I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS CHAPTER BUT ENJOY.

JAMIE ROMANOV WAS JUST EIGHT
when Ellie was taken and put into HYDRA. He was born in HYDRA, a kid born in pain. He remembered peeking out of his cell to see another kid being dragged by the man he called "Christoff" and a woman he called "Svet." Not good people.

"Jamie!" he heard. He looked to see the old man staring at him.

He stood up straight. "Yes sir?" he said.

The old man said nothing, just grabbing Jamie by his shoulder harshly and dragging him to where the girl was now in a corner with her knees tucked up. The old man gave him a shove, harshly knocking him to the ground with a small grunt. He was used to this by now.

The girl looked up, her eyes wide with fear. "This is Ellie," the old man said before leaving the room.

Jamie rubbed his shoulder and looked at Ellie, who was trembling. "Hey," he said, trying to sound nonchalant despite the situation. "I'm Jamie."

Ellie looked at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "I want my dad," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I miss my dad."

Jamie frowned, trying to push away any sympathy he felt. He had learned long ago that kindness was a weakness here. "Well, not for long you won't," he said, his tone harsh. "They're gonna put you in a machine and you're gonna forget because they'll fry your brain while you kick and scream."

Ellie's eyes widened in horror. "What? No, that can't be true," she said, shaking her head in denial.

Jamie shrugged, leaning back against the cold wall. "Believe what you want, but it's the truth. They did it to me. They'll do it to you too."

Ellie hugged her knees tighter, trying to process what Jamie was saying. "But why?" she asked, her voice small and desperate.

"Because they're monsters," Jamie replied bluntly. "They don't care about us. We're just tools to them."

Tears streamed down Ellie's face as she tried to comprehend the nightmare she had been thrust into. Jamie watched her, feeling a pang of guilt. He had been in her place once, scared and alone. But he had learned to survive by shutting off his emotions, by becoming hard and unfeeling.

"You better toughen up," he said after a moment. "Crying won't help you here. You gotta be strong if you want to make it."

Ellie sniffled, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "I don't want to forget my dad," she said, her voice trembling.

Jamie sighed, feeling a rare moment of compassion. "Maybe you won't," he said quietly. "Maybe you'll find a way to hold on to your memories. Just... don't let them see you break. They like it when you're scared."

Ellie nodded, trying to muster up some courage. "Okay," she whispered. "I'll try."

Jamie gave her a small, almost imperceptible nod. "Good. Now, let's just get through this together. Maybe we can help each other."

Ellie looked at him with a flicker of hope in her eyes. "Okay," she repeated, a bit stronger this time.

Jamie leaned back, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He knew the road ahead would be tough, but for the first time in a long while, he felt a glimmer of something he had thought he had lost: hope.

ELLIE WAS IN HER BEDROOM NOW.
She had been for the past two days. No school, no friends, no anything.

Ellie was scared.

She had no reason to be, but she was. Every sharp movement, every little thing that could potentially be seen as violent triggered her. Bucky dropped a fork, and it made a clanging noise, like how the gun in her hand would make when she dropped it after killing someone.

She wasn't going to have another panic attack. No.

She breathed, then she slept.

The truth is, that panic attack she had messed her up real bad. She was getting better, but that set her back, and she hated it. She hated how everything reminded her of HYDRA.

When she woke, the shadows in her room had shifted, signaling the passing hours. The weight in her chest hadn't lifted, but she felt a small measure of strength to get out of bed. She made her way to the bathroom, splashing water on her face and avoiding her reflection in the mirror. It was too much to confront her own eyes right now.

Downstairs, Bucky was in the kitchen, his movements slow and careful. He was making breakfast, though it was nearly noon. Pancakes, Ellie's favorite. He had been trying everything to coax her out of her room, to bring a semblance of normalcy back into their lives.

When Bucky heard her footsteps on the stairs, he turned, offering a gentle smile. "Morning, kiddo."

Ellie managed a nod, her eyes downcast. She took a seat at the table, feeling the familiar comfort of the routine. Bucky placed a plate of pancakes in front of her, and she picked up the fork, but her appetite was nonexistent.

Bucky sat across from her, watching with concern. "Ellie, I know things have been hard, but I want you to know that you're not alone in this. I'm here for you."

She nodded again, knowing he was trying to help, but the words didn't penetrate the fog in her mind. The pancakes were soft and sweet, but tasted like nothing to her.

Bucky sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Bruno and Kamala are here. They wanted to see you."

Ellie looked up, her eyes widening with a mixture of surprise and apprehension. "I... I don't know if I can..."

"Just give it a try," Bucky encouraged. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but maybe seeing them will help. They miss you, Ellie."

Ellie hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. "Okay."

Bucky gave her a reassuring smile and stood up, heading to the living room. A moment later, he returned with Bruno and Kamala in tow. Both of them looked worried but determined to see their friend.

"Hey, Ellie," Kamala said softly, giving her a small wave.

Bruno offered a tentative smile. "Hey."

Ellie managed a weak smile in return, feeling a flicker of warmth at their presence. They sat down at the table, and for a moment, an awkward silence hung in the air.

Bucky cleared his throat. "I'll leave you guys to it. I'll be in the next room if you need anything."

Ellie nodded, grateful for the space but also for the fact that Bucky was nearby. As he left, Kamala reached out and took Ellie's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"We've been so worried about you," Kamala said, her voice full of concern.

"Yeah, we miss you," Bruno added. "It's not the same without you at school."

Ellie looked at them, her eyes filling with tears. "I'm sorry... I just... I can't..."

"You don't have to apologize," Kamala said quickly. "We just want to be here for you, whatever you need. We're your friends, El."

Friends?

She hasn't had one of those since Jamie.

Ellie took a deep breath, feeling the tightness in her chest begin to ease just a little. "Thanks."

Bruno nodded, his expression serious. "We get it. And we're here for you, no matter what."

They didn't get it, but whatever.

For the next hour, they talked. Kamala and Bruno shared stories from school, funny things that had happened, and plans they were making for the future. Slowly, Ellie began to relax, even managing to laugh at a few of their stories.

As the afternoon wore on, Bucky watched from the doorway, relieved to see Ellie interacting with her friends. He could see the change in her demeanor, the small steps toward healing. It wasn't much, but it was something.

When it was time for Bruno and Kamala to leave, Ellie walked them to the door. "Thanks for coming," she said, her voice stronger than it had been in days.

"Anytime," Kamala said with a smile. "We'll see you soon, okay?"

Bruno nodded. "Take care, Ellie."

She watched them leave, feeling a sense of loss but also a glimmer of hope. Turning back to the house, she saw Bucky standing in the doorway, his eyes full of pride and relief.

"You did great, Ellie," he said softly.

Ellie walked over to him, her eyes filling with tears. "Thanks, Dad. I'm trying."

BUCKY WENT GROCERY SHOPPING. Something he hadn't really done properly since Ellie disappeared. He got her sour gummy worms, the stupid ones she's loved since she was a little kid. She hasn't had them in forever so he was hoping she'd still like them.

As he picked up the gummy worms he remembered... he remembered the way he had a panic attack in the store because he wanted to get them for her but she was gone.

6 YEARS AGO

A month after Ellie's disappearance, Bucky found himself in the passenger seat of Steve's car, staring blankly out the window. The world outside seemed both too fast and too slow, each passing moment a blur of color and sound that didn't quite register. Steve drove in silence, giving Bucky the space he needed to process his thoughts.

"We'll just get a few things," Steve said gently as they pulled into the grocery store parking lot. "You don't have to stay long if you don't want to."

Bucky nodded, not trusting his voice. He hadn't been out of the house much since Ellie's disappearance, the weight of her absence pressing down on him like a physical force. But he knew he had to start functioning again, even if just in small steps.

They walked through the automatic doors, the fluorescent lights inside the store almost too bright. Bucky followed Steve, pushing the cart as they moved down the aisles. At first, he moved robotically, grabbing items without really seeing them. Milk, bread, cereal-basic necessities that didn't require much thought.

But then they turned into the snack aisle, and Bucky's heart gave a painful lurch. His eyes fell on a shelf stocked with Ellie's favorite snacks-chips, cookies, candy. Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed a bag of her favorite sour gummy worms, placing them in the cart. The simple act felt like a punch to the gut.

He continued down the aisle, grabbing more of her favorites. Each item he placed in the cart was a small, desperate attempt to hold onto her. But then, as he stood there with a pack of chocolate chip cookies in his hand, the realization hit him like a tidal wave: Ellie wasn't there to eat them.

His chest tightened, and his vision started to blur. The familiar wave of panic began to rise, constricting his throat and making it hard to breathe.

"Buck? Bucky, look at me." Steve's voice was gentle, but it sounded distant, like he was underwater. Bucky gripped the cart handle so tightly his knuckles turned white, trying to ground himself, but the memories of Ellie flooded his mind-her laughter, her adorable voice, the way she used to sneak snacks into her room.

The panic attack hit full force. Bucky's breathing became shallow and rapid, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of his chest. He stumbled backward, the noise of the grocery store becoming a cacophony in his ears.

Bucky's eyes were wide, his breathing shallow and rapid. He felt like he was drowning, each breath a struggle. "She... she loves these," he choked out, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just wanted to... but she... she's gone, Steve. I don't know where she is..."

Steve's heart broke for his friend. He gently guided Bucky to sit down on the edge of a nearby display, crouching in front of him to meet his eyes. "I know, Buck. I know. Just breathe, okay? In and out, nice and slow."

Bucky tried to focus on Steve's voice, grounding himself in the familiar presence. He inhaled shakily, then exhaled, trying to match the rhythm Steve was setting for him. "I can't... I can't do this," he whispered, tears streaming down his face.

Steve nodded, his grip on Bucky's shoulder firm but comforting. "Yes, you can. It's hard, and it hurts like hell, but you can do this. You're not alone, okay? I'm right here with you."

Bucky's breathing began to steady, the tightness in his chest easing slightly. He clung to Steve's words, the anchor he so desperately needed. "She loves these stupid gummy worms," he said, his voice breaking. "I just wanted to get them for her, but she... she's not here."

Steve squeezed his shoulder gently. "I know, Buck. And it's okay to feel this way. It's okay to miss her and to grieve. But you don't have to do it alone."

Bucky nodded, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. The pain was still there, a raw wound that refused to heal, but Steve's presence made it a little more bearable. "Thanks, Steve," he said quietly.

Steve gave him a small, sad smile. "Anytime, Buck. Let's finish up here and get you home, okay?"

Bucky took a deep breath and stood up, feeling a little steadier on his feet. He picked up the cookies from the floor, placing them back on the shelf with a shaky hand. They finished their shopping in silence, Bucky leaning on Steve for support both physically and emotionally.