Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, Disney, ABC or the Avengers.
Sam phoned me the next day to tell me that Steve woke up. Quickly dragging Bucky out of bed, tying his hair back, putting a hat on his head, and a glove on his metal hand, I dragged him down to where we kept my car. I sped to the hospital, parking as quick as I could and practically running up to Steve's room, Bucky hot on my heels. Skidding to a stop, I found him laughing with Sam. Bucky stopped just shy of the doorway, and I pulled him over, saying, "He's gonna find out eventually. Better now to speed his recovery."
"Sera, what is he doing here?" Steve said, warily.
"I fixed his brain," I said flippantly, as I went to wrap my arms around Steve's neck.
"Sam, thank you for staying with him. You should go home and sleep. You look like you need it," I said, patting his shoulder.
"I think this is a little out of my area of expertise. I'll come by later, if he hasn't busted himself out." He joked, waving goodbye to Steve and giving a firm nod to Bucky.
"Bucky," Steve asked, not believing it.
"You couldn't have just caught me, punk?" Bucky responded, giving a small smile.
"It's really you."
"You've got a pretty amazing woman," Bucky said, his eyes flickering to me.
"Yeah, I do." Steve said, taking my hand, and squeezing it appreciatively.
"I missed you," Bucky said, slowly moving towards Steve.
"I missed you too Jerk." Steve said, smiling. Bucky determinately strode forward and enveloped Steve in a hug, crying. Steve hugged him back, and rubbed his back, while I stroked his hair soothingly.
"I'm here," Steve said, tears falling from his eyes as well. Moving to shut the door, I turned around to find them locked in a passionate kiss. Steve was gripping Bucky's shirt and pulling him closer, while Bucky ran his fingers through Steve's hair. I guess Steve remembered I was in the room, and pulled away reluctantly.
Sitting down, I didn't say a word as the two talked. They were catching up, so I couldn't fault them. Bucky kept glancing over at me, judging my facial expressions. I winked at him once, to throw him off. It worked because he blushed.
"Bucky, would you mind running down and getting me a coffee from the cafeteria? You can grab one too," I said, pulling a bill from my purse.
"Sure," he said, blushing. Our hands touched and I lingered a little longer than I should have.
"Sera, I am so sorry," Steve said, after Buck had left the room.
"Steve, relax. I'm not mad," I laughed, "I know what you're thinking when it comes to him, because I have the same problem."
"You do?" He asked, confused.
"Remember when I told you about Yasha?" I questioned, to which Steve nodded.
"Yasha was one of the names they called the Winter Soldier," I whispered, and he looked shocked.
"You and Bucky?" He sputtered, trying to connect the dots.
"Steve, a year before they found you, I met him. I think I'm ready to tell you what happened on that mission." I said, sighing.
"I was sent to investigate. It was a special mission given to me by Fury, completely off the books. Russia in December. My father was still proving himself to me, and I wasn't ready to spend another Christmas without my mother," I said, fiddling with my necklace.
"I had been curious, which was my first mistake. I was supposed to approach him. He was closed off, due to what I know now, was memory wiping. I tried to seduce him, to see if he would give me anything. He didn't, but we still went back to my hotel. I tried to keep a level head through the next few days. He wouldn't let me out of his sights. He took me with him to take out a Russian mobster who I'm guessing had crossed Hydra." I said, looking to my hands in my lap.
"He grew attached. I thought it was just sex, but he became very protective of me. Over the next four weeks, I realized I was slowly losing myself to him. I contacted Fury and told him that I had emotionally compromised myself. I had fallen for him, for the man I was supposed to take out." I said, feeling a tear slip down my cheek.
"It wasn't the sex, and it sure wasn't the trained, cold-blooded killer part. His eyes held pain, and confusion. His lips held longing, and his words were soft. They spoke of freedom. He knew who he was, even when he didn't know. It's hard to explain, he was just…"
"Bucky," Steve said, nodding in understanding.
We didn't need to speak again, as a doctor came in to tell Steve he was free to leave, but to remain at home on bed rest. I promised the doctor that I would watch him like a hawk, at which point Bucky came back in. Handing Steve some clothes that I had managed to grab on the way out of the house, I took my coffee from Bucky, kissing his cheek in thanks. He shuddered at the close contact, and I smirked.
"Let's get both you old geezers home," I teased as Steve was sat down in a wheelchair.
We had been home only a week, and I had to appear before senate after senate. Because I happened to be girlfriend to Captain America, I got to be his voice. Natasha had already had her turn, and I was getting sick of it. Opening the door to the apartment, I dropped my purse, kicked off my shoes and sighed.
"Come on, I was the green guy last time!" I heard someone say. I turned the corner to find Bucky and Steve playing Mario Kart. Laughing under my breath, I walked into the kitchen and found a casserole ready to be put in the oven. Smiling, I turned at the sound of the game being paused. Steve had gotten up to trap me against the counter.
"How was work?" He asked, smiling.
"Horrible, as usual." I said, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"I missed you," he mumbled against my neck. Giggling slightly, I turned to see Bucky had been watching, but turned away when I looked at him.
"I'm gonna put this in the oven, and go change. I hate these skirts. I miss the days where I could wear whatever I wanted to work." I said, awkwardly unwrapping Steve's arms from my waist. Putting the casserole in, and setting the temperature, I went to go wash my face of any makeup. Steve hated when I wore it, and I did too. Setting out some lounge pants, I thought about taking my bra off. It was rubbing funny against my skin, but I wasn't sure if having the girls free would help the tension between the three of us.
"Screw it," I said, unhooking it, and throwing it across the room. Pulling on a tank top and my white t-shirt, I felt a whole new level of comfort.
"Hey," I heard behind me.
"Oh, hi." I said, watching Bucky's eyes dip to my cleavage when I turned.
"So, I had a thought. I don't want to impose on you guys-"
"You're not Bucky. It's better that you are here. Steve needs you now, and you need me in case you relapse. And I want you here." I said, touching his arm in comfort.
"I just really think I shouldn't be here. You two have a life and I'm interfering."
"You aren't, Bucky," I said holding both of his shoulders. His eyes met mine, and for a brief second I thought I saw the man I met in Russia. As quickly as that came, it was gone, and he crashed his lips to mine. Stunned, I didn't respond. When my brain had finally caught up with what was happening, I let myself get lost. His lips were just as I remembered, smooth, full, and demanding.
"Yasha," I moaned, to which he drew back suddenly. Opening my eyes, I was faced with a horrified Bucky.
"What have I done?" He said, before fleeing.
"Bucky!" I yelled after him, running towards the front door.
"No, I've done enough. I can't…" He said, as he grabbed his coat in the living room.
"Bucky?" Steve asked, getting up from the couch.
"I'm sorry!" He said, dashing through the front door.
"Bucky! Come back!" I yelled, as Steve threw on his shoes.
"Bring him back," I said as Steve grabbed his coat. He nodded before running out after Bucky, leaving me crying on the couch. Thinking about what I could have done to prevent this, I realized something was bound to happen.
"Bring him back Steve," I whispered.
Three weeks later we had still not heard from Bucky. Steve had searched that whole night, and I had cried myself to sleep. When he did come home, Steve asked what Bucky had done to merit running. Knowing I couldn't lie to him, I told him. He smiled at the similarities in our resistance to Bucky. I took the next day off of work, because I wasn't feeling great.
I didn't feel like myself, as I went through the motions. It was worse than when I left him at that hotel in Russia. He had been sleeping, and unaware of me leaving, quietly because I knew he wouldn't have let me leave.
This was so much worse. I felt like I was breaking in half, and half of my heart went with Bucky. Steve was in pieces emotionally. He wanted to comfort me, but he was also heartbroken. He had just got him back, and now something Bucky and I did, drove Bucky away. I had gone back to work only in hopes of distracting myself from the pain. Steve and I barely spoke. I thought he blamed me for driving Bucky away, and I wouldn't fault him for thinking so. Before the whole SHIELD collapse, Steve and I had been looking for a different place. I went to look at them on my own, as Steve just worked out and looked for Bucky. He had enlisted Sam to help and left to follow a lead.
As I was walking back from my car to our building, carrying boxes for packing, I heard a soft, broken voice.
"Sera?"
Dropping the flattened boxes, I turned to face the voice, replying, "Bucky?"
"I'm sorry I ran." He said, slowly approaching me.
"No, don't be sorry Bucky. You did nothing wrong," I said, walking up to him and wrapping my arms around him.
"Sera, I kissed you. I kissed Steve, and you guys are together." He said, pulling away ashamed.
"Bucky, we love you. We would never let something like that interfere with our love for you." I said, pocket dialing Steve, hoping he would hear that Bucky was back.
"Steve is so lost without you Buck. I know I couldn't stop crying that night. But it wasn't from what you did, is what you thought you did. Steve and I know about each others pasts. I know about the nights you spent together, and he knows about the weeks we spent together. We both want you in our lives." I said, tilting his chin up to look him in the eyes.
"Sera, you and Steve…" He said, trailing off.
"We haven't been whole since you ran. We've avoided each other. I think he's mad that what happened made you run, and he's mad at me for it. Not you, never you. Do you understand me?" I asked, firmly.
"I shouldn't have done it," He whispered hoarsely.
"What happened would have eventually come to pass Bucky. I know I could feel tension between the three of us, for obvious reasons. You love him, and you may feel something for me. I know I love him, and I do feel something for you. Bucky, I didn't get close to Steve at first because I was still waiting for you. Even if you were Yasha, you still held my heart." I said, watching his reaction.
"I can't be there," He said, tears streaming down his face, "-if I'm going to be the reason you and Steve split. I can't do that to him. I love him enough to let him be happy."
"Bucky," I said crying myself, "He hasn't been happy since you ran. We haven't spoken, and he hasn't touched me. He doesn't love me anymore."
"That's not true," A voice said. A few feet away from us, Steve was there, his own tear running down his cheek. Choking back my sobs, I watched his eyes settle on me.
"Sera, the moment I woke up, you were there. You've been with me, guiding me in this new time, and I thought you were an angel when I first saw you. You were my life raft when I felt like I was drowning." He said, slowly approaching us.
"Bucky, even when I had nothing, I had you. I've loved you my whole life, in different ways through the years, and when I lost you, I knew I had nothing to lose by giving my life for my country. Winning the war wouldn't mean anything if I didn't have you." He had finally reached us, cupping my cheek gently and wiping away my tears.
"How would this work? I date you, and you date her, and I date her?" Bucky asked, confused.
"Multiple partners in a relationship aren't uncommon." I said, softly.
"People won't think it's right," Bucky argued.
"That reminds me of something I asked Steve after the Battle of New York. When was the last time you did something for your own happiness?" I said, taking both men's hands in my own.
"We all want each other, and this way, no one has to decide." Steve said, realizing what this all meant.
Shyly, I looked up at Bucky, asking, "What do you say Sergeant?"
"I know I could never decide between you two. Sera, I felt that connection, even under their control, and I wanted to be with you Angel," He said, kissing my forehead softly.
"And again, even under their control, part of my heart was with you," He said turning to Steve, cupping his cheek.
"I want you both," he said, looking conflicted.
"But you don't want to hurt either of us," I finished, noticing the look he held.
"What if this doesn't work?" He said, looking lost.
"We take everything one day at a time." Steve said, pulling me to his chest and Bucky to my back. I was sandwiched in between them, sighing softly at how peaceful it felt. I heard a quick exchange of lips between the boys, and raised my lips searchingly.
"Don't forget me," I mumbled.
"She's whiny if you don't pay attention to her right away," both boys said, laughing at themselves.
"It's not funny," I grumbled, pulling away from them.
"Don't be like that Angel," Bucky said trying to take my hand.
"I'm putting these boxes away. And if you guys plan on laughing at my expense again, you're not getting any of this anytime soon," I said, gesturing at my body.
"Why don't we just get you home, run you a bath and all settle in for the night? It's been a long day." Steve suggested.
"How did you get here so fast anyways?" I asked, picking up the boxes.
"I was following Bucky's trail. When I got your call, I was already close," He said, smiling sadly.
"Okay then. Let's go home," I said, smiling at my boys.
