Bucky's Choice

Chapter 10

Over the next several weeks, Kelsey, Bucky, and Steve enjoy each others company. Kelsey sees Steve and Bucky so in love. They hang out more, talk more, and Bucky had even considered doing missions again. This morning, she looks at the clock on Steve's nightstand and it reads 4:30am. She already had her bags packed and her apartment sold. The boys never asked why they were always at either Bucky or Steve's place recently. She quietly crawled out from underneath Bucky and Steve. She quickly got dressed and made sure all of the important documents were in order on the kitchen island. "That should just about do it." She looked back toward the bedroom and was shocked to see Steve standing there in his boxers. "Shit! Steve you scared me." He whispered and slowly made his way to the kitchen island, seeing all the papers. "What are you doing?" She wanted to leave without a scene. "Umm, look Steve. I'm leaving. I need to give you and Bucky time to grow together. Just you two." He softly yells at her "What?! Are you kidding me? You can't leave. We need you." Kelsey walks over to Steve and cups his face. "No, you need each other." She shows him all the documents. "I sold my place last week. I signed the bar over to Bucky." She takes a deep breath for the next part. "I love you both so much." Steve interrupts her  "If you love us, then why leave?" She stares into his beautiful blue eyes and sighs.  " Because I love him enough to let you both grow together without a third wheel." 

Steve backs up and scoffs at her. "Third wheel? You're not a third wheel." "Steve, you never noticed you haven't been to my place recently? Or that even during sex, it's mainly you and Bucky? Don't get me wrong. I love seeing you two together. It's just...I think it will be best if you guys figure out if you truly want to be in this throuple or not and not just a threesome every now and again." Steve thinks back and realizes she isn't wrong. "Kels, we didn't mean to. Please don't leave." She sees a tear fall down his face. She goes and hugs him. "It's ok Steve. If you both still want me after some time has passed, then I'll come back." She kisses Steve on last time and says goodbye. Once she leaves the apartment, Steve collapses on the kitchen stool and goes through the documents. 

Bucky wakes up and sees that both Kelsey and Steve are missing. "Steve? Kels?" He gets up and makes his way to the kitchen, putting his boxers on. He sees Steve sitting at the kitchen island, looking at some papers and sniffling. "Steve, what happened? Where's Kelsey?" Steve looks at Bucky and he sees Steve has been crying. "What happened!?" Steve doesn't want to tell him. He knows this will break his heart. "She left Bucky." He hands him a letter she wrote. Bucky tears it open and reads it. 

         My Love,

  Remember when I said that if Steve came back and confessed his love for you, you would leave? Well, you don't realize it, but you did. Ever since that first night, you and Steve have grown so much. Without even meaning too, you both started to push me out. I didn't mind, but I realized weeks ago that in order for this to work, I need to remove myself from the equation and let you two solidify your foundation. I love you both, and frankly I do love you more Bucky. But your old soul craves his more than you crave mine. And that's ok my love. Please don't be mad at Steve. He doesn't even know about any of this either. The bar is yours baby. The staff are aware of it, though not the exact circumstances. It's yours to do what you want with it. Please know that meeting you and knowing you has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. I will be back when you are ready. I love you James Buchanan Barnes. 

     Forever your doll                                                                                                                                                                     Kelsey

Bucky feels his heart breaking. He collapses on the floor and Steve tries to console him. "I don't understand." He sobs into Steve's chest. "I think she wanted us to be just us at first." Steve pulls Bucky's face to his and kisses him. "Baby, I know this hurts. But she's right. We've been so caught up with us that we've let her slip away. I love her too and want her back, but let's make sure we're good first. Then we will get our girl back." Bucky cries again and Steve just holds him, his heart breaking for Bucky. 

Kelsey sips her coffee on the balcony of her hotel, enjoying the early morning cool air. She wonders how her boys are doing. She saw on the news that Steve has retired as Captain America and gave it to Sam. It's been over six months since she last spoke to or even saw them.  Her mind wonders if leaving really was the right choice. Oh well. She can't change things now. She walks back in and logs into her computer. Her curiosity get s the better of her and she looks up the bar. Sure enough it's still open. He never changed the name. She feels a tear fall down her face. " Stop it Kels. You did this." She doesn't know how long she sat there, but all of a sudden her phone rings an unlisted number. She let it go to voicemail and continues working. Meeting up with friends later that evening, her phone rings again. This time it comes up Sam. "Hey girls I have to take this, I will be right back!" "OK bébé! Nous garderons votre place!" Kelsey walks around the bar and answers. "Sam? How did you get this number?" "Kelsey, wherever you are, you need to come back." "Sam, I know you're Captain America and all, but you can't just order me to..." Sam cuts her off. "It's Bucky. He went on a mission and was severely injured." Her heart stopped. "What? What happened?" "I can't give you details, but I think he needs you. They both do." Tears are now flowing down her face. "OK. Where are they?" "The Avengers compound in New York. How fast can you get here." "Umm, I'm in Paris. It will be a day or so." "I got you. Be at De Gaulle in 2 hours. I'll arrange your flight home." "Oo..Ok." Sam hangs up. "Clint, take us to Paris." "Sure thing boss." Clint puts in the coordinates for Paris into the quinjet and flies off.