Little Grey Area (Book 5)

1.13

7 months later

The punching bag stood in front of me, swaying just a little bit as I took a deep breath. There was so little to do in this facility but I figured I could make use of the free time before some catastrophic event happens again. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I start again, hitting the punching bag left and right. Trying to keep perfect rhythm, but sometimes getting lost in my own thoughts, feelings I didn't know I still had resurfacing with every punch. With my eyes closed, I moved to kick the punching bag, but my kick was weak. Since the plane crash, my leg needed more time to regain its strength. I guess that's what happens when you break a bone. I sigh, moving to grab my water bottle, when my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number as I put it to my ear. "This is Clara." It only took three words for me to drop the water bottle in my hand. But the rest of me was frozen in place.

"He is awake."

❤

Children ran all around me, playing with their friends. Some stared at me like I was something foreign, though I suppose in some way I was. If Americans were only one look to the outside world (especially in the 40s), I would be it. Well, actually, Steve probably would be, but with my long blonde hair and blue eyes, I was the different one here. The only thing weirder than me was the man in the medicine hut behind me, just waking up from a long nap. A very long and cold nap. I stood next to Shuri, overlooking the lake. A group of kids race out of the hut and over to us, laughing and giggling, bringing a smile to my face. "Are you playing around with that man again?" The children keep giggling, knowing that they have been caught.

"No, No!" They laughed, before running off again.

Wakanda was a beautiful country. It was a world that made me feel at peace from everything going on outside of these borders. And I could understand why they would want to keep this beauty hidden from the world. Though, as I understood it, they were going to make themselves known to the world around them. I didn't exactly know the politics behind it. But I trusted T'Challa to do what is right for his country. As much as I trusted Shuri to help with the one person I care most about in this world. I didn't have the words to explain how much I appreciated Shuri and everything she had done for him... for me. She had developed an algorithm that scrubbed Bucky's trigger words out of his brain, without damaging the rest of his brain and without damaging his personality. Still, no matter how much trust I had in Shuri, I was still nervous. "Clara..." I heard her soft voice from beside me. I turned to look at her and she was looking behind us. I turned around, seeing Bucky exit the hut. He was wearing traditional Wakandan clothing, a checkered red shúkà and a blue cloth covering the stub of his missing arm. He takes it all in with a deep breath. He looks all around him, still a little dazed. I took a deep breath, moving forward, away from Shuri and towards Bucky. I didn't want to startle him and maybe I was a little bit afraid that he wouldn't know who I was. But as soon as he caught my eye, I felt my nervousness go away. He would never be the same Bucky that I had met when I was just a little girl. But I would never be the Clara that he met all those years ago either. We were both burdened with so many flaws and memories and pain.

"Clara." I felt a smile rise as I walked towards him just a little faster.

"James." I barely had the time to let it out before I was wrapping my arms around his shoulders, and my lips against his. So many memories flooded my head as he pulled me closer to him.

All of those memories of us falling in love. The memory of the first time we kissed.

<>

"But Clara, I'm not running anymore. I've fallen completely in love with you." His eyes were sparkling and his voice was scarce. He was terrified to be saying everything he thought for years, to her face, all in a matter of seconds. But she was so beautiful, he couldn't wait any longer. "James..." She started but he sighed, taking his hand away from her cheek and putting it back in his pocket. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything." He was about to walk away when Clara grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. She, being too short, jumped up to kiss him. A kiss that shocked Bucky. She had never shown this much courage in her life. It took him a couple of seconds to realize what was happening before he relaxed and kissed her back. The kiss was sweet but there was so much passion. His lips were soft as both Clara and Bucky relaxed into the kiss. They were a perfect match. His hands went to her waist and hers slipped around his neck, pulling him closer to her.