Time After Time (Book 3)

Dancin' and Disbelief

Feeling the liquor burn the back of his throat as he emptied his glass, Bucky signalled to the bartender for a top up. He couldn't keep still. He readjusted his hat on his head, fiddled with the buttons of his military jacket, straightened his tie...he clenched the fist of his new vibranium arm in an effort to stop fidgeting.

His new arm...

It was so much lighter that the other one, less than half the weight, and Shuri had managed to improve the sensitivity and movement. He'd be even more impressed if he didn't hate it so much, but he'd been and asked Shuri about it anyway, had spent almost the whole day in the lab testing it. As soon as he'd seen his "costume" he knew what he had to do. He wanted to show her that the guy from Brooklyn was still in there, underneath everything else.

"You're nervous Buck, what's the matter," Steve said to him, breaking him out of his reverie

"I need to tell you somethin' pal," Bucky said, with a deep sigh, looking down at his feet.

"Is it the crowd? Is the décor too much?"

"No, actually, that's all OK. It's..."

"Betty!" Steve interrupted, and Bucky's head shot up in surprise.

"What?! How did you know?" he exclaimed.

"Know what? Betty's just arrived with Nat and Wanda, look, over there," Steve pointed towards the doors.

Bucky looked in the direction of Steve's gesture and managed to flash Betty a smile and a wave. She looked just as stunning as she always did, even in her field uniform, and he felt sick with nerves.

"You should ask her for a dance Buck," Steve urged. "There's not many here who'd know how to dance properly to this sort of music, and you both loved dancing so much."

Bucky hummed noncommittally and turned back to his drink.

The three friends walked into the party, arms still linked, to the sound of 1940s swing. The room was full of red, white, and blue streamers and balloons. Betty took a deep breath and closed her eyes, taking in the music, letting the ambience take her back in time to the dancehalls of her youth.

She saw Steve at the bar in army uniform that Shuri had organised for him. Another soldier was stood next to him with his back to the door and Betty's feet faltered as she took in the sight – she'd know that tall frame anywhere. Steve nudged the guy and pointed towards the door. Sergeant James Barnes turned around, his blue eyes finding Betty's, and she gasped in a breath. He'd shaved his beard and slicked his long hair back into a low bun, giving the impression of his hairstyle in the 40s.

"Holy fuck," she muttered, jaw on the floor. Her knees started to wobble, and Nat gripped her elbow hard to keep her on her feet.

"Christ Betty, no wonder you fell for him!" Nat exclaimed, with a whistle of appreciation.

Bucky smiled and waved with his vibranium arm and Betty's heart almost exploded upon seeing how he'd overcome his fear of it just for Steve. He turned back to the bar and signalled the bartender for another drink, paying no more attention to the newcomers.

Betty's heart sank. Steve could tell from her expression and headed over to his sister.

"Lookin' swell ladies," he nodded to them with a grin. "Did you learn the song to go with the outfit Wanda?"

"Sadly not Steve," Wanda admitted.

"Don't be sad, I heard that song too many times anyway. Is Vision here yet?"

"Somewhere around. We had girl time whilst we got ready."

"Sounds awesome," he acknowledged and then turned to Betty, pulling her into a hug.