"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."

Lao Tzu

Chapter Three - Shakespearean Tragedies

It had been a week since Bucky's departure, and the silence was still unsettling to Clara. Silence was an unfamiliar notion to her. Growing up, she had always had her siblings, her brother and his unruly friends always making a ruckus. Things had been quieter when her brother moved out, but her younger sister was enough to fill the void.

Even after she moved out, she had lived with the other nurses. Her mother had insisted it, not wanting her el dest daughter to be alone in Brooklyn. Well, that was what she had said. In reality, Clara's grandmother had convinced Matilda that if Clara was left to her own devices, that she would be tempted to...'sully' the family name. Catherine already considered her granddaughter to be an embarrassment to the family, although, the criteria she based that on, was the fact that Clara hadn't married the rich eligible bachelors Catherine had thrown at her, and started popping out children as soon as the vows were said.

Clara was not saddened by her grandmother's opinion. She much preferred the way her life had panned out. She couldn't imagine her life without Bucky. It surely could not be a happy one.

The pictures on the wall and mantle had all been passed without so much as a glance. She had resolved herself not to look at them, knowing that if she even caught the sight of them in the corner of her eye, she would be unable to do anything but stare at them for hours. No, she still longed for Bucky's presence. She still expected to wake up in his arms, to see his face staring back at her in the morning light. She had never thought he looked more beautiful, then he did when he was asleep. She needed to see his face again. She didn't know how much longer she could take this. This incessant worrying, constantly etching away at her. Like an itch you couldn't scratch. She needed to know that he was safe, that he was okay, and that he would always be safe. But those wishes were naive. A soldier's safety was never guaranteed.

"Clara" a voice demanded from the other side of the door, "Clara, are you there?"

She put the knife she was using to chop vegetables down onto the chopping board, brushing her hands off on her dress before making her way to the door. Clara took a moment to compose herself, before reaching out and pulling the door open.

"Oh, Clara" said her sister, pulling Clara into a hug, "It is wonderful to see you again. I am so sorry about Bucky, I really am"

Daisy-Jane looked much the same as she had the last time they had seen each other, at Clara's wedding. Her inky black hair fell in slightly longer curls around her shoulders, her pale skin had slightly tanned over the summer, but would no doubt loose it's colour during the winter months, her eyes remained a light blue, still holding a bright childish spark within them. Daisy shared Clara's high cheekbones and thick lips, but while Clara's face was oval and slender, Daisy's was heart shaped with a pointed chin. Daisy was also about two inches shorter then Clara, with a slightly larger bust and hips, but she was by no means extremely well endowed. Daisy looked quite similar to their older brother, both having taken after their father. Clara, however, had taken after her mother's side of the family, her grandmother in particular. Their similarities in looks did nothing but invoke more ire in Clara.

"Thank you" muttered Clara, pulling away from her sister, closing the door behind them

"I'm so sorry that I haven't come sooner" she said, dumping her bag down on the lounge before collapsing down onto it, "But I was with Gran, and she wasn't in very good health, and I couldn't just leave her"

Clara held in her scoff, she was sure that her grandmother would never die, she would forever be around to harass and bully her family.

"I'm sure" she nodded, managing a half smile, "How have you been?"

"Splendid, there's this very handsome man that lives near Gran" Daisy gushed, leaning forward on her seat, "He's a charming fellow, came with us to Church. He's a lawyer, quite smart"

"Is Gran trying to sell you off already?" Clara asked, "You're only nineteen"

"Oh, I'm hardly thinking of marriage right now, no" Daisy assured her, "But, if the right man came along"

"And this lawyer's the right man?"

"Arthur might be" said Daisy

Clara just nodded, knowing that her sister's latest infatuation would soon pass, like her other attractions, this too would be fleeting. She was comforted by this knowledge, as she seriously doubted that anyone Catherine picked for Daisy would actually suit her.

"But Clara, how have you been?" Asked Daisy

"Terrific, my husband's been shipped off to war" she spat out, "I've been doing nothing but cleaning for the past few days just to keep me busy, and I can't even cook because all of my friends have stacked me up with enough meals to last me weeks" she yelled, "So, yeah, other then that, I'm fantastic"

"It was a stupid question" mumbled Daisy, looking down into her lap, "I shouldn't have asked"

"No" sighed Clara, hating the downtrodden expression on her sister's face, "I shouldn't have yelled. I'm just...stressed"

"And you have every right to be" said Daisy, reaching over to put her hands on top of Clara's, "You being angry is completely understandable"

"I'm not angry" she muttered, "I'm...scared. I...I'm scared that Bucky won't come home"

"He will" assured Daisy, "He loves you far too much not to. A love like this doesn't end in death. This isn't a Shakespearean tragedy"

"And here I thought you loved drama" chuckled Clara, getting up from the couch, "Would you like anything to eat or drink?"

"I'd love..." She started, but trailed off as she noticed a piece of paper lying on the coffee table, "What's this?"

"Nothing" Clara mumbled, looking down at her feet, but her sister was not having it

"Really, nothing?" Asked Daisy, standing up and folding her arms over her chest, "Because, it looks like a pamphlet for the army nurses to me. Please don't tell me you plan on joining"

"I'm not, I might be, I don't know" she said

"Clara" groaned Daisy, "I know that you miss Bucky, but that doesn't mean that you have to go off to war"

"This isn't about Bucky" exclaimed Clara, "I was planning on doing this before, and Bucky was much more supportive. I want to do this, not for Bucky, for me"

"You're not going to change your mind" said Daisy, "Are you?"

"I haven't decided if I'm even going to join yet" Clara mumbled,

"But you're seriously considering it" said Daisy

"Yes" said Clara,

"I guess this really is a Shakespearean tragedy" said Daisy, "If only you were still engaged to Richard when you met Bucky, then you really would be star crossed lovers. Well, moreso then you already are"

"Please, let's not talk about Richard" she begged, not wanting to think back on that argument with Bucky, "I'd rather not be reminded of him"

"And you call me dramatic" said Daisy, plonking herself back down onto the couch, "He really wasn't as bad as you say"

"Well, he wasn't by any means good" exclaimed Clara, "But, please, I don't want to discuss that whole mess. It'll only dampen my mood further"

"Hmph" said Daisy, her eyes roaming over the apartment. She had always thought that it was far too small, and in comparison to their childhood home, it was small. But Clara loved it. It was homely, and comfortable, and safe. She didn't need a mansion, not when she had Bucky. Daisy's face was blank, to hide her obvious dislike of her surroundings, but Clara could always read her sister like a book

"Gran wants you to visit" she said, causing Clara to groan, "Clara, don't be like that. Mum wants you to come home too, she's worried, we all are"

"She's always worried" said Clara, "I'm fine. Besides, I can't just up and leave, now can I"

"Sure you can, we both know you only moved to Brooklyn to get away" said Daisy, "And you only stayed for Bucky. Just, come home, be with your family" she begged, "I feel like I never see you"

"Please, Daisy, I can't" she said, "I need to do it on my own. I'll be fine"

"Fine" she said, "But just know, that you're breaking our dear mother's heart"

Clara just rolled her eyes at her sister's dramatics, too accustomed to it, to be surprised. Nothing was ever simple with Daisy. She had often said that simple was too boring for her. Entertainment was what she needed. And she found hers through exaggeration.

Daisy soon dropped the topic of Clara returning home, not again mentioning anything to do with the war. Though, Clara was sure that she would run and tell their mother at the first possible opportunity. Clara knew that her heart was on the right place, it always was, but that didn't mean that she had to like Daisy stooping to tattle tailing to their mother to stop her from going overseas.

"How are mum and dad?" Clara inquired

"Same old, same old" Daisy shrugged, "Mum's still clucky over Sarah, our little niece is still the apple of our eye. You're probably lucky that Bucky's gone"

"And why's that?"

"Because otherwise she'd be pestering the two of you to start giving her grandchildren" explained Daisy, "You're not pregnant, are you?"

"No, I'm not" said Clara, "But, by the sounds of it, she might just be willing to sell you off in exchange for grandchildren"

"Don't tell her that, she might just do it" said Daisy

Their conversation continued on, as Daisy joined her sister for dinner, and then invited herself to stay the night. Clara secretly overjoyed by her sisters company, she would finally not have to spend a night alone in her eerie apartment. She had never thought the apartment to be empty, it had always been filled with her and Bucky's voices. Their laughs, their shouts, the sounds of their love. It was empty without him. No one there to fill the silence.

Daisy had slept in the spare bedroom, not wanting to sleep where Bucky slept. The idea of what her sister and brother-in-law had done it that bed was something that she did not want to imagine.

Clara's joy was over, when she climbed into her empty bed, no arms to wrap around her, no body to keep her warm. She was reminded how alone she felt. She felt powerless, and she hated it.

Bucky had made her vulnerable. He made her love him. She opened her heart up to him, and now she didn't know how to close it. And what if, while the door to her soul was open, unprotected and exposed, something snuck inside. What if grief, anger, sorrow, weaseled their way inside of her. And, like a wound, they festered. Spreading like a disease, until it took over her. What if, they took control, and she was no longer herself. Clara did not want to loose herself, she liked who she was far too much. No, she needed to harden herself. To learn to protect her open heart. Because, if Bucky never returned, she feared the blackening of her soul, would be something that she could not stop.

So she wrapped her own arms around herself, she would keep herself warm. She would keep herself strong. Not for Bucky, or her sister, or mother, or anyone. But for herself. She would not fall apart. She would not loose herself. She would be her own source of strength. She would soldier on. Bucky would come back to her, and she will not have changed. She will not have let anything into her heart. She would steel herself. She will not have given into pain, and longing. No. Clara was strong. She would be strong.

This is the letter that Clara gave to Bucky, I forgot to include it in the last chapter. His reply will be in the next chapter.

Dear Bucky,

Even as I write this, I still cannot comprehend the fact that you will be leaving. You have been a constant in my life for too long, for me to be able to even attempt to imagine life without you. Worry for you is already eating away at me, and you haven't even left yet. But I don't want to tell you of these things, because I do not want you to worry about me, as I worry about you. It seems awfully redundant to me, so I think we should leave our worries unsaid. Even though you have nothing to worry over, I now you still will, but I will be fine. And I can only hope that you will also be fine.

My feelings for you are ineffable, words would simply do them no justice. Our love is a powerful force, one that has been pulling at me since the moment I laid eyes on you. I know how much you mock me for my belief, but I do believe that everything happens for a reason. We were tied together by fate, forever destined to be together. And I don't know what the future holds for us. But I know, that there is no one else in the world I would rather be with. You are my one true love.

I will miss our little rituals, and routines. How, at breakfast, you pretend to read the paper but you're always stealing glances at me. I will miss the way our hearts beat in unison, as we lay together, chest to chest. I will miss the way you look at me, like I'm the most exquisite thing you have ever seen. I will miss the glint in your eyes, and your cocky grin, that infuriates me just as much as it amuses me.

Stay safe.

Love, Clara

So, what do you think about Daisy? Please, share your thoughts, I love to hear your opinions. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter.