Reflected Realities

Insert 2

"The Hatter was the first to break the silence. 'What day of the month is it?' he said, turning to Alice: he had taken his watch out of his pocket, and was looking at it uneasily, shaking it every now and then, and holding it to his ear... " Steve's voice had started to become as much a part of Peggy's hospital room as the hum of her monitors. He had even managed to outstay the blinking light, which had recently been replaced, so that now there was a steady buzz. His voice had become more tired and strained with each day, but he still made sure to do all the characters voices, just in case she could hear. He didn't want her to be bored.

"The Mad Hatter always was my favourite," Steve turned towards the voice in the doorway. He smiled more at the coffee his friend had brought than his friend's actual presence.

"Hey Buck. Thanks." He said, taking the coffee, his voice expressionless.

"Any changes?" Bucky asked, looking around the room for a chair. Steve only shook his head sadly, while Bucky scraped a chair up beside him. Once settled Bucky took a serious look at his friend. "You look like hell. I know I said that last time, but... you look even worse." Steve only nodded his unenthusiastic thanks.
"When do her relatives get here?" Bucky sighed. Steve gave a shrugging shake of the head in reply. Rolling his eyes, Bucky put down his tea. "You're going home for at least two days. You're going to sleep, you're going to eat, you're going to shower..."

"They have showers here."

"Hospital showers are.... depressing. You're going to shower in your own, clean, safe shower. Listen, I'll be here the whole time. If her family comes, I'll just say I'm an old friend. It's not as though it's a lie." He took a sip of his tea, satisfied with his plan. Steve opened his mouth to protest but he was met with a look he had never before seen in his childhood friend. His eyes seemed empty, holding only a calculating fierceness. The look was gone in the same moment it appeared, but Steve no longer felt the urge to resist his friend.

"I thought you were reading that Jane Austen book, last time, why Alice in Wonderland?" Bucky asked conversationally, changing the subject, before Steve could change his mind.

"I try to change it up, every day or so, you know, so she doesn't get bored. That is if she can hear me." Bucky nodded in agreement. It made sense.

"Sometimes I'd get these dreams when I was in cryo... I can remember some of them vaguely. They were like in, I don't even know, different world's or something," He paused in thought momentarily "You never know maybe... Maybe some HYDRA agent or something was reading to me. And maybe she hears you. Maybe she'll remember something." Bucky spoke thoughtfully, as though he was trying to remember his lost dreams.

Steve looked at his friend for a few moments, his mind spinning, his thoughts tangled. At length he spoke.

"Thanks Buck. For everything, I mean." He said it sincerely, and Bucky gave him a nod of encouragement. "I guess I should get my things together." Steve rose, putting his jacket over his arm and grabbing his bag.

He looked at Peggy for a few moments. "I'll be back before you know it, Peg." He murmured, before turning away. He pushed the door open and walked out the hospital, leaving Bucky staring after him.

Bucky eventually turned back to look at Peggy. He was suddenly very aware of the bleak loneliness within that room. He tried to shrug it off but he couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort for some strange reason. After readjusting himself several times, he settled down, and picked up one of the books. A Guide to India. It looked interesting enough. He opened the book. "I guess it's just you and me now, ma'am." He said softly, and began to read.