2| PROMISE ☆ BUCKY BARNES

TWO

But that's a chance Steve is willing to take, so as he took a breath, Steve Grant Rogers decided to get the first unanswered question answered. "Why'd you leave?"

Carmen's broke at the question. If only he knew what he is about to know soon enough. "I didn't," she told him as her voice cracked. "I'd never leave you, that was always something I promised." And something about that answer brought back those two kids from Brooklyn and they engulfed in a hug. And it felt almost perfect, almost like it used to be. Except it was missing one thing, another body, and two other arms secured around them both.

   They held the hug for a few minutes before letting go, and a short Carmen looked up and Steve. "Bold of you to assume that I'd just leave you." She then made her way back to Theo and rested her arm on Theo's shoulder. And with the widest smile, Steve has probably ever seen on Carmen, she said, "and this is Theo." It kinda warmed Steve's heart, because though this isn't the same Carmen, and he isn't the same Steve, he can tell how much happier Carmen is. Because there were only two other times he saw that big of a smile on Carmen; the day she won the swim meet - the same day she met Steve and Bucky, and the day she and Bucky kissed.

Theo waved with a smile before her face became serious and she put her hand out and directed Steve. "Big fan."

Steve scrunched his eyebrows, "thanks?" He then proceeded to step aside and put his hands out to introduce the girl beside him. "This is Natasha." Natasha put a hand out for Theo and Carmen to shake, but her posture stayed stiff and on guard. It was a simple motion for Natasha to do, to stay on guard, and she never second-guessed it, and never found odd. But it wasn't until she shook Carmen and Theo's hand that she realized she does that. Because Carmen and Theo did the same, they weren't as on guard, but you could clearly see the duo does not trust easily.

Natasha found comfort in that.

After shaking hands Carmen turned to Steve with a wary smile, "should we go outside and talk?" Steve nodded, and the two of them walked out to the front yard and stood on the porch, looking out at the neighborhood in front of them. Nothing was truly said between the two, it was silent. Unfortunately, it wasn't a comforting silence, because neither of them were at bliss. Well more specifically Steve isn't. He has so many questions. Why did Carmen never visit when finding out he's alive? How the hell is Carmen even alive? Can Carmen help him set up his new phone?

   But there was one question he had, that he did not want to say or ask in any way. But of course, it had to be the one to slip his mouth. "Just doesn't feel right without the third person, huh?" Right, when it came out of his mouth Steve wanted to take it back. He never wanted to take something back so quick. He knows why though, and it's only because Carmen is around. Steve had become content with Bucky's death - and Carmen's when assuming she was dead - long ago when he came out of the ice. There's no getting him back. But that's not the case this time. It always had been Bucky, Carmen, and Steve, them three, doing everything together. You never saw the three separate or only two of them together. There were only two instances of this happening; when Bucky and Carmen left to war, and right now.

   "Steve..." Carmen trailed off, looking at her shoes. A part of her hated the truth that was about spill her lips, but she knew it is right. "He's gone, okay? It's been so many years, life is different now. I was expecting us to ask unanswered questions, not questions with answers already know." She doesn't really know if Steve knows her answer to his silly question. She assumes he thinks her answer is, 'yes it is weird. I wish he was back here, with us.' But the reality is Carmen has been torn limb to limb mentally and physically, pain doesn't even seem like pain anymore. And death doesn't even seem like it needs to be mourned anymore. So her answer? 'No, it isn't weird he isn't here. Because he and you haven't been here. The only difference with Bucky is, he won't be here, and never will be here. We just got lucky.'

Oh, how wrong could Carmen Ripley be.

   Steve nodded and scratched his chin awkwardly, "fair enough. I guess I'll move on." He took swallow to ask his next question, he was confident in the answer he'll get. That everything is fine. "How is Louie?" Because if Peggy is still alive, Louie must he too. Especially since Louie was younger than them by more than ten years.

   Carmen twitched her head a bit. "Uh," she began awkwardly, "Louie died almost a few days after Bucky did."

   Steve took a harsh breath, "oh... Carmen, I'm so sorry. How did he die?" That one question is about to lead him to the answer to all his questions. Well all but one, but his last question is sweeter.

   "After going back to Brooklyn, I stayed with my mom to help her cope with my dad dying." Carmen moved her hair behind her ears and continued to tell the story. "We were all we had, my mom and I. Louie was still missing, my dad just died, Bucky just died too, and you were off being a hero. One day of course with the luck the Ripley's have David, who was in the war with Bucky and I but was a Hydra spy, came in. First, he killed my mom, in front of Louie. Then he told me if he took me, he'd leave Louie there unharmed and able to call the cops because we'd be gone already. I, of course, said yes, but he lied, and Louie was dead and I was knocked out cold. I'm not sure how my mom and Louie were found, or where people thought I was. But they took me to Hydra as a prisoner and here I am."

   "I don't get how I didn't hear about any of this..." Steve thought out loud.

   "You were already so distraught about Bucky, and wanted revenge, I don't blame you for blocking the rest of the world out," Carmen told him with a weak smile.

   "What happened at Hydra?"

   "Get ready for this one, it's wild." Carmen stifled a laugh before going into the story. "When I woke up I was in a small room with only David and Theo there. David injected me with a rare sample experiment that allows me to never age, and the only way I could die is through sickness or being killed, but they made sure none of that happened. They did the same to Theo except for five years earlier. I was in their captivity for thirty-five years. Thirty-five years of being forced to fight Theo, and train in weapons and fighting. Thirty-five years of sleepless nights from a screaming Winter Soldier who I was never allowed to see - and still have not seen. Until I had enough and came up with a plan, killed David, and Theo and I got out of there. Of course, we've been on the run and traveled the world because we're wanted by Hydra - which is why I never saw you - but now we aren't cautious. Which is why we are trying to settle down here, and live a life we never got."

   All Steve's questions were answered, all except one. "Are you still on my side? Team Cap?"

Carmen smiled and gave him a hug. They may have been different, and their stories may be different, and it'll take time to get back what they had. But the faded memory was bittersweet of them sitting a bar, with Bucky Barnes. And neither of them knows how they remember that night, but they do. So as they engulfed in a hug, both of them stifled a laugh, and Carmen whispered slightly. "The little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb to run away a fight? I'm on his side." Maybe this friendship is their always.

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TOTAL WORDS: 2150
NOT INCLUDING AUTHORS NOTE
EDITED: BUT IF YOU SEE ANY MISTAKE LMK SO I CAN FIX THEM!

IVE WRITTEN THIS CHAPTER FIVE TIMES AND IM STILL NOT SATISFIED SO LOVE THAT FOR ME!

ANYWAYS, THIS UPDATE WAS LONG OVERDUE AND I APOLOGIZE! SCHOOL HAS ME PRESSED, BUT HOPEFULLY ILL UPDATE MORE BECAUSE IT'S MOVIE TIME!

NEXT CHAPTER THE MOVIE OFFICIALLY STARTS.

PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK!

MELANIE.