The One That Got Away

Chapter 5: Conditional Love

Charlie felt her whole body relax at the contact of Bucky's lips on her skin, letting her eyes close slowly and her hands tightened around him. He gave her another small kiss on her forehead before stepping back but never letting go of her.

''Come on, sweetheart. Let's go inside.'' He smiled at her, reassuringly.

She nodded and let go of him, expecting him to do the same. Except, he never broke away from her. His hand slid down from her cheek, to the crook of her neck, to finally wrap his arm around her shoulders while moving to stand next to her instead of in front of her. Steve was still standing there, looking at them fondly. Steve didn't know if he he would have been able to calm her down the way Bucky just did.

Charlie walked in first, followed by Bucky and Steve was right behind them, closing the door. The 3 of them moved to Steve's couch and sat down together. The boys waited for their friend to talk, not wanting to make her feel pressured to tell them what had happened, both trying to hide how anxious they were to know who had hurt her while already plotting what they would do to make those people pay.

Bucky held her hand, his thumb rubbing the back of it slowly back and forth while Steve went to get her a blanket and gently put it on her shoulders and instinctively, Charlie snuggled into the blanket and silently thanked her friend.

A few minutes went by in total silence. Charlie had almost completely stopped crying, a few stray tears lingered on her cheeks. She cleared her throat and sat up on the couch, catching the attention of her friends.

''I...'' She started but trailed off.

Bucky squeezed her hand gently. ''You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.''

She shook her head slightly, squeezing his hand back and cleared her throat once more before taking a deep breath.

''My parents took everything from me.''

''We need to talk.''

She had a bad feeling about this, a really bad feeling. She put her books down on the small table near the staircase and looked back at her father. She slowly nodded, showing him that she was listening.

''Your mother and I talked about your little temper tantrum you've been having for the past week.''

The conversation was off to a really bad start. She was already getting angry but decided against cutting him off and that it was best to let him continue.

''Avoiding us, not talking to us, you even went as far as ignoring us. You have been acting like a spoiled brat.''

Maybe she should have sat down for this.

''But, it's not your fault.'' He continues.

Okay, that she wasn't expecting.

''No, it's not.'' Her mother chimed in.

''It's our fault.'' Her dad added. ''It's our fault for spoiling you and letting you get away with everything. We should have been more strict, more firm with you. We took it easy on you.''

Her heartbeat picked up and her palms started to sweat. Now, she wanted to say so much but she couldn't make a sound, as if her brain had forgotten how to talk.

''As long as you live under my roof, you will do as I say and there will be no talking back to me otherwise you can kiss this..'' He waved around to him, her mother and their house. ''..goodbye.''

Charlie started to feel nauseous.

''If you want to keep that stupid little job that I got you, and that I have let you kept so far, you will do what I ask of you.''