GROW (BUCKY BARNES x OC)

28

Aurora pulled on her shoes and walked out of her room. Tony was standing in the hallway waiting for her. He beamed when she appeared.

"Let's go!" He urged, steering her to the elevator.

"Wait- we're going somewhere? What's this all about Tony?" Aurora frowned.

"A birthday gift. Early birthday gift. Now come on!" He tried to drag her forwards again.

"Wait a second, what floor will we be on? I've gotta tell Bucky."

Tony's rolled her eyes, but answered.

"36th floor."

"Got it." She left and informed Bucky where to find them through his bedroom door.

Then Tony pulled her in the elevator and pressed the button for the "36th floor". Aurora didn't think she'd ever been to that floor before. When they got out of the elevator, he lead her down a hall to an open doorway. When she paused he groaned in impatience.

"Come on before I get eaten out of house and home!" Tony complained.

"House and home? Tony, if you got me like a llama or something-" But her voice broke off as she noticed the woman in the room.

She had red hair, was eating a chocolate doughnut that wasn't her first one if the empty box was anything to go by, and she looked incredibly familiar. Aurora just stared at the woman as she noticed them walk in and start choking on her doughnut. Tony quickly got her a glass of water. Once she could breathe again, the woman turned to Tony.

"If I die eating your doughnuts, I'm going to sue you, Stark!" She threatened.

Aurora's eyes widened as she recognized the voice.

"If you die you'll be too dead to do anything, let alone sue me." Tony argued.

"My ghost will get it done! And then I'm haunting your ass for killing me with a doughnut. With a doughnut for God's sake, is nothing sacred anymore?!"

Aurora was speechless, unable to trust her eyes or ears. The woman turned to her again finally, and she smiled a bit sadly.

"Hi Aurora."

"Kimmy?!" She eventually managed to breathe.

"I'll let you two catch up." Tony announced, leaving the room and shutting the door before she could manage a single syllable.

Enclosed in the room with her ex best friend, Aurora looked back at her. Kimmy had changed in some way, she looked older and her hair was longer, but in other ways she looked identical to the last time Aurora had seen her. Especially her bright and beautiful clothing style. Aurora was frozen in shock, but luckily Kimmy stood up and walked over, taking her into a hug. With that contact, she remembered how to move her limbs again and hugged her back. Tears sprung to her eyes. Kimmy was here. Kimmy remembered her. Kimmy had missed her.

When they pulled apart, Kimmy was crying a bit too, trying to carefully wipe her eyes.

"Dammit, I knew I shouldn't have worn mascara!" She cursed.

Aurora followed her to the table where she sat down in a chair by her side. Her mind had so many questions swirling around but she couldn't voice a single one of them.

"I missed you, Kimmy." She eventually managed to say, wiping away more tears.

"I missed you, Aurora." Kimmy shook her head, "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry? Why are you sorry?!"

Kimmy took a deep breath and began her tale.

"After you didn't show up to school for a week straight, I got worried. I managed to track down Chris, a feat and a half let me tell you, but he told me that you guys had broken up and he didn't know where you were either. I always hated that dick. I know you said you loved him, but he was a child predator to me! Anyways, I waited a few more days before I got desperate. I went to the police station and filed a missing persons report. I was so upset because I'd been asking everyone about you, even the teachers, but none of them seemed to care enough to look into it. So, I took matters into my own hands. I met with this police officer, his name was Joseph Gold. I told him everything I knew and begged him to help me find you. I was worried out of my mind. Joseph promised he would do everything he could to get you home, but when I left that station I was still frustrated...