ALTHEA✓AVENGERS

Chapter 40

Althea froze in place seeing Bucky's apartment. A million thoughts were running in her mind. She felt incredibly anxious not knowing how to deal with this. Knowing she lost him. If he didn't want to leave with her, he could've said to her. She would've understood. But he just made things worse than it already was.

Althea walked out of the apartment as fast as she could. She sat on a nearby bench holding her head in her hands. "Ma'am I tracked the phone you gave him. It's sitting in a pawn shop." She heard Gary saying which made her shook her head in disbelief.

"Son of a..." She started but stopped herself and groaned in frustration not knowing what to do or how's she gonna deal with this. "Gary, what am I gonna do?" She asked as she leaned back on the bench staring ahead, thinking of a solution.

"I think it's finally time, you tell Captain Rogers the truth." Gary said as he took a seat beside Althea who glanced at him. "He's gonna be mad. As if things were already not worse between us." She groaned which made Gary let out a chuckle. She shot him a glare which made him gulp and smiled at her sheepishly.

"I'm not good at giving advise but I believe the reason it didn't work out between you both was because they were too many secrets. So I think it's time you tell him the truth. Start new and fresh." She heard Gary saying which surprised her. "Since when did you become wise?" She asked him as she smiled at him.

"Since I have a great boss." He replied which made her let out a chuckle. "You're a good man Gary." She said to him and patted his shoulder before getting up, deciding to leave. She figured maybe it's finally time to tell Steve the truth. He's gonna be mad but he would understand she thought to herself.

Althea walked up to Steve's room feeling incredibly nervous and knocked on his door. "We need to talk." She blurted out as soon as he opened the door which made him gave her a confused look but he moved away and let her in before closing the door behind her.

She  could see that he was just back from his morning run with the way he was sweating and he was in his sweatpants and his usual blue t-shirt. She sat in his bed while he leaned against the table opposite of her. She noticed there were a picture of her and him which made her smile internally. His arm was around her while she hid her face in his chest. The picture was taken by Natasha when they were visiting their favourite restaurant.

"Thea what is this about?" He asked her after her being quite for a whole 5 minutes and looking around. Her attention was snapped back and she stared at him not knowing how to tell him about this. She took a deep breath and crossed her legs, wanting to get comfortable.

"Do you remember a year ago I was in Romania, finding for Bucky?" She asked him which made him nod his head not knowing where this was going. "I lied when I said I didn't find him." She revealed which made him gave her a confused look. "Thea.." he started but she raised her hand gesturing him to wait till she's finished.

"Please wait. Let me finish." She said to him which made him nod his head before pulling the chair and turning it around, facing her and sitting on it.
"I found him. I tried talking him into leaving with me. But he was still confused. He only remember bits and pieces. People that he killed and things that he did. He said he might not be in a fit state to meet you yet. So I agreed, I said I'll visit him soon. A week ago I received a message from him. And I visited him. I even convinced him to come back. He agreed but the next day when I went back. He cleared out the entire apartment." She said and looked up seeing his eyes were wide in realization.

"Thea, you had no right to do that. He was my best friend. If you had told me, I could've talked to him." He raised his voice as he stood up fast resulting in the chair falling over which made her stood up too. "I know. I know that. I m sorry. I really am. But I thought I was doing the right thing." She reasoned taking a step towards him but he raised his hand not wanting her coming close.