bodilesswarrior

She panics, at first, when she wakes in a strange room. It's been months since the Hatter took her - almost a year - but she'll never forget what it was like.

But she knew, back then, she had to think like a cop. And cops don't panic. (Or the good ones, anyway. The ones like her dad.) So she slows her breathing down, and examines the place. She moves like her sensei taught her, smooth and silent, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Only there's nothing to hit. No grumbling henchman, no cackling madmen. No fellow captors to help, either. Just empty rooms, full but neat, brimming with a life she doesn't know. Somehow, it all makes her feel comfortable - safe - but she doesn't trust the emotion.

She's ready to backtrack, see if she missed anything conspicuous, when she hears a curious meow. So she turns, brow furrowing, towards the couch -

"Jonesy?" No, it's not, it can't be, except the little grey cat leaps over and into her arms, purring like a freight train.

Alice all over again, she thinks as she nuzzles a lost hope, but this Wonderland is much better so far.

[Filtered to Kids]

[She's stalked on the network some - enough to know she's not the only kid here, and most of the adults are at least acting friendly. Some she trusts immediately, for reasons she can't comprehend.

But that doesn't mean there's no danger here. Cabin 219 is her next stop, to see if it really is safe (and also play with robots) - but first, she needs to do this.

She smiles, and it doesn't show nearly as much nerves as she thought it might.]

Hey, everyone, my name's Barbara. I wish I could tell you what's going on, but I'm...still working on that. [She'll get it, though. There are computers in her room!] But either way - I think we all need to be careful. We need to look out for each other.

So - try not to go anywhere alone. I thought maybe we could set up...like a buddy system. Younger kids with older ones.

((Barbara is fourteen years old! Her responses will come from

flawedgem.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Lightning connections is what her mind does, so - ] Tiny blond kid?

[Bucky's answer is nothing if not insistent:] He ain't tiny, he just hasn't had a growth spurt yet.

There's nothing wrong with being small.

I know.

[She smiles, a little bit, wryly sympathetic.] Back home - I'm taller than most of the boys. Faster, too. They tease me a lot.

You shouldn't let them get away with it.

[A slight shrug.] Starting fights will just get me in trouble, and - I don't need that kind of attention. [Or any kind, she's starting to think. Not if she wants to succeed in the shadows, like Batman.]

They're just going to keep doing it. It's not like you should go looking for stuff like that, but bullies don't stop if they know you won't fight back.

[Of course, they often don't stop if your best friend shows up and breaks their nose, either, but that doesn't mean Bucky's going to stop looking out for Steve. Some of them learn.]

Hey, if they take the first swing... [And yeah, okay, there's a bit of hope in there. But then she grimaces.] It'll never get that far, though, not when they know who my dad is.

Who's your dad?

He just became the police commissioner. [There's a swell of pride in her voice.] He's really gonna make the city better, I know it.

It's just - people look at me, and think of him instead.

Must be nice. People used to do that when I told 'em my dad was in the army.

[Was.

She knows what that means, and the aching sympathy is clear on her face.]

Do you have anyone else, now?

[That sympathy makes him a little uncomfortable, mostly because he doesn't love thinking about it, really. And doesn't quite know what to do with stuff like that, because it's nice and all, but it doesn't really change anything.]

Just Steve. But we're doin' fine.

[Which he sounds very sure of, even if two kids - one of whom is apparently allergic to being alive - on their own isn't exactly an ideal situation to find yourself in.]

[After a moment, she nods. It's not ideal, no, but it's something.]

[Private]

...I got lucky. My dad now - he was my uncle, before. [If they hadn't taken her in...]

[Bucky nods, never quite sure what to say to stuff like this, either. "I'm sorry" doesn't really help fix anything, but not saying anything at all is pretty dumb.]

Sorry.

Yeah. [Her smile is wry. She gets it.] I never thought I'd be happy again, but now - it's better. [Not perfect, not easy, but better.]

Family helps, however you find them.

Edited 2014-12-11 07:45 (UTC)

Yeah. [Bucky gets that. Maybe they're not related by blood, but Steve is and has been family for a long time.] They do.

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