Come Back With Me

Rogers' Sibling Cook Off Night

Bucky and Steve were walking home from school a couple weeks after the incident. Bucky had noticed that Steve didn't want to hang out as much.

He was worried that Steve was getting tired of him. Bucky had lots of friends but he had never instantly clicked with someone like he did Steve.

He noticed that the distance started after he came over for dinner. Bucky couldn't help but wonder if the problem laid there.

"Do you want to come to dinner at my house tonight?" Bucky asks.

Steve looked over at Bucky guiltily. He felt bad he kept turning Bucky down but Lizzie was his priority. He knew his mom was working at the hospital tonight and he wouldn't leave Lizzie home alone again.

"I can't," Steve replies.

Bucky stops walking and Steve turns to face him.

"Can't or don't want to? Did I do something wrong? Did you not like my family or something?" Bucky asks.

He hates how insecure he sounds but he was never one to avoid hard conversations.

"No, no. Of course not!" Steve stammers quickly.

"Then what is it?" Bucky asks.

"It's Lizzie," Steve admits.

This surprises Bucky. He thought the animosity between them was in the past. He knew she was still cautious about him but she trusted him enough.

"Lizzie? I thought she was okay about me?" Bucky says.

Steve is quick to reassure his friend.

"She is! She really doesn't have a problem with you," Steve says.

"Then what is it?" Bucky asks curiously.

Steve hesitates. He doesn't know if it's a betrayal to talk about her insecurities but he doesn't want to hide anything from Bucky either. He knows Bucky won't say anything to anyone.

"When I went over to your house my mom had to leave her home alone. Neither of us have ate alone. She had never been left home alone at night either. I came home and she was really upset. She would never say it but I think she feels like you're taking me away from her. Our dad died and mom is always working so we have always relied on each other to be there. I haven't been doing the best job of that recently. I was so excited to have you as a friend that I completed ignored her. I can't come over because my mom is working tonight and I don't want to leave her again," Steve explained.

Bucky thought about all that Steve had to say. Bucky didn't know Lizzie but he felt like he did. The way that Steve talks about her, she is the most amazing person to walk the planet.

Bucky and Lizzie were both important to Steve. He felt terrible that Steve felt like he had to choose between them.

Suddenly, Bucky was struck with an idea.

"Can I come over to your house tonight then?" Bucky asks.

Steve looks at Bucky in surprise. He has never come over on a night when Sarah wasn't home.

"Um sure but my mom won't be there to make dinner," Steve says.

"That's okay. What do you and Elizabeth usually do for dinner when Sarah is gone?" Bucky asks.

"We each make each other a meal out of random stuff in the fridge. Sometimes it turns out really well and sometimes not so much..." Steve says.

"Well if you don't mind, I would love to sit in on your tradition," Bucky says.