Chapter 38
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.
AN: Thank you to all who have added to alerts, read, reviewed or any combination of the three. It means a lot to me.
AN: Thank you for the support you give me it means so much more than I can say. Please review and let me know what you think.
Forty minutes after they left the cemetery the group arrive back at the hotel, and they quickly find themselves scattered throughout the large crowed that is already present. Somehow, none of them are exactly sure how, Skye, Tripp, Bucky, Sharon, Sam, Fitz, Simmons and Maria manage to get to and sit on couches that are surrounding a table in a corner, away from the majority of the crowed.
"Who want's drinks, first rounds are on me." Sam comments.
"Drinks are free." Sharon points out.
"Fine, who wants a drink I'm hitting the bar." Sam corrects, "Better?" He asks Sharon.
"Much." Sharon responds, "I'll have a Malibu and orange juice, heavy on the Malibu." She tells Sam.
"I'll have the same." Simmons requests.
"Beer for me." Tripp says.
"Me too." Fitz and Bucky says.
"I'll take a gin martini." Maria requests.
"Skye?" Sam asks when he realises that she is the only one who hasn't order.
"Just coke for me." Skye requests and Sam nods, while Skye gets several odd looks from the others except for Bucky and Tripp, Bucky who realises why she isn't drinking and Tripp who suspects.
"Fitz and I will give you a hand." Simmons says and she and Fitz stand up and follow Sam to the bar.
Once Tripp, Sharon and Maria engage in conversation Skye turns to Bucky and says, "Make sure that I don't have anything to drink tonight, if I start I don't think I'll be able to stop." In a quiet voice.
"I'll do my best." Bucky responds, both of them knowing that that is the best he can do because no one can stop Skye once she really wants to do something.
"That's all I ask for." Skye responds as she reaches over and grabs Bucky's hand.
"How you doing?" Bucky asks curious.
"I don't know." Skye admits, "Exhausted." She says, "Yeah, I think exhausted is the best description." She admits.
"That sounds about right." Bucky admits.
"Thank you James." Skye tells him sincerely, "We only went on our first date a few days ago and you've above and beyond for me, really been there for me the last few days, so thank you." Skye tells him.
"You never have to thank me for being there for you, never, it's what I want, and it's who I am. I would never let someone I care about go through what you have alone." Bucky tells Skye.
Skye not sure what else to do leans over and kisses him, not caring who sees, "Accept the thank you." She tells him as Fitz, Simmons and Skye arrive back with drinks.
"Four beers, two Malibu's, one martini and one coke." Sam says as he, Fitz and Simmons put the drinks down.
"Thank you." Everyone says.
"Go talk to her." Tripp says to Maria a few minutes later.
"Huh?" Maria asks looking away from Melinda and Natasha, "What?"
"Go talk to her, I know Aunt Melinda is one of your best friends, so go talk to." Tripp tells Maria, "I appreciate that you want to be here for me and you are, but I also know how much you want to talk to her, so go." Tripp tells her.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Maria asks concerned.
"Positive, go." Tripp says and Maria gives him a kiss on the cheek before getting up and going over to two of her closes friends.
For a while the group of seven just sit together, not really saying much.
"Oh great." Tripp says sarcastically a while after Maria left.
"What is it?" Sam asks him.
"People I'm really am not up to talking to are heading this way." Tripp explains.
"The pool table is free." Sharon points out to her cousin.
"You want to play pool at a wake?" Fitz asks surprised.
"Kind of yeah." Sharon answers.
"If it means I don't have to talk to them then I'm in." Tripp comments, "Anyone else want to join us?" he asks.
"I will." Sam says.
"I'll play." Simmons says.
"And I'll watch." Fitz says and the five head over to the pool table.
"Are you okay?" Skye asks Bucky curious and concerned as she notices him looking around the room, almost like he is searching for something, or someone.
"I can't see Steve." Bucky reveals a hint of worry clear in his voice.
"Go find him." Skye tells Bucky, "I'll be fine. I can tell how worried you are about him, and truthfully so am I." Skye admits, "He needs you more than I do at the moment, go." She tells him.
"See you later." Bucky says getting up and going in search of his brother.
A few minutes after Bucky leaves Skye finds his empty seat taken by Clint.
"Hey." Clint tells her.
"Hey." Skye responds.
"You did good today Kid." Clint tells his niece.
"Thanks, I think." Skye says taking a drink of her coke.
"Not drinking tonight?" Clint asks.
"No." Skye answers, "Figured it was best." She admits.
"Good choice." Clint says approvingly.
"How's Mom doing?" Skye asks curious.
"As good as she can be I'd say." Clint admits, "Maria, Nat and Pepper are with her and Phil, Tony, Bruce, John and Rhodey aren't far away." He explains.
"You haven't seen Uncle Steve have you?" Skye asks curious, "James couldn't see him so he got worried and is now looking."
"No, now that you mention it I haven't seen him for a while." Clint admits, "I think he said something about going to the bathroom a while ago but I haven't seen him since then." Clint realises, "Pepper, Tony and Bruce don't look worried so I'm sure there is nothing to worry about." Clint points out.
"Or they haven't realised that he is gone." Skye adds.
"Always a possibility." Clint admits, "But if Bucky is looking then he will find him." Clint points out.
"Yeah, I know he will." Skye says, "I'm just worried about Uncle Steve, he lost one of the biggest links to his past today who was one of his closes friends." Skye points out.
"I know, it's got to be hard for him." Clint comments, "But he doesn't have to go through any of it alone, he's not alone in his grief." Clint says, "He'll be okay."
"I hope so." Skye says and the uncle and niece drift into silence.
"So how are things going with you and Bucky?" Clint asks several minutes later.
"Wow, couldn't think of a way to suitably ask that?" Skye asks curious
"Could off, didn't see the point." Clint admits.
"Of course you didn't." Skye says amused, or as amused as it is possible to be after the day she has just had, "Things between James and are good." Skye admits, "I'm still terrified that I am going to hurt him, but things are good." She reveals.
"Do you want to elaborate on that?" Clint asks and that's what Skye does, explain to her Uncle and Best friend what is going on in her relationship with Bucky.
While Skye talks to Clint about their relationship Bucky is searching the hotel for his best friend and brother, he has been searching for a while when he remembers that coming of the dining room, which isn't open yet, there is a balcony so he heads there.
Avoiding the hotel staff Bucky makes his way to the balcony where he is thankful to find Steve. Steve looks over at the door when Bucky opens it but he doesn't seem surprised to his brother and instead goes back to what he was doing which was staring out at the city.
"Peggy found me after you fell." Steve reveals as Bucky walks over and stands next him, "In the middle of a blackout, at the bombed bar where you said you would follow a guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb not to run away from a fight, do you remember it?" Steve asks curious.
"Of course I do." Bucky responds, not sure where he's going with what he is saying.
"She told me that it wasn't my fault, what happened, and that you must have thought I was worth it to follow me." Steve reveals.
"Smart Woman that Peggy." Bucky comments.
"You, Peggy and Doctor Erskine were the only ones who knew me before and still believed in me, believe in what I could be." Steve reveals.
"Everyone who lives at the Tower believes in you." Bucky tells his brother, "And not counting me no one more than Pepper, Bruce and Tony."
"It's different, the never knew me before." Steve tells Bucky, "You and Peggy are the only ones who cared about me, had faith in me, no matter what, or who, I was." Steve tells him, "I miss her Buck, it's like…" Steve begins to say but Bucky cuts him of.
"You've lost a part of who you are." Bucky tells him, "A link to your past, to a different world." He says.
"Yeah exactly." Steve says, "Before you came back she was the only person from my past that was still around." He says.
"And you're not sure if you'll be okay without that support." Bucky realises.
"No, I'm not." Steve admits.
"You've got me Pal, I know it's not the same and I'm certainly not Peggy, but you've got me." Bucky tells him, "And the three people who love you so much. You're not alone Steve, even if it feels like you are."
"I know." Steve responds and the two best friends drift into silence.
About forty minutes after Bucky left to find Steve he comes back over to Skye and sits down, Clint having vacated his seat a few minutes earlier.
"How's Uncle Steve?" Skye asks curious.
"Not great, but I think he's going to be okay." Bucky says as he notices Steve re-join the main group.
"What about you?" Skye asks him, "How you doing?" She asks curious, "You said goodbye a friend today." She points out.
"I'm okay, or as okay as I could be." Bucky admits, "I'm more worried about Steve than myself. Peggy was my friend but we weren't close." He explains, "But she meant a whole lot to him." Bucky explains and the drift into silence.
"Do you want to get out of here?" Skye asks curious a few minutes later, "I feel like going for a walk." She comments.
"If you want." Bucky comments, "But are you sure that that is a good idea?" He asks curious.
"At the moment I highly doubt anyone will notice that we're gone, but I'll go check with Mom to make sure she'll be okay if I go for a while." Skye says to Bucky who nods.
Making her way through the crowed, with difficulty, Skye makes her way across the bar to where Melinda is siting with Natasha, Pepper, and Maria.
As soon as she sees Skye getting close to them Natasha moves slightly so that Skye can sit between Melinda and her. Once Skye sits down Melinda puts her arm around her daughter.
"How you doing?" Skye asks her Mom curious.
"Not great." Melinda admits, "But I'm still standing." She tells her, "How are you?"
"I'm okay, I think." Skye answers, "But I kind of want to get out of here." She reveals, "Would it be okay if James and I left for a while, went for a walk?" Skye asks curious.
"Yeah, that's okay." Melinda says completely understanding that something like this isn't really something Skye likes, not lately anyway, "Be careful okay." Melinda tells her daughter.
"I have a super solider who happens to be one of the best assassins in the world with me, I'll be fine.' Skye assures her mother, "But will you?" Skye asks concerned.
"Yeah, I will be May." Melinda assures her daughter.
"You guys will look after Mom won't you?" Skye asks her aunts.
"Of course we will." Natasha assures her niece.
"It's not needed." Melinda tells her daughter, "I'll alright." Melinda assures her daughter.
"No you're not." Skye tells her mother, "But that's okay." She adds, "I love you Mom." Skye says before hugging her.
"I love you too May." Melinda says returning the hug, "You should go." Melinda tells her daughter once they break apart, "Go enjoy your walk with Bucky, I'll be okay." She assures her daughter.
"Are you sure?" Skye asks.
"Positive." Melinda tells her, "Go."
"Okay, see you later." Skye tells her mother and she gets up and walks across the bar.
"Let's go." Skye says to Bucky.
"You're Mom's okay with that?" Bucky asks.
"Yeah." Skye answers and the pair walk back across the bar once more, but this time to the door.
"Where you two off to?" Clint's voice asks curious.
"A walk." Skye answers, "See you later Dad." Skye says giving him a hug.
"Be careful Baby Girl." Coulson tells her.
"We will." Skye tells him and Skye and Bucky leave the bar.
Skye and Bucky have been walking for about fifteen minutes, not really saying anything just enjoying each other's company.
"You hungry?" Bucky asks curious as he releases that the last time they ate was breakfast.
"Yeah, a little." Skye admits, "What are you thinking?" Skye asks curious.
"Well there is a diner up there and considering dinners are kind of our thing what do you think?" Bucky asks curious.
"Sounds good." Skye admits, "Do you know what's good about DC." Skye comments.
"What?" Bucky asks curious.
"That you can walk the streets in full military uniform and not get any odd looks." Skye tells him.
"Huh, I forgot I was wearing this." Bucky admits as they enter the diner Bucky holding open the door for Skye likes he does.
"Well you should be careful when you eat, it would be such a pity if you were to spill something on that uniform." Skye tells him.
"I'll keep that in mind." Bucky comments with a smirk.
"Is this the same diner I puked out the front of?" Skye asks curious.
"No, that was a different one." Bucky tells her.
"Good to know." Skye says as they sit at a booth.
"Can I get you something to drink?" A waiter asks them curious before they have even open the menus.
"Strawberry milkshake." Skye answers.
"Root beer." Bucky answers.
"Coming right up." The waiter responds.
"Root beer?" Skye asks surprised,
"I used to love drinking it." Bucky explains, "There wasn't much else to drink." He reveals.
"Right." Skye answers, "Have you had one since you've been back?" Skye asks curious.
"No, why?" Bucky asks curious.
"It won't taste the same." Skye tells him.
"Nothing does." Bucky admits, "What you thinking about getting?"
"Bacon cheeseburger." Skye tells him, "You?"
"Triple bacon cheeseburger." Bucky answers, "And fries of course."
"That goes without saying." Skye respond, "But I'm feeling like having some of that black bottom pie for desert." She tells Bucky, "It's made out of Oreo's and usually is amazing." Skye explains to Bucky's confused look.
"Right." Bucky responds and the drinks arrive.
"Here we are." The waiter says pointing the drinks down, "Are you ready to order?" he asks.
"I'll have a bacon cheeseburger, fries and some of that Black bottom pie for desert." Skye orders.
"Sure, and you?" he asks Bucky.
"Triple bacon cheeseburger and the same." Bucky orders and the waiter nods and walks off, "I thought there was little chance of you letting me try your pie." He tells her.
"You're right there." Skye tells Bucky, "But did you think about what you would do if you didn't like it?" Skye asks curious.
"Give it to you." Bucky answers without hesitation.
"I approve of that." Skye says as she takes a drink of the milkshake, "You going to try your drink?"
"I'm not sure, you have me worried now." Bucky tells her.
"It should be fine, they just changed some of the ingredients in the sixties." Skye explains and hesitantly Bucky takes a drink of her drink.
"Horrible?" Skye asks noticing the look that Bucky got on his face.
"Horrible." Bucky admits.
"Hey, excuse me, can we get a coke over here please." Skye requests, calling the waiter over.
"Of course." The waiter responds.
"I'm sorry." Skye says to Bucky as he tries to get the horrible taste out of his mouth.
"That was truly horrible." Bucky responds, "Why did they change the ingredients?" Bucky asks.
"I don't know," Skye admits, "I just remember reading that they did. I've got an idea." Skye say and she leans across the table and kisses Bucky.
"You taste like strawberries." Bucky tells Skye once they break apart, as she leans back in her seat and the waiter puts the coke down.
Back at the hotel Tripp, Sam, Sharon and Simmons are still playing pool while Fitz watches. They are on their third game as they started a competition, Tripp and Simmons against Sam and Sharon.
"There are lot of people here." Sam comments.
"Yeah there are." Tripp says looking out at the crowed and as he does he notices something "GUN." He yells as loud as he does as he spots a man raise his gun and point it towards Melinda and Maria who are talking.
Before the guy can have a chance to shoot he finds himself being tackled by Steve.
"Who are you?" Steve asks as he restrains him.
"Hail Hydra." The man responds.
"Yeah, yeah, do it from a cell." Rhodey comments, "I'll take him." He tells Steve.
"The police are on their way." Pepper says as everyone who is a part of SHIELD walk towards Steve and the man.
"Are there more of you?" Coulson asks and the man didn't answers.
"Told you this wasn't a good idea." Another person says, "The dead chick started that group SHIELD, you know the terrorists." He says to his friend, unfortunately for him Melinda is right near him when he says that.
"That dead chick as you call her name is Peggy Carter." Melinda says angrily, "And you should show her some respect, actually you should leave." She tells him angrily.
"I don't think so." The man replies, "It's all over the news the group she started, this SHIELD is a terrorist organisation, she was probably one herself." The man tells Melinda who gives him a sweet smile before punching him right in the face which causes him to fall to the ground and hit another guy as he falls, who hit another and within a few minutes all out bar fight starts and unknown to the SHIELD personal the Hydra agent escapes in the confusion as they attempt to calm the situation down.
Seventy five minutes after they left the hotel Skye and Bucky return to the hotel and when they walk into the bar a very different sight greets them, that of a very trashed bar.
"What the hell happened?" Skye asks as Tony, who is talking to hotel staff, and when he sees them he walks over to them, "We were gone an hour, what the hell happened?" Skye asks shocked once he is standing in front of them.
"Is everyone okay?" Bucky asks Tony.
"Everyone's fine, just a few bruises." Tony assures him, "As for what happened that was Hydra, a fight and I'm pretty sure Sam and Sharon are having sex." He reveals.
"Hydra?" Skye and Bucky ask shocked, "Explain in detail please." Skye requests.
"A Hydra shooter crashed." Tony explains, "Tripp noticed the gun and Steve took him down, but then a guy, who I think may have been Hydra too, said something's about Peggy which caused Melinda to punch him which kind of started a all-out bar fight and the Hydra guy got away in the confusion." Tony explains.
"Wow." Skye says surprised, "We missed the fun." She says sarcastically then realises what else Tony said, "Did you say you think that Sam and Sharon are having sex?" Skye asks surprised, "Why do you think that?" she asks curious.
"Have you seen the way they act?" Tony asks her, "If they're not doing it already, I'm betting they are going to be soon." Tony explains.
"I don't think they are yet." Bucky admits, "Where is everyone?"
"Upstairs, the suit Skye's parents, Clint, Natasha and John are in." Tony answers, "And are you sure about that?" he asks Bucky.
"Pretty sure, yeah." Bucky answers.
"Fifty bucks says they already are." Tony tells her.
"You're on." Bucky tells him, "I say they aren't yet but they will be in the next month." He says and he and Tony shake.
"And I say that I'm taking no part in this." She tells them, "but I recon you're both wrong" Skye adds.
"Oh what do you think?" Tony asks curious.
"I think that it will take them longer than six weeks to realise that they like each other." She admits, "But I'm not taking part in this bet." She tells them.
"You just did." Tony tells her and Skye rolls her eyes at her Uncle.
"Fine." Skye says realising that she isn't getting out of it now, "Are you coming upstairs?" Skye asks curious.
"I have to finish bribing the hotel staff first." Tony admits, "I'll see you up there." He tells them.
"See you." Skye responds and her and Bucky head upstairs.
"A wake turning into a bar fight, that's a new one." Skye comments.
"Is kind of fitting though." Bucky says as they get in the elevator.
"Yeah, guess it is." Skye says as the doors close.
PLEASE REVIEW
PLEASE REVIEW
PLEASE REVIEW