Stacey walked around in her small apartment in Stark Tower. She had moved in shortly after the repairs were finished. Slowly after she had moved in, the other Avengers had moved into their apartments there as well, preferring them over what SHIELD had given them for housing (with the exceptions of Tony and Bruce because he never was officially a SHIELD agent, Thor barely lived on Earth so he didn't matter in the first place).
Stacey walked into her bedroom, straight up to the large window, watching as the snow fell quietly around the city. She shivered and then jumped when JARVIS interrupted her thoughts, still unused to the disembodied voice.
"Do you need me to adjust the temperature Captain?"
"No thank you JARVIS, I'm fine. Just got a chill," she replied as she walked over to her bed, slipping under the covers.
"Would you like me to play some music?"
Stacey chuckled and shook her head. "No thank you JARVIS," she replied as she closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep slowly.
Bucky's missing. Found Bucky, safe. HYDRA plant after HYDRA plant taken down. So much violence.
Stacey began to toss and turn in her bed, trying to force herself awake. She knew what was coming next. She doesn't want to relive the memory though.
Snow covered mountain. Small window of opportunity. Bucky and her land on the train and work their way into it. They get separated. Stacey fights one guy off and then tries to get over to Bucky. Bucky and her fighting the last HYDRA agent. They got him now. Side of train is blown off. Bucky gets the agent. Agent pulls Bucky with him. Stacey keeps reaching for Bucky. She can't reach. If she tries harder. She can do it. She has to save him. Bucky falls and- falls.
Stacey screamed, bolting upright in her bed. Panting, she wiped at the sweat on her forehead. She walked over to her bathroom and throws cold water on her face, her breathing calming slowly. She made her way back to the bedroom and looked over at the alarm clock.
"4: 30, that's a bit more than normal," she said sighing as she decided to start making her way up to the communal kitchen. She started the coffee for the others, knowing that Clint and Natasha would be waking up soon as she made herself a cup of tea. She sat down on the couch and stared out across the snow covered city.
She never heard Clint walk in and make his cup, plopping down in the chair near her. "You screamed again. Fourth time this week," he said softly, causing her to stop her train of thought and look over at him.
"Did I wake you?"
Clint shook his head. "No. Do you want to talk about it?"
Stacey shook her head as she stood up, walking over to the sink.
"Come on Cap, you need to talk about it. You're waking up screaming. You've been doing it ever since you first woke up," he begged, turning in the chair to look at her.
Stacey slammed her cup down into the sink, placing her hands on the side of it, gripping the counter tightly. "I don't want to talk about it," she said after a while as she turned to walk out the door. "If anyone needs me, I'm gonna change and then I'll be in the gym." Clint watched her wordlessly, sighing as he drank his coffee, too used to the routine.
Stacey stopped by her apartment and changed out of her pajamas into her workout clothes. She proceeded to head down to the gym, setting up the punching bag that Tony and Bruce designed to withhold her strength without flying across the room. She wrapped her hands and began hitting the bag. Each punch, bringing up a flash of a memory, her speed picking up quickly until she kicked it. She put her arms out to steady the bag, noting Fury's presence.
"What do you want Fury?" She growled as she began hitting the bag again, this time at a slower pace.
"You might want to step away from the punching bag Captain. I've decided it's time to tell you something," he replied simply, a few agents standing behind him. Stacey looked over at him before stopping the bag again and walking over to him.
"Tell me what?" She asked staring up at him, ignoring the agents that slowly formed a circle around her and Fury.
"Sargent James Buchanan Barnes is alive," Fury said looking down at her. Stacey shook her head and reached for Fury, only to be stopped by two agents. She shook her arms free from them and glared at him.
"He's dead Fury. I know this because I watched him die with my own eyes. If you think this is some kind of funny trick, stop it now. It's not funny. You have no idea how hard his death was for me," she growled, her hands clenching. "So why are you here?"
Fury pulled out a file, opening it up and turning it so she could see it's contents. "Is this proof enough for you?"
Stacey read over the file quickly, her vision turning red. She went to punch Fury and the agents tried to stop her. In a few seconds, all of them were on the ground and Stacey had a firm grasp on Fury's coat, pulling him down so he was eye level with her. "It says here that he's been alive and you've known about it since before I even woke up!"
Fury stared at her remaining perfectly calm. "If you had read further, you would've known that he was a part of a Russian Program called the Red Room. He had been brainwashed and trained as an assassin. After Natasha had told us about the program and found out that he was your friend, she helped us work to take it down and get him out. We've spent the past year trying to recover his memories."
"You should've told me Fury! I could've helped! He was my best friend," Stacey yelled at him, her grip loosening slightly. "Where is he?"
"That's not a good idea Captain."
"WHERE IS HE FURY?"
Fury decided to stay silent as Natasha came in, walking over to them and placing a hand on Stacey's shoulder. "I know where he is. I'll bring you there." Stacey let go of Fury and nodded, following Natasha out of the gym to the elevator. Natasha handed her some clothes, a jacket, and boots to put on over what she was wearing. Stacey quickly put them on and followed Natasha out to the car.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Stacey asked quietly once they were in the car.
"I didn't think it was the right time. We had just gotten him out when you woke up, and then New York happened, and we were working on recovering the memories the Russians had taken away from him," Natasha replied as she began to drive.
Stacey nodded softly and stared out the window. "How much does he remember... About before?"
Natasha sighed and parked the car in front of an apartment building. "Not much. It comes and goes for him."
Stacey nodded and stared at the building in front of them. "What number?"
"23," Natasha replied simply. "He's home now. Go."
Stacey slipped out of the car as soon as Natasha had told her the apartment number. She ran inside the building, quickly finding number 23. She stared at the door, raising her hand to knock before lowering it again, scared of what would happen if he answered. She stood there for minutes before running back to the car.
"I can't do it. Bring me back, please," she said softly as she buckled herself in. Natasha stared at her sadly for a moment before nodding and driving them back to Stark Tower. When they got back, Stacey went to her apartment and locked herself in for the rest of the night.
She woke up the next morning, screaming again and followed her normal routine after a nightmare. She stopped in the door way of the kitchen when she saw a familiar silhouette standing at the stove. She stood there, watching for a while before finally coughing awkwardly, grabbing the mans attention.
"Bucky," she said, his name coming out barely above a whisper.
"Hello Stacey, it's been a while, hasn't it?" Bucky replied awkwardly shifting on his feet. "I made pancakes."
Stacey stared at him for a few more minutes before turning and running back to her apartment, slamming the door behind her. Her back hit the door and she slid down, bringing her knees to her chest as she cried. Bucky was alive. Bucky was here. In Stark Tower, and he was trying to act as if she had never watched him die. It was just too much. She couldn't handle it, and she had ran.
She heard a knock at the door and she calmed herself enough to speak. "Go away. I don't want to talk right now."
Bucky sighed and leaned against the door, sliding down so he was mirroring Stacey. "I realize that what I said was not the best way to say hello after what happened."
Stacey laughed weakly. "You think so? I watched you die Bucky and here you are alive and all you can say is long time no see, want some pancakes? I know you're stupid, but I didn't think you were that stupid."
Bucky laughed, covering his face with his hand. "Like you're any better in social situations yourself," he replied softly. "Look, I know that this is hard for you. It's hard for me too. Natasha forced herself into my apartment last night and told me that I was moving into here that moment. I tried to tell her that I couldn't because you didn't know that I was alive, but she told me that they had told you yesterday before she came over."
Stacey sat there listening to him. "They did, I beat up several agents and nearly knocked out Fury." She leaned her head back, resting it against the door as she stared at the ceiling. "I'm sorry Bucky."
"You don't have to apologize Stace, really. You really don't have to apologize," Bucky replied sighing. "I understand. You tried to save me."
Stacey shook her head, tears falling again. "I could've tried harder though dammit! You shouldn't have fallen."
Bucky turned and pressed his hand against the door, his head resting on it. "No. You did enough. You can't save everyone."
"I know I can't save everyone. But I should've been able to save you," Stacey replied as she stood up and raised her hand to touch the door knob, trying to decide if she should open it. She heard Bucky stand up as well and she opened the door. She looked at him, noting the changes. Her eyes stopped when she noticed his metal arm. He followed her gaze and took a deep breath.
"I lost it in the fall, the Russians gave me this as a replacement," Bucky explained holding it out for her to look at closer. She nodded, reaching out and touching the smooth metal. She stood there wordlessly for a long time before tears started to fall again. He stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug, on hand resting on top of her head, the other on her lower back. "I'm here Stace. I'm ok. I promise."
She gripped his shirt tightly and nodded. "I know. I've missed you so much you jerk."
"I've missed you too punk," he replied smiling.
She laughed weakly and pulled away from him. "So which apartment is yours?"
"The one right next to yours actually."
She smiled at him. "Just like old times."
He smiled weakly, wiping away her tears. "Yeah, just like old times."