• • •
"I don't wanna think of anything else now that I thought of you"
Taylor Swift,
Daylight
• • •
CHARLIE stood over Charles' desk, her eyes fawning over the blueprints for a new Danger Cove. The old one was outdated; it needed to be fixed.
The older man sat at his wheelchair, though he wasn't too focused on what he was seeing in front of him. He had grown older, and he knew he didn't have much time left. A year or two, maybe more, maybe less. He had spent the last six years since his grandchildren arrived, training the eldest of the two to take over for him.
It was already in his will, Charlie would inherit the school. She didn't know it yet.
Right now he was testing her, baiting her. He was waiting to see if she could figure out what solution could be.
She did not disappoint.
"If we knock down the wall to the weaponry, we can push it further back. That will give the students a bigger area to train." Charlie said. Her finger pressed against the blueprint and she showed him what she was talking about.
Charles smiled as he nodded. "I like that idea."
His granddaughter's smile matched his as she felt her phone vibrate. After checking it, she knew she had to run.
"I'll see you later, grandpa. I'll start calling contractors tomorrow afternoon after my class."
"Don't forger, the new student will be joining us. She seems to have been showing atmospheric pressure powers as well."
"I know," Charlie waved her hand as she started gathering her things. Her long white hair fell forward and she swooped it backwards. "I already have started a lesson plan for her. I'm thinking about working with her solo for a little while. Just while she adjusts from being away from home."
Charles nodded proudly. He had never expected Charlie to become so suited at the school. He wanted her to, yes, but it was a surprise to him when she told him she wanted to help. To teach. To guide.
Charlie gave her grandfather a quick hug before she left, her legs working quickly to get her out of his office and down the long hallways to the front of the school.
It was mid afternoon; which meant the students were either in afternoon classes or spending the spring day out on the back yawn. There weren't too many people inside the school right now.
The heat was overwhelming when she stepped outside and she felt it overtake her immediately. Heat was never easy on her.
"Charlie!"
The voice belonged to Oliver, who was running up the long drive way with a piece of paper in his hand. Behind him, Bucky Barnes was jogging to keep up.
"Did you pass?" Charlie yelled as she approached her brother. He handed her the piece of paper and she quickly read it over. "Oh my God! Congrats Olly, I'm so proud of you!" She yelled with a huge smile on her face.
She wrapped her arms around her little brother and gave him a kiss on the cheek, which he cringed at immediately and wiped it away.
"He got every question right." Bucky said as he greeted Charlie. Their kiss was brief, but still earned a grunt of disgust from the younger Grant.
"I can't believe my baby brother's street legal." Charlie cooed and pinched Oliver's cheeks.
"Better believe it sis. That means I'm gonna get a hot rod, and then I'll get all the boys and girls."
Charlie laughed. "Not before you get your actual license. A permit is only halfway there."
"Close enough." Oliver waved his hand. "Can we go practice? Please?"
Charlie looked at the time on her phone and then to Bucky, "What do you say?"
"I guess I can make some time."
Oliver cheered and grabbed the keys from Bucky's hand before he had time to react. "Yes! Let's go."
Charlie laughed as she watched him run back down the drive, where various cars were parked in the lot. Bucky's old classic car was parked with the top down - a car Bucky had spent months trying to find.
It reminded him of his old life.
"You sure you want him practicing on your baby?" Charlie asked.
"No. But he's so excited. I can't exactly say no." Bucky said with a laugh. He set his arm around Charlie's waist and they started walking together. "Besides, I'm not a very materialistic person."
Charlie rolled her eyes. "Except for that car. I barely drive it."
"You don't like driving it."
"Good point." Charlie laughed. "Thanks for taking him today."
"You don't have to thank me, Char."
She nodded and looked up at him for a second. Gratitude washed over her, like it did every day, that he was there, standing next to her, still with them. Even after six years she still felt it every day.
"I love you." Charlie said.
Bucky smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I love you too, Char."
When they got to the car Oliver was already setting the radio station and fixing the seat. Charlie went into the back seat and Bucky sat at the passenger seat.
She sat in the middle, unstrapped, and leaned forward. Her right arm was wrapped around the back of the passenger seat, and her fingers were playing with the side of Bucky's hair.
"What's the first step?" Bucky asked Oliver.
The younger boy thought for a second before he moved to strap himself in. "Now I check the mirrors."
Charlie smiled and leaned her head against the side of the seat. Her hand was still playing with the soft curls of Bucky's hair.
"Good. Once that's done, what do you do?"
"Uh..." Oliver hesitated. "Put the car into reverse."
"Well, you want to check your surroundings. You want to make sure no one is around you or behind you."
Oliver nodded and did just that and then after a nod of approval, he shifted the car into reverse and slowly started to back out of the parking lot. His eyes kept checking the mirrors, moving slow as ever, until he was all the way out.
"Good job!" Charlie said with a smile.
Oliver breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Charlie. "Not too bad."
She snorted. "Alright tough guy, get out on the street."
Oliver's eyes widened slightly and he nodded. "Okay. Right. What could go wrong?"
• • •
The door shut softly behind Charlie with a click of the lock. "Don't be mad."
"I'm not mad." Bucky said, kicking off his shoes and moving to sit on the bed. "I'm not mad."
"It's just a car. We can fix it." Charlie said hesitantly and approached the man.
"I know, I'm not mad." Bucky reassures himself and Charlie. "It's just out of all things a stop sign? How'd he even jump the curve?"
"I don't know, metal man." Charlie said and set her hands on his shoulders. She stood between his legs. "I haven't seen him cry since he was younger."
"Me neither." Bucky said. "I felt bad for him."
She laughed. "It's your car, don't feel bad. I think he just got nervous. Next time, take him out without me."
"Next time? Why don't you do it?"
Charlie raised an eyebrow. "Do I really need to answer that question? You know he looks up to you more than anyone else in the whole world."
"I'm pretty great."
Charlie laughed and pushed him backwards. "You're impossible. That's what you are."
After she laid down next to him, her gaze on the ceiling, she spoke again. "Do you remember what it was like, before?"
"Before what?" Bucky asked. He turned on his side and moved Charlie's arm so he could fit between it and her side. His head was resting on her chest.
"Before the Workshop. Before we mutated. I mean, it's been like this longer than it has before." Charlie said. "Do you miss it?"
"Kind of." Bucky answered honestly. "I miss when Olly was little. I miss the house. I think I miss the house more than anything. But I like where we are. You have a family here, honey."
"I know, I know." Charlie nodded. She felt a small amount of pain shoot through her heart as she light about her old house. The fire had destroyed everything. Every part of her childhood. She didn't have a single thing from it. "I miss the house too."
Bucky ran his fingers up and down the pale white of her skin, tracing the soft blue veins that decorated her skin. It was more noticeable on the parts of her body clothes often hid.
"I feel cheated, though. Even now." Charlie said. "And I know it's selfish to say. You don't have anything from your childhood either. But I miss my dad's shirts and my family photo albums."
"I know honey, I'm sorry." Bucky said quietly and moved to look at her. "I wish I could have been more of a help."
"What? Shut up. You almost died." Charlie said and smacked the top of his head lightly. "Asshat."
He laughed and kissed her gently. "Well we will have a family of our own someday, and you'll be able to make a bunch of photo albums then."
"A family, huh?"
"Yeah. I think a couple sons. We have been married for almost two years now."
"You know I can't actually control that, right? And how many times do I have to tell you I'm not ready yet."
Bucky sighed loudly and dramatically. "I know, I know. You want Oliver to be a little older."
"He's only sixteen. He's still a kid. I don't want to just have a kid and leave him."
"I know, I know. It's one of the things I love very much about you. But once he's a little bit older... I'm putting a baby in you."
Charlie laughed and moved away when he tried to tickle her. "So set on a boy. What if we have a girl? Or girls?"
Bucky laughed. "I can't do a daughter. I don't know anything about girls."
"Clearly." Charlie playfully rolled her eyes.
Bucky faked shock and immediately moved to tickle her sides, laughing when she started to scream in laughter and pleas to stop.
"Say the magic word and I'll stop."
"Oh my God... okay, okay! I love you! Stop."
She laughed.
Bucky smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. "There. Was that so hard?"
I hope you liked the bonus chapter! There will be a few left!!