "Can we go to the park daddy?" 

James looked at Alex.  She nodded.  "Sure pal.  Let's get your backpack."

"Okays!  Miss Wanda!" He yelled as he ran for his bag.

James drew Alex in.  "He's perfect," he whispered.

"He's you," she replied with a smile.

Drew came back, an oversized pack on his back holding his teacher's hand.  "Miss Wanda look!"

Wanda came over and gave a hug to Alex.  "Hey sweetie."  She looked at James.  "Well, that photo does not do you justice."  She smiled.  "Wanda Maximoff."

"James Barnes. Uh, how's he doing? That's what I should ask right?"

Alex and Wanda giggled at his hesitance.  "He's very bright.  He's almost at kindergarten level with colors, shapes.  He can almost write, and he can read like a champ."

"Oh.  Well, he gets that from his mom," James smirked, get a blush from Alex.  "Thank you for teaching him Miss Maximoff."

"Please, its Wanda and its my pleasure.  Been watching him since he was a baby.  I live next door to Ale," she explained. "I kept an eye out on both of them."

The news that someone was watching for his girl and his child.  Something he wish he had the chance to do.  Something he wasn't going to shrink away from it. It made him angry that Grey took this away from him. "Thank you, Wanda.  Really."

"Well Drew, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes Miss Wanda." Drew hugged his teacher again before taking James's hand.  They headed back to the street and to the park that was down the street from the guys' apartment. Drew reached up for his mother's hand and started to swing in between.  James stopped, took his back pack and then continued to swing him.  The moment was so domestic, so normal, something they were both missing.

Once they reached the park, Drew took off to the playground and James and Alex sat on the bench. "Tell me about him."

"His birthday is April 5th.  He was a big baby, 9lbs.  I went full term, all nine months. No complications.  I had Nat and Wanda to help me through ... through most of it." She swallowed.

"Nat?"

"Natasha Romanoff.  She's a hacker, one of the best in the world.  She and I met at MIT before I left.  She went freelance.  We kept in touch and when I ran, she took me in.  Help me get set up with some work and found the apartment next to Wanda.  When she thought I was sick, she took me to the clinic.  Said she didn't know you, but you would murder her if something happened to me."

"Damn right I would.   Will I get to meet her?"

"If you want." Alex chewed her lip. "What do we tell Steve?"

"The truth doll.  He deserves the truth."

"Call him.  Maybe he can meet us here?"

"Sure." James texted Steve who replied he was on the way when Drew came running. "Daddy! Push me."