Steve was out for his morning run through a park not far from the complex when his phone rang. Being that he lived with almost everyone who had his phone number, it was unusual for someone to call him during the few hours he was away from the compound. He stepped away from the trail and pulled the device from his pocket.
"Bucky? Is everything okay?"
"Not really." Bucky's voice was sobering. "It's fine, but it almost wasn't. Some men showed up at the hotel this morning and tried to break into Gianna's room."
"Oh man, did you get a clear look at them?" Steve ran a hand across his jawline.
"No…I wasn't there. I stepped out to get coffee."
Steve could hear the guilt in his friend's voice, even over the phone.
"Listen, you said nothing happened right? Don't put this on yourself. Besides, 24-hour watch is a little unrealistic, even for a super soldier."
"I just, I don't want anything to happen to her."
Steve could hear the edge of desperation, fear even, in Bucky's voice.
"How can I help?"
Bucky explained the additional security measures, added precautions, descriptions of the men from security footage, all of it.
"D'you think you'd be able to be an extra set of eyes tonight? I'll be backstage with Gianna, but I was thinking if we had you up in a box again, you'd be able to see everything from above. A better vantage point. We can be on comms and if there's anything suspicious at all, you can let me know."
"You got it, Buck. I'll be there."
Bucky breathed out. "Thanks Steve. Seriously. Can you be at the arena at 4? I'll make sure they know to let you in. Come to the service entrance."
"Don't mention it. I'll see you then."
Steve hung up the phone and slid it in the front pocket of his hoodie before resuming his run. He thought through the details Bucky had given him and tried to determine if they were valid concerns or if they were exaggerated due to the emotional connection Bucky had to the situation. He was lost in his thoughts when he ran straight into another runner.
"Oh, man, I'm so sorry!" Steve knelt down to help the other man up.
"No, it's all my fault, should have been watching where I was going. Sorry about that." The man brushed himself off. "Have a good one."
"Yeah, you too," Steve paused, watching as the man quickly jogged away.
After the man turned a corner, Steve resumed his pace back in the direction of the compound. He didn't like to listen to music when he ran, preferring to be alone with his thoughts and the familiar noise of the city. While it was great for his mental clarity, it meant that Steve didn't even notice that his phone had gone missing in the chaos.
That night, the tension in the air was palpable. From the stage hands to the venue workers, everyone was on edge with the rumors of danger and the additional security. The buzz had brought additional press, so the arena was already beginning to be surrounded by paparazzi hoping to catch the first shot of a breaking story.
The green room was quieter than usual as Gianna got her makeup done by a hurried and tense team. They'd left early to get to the venue to allow for all the decoy cars to make their way through. Although he knew she was still shaken up, Gianna was doing her best to put on a cheery face. She knew the team's attitude was heavily influenced by her own and didn't want to add to their uneasiness.
"Truth or dare?" Her voice called out in the quiet room.
Bucky looked up at her from his position leaning against the metal door.
"What?"
"Truth or dare. It's a game." She smiled softly.
"Uh, truth?" He cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Is it true that you got recognized at the coffee shop this morning?" Her voice was gentle, trying to recall a positive memory from the morning.
He chuckled. "Yeah, but the girl never said anything to me. I actually thought she was gonna kick me out or something, didn't realize she was a fan until I saw the cups."
Gianna smiled and looked at her lap. "That was cute. I saw the picture online and thought maybe you got creative with a sharpie." She narrowed her eyes at him.
"I thought about it, but the barista beat me to it." His humor was always dry, yet it never failed to make Gianna feel a little warmer inside.
"Your turn."
Bucky cocked an eyebrow. "What?"
"Ask me, truth or dare."
"Okay, truth or dare?"
She paused for a second, considering each option as though she wasn't the one to suggest the game in the first place.
"Truth."
"Okay…are you sure you want to go ahead with the show tonight?"
The room went still as the makeup and hair team paused to hear Gianna's answer.
Gianna frowned. "It's supposed to be a question that's true or false."
"Okay, is it true that you're only doing the show tonight because you feel like you'll be letting people down if you don't?"
She paused again, looking in Bucky's direction but not seeing anything at all. With glazed eyes, she finally answered. "I'm doing the show tonight because I don't know how to do anything else."
He suddenly felt guilty for asking her such a personal question with other people in the room. His desire to make sure she was comfortable performing with the given circumstances had overshadowed his better judgment. Bucky opened his mouth to apologize but she spoke again.
"I've been doing this for so long, writing, recording, touring…if I stop, I don't know what else to do. If we cancel this show, then we set the precedent for the rest of the tour. Whatever the motive, people will know that if they cause enough of a scene, they can ruin the tour. People are crazy. If the whole tour got canceled, I'd just…I don't even know where I'd go." Her eyes were watery but her voice was matter-of-fact.
"Where were you before the tour?" Bucky proceeded gently, not sure how far to continue with such a personal topic.
"I was leasing a penthouse upstate. Well, the label leased it for me. I haven't had a real home in a few years." She seemed to notice Bucky's confusion but conflict about asking her any further questions. "I was raised by my grandmother in Charleston. Parents were young, into some bad stuff. They signed away parental rights and disappeared when I was really little. My grandma was the best, but she got sick when I was in high school. It was around the same time I was getting noticed for singing. I used my first advance from the label to hire a full-time nurse for her. I ended up dropping out of high school to go on a small tour, I couldn't pay for her nurse unless I worked…but because I worked, I hardly saw her the past few months of her life. I got to be with her at the end, but I don't think I'll ever get over the fact that I left her alone all that time. She passed away a week after I turned 18." A single tear rolled down Gianna's cheek, streaking her perfect makeup.
Kate immediately began to pat away at Gianna's face with a sponge, and before Bucky could react, he saw tears streaming down her face too. He forgot how much the team cared for her. He wondered if this was the first time Kate had heard this story too.
"The label wanted me to go on another tour, opening for a bigger group. I had nothing left in Charleston, all my friends were going to prom and graduating, and I didn't even have a family. So I sold her house and left right after the funeral." She looked up at Bucky and gave a soft smile. "I've been at it ever since."
His brows knit together, feeling a lead weight in his chest.
"I'm sorry. I know how it feels…to be alone. Homesick, but with no home." Bucky's words were labored, the result of his own emotion mixed with how hard he was trying to craft an answer worthy of what she'd just shared.
"I'm not alone." She met his eyes and smiled. "Not anymore."
The show seemed to be going normally. Gianna had slipped into her routine as soon as the music started playing, putting on the show of a lifetime despite the trauma of the day. Bucky was wound tightly backstage, lingering at the edge of the curtain, tense and ready to get to Gianna at a moment's notice. His eyes flicked back and forth, scanning the crowd. Pressing his finger to his ear, Bucky spoke.
"You see anything unusual?"
Steve's voice instantly replied. "Other than the most teenage girls I've ever seen in my life…no. All good here."
Bucky dropped his hand to his side and continued to pace backstage. When the current song ended, the lights fell black and Gianna slipped backstage under the cover of the shadows. She crossed in front of him and he passed her a water, which she gulped down.
"You're killing it."
"Thanks," She panted, various hands tugged at her, spraying her hair, touching up her makeup. "I finally got my appetite back."
She hadn't eaten much of anything all day, saying her stomach was nauseous. Bucky hadn't pushed it, not wanting to make her feel worse. Now he kicked himself, hearing her stomach growl with another hour left in the show.
"We'll get whatever you want after this. Your call."
Gianna grinned. "Hot dogs, from that little cart on 17th. Coke. Blueberry scones."
"I'll make it happen."
"You're the best." Gianna breezed past him, pausing to plant a quick kiss on his cheek before crossing back into the neon lights of the stage.
His cheek felt like it was on fire.
The music roared and the crowd went crazy, but another small noise tugged at Bucky's attention. His phone was buzzing.
Steve: Come to the box. Emergency. NOW. Don't use comms.
Bucky scowled, looking back and forth from the screen to Gianna. He knew Steve wouldn't use such strong phrasing if it weren't real. Motioning to two nearby security guards to come take his place, Bucky slipped into the hallway that led straight to the box suite elevator. He moved quickly, aiming to make sure Steve was okay and be back in position by the end of the song.
As he reached the door, Bucky listened carefully to see if he could hear what the threat was. Hearing nothing, he pushed through and immediately assessed his surroundings.
"Bucky? What are you doing up here?" Steve turned to look at him, a confused look showing underneath his baseball cap.
"Your text? You said it was an emergency?" Bucky flashed his screen to Steve, his heart beginning to pound.
Steve crossed the room in quick strides, reading the words on Bucky's phone.
"Bucky…I lost my phone this afternoon. I haven't had it since we talked."
Steve looked at Bucky, half apologetic and half concerned. A look of understanding passed between them as the pieces clicked together. Bucky turned on his heel and began to sprint back to the elevators, Steve running full speed right behind him.
They made it within ten feet of the doors when an explosion threw them both backwards.