A DISTANT MEMORY

2- faded

6:37pm. Avengers Compound. New York.

Forty four minutes since arriving, Jadeyn has had her medical check completed, after getting open wounds cleaned, wrapped, scan checks and blood taken. She walks into the recreational room in the main headquarters of the compound where Tony has been sat waiting for her.

"How you doing kid?"

"Better. It's just good to be home honestly. Is Thor still getting checked up?" she asked.

"He'll be in there a little longer. The guy has taken a lot more damage than he realised, it's a good job he's build like a house. But don't worry he's fine."

Jadeyn takes a seat next to Tony and looks around the room. Remembering playing pool with Sam. Binge watching House of Cards with Clint at 3am. Taking photos with Natasha before going out with the team. Sat at the table with Happy, helping him transfer his photos onto his laptop. All these little memories she had missed so much, just living. No fear, no fighting, just relaxing with the people she loves.

"We have a lot to catch up on before everyone else gets back Jadeyn."

"What have I missed?" She asked.

"I would ease you into all this but they'll be back any minute so this might be a lot to take in."

"You're freaking me out already Tone."

Tony gently holds Jadeyn's hand and releases a heavy exhale through his nose.

"It's about Bucky. Jadeyn." he hesitated.

As soon as Jadeyn heard the name, it's like she felt a physical pause in the motion of her heartbeat. She had just spent a year pushing everything about him to the back of her mind. Suddenly the anxiety and rush of emotion had hit her, not knowing what was coming from Tony's mouth next. Is he dead? Who's he hurt? Is he here? Her heart was racing at the thoughts going through her mind.

Bucky and Jadeyn were together for three years. Nothing ever landed between them. Until a mission retrieving weapons and information from a Hydra. To this day, Jadeyn still doesn't know how it all happened. Bucky was there on the mission, he knew how Hydra worked, he was helpful. Tony, Jadeyn, Scott, Steve and Bruce had retrieved everything they needed until they realised Bucky wasn't on the jet about to leave. It was all a blur for Jadeyn but she was struck across the face by such a force. When looking up seeing that it was Bucky and the pain she felt was from his cold metal arm, the indents of his knuckles had marked her face with the perfect outlines of his fist. She has no memory of the events that took place, except flashes of Bucky attacking her. Glimpses of his hand clawing out the metal in Tony's Arc Reactor in his chest. She knew by the cold blooded look in his eyes that it wasn't him. But it never made it any easier to deal with, that was still her Bucky in there somewhere.

Eight days later she accepted the mission to Bangladesh with Thor, she needed the break, the distraction, and the release of anger and pain. After all, her boyfriend of three years tried to kill her and Tony. Jadeyn spoke about it with Thor only a handful of times in Dhaka, but she tried pushing it all to the back of her mind and just forgetting he was ever a part of her life. She thought it would be easier to shut her feelings and emotions towards him off, just like he did when he attacked her.

"He's back." said Tony.

"What do you mean exactly?"

"It's hard to explain. We had tests done and-"

"Tony he tried to kill us" Jadeyn yelled.

"You know it wasn't him, you know I wouldn't let him back here if I didn't know that 'that guy' was truly gone, right?"

"What did you do brainwash him or something?"

"Technically. He doesn't remember what he did we know that"

"Does he remember me?" she questioned in worry.

"He remembers you. Just not what you two had. It seems his memory is extremely distant. The old Bucky is back though."

This was heavy, a lot heavier than Jadeyn was expecting. Too much emotional stress already. Her mind is doing laps, not knowing how to act, how to talk to him, if he remembers her, what does he remember? Will he still love her? This was a bombshell that took Jadeyn into a frustrating feeling, she could feel her eyes filling with tears. 

"You know I loved him Tony" she sniffed.

"I know kid, I know. Just know we're all here for you, you're safe. He's not going to hurt you again, I can assure you that."

-

6:58pm. The team arrive back.

Tony walking by Jadeyn's side with his arm around her shoulder towards the front gate. With the news about Bucky just minutes fresh in her mind and with being seconds away from seeing him, it was all happening so quickly she didn't even have time to process it. 

"It's going to be ok Jade" Tony whispered, holding her shoulder with a tight grip and pulling her into his side.

Steve and Clint are the first in Jadeyn's eyeline, Steve with a huge smile plastered across his face. "She's back" Clint announces in surprise.

Nat, Scott and Bruce walk out from behind Steve and Clint. All with beaming smiles from seeing Jadeyn stood so proud next to Tony.

"Good to have you back" Bruce expressed.

Still in shock from seeing so many familiar faces that remind her of the home she so terribly missed she see's Sam step out from behind Bruce.

"Oh man, have I missed your face" Sam added.

"I am so happy to see you all" she gasps with relief.

With the sun just setting and the sky tinted with a warm orange and pink glow, their silhouettes  perfectly placed like a scene in a movie.

Just as she finishes her sentence a figure that she remembers so clearly appears from Sam's right side. With his head tilted down taking his ear piece out and placing it in his pocket, standing at a halt suddenly next to Sam, not knowing why everyone stood still in their tracks.

As he rises his head and eyeline toward the entrance. He is stopped in his tracks as his eyes meet with Jadeyn's.

Within the split second that their eyes locked onto each other. Jadeyn could feel a rush of weakness through her veins. Just seeing his face, that wasn't the Bucky she last saw. That was the Bucky she spent three years heavily devoted for and in love with. He always made her feel weak around him, Jadeyn has always held her own and had a strong persona and attitude. However when it came to Bucky. She was weak. Weak for his touch and love he always so willingly gave her. 

The anger and hatred she had built up in her time away from him, suddenly disappeared. It's like she'd never left in the first place. The anxiety before she walked out with Tony had escaped her body and mind.

He looked her directly in the eyes and gave her the most sincere smile, the lines around his mouth were so prominent and noticeable to her. Genuine happiness. His eyes said it all. The light blink as he rested his eyes on her. The silence was deafening. 

She felt her entire body flutter with affection from that smile.

She knew that look all too well.  That was her Bucky. 

Was Jadeyn a distant memory of his? 

Because his smile told her a completely different story.

-

8:25pm, Recreation Room, Main Headquarters.

While the whole team are together in the room, the best atmosphere felt since Jadeyn can remember, everyone greets Thor as he returns from his medical check, with his arm in a sling across his shoulder and healing wounds still on his face. He is greeted by his old team, small conversations from across the room and everyone wanting to speak to Thor and Jadeyn, the overwhelming yet loving feeling of being with everyone again. 

Jadeyn is itching to speak to Bucky and make the first move to see where they stand and how he acts. He stands with Steve and Sam, his comfort, who he feels safe with, waiting for his opportunity.

Tony grasps everyone's attention with the sound of his ring against a glass that echoed around the room.

"Since we have our very missed and favourite members back home in just about one piece.. if you both of course are feeling up to it, I know it's already late in the evening but we could celebrate considering it is also still someone's birthday?"

Tony looks over at Jadeyn and winks softly with a one sided smile.

"Sorry" he whispers with slight laughter. "I know you hate this kind of stuff."

Jayden knows Tony never ever remembered her birthday. Every year Pepper would remind him. Straight in one ear and out the other. He would always make up for it with something flashy or a surprise the next day.

"You never remember my birthday!" she stuttered.

While the rest of the team were sharing hugs and shouting happy birthday, Scott decided to start singing and Nat told Tony to get the bar open, in the middle of the sudden chaos and voices filling the room. Jadeyn glances over at Thor, all the sound was muffled all most like everything was in slow motion. 

Staring into each others eyes so still and locked. They both raise a smile. Jadeyn realising the only person who did remember her birthday, despite losing track of the days for weeks on end and while being in the middle of warfare, still gifting her a sentimental present, was Thor.

"Thank you" she mouthed to him.

He smiled like she hadn't seen him smile before. He was always so reserved and quiet but that smile meant more to her than she realised. He nodded so delicately almost like they could read each others mind. She could hear 'You're welcome Darling' just by looking at his face.

-