Carousel of Time - An Alternative Bucky Barnes Story

Chapter 12. Looking for a Friend (Sexual Content)

The emotional effort of the previous night resulted in both Kate and Bucky sleeping in until the alarm woke them for breakfast.  As he reached out and put his hand on the offending timepiece Kate put a hand on Bucky's chest.

"Do we have to?" she asked.

"You have to feed John," he replied.  "We have to eat.  I'm ravenous."

She giggled.  "Me too."

Sitting up she looked down at him and kissed him on the lips.  Bucky threaded his hand through her hair and gazed intently at her. 

"Good morning, Mrs. Barnes," he said.  "Shall we arise and break our fast?"

She snorted and he joined her laughing.  They both stepped out of the bed and quickly had a shower.  Kate brushed her hair and braided it then quickly got dressed.  Bucky, already dressed, watched her, enjoying the show.  When they arrived in the kitchen Jarvis was holding John, spooning banana into his mouth.  It was like watching a bird eat as John opened his mouth as soon as he swallowed a spoonful of the mashed fruit in anticipation of the next one.

"You look very comfortable feeding a baby," said Bucky.  "Do you have any children?"

"No, but I did have a younger brother and sister," replied Jarvis.  "He's fine if you wish to have your breakfast before you feed him, Mrs. Barnes."

They both sat down and began eating the food that Ana had prepared for them.  It didn't take long for them to finish a full plate and they looked at Ana for more.

"The transition has given us bigger appetites," explained Bucky, then he looked sideways at Kate, "in many things."

Kate giggled and elbowed him in the side.  Ana smiled and made up another plate for each of them.  As they ate Bucky looked at Kate again.

"Will we live long enough to make sure the you in this universe is safe?" he asked thoughtfully. "We can't allow her to be hurt by those animals."

"Gail and I spoke about pairing her with one of our great grandsons born close to 1996," said Kate. "They should be far enough apart genetically that they're not too closely related.  There would be several opportunities for them to meet and if it's before that day then it may cancel that event out.  As for our life span, James and I met Steve briefly on our honeymoon.  I estimate he was over 180 years old chronologically but looked to be in his 80s at the most.  That did include the time he was in the ice."

"I hope he gets through this," said Bucky.  "I can't imagine life without him."

"Bucky," said Kate, suddenly with alarm in her voice. "What day did you break your ankle?"

"February 19, why?"

"The mission where Steve went missing in my timeline happened one week after you fell from the train,"  she turned to him with a growing sense of panic.  "That was the day you got home."
She looked at Jarvis.  "That telegram from Howard," she said.  "He sent you a second one, didn't he?   What's happened to Steve Rogers?"

Jarvis looked down at his hands for a moment.  "Yes, Mr. Stark sent me a telegram to get you away from the newspapers.  Captain Rogers is missing.  Mr. Stark is searching for him."

"What do you mean missing?" demanded Bucky. 

"I don't know Sergeant Barnes," insisted Jarvis, "just missing."

"It means he took the Valkyrie down and didn't jump off, or he did but hasn't been found," said Kate. "That was the HYDRA aircraft he was trying to stop.  We have to leave this morning.  I can't be here knowing he is still missing.  The Valkyrie crashed in a glacier in Greenland, not the ocean.  There's still a chance they can find him but we have to let them know."