Disclaimer: I do NOT own Captain America, or any known Marvel character ypu might see here, however I do own my plot and Arabella so, please don't steal and yadda yadda, you know the drill.
A/N: HI, GUYS. This is WAY overdue. SO enjoy it, I'm already working on what's next. This is the LAST chapter of BOOK 1. I wanted to give you all some sort of back history so when the shit that's about to come happened you all wouldn't be so lost. So, yeah, there IS more to come.
"I can't believe it yet you know," I tell Howard, as I fight my way into, yet, another dress "I'm so excited I might pass out any second now."
"I know you are," he says, chuckling "you haven't stop talking about it ever since."
"Oh, excuse me for being so excited about my wedding, I mean, isn't that what girls are supposed to be excited for?" I ask as my I pop my head out the door from the changing room, a smile playing on my lips as Howard looks at me with a sarcastic look.
"Barnes, better watch it or—"
"Or nothing," I tell him, stepping out from the room wearing a white dress with tea length, by a lacy collar and long sleeves that reach down that cover my hands "so, what do you think?"
"I think," he says, standing up leaving the newspaper he was reading next to the coffee table "you will be a lovely bride. Barnes is a lucky son of a bitch, he should know that."
I smile at the mention of his name and nod my head "he knows," but quickly laugh and add "I guess."
"I can always make sure he knows that," he says "AND that if he doesn't take care of my lil sis I will make sure he regrets it every day."
"Howard, stop with the threats."
"You're my sister," he says, "it would be a crime if I don't threat him every now and then."
I roll my eyes and walk towards him, hugging him from the middle of his waist "Thank you for doing this for me."
He sighs deeply before he starts talking "Look, Bells…I know I joke about killing Barnes—" I look up to see him, before giving a look of complete sarcasm and he adds "Okay! Okay! Half joking, but my point is that I only want to see you happy and he makes you happy. I can see that, everyone can." he kisses the top of my head, before continuing his speech, "after mom and dad died I promised I would be there for you and I want nothing else, Bells, than to see you smile. I would do anything and everything for you."
"And I for you."
He smiles, knowing I mean every word I say. "Now, is there something you want to change on it?" he asks, referring to my dress.
"Now that you mention it…"
When we finally make our way down to the base, Howard tells me he will join me for dinner since he needs to finish some sketch's for Steve and his Commandos new toys. I'm laughing at the thought of such tough men playing with toys when I find myself frozen in place, spotting Steve's bike just outside the operation central place.
That could only meant they were here, they were finally back. Bucky was back, he was home, safe and sound. We were finally going home, getting married and everything was going to be just fine.
I start to run as fast as I can towards the building, the excitement mixed up with a strange feeling running through my veins, but that feeling it's quickly pushed aside when I finally make my way inside.
As soon as I enter, the first thing my eyes collide with its Steve's back, he's wearing his Captain America uniform, just getting back from a mission. The Commandos surround him but Bucky's not there and I should've noticed something wrong when everybody was so quiet, knowing they're a loud group when they want to.
"Steve!" I call out for my blonde friend, his attention and the group's immediately direct themselves towards me. My eyes scan the room, looking for the blue orbs of my fiancée, thinking he is somewhere near looking for something and he was going to be back any second now.
"Arabella," Steve starts as he turns around, tears in his eyes and it's only in that moment I realize why I had a strange feeling running towards here, why Bucky's presence wasn't within his friends, why Steve's eyes are more reddish than they'll ever be.
They all start to speak at once, with me, frozen in place. My eyes are glued and ghostly looking down at the floor, wishing I couldn't hear them anymore.
"…I'm sorry, there was an explosion..."
"...And he flew out of the train..."
"...There was nothing Cap could do..."
"...He tried to bring him back in the train but the handrail..."
"Arabella, wait!" Steve yells after me, but I refuse to look back. I don't realize when I start to run but I'm glad I did and in no time I reach the place I was looking for, my favorite place in between the trees; where no one can hear me scream. I let my knees hit the floor, hands covering my face attempting to silence my screams when I finally let sink in the reality of what has happened.
"NO! PLEASE NO!" I scream at the dead and void air, my voice disappearing with every sound that leaves my throat. Suddenly I feel how the energy leaves every part of my body and I can see it; I can see so clearly how the small tides of energy that rests at my fingertips make explode everything they touch, how the trees that once surrounded the place are now reduced to ashes, and in the middle of it all, it's me; a black deep burned hole in the ground surrounding me from the strength I had used, making my dress no longer shine with its original creamy color, instead now reduced to a black and burned fabric, the edges torn and trashed.
My whole body drops to the ground collapsing into what it used to be grass, my thoughts only consumed by him.
Bucky.
"Can you pass me the letter near the fridge, doll?" Bucky asks me as I wash the dishes from dinner.
"Yeah, sure" I answer back without really looking at him
I clean my hands with the washcloth near the sink and take the letter in my hands, turning back realizing he isn't even there.
"Where are you!?" I call through the living room/kitchen.
"Upstairs!" he calls and upstairs I go, "you're going to stay with Steve, right?" I add as my hand touches the handrail from the long set of stairs inside the Stark mansion.
"Buck!?" I call once I reach the top of them, eyes scanning for my blue eyed friend.
"In here!" he answers, his voice booming from my room.
What in heavens is he doing in my room?
"What—" I start to ask about it, but I get short on words when I finally reach my bedroom's door and find him there. Bucky, standing in the middle of the room wearing a leather jacket, with a white t-shirt underneath it while his hair is slicked back and a bouquet of roses are in his hands. He smiles at me, giving me his 'oh-so-famous-bad-boy' smile, that one that makes wrinkles form on the corner of his blue eyes.
"What's…this, Buck?" I ask as I slowly enter the room, admiring and taking in all the little details he had done. The rose petals on the bed and floor, the lighten up candles and his presence, of course, in the middle of it all.
Just the perfect touch.
"Well," he swallows hard, as one hand reaches behind his head and scratches awkwardly "I wanted to do something nice for you— well I mean, since we're friends and you know—friends care for each other and I wanted to make it look really good—Not that your room is bad or anything! Is clean!—I mean, it smells good now—NOT that I imply it smelled bad before..." he sighs, burying his face within the bouquet of flowers.
I bite down my lip to stop the little giggles that leaves my mouth and he peeks at me through the flowers, a smirk playing on his beautiful lips
"Are you laughing at me, Stark?" he asks.
"I would never!" I gasp, pretending to be offended only to break out in a bigger fit of laughter.
"What are you trying to do, Buck—?"
"Wouldyoubemygrilfriend?" he asks in a hurry, making me gasp and I convince myself he actually said those words. That he actually said—
"Would—will you be my girlfriend?" this time the words come out slower and clearer, giving me enough time to digest that information. My eyes look for his face, only finding him to be looking at the floor but I can manage to catch his red cheeks.
Is he? Is he blushing?
I say nothing as I stand there, fidgeting and playing with my fingers. I want to say yes more than anything in the world, I do, but—
"Will you?" he asks again.
"Bucky," I sigh, wishing I could tell him everything, everything about me and how fucked up I am that I can't be with someone so perfect as him, I want to tell him all about little weird me. I close my eyes taking up courage as my green eyes collide with his blue ones and all I see there is disappointment, him thinking that I don't want to be with him.
"I know," he says before I can object to his thoughts "I know you weren't expecting it, I was confused, scared, I was thinking on so many reasons why I don't deserve you, finding them all to be true."
"Buck—"
"But I want to be with you," he says, as his fingers lace themselves with mine "I want to be with you so much it hurts, Arabella, so against all those reasons, knowing I'm never going to be enough for you but I will die every day trying to— I'm asking—pleading, for you to give me a—"
"Bucky, I want to be with you too" I interrupt him "you're perfect, as perfect as anybody can be. I want to be with you so much—"
And before I can add anything else to my ramble/speech, he pulls me towards him, his hand on my lower back and the other takes my cheek, his thumb caress softly the skin there. Our lips move softly against one another, tongues quickly fighting for dominance as he manages to win over me.
"Is that a yes?" he asks when we break apart for air.
"Shut up."
"Bucky..." I tremble with the cold air hitting my skin, goosebumps forming along my skin. I shiver in the cold, my hands rubbing the exposed skin on my shoulders and arms. "Bucky, please come back to me."
"You are such an idiot," I laugh, crossing my arms above my chest.
"And you're a spoiled brat" he spats back. I could already tell I was going to hate this cocky son of a bitch.
"Arabella! Bucky!" Steve calls us from afar. Wait... Bucky?
"Wait, you know him?" I ask and Steve nods his head.
"Best friends since childhood, why?"
"This is the Bucky Barnes you wanted to introduce me?!" I ask and he cautiously nods his head "he's a jerk, Steve!"
"Only my friends call me Bucky, princess and you, you spoiled brat" James spats "aren't one" I roll my eyes, tired of his constant lack of improvisation, not even caring this asshole doesn't considers me his friend.
"Yeah," I tell him "you already said that, you're like a broken record."
"Guys!" Steve calls, making both of us to look at him "okay, maybe we started with the wrong foot."
"Look, Steve..." I tell him "I love you, you're amazing but with all due respect, your friend here" I pause pointing at Bucky James Barnes "is a jerk, a real jerk. To me at least."
"Oh, don't consider yourself so special princess" he replies, in that Boston accent of his, a smirk plastered on his lips and he leans against the wall.
"I don't." I reply harshly, meaning every word "see you at school, Rogers" I start walking away from both of them before I hear James scream.
"She goes to our school!?"
This is going to be a long year.
"Oh, c'mon! One date!"
"No! Why do you want to take anyway? You hate me" I ask towards James as he stands on my porch after following home from school.
"I don't hate you," he sighs, "and besides to prove a point."
"Which is?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Not every guy is like Dave Lizewski" he says and I stop dead in my tracks.
"How did you—"
"School," he replies "that guy is an asshole anyways, you deserve much better."
Yeah, at this point in time a tree could be better than Dave Lizewski, A.K.A The Guy Who Stood Me Up for Amber The Blonde Cheerleader.
"C'mon" he continues, scratching the back of his head "a date," he says, I remain still on my place till he says "I'll pay."
"I'm ordering my weight on ice cream."
I bring my knees to my chest and let myself cry away my pain. The pain that I won't have a wedding anymore, that my boyfriend is no longer here to hold me when I'm sad, that my fiancée won't argue with me about the bright red color I've decided to paint the living room walls of our house, that my husband won't name our beautiful children when they deliver to us when they are born.
I won't have all those things I wanted in life, because I only wanted them with him and if he's gone. They're gone.
"Thanks," I tell James as we reach the front door of my house "you didn't really need to—"
"And leave a dame all by herself!? Never!" he chuckles and I laugh, James had decided to be my date for homecoming after we had kind of crashed ways in the gym turned ballroom of our school "look, I know I acted like a royal douche when I met you, it wasn't my intention."
"Don't worry about it," I tell him with a small giggle "I acted like a spoiled princess so I guess it's okay" I shrug.
"Arabella, I didn't meant what I said, like I said" he chuckles "I was a douche."
"It's in the past, Buck—James."
"No, no" he stops me, taking a few small steps towards me "you—you can call me Bucky" a slight blush covering his cheeks? No, a guy like him doesn't blush.
"Okay," I smile, taking a strand of hair behind my ear "Bucky."
"You know, I would really like another chance, if you allow me to, of course" he smiles "I'm a really good listener as you already figured out and I make excellent pasta." when he says the last part I can't help but laugh at him. "What do you say?" he asks me.
"Fine," I say "let's give you a second go, Barnes" he starts grinning like an idiot and I add "but only because you agreed to make me pasta in a nearby future."
"Deal."
"Goodnight, Bucky"
"Will I see you tomorrow?" he asks, taking me by surprise and he adds "I would like to, maybe we can hang with Steve you know? He'll be at ease knowing he won't have to separate his schedule now that we are friends."
"Yeah," I nod my head "sure."
"Good," he says, taking my hand in his and bringing the back of my palm to his lips, placing a kiss there "cause I wouldn't have let you leave with a different answer."
"Arabella!? Oh my god, she's here!" I hear someone calling out and then branches being step on, the mumbling from people it's quick to surround me followed by a pair of strong arms that lift me up with ease from the ground.
"Hey, hey…" it's Steve's voice and when I'm close to his chest I feel I'm good to go and break down in tears. No words are spoken and the only thing that's heard, are the sobs that leave my mouth, the tears ruining my makeup, staining Steve's shirt and mixing themselves up with the dirt that covers my body from being lying there... For how long? 2, 3 hours?
"St-Steve..." I stutter between heavy breaths "Steve, p-please te-tell me it's not r-real... Tell me he's p-playing a jo-joke to me."
"I'm so sorry, Bells" he says, his voice only a whisper, my eyes open to see his red ones.
He wasn't shredding tears like I was, but I knew Steve. He was made a mess. After all, Bucky was his best friend, and the only family he had left and now both were gone.
"I did everything I could," he continues, "I couldn't reach him, I couldn't—" his voice finally and completely breaks at the end so I reach for him, swallowing my pain.
I put my arms around his neck, as his, tighten around my fragile body, my forehead barely touches his cheek as my eyes remain closed, letting me drift in a sleep full of nightmares, nightmares where I could see Bucky fading away from me, slipping away, like water…
After that, not even 24 hours later, I wake up in a bed on the medical center of the central base. Howard sits next to me, a bowl of soup on his lap.
Soup, he was attempting for me to eat.
"You need to eat, Bells" Howard tells me as he pushes the plate of food to me, I avoid making eye contact with him, my eyes drifting to anywhere but him and that food.
"I'm not hungry," I say, "and that soup it's giving me nauseas, Howard." My words are emotionless that are almost robotic.
"Oh, thank god!" he says in relief, after someone enters the room, "Rogers, please make her eat something, this is getting ridiculous." Steve doesn't says anything, but maybe nods his head at Howard after whispering something to him, probably to give him some time alone with me, since act followed, Howard leaves the room.
"Arabella, you need to—"
"Were you able to get wasted?" I ask, interrupting him.
"No," he says, "how did you knew?"
"You stink of bourbon," I chuckle, blinking a stray tear down my cheek "just like him."
"I feel guilty," he says suddenly "I haven't slept because I don't think I can't." he chokes and my eyes turn to watch him, his eyes aren't meeting mine but instead are glued down to the floor.
"Last night," he begins as his eyes collide with mine "last night, I thought everything was gone, Bucky—he is—was," he chokes as the word 'was' touches his lips "he was my best friend, I owe him more than I can actually repay and I took him apart from the love of his life."
"That's not true," I interject quickly "you—you were the brother he never—oh my god! Rebe—"
"She already knows," Steve says, sighing "she's in London, but will travel next week so she can be here for the funeral." I nod in understanding.
The funeral... Bucky...
"How can everything go to hell so fast, Steve? How can you go on like nothing happened!? Like if your best friend hasn't died—" my words start loud but soon enough they can barely be heard "how can you breathe, I feel—I feel completely broken— last night, I had only nightmares, nightmares about living in a world where there is no Bucky Barnes and I don't want to live in a world where there's no Bucky, Steve."
"You can't be thinking like that," he says, his eyes, his sad puppy eyes colliding with mine "Bucky wouldn't want you thinking like that."
"I know," I chuckle in a sob "he would flip at me for acting like this but I can't help it. Maybe if I act like that he will come back and scold me for it."
"I miss him too," Steve says and I realize when I clench his shirt in my hand, he is holding me in his arms as we both lay in bed "I promised him I would protect you that I wouldn't let anything bad happen to you, I have no family..." Steve says.
"Steve..."
"You're the only family I have left now," he caress my face, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear "you're like a sister to me, you and Bucky were my family and that's the utter true."
I don't say anything and the quietness between us becomes comfortable, not having to find words to speak, it's a nice feeling.
"I almost forget it," Steve says, picking out a little black box from his pocket "Bucks—he wanted you to have this, he asked me to carry it until after this mission…" he hands me the box and as soon as I open it my mouth goes agape.
"It's yours." Steve adds as my fingers graze the gorgeous silver band with several small diamonds covering up the front of it. It was simple yet unbelievable gorgeous, it was Bucky's doing everyway I looked at it.
I take the band out of the box and slide it up my ring finger, finding it to match perfectly; I smile at it, tears running down my cheeks. Both of happiness and sadness.
"I miss him so much," I sob into his shirt, his hand rubbing my back "it's been less than 24 hours, Steve, how am I going to hold up for the rest of my life?"
"I don't know," he says "but we will find a way, together, okay?"
I slowly nod my head, before saying "okay."
"Now," he says bringing the bowl of soup into his hands "eat."
"Come here," Steve says "let me help you." he lends me his hand to help me get my ass off the bathroom floor, I was able to walk but Steve differ to think so since his arms are quick to lift me off the ground after I had left the whole soup in the toilet. I wrap my arms around his neck, burying my face in the crook of his neck without protesting.
"You smell like him." I tell Steve, like word-vomit, not being able to keep that to myself any longer.
"I'm wearing his cologne."
"Oh." It's all I say. I had felt Bucky scent on Steve since he picked me up on the forest, I thought it was my mind playing games with me. I guess I was wrong.
"Are you okay?" he asks me, referring to the bathroom events.
"I guess," I shrug softly "I had a large lunch."
"Yeah," he gags "I can see that, unfortunately." I roll my eyes but remain quiet, not wanting to bicker back with Steve.
As soon as I'm tucked underneath the pale blue hospital blanket. Peggy knocks the door, I give her a small smile as I see her enter the room and she returns it full of pity maybe empathy or just sincere sympathy, I don't even know anymore. Steve stands up, rather quickly might I add, greeting her as he stutters on his words.
"Hello, Arabella…" she smiles as she walks to us, Peggy goes up to Steve whispering something in his ear away from my reach and since I'm so weak, I can't seem to get my abilities to work, not since last night, not since…
"Can you stay with her?" Steve asks out loud towards Peggy, who only nods in return, and then Steve takes his jacket off the chair, places a kiss to my forehead and softly whispers to just me "I'll be back, okay?"
I nod my head and lay back against the pillow, the softness of it bringing me comfort.
"How are you doing?" Peggy asks, setting herself into the chair Steve was before.
"I've been better," I say, swallowing hard "where did Steve went?"
"He's—Howard, Howard is calling him for something." she stutters in her words.
I look at her, the silence surrounding us, when I notice how Peggy avoids my eyes, picks at her nails and how her behavior seems odd enough, gives me the courage to ask
"He's here," I spat "isn't he?"
"I want to see him," I say, pushing the doubled metal doors with Peggy following right behind me.
"What is she doing here!?" Howard spats with Steve next to him.
"I want to see the face of the man who took my husband away from me."
"Peggy, what did—" Steve says, but I cut him short ignoring both men as I make my way towards the glass but Steve steps in my way.
"No," Steve says "you will not see him, Ara—"
"Steve!"
"Listen!" he says, catching my attention "we found Schmidt's place, Red Skull."
"So?"
"So, me and every men we have on service..." he says "will take down the Red Skull. We will end HYDRA."
"Wait—you're going? So what? Bucky's death will be in vain?"
"Arabella, Bucky died for his country!"
"Bucky died for you, you stupid asshole!" I cry "he died to protect you! And now—now you just want to go and get yourself killed, Steve!"
"Arabella..."
"No! Stop with the 'Arabella..' thing! I'm sick of it!" I scream, he looks startled and I see the lights flickering in the hall, in the room, even outside where the sky is dark. "I don't want yours or anybody's pity! I want you alive, so I can know his death—GOD! He—"
"He didn't die in vain," he says, walking towards me, but I just take a step back and he sighs "I will avenge him, Bells. End this war for good."
"I want to go then," I tell him "I want to be there. I want to see his face when the life flushes away from his body."
He shakes his head "You want vengeance, I get it, but can you picture what would your brother do to me if I take you there?"
"Fucking cut his balls! That's what I'll do."
Steve and I both look at Howard's sudden burst and go speechless. Howard says nothing but gives us a look meaning his serious, Steve and I look at each other again and Steve sighs, rolling his eyes towards Howard.
"You see," he says "your brother will…" he gulps "…cut my balls." I'm about to say something when he adds "and I really like my balls, so let me go, you stay here, safe, and I'll be back in no time."
I stay quiet, not finding any words to speak back, feeling powerless and impotent towards the fact I can't do anything and it fucking kills me. But maybe Steve's right, maybe I am in the search of a vendetta I can't really pull through.
"Stay safe, kiddo." Steve says, placing a kiss to my forehead. He leaves to get himself ready, Peggy and Howard follow him as I stand there before whispering to myself.
"There isn't such thing as a safe place anymore,"
"Where's Peggy!?" I scream towards Howard; he stands outside the control room, his hands in his pockets and he doesn't answers he just lifts his eyes to the door, and that's my cue.
I open the door as hard as I can, seeing Phillips standing there, his body slumping against the wall and then I see her, Peggy, sitting in a chair, she speaks to Steve through a microphone in the dashboard. Her voice cracking with every word she speaks to him.
"There's not going be a safe landing, but I can try and force it down." Steve's voice booms through the speaker and into the room.
"I'll-I'll get Howard on the line. He'll know what to do." Peggy says but Steve cuts her off.
"There's not enough time. This thing's moving too fast and it's heading for New York. I gotta put it in the water."
"Steve! Steve, please don't do this. W-we have time. We can work it out." I interject, as Peggy stays quiet drowning a little sob.
"Arabella?" he asks, with a little breath I can feel laces with a smile. "Right now, I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer a lot of people are going to die. Arabella, this is my choice."
"Well, your choice sucks." I reply "You can't do this! You promised Steve, you promised to stay! I can't—I can't lose you too. I can't lose you both..."
"You won't," he says "I'll be with you, just as he is with you right now," he says, "Peggy..."
"I'm here," she says, I squeeze her shoulder and she squeezes my hand back.
"I'm going need a rain check on that dance." Steve says, and she manages to let a soft laugh.
"All right. A week next Saturday at The Stork Club." Peggy replies, her voice cracking.
"You've got it." he replies, and after a little silence he adds "you know, I still don't know how to dance."
"I'll show you how. Just be there."
"Arabella..." he says, the sounds of the wind hitting against the radio "I'm so—" his voice gets cut off as the sound of the radio goes to static. I close my eyes as if the impact was on me.
"Steve?" Peggy asks "Steve!? Steve!" her voice finally giving up and letting her body slump against the dashboard, her head down on her arm as the tears fall freely from her eyes and down her cheeks.
I start walking away from the room, away from Peggy, from Phillips, from Howard and I barely make it further down the hall when I finally collapse to the ground.
He was gone. They were both gone.
It didn't took much after that for war to be over, and soon enough everybody were talking about Captain America's great sacrifice.
CAPTAIN AMERICA ENDS THE WAR.
THE HERO WHO TOOK A SACRIFICE.
CAPTAIN AMERICA SAVES A NATION. HERO RECOGNIZED EVEN AFTER DEAD
But the recognition for his heroism comes, just as quickly as it came, quick and fast.
CAPTAIN AMERICA'S SEARCH TO BE PUT ON HOLD – NO NEW CLUES.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FALLEN SON?
SEARCH FOR CAPTAIN AMERICA'S JET STOPS AFTER MONTHS OF ZERO ANSWERS.
Everyone returns home and I had to stand there and watch as the happy wives, girlfriends, families receive their soldiers at the train station, celebrating in happiness and joy, they should, after all, war has been won.
Yeah, everybody celebrates, everybody but me. I'm here to receive letters and flags from The United States Army with the discharge from Captain Steven Grant Rogers and Sergeant James Buchannan Barnes.
My friends, my family, my everything.
The soldiers, who deliver me the two American flags with both letters, salute me, as if their salute and condolences could bring them to me back.
Peggy flies to London, orders implied, of course but I believe she was relieve, she was strong for the both of us and had barely enough time to grieve over Steve, even though I believe I was doing the job for the both of us. Anyways, she was now, after war was over, needed back in England for another job but she had promised to write every now and then, with occasional visits implied.
Chester Phillips retired, from what I've heard, after the events with Captain America and the war, it was understandable. That mission was his last; he now works on the government but on a steadier and less dangerous job. He even got himself a wife and two kids.
Howard had plans to go back to New York inviting me to follow him to which I lost no time in agreeing to. I needed to leave the memories from Boston behind me, the memories from skinny Steve and charming Bucky, knowing deep in my heart that I couldn't be trusted to be left alone, anyways.
So here I am, looking through the empty rooms of the house, stopping in my tracks when I am just outside the room that I once shared with Bucky, that same room that is now emptier than before due to all mine and Bucky's stuff being moved out, the little furniture that's left is covered by white and big sheets, sighing deeply, I close the door and make my way downstairs when I come face to face with Howard who stands in the doorway, while both hands are his suit pockets.
"Are you sure you don't want to sell it?" he asks and I nod my head.
"At least not yet," I add "I have memories and a home here to come back, maybe not now but…" I sigh, "Who knows."
He nods his head before asking "you ready, sis?"
"It's going to be okay, right?" I ask back as I walk towards the door, closing it behind me.
Howard smiles and takes my hand to his lips "yeah," he says, then squeezing it in reassurance "everything's going to be alright."
"Are you alright?" Rebecca asks me as I close the door of her bathroom. Rebecca was now living in New York, at least temporary since she had accepted a job in Stark Industries and she was the only thing I had left from Bucky, knowing he would absolutely kill me if I didn't watched over her.
So, I gave her a job and well, she did the rest.
I shake my head, cleaning my mouth with a napkin "Yeah," I say, "just some small sickness, I had it for a while."
"Have you gone to the doctor's?" Rebecca says as we sit on her living room,.
"What for?" I ask "it will probably go away soon."
"Well, I'm just saying," she says, "because you do know you just threw up your lunch in my toilet, right?"
"That doesn't mean anything, I—I probably caught something in London."
"You ate fries with ice cream, A."
"I had a craving—"
"Mmmh," she hums, crossing her arms above her chest, I want to shake away the idea Rebecca was probably already knitting in her head, thinking it couldn't be, thinking it could not be. But my eyes go wide as plates when reality sinks in me, realizing a fact.
I'm late.
Way too late.
"You don't think I'm—"
"I do," she says, sitting closer to me and taking my cold hand in hers "I'm going to be an aunt."
END BOOK 1