Summer's End - Bucky and Mel Universe 1

Practical Magic

Mel was curled up in bed, the sheets were curled around her in a lazy spiral. Dawn had yet to come, James hated leaving here there. The light from the living room cascaded softly over the peaks of her body. She was an angel, both figuratively and literally. Mel was so endeared onto his soul he wondered how he could go on without her.
James left a note for her on the teapot. I love you. Don't worry about me. Will contact you when I can. Remember, you promised to stay at my place while I'm gone. When I come back we will go someplace just the two of us.
James was true to his word to ensure she was tired. In truth, she was definitely going to be sore when she woke up. He smiled looking down at her remembering last night. He brushed the hair across her face out of the way and kissed her. She didn't stir, normally she was up before him, cooking and getting ready for the day. He wanted her to sleep in. He left closing the door ever so quietly behind him. Being still silent as he left and closed the apartment door, taking the stairs and drove to the compound. Mel had her own car, but rarely used it. She would have to drive to the compound after school. James like that she went on foot to most things, sometimes she needed a car for transporting art or for longer trips. He volunteered to service her vehicle, he found out she did it herself and did a really good job if it. One of the things he loved about her.
When Mel woke up, the sun was up but it was still morning. She stretched and was deliciously sore as predicted. She didn't want to get up because she could still smell James in the sheets. She rolled over to his pillow and inhaled deeply. It made her heart hurt. Hmmm, what is on the agenda today? She thought. She'd get herself together, get some breakfast, maybe take Strange up on his offer. What harm could it do and she would have something interesting to show or tell James when he got back. Why not?
Walking to the New York sanctum, she was in her street clothes, cowboy boots from last night, hat and coat. She didn't exactly know what to where or what to expect, that was for sure. He wasn't exactly fast with the details. She arrived and knocked on the front door, his card didn't have a number on it so calling was out of the question.
An Asian man answered the door. "Um hi, I'm here to see Dr. Strange. I'd called but he didn't leave a number."
"Ah, yes, he likes to be mysterious like that. I'm Wong, sorcerer Supreme, nice to meet you. Miss ..."
"Just call me Melinda. He wants to train me but he didn't mention anything past that. I'm curious."
"That is also like him," Wong said offering her some tea as he ushered her in.
She looked around at all the different relics, she was curious about them. Wong started to explain some of them as they walked in towards the study.
"Whoa," was all that escaped her lips as she saw the different books in the study, clearly going up to what looked like the clouds.
The cloak of Levitation was hanging from a coat rack. Mel walked past it and it came alive spinning around her and cuddling her like a giant cat. She giggled, not only because of how strange it was but also because it tickled.
"It seems to like you, I was told the cape of Levitation was a fickle thing. It seems to have taken a liking to you..."
"She."
"The cape is a she, can't you hear her?" She looked at Strange quizzically.
"No, why?"
"A lot of the things I saw have voices as I was walking in." By now the cape had gone back to its owner.
"When your strong enough, one of the relics will choose you. You are already naturally embed with magic, we just need to focus it."
"I don't know what this all entails, I'm just really curious."
"Where's your bodyguard?"
"Hmm, James, he's not my bodyguard. He's my boyfriend. He's away right now so I thought it might be good to check things out."
"Well, there is a great deal of reading to do before we can do a lot of things. We won't be trying any spells at first. A word of warning, read the entire spells first, the warnings are at the end."
"Yes, that's very eastern."
"Let's start you with these," he indicated a large pile of books. "How are you with different languages?"
"I know several but don't know how I know them or why for that matter. I can pick up a book in another language I've never heard before and be able to read it and understanding it."
"Well, that is going to cut down on a lot of training. I'm going to leave you to it and will check back on you in an hour."
"Ok?"
She sat down in one of the big chairs before the pile of books and started reading. She knew what they were saying but didn't know how. She found them all interesting. Every now and again, she would stop and try out something she read about in the books. She was easily able to conjure the Eldritch whip. And was trying out different moves out when Strange came back into he study.
"You finished those already?" He asked in disbelief.
"Yes, ask me a question about any of them." She responded as she tried out the whip loving how versatile it felt I her hands.
Strange began to barrage her with questions, she was able to answer them, analyze and synthesize he information making analogies to things she learned through her life.
"Strange stop giving her a hard time. A gifted student, usually has a gifted teacher. She's already mastered the whip. She's ready for more advanced readings and training." Wong said as he began to pull books from the shelves for her making a new pile.
"Do you want help putting these back," she asked.
"I like her, you never asked to help out." Wong said giving Strange a look. Wong showed her how the books were arranged and she put the ones she read away as he pulled out more. Strange was taking notes in a book. She like Wong more, he was friendlier than Strange.
Before she settled down for the next pile, "Conjure a weapon other than the whip," Strange already testing her. She was able to conjure shield fans. He attacked, she was able to deflect easily thanks to the hours training at the compound.
"I don't want to hurt you," she stated. She was able to create a mandala and place them in the mirror dimension.
"How wee you able to do that, this wasn't in one of the books I gave you." He asked.
"I just knew what to do, I didn't want Wong to get hurt. You seemed like you wanted me all in. If I did this outside, Wong might get hurt."
"Let's do this..."
About fifteen minutes later, Mel exited the mirror dimension with a cage in her hand. Inside the cage was a dove, cooing. She sat down, opened one of the books and began reading. "Wong can I please have some more tea?"
"Sure, where's Strange?" He asked.
She turned the cage, quietly and pushed it towards Wong.
"So, how long do you think I should let him stay like that?" She asked without looking up.
"Oh, I would say at least two hours. Let him sweat a little." Wong laughed.
"Birds don't sweat, but bring him a shallow dish of water and some non-instant oats. That will probably suffice until then." She went back to her reading. She coyly smiled looking up.
"Oh I like you, your welcome to come anytime you want."
"Thank you, Wong."
Time passed and she changed him back two hours later as promised. Wong came back to check on her.
"I like her, don't piss her off," he said as he set down the next set of books.
"Are you going to behave?" Mel asked as she was putting the finished books away.
"How did you....., what did you.... Where did you....?" He began.
"It's all there in the books, you did read them yourself?" She stated. "Rule number one of teaching, always know before your students do."
She noticed a spell for glamour in, she could hide her scars without consequence. That is one she will need to keep in mind for her next trip to the beach. She was learning a great deal, her stomach grumbled. It was getting close to the evening. She excused herself and asked when she could come back. She was allowed to use the study anytime she wished. The front door had an enchantment on it which would allow her to enter and go to the study.
"Thanks," Wong slid her a sling ring. She used it to get to the compound. Hmm, maybe I should sell my car, she thought.
In James' rooms, she felt so lonely. She popped out to see who was home. She started first in the kitchen, making herself a sandwich. She noticed the dishes in the sink, got them together and put them in the dishwasher starting them. She walked down the halls until she came to Bruce's lab. She wasn't sure if he'd be in, but she decided to take a chance. She always enjoyed reading his theorems that he wrote on the boards, she made little changes to them sometimes to help him out or she ran tests for him.
"Mel, what are you doing here?" He asked while writing in his notebook, not looking up.
"James wanted me to stay here while he was on mission. What are you working on?" She asked sitting on the stool next to him.
"Ah just goofing around, nothing important."
"You don't goof around."
"You'd be surprised, occasionally when things are quiet like this I do."
"Yeah, my students think I don't have any fun either. My life has been pretty good lately." She explained.
"I heard you went and saw Dr. Strange today."
"Oh really?"
"How did that go?" He asked.
"Lots of reading, I turned him into a dove for two hours." She explained.
"On purpose or by accident."
"On purpose, Wong suggested the two hours."
Bruce chuckled and shook his head.
"Remind me not to piss you off."
"What, it seemed fitting."
She fidgeted with things on his lab table.
"Any way, I'll be here all week, maybe part of next week too until James gets back. Let me know if you want me to cook or anything, you know how bored I get." He would be glad to take her up on her offer. Bruce love it when she cooked. He knew if he said family style that he would need hulk portions. She never judged and always made it happen for him.
"Bucky really does care for you, you know."
"I know, I wish I could do more for him."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know, it just feels like sometimes I come up short."
"Well, you kind of are."
"Oh, ha ha. Very funny," she swatted his arm gently, knowing that even ish she went at him full strength, she could never hurt the jolly green giant he was.
"Look, he gets it. He knows you are totally devoted to him and would do anything for him. You're loyal, kind, loving, compassionate and caring. You put others before yourself. Trust me, it's exactly what he needs." Bruce gave her a side hug.
"Bruce, you're squishing me." She suddenly transmuted to keep from being crushed. Bruce was the one to figure out that her skin could change into living vibrainium.
Mel walked off to the gym for a swim before turning in for the evening. She wanted to sketch before she went to bed. However, deep down, she knew she would have a difficult time sleeping without James there. At least drawing would keep her hands and her mind busy awhile.
Hours later, still in the pool, she was still doing laps. She hadn't taken a break. She noticed she was stronger than before, wasn't tiring. When she stopped, she looked at her watch that was counting her laps. There is no way I can be at lap 258 and still not tired. If that was true, then life was about to get much, much more difficult. It had to be a malfunction. Wrapping herself in a robe and her hair in a towel, she made her way back to James' rooms.
She grabbed some extra pillows and put them on his side of the bed so at least it felt like something else was there and she wasn't all alone. She then got out a fresh sketch pad and her ink pens to start drawing. Ink required commitment, and that meant she had to problem solve her way out of drawings. Time didn't fly by, but at least it went in one direction. She fixed a cup of tea and came back to her nest. She passed a mirror on her way back and noticed something. Several of the grays were missing from her hair, perhaps some of her hair was still wet, she thought. She must be tired, she thought. Snuggling in under the covers, she grabbed James' pillow and inhaled deeply. She held it all night until she fell asleep.