This Is Stella's Reality

August 4, 2015

Bucky was snoring gently beside me, still enjoying the lazy morning sun that warmed our bed and filtered golden light through the curtains. Alpine was curled around his head, nuzzling her cute pink nose into his growing hair.

I smiled and ran my fingers through his beard. My feet hit the floor, and I heard the clacking of Aurora and Ves making their way across the hardwood.

They always sensed when I would wake up. Food and pets and being let out to roam the island. They loved morning time.

We stepped into the kitchen, bright with the otherworldly glow from the windows. Apollo was racing his way across the sky with his white stallions and golden chariot.

I had met him a few times. Arrogant and flirtatious. But he was kind and good-hearted if a bit stuck-up and snooty. None of the Olympians were perfect, but I suppose I'd prefer him from the others.

Caught in my daydreams, I blindly mixed food for the animals. Meat and eggs, herbs, bones, and other things I knew they'd enjoy.

My eyes caught a vase of flowers and a note on the dining table when I turned to give the wolves their breakfast.

I hadn't put it there. And I didn't recall Bucky getting up during the night to place such a surprise on the table.

Warily, I stepped closer to the table. The flowers were beautiful. White daisies, red tulips, and carnations. They sat in a wide vase, filled with water and catching the light from the windows.

There was an envelope beside the bouquet. I held it gently and looked around the room, making sure there was no one hiding amongst the shadows.

I lifted the seal and took out the paper. I recognized it. The torn edges of lined paper from Steve's notebook.

My loves,

Stella and Bucky,

I hope over the past few days I have been able to show you how sorry I am. I love both of you more than anything, and I was a fool to not see that.

The two of you mean more to me than you might ever realize. I know it is impossible for you to forgive me fully, but I hope we can find some resemblance of our old selves one day soon.

Stay as long as you like on the island. I will visit you for as long as you will let me. I hope you understand that I can't abandon the Avengers. But I will make time to see you. I think I've figured out your door trick. I hope you don't mind.

Let me know if you need anything. You know where to find me. Nat wants to get lunch this week, could we come over? I'll see you soon, my loves.

Yours always,

Steve

My fingers smoothed over the lines of the paper, reading and rereading the note. His handwriting was beautiful. It was smooth and romantic, looping and almost cursive with it's connected letters and featherlight touch.

I sighed, smiling to myself and tucking the note back into the envelope for Bucky to read later.

My magic summoned a raven to the window. He perched himself on the sill, and I wrote a letter back to Steve.

Our darling,

Steve,

We would love to have you both over for lunch. How about Thursday the 6th? Ask Natasha what she'd like to eat. We can prepare anything.

Visit whenever you'd like. We have no plans, and the door is always open to you.

Forever yours,

Stella and Bucky

I attached the note to the raven's foot with a strand of kitchen twine. My magic guided him through a portal as he flew off. He'd find his way to Steve's room, hopefully not give him a heart attack, and fly back with a response from him.

Bucky was awake now, yawning and making his way out of the bedroom. He stumbled over to me and wrapped his lazy arms around my frame.

"Something came for us," I breathed against his cheek as he hugged me tight.

His eyebrows pinched together in confusion, so I guided his head to look over at the vase of flowers and the note. "Should I be worried?" He asked cautiously.

I laughed, "No, dear." My head turned when there was a tap at the door. The raven had returned, but there was no note attached to his leg. I frowned. Maybe Steve didn't think the raven would come back to me.

The door opened then too. I turned to look at Steve who stood in the doorway with tousled hair and wide eyes. He sighed, "That damn bird scared the hell out of me."

Bucky and I laughed and welcomed him in. "Nat's still sleeping," he said as he pressed a kiss to my hair. "But I'll ask her about lunch later. Oh," he produced a small box, "this came for you, Bucky. Thought I'd bring it by."

We both frowned. "What is it?" Bucky asked. "I didn't order anything."

Steve shrugged, "It has your name on it, and FRIDAY cleared it, so it's safe."

"What's the return address?" I asked.

The ink was a bit smudged, as if it had been rained on. 2nd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232. "Brooklyn?" I asked.

Bucky's head shook, but he opened the box. I felt his heart drop at the same moment he did. The familiar wash of dread and heartache that made me sick to my stomach. As if the whole world had fallen on top of me. Like the sun exploding and turning earth to ash.

He lifted a notebook out of the box. Red and with a black star on its cover. There was a single slip of parchment that fell from the leatherbound book.

It floated to the countertop, and Steve lifted it with his fingers. Солдат? Is all it read. He showed Bucky the card.

We stared blankly at what he held in his hands. The Winter Soldier's book. The trigger words and all the information we had already burned.

It was here again. A copy. It must have been. But why send it to us now? What did Hydra want? What sort of power play were they getting at?

Anger rose through me, but I fought it down. Now was not the time. Bucky didn't need that. He needed his wife.

I let my hand fall to his wrist. "Bucky," I breathed, "you're safe here. They don't know the island exists. They can't touch you here."

He swallowed back an onslaught of tears that threatened to burn down his face. "I know," he nearly sobbed. He walked past Steve and I in a hurry and threw the book into the fireplace.

Steve looked at me. His eyes were welling with tears now too. What do we do? He asked.

The only thing we can do, I replied. Protect him. Burn Hydra to the ground.