Hey everyone. Happy New Year. To get this year off to a great start I've been working on this chapter for the past few days. It has a bit of everything. Romance, Fighting, etc. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who's following or favorite the story. I was not expecting to have anyone ever read this story. Imagine my surprise to see all the notifications in my email. So thank you for that. And as always, please read and review. Side note the first two paragraphs are from the last chapter in case anyone decided to skip that. There is not smut just some things that will be talked about this chapter. Enjoy :)
"That was the best night of my life."
"Ours too Doll." Bucky said pulling me into his arms. He shifted us so we were laying down. I was in between both of the guys. Steve pulled a blanket over the three of us. I was so tired I closed my eyes and drifted off too sleep. The last thing I heard was, "We love you, Nora."
I woke up and what got my attention was the fact that the pillow I was hugging felt different. My pillow was kind of hard and moving. I opened my eyes and I realized I wasn't hugging or resting my head on a pillow. I was on Steve's chest and I was naked. That's when I remembered everything we did last night. Wow I came so hard I blacked out. Oh shit they said they loved me.
I looked around and realized Bucky wasn't in bed. He was probably in the bathroom. I quietly got out of bed and looked for my clothes. I found my underwear but not the rest of my clothes so I grabbed the first thing I could find. It was a light blue button down. I tip toed out of the room and into the living room.
"Morning Doll." I heard Bucky say behind me.
I jumped with how surprised I was. "WAH! Bucky don't sneak up on me." I did not notice him there.
"Sorry." He said looking me over. "Why are you wearing Steve's shirt?"
"I couldn't find my clothes and I was cold. It was the first thing I could find."
"I'm not complaining. You look good." He says giving me.
"Not looking bad yourself," I say smiling back at him. He was wearing boxers with a white T-shirt.
He came up to me and hugged me. "I was going to wait until later to tell you but since you're up, Happy Birthday."
"It's my Birthday?" I say giving me a confused look.
"it's November 8th, Doll. You said that was your birthdate." He says.
"Yeah November 8th, 1992. I won't be born for another forty-nine years. Besides I came back from March 2011. For me my birthday was around five months ago."
"Doesn't matter, its still the day that in forty nine years from now you'll be born. We're celebrating and that's that." He says leaving no room for argument.
"Fine, what are we doing?" I ask.
"It's a surprise." He says.
"Can you at least promise me you won't go overboard?"
"I promise you'll have fun. Now go get ready while I go wake up Steve." He says letting me go.
"Okay." I say before turning around and walking to my room.
Maybe I imagined them saying that they loved me. Yeah I was probably delirious.
I moved around the room picking out a flower print top and blue skirt. I laid out the clothes on the bed, then got a towel and headed to the bathroom. I got dressed and braided my hair. After I was done I walked back to the kitchen. Steve was making bacon while Bucky was beating eggs.
"There's our girl." Steve says when he sees me.
"Hey sleepy head finally woke up huh." I say.
"Had too it's an important day." He replied.
"Don't listen to him Doll, he complained and refused, had to practically drag him out of bed." Bucky says teasing. "Shame too he missed seeing you wearing his shirt."
"That's why I didn't see it." Steve said finishing cooking the bacon and handing Bucky the spatula. He started walking towards the table where I was.
"Sorry I can give it to you right now. I was going to wash it before returning it though." I say blushing.
He came up to me and kissed me. "Keep it. I'm sure it looks better on you than it did on me."
"Breakfast is ready." Bucky said bringing us plates.
As soon as we were done eating and cleaning there was a knock at the door. Steve went to go open the door. When he saw who it was his face got pale.
"A-Agent C-Carter, How are you ma'am?" Steve stuttered out. Bucky and I stayed close to him. He looked terrified.
"Good, I should probably apologize for attacking you." Peggy said apologetically.
"Yes, you really should." I said going to Steve's side and grasping his hand.
"It was a misunderstanding, I saw him kissing Private Lorraine and I thought he was leading you on. I shouldn't have shot you, it was my mistake." Peggy told him.
"Apology accepted and thank you for looking out for Nora you're a good friend." He said to her.
"Us girls have to stick together, right Nora?" She said quoting something I said in Azzano.
"Yeah we do." I said.
"Can I offer you anything Agent Carter?" Bucky asked Peggy once we were all sitting down in the living room.
"Actually I'm here to take Nora out. Howard said he was supposed to come meet you but he had a meeting come up last minute." Peggy said giving the guys a look.
"Oh really, he didn't say anything yesterday." I said confused.
"He mentioned it to us a couple days ago. He was probably distracted yesterday with everything going on." Bucky said. That's weird.
"Oh all right, you guys don't mind I know you mentioned you had something planned earlier Bucky."
"No its fine Doll, It can wait till later." He said giving me a grin. I swear he does it on purpose.
"Go have fun." Steve says handing me my coat and wallet.
"As long as you don't mind."
"Nora go." Bucky said pulling me up.
"All right then, I'll see you later."
Right before the door closes I hear them call out at the same time "Love, you." I don't know what freaked me out more. The fact that they said they loved me or the fact that I can't say it back. What the hell is wrong with me?
"Everything all right? You seem troubled." Peggy asks looking concerned.
"It's nothing. Where are we going?" She looked at me and obviously didn't believe me but decided to let it go. For now at least.
"You'll see." She said and led me to a car. We drove around for a while until we arrived at the SSR headquarters.
"Follow me." She told me.
I did as she said. She greeted the guards at the entrance with a nod. She took me past all the offices and locker rooms. We went through a dark hallway until we ended up at the end of the hall. There were two green doors. Peggy twisted the door knob and opened a door. Inside the room there was a room with stalls. I looked around and realized we were inside a gun range.
"Have you ever used one before?" She asked.
"A gun? A few times. Uncle taught me." I said. It was true. After I moved away for college Rhodey visited a few times. We were walking out on the streets when he saw someone get mugged. The next day he took me to a gun range and taught me how to shoot. He said women living alone in a big city were easy targets and wanted to make sure I could look after myself. I insisted it was unnecessary but humored him anyway. It was pretty fun.
"Well let's see how well you learned." She handed me a pair of earplugs and a handgun. I unloaded the clip, reloaded and took off the safety. I spread my feet apart, held the gun like I had been taught and took a deep breath. I shot the target five times. Three in the center of the chest and two in the head.
I took off my earplugs and heard clapping. I turned around expecting to see Peggy and she was there but Colonel Philips was there as well.
"Not bad Miss Stark." He said with the most serious look on his face. I don't know if he meant it or if he was being sarcastic. He didn't seem like the sarcastic type though. "Captain Rogers tells me you're interested in being his team's medic."
"Yes sir." I replied.
"You do realize you'd be out in the field at risk of being captured again." He says.
"I know the risk, I'm willing to go anyway."
"I was going to have my head medical examiner put together a test to see if you were capable of performing under pressure until I got this letter from the head field medic in Azzano. He had a patient, Thomas Mills who came in with a collapsed lung. He said when the patient arrived he had already been stabilized. His brother, Eugene, told him a woman named Nora had helped them. If it wasn't for your resourcefulness he would not have made it. I think that means you pass. Agent Carter just proctored your weapons test which you passed as well."
"I did?"
"Dead center each time. I'd say you passed with excellent marks." Peggy told me.
"So what now?"
"One last test." Philips said.
"Follow me." Peggy said. She led me to a locker room and handed me some clothes. "Change into these and then meet me in the room right across."
I looked at the clothes she handed me. It was a white t-shirt with the SSR emblem, grey sweats and a pair of boots. I put them on and left my clothes in the locker Peggy left open.
When I walked in to the new room, I realized what my next test would be. The entire room was a gym. There were heavy bags by the walls and blue mats on the floor.
Peggy came up to me and handed me a hair tie. I put my hair in a messy bun and went towards Colonel Philips who was talking to someone. The guy was a few inches shorter than Steve. He was very buff and looked intimidating.
"For your last test, you are going to go up against Lieutenant Moore. You are going to fight, hand to hand, no weapons, no hits below the belt. The fight ends when one of you taps out. Is that understood?" He says.
"Yes sir." I said.
"Start on our count." He said.
I stepped up onto the mat. I was a bit nervous. I hadn't sparred with anyone in a while.
"One, Two, Three"
Lieutenant Moore raised his arms the way a boxer would. Judging from his posture he was looking for an opening before throwing any hits. He was right handed since his right arm was slightly higher than his left. Aim left then.
He got impatient and decided to throw a right punch. I blocked it with my left. I took advantage of that and threw a punch to his throat but he caught that with his left. I spun out under his arm and pulled it behind his back. I kicked the back of one of my knees and that made him fall down on one knee. When I tried to push him all the way down he elbowed me on my side. That made me grunt and take a step back. He started standing up so I kicked him on the side of the head and knocked him out.
"Sorry, Knocked him out." I said panting.
"He was the best fighter out of his entire platoon." Philips said genuinely shocked.
"I think he was trying to go easy on me." I said defending the guy's honor.
"Most of his opponents didn't even last half of what he did just now." Peggy said.
"Oh, I can see why." I said flinching when I felt where he had elbowed me before.
"You're done for the day. I'll tell Captain Rogers your results." Colonel Philips said leaving the room.
"What about him?" I asked.
"I'll send in the medics." Philips said without turning around.
"I'll wait for them, why don't you go get changed." Peggy said.
"All right, be back in a minute." I went across the hall to the locker room and got dressed. A nasty bruise was already starting to be seen on my side where I had gotten elbowed. Oh well. I put on my arc reactor necklace and left the room. Out in the hall way I saw the medics carry Lieutenant Moore out of the training room. I think I gave him a black eye. I'm so going to apologize next time I see him.
"Ready." Peggy said, snapping me out of my inner ramblings.
"Yeah, Where to?"
"Lets go check on your grandfather. And on the way you can tell me what had you so startled when we left your apartment." She said. I knew she was going to bring it up eventually.
"It was nothing I was just overthinking something."
"You three work everything out?"
I thought back to last night and had a goofy smile on my face. "Yeah we worked things out."
"Then what could possibly be troubling you?"
"I can't say the L-word. And they keep telling me they do, since last night. I thought I imagined them saying it until we left this morning and they said it again."
"L-word? You mean Love? Surely you must be joking?"
"I'm dead serious."
"The way you three look at each other, I wish the day I meet my soul mate he looks at me with even a fraction of the love you three look at each other."
"Peg, I'm not saying I don't feel that way towards them, I'm just saying I can't say it." I elaborate.
"Have you tried?"
"Every time I hear it I freeze."
"Have you said it to anyone else?" She asks me and I start to think back.
Nana always said she adored me or cared about me more than anything else in the world. I vaguely recall the phrase being said a few times. Rhodey, not one to talk about that stuff. Jess, we just call each other awesome. I think she said it once and I said same here but I don't think that counts. Dean was literally a one night thing and it took me four and a half months to accept I had feelings for him. Which when I look back now doesn't even compare to what I feel for Steve and Bucky. Dad, if I recall correctly has never said those exact words. I mean I know he does and I know I do too. It's always been us against the world. It's just something we know not something that needs to be said.
"Not in a really long time." I said.
"Really Nora, It's not that hard to say."
"What's not hard to say?" Gramps ask as we walk into the lab.
"She can't tell her soul mates she loves them."
"What do you mean you don't love them?"
"I do I just can't say it."
"That I get." Gramps said
"You do?" Peggy and I say at the same time.
"Of course, anytime you say I love you to someone that makes you vulnerable. You make a woman think you love her you can get away with anything."
"Gramps, I'm not talking about a one night stand here."
"I know. It's not that you don't love them. You're afraid." He says.
"I'm afraid?" I say
"Who was the last person you ever said 'I love you' too." He says.
I start to think back. "Nana."
"Your Nanny?" Peggy says.
"No Nana, the woman who raised me. Dad sent me to live with her after my mom died in childbirth. He would visit when he could." I explained.
"So the closest thing you had to a mom. When was the last time you told her you loved her." Peggy asked.
"The day before she died, a little over five years ago." I say.
"Sorry," Peggy said remorsefully.
"It's fine, you didn't know."
"What about your dad?" Gramps asks. I have to be careful what I say. I have a feeling the Howard I know now isn't the same person who raised Dad.
"We're not exactly good at talking about our feelings. I know Dad does and I know I do but we just don't say it. It's a given."
"You're afraid of loosing them. You lost a lot of people you cared about, people you loved. You're scared if you finally admit to them you love them you'll lose them but that's part of life kid. Both of them are soldiers. They're going into battle in a few weeks and if I heard right you're going with them. They could die or you could die."
When he said that I started to panic. I felt my chest tighten and my face went numb. Then it started happening again, I was glowing.
"Oh Fuck," I said. It got brighter and brighter until I couldn't see then it faded.
I was not in 1943 anymore. I was in a living room. Everything was pretty modern, like circa 2011. There were two couches all decorated in monochrome grey tones. The place over looked the forest and a huge yard. On the wall was a logo, it was a capitol A with an arrow.
"Nora?" I heard someone say.
I turned around and there was Dad, except he looked different than the last time I saw him. His hair was shorter and there were more grey hairs than last time.
"Dad?"
Then came in Rhodey. He also looked older. And his legs they were in some sort of mechanical brace.
"Rhodey, what happened to you?" I say looking at him.
"Nora what are you doing here?" He said looking at me confused.
"It's kind of a long story." I say. Rhodey looks conflicted. Dad is just staring at me. He also looks conflicted.
"Then start explaining." Rhodey says.
"Wait, Rhodey I don't think its her." Dad says.
"Dad of course its-"
"She's different. Look at what she's wearing." Dad says to Rhodey giving him a look.
"Oh, right." Rhodey says at the realization. It's like they're speaking they're own language.
"Kid how old are you?" Dad asks.
"Dad seriously, you have an IQ of 190 but you don't know how old-"
"Just answer the question!" Dad says loudly making me jump slightly.
"Eighteen, we just celebrated a few months ago. That's when I adopted Axl" I say.
"Kid it's 2016." Rhodey says.
"What?!" I say surprised. "Well that explains the grey hairs but not what happened to you?"
"Not the time. Where are you coming from?" Dad asks.
"London." I say.
"Funny, I meant when, the year?" He says not taking his eyes off of me.
"1943" I say.
"That explains the clothes." Dad mumbled.
"Guys, seriously, what the hell is going on?"
"Spoilers kid, you'll find out in five years till then tell me, what happened?" he asked.
"Like I said I was in London talking to Gramps and Peggy. I started feeling strange. There was a bright light and now I'm here." I said. Both of them do not look at all shocked at what I had just told them.
"Another time jump." Rhodey says to Dad.
"Looks like it." Dad tells him.
"This keeps happening?" I ask.
"Again, spoilers," dad says irritatingly.
"Mr. Stark, Colonel Rhodes, I was told there was a visitor." I voice says from the door.
"Dad why is there a red alien that sounds like Jarvis floating in your living room?"
"Spoilers." He says again.
"Would you cut that out already? I don't know what I did to piss you two off so much but can you please tell me what the fuck is going on?" I yell out.
"Miss Stark, if you would please calm down. Mr. Stark is only saying that to prevent catastrophic alterations to the timeline and a tear in the space-time continuum." The red headed alien said.
"This sucks, all I want to do is go home and preferably stay in the same year I woke up in." I start crying without realizing it. "I missed five years with you two, I left my soul mates in 1943 and left my dog in 2011. What the fuck is happening to me?"
Dad looks at me with the saddest look I've ever seen. He comes to me and hugs me. I bury my fact in his chest and just start sobbing.
"Nora, kid listen to me, I know things are tough right now. I know your scared but everything will work out. You're going to be okay, I promise. And no matter what I need you to know I love you, you're my entire world and nothing will change that." He then hugs me again and kisses the top of my head.
He moves away from me and the red alien that sounded like Jarvis got close to me and placed two fingers on my forehead. I started glowing again just like last time. When the light faded I was back in the lab. Gramps and Peggy where just standing there looking dumbfounded.
"Are you all right?" Peggy asks looking worried.
"I'm fine."
"Where'd you go?" Gramps asks.
"Saw my dad." I said. "How long was I gone?"
"Twenty minutes." Gramps says looking at the clock.
"So I didn't miss much this time. That's something."
"It's really good, I'd rather not have to deal with both of your soul mates trying to kill me again." Gramps says, "Also you're just in time. I made lunch reservations for the three of us."
"Sounds good." I say just thinking about what I had seen.
"Let's get going the car's waiting for us." Gramps says.
"Yeah lets go, I'm starving." I say forcing a smile.
We ate lunch and had a good laugh. It was nice. The food was great. The company was nice. It was especially funny when Gramps' ex one nightstand Sally showed up. Boy was that funny. Luckily I was in such a mopey mood she totally bought the mourning act.
"Are you going to be all right?" Peggy asked. "You seem a bit off since…"
"I'll be fine, it's been a while since I'd seen my dad and seeing him under these circumstances just brought some stuff up. That's all." I say forcing a smile.
"We're here." Gramps says.
"Thanks for lunch gramps it was excellent as always." I say.
"Anytime kid, I enjoy our chats, and you make a great wing man." He says with a smirk.
"Bye," I say getting out of the car and walking into the apartment building.
I get to the door and I stop and just stare at the doorknob. If I open it I'll see all the vintage furniture of the 1940's not the modern monochromatic color scheme of Dad's living room in 2016. I'll have my soul mates instead of Dad and Rhodey. I should feel guilty for being okay with that but I'm not. My dad means the world to me but when I'm with Steve and Bucky, they are my entire world. When I'm with them my worries don't bother me because I know that I'll get through them.
I was so distracted; I didn't notice that Bucky had opened the door.
"Doll, you coming in?" He asked looking concerned.
"Umm, What? Oh sorry, zoned out a bit." I say as I started walking in.
"You all right Doll?"
"Yeah, just had a weird morning." I say.
"Weird how?" Steve says standing behind the kitchen counter.
"Had another time traveling incident."
"What?!" They both said at the same time.
"Yeah, got to see my dad except it wasn't my dad. He was older. I was in 2016 not 2011." I said explaining.
"You got to see five years ahead?" Bucky asked.
"Yeah it was strange. I kept asking questions and they just kept saying spoilers, or that I'd find out in five years. They weren't freaked out that I just appeared out of nowhere." I say.
"That probably means you learn to control whatever it is that causes you to jump through time and go back to your time." Steve says. I look up into his eyes and he looks sad.
We all get quiet at that thought. Could I really leave everyone behind? I miss Dad and all but I don't think I could leave Steve and Bucky behind.
"I don't know if I want to go back." I say.
"What?" Steve says shocked.
"Why not?" Bucky asks confused.
"Don't get me wrong. I miss the future. The music, the technology, wearing jeans but I can live without that. If I were to go back, you two wouldn't be there and I'm not sure I could or want to live with that. I guess what I'm trying to say is I love you guys and I'm not going anywhere." They look at me and their grimaces turn into smiles. They both practically run and trap me in a hug between the both of them.
"Love you too Doll."
"Love you, Nora."
We stay like that for a while just enjoying having each other in our arms until Steve finally lets go.
"I have to get going. I got a message from Colonel Philips, he wants to talk about some new intel for our first mission and the results of your test." Steve said giving me a small smile.
"Oh well get going, the longer you keep him waiting the crankier he'll be." I say.
"I'll be back before dinner. Stay out of trouble you two." He said putting on his coat.
"I should be the one telling you that punk." Bucky said.
"Very funny jerk." He said walking out the door.
"I'm going to grab a shower." I said
Bucky leaned down to kiss me. He moved his hands up from my hips to my waist causing me to flinch.
"Are you all right? Did I hold you to hard?" He asks worried.
"No it's not that. Part of my test, which by the way, thanks for the heads up," I say sarcastically, "Was a sparring match. The guy elbowed me on the side before I knocked him out."
"How bad is it? Let me see."
I slowly untucked my blouse from my skirt and raised my shirt. There was a pretty nasty bruise on the curve of my waist.
"I'll grab an ice pack." He says going to the kitchen.
"Bucky don't I'll just take a bath, it'll help relax my muscles and take the pain away."
"Doll…"
"Seriously I'm fine. Its just a bruise. I'll feel better after a bath." I go hug him and then give him a peck on the lips. I'm about to take my arms off of him when he gently puts his hands on my hips and pulls me back for another kiss.
"You sure that's the only thing. No other injuries?"
"That's the only hit he managed to get in. Nothing else."
"Go take a bath I'll make you some tea to help you relax afterwards."
"Okay thanks." I say before walking to my room. I go into the bathroom and start the bath. I take of my shoes, clothes and necklace and wrap myself in a robe.
Once the water is to the right temperature, I turn off the faucet and get in. The water feels amazing. I stay in there and soak for a while. I start to think about everything that I saw today. The way Rhodey and Dad looked at me. How Dad actually hesitated just to get near me when he hugged me. What he said to me. The only time I had actually heard dad talk about how important I was to him was when I confronted him about the Palladium poisoning.
I don't know what happened in those five years but whatever did it wasn't good. The water started getting cold so I got out. As I was getting out of the tub I saw my reflection in the mirror. The bruise on my side was gone. What's happening to me?