When It Rained

Chapter 6 - A Little Faster

Stepping back from Bucky, Finley took in a breath and sighed. "What the hell are you doing out here Buck?" She shoved him into the wall in anger.

Once she had let him go, Bucky fixed his collar with a shrug and warmed up his shocked expression. "Brooklyn's a tough crowd- figured you shouldn't be walking home alone this late at night."

After staring at him for a short while, Finley let her anger simmer out of her body and she turned around grabbing her backpack off of the ground. "You're sweet, but I'd be just fine."

"Well-" he stepped forward into sync with her footsteps. "I'm here to make sure of that."

Together, they were already moving at a slow pace down the sidewalk. For a quick moment, she sent him a curious sideways glance. "Just how long were you waiting?"

Again, that heart breaking smile worked its way across his lips as he looked down to his feet. "After I brought Steve home. Wasn't really sure when you'd get out of there." This slightly took Finley off guard. Bucky had to have waited at least three hours for her. Nobody had ever done anything like that for her as cheesy as it sounded.

"Well, I guess the polite thing to do would say thank you."

"You're welcome darling." She smiled the best that she could back towards him, but it was still weak. "But I do actually have a question for you."

"Okay...?" she trailed off somewhat unneasy.

Bucky noticed this, but decided that he would ask her anyway. It wasn't anything bad, he didn't think. "You're always looking down, or around..." Immediately she knew where this was going. "It's just something I noticed. Why do you avoid eye contact?" There was a good reason behind it. It happened about three years ago, when everything changed. Losing Henry was one if the most impacting things of her life. Not because it happened so tragically, not because it went down so fast without a goodbye. It's because it didn't. Henry died for the dumbest reasons, and she was the only one there to say goodbye when it finally took him.

"I just never have." She somewhat lied. "Personal problem I guess."

Bucky watched her from the side, the way her tired eyes studied the ground and the sidewalk before her. "Well... You should." He concluded making her look up towards his chest. "It's amazing the things you can see when you do."

Sighing and shoving her hands deeper into her pockets, Finley shrunk trying to hide beneath her collar. "Trust me. I think I've seen enough..."

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Walking towards the three story brick building, Finley didn't understand why she was growing so nervous. For some reason her hands were sweating, her stomach was churning, and her eyes became heavier. Bucky had walked her all the way here, to her run down flat in the city. Normally, she didn't really show anyone where she lived. But Bucky was Buck, and Buck was with Steve. Slowly, the two were starting to grow on her.

"Alright." She sighed stopping her momentum and Bucky did the same. "This is me."

From in front of her, Bucky looked at the building with a curious look. "I know it looks rough from the outside." She agreed. "But it serves It's purpose."

"You live there alone?"

"Yeah." She bit her lip. "But I'll see you and Steve bright and early tomorrow okay? Don't forget." Slowly, the woman began walking back in the ally towards the entrance to the building.

Bucky nodded a goodbye before turning to walk down the sidewalk back in the direction of his house. "And Bucky?!" Finley called out making him stop again. Once facing her, he was shocked to see her trying to do what he said. Finley was looking to him, he could tell it wasn't in his eyes, but she was looking to his face. For that, he returned it with a smile. "Thanks." She concluded before turning and walking completely out of his site.

It was then that Bucky felt warm inside. Her blonde hair flowed behind her as her figure faded away behind the corner of the brick wall. Finley was unique, she was different, something that he was entirely interested in. The girl had a story, and Bucky was determined to figure it out.

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Bucky was up in the morning without a hitch. Yeah, only two hours of sleep dawned on him in the process of waking up, but he needed to get up before her. All night all Buck could think about was Finley. Possibilities of her story raged in his head throughout the night. It was almost as if he thought he knew everything about her.

Bucky imagined she was born in a warm room, sunlight peeking through the waving white curtains. Family surrounded all around. He imagined her growing up in a white house, just in one of the suburbs within the city. Her father, a soldier coming home from war every year on her birthday. Then her mother, beautiful just as Finley was. Blonde curly hair caressing down her shoulders as she looked down upon the swaddled baby with a smile. The baby however, she never seemed to look back.

From there, he had dreamed of every aspect after. Of course it felt wrong, but Bucky couldn't control it. So, he wanted to see her as soon as possible. He would pick her up first, walk her to Steve's house just like he had done before. So, to make sure of this, Bucky was determined to wake up before she did.

He had rushed to get ready, get out the door and out of the house. As soon as he did, the sunlight met his eyes making him squint. Today was going to be a better day than yesterday, he was going to make sure of it. Taking the first step, Bucky milked it before charging down the stairs of his front porch. The passing people didn't really care, nor did they look to see the big smile on his face either. They were all business men, they had places to be.

"What are you in such a hurry for?" A voice called out from behind him. However, he recognized it instantly. Spinning quickly back towards his house, Bucky's heart almost shattered seeing Finley sitting on his porch railing with her back against his house. He walked right past her and didn't even notice. "Got a hot date or something?" She teased before kicking her legs to the side and trotting down the porch like he had just done.

"Well I did." He looked to her with a sour expression.

At this, Finley just chuckled before patting his back. "Maybe next time champ."

"Did you even to go sleep?"

Both began in the direction of Steve's house. Smiling again, Finley just sighed. "I got what I needed. But you look pretty good for two hours!"

Rubbing the back of his neck, Bucky just sighed and smiled. "I'm sure I'll be feeling it later."

Picking up her speed a little, Finley paced forward slightly ahead of him. Before she passed though, she stood on her toes to whisper in his ear. "Oh I'll make sure of it."

This made Bucky freeze right in his tracks, his heart sinking all the way to his toes. It didn't matter how many people were passing by. All he could do was focus on her, the crooked smile she had sent over her shoulder while passing him by. Licking his lips, Bucky shook his head to the side and closed his eyes tightly. Then, as if they had a mind of their own, Bucky's feet began following Finley once again. Only this time, they moved a little faster.