Nightingale (Sequel to Solider Boy)

Forty-Nine

Up until this moment, Bucky had been having a very good day. Waking up next to Melody had left him feeling light-hearted, even optimistic. Going on a morning run, the air not yet humid and sticky had felt him feeling pretty good too. So had the idea of stopping by Steve's apartment for breakfast, but now, as he stood outside the doorway, that good feeling was gone entirely.

 Because, he could hear clearly from his side of the door that Steve was not alone inside the apartment, he had company, very loud, angry company and Bucky's heart dropped into his stomach when he heard that voice. 

It was Sharon.

"Sharon," Steve said, his voice pleading. "Please-."

"Don't," she growled. "Don't you dare ask me for anything!"

 Bucky winced at her harsh voice and part of him knew he wasn't supposed to be hearing this. Part of him knew the right thing to do would have been to leave and let them have this fight without unwanted observers, but he couldn't move. His feet were bolted to the floor. 

"You don't understand-."

"You're right, I don't." The agent shot back, her voice tight. "I don't understand how you knew where she was, knew she was alive and well and yet no matter how many times we talked you never thought to mention it."

"You did the same thing to me!" Steve said, his words so biting that Bucky winced. Steve had claimed he'd forgiven Sharon for her deception two years ago, but apparently he hadn't been entirely truthful. "I spent two years looking for Bucky and you-."

I should not be here, I really should not be here. Bucky was intruding on a very personal conversation, a private moment that had nothing to do with him. This was not his to listen to. With as much effort as it had ever cost him, he backed away and walked back towards his own apartment.

Sharon was here. How she'd discovered Melody's whereabouts he didn't know but one thing was for sure: the conversation Melody had been avoiding was now here, whether she liked it or not. 

Bucky knew Melody's character, if she truly felt Sharon needed her, she'd find the strength to overcome her fear and be there. And from what he'd overheard, Sharon truly needed her friend right now. He'd never heard the agent sound so heartbroken before, not even when she talked about her late aunt. 

"Melody?" Bucky called as he opened the apartment door. His heart was slamming in his chest like he'd run a marathon. "You here?"

"Yeah," she answered him almost instantly and she sounded upbeat, even cheerful. Great. Now he was going to be the one to ruin her good mood. 

Bucky shut the door behind him and turned his head. Melody was sitting up the kitchen table, a small collection of papers spread out in front of her and an intent look on her face as she read them over. "What's all this?" he asked, sitting down and wanting to give her a few more moments of peace before he had to tell her what happened.

"T'challa wants to create a new skills lab at South Central Hospital using the simulation technology. He wanted my opinion on it." 

"Don't you already use the sim to practice your skills?"

"Yes," Melody agreed. "I do, but what he wants to do is one a much larger scale. One simulation can be created, five or six at once though, that's harder. It's possible for it to be modified, but whether or not it'll be advanced enough to provide accurate teaching is another matter."

"And that's where you come in?"

"Yep."

"And what you do think?"