YALL ELLIE MEAN ERA COMING OUT
I hate this chapter so much it's literally a filler AND IT SUCKS OMG.

WHEN ELLIE WOKE UP SHE had a pounding headache, the kind that made every sound feel like a hammer to her skull. She groaned, rolling over in bed and immediately regretting the movement. Her stomach churned, and she felt the distinct nausea of a hangover.

Forcing herself out of bed, she winced at the bright sunlight streaming through her window. Every step felt heavy as she made her way to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face to try and wake up. Her mouth was dry, and she knew she needed water, but the thought of facing her dad after last night made her hesitate.

Eventually, she mustered the courage to head downstairs. The smell of coffee wafted through the air, and she followed it to the living room. Bucky was sitting on the couch, a cup of coffee in hand, looking deep in thought. When he saw her, he gave her a small, tired smile.

"Morning," he said, his voice softer than usual.

"Morning," Ellie replied, her voice raspy.

Bucky patted the spot next to him on the couch. "Do you want to sit?"

Ellie nodded and shuffled over, sinking into the couch next to him. She hesitated for a moment before cuddling up to him, her head resting on his shoulder. Bucky put his arm around her, pulling her close.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, a hint of teasing in his voice.

Ellie groaned. "Like crap. My head is killing me."

Bucky chuckled softly. "Welcome to your first hangover. Not as fun as it seems, huh?"

She managed a small smile, despite the pounding in her head. "No, definitely not."

They sat in silence for a few moments, the quiet of the morning wrapping around them like a comforting blanket. Bucky sighed, breaking the silence. "Ellie, I need to apologize."

Ellie looked up at him, confused. "For what?"

"For blowing you off about Dr. Evans. I should have listened to you. I was wrong, and I'm sorry."

She studied his face, seeing the genuine regret in his eyes. "It's okay, Dad. I forgive you."

Bucky hugged her a little tighter, relief washing over him. "Thank you."

They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying the quiet together. Ellie felt a deep sense of comfort being close to her dad, despite the events of the previous night.

Bucky's voice broke the silence again, this time with a more serious tone. "You know you're grounded, right?"

Ellie sighed, knowing it was coming. "Yeah, I figured."

"Two weeks," Bucky said, his voice firm but gentle.

She didn't even argue, just nodded. "Okay."

Bucky smiled, kissing the top of her head. "Good."

They sat in silence again, Ellie's head resting on Bucky's shoulder. Despite the hangover and the grounding, she felt safe and loved. The warmth of her dad's embrace made everything seem a little better.

After a few minutes, Ellie shifted slightly. "Can I have some water?"

Bucky chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Sure, kiddo."

He stood up, heading to the kitchen to get her a glass of water. Ellie watched him go, feeling a deep sense of gratitude. Despite everything, she knew her dad would always be there for her, and that made all the difference.

THE DAY HAD COME for Ellie's therapy session with Dr. Evans, and she was dreading it more than anything. The nightmare she had about the therapist still haunted her, and the thought of being alone in a room with her made her stomach churn.

"Ellie, it's time to go," Bucky called from the living room, glancing at his watch. He had hoped the calm morning would make things easier, but he was quickly realizing that wouldn't be the case. "Let's get a move on!"

Ellie stood at the top of the stairs, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear. "Dad, please don't make me go," she pleaded, her voice shaking.

Bucky sighed, trying to remain patient. "Ellie, we've talked about this. Therapy is important. You need to go."

She shook her head vehemently, tears welling up in her eyes. "No, you don't understand. I can't go. I'm scared of her. Please, Dad, don't make me."

Bucky's expression hardened slightly. "Ellie, it's just a dream. Dr. Evans is a professional. She's there to help you."

"But what if she's not?" Ellie's voice rose in desperation. "What if she's really like the person in my dream? I don't want to find out. Please, Dad, just listen to me this one time."

Bucky rubbed his temples, feeling his patience wearing thin. "Ellie, enough. We're going, and that's final."

"No!" Ellie screamed, her fear turning into anger. "Why do you keep blowing me off? Why won't you listen to me?"

Bucky took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "Ellie, you're overreacting. You're letting a nightmare control your life. We have to go."

"How can you say sorry and still blow me off!" Ellie's face flushed with anger, and she stepped closer to her dad, her fists clenched. "I'm not overreacting! You don't understand how scared I am. You never listen to me!"

Bucky's own frustration began to boil over. "Ellie, that's enough! You need to go to therapy. It's not up for discussion."

Ellie's voice broke. "Why can't you just believe me? Why do you always think you know better?"

Seeing her so distraught made Bucky's resolve waver. He hated seeing his daughter this scared, and he hated even more that he was the cause of it.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "Ellie, I'm trying to do what's best for you."

Tears wanted to stream down her cheeks, but they just lingered in her eyes, and she shook her head. "You're not. You're just making things worse."

Bucky's heart ached at her words, and he felt a wave of guilt wash over him. He hated seeing her like this, and the fear in her eyes was almost too much to bear. Finally, he sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Fine. We won't go today."

Ellie blinked, momentarily stunned by his concession. "Really?"

Bucky nodded, unable to meet her gaze. "Really."

Without another word, Ellie turned and stomped up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door behind her. Bucky stood there for a moment, staring at the closed door, feeling a mix of relief and regret. He had given in, but at what cost?

He sank onto the couch, running his hands through his hair. He wanted to protect Ellie, to help her, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was failing her.

BUCKY WALKED DOWN THE hallway to Ellie's room, his heart heavy with the silence that had filled the house all day. He knocked gently on the door, but there was no response. With a deep breath, he opened the door and found Ellie curled up on her bed, engrossed in a book.

"Hey, Ellie," he said softly, stepping into the room. "You've been really quiet today."

Ellie didn't look up from her book. "I'm reading, Dad," she said flatly.

Bucky hesitated, unsure of how to bridge the gap that had grown between them. "Can we talk for a minute?" he asked, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"No," Ellie replied sharply, still not looking at him. "I don't want to talk to you today."

Bucky's heart sank. He knew he had been distant and dismissive, and he hated that he had hurt her. He reached out a hand to touch her shoulder, but she shrugged it off.

"Ellie, please," he pleaded, his voice cracking. "I'm sorry. I know I've been..."

"Leave me alone," she interrupted, her voice laced with frustration and hurt. "Just go away, Dad."

Bucky felt a lump form in his throat. He stood up slowly, feeling defeated. As he walked out of her room and gently closed the door behind him, memories of Ellie as a little girl flooded his mind. He remembered how she used to run into his arms, giggling, her tiny hands reaching up to touch his face. She had always been his little girl, full of joy and love.

Now, she seemed so distant, so angry. Bucky leaned against the hallway wall, his eyes stinging with unshed tears. He missed the days when she would climb into his lap, her eyes full of trust and adoration. He missed the sound of her laughter, the way she used to look at him like he was her whole world.

He knew he had to fix this, to find a way to bridge the gap between them. But for now, he could only retreat to the living room, feeling the weight of his mistakes and the distance between him and his daughter.

As he sat on the couch, staring blankly at the TV, his mind was miles away, back to the days when Ellie was just a little girl, full of life and love. He missed her so much it hurt, and he resolved to do whatever it took to make things right. But for now, all he could do was wait and hope that she would find it in her heart to forgive him.

8 years ago

Bucky had just settled down on the couch after a long day, stretching out and letting the cool fabric soothe his tired muscles. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the rare quiet in the house. But the peace didn't last long.

He heard the unmistakable pitter-patter of small feet running across the wooden floor. He opened his eyes just in time to see his six-year-old daughter, Ellie, sprinting towards him, her face lit up with excitement.

"Daddy!" she squealed, hopping onto his chest with a surprising amount of energy for such a small person.

Bucky let out a playful grunt as she landed on him, but he couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. "Hey there, munchkin," he said, his voice soft with affection. "What's got you so excited?"

Ellie wiggled around, getting comfortable on his chest. She was always so full of energy, her curiosity and enthusiasm boundless. She started talking, her words tumbling out in a rapid stream.

"So, Daddy, today at school, Miss Thompson showed us how to make a volcano with baking soda and vinegar! And it was so cool! And then at recess, Penny and I played tag, but I tripped and got a scrape on my knee, but it didn't hurt that much, see?" She pulled up the hem of her dress to show a small scrape.

Bucky nodded seriously, inspecting the tiny wound. "Wow, that's a tough scrape. But you're a tough girl, right?"

Ellie beamed at the compliment. "Yeah! And then we had lunch, and Penny traded me her apple for my cookies. And then, oh! I saw a butterfly, and it landed on my hand, and it was so pretty! It had blue and yellow wings, and I named it Ellie Jr."

"And then, Daddy," Ellie continued, "we had story time, and Miss Thompson read us a book about dinosaurs. Did you know that some dinosaurs had feathers? Feathers, Daddy! Isn't that so cool?"

"Pretty cool to me."

As Ellie continued her enthusiastic recounting of her day, Bucky found himself completely captivated by her. He stared at her with pure adoration, soaking in every detail of her expressive face, her animated gestures, and the way her eyes sparkled with excitement. To him, she was the most precious thing in the world, her innocence and joy a constant source of light in his life.

She shifted slightly, her small hands resting on his shoulders as she looked down at him. "Daddy, do you think butterflies like cookies? Because Ellie Jr. flew away before I could share mine."

Bucky chuckled softly, reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I think butterflies like flowers better, sweetheart. But it was very nice of you to want to share."

Ellie nodded thoughtfully, then launched into another story about a game they played in class.

Bucky listened intently, nodding and making encouraging noises as she spoke. He loved these moments with her, where she felt safe and happy enough to share every little detail of her world. Her voice was a constant hum of happiness, filling the room with warmth.

After a while, Ellie hopped off his chest and stood next to the couch, her eyes darting around as if she was planning her next adventure. "Okay, Daddy, I'm gonna go find Ellie Jr. and tell her about my day! Maybe she's in the garden."

Bucky laughed, watching her run off with boundless energy. "Alright, munchkin. Be careful out there."

As she disappeared out of sight, Bucky lay back on the couch, a content smile on his face. He cherished these moments with Ellie more than anything. Her innocence, her boundless enthusiasm for life, and her ability to find joy in the simplest things were constant reminders of the beauty in the world. He hoped things would never change, that she would always be this happy and carefree.

Bucky closed his eyes again, letting the memory of Ellie's laughter and her excited stories fill his mind. No matter what challenges the future might hold, he knew he would always treasure these moments with his little girl, hoping that her bright spirit would never fade.