(A/n: This is a sequel of a story I wrote ages ago called 'Bucky's Dimple. It was my favorite honestly, and I have been asked for a long time to write another chapter. Well here you go, very short, only about seven chapters but I hope it provides closure to the story.)
When somebody loved me
Everything was beautiful
Every hour spent together
Lives within my heart
The summer heat burned into Valencia's skin as she made her way to her destination. She was dressed cooly in a sundress and sandals and her hair was off her shoulders and in a small ponytail at the top of her head. On her shoulder was a large tote bag and in her hands was a pie.
The young Fury was currently in DC on vacation; she figured she had earned one after all the trouble she had been put through, and she was staying in her old studio apartment from when she was a young Howard student. The space seemed to be smaller than she remembered, but it was no less homey.
She walked down the steps of the metro and pressed her card against the sensor, sliding through the turntable. Then, she stood on the platform and waited for her train. As the doors opened, her phone began to ring in her tote. She took a two person seat and sat by the window, placing her things beside her, then she pressed the screen of her Stark-Phone.
"Hey, Stevie." She teased with a smile.
Her boyfriend chuckled on the other line, "Hi Valencia. Enjoying your vacation?"
"God, more than you'll ever know." Valencia sighed in content, glancing out the window. "How's stuff at home? Holding down the fort father time?"
"As always, kind of hard to do without my best girl." Steve muttered and Valencia beamed, not bothering to hide her large grin in front of strangers.
"Don't try to butter me up, Captain. I told you to come with me, this could have been a retreat for the both of us." She said, biting her lip.
"Yeah, but if one of us isn't here everything would fall apart." Steve reminded her. Valencia groaned and Steve tsked, "Don't pout, Lena."
"How did you know?" Valencia muttered, inconspicuously looking around the train.
"I know ya."
"Oh do you, now?" The Fury questioned.
"Pretty damn well, I'd say."
"Watch your mouth!" Valencia mocked with a smile.
"I wish you were here to watch it for me."
"Yeah, well…" She trailed, as the robotic voice of the train informed her of her destination approaching, "My stop is coming up, so I gotta go 'Rogahs'." She imitated his accent, "Don't snap ya cap without me."
Steve chuckled, "That's not even remotely correct, Valencia." He informed her before muttering, "I love you."
"I love you, too." She cooed back sweetly before hanging up. She put her phone back in her bag and shouldered it, then grabbed her pie. The train came to a slow stop and she got off, walking up the steps of the train station.
When she was exposed to the sun once more she grimaced; it was way too hot to be outside. But she had an obligation, one that she was going to be late to if she didn't hurry. Her sandals slapped against the steps as she took two of them at a time. She opened the large door and walked to the receptionist desk, checking in.
Valencia got in the elevator and pressed the top floor, waiting for her level patiently. She stepped out of the lift and her legs already knew where to go. She knocked lightly on the white door of room 2342, before opening it with a large smile.
"Valencia Renee, ya late!" An elderly woman snapped playfully, a scowl on her dimpled face. She was dressed in a white nightgown and her hair was silver, curly and pined away from her face. Her skin was the color of copper and her eyes were the color of chocolate. Her dentures were white and her face was kind. Her wrinkled face told of her wisdom though the indents in her cheek spoke of an eternal youth.
Her name was Darla Lorraine Barnes and she was ninety-four years old. She was from Brooklyn, New York and she wouldn't let you forget it. She had an older sister named Roselyn, but she had died years ago, and she had a nephew named Abe. She was old, but smart as a whip. She used to be a nurse, so she would give her aides hell. They couldn't be mad at Darla Lorraine though, not with that smile.
"I'm sorry Ms. Darla." Valencia sheepishly apologized, setting her things down. She rolled the side table over to Darla's bed and placed the pie on it, "I brought a peace offering."
"I told ya ta' stop with all that, 'Miss' mess. Makin' me feel a hundred, girl I'm only 94!" The copper woman snapped with a wink. "Now how'd ya make this? Tell me all the steps 'fore I take a bite."
Valencia laughed and did as she was told. She visited Darla everyday that she was in DC, she was like a pseudo grandmother to her. She had met Darla about a year ago, she was a childhood friend of Steve's, and fell in love with the small woman. She would tell her stories of her life and they were fascinating. And on occasion, such as yesterday's visit, she would give her a recipe.
"Now this is a test, Val." Darla informed the young woman, scooping up a piece of pie, "If ya don't do this right, ya don't get anymore recipes. I'll be damned if ya walk around here tellin' people I taught ya how to cook with nasty food." She took a bite of the pie with narrowed eyes, before her eyes fluttered closed.
Darla Lorraine liked Valencia Renee. She was pretty, smart, and most of all she made Stevie happy. She wasn't a prying girl either, she knew when to stop asking questions. She was also very strong. Steve had told her how Valencia was the reason he had come to visit her so quickly, and for that she would be forever grateful to the girl.
"Well?" The young woman asked, her bright brown eyes on Darla.
"Perfect." The elder woman winked at her, "Just like my mama's. I guess ya can have my cookbook, but don't show nobody!" She reached over and picked up her book of recipes, handing it to Valencia.
Valencia took it with a huge grin and put it in her tote bag, before settling next to Darla again. The dimpled woman smiled and reached out to pinch her cheek. "Ya just so pretty, Valencia Renee. I used to look just like ya, ya know. I was a little thing with a big behind. Jamie couldn't-!" Her smile faltered a bit and she folded her hands over her lap. "The boys couldn't keep their eyes off me."
Jamie was Darla's husband, he had died in the war. But the thing was that he didn't. Darla's husband's name was James Buchanan Barnes and as Valencia had observed a few years ago he was very much alive. He just didn't remember.
Valencia couldn't tell Darla; her heart wouldn't be able to take it. Her husband was just as young as Steve and he had been alive this whole time, though he didn't remember the love of his life. That would hurt her too much. So every time Darla mentioned her 'Jamie', Valencia would just nod and smile.
Valencia just put her hand over Darla's and smiled at her. "Tell me about when you and Steve went out for Valentine's Day."
Darla snorted out a laugh and shook her head, "Well that was when he was a lot smaller, of course…"
Valencia watched her face dissolve from sadness into fond memories and she smiled, holding the woman's hand tighter. Nothing would ever hurt Miss Darla, not while Valencia was here. But of course, things never quite go the way we want them to.
At the end of the day, Valencia packed up her stuff, kissed Darla on the cheek and left the retirement home, armed with a new recipe idea.
The young Fury closed her eyes on the ride home, tired from the events of the day. She let out a silent yawn as her body was rocked by the motions of the train. Just as she was drifting off to sleep, her phone began to ring.
The rest of the train ride and all of the walk home was spent talking on the phone with her mother. The pretty woman scoffed as she unlocked her front door, kicking it closed behind her.
"Well I don't know where Dad is." She answered, exasperated. She kicked off her shoes and dropped her bag on the counter of her apartment, before plopping down her beige couch.
The apartment had been massively upgraded since she had stayed in it as a young Howard student. She had been able to actually purchase the studio apartment and the one next to it, allowing her to knock down walls and actually build up a pretty nice space. She now had walls, which was a huge improvement, and her bedroom was now the size of the one in the tower, allowing her to have a king sized bed and actual furniture. She expanded her kitchen to include an island and her living room now held a sizeable television and designer furniture donated by a very generous boyfriend. All of her electronics were Stark Industries as a thank you from Tony.
"I'm not sure what Maria has to do with this conversation…" Valencia trailed, a hand rubbing at her temple, "Well because she's nice." Her phone beeped and she held it away from her ear, seeing that Steve was calling. She breathed out a sigh of relief, "Mom, I gotta go. Captain's calling."
Her mother sputtered out words of protest but Valencia switched over the call, putting the phone down and turning on her television. A stream of Steve in their living room popped up on the large screen and she smiled.
"You have no idea how happy I am to see you, Steven."
Steve laughed, his eyes crinkling in the way they do, "Rebecca still asking about your dad?"
"You know she is," Valencia answered with a roll of her eyes, "She really thinks I'm lying about knowing where he is, I haven't even talked to him since he disappeared in the night like a damn ghost."
Steve chuckled and watched as she took her ponytail down and ran a hand through her hair, "How's Darls?"
"Fiery, full of spirit like she always is. She let me bake her a pie." Valencia snorted, making Steve smile.
"Really? Did she like it? I know she's picky about her mama's recipe."
The bronze woman nodded with a smug smile, "She liked it so much she gave me her book of recipes. Told me to bring her a new thing everyday."
"So you can make things that don't start with the letter 'S' huh?" Steve quipped cornily and his girlfriend snorted, "I'll have to try a piece when you get back."
"Or," Valencia added hastily, with a sinful smile, "You can come here and get something more than just my pie."
Steve chewed on his bottom lip for a second, "You know I would if I could-!"
"I know, I know. I'm sorry." Valencia looked away from the screen, she turned back to a crestfallen Steve. She sighed, "How's everyone else? Is Wanda getting any better on her mock missions?"
The captain nodded, cracking his knuckles, "She's gotten way better. I think we'll be able to take her out for a real one soon. Everyone misses you and says 'hi'."
"I miss them, too." Valencia whined playfully, "I feel like a mother being without her kids."
"Does that mean I'm the dad?" Steve questioned with a smirk.
"You're always the dad." The brunette snickered, taking a look at the clock next to her. "I gotta go make dinner for one, but I'll call you tomorrow?"
"Alright, Lena. I'll talk to you tomorrow, have a good night."
"I love you." Valencia cooed, blowing kisses to the screen.
Steve beamed at her and his cheeks tinted pink like they always did, "I love you, too." He replied with a wink, before the connection was broken.
Valencia sighed and drug herself up from the couch and into her kitchen. She looked through her fridge before deciding to order out for the night. She picked up the phone and got enough food for four people, then went to change her clothes.
She took off her sundress and threw it in the hamper before walking into her bathroom and starting the shower. She cracked the sore bones in her body before putting on her shower cap and standing under the water. She cleansed herself and put on a concert, before turning the water off and wrapping a towel around herself. She trotted back to her bedroom and dressed in sweatpants and a Howard U shirt. She yanked off her shower cap and braided her hair into two plaits.
By the time she was done, there was a knock on the door. "Finally, finally." She sung to herself, excited about her food. Her feet padded against the bare wood floors and looked through the peephole, seeing a man with bags in his hands. She unlocked the door and opened it, before grabbing her purse from the counter and taking out her wallet, "How much was it again?" The man raised his head and she looked up from the her wallet to see a very familiar face.