YALL NAT AND SEV IN THE FLASHBACK I MADE :(

SEV DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE
kids were talking to Zemo. If it were her at their age, she would've already run away crying. Standing next to her dad, she watched the interaction unfold with wide eyes.

"Couldn't be me," she muttered under her breath.

"Oh, I know," Bucky said, a slight smirk tugging at his lips.

"Starting to feel like a dead end," Sev jumped at the sound of Sam's voice. She hadn't realized he was behind them.

"What the hell is he doing?" Bucky asked, referring to Zemo's antics with the children.

After a few more moments, Zemo returned. "Cute kids," he remarked nonchalantly.

Back at the building, Sev collapsed onto the couch beside her dad, exhaustion washing over her. The lack of sleep wasn't helping, and she leaned her head on his shoulder, barely tuning into the conversation.

Zemo approached with tea, but Bucky was in no mood for pleasantries. "That little girl, what did she tell you?" he demanded.

Zemo hesitated. "The funeral is this afternoon," he finally said.

Sev sat up, giving Zemo a puzzled look. "You know the Dora's coming for you any minute. In fact, they're probably lurking outside right now," Bucky said, his voice low and threatening. "Keep talking."

"Leaving you to turn on me once we get to Karli? Hmm, I prefer to keep my leverage," Zemo replied coolly.

Bucky sighed, frustration evident. He stood, yanked the cup of tea from Zemo's hands, and threw it against the wall, shattering it. He got dangerously close to Zemo's face. "Wanna see what someone can do with leverage?"

Sev and Sam stood almost simultaneously. Sev placed a gentle hand on her dad's shoulder, lightly pushing him back. "Take it easy," Sam said. "Don't engage him. He's just gonna extort you and do that stupid head tilt thing."

Sev noticed Zemo adjust his head to a normal angle when Sam pointed it out. "Let me make a call," Sam said, walking away.

"Want some cherry blossom tea?" Zemo asked Bucky, seemingly unfazed.

Bucky twitched. "No. You go ahead," he said, grabbing Sev's arm as they walked away.

Bucky's grip on Sev's arm was firm but not harsh. They found a quiet corner of the building, away from Zemo's piercing gaze. Bucky's shoulders were tense, and Sev could feel the agitation rolling off him in waves.

"Dad, you need to calm down," Sev said softly, looking up at him with concerned eyes.

Bucky took a deep breath, trying to shake off the tension. "I'm fine, baby. Just... frustrated with Zemo."

"No, you're not," she insisted, taking his hand. "You're stressed. You're angry. Talk to me."

Bucky sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I just don't want him getting into your head, Sev. He's manipulative."

"He's not getting into my head. I'm more worried about you," Sev said firmly. "You've been through so much, and seeing you like this... it hurts."

Bucky sighed, looking away. "I just don't want you to see all this, to be around people like Zemo."

Sev squeezed his hand. "I'm tougher than I look. And you've been through worse. You're stronger than this.."

Bucky's gaze softened as he looked at her. "You're always so worried about me. I should be the one worrying about you."

Sev shook her head. "You're deflecting. I'm fine. Let's talk about you."

Bucky chuckled lightly. "You remind me so much of Steve. He never let me get away with anything either."

Sev smiled but didn't let him change the subject. "You're still deflecting. Tell me what's really bothering you."

Bucky's gaze faltered, the walls he had built around himself starting to crack. "It's hard, Sev. Every time I look at him, I'm reminded of everything I've done... everything I've lost."

Sev placed a hand on his cheek, her touch gentle and comforting. "You're not that person anymore, Papa. You've changed. You've grown. And you have me to remind you of that every day."

Bucky smiled weakly. "You know, I really have zero idea what I would do without you."

Sev shrugged. "Probably go absolutely nuts." She joked.

Bucky chuckled. The he pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly. "I don't deserve you," he whispered.

"Yes, you do," Sev said firmly, pulling back to look him in the eyes. "You deserve happiness, and you deserve to heal. And I'm going to make sure you do."

Bucky didn't understand how someone so beautiful and pure came from him.

"KARLI MORENTHAU is too dangerous for you guys to be pulling this shit," John Walker said, walking beside Lemar.

Sev scoffed. Steve never cursed.

"How'd you find us now?" Bucky called to John as all four of them walked up to the duo.

"Come on, man. You really think two Avengers can walk around Latvia without drawing attention?" Lemar chimed in.

John focused on Bucky. "No more keeping us in the dark. You can start by telling us why you broke him out of prison, and why you still have a kid with you."

"He did that himself, technically," Bucky said about Zemo. "And hey, my kid is none of your business."

Sev scoffed. "Yeah, I've been handling myself just fine."

"Oh, this better be an unbelievable explanati—" John started, getting too close to Bucky.

"Hey! Take it easy before it gets weird," Sam jumped in.

Then Zemo interjected. "I know where Karli is."

They started to walk, but John put his hand on Zemo's chest, stopping him. "Well, where?"

"All we know is, it's a memorial. So we're gonna intercept her there," Sam said.

Sev glanced at Zemo. "That means civilians. High risk of casualties," Zemo added.

They all started walking, Sev walking too. "All right, good, we'll move in fast and take her by surprise," John said.

"No, I want to talk to her alone," Sam said.

"I'm not losing her again," John insisted.

Sev piped up, "We can't just barge in and start a fight. There are people there who don't deserve to get caught in the crossfire. And if we can talk to Karli, maybe we can figure something out without anyone getting hurt."

John shot her a skeptical look. "And you think she'll just sit down and chat?"

Sev shrugged. "She might. If we approach her the right way. But if we go in guns blazing, we're just proving her point about us being the bad guys. Plus, she's gonna be vulnerable, she just lost someone important to her."

John scoffed. "So you think we should reason with the bad guy here, kid?"

"Yes!" Sev said, slapping her hands to the sides.

John glared but didn't respond. Sam gave Sev an appreciative nod. "She's right. We need to be smart about this, reasoning with her might be the smartest option."

John looked at Sev again, still glaring. "You really think the kid's opinion matters here?"

"Matters more than yours," Zemo chimed in. For once in her life, Sev actually appreciated his input.

John started going all crazy, like he was having a temper tantrum. "What? No. Wait, no!" John exclaimed, running in front of the group. "No! Stop. Hold on. Stop! Okay? I think we're way past reasoning with her unless you forgot she blew up a building with people still in it."

Lemar hopped into the conversation. Sev didn't mind as much as she minded John talking. "Sam, you walk in there cold, she could kill you."

Sam retorted quickly, "And if I go in hot and the op goes wrong, more people will die."

"Are you gonna let him do this?" John directed at Bucky. "You're gonna let your partner walk into a room with a super soldier alone?"

"He's dealt with worse," Bucky said. "And he's not my partner."

Then Sam jumped back in. "I used to counsel soldiers dealing with trauma, okay? This is right in my wheelhouse."

"Yeah, I know, and I know those soldiers. This is why I know this is a bad idea," John said, his voice rising.

Sev, unable to stay silent, added, "Sam knows what he's doing. Just let him try."

John turned on her, his frustration boiling over. "Be quiet. You're just a kid. You don't know what you're talking about."

Bucky stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "You don't get to talk to her like that."

John scoffed, looking at everyone with simmering frustration, then he looked at Zemo. "We'll deal with you later."

"I'm sure it will all come to an agreeable conclusion, my associate is just up ahead," Zemo said, gesturing towards the little girl he was talking to earlier.

WHEN THEY FOLLOWED THE LITTLE KID, she pointed inside a room. Sam began to walk in but John couldn't keep his mouth shut. He shoved Zemo to a wall, putting handcuffs to his wrists and he called out to Sam.

"Hey. You got ten minutes," John started. "Then we're coming in and doing things my way."

Sev stood beside her papa, her arms crossed, anxiety etched across her young face. Bucky's presence was a comforting anchor, but the tension in the room was suffocating. As they waited for Sam to get back, Zemo, ever the provocateur, tried to make conversation.

"You know, Sev, your father's reputation precedes him," Zemo said, a smirk playing on his lips. "But I never imagined he'd have a child with him. Quite the soft spot, isn't it?"

Bucky's jaw tightened, and he shot Zemo a warning look. "Don't talk to my kid," he said sharply.

Zemo's smirk widened. "Protective, aren't we?"

"Shut it, Zemo," Bucky snapped, turning his attention back to Sev. He could see the worry in her eyes, the way she was trying to hold herself together. He needed to keep her mind off Zemo and everything else.

Sev nodded, though her eyes were distant. Bucky noticed her fiddling with a small hairpin, its delicate design catching the light. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to the pin.

Sev's face fell a little. "It's Natasha's," she said quietly. "She gave it to me before while we were training one time."

Bucky's heart ached at the mention of Natasha. "It's pretty," he said, brushing some of her hair behind her ears. He noticed her shiver slightly despite her long sleeves. "You're cold," he observed.

Sev shook her head quickly, trying to tough it out. "No, I'm fine."

But Bucky wasn't buying it. "You're shaking," he said, already shrugging off his jacket. "Here, take this."

He draped the jacket over her shoulders, and she reluctantly accepted, pulling it around herself. It was warm and smelled like him, providing an unexpected comfort.

Zemo, ever the commentator, smirked. "What a doting father you are."

"Shut up," Bucky snapped, his voice low but deadly serious.

Sev glanced up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thanks," she whispered.

Bucky gave her a small nod. "Anytime, kid."

61/2 years ago (including the blip)

SEV STOOD in the middle of an abandoned warehouse, breathing heavily. The place had seen better days, with its cracked windows and peeling paint, but it served its purpose well enough. It was a safe place to train while on the run. Steve and Sam were out on a supply run, leaving Natasha to put Sev through her paces.

"Again," Nat commanded, her voice sharp but encouraging.

Sev wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and reset her stance. She focused on the training dummy in front of her, trying to recall everything Nat had taught her.

"Remember, Sev," Nat said, moving around her with a fluid grace. "It's not just about strength. It's about precision, timing, and using your opponent's weaknesses against them."

Sev nodded, her brows furrowing in concentration. She threw a series of punches and kicks, trying to mimic Nat's movements. She was improving, but she still had a long way to go.

Nat circled her, occasionally tapping Sev's shoulder or adjusting her posture. "Good. Keep your guard up. Don't let your opponent see an opening."

Sev's hair kept falling into her eyes, a distraction she could do without. She brushed it back impatiently, only for it to fall again. Nat noticed and paused, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Take a break," she said, stepping back.

Sev dropped her hands and exhaled in relief, sinking to the floor to catch her breath. She glanced up as Nat walked over to her bag, rummaging through it.

"You're doing well, Sev," Nat said over her shoulder. "You've got the determination. Just need to polish those skills a bit more."

"Thanks," Sev replied, feeling a mix of pride and exhaustion.

Nat pulled out a small hairpin and walked back over to Sev. "Here," she said, kneeling down. "This might help."

Sev looked at the hairpin, surprised. It was simple but elegant, with a small red stone embedded in it. "What's this for?"

"Your hair," Nat said, reaching out to gather Sev's hair back. "You can't fight if you can't see."

Sev held still as Nat expertly twisted her hair up, securing it with the pin. It felt strange but also comforting, like a motherly gesture she hadn't experienced before.

"Better?" Nat asked, sitting back on her heels.

Sev nodded, touching the pin lightly. "Yeah. Thanks, Nat."

Nat smiled warmly. "No problem. You remind me of myself at your age. Stubborn, determined, and always ready to learn."

Sev looked up at her, eyes wide. "You think so?"

"Absolutely," Nat said, standing up and offering her hand. "Now, let's see if that pin makes a difference. Ready to go again?"

Sev grinned and took Nat's hand, pulling herself up. "Yeah."

They resumed training, Sev's hair no longer a distraction. Nat pushed her harder, testing her limits but always encouraging. Sev felt herself growing stronger, more confident with each session.