Trying Your Luck - Bucky BarnesxOC

Part 31: Home

Author's Note: Part of this chapter is written from Shannon's POV. Also, fluff, smut, and lumberjack Bucky.

Shannon sleeps through the night, waking a few times to go to the bathroom. Bucky doesn't set an alarm. The animals do that job perfectly. Around 9am, Ace and Alpine stand on the bed, grunting and meowing softly, demanding to be fed.

"All right, all right. Calm down."

Shannon stirs and lifts her head. Her eyes are still puffy from crying the night before and she looks confused. Bucky is already sliding out of bed and shrugging a t-shirt on.

"Wha's going on?" She mumbles.

"I'm going to feed them and grab breakfast. You want me to bring you something?"

"No," she whispers, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "I should get up. We have that neighborhood bonfire thing tonight. My mom said she wanted my help with food prep."

"Right," Bucky whispers. "I forgot about that."

Shannon stares at him and then reaches her arms out with a huge smile on her face. Bucky crawls across the bed to hold her.

"Thank you for last night," she whispers. "All of it."

"You're welcome."

There's a soft knock at the door.

"Come in," Shannon says softly.

The door opens and Sam pokes his head in.

"Hey, Shan. Your mom told me what happened last night. You good?"

She smiles and nods. Sam steps further inside the room and sits on the edge of the bed.

"I'm getting there. It just hurts to see him like that. I've never seen him so... small, I guess?"

"Well, he's doing great this morning."

"Yeah?"

Sam nods.

"Come on down, guys. We made breakfast. Blueberry waffles."

"Ohhh!" Shannon groans softly. "Those were my favorite as a kid!"

Sam grins and pats her on the shoulder.

"Well, get dressed. I don't wanna look at a half-naked cyborg while I eat my breakfast."

Bucky rolls his eyes.

"I don't wanna look at your face, Sam. It makes me nauseous."

"Good one, Buck."

"Can you two go five minutes without bickering?"

"No," they reply in unison.

Sam lets them get dressed and they stumble downstairs, still half asleep. Janice bustles around the kitchen, fixing them coffee and getting them whatever they need. It's clear she feels guilty for last night. George is as chipper as ever, happily reading the paper and even doing the crossword with Shannon while Bucky and Sam dig into their waffles. Janice and Shannon are doing whatever they can to hold on to normalcy. While they were driving up here, Shannon explained to him that moments like these are like snapshots - brief, short, and then it's on to the next crisis with her dad. A snapshot of who he used to be could last a day, maybe even two, but it's still not enough time for them. The more he learns about George and his illness, the more of himself he sees reflected back at him.

Bucky sips at his coffee as Shannon and Sam help clean up while George goes to watch TV in the other room. He's grown quieter and more reflective since breakfast stopped.