chapter eleven
therapist raynor

"hi, nova. it's nice to see you again." doctor christina raynor, buckys therapist spoke as nova followed bucky into the room. the room was bare, a painting here and there, a desk and couch, a chair too — not much of it stood out to nova, it reminded her of a hospital, or a school.

"hi." nova waved as she sat down beside bucky.

bucky grumbled some words under his breath before he looked right up at his therapist. "you called us both in? i wasn't even scheduled to see you today." he said with a scowl, very unhappy that he had been called to come in for a 'surprise' session.

"i did." the therapist nodded stiffly. "i figured after what had happened the other day, that you two needed this."

nova turned to her side so she could look right at bucky. "what happened?" oh nova.

"when i had that dream..." bucky muttered as he looked over to nova. with eyes void of any emotion he turned back towards the therapist and glared.

nova reached out and placed her hand on buckys metal arm, her ring she wore making a clanking sound. "i forgave you, you can't control that sometimes." she reached forward and taped buckys head.

bucky grumbled and removed her finder from his forehead. "i... still feel bad?" he wasn't really sure what he was feeling. he had be taught to not feel for the longest time that all these things were still so new to him.

"it's good you still feel something." the therapist spoke softly as she looked between both nova and bucky.

"you didn't hurt me," nova was looking right at bucky as she spoke softly.

bucky sighed. "i could have. and you were scared. i scared you."

"she scares me." nova pointed at the therapist quickly. "she writes in that book! that's scary."

bucky let out a chuckle. "that so?"

"yeah!" nova nodded frantically. "it's so freaky."

"yeah." bucky nodded.

the therapist looked between the two closely, she was looking for something — "your both scared that you'll be taken from each other." she spoke abruptly, breaking the silence that filled the air.

"huh?"

"what?"

the therapist sat straighter. "you, james, are scared that whatever family you've build will go kaboom. just like your family and steve." the therapist told bucky before she turned her head to nova. "and you nova, your scared that you'll be taken from james now that you finally have a family."

"no."

"your funny." nova deadpanned.

"im serious." the therapist looked between the two barnes, her eyes narrowed. "you two have lost a great amount — you nova, you've lost your parents, then any foster parents or group home parents. you've lost friends and homes. and you james, you lost your freedom, your family, your mind at one point.... you two have lost so much."

"don't forget his arm, he lost that too." nova added.

"don't forget she lost her turtle — that i bought!" bucky said as nova groaned and threw her head back.

"that was mean."

"it was funny."

"you two are children." the therapist shook her head with disapproval.

both bucky and nova stoped their starring contest and looked right at the therapist. "that was uncalled for." bucky pointed out.

both bucky and the therapist continued to have a stare down, or that was until nova spoke up. "i called bucky dad!" she blurted.

both adults turned towards nova with wide eyes. "i, uh, called him dad..."

the therapist christina raynor raised her eyebrows. "why?"

"why what, huh?" nova got defensive. "i called him dad because he is my dad. he adopted me. not someone else, and he chose me!"

"Маленькие барны..." bucky whispered. ( little barnes )

nova wiped the tears from her cheeks before she looked up to bucky. "i'll meet you at home." she told him briefly before she stood up from the couch and left the room.

"do you see her as a daughter?" the therapist spoke after the door closed.

bucky paused. "i do, yes."

"tell her that. tell her that she won't be taken from you and you won't be taken from her. tell her you care."

»

"what are we watching tonight?" bucky asked as he walked into the living room with a bowl of popcorn.

today was one of their family movie nights/bonding nights.

nova looked down at the movies in front of her. "i don't know. maybe the karate kid?" she suggested as she shrugged.

"sure." bucky sat down beside nova and placed a popcorn bowl into her hands. nova didn't waste any time in digging into the snack.

nova leaned her head on buckys shoulder as she pressed play. unlike the last time she had done it, bucky didn't stiffen or flinch. he relaxed.

"i know you only adopted me because whats her face said you needed a family." nova spoke abruptly about half way through the movie.

"i know i took the task to literally, but your one of the best things that happened to me nova." he whispered back.

nova played were buckys metal arm and a magnet she had. "you might not see me as your daughter, but i see you as my dad."

bucky wrapped his arm around novas shoulder, bring her into his embrace. "you, nova, are my daughter. you might not be my blood, but you are my daughter, okay?"

"okay." she nodded.

"and im right here."