It's Been A Long, Long Time // Steve Rogers

Chapter 29

"Any luck?" Bucky asked as I emerged from the bedroom, shutting the door behind me. I shook my head and pet Scout on the head who was sitting at the bedroom door. "She kept saying she doesn't want to talk to you."

Bucky groaned and walked up to the door, knocking on it gently, "Rebecca please don't act like this."

"GO AWAY!" She yelled through the door. "Rebecca Ann Barnes, don't yell at me!" Bucky snapped back at her. Suddenly it was quiet and I heard Becca's footsteps approach the door, swinging it open and glaring at her brother. Oh no. "Who the fuck do you think you are?" She snapped. "You don't just get to come back into my life and act like nothing happened! You died and I grieved you. I cried for you not once but twice, James. I wanted nothing more than to see you again but now that I think about it, seeing you again was the worst thing that has ever happened to me!! I was FINE before you came back into my life!!" She yelled directly at him as Sam and I looked back and forth at one another.

I looked back at Becca who was glaring daggers at Bucky. Meanwhile Bucky looked broken and defeated by her words. It wasn't that long ago that she was so happy to see him. "Becca..." He reached out to her and she shook her head. "No. Just go now. Get it over with and get back out of my life!" The door slammed in his face once again and he stared at it for a minute before dropping his head.

"She'll come around, Buck." I whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. "No she's right. She grieved me, she was happy. I ruined that by coming back here and forcing you to let me see her." I shook my head and pulled him away from the door. "No Buck, I was wrong. She loves you so much and she needed to see you. And I know she's mad now but think about it from her perspective. It's like after all these years, she just magically got you back and now you have to leave. To her, it's like you're dying all over again."

"She hates me." He whispered, sitting down. "She doesn't hate you man." Sam said, patting his back.

"Let me talk to her again okay?" I said, walking back towards the bedroom where Scout was once again whining at the door. "Scout, go over to Bucky." I said, pointing at Bucky on the couch. Scout huffed but walked over there anyway, getting up on the couch between Bucky and Sam. "Bex? Can I come in?" I asked while softly knocking on the door. "Yes." I heard her sniffle, barley above a whisper.

I opened the door slowly and saw her curled up on the bed under a blanket. "I don't want to see him." She mumbled as I approached her slowly. I sighed and sat down on the bed, brushing some hair out of her face. "Look sweetheart, I understand you're upset because you don't want him to go but you have to know he can't stay here." I said softly. "You stayed here." She mumbled. She had me there. "But Bucky sweetheart, he sticks out. He can't just fit in like I can here."

"I just miss him." She cried.

"I know you do, sweetheart. But he's here now. Do you really want to spend your last night with him without talking to him?" I asked. She shook her head and I took her hand in mine. "I just don't want to lose him. Not again."

"Please think about coming out and talking to him, okay? He thinks you hate him."

"I don't. I love him." "I know." I leaned down and gave her a quick kiss before opening the bedroom door. "Scout, come." The golden retriever puppy was quick to jump off of the couch and run past me and into the room, straight onto the bed next to Becca. I watched as she wrapped her arms around him and cuddle with the fluffy dog. I shut the door behind me and walked towards Bucky and Sam.

"I fucked everything up didn't I?" Bucky asked. "No you didn't, Buck." I pat his back and sat down on the chair across from him. He sank back down on the couch and I watched him slowly begin to start overthinking in his head. We all sat quietly around the living room, the radio playing softly in the background.

"Bucky?" Bucky snapped his head up and looked towards the bedroom door where Becca was standing. "I'm sorry for what I said to you." She whispered. "No, Becca. Don't apologize to me. It's my fault. I was so blinded by the thought of seeing you again that I didn't stop to think about what it might mean for you...when I have to leave." Bucky quickly got up and approached her, hesitantly pulling her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around him slowly and I could visibly see him relax. "I never wanted to hurt you Bex...I just missed you, so fucking much."

"I know. I missed you to." I heard her whisper. "I didn't want to spend my remaining time with you being angry and I really am I'm sorry for the things I said." She pulled away from their hug and they both walked back into the living room. Becca took a spot on the couch next to Bucky and I smiled as they continued talking. We all talking for a while and it was starting to get late. I could see on Becca's face that she was fading fast. "Becca are you tired?" I asked. Her brown eyes met mine and she nodded. "Hey, we'll be here in the morning. Get some rest." Bucky said.

Becca smiled at him before turning to look at Sam, "Sam, it was lovely to meet you." "You too, Becca."

She then stood up with Bucky and pulled him into another hug. "Can we get breakfast in the morning?" "Whatever you want, Bex." He smiled. She nodded and walked over to me last, giving me a kiss goodnight. "I'll see you in a little okay?" I said, kissing her again. She nodded and motioned for Scout to follow her into the bedroom. Bucky sighed and sat down on the couch once she was in the room, and ran his fingers through his hair. "Steve?"

"Yea." I looked at him and our blue eyes met. "I have to tell you something."

"What's up?"

He looked back at the bedroom door and then back at me, "How good is her hearing?"

"I mean it's pretty good but the heater is on and that creates a low hum...plus she's exhausted from a long day at work and seeing you again...why?"

"When you came out of the ice, did you look for anyone to see if they were still alive?" He asked. I nodded, "yea. Pretty much everyone I could. Peggy was the only one still alive. I looked for Becca too but couldn't find her."

He took a deep breath and nodded. "Buck what's wrong?" I asked. He had the same tells as Becca. Something was bothering him. "When you took down SHIELD and Hydra and we fell into the river...when I went on the run...I was staying at some abandoned Hydra bases at first. The first one was in New York. While I was there I came across some files. Becca's name was in the files." My heart stopped as those words left his lips. "What?"

"They experimented on her and...she died, Steve."

I felt my breath catch in my throat as the entire room felt like it was closing in around me. "I burned the files in a fit of rage but there was no mistaking the big red letters across the paperwork." His voice faltered and he clenched and unclenched his metal fist. I stared blankly at the wall behind him. Becca dies. Was that in the timeline before I came back? Since I'm here does that change things? Did I create an alternate reality by being here with Becca and she'll be safe? Or was I supposed to be here all along with her...but did I fail in keeping her safe? Oh god, and Zola was threatening her.

"When?" I asked, my voice shaky. He cleared his throat, "1952."