I Need to Ask You Something...

Part 19

Steve was right about it feeling like babysitting. Since Bucky didn't remember learning how to use modern electrical devices, you were going to have to teach him all over again, and it wasn't fun the first time. When you were first teaching Bucky how to use a toaster, he stuck a piece of leftover pizza that was in the fridge into the toaster to reheat it. It ruined the toaster.

Now, as the tech lessons were being repeated, it was even worse. This was 1940's Bucky that you were working with. You two hadn't had these fancy appliances when you were living in the 40's, so Bucky was really struggling to grasp the concept of owning and using them.

"Buck, this is a blender. You use it to mix up foods." he slowly nodded his head. "Always make sure that the lid is on the blender when you start it." you chuckled. "I remember when you were first learning how to use these appliances. You forgot the lid and made a mess all over our old flood of the Stark tower." you wished that you hadn't said what you had just said. Bucky looked at you puzzled.

"What?" you racked your brain. Oh, no. You were in trouble. Why did you have to bring up that story? Now he was going to think that he had forgotten something. You felt terrible as you stood there with Bucky watching you. You straightened up and looked him in the eyes.

"I don't know why I said that. It wasn't you that said that. It was.... Steve. Yes, when I saw showing Steve how to use the blender, he didn't put the lid on it." Bucky laughed.

"That sounds like something Steve would do!" You tried to laugh as convincingly as you could, but to you it sounded fake. Bucky noticed that you looked sad.

"What is it, Dear?" he asked, putting down the power cord he had been examining. "You have been looking sad ever since that day when I woke up." You quickly plastered a fake smile on your face.

"It isn't anything." You tried to sound sincere. He took your hand in his.

"Doll, I have known you long enough to know when you are upset. Now, what is wrong?" You didn't feel like answering.

"Bucky, it's nothing. Please believe me. Now, do you want me to continue?" He shook his head.

"If it's alright, I'll just go and take a nap. I'm feeling tired." You nodded your head, and he left the apartment's kitchen. You sat alone at the table with your head in your hands.

It had been a long week since 1940s Bucky had returned to you. He was so different than the broken Bucky that you had become so used to. Now, instead of having a broken Bucky in your life, you had a whole, slightly scratched Bucky in your life. The change was hard to bear. He acted differently and spoke differently. It wasn't just hard for you, but it was even harder for James. Bucky acted sort of distant from him as though he didn't know how to be near a child. It was sometimes hard for you to watch Bucky try to even play with James. He would just act really awkward around him.

Now as you sat in the kitchen, you wished that you had never let Bucky go on the mission with Bruce and Steve. You sat there beating yourself up about it until James walked into the room. You wiped the tears that had started to fall from your face and smiled at him.

"Hi, Jamesy. What are you doing?" He walked over to you. You picked him up and sat him on your lap.

"Mama, why is Papa so sad?" You smiled at how innocent he sounded.

"Your Papa is going through a hard time right now. He can't remember anything that happened before he went with Uncle Steve and Mr. Bruce. He hit his head really hard, an now he can't remember anything that has happened since before you were born."

"Oh." said James, trying to wrap his little brain around what you were saying.

"But, right now, Papa needs us more than ever. He needs is to be around to help him while he can't remember things." James nodded.

"When will he remember again?" you shrugged your shoulders.

"We don't know. Mr. Bruce and Uncle Steve are working on helping Papa remember everything soon." That made James look a little happier. "How about we go and play while Papa is taking his nap?" That made James much happier. He got down from your lap, took your hand in his, and led you into the living room. There he had all of his blocks and Lincoln Logs laid out on the floor. The two of you then started to build a castle together.

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After the two of you had been building for about an hour, you decided that it was time for you to start dinner. Bucky had been asleep for a while, so you decided that you would go and wake him up and find out what he wanted you to make for dinner. You stood up for the floor telling James that you were going to go wake Bucky up and walked into the bedroom.

Bucky was curled up under the comforter, his hair strewn across his face in a very attractive way. You walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it. You moved the hair out of Bucky's face, and he stirred. He yawned and stretched and then opened up his eyes. He saw you sitting there and smiled. He then rolled over, wrapped his arms around your waist, and pulled you on top of him. You tried to protest, but he wouldn't listen. He then kissed you (even though you seemed to dislike it, you knew that you loved it). After you kept complaining, he finally let go of you and let you sit up, but he did seem a little grumpy after that.

"I was wondering what you would like for dinner." He yawned again before he answered.

"I don't care. Oh, and don't forget that Steve is going to watch James tonight." You were glad that he had reminded you. You had completely forgotten.

"Thank you for reminding me! He should be here anytime. Can you get James' stuff together? I want to go and get dinner started." Bucky nodded and got up. The two of you left the room, you going to the kitchen and Bucky going to the nursery.

After about fifteen minutes of waiting, Steve showed up to get James and James' stuff for their sleepover. After saying goodbye to the two of them, you and Bucky went back into the kitchen. You stood stirring the soup that you had on the stove, and Bucky was sitting at the table reading the newspaper. There was suddenly a loud knock on the door. You two looked at each other questioningly before Bucky got up to answer it.

Men came filing into the apartment being led by none other than Alexander Pierce. Bucky looked puzzled, but you knew how dangerous him being there could be.

"Hello, Winter. Long time no see." said Pierce. Many thoughts were running through your head. How had Pierce found the apartment? How had he escaped from prison? Why was he looking at you when he had spoken?