The Winter | Bucky Barnes Fanfiction |

Chapter 5

The headaches started up again later that week. They were a side effect that I was all too familiar with, and after years of choosing not to treat anyone they were patiently waiting to return. I gulped down a pain reliever with my tea that morning.

Bucky was still quite mad that I had decided to postpone his treatment. The cold looks over breakfast and dinner were enough to tell me that much. He didn't feel the need to come right out and say it, but every now and then he felt the need to voice his discontent with a bitterly sarcastic comment.

Steve kept to himself mostly. He helped out where he could, but his life consisted of keeping an eye on every news channel my televisions got and working out to some degree. I knew there were other things that he wanted to be doing that were far away from here. In no way did he find comfort in the calm sides of life. In fact, I'm sure it caused him more anxiety to be calm.

It wasn't long before Steve felt the pull to be elsewhere.

I didn't exactly blame him for leaving. He had no real place in the house, and he wasn't here for treatment. I also couldn't stop him. He was capable of making his own decisions, even if I didn't think they were in Bucky's best interest.

He left when the snow had just started falling.

"Off to save the world again?" Bucky asked. Steve's bags were piled at the front door, and I watched the two of them from the kitchen.

"No, just the parts that I find myself in. I'll be back to check on you both," Steve said to Bucky, and I watched them from my seat. I could sense that although Bucky would always be supportive of Steve's actions, I knew that he must have felt at least a little betrayed. I didn't blame him, of corse, after postponing Bucky's deep delves into his consciousness we hadn't exactly been friends. Not that we had been at the start of it all.

I missed the majority of their goodbyes, but their interaction regained my attention when Bucky closed the distance and gave him a hug.

"Don't do anything stupid."

"How can I?"

I recognized the partial line from working with Steve after he got out of the ice. I stood up just as he was about to leave. I held his hand in the both of mine, "be safe, Steve."

I was of corse being earnest. I didn't ever want to see him get hurt off on his endless escapades to Lord knows where, but the loss of Steve would be detrimental to Bucky's recovery. So detrimental, in fact, that if he weren't at least alive somewhere on this planet it could stop any progress I or anyone else could have with the soldier.

There were very few times in my life where I had felt anything other than pride, mild disgust, or anger. This, however, was one of those times I had known fear. My stomached churned over just at the thought of loosing a patient because I hadn't been there to save another.

He gave me a sad smile and leaned down to whisper in my ear, "give him a second chance, Magnolia. The first time is a bit difficult for everyone."

He pulled away, and I have his hand a light squeeze, "perhaps."

I retuned to my seat, and Bucky watched from the window as Steve pulled out of the driveway. He came and sat in the arm chair across from me after a while, his hand was rubbing the bridge of his nose and covering his eyes at the same time.

"And then there were two," I smirked and twisted the cup of tea that had become cold on the coffee table.

Bucky glared at me through his fingers, "why do I even have to be here? You have one thing you're good at and you won't do it."