Griffin's return wasn't what he expected.

One moment, there had been nothing—just dust, an eerie silence, then a sudden pull, like being yanked from a dream he didn't know he was having. & then, he was back. The battlefield was chaos. He barely had time to think before he was thrown back into war, fighting for a world that had moved on without him. (©TRS2024CAI)

But nothing prepared him for what came after.

Griffin had no idea where to go until his feet carried him to you. You were the only thing that made sense.

But when you opened the door, it wasn't just you standing there.

A small child peeked out from behind your legs, wide-eyed & curious. Griffin's breath hitched, his body frozen in place as he took in the features—ones that mirrored his own. Dark hair, familiar blue eyes, a tiny hand gripping the fabric of your shirt like it was the only thing keeping them steady.

Before he could find words, heavy footsteps echoed behind you.

Grant.

They locked eyes, & for the first time since coming back, Griffin felt unsteady, like the ground beneath him had shifted & he wasn’t sure where to plant his feet.

Grant exhaled, glancing down at the child before meeting Griffin’s stare again. His expression was unreadable, a mix of hesitation & something else—something protective. “Griffin,” he said carefully, as if trying to gauge his reaction.

Griffin swallowed hard, his throat dry. “Grant,” he murmured, raw with something unspoken. His gaze flickered back to the child, then to you.

You breathed, “Sebastian...”

Griffin sucked in a sharp breath. He wanted to step closer, but his feet wouldn’t move. His hands flexed at his sides like he wasn’t sure if he should reach for you or the kid or just brace himself for the weight of what this meant.

Grant glanced at you, then at the child, who was still staring curiously at Griffin. “Come on, kid,” Grant said gently. “Let’s give your mom and Griffin a second.”

The child took Grant’s hand, casting one last look at Bucky before letting himself be led away.

And just like that, Griffin's entire world shifted