Broken Malysh (Little One)
Summary: Living seemed harder after the Avengers saved you from HYDRA. But you were given the opportunity to save the team at the risk of your own half, you don't hesitate.
Warnings: suicide ideation, self harm, blood, injuries, coma, guilt, past trauma, death (non major characters), mental health, reader needs a hug.
Relationship: Bucky x Natasha x daughter!reader
Word Count: 5.3K
It was a strange feeling. Freedom. Space. You weren’t used to it. One moment, you were locked in a cell with chains attached to your wrists and ankles. Now you had your own room and free rein of the Avengers compound. You could eat when you were hungry, watch TV if you were bored, and they never expected you to use your powers like HYDRA.
You could manipulate any weapon. You could create, summon, and use any kind of weapon with perfect skill. That type of power was exploited by HYDRA. Even when the power had a devastating physical effect on you. It drained you. Left bruises all over your body, but the worst was the nauseating feeling that made you sick to your stomach and unable to eat for days.
Now you were free from that. At least that was what Natasha and Bucky told you. The couple found you when the team raided a HYDRA base they thought was abandoned. Instead, they were met with heavy fire and found you - covered in your own vomit and blood. You were barely conscious as Bucky carried you out. You woke up in the med bay with the Black Widow by your side. “You are free,” she said. “You are safe here.”
That was a hard concept to understand. Everything had a price, and it was paid with your blood or bruises.
Though you liked the compound, it was too big and loud. Every time you went into a room with more than 3 people, you left. You flinched when they got too loud, trusted only Bucky and Natasha, but hated bothering them.
Instead, you suffered inwardly and discovered that sleeping on anything besides your bed helped, and that you only slept in 30-minute periods. Any longer, you could slip into a nightmare and wake up screaming. But you could manage that. Besides, you were free, wasn’t that what mattered?
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Natasha opened your room with a laundry basket on her hip. Most of the other team members had the cleaning service Tony hired to handle it, but Natasha preferred to do it herself. The choir of making the bed was therapeutic. It gave her a sense of normalcy outside of fighting.
The sight of your room stopped her in her tracks. It had been 5 months since the team saved you from that facility. You were making progress. You were eating - one big meal and a few snacks throughout the day. She managed to convince you to do a movie night with her, Bucky, Kate, and Yelena. The biggest accomplishment was that Natasha saw you smile as Bucky and Yelena bickered about the perfect pizza topping.
The flinching would take time, and you would learn to trust the others on the team. Healing wasn’t linear. She knew that better than anyone. But Natasha felt stuck as she stared at your bed, which looked like it had been set up 5 months ago. It looked like you slept in it once, maybe twice. Truthfully, this was the first time she’s stepped into your space. She knew you were sleeping. The bags under your eyes weren’t as prominent when you first arrived at the compound.
Now, there was a possibility that you made your bed every morning, but Natasha recognized the way she folded the corners. The question became, “Where were you sleeping?” The place she checked first was the closest. There were many times she found Bucky in there after a nightmare. There was no sign of a bed - just clothes that consisted of old clothes given to you by members of the team. Natasha wanted you to have some of your own stuff.
Next, she checked the bathroom. An uncommon place to sleep, but she learned that Wanda would go in there when the noise would get too loud. The itch would hide in the tub when the bombs would start falling around her home. But nothing. It was clean.
Sighing, she left the bathroom and was about to give up until something under your bed caught her eye. Natasha knelt down and saw a stuffed lion. Bucky gave it to you. It stayed by your side while you recovered in med bay. Then it disappeared. Natasha wasn’t sure if you kept it, but here it was - under your bed with a singular pillow and a thin blanket.
She sat down with the lion in her lap, and she was brought back to the room she and Bucky found you in. You were on the ground, covered in blood and vomit. Natasha barely felt a pulse when she checked. Next to you was your bed, if Natasha would even call it that, when it was a coffin. HYDRA was terrified of you and your ability. That small prison was all you knew. Of course, you tried to find something similar to sleep in.
Natasha knew that feeling too well. The first 6 months at SHIELD, she still needed to sleep with those godforsaken handcuffs on. She wanted you to break that cycle sooner than she did. She wanted you to heal and be free of those monsters. Every step of the way, she would be there.
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“Here,” Yelena passed you two pizza boxes. “Cheese on top, supreme on the bottom.” You thanked her with a small smile and took out two slices of cheese pizza. You discovered early on that pizza was your favorite. Yelena turned her attention back to the conversation between her, Wanda, and Kate.
You liked this trio. They never looked at you with pity or made you feel awkward when you would rather sit and observe than join in on the conversation. It was perfect. You ate your pizza and listened to them banter about the latest reality TV show they were addicted to.
You saw Natasha enter the common area before Yelena. The redhead managed to steal a piece of pepperoni. “Ugh,” Yelena slapped her sister’s hand away. “You are so annoying.”
“And yet you love me.” You smiled at their interaction. Then Natasha’s attention turned to you after she got her own slice of pizza. “How are you, malysh (little one)?” Her voice was always softer when she spoke to you. Plus, the nickname that she and Bucky used filled you with warmth that was impossible for you to describe.
“I’m okay,” you answered. It was hard for you to sleep last night, but you weren’t going to worry her about that. They saved you from HYDRA. They’ve done enough for you.
Natasha opened her mouth, but an alarm began to sound, followed by FRIDAY’s voice: “All Available Avengers report to the hangar.” Yelena groaned.
“I just want one day without the world ending.” The blonde complained while Natasha rolled her eyes.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” She asked. “You can sit this one out.” You shook your head.
“I’m fine,” you said. “I promise.” A week ago, you were cleared by Helen to join the Avengers on a mission. You were itching to fight and feel useful. Natasha was less than thrilled about it.
“Okay,” she sighed. “Just stay beside Bucky and me, okay?”
“Okay.”
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The team was small. It consisted of you, Wanda, Yelena, Bucky, Natasha, and Steve. Everyone else was either unfit to go on a mission or needed to be elsewhere. But a small team was fine. You were investigating an abandoned HYDRA building, hoping to find more information on the super soldier program.
While everyone sat and listened to the plan, you were standing. Mostly listening but also warming up with your spear. Since using your powers left a negative physical effect, the Avengers had to find a way for you to fight. You hated guns. The Black Widow bites weren’t your favorite. Then the Wakandans came to visit to check on Bucky, and you were amazed by their melee weapons.
It took some time, lots of training, and bruises, but you became comfortable with the spear in your hand. You placed the weapon against the wall and stood behind Natasha, arms crossed over your chest.
There was an energy radiating through you. You were excited, anxious, and maybe a little worried. You felt a hand on your shoulder, and you couldn’t help but flinch slightly. “Sorry, malysh (little one),” Natasha said softly. “You are vibrating out of your skin.
“No, don’t apologize.” Besides, it was your fault for flinching. “I’m good. Promise.” Her green eyes looked you over.
“Okay, just-”
“Stay with you or Bucky,” you smiled. “I know.” Everyone would be fine, and you’d be back at the compound, ready to eat more pizza.
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There was a beating in your heart. The organ pounded against your ribs like a drum. No matter how many times you tried to breathe through it, nothing helped. Sweat was running down your back. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. The team was expecting some resistance, but this was an army. A wave after wave of HYDRA goons kept pouring out of the building. Steve was the closest to the entrance but was simply overrun.
With your time at HYDRA, you had moments where your life passed through your eyes. At that time, there wasn’t much to think about. But now, there was so much for you to lose. Natasha was pinned against a tree with agents surrounding her. She was leaning heavily on her right side. Yelena had a HYDRA agent on their back but was being pulled off. You had no idea where Wanda was.
You and the world weren’t ready to lose the Avengers. But if you were to die, no one would blink an eye. You were broken, flawed. The amount of blood on your hands didn’t make you deserve a shred of worth. You were just another fucked up lost cause.
One act was all you needed to save them all. The amount of weapons in the area would no doubt kill you. But you were fine with that. “Kid,” you looked at Bucky. “Don’t.” You gave him a smile.
“Thank you,” you said. “Tell Nat the same.” With the Avengers, you’ve learned to turn this part of your brain off. But now, you felt all of them. The cold metal pulsed at the edges of your mind like dozens of tiny magnets against your skull. Pistols tucked into waistbands. Knives hidden in boots. Rifles aimed at everyone.
You could feel every weapon aimed at them. Every trigger was tightening. Every safety clicked off. It was as easy as breathing as the HYDRA agents shouted in surprise as the guns they wielded tore from their grips.
Using your power on one weapon was like holding a weight above water. This felt like drowning under steel. Pain raced through your skull as you yanked a hand gun out of an agent’s hand, forced it up, and shot him through his jaw before he could touch Natasha. A rifle moved downward. The burst of bullets went into the agent’s leg near Yelena.
God, you hated this. The blood. The death. Everything you hated. You could hear every mechanism - the shift of magazines and the slide of champers.
Then someone fired towards you. Pure instinct snapped over you. Every bullet stopped midair. Naturally, it would have been easy to hold the weapons and have the team take every agent into custody. But that wasn’t going to happen.
One by one, the HYDRA agents fell. Killed by the weapons they once held. You fell to one knee, flinching as the bodies dropped across the field. Silence, besides some of the agents that were barely hanging on. Your body felt wrong. Too light. Too cold. There was a ringing in your ears.
You fell forward, hands gripping at the blades of grass. The world spun around you. Drops of blood fell from your nose and onto the ground. You felt bile rise up your throat. Footsteps came running towards you. The sound pounded in your ears and felt like a herd of elephants. “Hey, hey, sweetheart,” Natasha’s hand softly cradled your cheeks and forced you to look at her. The sudden movement caused your stomach to twist. You turned to the side and threw up the little food in your stomach. The Black Widow wasn’t deterred by the mess. “Easy,” she brought you against her chest. You had no energy to fight her as you rested your weight against her. “Bucky.” You heard the super soldier run over to you. His vibranium hand was placed against the back of your neck. The contrast sent a shiver down your spine. “She’s burning up.”
“We gotta get her back to the compound,” he said. “If her fever gets any higher, her organs will start shutting down.” Natasha turned you onto your back but kept you in her arms. Your eyes fluttered open.
“Hey, malysh (little one),” she whispered. “Can you stay away from me?” You shrugged.
“‘M sleepy, mama,” you whimpered and closed your eyes. You knew they were talking, could feel the vibrations against Natasha’s chest, but their words weren’t reaching you. Static filled your ears. Sleep seemed easier to fall into.
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Bucky was still unsure about many things. The world around him moved way too fast. He missed the slow way of life in the 40s. It was hard for him to understand how he had lived for so long. Sometimes he wished that the fall from the train had killed him. Then he wouldn’t be plagued by nightmares. Blood wouldn’t have been split because of him. So many people would still be alive.
Then if he died, he wouldn’t have been reunited with Steve, never have fallen in love with Natasha, and never have met you.
He saw so much of himself in you. The guilt. The anger. The self-hatred because of things you were forced to do.
Bucky felt helpless as he raced back to the tower while Natasha used the limited supplies to try to lower your temperature. Now, Helen said it was a waiting game because no one knew about your powers. There were wires and tubes attached to you that kept you alive.
Sighing, Bucky rubbed his hands across his face and leaned back in the chair. He should have seen it coming. That look in your eye as you were so willing to sacrifice your own well-being for everyone else. He had seen that look in Nat’s eyes, Yelena’s, and Steve’s. “Any update?” Bucky looked towards Steve’s voice.
“No,” Bucky said. The blonde pushed himself off the door frame and walked to the empty chair. Yelena finally pulled Natasha away so the redhead could shower and get better rest in their bed instead of a chair.
“Sometimes no news is good news.” Bucky hummed and nodded his head. He wasn’t in the mood to talk. All he needed to hear was the constant beep of your heart rate. “Buck,” he glanced at his friend briefly. “This isn’t your fault.” Bucky scuffed.
“Natasha said to me she wasn’t ready to go on missions. She worried too much about her savior complex.” Bucky explained. “But I said she was going to be okay. That we would keep her safe. She acted quicker than I did.” It felt selfish to grab onto your hand.
“You did keep her safe,” Steve said slowly.
“Not from herself.”
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Helen took the tube out. She said your vitals were great and that if you could breathe on your own, it would prove you were on the road to recovery. Still, Natasha wasn’t put at ease until she saw your eyes. You called her mama. The moment replayed in her head, and it was the only thing giving her hope.
Natasha rested your head back on the pillow after she was done brushing it. Wanda helped her wash your hair and the rest of your body. The Black Widow felt the presence of her boyfriend without looking to see him come in. His vibranium arm wrapped around her waist. Before, he barely touched her with that arm. It felt strange when his flesh hand touched her.
She went willingly as he pulled her close to his chest and buried his face in the crook of her neck. His beard tickled her skin. It seemed impossible for her to hide the smile, and a soft laugh escaped past her lips. “There it is,” Bucky whispered against her skin. “Was wandering if I’d ever hear that laugh again.” Natasha sighed and closed her eyes. She hadn’t allowed herself to laugh or smile in 6 days.
“Do you think she did it because she wanted to kill her?” Natasha questioned. The thought had been lingering in the back in her mind when she saw the weapons leave the HYDRA agent’s hand turned on them. Bucky sighed, his face still in her neck.
“I think,” Bucky said slowly. “She was struggling, and this was a way that she thought wouldn’t hurt us.” Natasha wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Maybe that was the point. There was nothing to say when you learned that someone you saw as a daughter wanted to die. “She called you mama.” Natasha smiled.
“She did,” she whispered.
“Then maybe she still wants to stay.” That was what Natasha wanted so desperately. But it was your choice. If you wanted to stay, she would love you through every bad day. But if you wanted to find peace somewhere else, she would understand that, too.
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It was the noise that woke you up. Signing mixed with the steady beat of medical machines. “Somewhere over the rainbow,” the voice was scratchy, a little unsure of itself. But it was peaceful and calm. It made you feel safer than you’ve ever felt. You tried to open your eyes, but your lids felt heavy, as if they were glued together. A dull ache pounded in the back of your skull. “Way up high,” soft fingers moved through your hair. “There’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.”
Finally, your eyes fluttered open. The singing stopped, but the movement of a hand in your hair continued like they were trying to bring you back. You blinked a few times to clear your vision as you were overcome with deja vu. Again, you were back in med bay with Natasha.
“Nat,” you mumbled. Your throat felt dry like cotton. The redhead appeared in your vision. Your throat was killing you.
“Hey,” she whispered. “Hi. Try to stay still, okay? Your body went through a lot.” That seemed like an understatement. It felt like you were trampled by Aragorn 4 times.
“Can I get water?” You asked.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll get Helen and water for you,” you tried to nod, but it made your head spin. You winced. “Easy,” Natasha said, running your hand over your hair and kissing your forehead. It was the first time she’s done that to you. “I’ll be right back.” She left before you could respond, mostly because it hurt too much.
Alone. The room you were in felt so much bigger. You closed your eyes and sighed. You weren’t sure how to feel about surviving. Dying was easy, living seemed so much harder.
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Recovery was hard. The use of your power on all those weapons brought you to the brink of death. You had to relearn everything - how to walk, eat with silverware, and go to the fucking bathroom. Until then, you had to rely on everyone to help you. Natasha helped you shower and go to the bathroom. Wanda was in charge of your food. Then Bucky helped with your physical therapy. It was fucking humiliating. You hated relying on others. Sometimes, you wish you had never woken up.
“One step at a time,” Helen said. That was the motto: through strength training in the gym and in the water. One step forward - no matter how little the progress was. You sat in the wheelchair, decorated with stickers from other team members. Yelena started it. She wanted to add a little color. At first, you liked them, but now they seemed to mock you. Like the parallel bars were mocking you, too. This was the next step in your recovery: to train your body how to keep itself up and walk again. Bucky was nearby. Not hovering, but there if you needed him.
“You got this,” Helen smiled. “You’ve made incredible progress.” Sighing, you grabbed the bars. They were colder than you expected. You wrapped both hands around the, fingers trembling as Helen stepped back. “Don’t look down,” the doctor said. “One step at a time.”
It took everything in you to pull yourself up from the wheelchair. Sweat prickled at the back of your neck despite the chill of the rehab room. You inhaled shakily. Then you moved your right foot forward. Barely an inch, but it moved.
“You’re doing great.” Helen encouraged. “Try another.” You tried. You really did, but your arms were shaking too much. Every part of you felt heavy. It happened faster than your brain could catch up to it - the sudden drop and loss of balance.
You were expecting to hit the ground hard, but it never came. Instead, Bucky caught you. His grip was steady and grounding. “I got you,” he said as he gently brought you back to the wheelchair.
Part of you wished you had fallen. The pain would be better than the humiliation you were feeling. “I can’t do this.” You finally said after your heart calmed down. Helen knelt in front of you.
“Falling is part of this,” you shook your head. No. She wasn’t understanding. You used to be able to do everything on your own, without help from others.
“You stood,” Bucky spoke softly. “You stood,” he repeated. “For the first time.” You looked at the man. His blue eyes weren’t filled with pity but something along the lines of hope.
“I stood,” you managed a smile. Still, the small accomplishment felt hollow.
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The compound was quiet. Everyone seemed to fall asleep easily, except you. Without the watchful eyes of Helen and Bucky, the parallel bars seemed more daunting. But you were so tired of relying on others. This feeling of helplessness consumed your body. You sighed and grabbed the bars. The mission was simple. All you needed to do was hold yourself up. The goal was longer than 30 seconds. With a nod, you pulled yourself up.
It was like you were learning the extent of your powers for the first. In the beginning, you could only rattle a knife. As you got stronger, you could move the knife and slash it through the air. If you could master your powers, you could learn to be independent again. You hated relying on others. Relying on them meant they cared about you, and you couldn’t afford that.
However, your arms gave out. Instead of hitting the ground, you fell into the wheelchair. You whipped the beads of sweat off your forehead. Good. Better, but nowhere you need to be.
You allowed your heart rate to return to normal, wiped the sweat off your palms onto your shirt, and gripped the bars. It felt easier as you held yourself up. Before you could overthink it, you took a step forward. Your left leg followed slower, dragging slightly. The muscles in your thigh screamed, weak from disuse.
You made it to where you fell in front of Bucky and Helen. Then one step passed it. Then another. Halfway through the bars is when it happened again. Your body gave out. Pain burst through your hip and elbow as you hit the floor.
A sob that you had been holding back for so long finally escaped. The sound echoed in the silent room. Everything felt too much. You were so fucking tired of the nightmares and the pain. You were so tired of living. Each cry seemed louder, making it harder to breathe. You twisted your hands into fists and dug your nails into your palm. Why wasn’t it enough to kill you? Why was the universe tormenting you? Was this your punishment? All the souls you killed, you were forced to live.
Two pairs of hands rested on your back. One warm. One cold from the metal. Their sudden appearance made the tears come harder. It wasn’t fair to them that they were responsible for someone who had broken as you. “Breathe, malysh (little one),” Natasha’s voice broke through the fog. “Breathe for us.” You shook your head.
“I can’t,” you whimpered. “Everything hurts.”
“I know,” Bucky’s voice was so soft. You’ve never heard it like this before. His hand worked to undo the fists. Your body fell against his, eyes squeezing shut as tears continued to fall onto the fabric of Bucky’s shirt.
“I’m tired, Dad,” you whispered. Natasha’s hand rubbed circles against your back. “Why didn’t it kill me?” Natasha’s hand hesitated. You even felt Bucky tense. “I wanted it to kill me.” You admitted.
“Come on, malysh (little one),” Bucky said. “Let’s get you back to bed.” He lifted you easily in his arms. The super soldier always ran warm. Mixed with the steady beat of his heart, you fell asleep.
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It was the pounding headache that woke you up. If it were up to you, you would still be sleeping. Since the near-death experience and moving in with the Avengers, this was the soundest sleep you’ve gotten. Blinking your eyes open, you discovered you weren’t in your room but Bucky’s and Natasha’s. There was a pair of ballet shoes thrown in the corner. An old picture of Bucky and Steve hung on the wall. It smelled like them too. Sandlewood and leather. Your hand rubbed the rest of the sleep out of her eyes. When your hand came back down, it touched something soft. You knew what it was without looking - the stuffed lion Bucky gave her. You smiled and pushed the animal to your chest. “FRIDAY,” your voice was rough. “Where are Nat and Bucky?”
The AI was quick to respond. “Your parents are in the kitchen. I have informed them you are awake.” Parents? That singular word froze you to the bed. Parents. No, no, no. Bucky and Nat were not your parents. Why would FRIDAY call them that? It wasn’t like you’ve called them your parents before. Right?
But then two memories appeared in your brain. The first was from last night. All of your energy was gone, and you felt safe against Bucky. Calling him dad seemed easy. Then you were on that battlefield, dying in Natasha’s arms. The word ‘mama’ slipped out so easily. All of this was a problem. If you saw them as your parents, did they see you as their daughter? Then your death would hurt more than you thought it would.
The door opened, and your eyes widened to the size of saucers when the couple walked in. Bucky was holding a tray of food, and Natasha had a tall glass of water and apple juice. You preferred it over orange juice.
They always seemed to remember everything about you, no matter how small. Natasha knew you liked your sandwiches cut in half, so you could avoid eating them all. Bucky remembered the music you liked to wind down to after a training session. Your favorite snacks were always in the kitchen. They always made sure to clean the cuts and bruises after your training. They cared about you in a way you’ve never experienced.
“Are you okay, kid?” Bucky asked, placing the try on your lap. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Natasha placed the drinks on the nightstand. Everything was correct. Pancakes with syrup on the side, sausage over bacon, and blueberries.
“I-,” you cleared your throat.
“Take your time,” Natasha smiled. “Last time was a lot.” The couple sat at the edge of the bed, giving you space but close enough so you knew they were there.
“I called you mom and dad,” you said slowly. “And I don’t know what to do with that.” The couple looked at each other, having a silent conversation born of years of knowing each other. Then they looked at you.
“You said it both times when you were vulnerable,” Natasha said. “We understand if things change.”
“No!” You suddenly said it faster than you intended. They were giving you an option to back out. “No,” you said, slower. “I just-” you closed your eyes to steady your heart. “I don’t remember my biological parents. HYDRA has been all I’ve known since you both saved me.” You reopened your eyes. “I’m worried,” you ignored the crack in your voice. “That I am too broken. Too flawed. I’m just a fake fucked up lost cause. And you’ll see that and leave.”
Natasha was the first to move. She took the tray of food off your lap and set it on the ground. The redhead pushed a few tears away that you let fall. “You are not broken, a burden, or a lost cause.” Her touch was soft as she ran her fingers through your hair and rested it on your back. “You have been hurt and hurt, but that does not mean you are damaged. It means you need to heal.” Your hands gripped the fabric of her shirt and pulled her closer.
“I don’t want to be alone again.”
“You won’t,” you heard Bucky move from the original spot on the bed to the empty space next to you. “We are here. Through the good and the bad.” You closed your eyes, letting more tears fall and soak into Natasha’s shirt.
“Don’t let go of me,” you whimpered. “I wanna live.”
“We got you,” Natasha promised. “We will always have you.”
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2 weeks later
You were back at the fucking parallel bars. This time, only Natasha and Bucky were in the room. “You got this,” Bucky said. He stood in front of you, on the other side of the bars that seemed to stretch for miles.
“You’ll catch me,” you said to the super soldier. “If I fall.”
“You won’t fall,” Bucky said with a confident smirk. You rolled your eyes with a huff.
“Yes,” Natasha said. She stood behind your wheelchair. Even without seeing the Black Widow, you knew she gave her boyfriend a stern look. Bucky only shrugged and kept his eyes on you.
“We got you, malysh (little one).” He promised. You nodded, gripped the bars, and pulled yourself up. This was the easiest part and the part you were good at. You could hold yourself up for 40 minutes.
The first step was the hardest. Your body shook from the strain or fear; you weren’t sure. But you took another step, clearer than the first. Even though your legs shook violently, you kept moving. You thought you would fail, but you were still standing. Halfway down the bars, you stopped abruptly. “Are you okay?” Bucky asked.
“Yeah,” you nodded. “Yeah. Just,” you let out a slow breath. “Never made it this far.”
“And you are going to make it further,” Natasha said from behind you. You nodded and took another step forward.
Everything hurt. Every muscle burned, and nerve screamed. You were terrified, but you kept going. Kept moving. Kept lifting one foot in front of the other. Until there was no more bar to grab and you fell into Bucky’s arms, exhausted but so happy. “Atta girl,” Bucky praised and kissed the top of your head.
“Thanks, Dad.” You smiled up at him. Natasha was quick to wheel your chair around, and you slumped down into it. “Give me a minute.” Your chest was heaving. “And I’ll go again.”
“Take your time, sweet girl.” Natasha pushed some of the sweat off your forehead. “I’m so proud of you. We will be here when you are ready.”
“Thanks, mama,” And you believed her. Through every good day, bad day, and something in between, they were there.