A/N: Okay so first MWAHAHAHAHA I'm so proud of this chapter and the plot twist at the beginning and just how everything works out and mwahahaha. You should love it. If you don't then I'm terribly sorry! This is also a chapter that focuses on people other then Summer, if you like these kind of chapters then you should tell me and I'll take note for the sequel (If I ever do a sequel).
I spent most of the night writing this and seen as I have to go into school soon, I think I might have a little nap just to reward myself with energy for the long day ahead.
ALSO OH MY GOSH I JUST REACHED 20,000 READS AND I HONESTLY STARTED CRYING I JUST... THANK YOU SO MUCH, AS A PERSON WHO'S BEEN WRITING SINCE SHE WAS 4, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH YOU GUYS MEAN TO ME. YOU'VE LITERALLY MADE MY DREAM COME TRUE AND I'M CRYING SO MUCH OVER THIS.
To heroherondaletotheresuce, I started singing the exact same thing when I ended the story, the bloody song got stuck in my head for at least an hour.
To Castiel Angel Heart, are you psychic?
To Buckysgirl, if there's any way you think I could make it easier for you and other people who got confused tell me and I'll make the changes instantly :)
To Guest, I'm sorry but I have to say no because I can already tell that I'd be the worst person to write that ship. I'd suck immensely and do their ship absolutely no justice whatsoever. That's why I never write ships, only OC romances, I'm immensely sorry. You should try writing one, I'd love to promote and read it!
To Blondeconspiracy, this story is dedicated to you because you're a wonderful person who doesn't deserve to ever be crying! I'm glad you get so emotional over this situation because (and this is a secret, don't tell anybody) but I've cried so many times writing this and when I was watching the movie I started bawling over Bucky and his situation. But listen here missy, okay? Next time you get sad or just need someone to talk to, message me and I'll try my damn hardest to cheer you up! I love you.
Thanks to Kima Wolfwood, Loki's Awesome Mortal Wife, IkhandoZatman, FireballMaddie, KatherineYirana, BiancaTSparrow, elektrablacklyl, JayJay329 and Singer Of Water. Your comments your wonderful to read!
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
"A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you."
― Elbert Hubbard
Tony Stark stepped out of the sleek black car, his Italian leather shoes making a revolting squelch as they impacted the muddy ground. He frowned slightly but quickly recovered back to his 'I don't care' façade; he looked up to two story cabin and raised both his hands around his mouth, "hello!" He sang loudly, his voice echoing.
"Tony, be quiet, what if she hears you and runs off?" Steve rushed out of the car and stood beside Stark, his eyes scanning the unlit cabin in obvious anticipation.
After being abandoned on the embankment, his friend and partner-in-crime, Sam Wilson, told him that Summer had run off the radar and didn't want to be found - this meant two things, one was that she was in deep deep danger and trying to protect her friends, or, she was hiding something that they needed to know but she just didn't want them to know. Steve had no way of finding her on his own though and so he had to seek out help from his fellow Avenger and technology nerd Tony Stark.
"Now why would Summer run away from me, she's obviously in love with me." He quipped, strutting his way up the tiny hill to reach the doorway of the cabin. Instead of knocking he slowly opened the door, allowing the squeaking sound the door made to echo for as long as possible. "Shall we?" He grinned, showing off his pearly-whites while raising his arm and signalling inside the building.
Steve, being much more apprehensive than Tony Stark, tried to tiptoe his way around the wooden building, but every piece of flooring creaked and it was pretty much useless for either of them to try and be quiet.
Tony separated from Steve and walked into the kitchen, he opened the fridge and was surprised at how full it was - obviously someone was living here. On the top shelf was a watermelon, cheese and packs of yoghurt. On the next shelf down was plenty of bacon, butter and salad. The last shelf was Tony's (and most likely Summer's) favourite shelf as it was filled with unhealthy treats and numerous assortments of energy drinks.
Suddenly, Tony felt a hand slip around his shoulder and abruptly pull him backwards. Thinking the worst he instinctively grabbed a hold of the watermelon and promptly smashed it down onto the attackers head. Through doing this he let out a very girlish scream to which Steve quickly answered by running into the kitchen and stopping in a fighting stance. only to find Tony stood with a crushed watermelon in his hands and a body lying on the floor.
He moved to the side and switched the light on, causing the both of them to wince slightly at the sudden contrast. "Was that your scream?"
"No," Tony quickly denied, "it was Summer's." He pointed down at the body on the floor.
When Steve looked down he raised an eyebrow in surprise and chuckled at realising Tony was lying, "I don't think Summer has brown hair and a beard- wait," he stopped short when his eyes widened and he rushed over to the body. He kneeled down by the body and moved his head into the light, "Bucky," he gasped out.
"Bucky as in 'Winter Soldier' Bucky?" Tony asked as Steve began to pick up his body and drag him to one of the kitchen chairs. "As in the Bucky that dated Summer and was your best friend?" He asked, though Steve didn't bother answering and he just dropped the body on to the floor, Wendy's body fell slightly to the left as he was too knocked out to pull himself together. "Oh, cool."
"I can't tell if that's watermelon in his hair or blood." Steve muttered, pushing the gooey locks out of Bucky's face and he stared at the familiar face, still trying to convince himself that this was really him.
"Don't blame me, the guy scared me and I fought back." Tony muttered, going back to exploring the vicinity.
Steve let out a low laugh, "more like you screamed and panicked," he muttered, still watching Bucky's body for any sign of movement. What Steve didn't realise was the warfare that was going on inside Bucky's mind.
The usual nightmarish flashbacks of the perilous fall and the mad scientists experimenting him, but then new images began to go through his head. His childhood at the army camp, meeting Steve, meeting Summer, his adventures with them. It was like a USB had been shoved into his head and he was downloading all these images and words.
He twitched in his seat, in his head he saw Summer and Steve's face, smiling and laughing along with him and then it all seemed to fade into white, and then he opened his eyes. The first thing he felt was an awful pain pounding on the back of his head.
"Hey, Tony I think he's waking up." Steve called out to his friend who was currently searching through Summer's draws curiously.
"Oh great." He yelled back with faux cheer, he returned the surprisingly sequinned dress and jumping down the stairs.
Bucky was saying in his seat and he moved his hand to hold his aching skull, only to find a questionable substance running through his hair. He looked up at the sound of Tony's footsteps arriving beside him and was shocked at the faces he saw. "S-Steve?" He stuttered out, still immensely confused as to where he was and why.
"Bucky, where's Summer?" He asked urgently, he'd figured out easily that Summer wasn't home or anywhere near the vicinity, if she was then she'd have arrived by now after hearing the ruckus that Tony had been making
"Summer? What do you mean? Where are we-" Bucky's expression dropped as he stared at the metal arm which was attached to his body, he'd thought it had been a bad dream at first and that they were still early 90's and everything was as it use to be - just Steve, Summer and Bucky, the trio to be feared. But then it all came back to him after seeing the bionic arm, all his memories of working with Pierce flooded back. "Oh yeah." He muttered, then the final realization hit him, "oh my God… I remember. I remember everything." He looked up to Steve with a wide-eyed amazed look.
"You've got your memories back?" Steve said with hope, looking down at his friend with pure joy.
"Yes, I- I need to tell Summer! We had this stupid argument and then she went out for milk and-" He rushed from his seat but he'd apparently moved too quickly and he almost collapsed from the dizziness that overwhelmed him, luckily, Steve was quick to grab a hold of him and stop him from completely falling.
"She went out for milk? Great then she'll be back soon and we can all have a good yelling at her." Tony cheers, moving to slam himself down into the recently abandoned seat before crossing his leg and clasping his hands with a happy smile on his face.
Bucky looked down at the stranger with a confused look, he had absolutely no idea who this man was and the fact he was so cocky and childish behaviour wise made him slightly cautious of the stranger. "No, she went out ages ago," he explained with a shake of his head, it was still rushing slightly.
"Maybe she ditched you." Tony joked slightly.
Obviously he didn't realise just how offensive Bucky would take this and he stood up taller, towering over Tony he spoke in a very stern and firm tone. "She wouldn't do that, not to me,"
Steve felt the obvious tension growing between the two men and quickly tried to stand in between them. Summer would have been so mad if she'd returned to find her two favourite men fighting against each other. "Hey, look, we'll just go to the shop and then if she's not there we'll ask the cashier or something."
Bucky nodded and allowed Steve to guide him outside while Tony followed behind the two, he came to find the car was long and sleek. It was hardly a limo, but the back of the car did have four seats, two on one side and two on the other which faced the other. Steve and Bucky sat on one while Tony slipped onto the other.
Tony told the driver, who Bucky heard was apparently called 'Happy', to find the nearest superstore. Bucky busied himself analysing the new character, he looked pretty rich and was obviously a pretty big arsehole when he wanted to be. "Who are you any?" He snarled to the stranger.
"Tony Stark, Summer never told you about me?" He asked, forehead creasing and eyes looking at Bucky as though it was practically impossible for Bucky to not know of his existence.
"Howard Stark's son?" Bucky asked, easily recognising the last name. The first time Bucky had asked Summer to marry him was after a Howard Stark exhibition, Tony nodded his head in confirmation. "why should she have told me about you?" He questioned, referring to the last part of Tony's inquiry.
"I'm pretty much Summer's finest project, she baby sat me my entire life and now look how I've turned out; gracious, charming, awesome-" He moved his hand flamboyantly, the signature smirk slipping onto his face as he listed all his finest qualities.
"Rude, arrogant, deluded." Steve interrupted, both him and Bucky joining again to chuckle at Tony Stark's expense.
"Whatever," he easily ignored their attempts of banter, not really caring to what they had to say when he had some fine quips of his own, "so are you guys going to start a club, can I join? Or is it strictly 90-year-olds who look like they're in their 20's that can join?"
Bucky went to reply but instead he turned to Steve and gave him a confused look, "you really hang out with this guy Steve?"
"Not willingly." He said shortly before looking out of the window and standing out of his seat, "We're here." He said when the car finally parked and he readied himself to leave. Once the three of them had stepped out and began to walk over to the superstore, Steve stopped Bucky by the arm "Hey Bucky… it's really good to have you back." He whispered.
"We'll talk later, okay buddy?" Bucky smiled gratefully and clapped him on the arm. Steve nodded and they both caught up with Tony who was currently walking around the store with his phone, tapping away with his eyes fixated on the glass screen.
Steve walked over to the store clerk. "Hey, I was just wondering, a couple hours ago this girl with ginger hair came in and we were wondering if you saw where she went?" He interrogated.
The store clerk tapped at his stubbly chin, the snap-back hat on his head falling into the mans chubby face. "Umm… Yeah, I think she left with two shady looking' guys." He explained with a heavy Texan accent.
"What did they look like?" Steve
"I don't know, sorry that's all the information I have." The fat man shrugged, moving to sit back in his seat which faced a tiny TV screen that was showing some football match.
Bucky and Steve looked at each other with a worried expression, this information wasn't helpful in the slightest.
"Hey guys, take a look." Tony called, running down from the sweet aisle with his phone which was playing some video. When he showed it to them, they gasped at the sight of someone suffocating Summer and then putting her into a car.
"She's been kidnapped? This- This is all my fault." Bucky pulled strongly on his hairs, almost removing them from his head. His eyes conveyed so much worry for Summer that Steve knew that this was definitely the real Bucky.
"No, it's not!" He pulled Bucky's arm away from his hair and began to drag him to the car, sounding confident about the whole ordeal. "Look, we can easily find her, we just need to get back to the Avengers tower."
"Hey wait a second, I want a bag of cheetos." Tony commandeered, running down one of the aisles just as the two were about to step out of the store.