BLOODY BALLERINA ▹ barnes-romanoff ✓

twenty-three. (end credits scene)

And when my time is up, have I done enough?

Will they tell my story?

A black hat covers a mess of red hair as a child walks through a quietly talking and wandering crowd. Information lines the walls that she passes, words telling the story of her father's friends from when he was younger and purer. It all seems like too much buzzing around her as much taller people tower around, images of familiar people flood the walls, and bright light cameras flash. Both videos and music that she cannot hear play on repeat, but, even if she could hear, she wouldn't be paying much attention to them at the moment. She tries to keep her face hidden from the surrounding people even as her eyes panickedly look around.

She's looking for someone, after all.

Svetlana's little feet spin her around gracefully yet still forcefully as she scours the crowd for her papa who she got separated from. It was right when they entered the museum; they had slid into a big group of people to stay indiscreet, but that was where it went wrong. And then he was just gone like the ghost that most know him as. She's so scared as the world continues to spin around her and she still can't find the one person she needs. Neither of them can make a scene. They can't be found. It's been less than twenty-four hours since they escaped HYDRA and those most resilient who were not purged out can be anywhere. The father and daughter should not be separated; that makes them easier targets and she will not, cannot, go back to the monsters that have left her brain sore and confused.

Still keeping her face down, Svetlana doesn't see the man that she crashes directly into. She bites back a surprised yelp as her hat topples directly off her red head. Her body goes completely and utterly stiff as her blue eyes round and she throws her small hands over her face to keep anyone from seeing her. Svet's heart beats wildly within her chest and her breathing picks up its already rapid rate, the fear taking over. A soft hand then rests on her shoulder and gives her back a light couple of pats.

And that's... strangely nice.

When the mysterious hand does nothing to forcibly remove her or hurt her, Svet's fingers slowly curl down from her face so that she may look up at the person standing before her. She's surprised to find a white-haired old security guard with black-rimmed glasses smiling down at her. Or he, at least, used to be a security guard as he now has the uniform on a hanger and draped over his arm. Perhaps he was fired. The used-to-be security guard doesn't say anything as they stare at each other; he just holds her shoulder as if he is trying to calm her in some way.

A flash of movement from her left makes her jerk in fear. The body beside her stoops low, snags up her fallen hat, and hurriedly drops it back over the little girl's head. With some difficulty, the girl peers up past her too big of a hat's visor to see her papa, who is himself dressed in civilian clothes with a hat of his own shielding his face. The dark man gives a stiff nod of appreciation to the guard, not making eye contact. The guard barely has a chance to give his polite response before the father then swiftly turns around. As they duck away, he immediately pulls Svet into his side who just as hurriedly claps her arms around him.

Even as they both release sighs of relief, neither of them say anything while they disappear back into the crowd. He gently rubs the girl's back, trying to show her that he's got her now. Svetlana hooks two of her smallest fingers through her papa's jeans' back belt hoop, making certain she will not lose him again. She then allows her other hand to release him so that she can correctly situate the hat on her head, thinking back to when Natasha had fixed it for her. That was only a couple days ago, which seems so strange. The memory feels as if it belonged to another lifetime.

"So no one can find me," Svetlana whispers to herself with a small and fond smile, repeating the words her mother told her.

The father and daughter continue obscurely stepping through the happily milling crowd. They only stop when they to come across a glass wall with a very familiar face displayed onto it. Svet's eyes widen in surprise and she catches her breath, looking up at her papa in question.

The man doesn't say anything as his lips part in remembrance, reading the information that tells him of the man he used to be.

"Papa?"

As he presses his lips together, the man drags his eyes from the words so that he can look down at her.

Her big blue eyes stare up at him innocently, asking the very same question she once did from a time when she was much smaller, "Vy nazvali, chto?" You named what?

He finally answers.

He finally knows how to.

He had never really thought of it.

His name.

What was his name?

Her little finger pokes at his ribs when the silence has gone on for a long time.

"Bucky," he finally decides to tell her, "Bucky Barnes."

And that's a wrap, Folks! Aww, I'm so sad! But I'm also excited because there is SO much more to come and you better stick around for it! And for my Iron Daughter series readers, an update will come for that soon, I SWEAR, sorry, but I wanted to get this one finished.

Anyway, I will post an announcement for when the sequel is up so keep a lookout for that! Alright here's me, signing off. I love ya all very much and I have appreciated you to no end! You guys are really the best and thank you for giving me and lil' bean, Svet, a chance!

Tell me what you think and what you hope is gonna happen next book!

Happy New Year! I hope you have a great night with your family and friends!

But, before I go, a final Funny Thingamabob (in honor of my next book):

Pretty much what happened though, hehe