Chapter Four
Soroya

Livy and Stevie run past us into our house as soon as we open the door. They both go straight into the family room, with Livy picking up the Harry Potter book she left on the table in front of the couch and Stevie jumping up and down excitedly on said couch. He is practically bursting with anticipation as he asks us: "Tell me how you caught the bad guy! Did he have powers? How many other kids did you rescue? I gotta know!"

Bucky chuckles at our son's enthusiasm, walking over towards the back of the couch and giving him the answers he desires: "We found the bad guy's hideout and your Uncle John took him down. Your mother took down the bad guy's henchmen and together we all rescued the kids that were captured."

This makes Stevie even more excited, he jumps up and wraps his arms around Bucky's neck and his legs around his waist, saying into Bucky's shoulder: "That's so cool, Daddy."

"I'm happy you and Mama are okay," Livy says, setting her book down on her lap. "You were gone longer than you said you would be, I started to worry."

"I wasn't, I knew you were just busy," Stevie says, pulling back from Bucky and looking over to me. "Nothing can stop you."

I walk over to my son and kiss his head, then I go over to sit down next to my daughter, who looks a little upset. Olivia has always taken what Bucky and I do very seriously, every time either of us go on a mission, I can tell it really bothers her. She doesn't usually say anything because she knows how important our job is, but I can sense her fear every time we leave, and her relief every time we come back. Steve is the exact opposite, he thinks being an Avenger is the greatest thing in the world, and thinks we're invincible.

I tuck Livy's her behind her ear before placing my arm around her shoulders, pulling her against me. Livy wraps her arms around my waist and rests her head against my chest, mumbling to me: "I'm glad you're safe, Mama."

I kiss the top of her head and squeeze her tightly. "Me too, my darling."

Bucky, with Stevie still wrapped around him like a monkey, sits down on the couch on the other side of Livy, gripping onto her hand with his metal hand. "We'll have to go away again, but just for a few hours. We need to question the bad guy we captured. You'll stay at the palace with your aunt and uncle while we're gone."

"Can you both please spend some more time with Jo? This will be a hard transition for her and having you two to make her comfortable will be a great help to your uncles." I ask them both.

Stevie nods, placing his tiny hands on Bucky's cheeks, playing with his scruff. "We can show her around the palace and the city, I think she'll really like it."

"I'm really happy that we have a cousin." Livy says with a smile as she pulls back from me.

"What about Zy? He's our cousin." Stevie points out.

Livy's cheeks start to blush as she says: "Zy is different."

Stevie shrugs, continuing on by saying: "Jo has really awesome powers, are you gonna teach her to use them like you did with us?"

"We'll all help her," I tell him, pushing strands of his hair away from his face. "She's family now, and that's what family's do, they help one another."

"When are you leaving again?" Livy asks quietly.

"Not for a few hours, how about we watch a movie together and eat some dinner?" I suggest, kissing Livy's head once more before standing up. "What are two hungry for?"

"Pizza!" Stevie declares.

Livy rolls her eyes. "You always want pizza."

"Because pizza is the best."

"You're going to turn into a pizza one of these days."

"I hope so, that'd be awesome!"

Livy shakes her head at her brother and stands up too, making her way over towards the kitchen. "I'll help Mama make pizza, you pick the movie, but Stevie if you pick a horror movie I'll burn your pizza."

Stevie sticks his tongue out at his sister. "Horror movies are cool, you're just too lame to appreciate them."

Livy sticks her tongue back at him, making me shoot them both glares. "Play nice you two, there will be no pizza burning and Stevie pick a movie we will all like."

Stevie collapses back onto the couch with a sigh, his voice sounding frustrated as he tells Bucky: "No one appreciates my taste, Daddy."

Bucky tries to muffle his laughter as he assures our son: "I promise when I get back you and I will have a marathon of horror movies, but for now how about we just stick with Harry Potter or Star Wars?"

"Fine. The Empire Strikes Back."

Bucky winks at him. "Good choice."

Livy helps me get all of the ingredients out of the fridge and puts them on the counter, dropping her voice as she asks me: "Was Uncle Alex this annoying when you were kids?"

"Worse." I reply with a smirk.

Livy scoffs, beginning to open up a jar of tomato sauce as she mumbles: "I find that hard to believe."

-

Alex

I unlock our front door and let it swing open, ushering Jo inside. She takes a few steps inside and halts, turning her head in a million directions to take the house in. I would like to think that we have a nice place, with some nice furniture and decorations. Jo walks past the living room and kitchen and goes over to the wall right next to the stairs, which is covered ceiling to floor in photos. There are some photos of Soroya and I as kids, some of my parents, photos of Livy and Stevie, of our friends, and a ton of Khari and I throughout the years. Jo seems to really like these photos, I see her smiling at them as she looks at each one individually.

Khari and I both approach her and gesture towards the stairs. Holding onto both our hands, she makes her way up the staircase and allows us to direct her to the guest bedroom, which is across the hall from our bedroom. In said guest bedroom is a bed with blue pillows and a large blue blanket, a dark wood dresser, a lamp next to the bed, and a matching blue rug. Jo lets go of our hands and looks around the room, taking it in just like she did with downstairs.

"This is mine?" She asks timidly.

I wrap one arm around Khari's waist and lean against him, nodding down to her. "This is yours. We can add furniture and decorations if you want to, and of course we'll buy you some clothes to fill up those dressers and whatever else you want."

"I'll talk with the school tomorrow about getting you enrolled, and as soon as Alex gets back, he and Soroya will start teaching you to control your powers."

Jo's face fills with panic all of the sudden. "You're leaving?"

"Only for a few hours. I am going to make sure that Anderson is locked away for good and maybe get some answers that will help explain how you got your powers in the first place."

Jo's panic slowly slips away, her face scrunching up as she begins to cry, her voice coming out high pitched as she asks: "So I really don't have to go back there?"

Khari and I instantly bend down to be at her eye level, shaking our heads so hard that I'm pretty sure we just pulled muscles. I place my hand in hers while Khari wipes her cheeks, assuring her in complete honesty: "That man will never hurt you again. We will make sure that you are protected Jo, that you are happy, that you are loved."

"You're stuck with us," I tell her, feeling tears well up in my eyes and my throat grow tight. "We're family, it's the three of us against the world, I promise you."

I sit down on the floor and usher Jo into my arms, sitting her down on my lap and feeling her rest her head on my shoulder. Khari sits down as well, kissing Jo's head as he wraps his arms around the two of us, leaning his head against mine. I dread having to leave these two, even if it's necessary, even if it's only for a few hours. It's hard to believe that twenty four hours ago it was just me and Khari, and now we're parents. In the span of a day, this little girl has become the whole world to me, and I can't imagine my life without her. I think Soroya and Khari were right, all those failed adoptions were meant to be, because we were meant to find Jo, she was meant to be apart of our family.

I love her, and I promise that I will tell her how much I love her everyday, and never make her forget how much joy she brings in my life. As the hours go on, my fears of being good enough for her grow greater, but as does my determination to try to be worthy of being her father. My father was the greatest father that has ever existed, and I know I will never measure up to him, but I'll sure as hell try. I'll try everyday to make sure the first four years of her life become nothing but a distant memory, and I'll start by making sure the bastard who did this to her rots in prison for the rest of his miserable life. I owe her that, I owe her that peace after so much pain and fear.

"Thank you, Jo." I whisper to her, cupping the side of her head and holding her even tighter against my chest.

"For what?" She asks, using my shirt to wipe her face.

"For being you."