Kidnapped by the Avengers

Denny's part 2

When I looked up again to leave, I glanced up at Bucky. He was already staring at me, I guess he remembered who I was. I left the table and went out to the car. When I got out to the car I had leaned against it, feeling too many emotions at once. I didn't know what to say. or do. I heard the bell jingle as Bucky and his fellow Avengers walked out.

I panicked.

My breathing became labored, coming out in short ragged huffs. I sat down against the side of the car. Tony had come up and knelt down in front of me.

"Hey, you ok?" he asked, putting his hand on my shoulder. "Jarvis, what's happening."

who's Jarvis, I thought.

"Can't..breathe" I gasp out. He pressed something against my lips, l supposed it was an inhaler. it became a lot easier to breathe.

"You're ok now" he said, helping me to my feet.

"Thanks" I mumbled.

"Hey" Bucky said, looking torn between whether he should say anything or be happy to see me.

"Uhm hey Buck" I said, standing there awkwardly after just having a panic attack. 

Bucky shifted his weight awkwardly, glancing between me and the others. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, like he wasn't sure what to say. The silence between us felt strange, but not in a bad way, just like we were both trying to figure out where we stood after so long.

"You okay?" he finally asked, his voice softer than I remembered, but still carrying that familiar edge.

I nodded, though I wasn't sure if I believed it. "Yeah, just... been a while." Bucky gave a small, almost sheepish smile.

"Yeah, no kidding. You've grown up." I shrugged, trying to play it off. "Guess that happens after, what, ten years?" He chuckled, but it didn't feel awkward. It felt like slipping into an old rhythm, like the years between us didn't really matter.

"You got taller too. I'm not sure how I feel about that." I couldn't help but laugh a little, the tension in my chest loosening.

"You still look exactly the same, though."

"Guess I don't age the way most people do," he said, his smile a little more genuine now. "Not that it's a bad thing, right?"

Tony, who had been standing nearby, cleared his throat dramatically, drawing our attention.

"Well, I'll leave you two to catch up," he said to Bucky. "Don't keep her too long, we've got places to be."

As Tony and the rest of the Avengers drifted away, giving us space, Bucky turned back to me, looking more relaxed. The sun was bright overhead, warming the sidewalk, and the day felt too normal for this kind of reunion.

"So... what's been going on with you?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

I shrugged again, leaning back against the car, my arms crossed. "You know, the usual, school, life, trying to keep out of trouble." I glanced up at him. "What about you? Saving the world, now?"

"Something like that," he said with a grin, and for a second, he looked like the Bucky I used to know before everything got so complicated. "You're doing okay, though? No more panic attacks?"

I hesitated, then shook my head. "No, I'm fine now. It's just... overwhelming sometimes."

Bucky nodded, his expression understanding. "Yeah, I get that."

We stood there for a minute, the conversation fading into a comfortable silence. There wasn't pressure to fill every gap with words—just a sense that we were both glad to be here, to have a moment to reconnect. It felt weird and familiar at the same time, like we'd picked up right where we left off.

"You know, I missed this," I admitted quietly, almost surprising myself. "Talking with you. It was always... easy."

Bucky looked at me, his eyes softening. "I missed it too. A lot's changed, but it's nice to see you again. To know you're still you."

"Yeah. Same here." I smiled, the weight in my chest lifting.

In that moment, it didn't matter what came next. There were no heavy questions or big decisions to make—just us two old friends standing in the daylight, catching up like no time had passed at all.

Bucky gave me a small, genuine smile. "It's nice to see you again. Even after everything, you're still you."

I was feeling more at ease than I had in a while. Just as I was about to say something else, I heard familiar voices behind me.

My heart sank, and I immediately panicked. I turned to see my family coming out of the restaurant. My mom was waving at me.

"Oh no," I muttered under my breath, eyes wide. "They can't see you."

Bucky raised an eyebrow, confused. "What? Why not?"

"You're a grown man, Bucky. If they see me talking to you, they're gonna freak out," I whispered hurriedly, glancing over my shoulder as my family got closer. "Especially my mom."

Bucky's eyes widened slightly, and he glanced toward the approaching group. "Okay, what do you want me to do?"

"Just... hide! Go around the side of the car, I don't know!" I said, waving my hands frantically.

Bucky shot me an amused look but didn't argue. He quickly moved around to the far side of the car, crouching down a little to stay out of sight. I tried to act casual, leaning against the car and pretending like nothing was going on.

"There you are!" my mom called as they walked over, completely oblivious to my panic. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah, yeah, just... waiting for you guys," I said, forcing a smile and hoping my face wasn't betraying me. My heart was pounding as I stood there, praying Bucky wouldn't accidentally pop his head up at the wrong moment.

Brittany came up to me, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Why are you acting weird?"

"I'm not acting weird," I said quickly, avoiding eye contact. "You're acting weird."

She frowned, clearly not convinced, but before she could say anything, my dad walked up and clapped his hands.

"Alright, let's hit the road." I exhaled a shaky breath, trying to keep my cool.

"Yeah, let's go." As my family started walking toward the car, I gave a quick glance toward Bucky, who was still ducked down, doing his best to stay out of view. I shot him an apologetic look and mouthed, "Sorry!" He just smiled and waved me off like it was no big deal.

Once my family was inside the car, I climbed in too, stealing one last glance at Bucky as we drove off. He stood up, his expression a mix of amusement and confusion as he watched us leave. I could see the grin on his face, and I knew I'd have to explain myself later if I ever saw him again.

In the back seat, my mom glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "You sure you're alright? You look a little pale."

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said quickly, sinking back into my seat and trying to shake off the adrenaline. "Just... you know, a lot on my mind."