GUYS I ADDED A SUPER CUTE FLASHBACK :(

THERE WAS ALOT DIFFERENT ABOUT Ellie's current demeanor and the vibrant personality she had possessed as a child, a wave of nostalgia washed over him like a bittersweet symphony of memories. He recalled the days when she had been a whirlwind of energy and enthusiasm, her infectious laughter echoing through the halls of their humble abode like a melodic refrain.

At eight years old, Ellie had been a force of nature, her boundless curiosity and insatiable thirst for knowledge driving her to explore the world with unbridled enthusiasm. She had possessed a goodness for life that was as cute as it was endearing.

Bucky couldn't help but smile as he remembered the countless hours they had spent together, Ellie regaling him with tales of her latest adventures and musings on the mysteries of the universe. She had possessed an insatiable appetite for conversation, her words flowing like a river of endless possibility, each anecdote a testament to the boundless depths of her imagination.

He had listened, captivated by the sheer excitement with which she approached life, her enthusiasm infectious and uplifting in equal measure. Despite the weight of their shared burdens, Ellie had remained a beacon of light in the darkness, her laughter a melody that had echoed in the chambers of his heart long after she had drifted off to sleep.

And he remembered, with a fondness that bordered on reverence, the day she had come bounding into the living room, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she recounted the tale of the "declaration of independence." She had been positively brimming with enthusiasm, her words tumbling over one another in a rush of excitement as she regaled him with her latest discovery.

For at least an hour, she had held court, her animated gestures and infectious enthusiasm painting a vivid picture of a world filled with endless possibilities. And as Bucky had listened, there was joy radiating from her every word.

But now, as he gazed upon the distant figure of his daughter, her once vibrant spirit muted by the weight of her traumatic past, Bucky couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. She had retreated into herself, her once effervescent personality overshadowed by the scars that marred her fragile psyche.

6 years ago

"Daddy!" The exuberant voice of his eight-year-old daughter pierced through the quiet of the room, snapping Bucky out of his reverie. He shifted his gaze away from the flickering images on the television screen just in time to brace himself for the impending assault.

With a loud grunt, Bucky felt the impact as Ellie leaped onto his chest, her small knees pressing into his sternum as she clung to him with the fervor of a whirlwind. "What's up, Ellie-Belly?" he managed to say, his breath momentarily stolen by the force of her enthusiasm.

Her smile widened, threatening to split her face in two as she launched into her latest revelation. "Did you know that the Declaration of Independence was real?" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she awaited his response.

Bucky couldn't help but chuckle at her infectious enthusiasm, his own lips curling into a fond smile as he played along. "Oh really? I had no clue," he replied, his tone laced with mock surprise as he indulged her with a playful wink.

"Were you there when it was signed?" Ellie queried, her curiosity undiminished as she awaited his answer with bated breath.

"Well-" Bucky began, only to be interrupted by Ellie's next question.

"Did you sign it?" she interjected, her eyes wide with anticipation as she awaited his response.

Bucky couldn't suppress a laugh at her innocent inquiry, his heart swelling with pride at the thought of her insatiable thirst for knowledge. Gathering her into his arms, he gently lifted her from his chest and set her down in front of him, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he prepared to indulge her curiosity.

"How old do you think I am?" he teased, raising an eyebrow in mock indignation as he awaited her response.

"Like a thousand," Ellie replied without missing a beat, her tone dead serious despite the absurdity of her assertion. Bucky couldn't help but chuckle at her earnestness, marveling at the boundless depths of her imagination.

Before he could correct her misconception, Ellie launched into a spirited monologue about the Declaration of Independence, her words tumbling over one another in a rush of excitement as she regaled him with tales of historical intrigue and patriotic fervor. And as Bucky listened, enraptured by the sheer joy radiating from her every word, he knew that he would gladly spend eternity in her company, reveling in the magic of her boundless imagination and the unbridled enthusiasm that defined her as a child.

Present time

As Bucky observed the girl seated across from him, her fingers idly twirling the strings of her hoodie, a pang of sorrow tugged at his heartstrings. She appeared lost in her own thoughts, her expression a mask of quiet sadness that belied the vibrant spirit he had come to know and love.

"Are you okay, Ellie?" he ventured, the words heavy with unspoken concern as he sought to penetrate the veil of silence that enveloped them both.

Ellie looked up at him, her gaze meeting his with a haunting intensity that spoke volumes of the turmoil raging within her troubled soul. For a moment, she seemed to hesitate, as if grappling with the weight of her own emotions before finally nodding in response.

Bucky sighed inwardly, the sound heavy with the weight of his own helplessness as he watched her retreat further into the cocoon of her own solitude. He yearned to reach out to her, to bridge the chasm of silence that stretched between them like an unbreakable barrier, yet he knew that some wounds ran too deep to be healed with mere words.

Desperate for a glimpse of the spirited child he had once known, Bucky searched his memory for a lifeline, a thread of familiarity that might serve to anchor Ellie amidst the storm of uncertainty that raged within her troubled mind. And then, with a glimmer of hope flickering in the depths of his soul, he recalled the nickname he had bestowed upon her in happier times.

"Ellie-Belly-" he began tentatively.

Instantly, Ellie's head snapped up, her eyes alight with a spark of recognition that sent a surge of hope coursing through Bucky's veins. He watched, breathless with anticipation, as she stood up and began to walk away, the echo of her retreating footsteps a bittersweet symphony of longing and regret.

"El-" Bucky started to call out, the syllable catching in his throat as he fought to contain the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. With a heavy sigh, he resigned himself to the painful reality of their fractured bond, a silent testament to the scars that still lingered beneath the surface of their shared history.

ELLIE LAY QUIETLY IN HER BED, her mind a turbulent sea of fragmented memories and unspoken fears, the weight of her own uncertainty pressing down upon her like a suffocating blanket of darkness. She hated this place, this prison of haunting echoes and forgotten dreams, where every corner seemed to hold a secret she couldn't quite grasp.

The nightmares had become her constant companions, relentless in their assault upon her fragile psyche. She couldn't risk alarming Bucky, couldn't bear the thought of drawing him into here so he could witness her weakness.

Her goal was simple: to push him away, to make him see that she was beyond saving, beyond redemption. She didn't want his affection, didn't want the warmth of his embrace to soothe the ache in her soul, for she feared that to love him was to invite the pain of losing him when she inevitably failed to meet his impossible expectations.

But tonight was different, tonight the nightmare had been too much to bear, its tendrils of fear wrapping themselves around her heart and squeezing until she thought she might suffocate beneath their crushing weight. "Dad-!" And when she woke, gasping for air, screaming into the void, it was his name that escaped her lips.

"Ellie!" His voice cut through the darkness like a beacon of hope, drawing her back from the brink of despair with its reassuring familiarity. Bucky rushed to her side, his hands reaching out to gently pry her own from her tear-streaked face, his touch a tentative lifeline in the vast expanse of her own uncertainty.

"It's me, Ellie; you're okay," he murmured, his voice a soothing balm against the jagged edges of her fractured consciousness.

"But-he-it was-" she stammered, her words a disjointed jumble of fear and confusion that hung in the air like a heavy fog.

"I know, El, it's okay; you're okay," he reassured her, his voice a steady anchor amidst the storm of her own uncertainty. He reached out, his hand coming to rest on her trembling shoulder, a silent gesture of solidarity in the face of her own inner turmoil.

She looked at him, wide-eyed and vulnerable, tears still streaming down her cheeks in silent testament to the pain that lay buried beneath the surface of her fractured soul. She didn't know what to do, didn't know how to navigate the turbulent waters of her own emotions, and all she wanted was to feel safe, to know that she wasn't alone in the darkness that threatened to engulf her.

With a trembling hand, she reached out, her fingers tangling in the fabric of his shirt as she pulled him close, burying her head in the crook of his neck with a desperation born of years of loneliness and longing. And in that moment, as she clung to him like a drowning soul clinging to a life raft in the stormy sea, she knew that she wasn't alone, that he would always be there to guide her back to shore, no matter how treacherous the journey might be.

It took Bucky a moment to reciprocate the action, to wrap his arms around her trembling form and hold her close, but when he did, it was with a fierce determination born of love and longing. He held her like she was a baby again, cradling her fragile form against his chest as he rocked her gently back and forth, the rhythm of his heartbeat a soothing lullaby in the darkness.

"Oh, Ellie," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion as he pressed a tender kiss to the top of her head, "you're safe with me."

8 years ago

Bucky woke to the sound of soft whimpers coming from Ellie's room. His instincts kicked in immediately, and he was on his feet and moving toward her door before he was fully awake. As he entered her room, he saw Ellie sitting up in bed, her small body trembling and her eyes wide with fear.

"Daddy," she whimpered, reaching out for him, Bucky's heart broke.

She looked pitiful.

Bucky crossed the room in two strides and scooped her up into his arms. "Hey, hey, it's okay, sweetheart," he murmured, holding her close. "I'm here. Did you have a bad dream?"

Ellie nodded, burying her face in his chest. "There were monsters," she whispered, her voice quivering. "They were everywhere, and they were trying to get me."

Bucky's heart ached at the fear in her voice. "Shh, it's okay," he soothed, rubbing her back gently. "There are no monsters here, I promise."

"Can you check?" Ellie asked, looking up at him with wide, pleading eyes. "Please, Daddy?"

"Of course, baby girl," Bucky said, kissing the top of her head. He set her down gently on the bed and began his thorough inspection of the room. He opened the closet, peered under the bed, and even checked behind the curtains, making a show of looking in every possible hiding spot.

"See? No monsters," he said, returning to Ellie's side. "You're safe."

Ellie still looked uncertain, so Bucky pulled her into his lap and rocked her gently. "You know, monsters are afraid of your daddy," he said, giving her a reassuring smile. "They wouldn't dare come near you when I'm around."

Ellie's eyes widened slightly. "Really?"

"Really," Bucky confirmed. "I won't let anything bad happen to you. Ever."

She seemed to relax a little at his words, her small hands clutching his shirt. Bucky continued to rock her, humming a soft tune as he did. Gradually, Ellie's breathing slowed, and she began to drift off to sleep.

As he watched her eyelids flutter closed, Bucky felt an overwhelming surge of love and protectiveness. He would do anything to keep her safe, to ensure she never had to feel this kind of fear again.

When Ellie was finally asleep, Bucky gently laid her back down on her bed and pulled the covers up around her. He sat on the edge of the bed, watching her sleep for a few moments, his heart full of love for his little girl.

"Goodnight, Ellie," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. "Daddy loves you."

THE NEXT MORNING DAWNED
with the weight of unspoken tensions lingering in the air, casting a pall of unease over the otherwise ordinary routine of their shared existence. The embrace of the previous night, born of desperation and fear, now hung between them like a fragile thread stretched to its breaking point, ready to snap at the slightest provocation.

For Bucky, the hug had been a gesture of comfort, a small offering of solace in the face of Ellie's overwhelming distress. But for Ellie, it had been a bitter reminder of her own vulnerability, a stark reminder of the gaping void that lay between them, filled with memories she couldn't grasp and emotions she couldn't comprehend.

Bucky wasn't one to rush things; he understood the delicate nature of the human heart, the fragile balance between healing and hurt that defined their shared journey. He knew that Ellie needed time to process the events of the previous night, to come to terms with the swirling whirlwind of emotions that threatened to engulf her fragile spirit.

And yet, despite his best intentions, he couldn't shake the gnawing sense of unease that settled in the pit of his stomach as he watched her pick at her food, her hesitation palpable in the air between them like a heavy fog.

"So Ellie-" he began tentatively, the words hanging in the air like a fragile promise of understanding.

"Please...just don't," she interjected, her voice heavy with resignation as she sighed in defeat.

Bucky nodded in silent acquiescence, understanding all too well the depths of her turmoil. "It's good to talk about things, you know," he offered, his voice gentle with reassurance. "It's worked somewhat for me."

But something snapped within Ellie at his words, a sudden surge of anger boiling up from the depths of her wounded soul. "I don't care about this stupid life you want me to live!" she exclaimed, her voice raw with emotion as she pushed back from the table, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

"That hug meant nothing, I was just scared; stop pretending to care about me!" With that, she turned on her heel and stormed away, leaving Bucky to watch helplessly as she disappeared from view.

Bucky sighed heavily, the weight of her words settling like a stone in his chest. "I do care, Ellie!" he shouted after her, the words echoing hollowly in the empty room.

But she was gone, lost in the depths of her own turmoil, and all he could do was wonder: what had they done to her? What had they taken from her that she couldn't even recognize the love that lay waiting in his outstretched arms?

Old a/n
y'all I hate updating but expect an edit of them soon