Bucky hummed a tune to himself as he finished up the dishes he had been washing from the night before. He checked the time on his watch. She was fifteen minutes late. Panic flared inside of him, but he quickly calmed himself down. She was a kid. He used to be a lot later that just fifteen minutes when he was a kid. He had to trust that she was okay. 

5 minutes later, and he was drying his hands off on the towel when he heard the door open. Thank god, "Hey Natalie! How was school?" he asked as he walked into the front room, but he immediately paused when he saw his daughters face. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her cheeks were stained with tears. She instinctively tried to hide it from him, but it was too late. He walked towards her, and kneeled down so that they were at eye level, "Elie, what's wrong?" he asked softly. 

She sniffled, "we were doing an assignment in school today. The teacher told us to write down ten things we love about our mom. I put up my hand, and asked what I should do if I don't have a mom..."

Bucky's expression saddened. He could see where this was going.

"She said that I could write about my dad instead. I asked her if I could write about both of my dads, and the whole class burst into laughter."

"Elie don't listen to them. It's okay."

"Dad... after school, a couple of them pulled me to the side. They said..." more tears fell down her porcelain cheeks, and Bucky used his thumb to gently wipe them away, "they said that we're all going to go to Hell."

There were no words to describe how angry Bucky was in that moment. He couldn't believe someone had the nerve to say that. Especially to his innocent kid. 

"I don't wanna go to Hell," she sobbed.

"Hey," he placed both his hands on her cheeks, and tilted her face up so he could look her in the eyes, "none of us are going to Hell. I promise."

"But they said that God hates us. They said that this isn't what he would have wanted..."

"God loves us for who we are. As long as we're happy, he's happy. You're happy, right?"

"Yeah..." she sniffled.

"And me, and daddy are happy, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Then god is happy too."

"But those kids..."

"Those kids have no idea what they're talking about. They're just trying to freak you out."

She nodded, and wrapped her arms around Bucky's neck to give him a hug. He smiled sadly, and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her up as he did so, and carrying her into the kitchen, "how about some hot cocoa?" he asked. Hot cocoa always made her feel better. It was one of Steve, and Bucky's 'life hacks'. 

She smiled into his shoulder, "yes please."

He placed her on a chair at the island, and started the process of his specialty hot chocolate. He made three cups, one for both of them, and one for Steve who was supposed to be coming home any minute now. He was going to be pissed when he found out about the bullies from Natalie's school. He didn't like bullies.