Daughter of the Shield

Chapter 18

Jo looked out the window as another car drove away from the gas station. Sam and Steve, were inside grabbing drinks since they still had a bit to go before making it to the place they were meeting Sharon.

"Has it been weird for you? Living in hiding?" Jo asked breaking the silence. She looked over at Bucky who was looking down at his hands. She didn't think he would answer, to be honest.

"It was nice actually," His voice was deeper than she expected it to be. "No one was looking for Bucky Barnes. I was just another face on the street. I got to go to a grocery store. I can't remember the last time I got to do something so..."

"Normal." Jo finished.

"Do you miss living in hiding?"

Jo looked at Bucky slightly surprised. He shrugged.

"I did my research on you too."

Jo sighed, "Sometimes, I think. I think I miss working alone. The simplicity of it really. No one to watch out for.  No one to miss.  Easier to hide in plain sight.  I could pretend I was just another stranger walking down the street on their way to a normal job."

Bucky nodded in understanding. "Guess normal isn't really in the cards for us, huh?"

"I think having a metal arm and being a sixteen-year-old who doesn't age sort of killed that chance," Jo answered. She looked over at Bucky and slightly smiled. He smiled back.

The car door slammed behind Steve as he walked over to Sharon. Jo sat in the back seat beside Bucky while Sam was in the passenger seat.

"Who's she?"

"His girlfriend."

"No, she's not!" Jo growled. Sam glanced back at her and smirked.

"But he does like her, right?" Bucky asked.

"Hmm, it's a bit more than like her," Sam chuckled.

"She's my cousin." Jo spat.

"Doesn't that kind of make him her uncle?"

"That's what I said!" Jo exclaimed turning to Bucky.

"That's just gross."

"I'm starting to like you."

"Uh, Jo!" Sam called out.

Jo turned to see Steve take a step closer to Sharon and....

BANG!

Sharon and Steve jumped apart before their lips even touched and turned to see Jo with half her body hanging out the open window, holding a gun.

"Oh! My bad! Thought I saw Tony flying towards you!" She apologized as she climbed back into the car. "Stop giggling like school girls," Jo muttered only making Bucky and Sam laugh harder.

A few minutes later Steve had put the equipment in the trunk and climbed back into the driver's seat.

"Was it necessary to take out her taillight?"

"It looked like Tony's face."

Steve turned around in his seat, so he was facing his daughter. "Is that what you keep saying no to? Her and I dating?"

"You are technically her uncle."

"Thank you!" Jo exclaimed smiling at Bucky.

"So, you don't want me to date?"

"You can date, just don't date her."

"Who do you approve of?" Steve asked with a slight smirk.

"Currently? Bucky."

Bucky let out the loudest laugh Jo had ever heard. Steve noticed it was the first time he had heard Bucky's laugh in over seventy years. He smiled.