Finding our way back

Part 8

James wasn't eating, he just sat there, lost in thoughts, spinning the fork in his hand.

"Jamie? What's wrong? Why aren't you eating? Do you want something else? " Natasha asked worried. He didn't respond. She put her hand on his back, "Jamie? Are you alright? " she asked, checking his forehead.

"Mom" he looked at her, "Mommy, dad.. Daddy isn't replying to any of my messages"

That alarmed Natasha. She knew Steve, she knew how hard it was for him to even try to ignore someone. And he would never do that to James. He loved his children as much as she did.

"Jamie? How.. How long? " she asked.

"Three days, mommy. He only replied once since we last met him" he said, on the verge of crying now.

"Hey, baby.. Don't cry okay" Natasha hugged him, "I'll call Sam, he must know"

Natasha took her phone out and quickly called Sam.

"Nat? Hey.. How are you? " Sam sounded hesitant and surprised.

"Yeah, I am fine. Sam, uh.. James was worried Steve isn't replying to him.. Is everything okay? " she asked, herself equally worried.

"Y.. Yeah of course.. He is very fine.. Its my mistake actually.. He asked me to inform you guys.. He has gone for.. So there's no network.. He is fine, trust me" Sam said.

Natasha's heart ached. Steve was on a holiday with Sharon, somewhere so peaceful.

"Oh.. Thanks " she managed to say before hanging up.

"He's fine, James. There's no network where he is right now" she told James.

"That... That's not possible mommy, he didn't tell me.. Why wouldn't he tell me? " James asked.

"I don't know" she said, trying to hide her tears and walked away, leaving her plate half full.

_______

Bucky kept talking and Natasha was barely listening, she wasn't responsive.

"Hey, what's wrong? " he touched her shoulder.

"I'm sorry.. I.. I can't stop thinking about him" she said.

"Its alright, you have spend so much of your life loving him. He is the father of your eight kids. Its not going to be easy" he tried to console.

"I know but.. I burned the sketches he gave me over the years, and it took all of my heart's strength to do that. He made those with so much love and I adored them.... His friend says he is out on a holiday but my heart refuses to believe. I feel he is in trouble. He won't do that to his kids. He won't leave before informing James, its not possible. I just.. I feel he is in some trouble and I might be able to help him. But.. He left me.. He is happy with his girlfriend... She is there to take care of him... He always... " she hid her face behind her hands, "He is so stubborn, and careless, he needs care, he needed me for everything and.. "

She was crying now, Bucky wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she put her head on his chest, crying her heart out.

"He is fine, Natasha. It's you, who needs to be fine without him now" he told her.

________

Steve was still at the hospital. Dr. Palmer met with Sam and then she called Sharon.

"How long have you known him? " she asked.

"A long time, his step-mom is my cousin " Sharon replied.

"How did he.. Why then? Why not before? " she asked, trying not to sound rude or inappropriate.

Sharon bit her lip, and looked here and there, she was nervous. Dr. Palmer believed there was more to this then she was getting out. Sam was nervous and probably lied about many things too.

"Look, I need the truth so I can help him. If I don't understand why he's depressed, how shall I treat him? The medications cannot cure his problem 100%. Its depression, its not easy" she tried to reason.

"I don't understand doctor, I never did. He lived with me yet, he didn't share the bedroom. He still, I thought that one time was a slip, a mistake. But he continued, he brought me home, he decided to divorce his wife even when she got pregnant again. He didn't accept my money when his father.. And then he went to see her, and decided to leave my house when he returned that day. I don't understand anything, myself" Sharon said.

"That time, what had exactly happened? " Dr. Palmer asked.

Sharon was nervous and uncomfortable, she didn't want to say a word, but she knew there was no other way to help Steve.

"We were out of town, together, for a project. Natasha couldn't join him because of the kids. She never could. And.. He was so in love with her but.. That day, it was a party.. He got really drunk.. Very, very drunk, because our friends just.. And I always had a crush on him so.. It just happened... He didn't remember any of it when we woke up and he really freaked out" Sharon explained.

"Has he ever.. Did you two sleep together again? " Dr. Palmer asked.

Sharon shook her head, "No, he was miserable, he didn't talk to me for a week, then he suddenly asked for a relationship and.. He wanted to wait till he was divorced"

"Thank you, that would be all" Dr. Palmer said and Sharon walked out.

She put her hands on her temples, finally getting to the cause of Steve's depression. She called for Joseph, and he arrived after sometime.

"Mr. Rogers, I have found out the reason your son is depressed" she said.

"What is it? What is it doctor? " he asked desperately.

"He is guilty, Mr. Rogers" she said, "He made a mistake in a drunken state. He felt so guilty of cheating on his wife that.. He ruined hers and his own life. He feels bad, he feels he doesn't deserve the love of his wife after cheating on her " she explained, "Guilt and extreme love, have destroyed your son, Mr. Rogers"

Joseph closed his eyes and frowned, "I think I knew this all along, doctor. My son loves that girl more then anything he ever has. And now, I need to punish the person behind this mess" he stood up and walked out of the room.

********
I wasn't going to reveal the reason anytime soon. But you guys are hating on Steve too much.
He loves her so much that cheating on her by mistake had him messed up.
Should Nat take him back, when she knows? And what does Joseph know?
Do give your reviews.