Till the End of Time-

Chapter 54: Amends

Stark takes me to his workshop where we spend time making amends, and I apologize for leaving the way that I did.

I admitted that the only reason why I didn't want him to know where I was because I knew he would try to bring me back. I needed time on my own and so little contact was the best way that I could achieve that solitude.

In the end he understood, especially now that he knows everything. Well... almost everything. I left out mentioning the whole Bucky and Steve situation.

Afterwards, I head to my room and collapse on my bed to unwind after all the talking that I just did today.

I must have dozed off at some point because when I wake up it's practically the middle of the night. My growling stomach informs me of the fact that I didn't eat a thing throughout the day, so I decide to make my way to the kitchen.

One good thing about magic is the ability to cook perfectly without having to physically do any of the work.

Once my stomach can't withstand another ounce of food I make my way to the sofa and lay out as I put a movie on.

At some point a noise startles me and I sit up fast looking around for the source.

"Bucky", I say as I'm finally faced with the man I've been longing and dreading to see.

He looks up from the refrigerator at me and I feel my heart quicken as he stands across the room in a pair of long pajama bottoms.

He closes the refrigerator and starts to leave, "No! Please don't go. I was hoping we could talk", I call out to him.

He stops in his tracks and slightly turns his head to me, "So now you want to talk?", he says in a rough annoyed voice.

"I would have reached out to you if I could but... I just didn't know what to say", I quietly tell him.

He lets out a sarcastic bark of laughter before he turns to face me, "You'd reach out to me if you could? Rosaleen, you and I both know you are completely capable of talking to someone miles away, you could have reached out to me at any point but you chose not to".

His words make me feel small because there's truth in what he said. I could have reached out at anytime, but I did nothing instead.

"I didn't know what to say", I begin softly, "If I reached out to you, then I'd have to reach out to Steve and then the others. So it was easier for me not to talk to anyone until I was ready to talk to everyone".

He doesn't answer after I say this, and the dim lighting makes it hard for me to read his expression, so with a flick of my hand I turn a nearby lamp on before turning back to him.

"You certainly don't seem to be out of practice", he comments casually.

"It's like riding a bike I suppose", I reply dryly.

I hold my breath and remain quiet as I wait for him to make a decision to stay or not.

"What did you want to talk about then?", he finally replies.

I can feel my chest relax at his words and I gesture towards the living room where I'm at, "Do you want to come sit?", I ask tentatively.

"I'm fine where I'm at", he says with a clear edge in his voice.

I decide to get up and go to him since he won't come to me.

"Look Bucky... I'm sorry for leaving. I shouldn't have done that after we argued, and especially since we haven't seen each other... well knowingly seen each other in almost a year", I say.