A World Changing Fangirl

Chapter 26

When the song ends, I look down at my phone to see the time. I only have ten minutes.

"Steve, as much as I would love to stay, I have to go," I say.

"Do you want me to come with you? You seem stressed," Steve points out.

He's right. I am more than stressed I'm terrified that Bucky won't believe me and that whole trip would've been for nothing.

"No, I just need to get out of the tower for a while. I'm not used to all this and I need to get a taste of home," I lie.

I'm a terrible liar though.

"Natalie, what are you not telling me?" Steve asks seriously.

Screw it.

"Fine. I'm not going back to Cleveland, but I am going somewhere. I'll be fine I promise. I'm going to get you something. Hopefully, this 'something' will allow you to forgive me for being annoying and not direct with my feelings," I explain.

"I don't need a gift for me to forgive you. I already have."

"Well, then I guess this is a gift to you because I'm awesome," I shrug.

"I do have to go now though. I'll call you when I get there," I say and start to walk to Steve doorway.

"Natalie wait. I have one more question," Steve stops me.

"Yes, Spangles?"

"What are we now that you're sure?"

I ponder on the thought for a second before answering.

"I'll see you when I get back, boyfriend."

~~~~

"Miss?" Friday yells over the PA on the quinjet.

"No, need to shout Friday," I groan.

"Well, you were asleep and you asked me to wake you when we arrived in Bucharest. You didn't respond, so I tried a louder method."

"Wait, we're here?!"I asked excitedly.

"Yes. Would you like me to land on top of Mr. Barnes's apartment building?" Friday asks.

"Yes, that would be lovely," I reply.

When Friday lands the jet, I change my clothes noting that my yoga pants and muscle shirt probably won't be the best choice of clothing for a first impression.

Once I'm all changed, I remembered that I promised Steve a phone call. I pull out my phone and see that's about 7 am.

Wow, that quinjet sure does travel fast.

It'll be about two in the afternoon over there, so I think it'll be okay to call.

I dialed his number and hear the phone start to ring. He picks up after one right and I laugh to myself.

"Natalie?"

"You sure answer your phone fast," I chuckled.

"Are you safe? Do you need me to come to get you? I will - "

"Steve, I'm fine I promise. I just got here and I told you I would call," I calm him down.

"Where exactly are you?" he tries to get more answers out of me.

"Romania."

"What's in Romania?" he asks totally shocked.

"Can't tell and won't tell. I got to go. I'll let you know when I'm on my way back," I wrap things up before I say more than I need to.

"Promise?"

"I promise, and you know how seriously I take my promise."

I hear Steve sigh over the line.

"Goodbye, Captain."

"Bye, Natalie."

I hung up the phone and realize that Bucky most likely doesn't get visitors and I will seem odd. I figured that a nice, "please let me into your home I'm nice" present.

And I have the perfect idea.

I walk through the building and out the main entrance. I walk through the streets until I find a particular fruit stand.

Would you like to know how obsessed I got with Sebastian Stan? I started to learn Romanian.

I know a few things.

"Can I have two plums?" I ask the man at the stand in the beautiful language.

"Of course, lovely lady!" he said happily in return.

I give the man some cash that Friday had given me. Which apparently, so can just get money from Stark and then transfer and print the money on the jet. It's probably more complicated, but super cool.

I take the plums and return to the building. As I climb up the stairs I stop at Bucky's apartment. I raise my fist to knock on the door, but I hesitate. I'm nervous. Which is very normal for me, but I still don't like the feeling.

I eventually push myself to knock on the door and a few seconds pass before I hear footsteps approaching the door. The footsteps stopped, but the door still doesn't open.

"Bucky please open the door," I plead.

The door swings open very quickly and he just stared at me.

"Can I come in?" I ask.

"Did I know you?" Bucky asks with his voice full of hope.

"No, not personally. I know someone close to you though," I explain and push past him.

"You know Steve?" he assumes.

"What makes you think it's Steve?" I ask.

"He's the only one I know," Bucky answers.

"That's fair."

"Why are you here?" he asks me.

"Because I want to take you home. I think you want to be back with your pal and I want to see that dork happy. So, I came to get you as a surprise present for Steve," I smile.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Bucky asks suspiciously.

"Because we're with you 'til the end of the line."

Bucky's eyes flash and he walks up to me.

"If I find out you're lying, I'll kill you," he threatens.

"No, you won't. You don't do that anymore. You're free from HYDRA's bonds. For the most part," I shut him down.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, your notebook. If someone were to get their hands on it, they could just say the magic words and we would say hello to the Winter Soldier all over again," I explain.

"Why do you know so much about me?"

"There are some things that you need to be filled in on, but that can be done later. For right now, I just want to get you packing. You have a best friend to reunite with," I smile.

"How do you know Steve?"

"Do you want to know how we met or what he means to me?" I smirk, knowing that he suspects a relationship.

"Both," Bucky crosses his arms.

"Well, we met when I broke into Avengers Tower. They made me an Avenger and Steve just so happens to be my boyfriend," I say like it wasn't a big deal.

"I don't see it," Bucky says firmly.

"Excuse me?"

"You're too good for him," Bucky explains.

"I strongly disagree there. Steve is perfect. I can't even imagine a person that's better than him," I swoon.

"How did Steve get so lucky?" Bucky laughs at his rhetorical question.

"He had you," I smile.

Bucky's eyes go soft and he smiles back.

"Thank you."