A Heart Break In Time

You Want To Go To Space, Puppy?

I went into my drawer and pulled out my bathing suit, I quickly changed, threw my hair into a pony tail, and made my way to the pool room. As usual I was thankful for Tony's inability to do anything other than go big when I walked into the room and saw Bucky waiting for me in the giant heated pool. He waved and I smiled before jumping right in. I swam towards him as he sat on the steps.

"Hey."

He smiled and nudged me. "You okay?"

"Oh, just peachy. How was it while I was gone?"

Bucky shrugged. "Quiet."

I sat there, contiplating that. What would it be like here now that I was back? I mean, I'm sure they're both staying here now. It's not like Steve had an apartment. We decided against it until we got married. My heart began to ache as I remembered the wedding that would now never happen.

"I missed you, you know." Bucky practically whispered. One thing I definitely noticed. The blip must've done something to him because he was definitely more vocal now than he ever was to me before. Sure, he talked to Steve. But anytime emotions were brought up, he shut down.

"Missed you too, Buck. Sam's a blanket hog. You're much less greedy."

Bucky turned to me abruptly. "You slept with him?"

"Oh god! Not like that, come on. Just like, how we did. Just shared a bed is all."

"Oh." We sat in silence for a while before Bucky spoke again. "I'm sorry about Tony."

I nodded. "I miss him so much, and Nat. And Wanda, she's still not answering anyone."

"I'm sorry you had to lose them to get us back." As he said that I had a realization.

"Oh, Buck... don't tell me you blame yourself for this?" He didn't respond, just looked at the ground. I grabbed his face and pulled it so he looked at me. "James Buchanan Barnes. You are not to blame for our loses. I watched as we lost you, and that was just as hard for me as losing everyone else too. We got lucky, we got you back. And Sam. And everyone else. Natasha, Tony, Vision... They wouldn't have had it any other way." I stared into his eyes and saw they were watering up. I held onto his face as we continued making eye contact. His eyes faltered down to my lips and I felt my body tense up. Oh, was he about to kiss me? Did I want him to? 

And then he pulled away.

Flashback

"Steve, you've got to talk to her. She's blaming herself." I begged.

"I don't know what I'd say to her. She doesn't have control over her powers, Talia. It is dangerous. We shouldn't have brought her out."

I stared at him in shock and walked away, I could hear the news playing in Wanda's room.
"11 Wakandans were among those killed during a confrontation between the Avengers and a group of mercenaries in Lagos, Nigeria, last month. The traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on an outreach mission in Lagos when the attack occurred."

Another voice spoke, I recognized it as the King of Wakanda. "Our people's blood is spilled on foreign soil. Not only because of the actions of criminals, but by the indifference of those pledged to stop them. Victory at the expense of the innocent, is no victory at all."

"They are operating outside and above the international law. Because that's the reality, if we don't respond to acts like these. What legal authority does an enhanced individual like Wanda Maximoff have to operate in Nigeri -"

I turned off the TV and sat next to her.

Wanda spoke as I placed my hand on hers. "It's my fault."