Eight Hours Later:

"Are you sure you're going to be alright, Ari? You're looking sort of pale." Pepper asked me as we walked out of the terminal.

"Yes, I probably just need some rest… I'll be fine by the time we have to go back." I replied, as I made my way into the surprisingly empty Starbucks.

I quickly ordered a vanilla bean frappuccino, before continuing on to baggage claim to get my bags.

"You probably shouldn't be downing that much caffeine if you're sick, Bunny." I heard someone speak from behind me causing me to turn.

"Bucky?" I asked frowning.

"The one and only." He replied with a smirk.

I frowned at him, shifting my bag on my shoulder before grabbing my luggage bag. "What are you doing here, James?" I asked as I clicked the handle, lifting it.

He grabbed my arm to pull me to a stop, causing me to turn and glare up at him.

"Woah. You're not going to throw that on me are you, Button?" He asked me, dropping his hand immediately.

"I would but I paid good money for it, so no. It would be a waste…." I muttered walking away.

He sighed, following me. "Ariana, come on, please. We need to talk about what happened between us…" he said, keeping in step with me effortlessly.

"Talk? Oh, there's no need to. You made that painfully clear to me. What with the parading around the line of sleazy women, you made that more than clear what that night meant to you. So, it's fine. We'll pretend it never happened, and continue being friends. It's what you wanted, right?" I asked as I briskly walked away from him.

I threw away the coffee in the trash as I passed a bin, no longer in the mood for caffeine.

I managed to get to my car in no time. Noticing Tony's was gone. Damn him, he must have known James would be here.

I shook my head throwing my bag into the backseat before climbing into the driver's side and turning it on.

I gasped as the passenger door opened and closed, relaxing when I realized it was him and not someone else.

"Alright you said your piece. Now, I want to say mine." He said firmly.

"Go on… I'm listening…" I said as I threw the car in reverse and backed out of the spot.

"Bunny, look, it wasn't my intention for you to get hurt…" He finally said.

"It never is…" I whispered, shaking my head as I drove out of the parking lot, and back to town.

"Will you listen to me please?" He asked, exasperated.

"Sorry. Go on…" I replied, rolling my eyes.

"Look, I actually did work late, I have been for the last three weeks. I should have probably mentioned it to you, but things have been busier at the company lately. Meaning I don't have as much time to myself as I want… The night at the restaurant, I was out with a client, Steve's client. He had a family emergency and had to go. It was a business meeting, I swear. Nothing happened." He assured me.

I ignored whatever I was feeling, deciding to listen to whatever he was saying before telling him of my decision.

"Aren't you going to say anything? Hit me? Cuss me out? Tell me what an ass I have been? Anything?" He asked, frowning.

I shook my head tiredly, "No…" I replied softly as it began to sprinkle outside.

"Why not?" He asked.

I swallowed thickly, trying to look for a place to pull over as my stomach began to churn returned for the sixth time today.

"I don't have the energy to be angry right now. As much as I feel something right now… I haven't been feeling like myself lately… and I am more worried about that than whatever is happening between us at the moment." I replied, pulling over to the side of the road.

"Bunny? Are you alright?" He asked me.

I shook my head before unbuckling my seatbelt and getting out of the car.

The light rain helped calm my stomach but not as I hope. I gagged, slapping my hand over my mouth as I rushed over to the ditch and leaned over it before proceeding to empty my stomach of all its contents.

"Holy shit! Are you okay?" I heard him ask as he pulled my hair away from my face.

I weakly held up my forefinger, proceeding to throw one final time before finally I felt him help me straighten up.

"Do you feel better?" He asked, concerned as he handed me a water bottle.

I nodded, using it to rinse out my mouth before allowing him to lift me off my feet, and take me to the passenger's side and sit me down.

"So, I'm going to drive now," He said plainly.

"No shit…" I muttered, leaning back.

"So, what's going on?" He asked me after he helped me get settled in. Proceeding to walk around to adjust the driver's seat and mirror before sitting down.

"I caught a bug after getting food poisoning, … I'll be fine, don't worry about it…" I muttered staring out the window.

"For how long have you had it?" He asked, as the concern returned to his features.

"Long enough." I murmured evasively.

"Well, let's get you back to the apartment, and I'll make you some of my mom's delicious chicken soup. Maybe that will help." He said.

"Buck, I can't go to the apartment…" I murmured weakly.

"Why not?" He asked me, frowning.

"Because… It won't be good for either of us to keep living together… I think I should move out." I said looking out the window.

"If you were feeling okay, I wouldn't argue with you, if that's what you really want, but you're sick. I'm taking you to the apartment. But first, urgent care." He said before taking a sharp right.

I groaned at the sudden shift, before sighing, and leaning back again. "I'll be fine, just drop me off at Clint's house." I murmured, groaning again.

"You want me to drop you off at your brother's house? With you being sick? Yeah, I don't think so. What if it's contagious?" He asked.

I snorted, shaking my head. "Seriously, wouldn't you have caught it by now?" I asked, sarcastically.

"I could care less if I catch it. I'm going to watch over you regardless. What I am referring to is Nat and Clint's kids. Nate and Aubrey. Do you really want to risk them getting it? Especially Aubrey, who happens to be eight months old?" He asked.

Fucking hell. He was right.

"It's nothing serious, Barnes. I swear." I said reassuringly, as he pulled into the parking lot.

"Alright, Bun. I believe you. I just want reassurance." He said as he parked the car, and got out, going around to help me out.

I sighed, shaking my head before he helped me get out of the car.

"Something tells me I'm going to regret this…" I said as he led me into the clinic.