One Night Stand (A Bucky Barnes Fanfiction)

The Year After

I had managed to keep my job, thanks to the story that Tony Stark had told about my kidnapping , and after taking a short week-long absence from work to recover, I returned to work. It was a pleasant distraction that I needed and put myself into tirelessly, even picking up extra shifts, to keep myself busy. Working was the only thing that helped to keep my mind off of Bucky, and worrying about how he was doing, and wondering what could have been between us. I told myself that I should just move on, that I would be better off forgetting about the metal armed man who had come barreling into my life, leaving destruction in his wake, but I couldn't forget him. The same way that I couldn't forget Dimitri or escape the dread I felt at the thought of him being out there somewhere.

"Big plans for the weekend?" Steve asked after a lull in conversation.

I shook my head. "No, I actually have the weekend off for once, but Iris is going away with her boyfriend so I'll have the apartment all to myself. They leave tonight."

I tried to smile and put on a brave face and look mildly excited about the idea, but in actuality I was terrified. I hadn't had the apartment to myself since I was rescued, Iris going out of her way to make sure that she was always home when I was, knowing that I was still worried and scared about Dimitri being out there. But she had made things with Brandon 'official' again and had planned the weekend getaway to celebrate, and I didnt want to ruin that for her by letting her know I was absolutely terrified of spending the night alone in our apartment.

Steve noticed my charade. "I don't have any plans this weekend, I could...I could stay with you..so you aren't scared."

"Oh. Steve. No. You don't have to-."

"I said I was going to protect you and I meant it. If you are alone in your apartment that makes you unsafe and I can't have that. Bucky wouldn't want that," Steve cut in determinedly.

I was still trying to deter him. "Still, I'm sure you have better things to do-."

Steve smirked. "I really don't."

Steve spent the weekend at my apartment, keeping my company and balking at the amount of junk food I consumed and my lack of a regular exercise regime. And on the first night when I awoke screaming he came running into my room, wrapping strong arms around me and whispering promises of safety and security, talking me through my panic attack and anxiety. He slept in my room after that, on the floor beside my bed instead of on the couch, prepared to help me through my next attack. And I suddenly saw why Bucky adored the man so much.

6 months later

"I don't think I'm ready."

Steve sighed, his brow furrowing. "Bucky, you're more than ready. Shuri said-."

"Yeah, yeah, I know what Shuri thinks, but I'm saying I'm not ready. And what do I have to come back to New York for anyway?"

Steve looked hurt, the pain crossing the blue of his eyes before he shook his head. "Well me for one. And you had-have- a life here Bucky. You were starting something. You can pick up where you left off."

I shook my head. I wasn't ready. I knew it. And Steve should have known too. I still didn't have my memory back completely, everything was fragmented and scattered, nothing complete and concrete of anything before I went on the ice the first time. I wasn't ready to leave the solace of my cabin and my goats.