Possibility of Tomorrow - 17

Cont...

 Darling touched down in Wakanda at dinner time. Shuri hadn't asked questions, and Darling was grateful. She wasn't sure what she would have said if asked. In truth, she hadn't thought, she'd been in Moscow, and she had found the info she was looking for, but then she'd stumbled onto something else. She'd dropped everything and found the first flight back. 

Suddenly she was standing at the end of the ramp of a quin-jet with Bucky's house within a quick walk, and she doubted. Halfway across the world in less than twelve hours, and this was the first time she hesitated. Would he even want to know? 

But the jet was lifting off, and everything in her wanted to call it back, but it answered her question, he might not want to hear what she said, but he was going to. 

She walked slowly over to his home and watched him work gently with the kid goats from afar. Once she got closer, he turned to greet her, "Darling! I wasn't expecting you!" 

Darling smiled, "I wanted to surprise you."

 "Well, I am pleasantly surprised. Come in. We can catch up." Bucky started tea as Darling sat at the small table. Now that she looked around the room, she was surprised how they had fit all of them in during Thanksgiving. But that was far from her thoughts today. For the first time, Darling felt uncomfortable in his home as she shifted in her seat. 

Bucky talk with her about her travels and how the others were doing before he put his cup down and fixed her with a look, "What's wrong? You've been jittery this whole time." 

Darling put her own cup down and sighed, "Can we take a walk?" 

Bucky frowned, "Sure." They walked around the house and down by the river as it started to get chilly. 

"I was in Moscow recently. I found an old abandoned base there. I also found my medical records." Darling stared, "I was wondering, do you remember your time in Moscow?" 

"No," Bucky shook his head, "I don't. I'm sorry." 

Darling nodded, "That's okay. I was just curious." 

"Why do you ask?" Bucky was trying to be casual. 

"Because I found something." Darling stopped and faced him, "I found something in Moscow and came right here, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it." 

Bucky frowned, becoming concerned, "What was it?" 

Darling opened her mouth to answer and couldn't seem to get the words out. Her eyes were desperate, and Bucky's worry was growing. She must have found something huge to be here right after and look this conflicted. 

"What is it? I'll support you no matter what." Bucky said quietly.

 "You don't know that," Darling whispered.

 "Yeah, I do." Bucky's heart broke at her words. Did she not trust him by now? He looked at this girl he'd saved what felt like a lifetime ago and wondered what she had found that made her this defeated.

 "I'll be here no matter what." His words had the opposite effect he wanted them to have as tears appeared in Darling's eyes. "What did you find?" Bucky asked again, slightly scared. 

She tried to tell him, but the words got caught in her throats; giving up, she yanked the paper out of her bag and thrust them at him. Bucky took them slowly, and Darling looked away towards the meadow. 

What was she thinking coming here telling him? Nothing would ever be the same. Everything would change. She blinked away her tears; she could rise above this. She didn't need anyone; it was simply words on a page. But is it really? Her mind whispered. You've always known you just haven't done anything about it. Darling pushed the thoughts away, so she had known, so what? She could keep going. She would be fine. Will you? She turned back to Bucky, who was staring down at the papers, no longer reading, just staring. 

"I'm yours, biologically. Technically it was just a failed lab experiment, so I'll get it if you don't want to do anything about it. Besides, I'm pretty sure saving my life fulfills the parental obligation over and above. I just thought you might want to know in case either of our DNA shows up on any scans." Darling kept her voice even and business-like.

 Bucky blinked a few times like he couldn't believe what he was seeing, "You're my daughter?" 

"Accidentally yes." Darling pushed away the pleading part of her that wanted him to accept her.

Bucky took a moment to think, "That's a lot to process."

 "Yes, it is. You'll have pleat of time, though. I'm leaving for New York immediately. It would seem trouble is coming closer to home than we would like." Darling nodded. Don't be stupid; he's not going to want a genetic mistake he happened to have his DNA used in. "I'm going to head out. I don't want to miss my flight." Darling turned to go. 

Bucky's hand shot out a grabbed her arm, making her look at him. Bucky struggled for the right words for a moment, "I want this, I think. I just need time to come to terms with it, okay?" He was pleading with her to understand, and she did—a little. 

Darling nodded and tried not to show the dejection on her face, "Okay. We can talk about it when I get back." 

"Yeah," Bucky nodded, "Sure." He let her arm go, and she walked off towards the landing area for the jet. "Darling!" Bucky called. 

She turned around, shoving down her hopes, "Yeah?"

 Bucky hesitated before calling out, "Stay safe." 

Darling nodded, "Will do." 

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