Till the End of Time-

Chapter 53: Honesty

The car ride back is awkwardly quiet. No one spoke or even looked at me the entire time.

When we get to the compound we get out of the car and they escort me inside.

"Let me know when you're done", Tony tells Steve before him and Nat walk away.

They're still angry enough not to talk to me, and part of me feels guilty while the other is angry that they can be so cold without knowing everything.

Steve doesn't even look back at me before leading the way to the conference room. Once we're inside he closes and locks the door behind us.

He pauses still facing the door and I take the chance to begin talking, "I know you're angry at me Steve but I didn't mean to hurt you... any of you really", I say softly.

"Angry?!", he shouts startling me as he turns around "You're damn right I'm angry! You leave for weeks on end and don't even bother to say why you left or where you are?!".

"I know it was wrong of me just to leave, but I was just overwhelmed with everything and I needed time to sort through it all. I didn't think I was going to be away for as long as I was...".

"Do you know what it was like Rosaleen? To come home and find you missing, the kitchen a mess and Bucky not talking about what happened to you?", he says taking a couple of steps closer to me.

I perk up at his words, "Where's Bucky at?".

He studies my face for a moment before answering, "He's here. But he's refused to say anything".

I nod my head, "He was probably waiting for me to come back first and explain".

"Explain what?", he asks firmly.

My eyes meet his and I wish I didn't have to say what I'm going to.

"Well... to start... I have my memories back. That's what all of this is about really", I pause and watch understanding cross his face.

I sit on the tabletop and continue, "The reason Bucky didn't say anything to you guys is because during those 4 years he was with me-".

"He knew?", Steve says angrily.

I hold up my hand to calm him, "Yes, but I asked him not to say anything. Let me start at the beginning and then you'll understand it all".

So I begin to relay my story to him. Who had taken me years ago and why and what happened during that time. I left out mentioning my relationship with Bucky and just focused on everything else.

"And then that's when I was found and taken to Shield to recover. You know the rest of the story from there", I finish.

Throughout most of the time I was telling him he faced the windows looking out onto the compound. But now that I finished he turns to look at me.

"There's one thing you haven't mentioned yet. What triggered your memories?", he asks me quietly.

From the look on his face I have a feeling he knows but wants me to confirm it. Even though I tiptoed around my relationship with his friend, he was already reading between the lines of my words.

"Bucky", I reply.

He walks closer to me and searches my face, "I watched the security tapes Rosie. I know what happened", he says with a clear note of hurt in his voice.

I swallow around the lump forming in my throat and try to push back my emotions, "Steve I'm sorry".

I close my eyes for a moment before continuing, "Bucky and I were together during those years Steve. It's why I've been feeling drawn to him, and why he was able to trigger my memories...".