The Assassin's Secret

Sometimes Nightmares Are Real

Bucky's P.O.V

      The sun shone brightly into the cell today. Part of me wanted to hate it, but the other part of me was glad it was there.

"Daddy! ", I heard the small voice behind me. I turned around to see my 7 year old daughter clutching her teddy bear.

"Will you play with me? ", she asked.

"Of course I will, princess. ", I said. Her smile became wider and the sparkle in her big, blue eyes became more evident.

"Pick me up! ", she squealed. I reached for her with my right arm, but she pushed it away.

"No, Daddy! Pick me up with your super arm! ", she said as she pointed at my bionic arm. I smiled, and did as I was told. I picked her up, and swung her around in a circle. Her excited giggle made my heart melt...if that were even physically possible at this point.

I put her back on the ground, and she wrapped her small arms around my legs. She just giggled like she was having the time of her life! All of a sudden, a few of the HYDRA agents came into the cell.

"It's time. ", one of them stated, as another one walked over, and picked up my daughter. The one holding my daughter turned back, and was about to go through the cell door.

"Wait.", I stopped him.

The man holding my daughter turned back to me. I looked my daughter in the eyes, and tried to put as much emotion into my words as possible.

"Sweetie, no matter what happens, I want you to know that I love you so, so much, okay? ", I said.

She nodded with tears in her eyes. I kissed her forehead, and they began to take her away.

"Daddy! What's happening?! Put me down! I want my daddy! ", she screamed. She dropped her bear as she pounded on the agent's back, in an attempt to release herself. My once melted heart was now like shattered glass.

"Don't let them take me! ", I heard my daughter scream after the door was shut.

"Daddy! "
____________________________________
I shot up in my bed, covered in sweat! My heart was pounding out of my chest! A nightmare. It would seem like a nightmare to most people, but to me, it was even worse. It wasn't just a nightmare...

It was a memory...

I looked over at the clock on my table. 2:39 a.m. I noticed movement in the doorway. I whipped my head towards the door, to see Shay standing there.

"Hey. ", I said. I didn't know what else to say.

"I'm sorry... I just. I heard you. ", she said.

"You 'heard' me? ", I questioned.

"Yeah. You were mumbling pretty loudly. ", she said.

"Oh. I'm sorry...if I woke you... ", I apologized. It was eerily silent for a few minutes.

"You were dreaming about the day they took me, weren't you? ", she asked. The question ultimately threw me off guard!

"How did you–"

"You kept saying 'I'm sorry' and 'I love you'. ", Shay explained. I looked down at my hands in my lap, saying nothing.

"That's a recurring nightmare, isn't it? ", she broke the silence once more.

"Well, if it's not about you, it's about some other innocent person I've killed. ", I said, not looking up at her.

"Dad, please...please don't do that to yourself. It wasn't your fault. ", she assured.

"They brainwashed and took advantage of you. It wasn't really you. ", she added, which baffled me.

"How do you know that? ", I asked. "Wanda filled me in on everything. ", she explained.

"Everything? ", I asked.

"Everything. ", she confirmed.

"So, then you know the kind of monster I really am, huh? ", I asked, smiling a bit. My small attempt at banter didn't amuse Shay. Not one bit.

"You are not a monster. I know you aren't. You wouldn't be sitting on this bed, in this room, in this building if you were. ", Shay said as she sat down on the bed in front of me.

"When did you become so wise? ", I asked.

"Oh...I'm sure it was sometime within the last 11 years. ", she said with the sweetest smile. We sat in content silence for a few minutes, before it dawned on me.

"Wait! You have your exam tomorrow morning! ", I said. She nodded with a small smile.

"Then, what are you doing here? You need to rest! ", I almost panicked.

"You're more important than an exam... ", she stated. I smiled at her. I couldn't help but be proud of the young woman she was.

"Well, I'm okay now. Go back to sleep. ", I assured her. She nodded, stood up and headed for the door. Just before she left, she turned back and looked me in the eyes.

"Don't worry anymore, Daddy. I'm not going anywhere. ", she stated, then left. I couldn't help the smile that crept onto my face.

I truly had an amazing daughter. But I knew that from the very beginning...