The Slip Up

Chapter Five

"Wait!" that deep voice said from behind her. "Y/N, wait!"

Hesitantly, Y/N stopped and turned around. "Sorry, I have to get them buckled in, and-"

"The bar. Like 7 years ago. You were the girl who I ran into," he said piecing it together as he stopped running and began walking to her now. His eyes locked on hers.

"Um," she started not really having words.

"Why do I feel like you knew that, and that's the reason you keep running the opposite direction the past couple of times you've seen me," Bucky questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I really need to go-"

"Wait a second." He was now right in front of her now. "Steve said that 2nd graders are 7-8 years old-" as if he had been sucker punched in the stomach, he sucked in a quiet breath. "Ho-How old is your daughter?"

------

Y/N's heart was racing a thousand miles per hour. She had two options; lie and act as if she didn't remember him and say that Rori wasn't his, or face the truth.

Thinking through all the consequences of what she chose in this moment, she decided.

"That would be me from the bar 7 years ago," she sighed, grabbing her purse tightly in nerves and now facing him completely.

Bucky just stood wide eyed trying to comprehend everything. Then his face went to a forced smile and he laughed nervously.

"You know what? I'm jumping the gun here. You probably have a husband and I'm over thinking-"

"I don't have a husband," Y/N shook her head looking at the ground.

"Ok, then you have a boyfriend that you met after me, and-" he said trying to find any other excuse for this situation.

"Nope," she cut off once again.

He paused looking for more possible reasons.

"Another guy that you were with at any point and time then?" Bucky said softer and in a hoarse tone.

Y/N just gave him a look and tilted her head. That's when it all added up together in his head whether he wanted it to or not.

"So, that's why you ran," Bucky nodded. His face frozen in shock as he looked behind her where the two girls were playing with each other waiting for Y/N.

"You kinda caught me by surprise. I didn't expect to see you after that night... or ever..." Y/N said following his eye line.

"I-" He breathed out, but nothing came after.

Y/N was also at a loss for words now. What do you do in this situation? Like, honestly. What do you do?

Just then, her phone began ringing. Looking down at it in her hand, she saw Hope's picture pop up.

"Shit. I have to go."

"Wait," he said snapping out of his trance enough to grab her arm gently when she turned.

"Here's my number. I don't want to up and leave right now, but my friend just got out of the hospital, and I have to take her daughter back home," Y/N explained, slightly stretching the truth. Pulling out a business card, she handed it to Bucky. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions, and I do too honestly. I'll answer all that I can later. I have to go though."

"Uh." Yes, Bucky wanted a lot of things answered right now, but from the sounds of it, it wasn't much an option at the moment. At least she had given him some way to contact her and promised to explain things to him. "Yeah, yeah... I guess you don't have much of a choice."