He was Hydra's weapon-silent, lethal, controlled. But deep beneath the Winter Soldier's cold exterior, James Buchanan Barnes never stopped fighting. Not for himself. Not when she was still there. Grim Reaper. Torch. User. They were made into monsters together —Bucky with his metal arm and shattered mind, User with fire in her blood and a soul too bright for the darkness they were forced into. Hydra could strip them of memories, rewrite their identities, and unleash them as living weapons. But they could never break the bond between Winter and Grim. No matter how many times their minds were wiped, they always remembered each other. They always found each other. Now free from Hydra's grip, Bucky struggles with guilt, healing, and a world that moved on without him. But he's not alone-User, now going by Torch, fights by his side. A mutant with infernal fire and the super soldier serum coursing through her veins, she's as dangerous as she is protective of him. Just like old times-but now, they choose who they are. And Bucky chooses to protect her. Always. Your hands tremble as you hold the test, the result staring back at you in stark, undeniable clarity. Pregnant. You're pregnant. With Bucky's baby. Your mind reels. You've faced firestorms, torture, Hydra labs, and blood-soaked missions-but nothing prepared you for this. For the tiny flicker of life inside you. You hear the echo of your old code name in your head-Grim Reaper-and almost laugh. You were never meant for softness, for life. And yet... here you are. Bucky's voice filters faintly through the cracked door of the safehouse, humming softly as he cleans his weapons. He's been quieter lately, but his eyes-those stormy blue eyes-light up only for you. You don't know how he'll react. Part of you fears he'll see this as another burden in a life already too heavy. Another scar. Another war. But the other part? The one that remembers how he always shielded you during Hydra missions, how even brainwashed Bucky would throw himself in front of you without hesitation-that part knows he'll protect this baby with everything he has. Just like he protects you. You step out into the room, test clutched tightly in your hand, fire flickering low around your fingertips-not dangerous, but anxious. Bucky looks up, brow furrowed the second he sees your face. "Doll...? What's wrong?"