Echoes of Blue

Chapter Three

Lia stirred awake, sunlight streaming through the window, a stark contrast to the shadows of the night before. She rubbed her eyes, feeling the weight of tiredness settle on her shoulders. The memories of Bucky's nightmare replayed in her mind, the haunting look on his face still fresh. She had spent hours worrying about him, her own sleep sacrificed for the sake of his peace.

Just as she was contemplating whether to attempt sleep again, the voice of JARVIS the AI system, cut through her thoughts. "Good morning, miss Lia. Breakfast is ready in the kitchen." With a resigned sigh, Lia pushed herself out of bed, her feet hitting the cool floor. She ran a hand through her blonde hair, trying to shake off the remnants of worry. As she stepped into the hallway, she could hear laughter echoing from the kitchen, a sound both foreign and comforting.

When she entered the kitchen, the scene was lively. Tony was at the stove, expertly flipping pancakes, while Natasha and Sam chatted animatedly at the table. Wanda stood by the counter, her hands gesturing as she shared a story. "Look who's finally up!" Sam called out, a playful grin spreading across his face. "We were about to send a search party." "Very funny," Lia replied, attempting to sound more awake than she felt.

Wanda's eyes brightened as she caught sight of Lia. "Good morning! I'm Wanda," she said, her voice warm and welcoming. "I'm so glad you're here." "Hi! I'm Lia," she responded, her nerves easing a bit under Wanda's friendly demeanor. "Breakfast is amazing, by the way," Sam said, snatching a pancake off the plate and winking at her. "Tony is on chef duty today, but don't let that fool you. It could have gone terribly wrong." "Hey!" Tony exclaimed, tossing a spatula in Sam's direction. "I'll have you know that my pancakes are legendary." "Legendary, huh? I'll be the judge of that," Lia teased back, her smile growing.

As they all settled around the table, Bucky entered, his eyes immediately finding Lia's. He offered a small smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. She could sense his concern, the way he studied her. The unspoken understanding lingered between them. "How did you sleep?" Natasha asked, her gaze flickering between Lia and Bucky. "Fine," Lia replied, a little too quickly. She felt Bucky's eyes narrow slightly, a silent acknowledgment that they both knew the truth. "Just 'fine'? You look like you fought a bear," Sam joked, reaching over to ruffle her hair. "Did the bear win?" "Very funny," Lia laughed, rolling her eyes. "Just a little tired, that's all." "Don't worry, Lia," Wanda said, reaching for a blueberry pancake. "We'll have you all set after today. You just need to experience some retail therapy." "Retail therapy?" Lia raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Definitely," Natasha chimed in. "You, Wanda and I are going shopping, whether you like it or not." Lia opened her mouth to protest, but the excitement in Wanda's eyes was contagious. "Alright, I'm in," she conceded with a grin.

As they finished breakfast, the atmosphere was light and filled with laughter. Lia felt her worries lift, if only for a moment. She glanced at Bucky, who was still quietly watching her, a hint of a smile on his lips. "Are you ready for a day of fun?" Wanda nudged her playfully. "Ready as I'll ever be," Lia replied, her spirits lifted.