Two Ghosts

Chapter 3

-I thought you'd be at your place kicking chairs out of jealousy.-when I walk into my home I find Nick Fury sitting on my couch in the dark, ready to scare me.
-Jesus, Fury.-I close the door behind me and take a deep breath.-Why would I be jealous? Those guys almost died.-I laugh as I go to the kitchen to turn on the coffee machine.-Coffee?
-No, thanks.-he follows me and stands up straight.
-Your team did good today.-I smile.
-I know.-I'm not looking at him, but I know he's smiling. At least a little.
-Where's the Tesseract now?
-Um, Asgard.-I turn around and wait for him to explain with my mouth half open.-Remember the incident of New Mexico?-I nod.-Those guys are asgardians. Princes, actually.
-So they brought their family drama here?-I pour myself a cup of coffee.
-You could say that.-he laughs. I take a sip. Shit, it's hot.-Were you at Agent Carter's?
-Yeah. She was lucid, so we talked a bit.-I smile.
-Did you tell her about Rogers?-I shake my head.
-I couldn't.-my jaw tenses.-Not without Steve there.
-You think she wouldn't believe you?
-I think she would, but if he wasn't there, I'd have to go get him and she could forget everything before I could come back.-I explain moving my hands a little too much.-She would wait and she could lose her memory without having the chance to see him. It's just not fair.-a sigh comes out of my mouth in frustration.
-Just for the record, I think you're right.-he says, making me laugh.
-That'd be a first.-he laughs this time.-I really doubt you came here just to do some asgardian gossip with me, Fury.-I blow into the mug and take another sip.-You've got great news or horrible, bad, bad news. There's no in between with you.
-I got you your freedom.-he says, and I almost drop my coffee. I look at him with misbelief, and he laughs at my expression.
-If this is a prank, is not a good one, eye-patch.
-I'm serious.-he nods slowly. I think I'm shaking...-Actually, Steve got it for you.-I tilt my head a little, waiting for elaboration.-After today, he spoke to the council in your behalf. They contacted Washington and they granted the permission right away.
-Oh, God...
-Congratulations.-I put the mug in the counter and take deep, long breaths.
-Thank you.-I say. I'm not able to find more words to express how grateful I feel. This is everything. He smiles, and before turning to the door, he points at me with his finger.
-Would you like a job?-a huge smile appears on my face out of excitement.-See ya on monday.

When he leaves, I find myself frozen in place. I am free. After all the injustice, all the sexism, I finally got my life back. I cannot believe this. I stay in the kitchen, not moving and thinking, until Steve comes home.

-Jade?-he yells.
-In the kitchen.-my voice is shaky. He appears at the door a few seconds later.
-Hey...-before he could say anything, I jump on him and hug him tightly, laughing like a little girl.
-You are my hero!-I scream and smile as he hugs me back.
-Oh, c'mon. Fighting aliens is what I do best.-he replies, which makes me lauhg even harder.
-No, dummie.-I pull away. I know my eyes are shining with joy when I look at him.-You freed me, Steve.
-It worked?-he grabs my shoulders, and when I nod he hugs me again in celebration.-I'm so happy for you.
-Me too.-we break the hug and try to go back to normal.-I owe you so much, brother.-he shrugs and wrinkles his nose.
-No, you don't.-always so modest.
-Let me cook you dinner, then.-I offer. He almost says no, but he regrets that thought.
-Yeah, okay. I'll accept that.-I give a few little claps and start looking at our fridge to find something to cook.-Have you ever tried shawarma?
-Uh...I think so. Once, yeah.-I nod as I take a pan out of a drawer.
-We ate that with the guys today.-he comments. I look back at him, raise an eyebrow and smile.
-The guys, huh?-he rolls his eyes and nods.-So you liked them.
-Yes, I did. Just like you said I would.-I laugh a little.
-Well, tell me everything!-I take out a tray from the oven and pour olive oil all over it.-Oh, no. First go shower.-he looks down at his body and makes a disgusting face.-For the good of humanity, we'll talk later.

I turn on the oven to gain heat while I peal the skin off they potatoes and cut them in thick slices before puting them in the tray. As I let the salt fall from my fingers to the potatoes, my memories take over my mind. Physically, I'm in my kitchen crushing some pepper. In my head, I'm in bed with Bucky.

-Someday, my parents are gonna find out I'm not staying at a friend's.-I giggle as I make invisible drawings in his bare chest with the tip of my finger.
-Hey, I'm your friend.-Bucky caresses my hair softly and kisses my head.-Your boyfriend, actually.
-You know what I mean, smarty pants.-I look up to him and he smiles and nods.
-Someday, but not yet.-my laugh is interrupted by his lips on mine. He kisses me slow and tender, like he always does when we're in bed.
-What time is it?-I try to take his watch from the night stand but he grabs my arm and rolls over the bed. My legs embrace his waist and our lips meet again.
-Who cares?-he smiles against my neck before leaving a few kisses all over my skin.
-You have to take a shower.-I remind him. He laughs and pulls away to look at me in the eyes.
-Thanks, love.
-No...-I laugh loudly and shake my head.-I mean, you have your family reunion tomorrow.
-I'll shower in the morning.-he replies, going back to hide his face between my neck and my shoulder.
-We both know you won't wake up early enough to do that.-he sighs.
-Yeah, okay.-he smiles.
-I'll make something to eat while you shower.-I say as he climbs out of bed.
-You are the best.-he comes back to give me a kiss before going to the bathroom.

I take a shirt of his from the floor and put it on before walking to the kitchen, still smiling for having him as my boyfriend. I am simply the luckiest girl in the world. I look at the clock Bucky keeps in his living room: it's almost midnight. Perfect time for dinner. I make the potatoes quickly and start cutting the meat into small pieces to cook them in a pan. Ten minutes later, Bucky walks in wearing his pijama pants with his hair a little wet and messy and a big smile on his face.

-This shirt looks better on you.-he puts his arms around my waist and pulls me closer to his body. His skin is warm and soft.
-Maybe I'll steal it from you.-he rests his chin on my shoulder and nods.
-Good idea.-I smile.-This smells amazing.
-It'll be ready in a few minutes.-Bucky lets me go while I check the potatoes in the oven, and then he goes back to the same position as before.
-Can I do anything to help?-he kisses me behind my ear.
-I wouldn't mind if you kept on kissing me.-I can feel his smile against my skin, and then another kiss on my neck.
-Wow, that smells incredible.-Steve's voice wakes me up from my trance. My beautiful, perfect trance.-Just like when you cooked for us before.
-Yeah.-I smile and nod. A little sadness fills my chest as I turn the stove off.-I hope you like it.

We both sit at the table and eat the meat and the roasted potatoes, remembering years gone by. He tells me this became his favorite meal, since every saturday, while my parents were out in their club, the three of us would hang out at my house all day alone, and I cooked this so we wouldn't starve to death. This becane even more often after Steve's mother died, Bucky and I were living together at the time and we'd try to keep an eye on him by inviting him over to make sure he ate.

Steve ends up telling me all about his first mission with his new friends. He mentions that it was a little hard to be a team at first, but that eventually they all aligned for the greater good. He speaks so dearly of Tony, and highlights the things he has in common with his father. He also tells me about the new guy, this Thor person: Prince of Asgard, as Fury said before. Tony called him Point Break, so Steve asks me to explain that to him. There's a lot he needs to catch up on.

-Fury offered me a job.-I say as I put a coffee cup in front of my friend.
-Really?-he raises his eyebrows with curiosity.-Are you gonna take it?
-Yep.-I smile and sit down across the table.-I miss my job.-he nods slowly, with lots of questions in his eyes.-You should come with me.
-Work for Fury?
-Why not?-the excitment takes over my voice.-We'd be working together in something we're good at.
-I don't know, Jay.-he clicks his tongue.-I mean, if I knew more about this...organization, I might consider it.-I roll my eyes.
-Well, for your information, it was funded by people that was close to you in the past.-I say before taking a sip of coffee.
-Who?
-Colonel Phillips, Howard Stark and Margaret Carter.-when I share those names, Steve open his eyes widely.
-Are you serious?-I nod and smile.
-Their cause was good.-I shrug, knowing that Steve is really going to think about it now.-It still is.

After telling me both Bucky and Steve were, well, gone, Howard offered me a job as his assistant. A small and sutil position where I was close to all the crazy stuff he did. After he and the others funded S.H.I.E.L.D., they recluted me as a real agent. Little did I know that they always kept me around to offer me the serum when Howard perfected it. He told me I was the nearest possible thing to Steve's vision and spirit, so he wanted me to carry on with the legacy. Unfortunately, not everyone was on board with the idea. S.H.I.E.L.D. has a good background: working in the dark and protecting the world as we know it has been its goal since the very beginning. If I can help with that in anyway possible, I will. And I know Steve will too.