Ultron Aftermath

Chapter 8

"What happened after I left?"

Bucky dare asked, he wasn't sure whether he wanted to know or not. Aj wasn't sure whether she wanted to tell him or not in fear he might beat himself up and blame himself for some things.

She sucked in a sharp breathe,

"a lot"

She didn't even want to think about that place right now.

"I've got time squirt, you can tell me. I'm here now and I'm not gonna let anything happen to you again. I mean it"

"Actions speak louder than words"

Aj was going to be prepared this time, she couldn't hand her trust to him, not after last time. He had a lot to prove to her that he really meant it this time.

"I know just give me time.
I'll prove you can trust me"

With those words resonating in her brain Aj began to talk. Granted she didn't tell him everything but she told him enough for him to be satisfied. Within the hour the pair cried,hugged,yelled a little,apologized, hugged some more and talked about how much they had missed the other.

"So if I give you a second chance you promise you won't muck it up"

AJ asked skeptically
with a hint of worry.

"If I fail you again I will not be able to live with myself. It won't happen again you have my word" Bucky reassured.

That was enough for Aj. She had missed him far to much to not give him a second chance, she just hoped he wouldn't let her down again.

The small girl crashed into the mans arms making him fall back onto the bed.

"Woah easy squirt" Bucky chuckled as he looked down at AJ who was now on top of him.

"I missed you James"

"I missed you more Ava" Buck smiled at her as he sat up again with Aj now in his lap "so do you like it here?"

"You know I wasn't sure on this place at first but Wanda told me there was nothing to worry about and she was right. I've been here 3 days and I already love it here. And Tasha and Steve are really nice"

Bucky listened carefully as the little girl began to explain her last 3 days at the compound in detail to him making sure not to leave out a single thing, just as he remembered the kid was a chatterbox- he wouldn't have it any other way, Bucky was still very content much with letting Ava chew his ear off like he was 2 years ago.
As far as he was concerned she hadn't changed at all she was still the outgoing,chatty, brave, little girl she had been before. He was proud, the girl was tough and she didn't let hydra take her heart.

However Ava Jay thought she was far from her old self. Hydra had done terrible things to her, made her do terrible things to other people. She didn't think recovering from that was possible. She was just different now. Before Bucky had left Aj was brave she was scared and vulnerable of course, she was a little girl, hydra was mainly grown men but she never let it show she was scared of them, she stuck up for herself and didn't let them walk all over her, she would talk back, refuse to do things she didn't want to do but whether that ended in a beating or not Aj said what she wanted to say. But after James had left everything changed.