Bucky and Lizzie are still laying in bed when they hear a knock at the door. Lizzie doesn't know if she's ready to see Steve yet. Facing Steve means facing reality.
"Come in," Bucky says.
She looks up at him with a traitorous look.
Steve pops his head in and Bucky sits both of them up into a more appropriate position. He begins to get out of bed but Lizzie grips his hand.
"I'm just going downstairs, I won't be far. You need to talk to your brother, love," Bucky says.
She knows she does but that doesn't mean she wants to face it alone. But both Lizzie and Bucky know that this is a conversation that is just for the twins.
Bucky moves to leave again but Lizzie grabs his hand once more and Bucky gives her a stern look.
"Can you make me some tomato soup?" Lizzie asks quietly.
She knew this conversation with Steve was going to be hard and Bucky's tomato soup always made her feel better.
His face softens at her question and he places a lingering kiss to her forehead.
"Of course, doll," Bucky replies.
He walks out of the room and claps Steve on the shoulder on his way out.
The twins just stare at each other, not sure what to say.
"He really loves you, you know?" Steve says.
"I know, I never thought we'd love each other as much as we do but we just work together," she says.
"He'll make a good husband," Steve says.
"I know that too," Lizzie says.
"He will be there even if I'm not around all the time anymore. He will be your constant for the rest of your life," he says.
"Why can't both of you be?" Lizzie says like a child.
"Because brothers aren't meant to always be with their sisters. When they grow up, they move out and begin living separate lives," Steve explains.
"But you're not just my brother, you're my twin, my other half. You know we aren't like normal siblings. You're the only other person in this world who can understand our twin connection," Lizzie says.
"You know just because we won't live together, doesn't mean that we won't be close. I doubt we will ever leave Brooklyn so we will always be in the same city at the very least. Probably we will be even walking distance from each other," Steve says.
"Do you promise to always stay close?" Lizzie asks.
He doesn't want to promise her because he isn't sure where life will lead him. If he had his way, they would always stay near but life doesn't always give you your way.
Lizzie is looking at him with hopeful eyes and he can't help but respond.
"I promise I'll always stay close. Like you said, we aren't normal siblings and we will always need each other," Steve says.
She looks at her brother and can't help but thinking how grown-up he's gotten. Not so much in stature, he's always been small, but in his facial features and his maturity.
"We're growing up Steve and I don't think I want it," Lizzie says.
"I would do anything for you but unfortunately I can't stop us growing up," Steve says.
"I love you more than anything," Lizzie says.
"More than Bucky?" Steve teases.
"Let's call it a tie," Lizzie teases back.
The smile that was on Lizzie's face quickly falls and Steve can't bear it.
"Come here," Steve says and pulls her into a hug.
Neither of them cry but they find comfort in each other, like they always have.
Their moment is broken by the sound of a knock on the front door.
Downstairs, Bucky hears the knock and takes the soup off the burner so he can answer it.
He is incredibly surprised when he opens the door to find Riley Pearson.
Riley looks equally surprised to see Bucky.
"Oh, hi Bucky. Is Lizzie home?" Riley asks.
"Nope," Bucky says harshly and goes to shut the door.
"Riley? What are you doing here?" Lizzie asks.
Both boys turn around to see the twins standing on the stairs.
"I need to talk to you, it's important," Riley says.
Something in his tone makes her take him seriously. Whatever he wants to talk about is important.
"Okay, maybe we can talk in the living room," Lizzie says.
Bucky shoots her a hurt look. She pleads with her eyes for him to understand.
"Yeah, maybe alone would be best," Riley adds.
He knows how protective Bucky can be towards Lizzie. He remembers how Bucky interrupted their date. He was like a protective big brother that night.
"No," Bucky says sharply.
"I think whatever we need to talk about can be in front of Bucky if it's as important as you say it is," Lizzie says.
Bucky knows that Riley wouldn't be stupid enough to try anything with him there.
"Ok, that's fine," Riley says.
The three of them go into the living room and Riley sits on the arm chair while Bucky and Lizzie sit on the couch.
"So what's going on Riles?" Lizzie asks.
Jealousy flares up in Bucky at the nickname but forces it down. He knows if he acts up, Lizzie will make him leave and he wants to be here for this.
"Royce wants to meet up with you," Riley says straight to the point.
Bucky is immediately to his feet.
"Uh uh, no way. He isn't getting within a mile of her. I won't allow it," Bucky says.
"It's not up to you, it's up to her. But you've never been very accepting of her choices, now have you Bucky?" Riley asks condescendingly.
Lizzie decides to deescalate the situation before the boys really start going at it.
"Why does he want to meet up?" Lizzie asks.
"I'm not completely sure. My mom and his mom are still friends and they asked me to pass the message along to you. I don't think they would've asked me if they thought there was any malicious intent. You know my mom loved you and wouldn't want to see you hurt," Riley says.
"What do you think?" Lizzie asks him.
Riley was always so analytical so she knows he has his own opinions on the matter.
"I honestly don't know what to think. I know that whatever he did to you was an accident so maybe he is trying to atone for that. If it makes you feel any better, I could go with you," Riley offers.
"Yeah, because the last time the three of you got together, it went great," Bucky says sarcastically.
Lizzie reaches for his hand and tries to pulls him back down to the couch but he doesn't budge.
Riley can feel the anger rising in him. Riley was very even tempered but something about Bucky set his teeth on edge.
"Oh my gosh! She's forgiven me so why can't you get over it? I was thirteen when it all went down," Riley defends.
"Yeah, well so was I!" Bucky yells back.
Lizzie reaches for his hand again and soothingly rubs circles on the back of his hand until he calms.
He closes his eyes and takes some deep breathes and focuses entirely on her soothing touch.
He opens his eyes and gives her a soft smile in thanks.
"It's a lot to think about Riley. Do I have some time to decide?" Lizzie asks softly.
Riley looks at her beautiful face and knows he's still in love with her, how could he not be? Lizzie is someone who you don't easily fall in and out of love with.
He regrets proposing to her, not because he didn't want to marry her but because it scared her off. They'd probably still be together if he didn't jump the gun. Maybe they still could give it a go if she still had feelings for him.
"Of course Liz. Now do you mind if I talk to you alone really quick?" Riley says.
She knows Bucky won't like it but she owes Riley closure.
"Okay," Lizzie says.
Bucky goes to protest but Lizzie looks at him pleadingly. Bucky knows he has to respect her decisions or he's exactly the man that Riley assumed him to be.
He just gives her hand a squeeze and a small smile.
"I'll be in the other room. Just yell if you need me," Bucky says.
He gives a sharp glare at Riley before exiting the room.
"What did you need to talk about?" Lizzie asks.
"Us," Riley says.
Lizzie had a feeling that this is what the conversation would be about.
"Riley..." Lizzie starts.
"No, just listen. I'm sorry for proposing, I knew you weren't ready. I should've waited until you were but I just wanted to marry you so badly. We were so good together though, we could still be that good if..." Riley trails off.
He had noticed Lizzie fidgeting with her hands subconsciously. Specifically, she was fiddling with a diamond ring on her left hand.
"You're engaged," Riley says flatly.
Lizzie looks down at her hands and realizes that she had been twisting her ring.
She used to play with her necklace when she was nervous but since Bucky proposed, she had taken to playing with her ring instead.
"Yes," Lizzie whispers.
All the fight goes out of him at that small word. They hadn't even been broken up a full year, how was she already engaged?
"So when you said you didn't want to get married, you meant you just didn't want to marry me," Riley summarizes.
"It wasn't like that Riley. I truly thought I would never marry and if I did, I didn't expect it to be until way down the road," Lizzie says honestly.
"Were you with him when you were with me?" Riley asks.
He knows that Lizzie is slow to love and he can't imagine her doing so in only a few short months with a man.
She knew it would hurt both of them to tell him but she owes it to him. She still cares for him even if she could never love him. Plus, she could never really avoid direct questions.
"We didn't get together officially until a couple month after we broke up but we kissed while we were still together," Lizzie says.
"Just once?" Riley asks.
Riley thought he might be able to handle it if it was just one moment of weakness.
"Three times," Lizzie admits.
"Who initiated them?" Riley asks.
"The first two, he did and the last one I did," she answers.
He knew he shouldn't ask. He was already having a hard enough time dealing with the fact that the girl he loves is engaged to marry a nameless man, he shouldn't force himself to put a face to him. But he needed to know the man who stole her away.
"Who is he?" Riley asks.
Lizzie pauses because she doesn't want to answer the question. She knows that it will be worse for him knowing who it is but again, he deserves to know.
"It's Bucky," Lizzie says.