Chapter 3. The Gift

Ariel laid in bed for some time the following morning. She could hear Merton get up and prepare breakfast. He knocked on the door and stuck his head in.

"I made some scrambled eggs," he said. "They're in the oven keeping warm. Come down whenever you're ready. It won't be busy until after lunch. I'll pick something up from the delicatessen for us."

As she watched the beams of the sun move across the room she revelled in the relative quiet of the room. Bucky was right about that, there was a distant hum of traffic but it was a rather calming sound, almost white noise-like. Her thoughts drifted towards all manner of things. She thought of the number of exceptional people born and raised in this time period considering how their abilities arose even with the limitations of the educational and health systems. For all the atrocities that would be uncovered by the coming war there were also signs of extraordinary growth and determination in this generation of people. After a while she decided to rouse herself and stepped out of the bed, going over to the window to look outside, finding a flower, a daisy, on her windowsill.

"That didn't get there by itself," she said out loud and looked around to see if her benefactor, presumably Bucky, was still around but there was no sign of him.

Smiling she brought it in and went to the kitchen, filling a glass with water and putting the daisy in it. She brought it back into the bedroom and placed it on her night stand, touched by the sentiment. Pulling a journal out of the nightstand drawer she entered a note about it, writing it as one would write a diary entry, in case someone from this time read it. She would ask Merton if he knew the symbolism of a daisy. Gathering her clothes together Ariel went to the bathroom and undressed, then turned on the shower, and stepped in to clean herself. When she finished she wrapped her hair in a towel and dried off, then dressed in the bathroom. Back in her room she put some lotion on her face then combed her hair out and pinned it in place. Prior to her arrival in this time her hair underwent a process that would allow the curls to remain in as her hair dried naturally. It was necessary considering that her hair was normally quite straight but the women of this time did their hair up on a regular basis to curl it, a skill not shared by Ariel. She rather liked how it looked and wondered if she could continue with the process after her return. Going into the kitchen she opened the oven and took out the food that Merton left for her. The eggs were still tasty and along with a couple of pieces of toast and a coffee were enough to satisfy her. After washing and drying the dishes she put them away then headed down to the shop where Merton was trying to repair a broken chair. He looked up at her as she entered the store.

"I found this the other day on my way to the garage," he said. "Just left out on the street. It's a perfectly good chair and I'm sure I can fix it enough for someone to buy it. Look at the carving on the wood."

She leaned in closer and smiled at him. Certainly in their time something like this was seen as a symbol of quality workmanship. She had a couple of pieces of furniture herself from an earlier time, an end table from the 1960s and a Bauhaus inspired chair.

"How well does this business do?" she asked.

"Not bad," he answered. "Enough to pay the rent for the space and the apartment, plus food. I get gold jewelry from time to time, that I sell to a dealer as it's worth more than trying to sell it as jewelry. What would you like to do?"

"Dusting?" she said, looking at some of the furniture for sale.

He nodded and took her into the back room where he half filled a pail with water, put some Lysol in it and gave her three rags, one to wash the dusty surfaces, the other to dry them, and the third to apply a few drops of liquid furniture polish to bring out the sheen of the wood.

"If you try to dust with just a dry cloth it all flies up in the air," he said. "The solution will clean the surface. You better put some rubber gloves on to protect your hands."

She began at the other end of the store, starting with the furniture that was on display in the window. At one point she came back to Merton and asked if he had a jacket or large shirt to protect her dress and he went into the back room again, returning with a large apron that tied around her neck and waist. After putting that on she resumed cleaning and was doing that when Bucky knocked on the front window to get her attention. She smiled and gestured for him to come inside.

"Hi," she said, as he walked in the door. "Is it lunch break already?"

"It is for me," he said. "I have something for you but you have to close your eyes and raise your hands."

She looked at Merton and he raised his eyebrows. After taking off her gloves she stood patiently, closed her eyes, and Bucky reached inside his coveralls bringing out a ginger coloured kitten. Gently placing it on her hands he stepped back to see her reaction. Immediately opening her eyes, she smiled.

"Oh my goodness, you brought me a kitten!" she said excitedly as she placed the kitten against her chest and began to stroke its head. "What is its name?"

"Whatever you want," he said. "It's a female. It reminded me of your hair."

Ariel continued making a fuss over it and Merton realized she wasn't acting. The act had truly touched her even though she was expecting it.

"Why don't you two go on up to the apartment," said Merton. "I'll go pick our lunch up at the delicatessen. Bucky, can I get you something there as well? My treat."

"Sure, a smoked meat sandwich would go down good," he replied. "Thank you."

Ariel and Bucky went up to the apartment while Merton locked the store up and put the Closed for Lunch sign out then headed for the delicatessen. Up in the apartment Ariel put a saucer out on the floor and poured a bit of milk in it for the kitten. She looked at Bucky with what he thought was a beautiful smile.

"Thank you," she said. "I'll have to think of a name."

She came close and beckoned him to bend over, putting a soft kiss on his cheek. He smiled at her and sat at the kitchen table while she put some fresh coffee on. Her apron was still on and Bucky watched her intently as she measured out the ground coffee in the pot and poured the boiling water on then let it sit. As she opened the cupboard she had to reach for some cups but they were too high up so Bucky came over and stood next to her, reaching above her outstretched hand then gave her the cups. His fingers reached for her hair again and he played with her curls.

"You're so beautiful," he said in a low voice.

"I'm sure you say that to a lot of girls," she said, looking away.

"It's true with you," he replied, then leaned down to her face again and kissed her softly, gently touching his tongue to hers, lingering longer than the kiss the previous day.

The cigarette taste was stronger this time but she didn't have a chance to ask him about it. They heard the sound of the door at the bottom of the stairs opening and he stopped the kiss, stepping back a little then sitting down at the table again. Ariel felt her cheeks go hot and she turned away, wondering why she was reacting that way. She had been kissed before, harder and more passionately than that. What was it about this kiss that made her feel weak inside? Merton came in with the food and placed it on the table. If he noticed anything between them he didn't say. He put some plates on the table and brought out sandwiches for each of them, along with a pickle each. The coffee was ready and Ariel strained it into another pot then poured each of them a cup. She sat down and picked up the sandwich.

"We don't have these in Missoula," she said. "I've always wanted to try one." She bit into it and both Bucky and Merton watched her face as her eyes grew wide. She chewed for several moments before swallowing. "That is so good! I can't believe how tender and tasty the meat is."

Bucky took a bite and nodded his head in appreciation. For several minutes none of them spoke as they ate the meal. Keeping his eye on the clock Bucky ate quickly then suddenly finished his coffee.

"I have to go," he said. "It will take me a while to run back to the docks. Mr. Burnett, I'm more than happy to meet Ariel at the Library to get her home safely tonight."

Merton glanced at Ariel and then looked at Bucky with an appraising gaze. "It's out of your way, isn't it?" he asked.

"Not really," said Bucky. "I'm sparring at the gym tonight. It's only a couple of blocks from there."

"Well, I was hoping to begin restoring a painting that I acquired," he said. "It's badly stained from cigarette smoke and I wanted enough time to give it a preliminary cleaning this evening. Ariel, are you alright with Bucky walking you home?"

Ariel tried not to seem eager even though she felt a surge of anticipation in her stomach. "Yes, that would be kind of him," she said.

"Alright, thanks Bucky," said Merton. "Take your time. Looks like it will be a beautiful evening tonight."

Bucky stood up to go and Ariel offered to walk him down to the street. At the bottom of the stairwell he leaned over her again and this time the kiss was more forceful, as he gripped her arm and kissed her firmly, pressing his soft lips onto hers. When he was finished he caressed her face with his hand.

"So beautiful," he whispered. "I'll see you at nine."

"Bucky," she said, just as he was about to leave. "Thank you for the daisy."

He smiled softly. "I don't know what you're talking about." Then he was gone and she watched him run towards the docks.

Smiling she closed the door and went up the stairs. Merton was just finishing up his sandwich and he looked at her.

"He's moving fast," he said. "You sure you can remain detached enough to get impartial observations?"

"I have to admit that he is having an effect on me," she stated. "Is this normal behaviour for him ... buying a girl a kitten? I didn't tell you earlier but he left a daisy on my windowsill. He must have dropped it off before I woke up. I thanked him for it but he said he didn't know what I was talking about it."

Merton studied her. "A daisy?" he said. "That's something new. I have a book in the store about the language of flowers. I'll look it up. To be honest, he's not following his usual routine with you. He started out as he normally does, with the wolf whistle and calling you doll but since that first day he's been more respectful. Did you do anything that would have him change his opinion of you in any way?"

"What do you mean?" Her brow furrowed slightly as she struggled slightly to understand the meaning behind his question.

"What you saw of him on the afternoon we arrived here reflected his usual attitude towards women," said Merton. "Dominant, somewhat flippant in tone, like he knows exactly what he's doing. Yet, when he walked you home yesterday he had Steve with him, not a frequent occurrence when he's with a lady as many don't care for Steve. He kissed you but you said it was very respectful. Did he kiss you goodbye before he went back to work?"

"Yes, it was more intense but still not disrespectful," she said. "When we were walking after stopping at the pet store window yesterday I did take Steve's arm. Bucky thanked me for that, saying a lot of women don't like him. Steve is just shy but he's as much a gentleman as Bucky. He's been touching my hair as well. I should ask him why."

"Hmmm," said Merton. "Let me think on this for a bit. Come down to the shop when you've finished eating. I'll look up that flower in the book."

Ten minutes later Ariel joined Merton in the shop and he tossed the book towards her, opened to the page about daisies.

"New beginnings and true love," he said. "I think he has actual feelings for you."

"Is that alright? Or did you want it to be more of a physical relationship?" asked Ariel.

"It's unexpected," he said. "Historically we weren't aware of him having any significant relationships. It doesn't mean there weren't any just that nothing was ever noted down."

"Do you want me to turn him down and only observe from a distance?" she asked.

He considered her question for some time then made a decision. "No, let it progress," he said. "It could be an infatuation or it could be a brief and intense relationship that ends as quickly as it started. Keep yourself as detached and objective as possible. If it is something else then it's a new aspect to Bucky Barnes that was never noticed before and you will have contributed to a new line of research."

Satisfied with that answer Ariel returned to cleaning and dusting the furniture. A couple of hours before her start time at the Library she excused herself to get ready for an early meal and to change into something more professional. At 4:30 she left to walk to the Library. On the way there she passed the construction site and was somewhat mollified to get some respectful nods and no rude comments. She arrived at the Library with 5 minutes to spare and put her jacket and purse away in the back. Miss Warren was on with her along with another librarian, Mrs. Houseman. They met in the back staff room and Mrs. Houseman told Ariel that she and Miss Warren were on circulation while reference work would be handled by herself.

Without the presence of Mr. Grayson it ended up being an enjoyable evening as the three women developed an excellent working rhythm. Both of the other women were witty and friendly to their patrons. It was obvious that the majority of people there were regulars by the relaxed familiarity they had with each other and the other two librarians. The evening progressed quickly and when closing time arrived the three of them were able to get the area straightened out quickly. Mrs. Houseman offered to drive Ariel but she told her that a gentleman was walking her home. When she saw who it was she came over with Ariel.

"Mr. Barnes," she said kindly. "It's been some time since we saw you here. I was worried that you were no longer a friend of this library."

"Never," he replied. "I was here during the day yesterday and walked Miss Black home then. I'm acquainted with her uncle and offered to walk her home this evening. You'll see me often, I hope."

"I'm glad to hear it," she said. "The latest Raymond Chandler book is in, Farewell My Lovely. Perhaps you can stop in and pick it up the next time you walk Miss Black home. Good evening both of you."

She walked off towards her car and Bucky stepped closer to Ariel gently taking her hands.

"How was work?" he asked.

"Fun," said Ariel. "Mrs. Houseman, Miss Warren and I got along well. We had a good time."

"She's a good egg," he said. "When Mr. Grayson retires I hope they make her manager. She's got a good head on her shoulders."

He turned and offered Ariel his right hand, which she took. He picked up a gym bag which had been resting on the ground. "How was sparring?" she asked.

"I had a good workout," he said.

They walked in the darkness between the small pools of light that the street lights gave off. It was warm out and a slight breeze kept the warm air from feeling stifling. There was no hurry and the couple walked silently for some time just enjoying the feel of the other's hand in theirs. Suddenly they both turned to say something and laughed nervously.

"You first," said Bucky.

"I decided to name the kitten Rosie," she said. "When I was getting ready for work she sprawled out on my bed and watched me get dressed. She's very sweet."

"I'm glad you like her," he replied. "Once she gets older you can have her in the shop to keep the mice down."

"That's a good idea," she said. "What did you want to say?"

He said nothing for some time but she could see he was formulating his thoughts in his head before he spoke. As she watched his face she studied his features, noticing his strong jaw, thick eyelashes and those piercing blue eyes. He turned to speak and noticed she had been gazing at him.

"I told you I have a bit of a reputation but that was an understatement," he said. "I have a big reputation as a ladies man. It's not that I try to be but it just seems that I've been looking for something that I haven't found in the past."

"What's that?" asked Ariel.

He stopped, put his gym bag down and took her other hand in his. "Someone to commit to," he said, looking steadily at her. "Someone that considers herself a man's equal and has more than frivolous thoughts in her head. Sounds terrible when I put it that way but it's true. I couldn't afford to go college but I've always read a lot and absorbed a lot of knowledge along the way. I like to think I'm an enlightened man but when I've tried to talk to most girls about art, or literature or anything of consequence they turn their nose up at it and I resort to treating them in the way my reputation says I will. I don't want to do that with you. You deserve better than that."

For a moment Ariel felt a sense of panic that she had portrayed herself as something other than a woman of this time but then she thought about it for a moment. Her persona had a college degree in library science, and she had already made the comment to Mr. Grayson that her accomplishment was with distinction. She was a modern woman of the 20th century in every sense of the term and had shown Bucky flashes of it from the start. Her panic was replaced by a sense of accomplishment that this handsome, intelligent 20th century man was telling this 22nd century woman that he found her interesting and not just for her physical attributes.

"I like you too, Bucky," she said. "Uncle Merton told me that you're a voracious reader and I admire that. I'm not a shrinking violet, which some people think librarians are. The profession is one of the few where a woman can be in control of her career, even if a man is her boss. Can I ask you a question, a personal one?"

"Sure," he said, looking intently at her.

"How many women are we talking about?" she said. "Just an estimate."

She could see his face colour at her impertinence but he didn't shy away. "At least 50 since my first experience when I was 17."

"So, you're very experienced," she said then made an impulsive decision. "Would it shock you to know that for a woman I'm considered experienced as well? I've been with seven men and one woman, which was different but not as enjoyable as my experiences with the men were. If it shocks you that I would admit this to you, then I would say I don't care what you think. Do you still want to get to know me better?"

She looked defiantly at him, and even though she could hear her inner voice say she had revealed far too much she didn't care. Bucky Barnes was infinitely more interesting than any man she had ever known at any time and she was asking for herself now, not for the historian who was given this assignment. With deliberation he put his arms around her and drew her in close, looking down at her upturned face.

"I want you more than any woman I've ever met," he said with conviction. "Not just physically, but emotionally, and intellectually. I know it's only been a couple of days but I think you're the woman I've been looking for all along. We can dive in headfirst or we can take it slow. It's your decision and I will honour it."

"Then we take it slow. If it's real then we'll know because I don't want us to be a flash in the pan."

Slowly he smiled then he lowered his face down to hers and kissed her intensely. It was different from the other kisses they shared as those were like someone testing the water, checking the temperature first. This one was like dropping into the deep end of the pool and embracing the experience. After the kiss Ariel placed her head against his chest where she could feel the fast beat of his heart through his shirt. He had gambled a lot on his admission to her and it was evident he was entering new territory. So was she and that could be a problem. He sensed the shift in her and stroked her hair.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly. "I won't hurt you. You're safe with me."

"I don't want to hide this from Uncle Merton," she lied. "I think he'll understand but will you let me tell him in my own way and my own time?"

"Alright," he said, after a few moments. "I want to tell my parents about you. It doesn't have to be right away but I want you to meet them soon."

She took in a deep breath then nodded her head against his muscular chest and closed her eyes. No matter what happened in the future, at this moment she felt hopeful that this could be an important relationship for her in either century. After some time they resumed walking, still holding hands. When they arrived at the store front it was all dark and the steel gate was closed and locked. The light outside the stairwell was on and they stood under its glow gazing at each other. Once again he touched a section of her hair and played with it while a soft smile appeared on his face.

"What is it about my hair you like?" she asked playfully.

"How much like the dawn and the sunset it is," he said. "I envision waking up to it on the pillow next to me or caressing it before I fall asleep each night. I have always preferred red hair but have met few women who come by it naturally like you."

"How do you know it's natural?" She looked at him with a level of disbelief.

"Those that use dye to redden it have a different texture," he said sincerely. "Henna makes it too bright for a few days until it fades a little but the shade is the same on all the strands of the individual hairs. Yours has always been soft as silk and the colour of the strands are composed of different shades that combine to form the overall colour."

"You're very observant," she remarked then she looked at the door to the stairwell. "I should go up."

He nodded and placed his arms around her again, only this time he backed her up against the wall and kissed her passionately pressing his tongue deeply against hers. It surprised her in its intensity and she responded instinctively to it, running her hands up his back under his jacket and feeling the firmness of his muscles under her fingers. One of his hands reached for her neck and caressed it, his fingers slipping under her collar and touching her collar bone. As he removed it he brushed his hand down the front of her jacket before he stepped away from her.

"What happened to taking it slow?" she murmured.

"That was taking it slow," he whispered, leaning forward so his mouth was beside her ear. "Do you want me to stop? That's all you have to say." Ariel swallowed and looked up at him, his eyes now dark with desire. She tried to say something but her mouth couldn't form the words and he smiled at her. "I'll pick you up at 6:30 tomorrow. For our date, remember?"

She nodded and reached behind her for the door knob. His hand reached for it over hers and opened it behind her.

"My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite," he whispered.

Then he stepped back and watched as she went inside. She closed the door and could hear him whistling as he walked away. Shakespeare again ... he quoted from Romeo and Juliet. Merton opened the door at the top of the stairs and looked down at her. Surprisingly, she felt apprehensive about his inquisitive look.

"I sense you might need to talk," he said. "Come on, I have a bottle of scotch needing a couple of drinkers."

Slowly she went up the steps and dropped her purse and jacket off in her bedroom. She slipped her shoes off and undid her stockings then shrugged and took everything off, changing into her nightgown and a robe. Merton handed her a glass and gestured to the big armchair in the living room while he sat on the couch. Rosie curled up on Ariel's lap.

"I guessed something momentous happened when it took you more than an hour to walk home," he said. "What happened?"

"I made an impulsive decision to not be as objective as perhaps I should have," she admitted, "He's in love with me and I might be feeling something for him. After telling him I wanted to take it slow he kissed me in a way that made it clear he wants more than just sex. He wants commitment."

The older man took a deep breath then sipped his scotch. He thought for some time then leaned forward.

"I don't see a problem with that," he stated. "History doesn't record him having a long term relationship. Whatever this is doesn't last, at least it's not recorded as lasting. Which means your relationship fizzled out quickly enough that it was regarded as just another one of his flings or ..."

"Or what?" said Ariel. "That I didn't publish it? Why would I go to all this trouble, risk my standing as an objective observer of history to get involved with him and then not publish? Why would I do that?"

"The future is fluid, even here in the past," said Merton, calmly. "We know historically that Bucky and Steve go back to art school in 1941 because that's where they were when they heard about Pearl Harbor. It's possible that could change without changing the timeline drastically if you're in a relationship. We know that Bucky registers for the draft in 1940 and he receives his notice in December 1941, then is shipped out to England in June of 1943. We know about that and about everything military that happens because it is a matter of already recorded history. We don't know if he was in a relationship with Ariel Black from July of 1940 until whenever because it was never written down, not in any official documentation."

Ariel took a drink of her scotch and grimaced as the liquid burned on its way down her throat. Then she rubbed her forehead while Merton watched her impassively.

"So you think I should jump into the deep end of the pool with Bucky Barnes and immerse myself in a relationship with him, and not just a sexual relationship, a full blown romantic all the bells and whistles relationship. I just want to clarify that before I begin to cry."

The tears started to come and Merton shifted so she could curl up with him on the couch. He put his arm around her and stroked her back. When her sobs began to lessen he squeezed her shoulder.

"Perhaps what has been missing from previous attempts at studying the man has been someone willing to take that step with him," he said softly. "Certainly, I've seen all the attempts and every one of those women historians wouldn't have been able to handle the intensity of the emotional commitment he seems willing to invest in you. The sex between them wasn't enough to sustain the relationship and he soon lost interest, relegating them to just observer from a distance status. I think Peri sent you here because she knew you were capable of being what he needed while still fulfilling your duty as an objective observer. Now, if that means that you don't publish then maybe that's what history shows and your love affair remains just between you two. Would that be such a bad thing?"

"To fall in love with a doomed man?" she asked. "Yes, it would hurt and I don't know if I would ever recover from that."

"Or it could be the most glorious love affair you ever have," said Merton. "Something that you could look back on when you're old and grey, and remember as the best time of your life."

They talked back and forth for at least an hour, with Merton filling up her glass several times until she passed out. Then he carried her into her bedroom and tucked her into bed. He left a glass of water on the night table knowing she would need it for the hangover then he closed the door and stood outside. Going to the bathroom cabinet he pulled out the bottle of Carter Little Liver Pills and took out the key for the third floor.

Sitting in front of the ersatz radio set he opened up a communications channel and requested a video call with Peri Wayne. Her holographic image came up within moments and her face brightened.

"You have something to report," she said.

"He wants a relationship with a commitment," replied Merton. "She's fallen in love with him but she's torn about losing her objectivity if she enters into such a relationship. Are you sure you want her to do this? It could ruin her career, not to mention break her heart when he falls."

Peri nodded with understanding. "You know that I'm one of the few with deeper knowledge of his timeline," she said. "The signs were there that he did have an intense relationship that ended shortly before he left for England. We need to know who it was with, why it ended and more importantly why it wasn't recorded. I'm sure she's the one who can provide the answers. If she is then you'll make sure she returns here after the end of the relationship and I will support her and encourage her to publish the observations. Her career will unfold as it should without interference from any of us. We both care about her for good reason which I won't say out loud. She's an extraordinary woman for both past and future. Barnes senses it and it's likely why he is already committing to her. Support her in this Merton. It will work out, I promise you."

"Very well," he said. "I hope your deeper knowledge confirms that."

He broke the communication and shut down the radio. Peri Wayne was the first historian to attempt observations on pre-war Bucky Barnes and although she failed to reach this state with him he knew she still had an emotional attachment to the man. It was also why she was regarded as the expert on his life as she directed all of the attempts since then. He wondered if the fact she had personally recruited and prepared Ariel for this very assignment was known by others, not just him. It would make better sense if that was the case. Then again, there were things about Ariel that were secret for a reason.