The Séance • Marvel

The Falcon & The Winter Soldier: Chapter 20

That is the same scene that Nate found when he materialized in Vanessa's apartment. Vanessa was still sitting on the floor, staring straight ahead into nothingness. "Nes?" He received no answer. He crouched down in front of her and placed his hands on her face.

The coldness made Vanessa snap out. "Hey, are you alright?" Vanessa looked him and the eyes, "I think so." "What happened?" "I talked to her. And she finally told me everything that I was expecting to hear. And I told her everything I was holding in" Vanessa paused for a minute before continuing, "In a way, I feel relieved, but it really hurt. I don't understand why."

Nate took a seat next to her. Vanessa placed her head on his shoulder, finding comfort in the coldness he provided. "Because you held on to the hope of one day fixing things with them. But now you realized that it's never going to happen and you can finally fully move onto the next chapter" Nate gave her a humorless chuckle, "In a way, it's almost as if they've died. It's going to hurt for a while, but with time that pain will become less, and eventually you won't feel it anymore."

Vanessa eventually fell asleep as Nate held on to her. For the first time in days, she managed to stay asleep without being woke up by a ghost. 

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Over the next two days, Vanessa ignored everyone. Calls from Sam and Bucky would go straight to voicemail. She declined any and all calls from Dr. Madison. The only one she let in was Nate and that was only because he wouldn't leave her alone.

It wasn't until she received a very angry voicemail from Sarah that she finally come back to the land of the living. "What were you thinking? We were all worried about you Vanessa, you just disappeared and wouldn't answer anyone. Sam was getting ready to send a search party for you" Sarah yelled through the phone.

"I'm fine. I just needed some time to think. So I turned my phone off, didn't think anyone would particularly notice my absence." "Well, we did notice. You have to understand that there are people who care for you, Vanessa. Sooner or later you will understand that. Now if you are done brooding come home." Vanessa let out a sigh knowing there was no she'd win against the stubborn woman. "I'll be there as soon as I can." Vanessa still took her sweet time in flying to Louisiana.

As soon as she stepped out of the car she was surrounded by two kids. "Aunty V" the two boys yelled. "Hey," Vanessa said as they both jumped up on her. "Moms mad at you. Said that when you got here she was going to have a word with you" said AJ. "Did she now? Well, then I guess I better hide from her. Where's your uncle?" "He's working on the boat with Bucky." Vanessa did a double-take, "Bucky's here?" "They're over there."

Vanessa walks over and finds Sam and Bucky sitting on a boat drinking a beer. "Well isn't this cozy?" They both stand up as soon as they hear her talk. "Where have you been?" Sam asks getting out of the boat and walking over towards her, "Do you have any idea how worried we've been. You just disappeared."

"I didn't disappear I was home," she says, when Sam gives her an annoyed look she says, "I'm sorry okay. I needed some time to talk to some people. That all, I won't do it again." "Do you know how hard it was to keep Bucky from flying to California the first time you didn't answer?"

Vanessa looked over at Bucky with a teasing smile. "Sam!" He said, "He's exaggerating, but I'm really glad that you are alright. You shouldn't just disappear on people you know." He exits the boat and gives her a hug. Vanessa wraps her arms around his waist, as he wraps his around her shoulders.

"Hold up" Sam suddenly says, "When did this happen? Why was I not told? Why didn't you tell me?" "Because it's none of your business," Bucky tells him. "Yes, it is. She is like my sister I should've at least been told. I should've been asked." Bucky only rolled his eyes and kept one arm around Vanessa's shoulder. "How much you know about boats?" Sam asked Vanessa.

Vanessa gave him a look asking him if he was serious. "Sam I know as much about boats as I do about math." Vanessa watches as a look of confusion crosses both of their faces. "A little?" Sam asks at the same time Bucky says, "A lot?" "Nothing at all. I failed AP Calculus in high school. So I'm going to go find your sister instead. You boys have fun."

Vanessa received another earful from Sarah. As the night neared Sarah went to put Cass and AJ to bed. "Hey, so Bucky's taking the couch," Sam told her. "I'll sleep with your sister," she says without really thinking much about it until Sam gives her a weird look. "Not like that. Well unless she wants to" Vanessa says with a wink, only to get a pillow thrown at her, "I'm kidding." "Behave yourself Vanessa" Sam orders. "Yeah, yeah whatever." 

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Vanessa watches from a distance as Sam and Bucky where throwing the shield around. She laid in a hammock near the back yard and she felt safe and at peace. The warmth of the sun on her skin lulled her to sleep.

A bit further down Sam and Bucky were saying their goodbyes. "You call me when you have lead, and I'll be there" Bucky said, "Not necessarily as a team." "Nope." "We're not that good." "Definitely not." "We're professionals" reaffirmed Bucky, "And uh were partners." "Co-workers" corrected Sam. "But were also a couple of guys with a mutual friend." "Friend's now gone." "There's Vanessa" Bucky suddenly said.

Sam stopped walking and looked over to where Vanessa was sleeping. He'd come to think of the girl as a little sister. Sam turned to look at Bucky with a serious look on his face, "If you hurt her." "What, you'll kill me?"

Sam smiled and shook his head, "No, she can do that herself. Just know that I'll help her hide your body so no one will ever find it." Bucky only rolled his eyes and looked towards Vanessa. "I have no intention of hurting her Sam." Sam laughed and turned away, "You're so fucking whipped man" he yelled as he walked away.

Vanessa was awakened when she felt warm hands on her skin. Quite the opposite of what she was used to waking up to. As she opened her eyes she was met with a pair of the most vibrant blue eyes. "Hi," he said a bit timidly. "Hi" Vanessa answered with a smile. "So I have to go. There are some things that I have to do back in Brooklyn." "You know if I didn't know better I'd say you're avoiding me," Vanessa said with a teasing smile.

Bucky's eyes widen in panic, "What?! No of course not, why would I be?" Vanessa couldn't hold back her laughter anymore, "Relax Barnes. I'm just messing with you. Go fix your things, I'll be here waiting for that date you promised." He leaned down closer to her face, "Just let me fix a few things and I'll take you on the best date you've ever been on," he finished with a quick peck. "Goodbye doll." "Goodbye James."