Author's Notes: HI! Sorry I fell off the face of the Earth, my laptop crashed and died and I've been trying to sort that out! Now I have a brand new, beautiful laptop that I'm breaking in so I can bring you new chapters! Thank you all for sticking around and I hope you enjoy as we head off on our new adventure!
Eight Months Later
"... so I've owned my own practice for the past seven years. Dentistry wasn't exactly the dream, but it's the family business."
"Mmmhmm." Tessa hummed absently in response as she cut her filet mignon. Her long brunette hair was pulled into a low bun at the nape of her neck, but a long strand kept escaping and falling into her face, a welcome distraction from her boring date.
The ginger-haired dentist didn't realize his date was uninterested, but Tessa was a good sport and continued to make eye contact as she chewed her steak, half-listening to his stories. He'd gotten dressed up and taken her to a fancy restaurant, the least she could do was pretend the evening was going well.
But Tessa's mind was somewhere else, somewhere far away, with one James Buchanan Barnes. The last time he'd come to see her was five months ago, just before Christmas, and he'd told her not to wait for him. Bucky told Tessa he didn't know how long he'd be gone, and he wanted her to be happy. She begrudgingly accepted that he had a job to do that was bigger and more important than their almost-relationship. That didn't mean she didn't think about him every damn day. Tessa could almost still feel his lips against hers as he kissed her goodbye in the falling snow...
"And then I spent the summer in Namibia working with underprivileged kids. It was the most formative experience of my life."
Tessa nodded quickly, coming back from her daydream, "Yes, I'm sure it was! I'd love to travel to Africa someday. Honestly, I'd love to travel anywhere..."
She imagined her fridge in her tiny apartment. It was currently filled with postcards from all over the world, ranging from Australia to Chile to Japan. Every time Bucky and the Avengers stopped somewhere new Kayla would come into the shop with the kids, passing off the postcard that had accompanied a detailed note for herself and Steve. Bucky did a great job of keeping the couple updated on their progress- or lack thereof.
One evening at Kayla and Steve's home she noticed the note from Bucky on the kitchen counter and read it quickly while Kayla helped Sarah with her English homework. Tessa had memorized every curve of the cursive note, taking in how heavy-handed Bucky wrote. It was then that she realized it was time to move on.
Steve-
I know you've turned down Sam time and time again over the past six months, but I'm starting to think we really could really use you. Last week in Angola we almost lost Kate fighting against the Hydra agents. The Enchantress is more powerful than we anticipated. She morphed the men into vicious monsters twice as strong and fast as you and I. And they know everywhere we go. I'm beginning to worry we won't make it home from this one. I'm glad you told Sam no, but perhaps we could use your insight. If anything, we could use your anonymity. Give Kayla and the kids my love. Tell Tessa I miss her terribly, and I pray every day that I'll make it home to her. Don't do anything stupid until I get back.
James Buchanan Barnes
That was two months ago. Bucky didn't write such honest letters to Tessa. Instead, he sent her beautiful postcards telling her how he thought about her and how he wished she was there with him. But it wasn't until that note to Steve that Tessa realized how scared Bucky was, and that he didn't expect to make it home alive. His love notes to her were just a way to give him hope, even if he often told her he hoped she was happy.
"So how long have you owned the Brewhouse?" Tessa's date asked, taking a bite of his chicken cordon bleu as he watched Tessa curiously.
"Umm..." Tessa thought for a moment, staring up at the ceiling, "Eight years I think? Almost nine? Where does the time go? I bought it after we all returned. After the Blip." She took another large bite of her steak, feeling better after giving the poor man some information about her. He seemed to relax after the information as well, finally seeing the conversation going in the right direction.
"Maybe we could stop by for a late-night snack? I'm sure you've got some leftover pastries. I'll pay." The redhead winked at Tessa and she raised her eyes in surprise, taking a long sip of her red wine. After swallowing she nodded her head, setting down the wine and pushing the stray hair behind her ear.
"Yeah, we can definitely do that. Sounds like a plan. A great plan."
The Brewhouse had been closed for an hour when Tessa's date parked across the street. She led him to the coffee shop, pulling out her set of keys to unlock the front door. She hadn't bothered fixing the revolving door after Steven Carter had practically destroyed it months ago. He'd rebuilt her new door by hand as payment. Tessa looked over her shoulder, finding her date staring at her ass as she unlocked the door. Tessa rolled her eyes as she turned back to the lock, finally popping open the front door.
Once inside, the man wrapped his arms around Tessa and closed the door, flipping the lock behind him, "Alone at last."
Tessa felt herself shiver, knowing he was about to go in for the first kiss. She wasn't ready for that. Panic rose into Tessa's chest as she tried to think of a way out of what was about to happen. Her date was a nice guy. He'd paid for dinner. He'd pulled out her chair and opened her car door. He deserved this, right?
"Not exactly."
Tessa and her date looked up simultaneously to see a shadowy figure leaning against the glass case by the register. Her date pushed Tessa behind him to protect her, squinting his eyes to see who had broken into the Brewhouse. "Who's there? What do you want?"
"I want to talk to her. Alone. I think it's time you leave. Date's over. Goodbye."
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Tessa's date snarled, but Tessa pushed past him without fear. Her chocolate eyes began to well with tears as her breath caught in her chest.
"Alex, it's been great. Tonight- tonight has been wonderful, but I know him. I think we should talk alone. Thank you for everything. I'll be safe, I promise." Tessa said without turning around. Her focus was locked on the man in front of her, and nothing else mattered.
The other man groaned and grumbled something about a terrible date before storming out the front door, slamming it closed in the process.
Bucky slowly walked past Tessa and locked the door, then turned around and closed the gap between them. "It's been too long. I'm sorry."
"You told me to move on. But I couldn't. That guy was the worst. He wasn't you." Tessa breathed as Bucky gently cupped her elbows in his hands. Tess looked up at Bucky in the darkness, leaning toward him as she added, "I was scared I'd never see you again."
"That makes two of us." Bucky chuckled, slowly dipping down to kiss Tessa sweetly. He lifted his right hand to her jaw, caressing it as he pressed a little harder against her lips.
Tessa grabbed the back of Bucky's head and nipped at his lower lip, deepening the kiss as she pulled him down to her. "What are you doing here Bucky? Shouldn't you be fighting the Enchantress and Hydra or something like that?"
"I came to see you." He moaned into her mouth, grabbing her by the thighs and hoisting her up to reach her better. "And-"
"And?" Tessa asked, pulling away slightly to look into his grey-blue eyes.
Bucky sucked in his breath, forcing out a sweet smile, "And ask if Steve will come fight with us."
Tessa's smile dropped into a deep-set frown. She narrowed her eyes at Bucky and he slowly put her back on the floor. "No. No-no-no. Absolutely not. You came to me first so I'd help you convince Steve to leave his family and come traverse the world fighting modern-day Nazis with you. I'm not gonna do that. And frankly, I'm insulted that I was just a side thought. You're here to see your boyfriend, not me."
"Tess! Tess come on!" Bucky whined as Tessa shoved his chest and stormed toward the front door. "Tess, I came to take you with me."
The short brunette stopped at the glass, lifting her head curiously as Bucky's confession reached her ears. She turned around, crossing her arms over her silver dress. "I'm listening."
"We're heading to Europe for a few weeks. I'm hoping to bring Steve along to go undercover with me. We're going to cut off the heads when the queen isn't looking. You should be safe. I'll come home to you every night. And we can see the world. Together." Bucky promised, grabbing Tessa's shoulders. He rubbed her upper arm with his right hand, giving Tessa his best supportive smile.
She looked up skeptically at Bucky, "And you just expect me to up and leave my shop. My life, my friends?"
"Well, I was kind of hoping some of those friends would come with us," Bucky explained slowly, lowering his head to look a little closer at his best girl. "I have a plan. Sam okay-ed it. It involves a summer of European sightseeing, and you and me in a series of connected suites. But we'll get the room with the jacuzzi."
Tessa's knees threatened to buckle and collapse as her stomach plummeted. "Yeah, I could- I could maybe do that. But you have to get Steve on board yourself. I'm not getting involved in that. He has kids Bucky."
"And I think I have a very capable live-in babysitter." Bucky winked at Tessa and she leaned away, shaking her head as her jaw hung open.
"No. Absolutely not."
The clock struck three o'clock and the school bell echoed around the elementary school, causing all the children to cheer and run out the front doors, free for the next three months.
James came barreling down the stairs of the school building with two of his buddies, beating them by flying down the stairs three at a time. "Summer vacation!" He cheered, fist-bumping each of his friends as they cheered him on. James smoothed down his plaid shirt over his shorts, then ran his fingers through his unruly blonde hair. He was looking more and more like his father every day.
"James! James, wait up!"
James rolled his eyes and groaned loudly as he threw his head back, turning around to face his sister. "What is it, Sarah?"
"I'm asking you to wait, jerkface." Sarah slurred under her breath causing James's friends to snicker. James glowered at his friends, and they stopped laughing instantly. Going separate ways, they left the Carter siblings by themselves. James glared at his little sister, then led her toward the pick-up zone as she lifted her chin proudly.
Steve honked loudly from the pick-up zone, beckoning his two eight-year-old children to his pickup. "Get in kiddos, I'm taking you two for ice cream!" Steve stroked his short beard as he stared ahead, nodding a greeting to Richard the security guard. James got to the truck first, easily crawling in behind his father and buckling in before Sarah even got to the door.
"Whattup Dad?" James asked, unzipping his backpack to pull out a pair of purple reflective sunglasses. The boy placed them on his face as his sister pulled herself up into the truck, panting as she settled into her seat.
Steve looked up in the rearview mirror, seeing his son's smug grin and his daughter's frustrated expression, "So, how was the last day of school?"
"I passed all my classes with flying colors. Straight A's!" James yelped, throwing his hands into the air as Steve pulled away from the school. "My science teacher says I'm, a- what's the word? A prodigy."
"Yeah, whatever, we can't all be the perfect James Carter," Sarah mumbled, crossing her arms and sinking into her seat. "My day was fine. I got B's. But all my classmates wrote nice things in my second-grade memory book."
"See, that sounds like a great day. For both of you. So, ice cream? We're meeting Aunt Tessa for dinner tonight to celebrate. Only ten more years till you munchkins graduate and leave the nest." Steve winked at his kids in the rearview mirror before continuing to drive them home. James and Sarah shared a knowing look in the backseat. Their father was always talking about having the evening alone with their mom.
After ice cream, when Steve began pulling into the driveway, he found a black motorcycle already parked behind Kayla's van. The soldier threw the truck into park and turned it off, practically sprinting toward the front door. Before he could reach it, the red door swung open and Kayla stood on the other side. "The kids?"
"Are in the truck and fully capable of coming inside on their own. Where is he?" Steve yelped as he looked around his wife and she spread her arm behind her, allowing her husband into the house to see his best friend standing in the kitchen behind her. "Buck?"
"Long time no see, punk." Bucky responded, clasping Steve's right hand before pulling him into a hug. "How you been?"
"I've been... I've been good. Why are you here? How are you here? Is everyone alright?" Steve exclaimed, hardly aware of Tessa smiling at the men from behind the Winter Soldier.
Bucky nodded, a meek smile on his face, "Everyone's fine. I, uh, snuck away for a few days. Not long, just a couple days. I wanted to talk to you and see my girl."
"In that order mind you." Tessa snorted as she passed Bucky to stand in the living room with Kayla, just as the two kids entered through the front door.
"Uncle Bucky!" James yelled, dropping his backpack and his sister's that he was carrying to run and jump on his uncle while Sarah scurried behind him.
"There's my godson!" Bucky exclaimed happily, embracing James in a hug before pulling away to look at him better, "Wow, you look so much like your dad. Sarah! My gosh, look at you! Eight sure looks good on you kid."
"Thank you, Uncle Bucky," Sarah said as she wrapped her left arm around his side. "Are you coming to dinner with us tonight? We're celebrating school being done for the summer."
Bucky looked from Kayla to Steve and the former nodded so he answered the little girl quickly, "Sure am. It's why I'm here."
"Yes! I want to show you my new PlayStation 6. We can play racing games together. We have time, right Dad?" James sputtered quickly, turning to his father with pleading eyes. Steve looked to Kayla, who nodded again, giving her husband permission to let their son play.
"Yeah, go for it. I'll be there in a few."
James scrambled up the stairs quickly with Bucky lumbering behind, leaving Sarah with the two women and her father. "I, uh, better get started on my summer reading list."
"You've been out of school for an hour, no homework yet. Why don't you show Aunt Tessa what you drew in Sunday school last week," Kayla suggested instead, nodding toward the stairs. Sarah nodded quickly, grabbing Tessa by the hand and leading her slowly up the stairs to her bedroom.
Once alone, Kayla turned to Steve with fire in her eyes, "You know why he's here."
"I know. He's going to ask me to come back with him."
"You can't do it. Please. Things have been so good recently. It took weeks for me to sleep, even with you by my side. I saw Schmidt everywhere... I'll go mad if you're gone. And the kids... I don't want them to grow up without their father." Kayla whined, grabbing Steve's hands lovingly. "Where you go I go, remember?"
Steve pressed a kiss to Kayla's forehead, his beard tickling her pale skin, "I know. I'm not going anywhere without you."