No Time to Die - Bucky Barnes

Chapter 24

"Do you think she will like it?"

"Why wouldn't she? I mean, I'm a part of the process."

"I'm being serious. There is no going back after this."

"Barnes, you are overthinking this. I don't think that's good from your cyborg brain."

"Tony, I'm serious."

"So am I."

You hear bickering when entering the lab. As your search continues for your pointe shoes, you are stopped in your tracks to find Buck and Tony across from one another in a serious debate looking over a set of blueprints. You didn't think much of it at first with your mind still focused on finding your shoes. You knew they had to be there somewhere. They weren't in your room or your daughter's. They definitely were not anywhere in the common rooms or the gym. So in conclusion they have to be in the lab.

You were able to locate them underneath your workstation and were about to head out when you noticed that the lab was quiet. You turn to see what was the matter when you find the two men staring back at you. "What's up?" you asked, confused as to why they were oddly looking at you. It wasn't often that the two of them were in the same room together, alone might you add, given their complicated history. Much to yours and Steve's efforts of trying to mend the tension between the two of them. So to find them here, alone in the lab and haven't yet set it on fire caused some red flags in your mind.

"Nothing" They oddly answered at the same time, which raised more questions. "Okay," you prolong each syllable " Is everything ok?"

"Yeah Rose, why would it be? Stark here is just helping me adjust my arm."

"Yeah Smartie. That thing was squeaking worse then dummy."

"I told you to not wash it in the dishwasher." You told Bucky as you approached him. His hands encircled your waist and drew you into his arms once you were close enough for him to reach. "You put your vibranium arm in the DISHWASHER!" Tony exclaimed in disbelief.

"You let your daughter use a vibranium shield as a sled." Bucky countered. "Fair." It was nice seeing the two of them teasing one another. But your mind can not help but wonder what it would have been like if HYDRA didn't happen. While Bucky and Tony would have had a better uncle/nephew relationship, where would you be?

I've thought about that a million times, Rose. Especially with Tony working on a flying car to surprise Steve for his birthday. But my place in life is beside you. You forgot that your mental tie with bucky was still open. Since he learned, more so remember that fact. He couldn't help but constantly use it and make your heart constantly swell.

So that's what the blue prints are for.

Yup. Flying car blueprints, nothing else. Not entirely a lie but not fully the truth. Bucky just hopes that you, a person who has known more about him than himself, doesn't find out.

Takes you back doesn't it? It feels like just yesterday that I was at the fair with Stevie watching Howard show off his newest invention.

More like showing off his money. I remember that the car didn't even lift a foot off the ground.

Wait Rose, you were there?

You're kidding right. Of course I was there. It's not a surprise that you were the nerdy girl, even in 1945. 

So that means I could have been dancing with you that night. That I would've had a dame waiting for me.

Possibly but our story was written a different way, my soldier. You bent down and gave him a chaste kiss. Just a sweet little peck. But it still left you grinning ear to ear.