The Stranger on the Bench Chapter 63, a captain america fanfic

Interested in the song Eden sings during this chapter: Youtube: Tears of an Angel by Amy Guess

Needless to say, the mood had not been ruined by Clint's phone call. Afterwards, I told him I had a few things I needed to check on for work so he left to head to the living room. Bucky watched TV while I checked my emails for any work related issues that needed to be addressed. I don't know what he was watching but every once in a while I would hear an occasional chuckle and it made me smile. I had seen a lot of changes in Bucky the last few weeks…all of them good. Most of the emails were junk but there were a couple from clients that had some small issues needing fixing. I knew they wouldn't take long so I started working on them right away instead of waiting until tomorrow.

My eyes were really bothering me this morning and the longer I stared at the computer screen the more I rubbed them in frustration. I sighed and stood up, stretching as I headed for my bathroom. My eye doctor had warned me the last time I saw him that staring at a computer screen all day was not good on the eyes. He had suggested that when they start to bother me, I wear the glasses he had prescribed. I hadn't pulled them out since before I started my vacation, mostly because I hadn't really been working up until this last week.

I opened up the drawer where I kept them and slipped them on my face before making my way back to my desk. I noticed a difference immediately and the small headache that was threatening to hit, slowly faded away. I was just finishing up my work when I heard footsteps down the hall towards my bedroom.

"You almost done…you've been at it for a while" I heard Bucky say as he entered the room. I pressed send on the email and started to log off my computer, my back still to him.

"Yes, just finished. I wanted to get some of this out of the way before tomorrow. Brooke wanted us to come by the Smithsonian tomorrow to look at some new items that are going on display. She said they actually had something to do with you. Do you think you could meet us there after you get done with your recruits?" I asked, turning around to face him.

His eyes widened slightly and a small smile formed on his lips but he didn't say anything, he just stared at me.

"What?"

"I've never seen you wear glasses before" he said, walking over to me.

Suddenly feeling self-conscious, I quickly reached up and pulled off the glasses, feeling a slight blush on my cheeks, "Forgot I had them on. I just have to wear them sometimes when I work…my eyes start bothering me and it helps to keep me from getting a headache"

He shook his head at me, "You don't have to take them off. I think they make you look….cute" he finally said.

"Cute?" I said with a chuckle, slipping the glasses back into their case and placing them next to the laptop. "I don't know if I want to be described as cute"

"What would prefer then…sexy, beautiful, gorgeous, stunning?" he asked, a sly smile on his lips, stopping beside me to rest one hand on my cheek.

"All of the above?" I asked, staring up at him, nuzzling my face into the palm of his hand.

"I agree" he said, reaching his hand out to pull me up from my chair, "And yes, I can meet you and Brooke tomorrow at the Smithsonian. I get done around 2:00 with my recruits. I can shower and change at headquarters and meet you there at 3:00…I'm sure Steve will want to come to"

I nodded my head, "So what do you want to do the rest of the day?"

Before he could answer, my cell phone beeped and with a sigh, I reached down to retrieve my text message.

Brooke: Hey, is it okay if I come over? I want to talk to you.

Shit, I almost totally forgot about what happened last night. She may be pissed about the whole Brandon thing after all.

Bucky noticed the expression on my face, "What is it?"

"Do you think you could get lost for an hour or so?" I asked looking up to see a confused expression on his face, "Like leave that apartment I mean…that was Brooke, she wants to come over and talk. I'm figuring we may need some privacy. Some girl time….alone"

He realized what I meant and nodded his head, "I'll head over to Steve's and hang out with him"

I looked down at my phone again to type out a message to Brooke.

Eden: Sure, come over now if you want.

Brooke: I'll be there in about 15 minutes.

I looked up at Bucky and he noticed the apprehensive look on my face, "She's not mad at you Eden. She told me so herself; last night before I left the bar"

I tried to smile but I wasn't so sure if Bucky was right. Brandon could have told Brooke anything and twisted the story to make me out to be the bad guy in this situation. I looked down at myself…I was still dressed in sweat pants and a tank top.

"She'll be here in 15 minutes. I guess you can go ahead and head over to Steve's now. I'm just going to change clothes" I said before heading to the closet to grab some jeans and a t-shirt.

He cleared his throat, "I'll wait until she gets here to leave"

The way he said it caught my attention, "Why?" I asked suspiciously, turning to him as I slipped out of my sweat pants and pulled my tank top off.

His eyes roamed my body but his attention snapped back up to my face when I raised my voice, "Why?" I asked again, trying not to smile.

"I don't want you alone….just in case" he said, looking down at his hands.

I laughed at him, "In case of what Bucky? The guy escapes police custody and wastes his time hunting me down instead of running for his life?"

"That's exactly what I'm worried about actually" he said, in a serious tone.

I eyed him carefully, puzzled by how irrational he was being.

"So you won't leave me alone by myself but you'll leave me alone with Brooke? Don't get me wrong, Brooke can hold her own in a fight but she's definitely not a super soldier. She won't be much protection for me…so your reasoning is flawed. Besides, you can't stay with me 24 hours a day. What was your plan for tomorrow while I'm here and you're at work?" I laughed.

"Don't laugh at me" he said quietly.

"Then stop being ridiculous" I said, slipping the jeans on and reaching for the shirt.

He frowned at me, sitting down on the bed as he watched me get dressed. That sad puppy dog look on his face made me sigh deeply.

"You once told me when you lived at Steve's, that you could be at my front door in less than a minute, was that true?" I asked, sitting beside him.

I could tell by the smile that appeared on his face, that he was remembering that night. It was the night before I left to go visit Jill when we kept getting interrupted, "Yes, it was true"

"So you could be here in 60 seconds if something happened Bucky. I don't think that guy is going sneak in here and manage to kill me in 60 seconds" I said, taking his hand in my own.

"I could…when I was the Winter Soldier…60 seconds was all I needed" he said, his frown deepening "A lot can happen in 60 seconds Eden"

Without thinking I retorted, "Well, lucky for me the guy trying to kill me isn't a Super Soldier"

Moron! Why did you say that?

I instantly wished I could take back what I had just said. I could see Bucky going into that bad place…that place where his past taunted him and made him feel the full 70 years of guilt.

I squeezed his hand, "Don't do that Bucky, don't think about those times….that's the past remember? Think about the present...think about the future. I'm here right now…and I'll be here tomorrow and every day after that. Okay?"

He shook his head and then looked at me with a more hopeful expression on his face, "Every day after huh?"

I nodded my head, "Yep. I'm pretty persistent; it's going to take a lot to keep me away from you"

He reached over and pulled me into his lap, his hands resting on my bottom, my knees on either side of his legs. "I think that's my favorite thing about you" he said before letting his lips touch mine.

We were still kissing when the doorbell rang 5 minutes later…I pulled away from Bucky and he groaned in frustration. I stood up to straighten my clothes, checking my reflection in the mirror. My lips were slightly red from the kissing but nothing too bad. Bucky on the other hand was reaching down to adjust himself, attempting to hide the bulge in his pants. I giggled at him and he just shook his head with a small smile.

He followed me into the living room, grabbing his coat and phone as I answered the door. Brooke was standing there, her hands in her pockets when I opened the door and ushered her in. Bucky came up behind me to greet Brooke and then gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, "I'm right next door, 60 seconds" I nodded my head and watched as he stepped out the door.

As soon as Bucky closed the door I turned to Brooke nervously. She was my best friend…I had known her almost my entire life. I was fully prepared to beg for forgiveness…get on my knees and plead if I had to. I would do anything to make her not mad at me for keeping me and Brandon's date a secret from her.

Before I even had a chance to apologize, she threw her arms around me tightly, "Steve told me what happened, are you okay?"

I pulled back confused, "What?"

"The creepy fucker that's been following you. Steve told me all about it this morning. I almost didn't believe it when he told me…it's like something out a scary movie" she said, hugging me tightly again.

She didn't come over to yell at me about Brandon?

She pulled away and walked into my living room to take a sit on the couch…I followed her, "So you're not mad about me and Brandon"

She rolled her eyes, "Pssh, Brandon is a douche bag. I'm not surprised you didn't tell me…I'd be too embarrassed to tell anyone I went out with that asshole too"

I let out a huge sigh of relief, thankful to have someone like Brooke in my life. We spent the next hour just talking about everything that had happened. She told me how she had called her mom last night to tattle tale on Brandon. Brooke said her mom had almost called me this morning to apologize for how much of a fuck up her son was…I laughed but wasn't surprised. That sounded exactly like something Brenda Donovan would say….Brooke and her mom were just too much alike. She said Brandon had woken up this morning with a massive hangover, a swollen nose, and a slight black eye before spending half an hour on the phone with his mother, rolling his eyes and flipping Brooke off the entire time.

I shook my head confused, "I punched him in the nose, not the eye…how did he get the shiner?"

She grinned sheepishly, "I may have gotten carried away again last night when we got back to my apartment. Steve was there, he didn't let me get too out of hand" she said my mouth dropped open.

"So, are the two of you okay? I don't want to be the cause of you and him not talking" I said.

She waved it off, "We're fine. I've come to expect that kind of shit from him. I gave him a hug and a swift kick in the ass before he left this morning. Not that it means much, but he told me to tell you and Bucky he was sorry"

I rolled my eyes, "I'll pass that apology on to Bucky" I said with a laugh.

We dissolved into giggles but the conversation quickly got serious when we started talking about the guy who had been stalking me. I saw the look of revulsion on Brooke's face as I told her about what I saw in the alley last night and what Bucky had told me he had seen in that abandoned warehouse.

She suddenly stood up, "I don't want to hear any more…thank God the guy was arrested. I kind of agree with Bucky…I'd feel better knowing the guy was 6 feet under too"

I shrugged my shoulders and watched as she bent down to look at my music collection, flipping through the CD's.

My stomach suddenly rumbled and I looked at the clock…it was almost 5:00, "You want to see if Steve and Bucky want to head back over here and we can get take out…maybe watch a movie?"

She looked up with a smile and nodded her head, "I'll text Steve"

I couldn't help smiling as she texted Steve. It was nice seeing her this way…she had never acted this way about any other guy. I was especially happy for Steve…he deserved someone special and Brooke was definitely one of a kind. I may be a little bit biased though.

"They're going to pick up some food and then head over" she said, looking up from her phone.

She continued looking through my CD's as I laid back on the couch, holding my stomach as it growled….she noticed all the karaoke tracks I had tucked away on the shelf and brought up my old high school choir days.

"You were so good Eden…I don't know why you don't sing more" she said, shaking her head. She suddenly got quiet and I looked over to see her holding a CD in her hand, shaking her head sadly. She looked up at me, "I remember you singing this at Beth's funeral" she said, holding a karaoke tract: Tears of an Angel

I haven't sung that song since her funeral.

Beth had been Brooke's cousin, only a year younger than us…she had been precious, the most soft spoken, pure person I had ever met. Where Brooke was loud and sometimes brash, Beth was always soft spoken and patient, thinking of everyone else's feelings before her own…wise beyond her years. I remembered the phone call I received that night in May…I was a freshmen in college studying for finals before summer break. 2 more tests tomorrow and then I would be heading home for the summer; I was excited to see Brooke and Jill. Beth's high school graduation was that weekend and I couldn't wait to see her walk across that stage as valedictorian….I was so proud of her, we all were.

I had smiled when I saw Brooke calling my cell phone and had answered with a smile on my face, "Hey Brooke"

The sound of her sobs had shot a dagger through my heart. I listened to her racking sobs as she told me that Beth had been hit by a car as she was crossing the street…the driver had been looking down at their phone and didn't see her….she was killed instantly. After finals I had headed straight home to be with Brooke, she had flown home from school and Jill and I did our best to comfort her. It had been Brooke's mom that had come to me, asking if I would sing at the funeral. I had hesitated at first but quickly gave in when she told me how much it would mean to her….to Beth's mother….to Brooke. I knew exactly what I would sing…it would be the perfect tribute to her. Beth's funeral was 4 days later, the morning before she was supposed to graduate. There was so many people there…family, friends, her fellow students…everyone wanted to pay their respects to Beth, an angel in both life and death. I was so nervous when I went to stand in front of them all, hands shaking furiously. As the music started, I had closed my eyes and thought of Beth…her sweet smile, soft eyes, kind heart. I had never admitted it to anyone but when I opened my eyes to start singing, I could swear in the back of the room I saw her standing there, that kind smile on her face, encouraging me on…listening to me as I sang that song for her. When I finished my song, I had looked over to the picture they had sitting next to her coffin….Beth in her high school cap and gown, smile bright…eyes lit up.

"Will you sing it for me?" I heard Brooke ask, shaking me out of my thoughts.

"Now?" I asked.

She nodded her head, "Please?" The look on her face was pleading and I couldn't bear to tell her no.

I nodded my head and watched as she took the CD out of the case and put it in the player. I stood up from the couch and walked to the window, looking out at the park. It was always easier to sing when I didn't have to look at anyone. I swallowed hard as the music started, feeling a lump forming in my throat as the music started.

Cover my eyes

Cover my ears

Tell me these words are a lie

It can't be true

That I'm losing you

The sun cannot fall from the sky

Can you hear heaven cry

The tears of an angel

Stop every clock

The Stars are in shock

The river would run to the sea

I won't let you fly

I won't say goodbye

I won't let you slip away from me

Can you hear heaven cry

The tears of an angel

So hold on

Be strong

Everyday hope will grow

I'm here, don't you fear

Little one don't let go

Don't let go

I could see Brooke out of the corner of my eye, standing next to me as we both looked out the window, up into the sky. I glanced over and saw the tears threatening to fall down her face. I wiped my own away as I finished the song, watching hers finally slide down her cheek, a small smile on her face.

Cover my eyes

Cover my ears

Tell me these words are a lie

"I never thanked you for singing at her funeral Eden" Brooke whispered, still looking forward.

"You didn't have to" I whispered back, turning to look up at the sky one last time.

The sound of someone clearing their throat caused both of us to spin around quickly. There stood Bucky and Steve, a look of surprise on both of their faces as they stood there watching us.

Brooke turned around quickly to wipe her tears away as I smiled, my eyes falling on Bucky, "How long have you been standing there?" I asked, walking over to him. From the expression on his face, I assumed they had been there for a while, listening to me sing.

When I reached him, he pulled me close to him and stared at me with those blue eyes "That was amazing…I've never…I mean I've heard you sing before but…I…wow"

He brushed his thumb across from my cheek, wiping away a stray tear I had missed…he had a confused look on his face but I shook my head, "Later" I mouthed.

I turned to look over at Brooke and noticed Steve had sat down the bag of food he was carrying on the coffee table and was now standing next to her. He had his hand on her shoulder and was turning her to face him. I smiled when I saw him wipe her tears away with the back of his hand and pull her to him. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and let him hold her. I finally grabbed Bucky's hand and led him to the kitchen to give them some privacy. I started grabbing paper plates and some drinks out of the fridge while Bucky sat on a stool and watched me.

"What was that about?" he asked quietly.

I explained to him quickly and he nodded sadly, glancing back at the door that led to the living room.

"I hope she's okay" he said softly.

I thought about Steve and what a wonderful person he was…so warm and so kind. He cared for Brooke and I knew she reciprocated those feelings for him too. I knew he would take care of her. I smiled as I said, "Steve will make her feel better"

Bucky looked up at me with an understanding look in his eyes before nodding and smiling at me

"Do you think you could sing like that for me some time?" he asked, grabbing me around the waist to pull me to him.

"Maybe…one day" I said, kissing him softly on the lips. His hands wrapped tighter around my waist as he deepened the kiss.

"Get a room" I heard Brooke say.

I pulled away from Bucky to see her and Steve standing in the doorway…his arm wrapped casually around her shoulders. She had a large grin on her face and there were no tears in her eyes anymore.

I have to remember to thank Steve later. He is such an amazing person.

I giggled and picked up the plates and napkins while Bucky grabbed the drinks.

Steve smiled down at Brooke, "What are you guys in the mood to watch…funny, drama, action….."

"Scary" Brooke and I both said at the same time.

I heard Bucky laugh and Steve looked at us both, "Why do you both always insist on scary movies?"

Brooke and I both looked at each other and shrugged, "Because those are the best ones" we said together before looping our arms together and heading to the living room in a fit of giggles.

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I hope you guys are enjoying. Please review. I love to hear everyone's thoughts and ideas. I try to please everyone so if you tell me something, I usually try and incorporate it into the story.

Thanks.