Come Back With Me

She Hasn't Really Mentioned You

Things went back to normal after Bucky and Lizzie made up. The trio enjoyed the rest of the summer together and they couldn't have been happier.

Steve was ecstatic. His two favorite people were back together. He was really starting to lose it, playing middleman.

There was one thing that did loom over the group and that was Bucky's feelings for Lizzie. Of course, Lizzie was oblivious but it was all too noticeable for Steve.

When Lizzie and Bucky made up, he decided to have a conversation with Bucky about it.

"I'm really really happy you guys are friends again but what are you going to do about how you feel about her?" Steve asks.

Bucky sighs because this topic has actually been on his mind a lot. In an ideal world, she would love him back. She would be his girl and nothing would separate them. But this was not an ideal world and she wasn't his girl. She was Riley's girl and he hated him for it.

"I'm not going to do anything. I just got her back and I'm not going to risk ruining it again," Bucky says.

Steve knows that this is easier said than done. Bucky wasn't exactly one to hold back when he had something to say.

"Can you just really turn it off like that?" Steve asks.

"Of course not but I'm just going to have to suffer through it," Bucky says.

It hurts like hell but Bucky will manage. Even if it means seeing her with Riley.

But then he starts imagining Riley and Lizzie getting married. How is he going to handle watching Steve give her away to him? and even if it's not Riley, it will be someone else.

Her kids would call him Uncle Bucky. He wants her kids to call him dad, not uncle.

Maybe if he was braver he would tell her. He knows Lizzie well enough that he knows she would never hold his feelings against him. He was really just afraid of rejection and how awkward it would make their friendship if she didn't feel the same.

The three of them are hanging out one day when Lizzie brings Riley up.

"Do you think you guys would be able to get dinner with Riley and I?" Lizzie asks nervously.

Steve and Bucky look at each other in surprise. They didn't think Lizzie would ever want them all in a room together again after how the last encounter went.

"Why?" Bucky asks.

"Because you are all important to me. Steve has met him a couple times and they got along well enough," Lizzie says.

Bucky shoots a glare at Steve. Bucky wasn't aware of that fact.

"It was just briefly," Steve defends.

"Exactly, it was brief. I would really like it if you could all get along. I actually think you would rather like him if you gave him a chance," Lizzie says.

"Doubt it," Bucky says under his breath.

Steve elbows him.

"Of course Liz, we will give it a shot," Steve says.

She looks over at Bucky hopefully.

To be honest, Bucky rather be eaten by a raccoon than have to watch Lizzie and Riley together but when she looks at him with her big blue eyes, he can't say no.

"Okay, I can't promise to be nice though," Bucky says.

"Can you at least keep an open mind?" Lizzie asks.

He won't make any promises he can't keep to her.

"We'll see," Bucky says.

Lizzie can see that this is the best she'll get out of Bucky.