Nightingale (Sequel to Solider Boy)

Sixty-One

Though the sun had barely started to rise, the morning air was already humid and sticky. It clung to Bucky like a second skin and made the lush, green garden he was standing in less of a pretty sight and more of a baking chamber that he couldn't wait to leave. Why he was out there was a simple matter; he was trying to get a flower for Melody. The last time she'd been in Wakanda, the gardens had enthralled her, her eyes had lit up seeing all the bright, tropical flowers and she'd used the word "beautiful" at least a hundred times that day. Bucky hoped seeing one of them again might bring about the same reaction.

He hoped it might be enough to get her to talk. Since talking with Sharon two weeks ago, she had stopped talking. All of her communication since that day (save when she'd told Bucky how Sharon reacted) had been strictly limited to shaking her head or shrugging. Since then, Bucky had tried everything he could to get her to talk again.

 With the help of Clint, he'd tracked down a few videos of surgeries and played them in the apartment, as he knew Melody loved watching them. However, when she saw the first one (a heart transplant) playing out on the screen, she'd merely shaken her head at Bucky and her eyes, which he was used to seeing so alight and excited over anything scientific where unfocused and far away. A few days later and Bucky had tried again, grabbing a suture kit and asking her to show him how to a baseball stitch, but she'd merely pushed the kit away with the tips of her fingers and shaken her head at him. She hadn't been to the sim at all either, not even after T'challa stopped by to inform her that he and his team had modified the system to try and replicate a mass causality situation. She hadn't even blinked when he'd told her that, she'd just stared out the window, silent and as far away from everyone else as she'd been since that day she spoke with Sharon. 

After that incident (as well as finding all of Melody's medical and science journals in the trash yesterday) Bucky had decided to change his approach which was why he was out in the gardens this early, his plan was get a flower for her and bring it back before she woke up. Maybe a change of pace would be enough to get a response out of her, not even words, just a smile would've been enough for now-she hadn't smiled since that day either and the loss was wearing on Bucky as well.

He snapped off a bright orange flower, his heart heavy in his chest as he looked at it. It was the exact same one he'd tucked into her hair the last time he'd been here, she'd smiled at him then, happiness making her light up. It had made her happy then, but Bucky didn't have much hope it would bring out the same response again. Still, he was going to try. He needed to try. 

Bucky turned away from the planter, flower in hand and was about make his way towards the compound when he saw a familiar (and at the moment, unwelcome) face coming up the path. Sharon Carter. The agent was dressed for the day already, despite the early hour, her hair pulled back into a ponytail and wearing a simple tank top and running shorts. An iPod (or at least that was what Bucky thought it was) was clipped onto the waistband of her shorts and navy blue earphones in her hand. Given the sheen of sweat on her face and the spots of red on her cheeks, he assumed she'd been out for a morning run.

Sharon stopped short as she saw him, apparently not expecting to see him either. However, she put on a brave smile. "Morning Bucky."

"Morning," he replied a bit stiffly, barely a credible attempt at politeness. "What are you doing here?"

"It's a good morning for a run," she said, tucking her earphones into her pocket and taking a step back from Bucky. "And apparently you don't share that view."

"It's been a long day."

"It's not even seven in the morning."

"Doesn't matter," it had been a long two weeks, two weeks of silence and watching the woman he loved drift farther and farther away even though she was never more than a short walk away. "Please move Agent Carter," Bucky said. "I need to get going."