He stayed out there for a while. And like the world was sharing his sadness and pain, it started to drizzle. Then, the drizzle broke into a full-on downpour. Weather to match his mood. Cold and disappointing, yet symbolic.
When he finally got back inside, slightly drenched, the group was on the edge of their seats, waiting for someone's return.
Who's? They weren't sure which of the two it would be. But they knew it most likely wouldn't be both.
"What happened?" Wanda was quiet when she asked. The tension at the table was clear.
"Same thing that always happens," Bucky laughed in a sour manner. "She ran."
"What happened at the bar?" Steve asked.
Bucky sat next to him and sent him a blank look.
"I asked about the papers, and it escalated," he answered. Steve closed his eyes before looking down and nodding. "Apparently, it was a lot easier for one of us to sign than the other."
"God, Buck. I'm sorry," the blonde sighed with a small pat on his back.
"It's not you who hauled a cab," Bucky laughed again with a hateful tone. "That's mine, right?" he pointed to the tumbler of unfinished scotch. Before Steve could confirm, Bucky snagged it and took the drink in one whole swig.
The crew looked at Bucky with concern but wasn't shocked in the least. They shared a glance with each other before Bucky waved the waiter over for another round.
It wasn't even 10 minutes later that Wanda's phone began buzzing on top of the counter, bringing all the guy's attention to it.
She had gone to the bathroom, so Vis took it, seeing Sherri was calling her. He sent a confused look at it before showing Steve as Bucky had his head down.
Steve shared the same look and nodded his head to answer.
When Vis picked up, his face went from confused to wide-eyed nerves.
"She what?" Vis asked.
Both Bucky and Steve's heads shot up at his tone.
"Ok, ok," Vis nodded. "Uh, she left before us. We're still at the restaurant, but we can come and-" he was cut off as Sherri kept talking on the other line. He looked at Bucky and nodded his head to him. "Check your phone."
When Bucky, in a drunken manner, pulled out his phone, he noticed while on silent, he had four missed calls from Sherri himself.
"What's going on?" Bucky shot up in his spot more. The adrenaline began sobering him up.
"Yes, yes. We'll be there shortly. Which floor did you say?" he questioned, grabbing Wanda's things before she returned. "Third. Got it. Thank you, Sherri." Hanging up, he looked at the two worried men across from him. "Y/N got in an accident."
______________
Bucky was quick to haul his ass to Steve's car. Wanda was still in the bathroom, and before Vis could even stand to go grab her, he was out the door with Steve close behind.
The two left for the emergency room first, and though Bucky was spinning some, he had sobered enough to gather himself, knowing that Y/N was hurt.
Sherri hadn't given much information besides she was beaten up from the impact from the other car but assured it wasn't going to be an overnight stay kind of injury.
Rushing through the sliding door, Bucky moved quickly to the elevator. He maneuvered through a few patients being wheeled in the hall and one nurse who snuck back into the room she had barely come out of before seeing the linebacker of a man race through the halls.
He clicked level three like Sherri had instructed and didn't even realize until the doors started shutting that Steve wasn't in it with him. The blonde gave him a look before moving his hand out of the way and joining the anxious man in front of him. They followed the room numbers until they saw Sherri herself leaving one.
319. Y/N's room.
Bucky was just seconds from bursting in to see the damage as they hadn't been given a lot of information, and his worry was just climbing with every second, but Sherri raised her hand to his chest, stopping him.
"Hey, hey, slow it down there," she stopped him.
Bucky didn't even look down at her as he tried to veer through the slits of the blinds that kept the room private.
"How is she-? Is she-?" Bucky started, but before he could push on, Steve pulled him back gently by the shoulders and helped Sherri distance him from the door.
"What happened?" Steve asked in a calm manner to Y/N's mother figure.
"Right now, she's getting dressed. She had to get some x-rays done, so she's switching back out of the hospital gown," Sherri went on to explain. "As for the accident, we had four different cars come in tonight from that wreck."
"Four? Was it a pile-up?" Steve went on. Bucky's stature was tense, and his eyes never wavered from the glass dividing him from the room.
"Yes, we've had a few different wrecks tonight. It's been chaotic, but what can you expect with a full moon," she sighed. Exhaustion showed in her posture and face. "I didn't expect my daughter, however, to be one of the patients, yet here we are."
"You ok, Sher?" Steve asked, stepping in front of Bucky and moving to the tired head nurse.
Bucky broke away for a second to hear her confirm that Sherri was fine, even in his panic, and after her small head nod of confirmation, he turned back to the room.
"I'll be ok. She'll be fine too, but it's the last thing you want to get a call about when you're already 9 hours in on a shift on a busy night," she signed, rubbing her temples. "Anyway, a drunk driver ran a red light, t-boning a car in an intersection, and it caused a chain reaction of rear-ending. Y/N's cab was the third one, so she was thrown forward from the front impact and then hit from the back as well."
"What did the x-rays show?" Bucky asked, taking the slightest step back to see Sherri better.
"They should be processed in the next 10 minutes or so. I'm about to go check on them," she nodded to him. "Don't worry though. I think she'll be fine. She has a butterfly bandage on her temple and a few stitches on her hand from helping someone get out of another car and cut it on some loose glass. Her wrist is my main concern. She mentioned it hurts to move and doesn't have much mobility with it, but I think it's just a major sprain from bracing herself from the hit more than anything. The worst thing that she's going to feel after tonight is soreness for a few days."
Bucky let out a soft sigh of relief, and Steve did the same behind him.
Being in physical therapy, they had seen some pretty rough injuries from car incidents, and some things that seemed small could lead to future issues. Lucky for Y/N, she seemed like she was got the better end of the deal than most.
"Can we see her?" Bucky asked.
Sherri turned to look at the door and hesitated but nodded eventually.
"Knock before you go in, but yes. I'm going to grab those scans, and I'll be back. I called Thomas, and even though Y/N told him not to worry about coming, you know that man wouldn't listen to such a request. He'll be here soon so he can drive her home," she explained further.
Steve sent Sherri a thankful smile and patted her shoulder with a soft rub.
"Thank you for calling us. Is there anything we can get you?" he asked.
"I'll be ok, sweetheart. Thanks for coming. She seemed pretty distressed, but a piece of me wondered if the wreck was the full reason or not. Call it mother's intuition, she gave a side look to Bucky, who seemed guilty. Knowing you two, it could be anything," she let out a light chuckle and patted his arm reassuringly. I don't know what happened at dinner, but just make sure her blood pressure doesn't rise," she sent a motherly pointed look to Bucky.
"Yes, ma'am," Bucky nodded. "By chance, where would the drunk driver's room be?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood even though he deep-down meant what he was hinting at.
Now he understood the rage Y/N had the night of his accident.
"Yeah, right," Sherri laughed. "Be smart, boys," she waved before walking down the hall.
"I'll stay out here. You guys take your time," Steve said once they were alone.
"Thanks," Bucky said, taking a deep breath.
"If I hear screaming, though, I'm coming in," he pointed out to his friend.
"I'd appreciate the save," Bucky said with a half smirk before placing his hand on the knob. "Wish me luck," he hummed, now nervous.
Before turning the handle, he knocked a few times and heard a strained 'come in.'
What Y/N wasn't expecting was the brunette with blinding blues to be the face she saw. Her face dropped some at that but didn't show anger. More so embarrassment.
"Hey," he said, closing the doors behind him.
"Hey," she said. Her voice was rough, as if she was on the verge of losing it from screaming all night.
"Are you-? How are-? How do you-?" he stumbled out his worries but couldn't seem to complete the sentences as he looked at her.
"Sore as hell and extremely tired," she answered for him with a soft smile before she winced at the movement. "What are you doing here?" He gave her a look that read, "Do you really need to ask?" and she let out a single chuckle that read more than the small hmph that came with it. "They said I'll survive, but it sure as hell hurts like death," she groaned, holding her ribs as she cringed at the pain sure to be flowing through her body.
Bucky took quick steps forward at her response, noticing the butterfly bandage was bigger on her temple than he expected. The small movement of just raising her eyebrows would probably sting some.
But he didn't hesitate to walk right up to her as she sat on the edge of the bed. His hand came up to examine the cut, but he stopped himself as he hovered over the damage. His slightly intoxicated brain wasn't allowing him to process his actions fully before he made them, but he was sobering up enough that he caught himself.
"Sorry," he said, slowly pulling his hands away and stuffing them awkwardly into his jacket pockets. "Muscle memory," he said softly to himself.
Y/N heard, and her heart lightened at that. His need to protect her was something she learned would never change or dissolve over the years. Even if she did leave him in the rain as she drove off for a second time and ran instead of facing her fears.
The room became saturated in awkward silence as neither party knew what to say. Bucky just needed to see her physically okay, and now that he had, he didn't know what to do after.
"Brings back some memories with this whole situation, huh?" she eventually spoke up.
Bucky's head looked up from the nervous scanning at the ground, and a small smile grew on his face when he saw she was sending him a smile of her own. One showing just how tired she was.
"Yeah, I think I prefer seeing myself in the bed rather than you," he nodded. "And didn't we make a promise that we wouldn't do anything stupid after an argument? Car wrecks specifically?"
"Right... We did say that, didn't we?" she laughed at the memory.
"From what I can remember, yeah," Bucky chuckled with her. "Maybe it's the drunk driver who should make promises next time."
Again, another long stillness as their reality set in.
"I'm sorry," Y/N finally blurted out. It sounded as if she had been trying to hold it in and could no longer keep it to herself.
Bucky just looked up at her. He wasn't sure how to counter that. He stammered a little, but no words came out.
"Don't worry about feeling like you have to say something. I understand if you hate my guts and never want to see me again after the way I acted tonight," she groaned, fidgeting in her spot, making her wince again as she put pressure on the wrist that was injured. "Shit!" she shouted, pulling her arm into her embrace and holding it close.
"Hey, hey, careful," Bucky was quick to run to her aid without hesitation. "We aren't sure if that's broken or not."
Y/N sent him a blank stare. Bucky examined her wrist with gentle fingers as he had already seen some bruising. When he looked up, meeting her unreadable eyes, he backed away some.
"Sorry-," he started.
"Why?" was all she said as she cut him off.
"Why, what?" he asked slowly in confusion.
"After how I've treated you. How immature I've been. Why the hell do you still care? Why would you even consider being nice to me?" she scoffed, angry with herself. "I've done nothing but push you away and be a complete asshole to you."
He let out a loud single laugh that caught her off guard.
"Sorry, sorry. It's not funny," he waved his hands before stepping back some from the side of her bed. "Actually, it's a little funny," he shrugged, pouting his lips.
"Me being an asshole to you is funny?" she asked dumbfounded.
He shook his head, looking at the ground before looking back at her.
"After all these years of resenting me, I wasn't surprised that you'd be like that towards me," he said. "Now, acting like a complete child when I try to get your feelings out of you? Yeah, I was leaning more toward you being defensive but not completely ignoring the issue."
"My head is not in a good place right now, Buck-"
"I don't care, Y/N," he cut her off, moving to her as he talked with his hands. "When have I ever cared if you don't have it all together? Hell! When has either of us truly had it all together?"
She didn't reply. Now, it was her turn to not know where he was going in the conversation.
"My point is, I just want to know what's going on in that brain of yours," he sighed, taking a calculated step to the side of her bed that she was sitting on the ledge of. Still enough room, he could give her space if he needed to, but she didn't flinch away at his proximity. "I've always wanted that. I want to see the struggle and confusion and all the anxiety. It makes you human."
"You're asking for a mess," she said softly, watching him intently just as he was her.
"A mess I can handle. One you've always protected me from even when I told you it doesn't matter to me," he sighed impatiently. "When are you going to get it through your thick skull that when I said those vows all those years ago at the altar, as cliche as they were, for better or for worse."
"I-I can't put you through that..."
"You can, but you're scared. You're scared you'll turn out like your mom in screaming fights."
"How do you-"
"I would have been a terrible husband if I didn't know that was your true reasoning when walking away from most of our fights." He was now just inches from her. His fingertips brushed her hand that rested on the bed. "Not that I was a great husband, but I at least knew why you acted the way you did. It took only all my life to finally tell you to shut up and listen."
She sent him a pointed look at the statement, but the corner of his lip raised at the sass that painted over her features. There was his girl.
"So here it goes. Nine years overdue," he said, taking in a deep breath and getting a raised eyebrow from her. "I want to fight with you. I want to talk out our disagreements and then hug them out because, at the end of the day, we love each other. I want to see all your accomplishments. I want to see your failures. Every single one makes you no less of a person, if anything, more all the more human. I miss you... I miss the way you tilt your head 45 degrees when you're confused. I miss that little vein that pops up on your forehead when you get angry. I miss how you used to bend a corner of a page in a book when you came across a quote you liked so much so you could show me later. I miss how every time you or someone else you cared about was stressed, you would make rose tea for them. I miss how when you had just a touch of extra money to spend; you would use it to get someone else something that reminded you of them. I miss going to the farmers market with you and seeing you light up when we were about to turn the corner to the flower tent. I miss-"
He paused when he looked at her and saw a tear go down her cheek. He had been so enthralled in his speech he hadn't noticed that her eyes were glossed over and she was on the brink of crying.
He let out a soft sigh. This time, his hands coming up to touch her cheek didn't retreat at the last second. This time, the pad of his thumb brushed over her cheek bone, keeping the tear from even getting the chance to fall any further.
"I have a whole list, Everest. A very, very long list that needs to be dusted off and updated," he smiled sweetly at her. "And if I ruined my chances of ever experiencing things that bring me the kind of joy you do again, I'd simply have a piece of happiness carved out of my life."
"Buck..."
"All I'm asking from you, doll, is that you give me a chance to have a friendship with you. That's all," he finished. "But after tonight, I can't lie and say it didn't hurt like fucking daggers to my heart to see that it was that easy for you to sign those papers."
Y/N took Bucky's hand in hers, keeping it on her cheek. She closed her eyes and scrunched her nose, not at the pain but at her actions.
"It wasn't easy, Bucky," she sighed, leaning into his hand before looking up at relieved eyes. "It wasn't something I signed in two seconds like you think, but I knew it was necessary." His sadness returned just as soon as it left. "I mean that by saying I signed off on a broken, chaotic, and ill-taken-care of relationship. Not our friendship or everything else we were together."
Bucky cocked his head slightly at those words.
"Those last few signatures I needed to make weren't easy for me like you think they were," she explained further. "But stepping back, we aren't those people anymore. Those kids who got married fresh out of high school, with no idea what kind of world waited for them outside of their hometown? That's who I signed for."
Bucky sighed, realizing she was right. He was holding onto an old version of them. Something that was in need of growth but wasn't given the right amount of time, space, or patience just yet.
"We're new people, Bucky. Almost ten years new. We've experienced, grown, and changed since then."
"I get it," he sighed, brushing his thumb one more time over the small bruise that had formed on her cheekbone. "It's just hard to let go of something you never wanted to end in the first place."
"I understand, but look at us," she smiled. The two were still holding hands. "You're a big-time Doctor at one of the top Occupational Therapy Rehab centers in New York, and I have an entire business I'm running on the West Coast. We may be the same in a lot of little things, but overall, we are new and improved for the most part."
They sat there, taking in each other's presence. As if seeing the new versions of themselves for the first time ever, even though they had been learning all these things the past week.
"So yes. I'd love to be friends, Bucky. I'd love to pick up where we ended on good terms," she nodded, looking down at their hands as she interlocked them more. "As long as you're willing to deal with my still immature ways sometimes. Although, I promise I'm working on that."
Bucky laughed at her little quip and squeezed her good hand, sitting next to her on the bed. Gently, he wrapped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her into his side.
"It's not immaturity. It's the fact your attitude and head is just as strong and unwavering as a mountain," he laughed. "But I'd love nothing more as long as you're willing to take on my banter. Your stubbornness has to be matched sometimes, Everest."
"I'll do my best to allow it," she laughed, leaning into him and resting her head on his shoulder.
The motion and position were nostalgic and comforting.
"Did we just make up? For real this time? Not like halfsies?" Bucky asked.
"I think we did," she laughed before wincing. "Ok, body hurts. Soreness is setting in big time."
"Right," Bucky said, easing up his grip on her even though it was already gentle. "Sherri said she'd be back with the x-rays soon. I can go check."
"I don't think it's broken. I really just think I jammed it or sprained it," she hissed as she attempted to rotate it. "It just really fucking hurts."
"Well, stop moving it," he chided as he took the injury and immobilized it with his own hands.
"Tell me, Doc," she said playfully. "Will I need therapy?"
Bucky smirked at her, the playful banter and old friendship already breaking the surface as if it were just waiting for the ice to melt.
"I think we all need a little therapy, but not the kind you're talking about, so no, I think you'll live. I'll take a look at those x-rays myself to make sure you'll have a fully functioning hand in the future," he winked as he examined it.
As if on cue, Sherri came in with a doctor in tow, and Steve with Wanda, and Vis, who had finally caught up to the group, followed behind in the small room.
The doctor explained the injuries and came to the conclusion of some slightly bruised ribs and a badly sprained wrist to add to the cuts. He gave her a brace for her sprain and told her to keep it on as much as possible, but it's okay to take off for small breaks like sleeping and showering. Besides that, she was in much better condition than some of the other patients brought in from the same wreck.
Wanda and Vis offered to stay longer and help if they needed anything, but there were enough people, and Y/N told them to get home. She was fine, and Wanda was hitting the drowsy drunk stage and was barely able to stand. They left, eventually making sure to tell Y/N to update them when she could.
Steve and Sherri noticed the new behavior between the two once the doctor left but decided to ask questions later and not disrupt the peace.
"Hey, I'm sorry I'm late. It's crazy out there," Thomas rushed into the room. Worry was evident in his eyes even after being filled in with everything. "How are you, sweetheart? You ok?"
"I'm fine, Dad," Y/N waved off. "Really, I got lucky compared to the others."
"Oh, God, I was terrified," he sighed in relief, pulling her into a tight hug and making her groan.
"She just got in a pile-up wreck, Tom," Sherri scolded, pulling him off of her. "The kid probably feels like her body went through a compressor."
"Right, right, sorry," he said, becoming extra gentle. "Well, if you think you're hurting now, just wait until tomorrow morning when you won't even be able to turn your head in one direction."
"Wow, thanks. I feel better already," she chuckled with a roll of her eyes. The rest of the room quietly laughed at her father with her.
"He's not wrong, though. You'll be aching pretty bad all over, and then you add in the bruised ribs and sprained wrist. You'll need to take it easy tomorrow," Bucky nodded.
"Hope you don't have anything special planned for yourself for the next few days here cause you'll need to eat a bowl of ibuprofen to get out of bed," Steve added.
"Wow. The relief these comments are giving me is amazing," Y/N deadpanned to them.
"Don't worry, June Bug," Thomas was quick to comfort her. "I have nothing going on with my life this week, so I'll be at your beck and call until you're feeling back to normal."
"I appreciate that," she thanked, taking a deep breath before standing and wobbling some. She hadn't moved much since sitting down from changing into her normal clothes, and all the stillness made her muscles ache more.
Everyone somewhat moved to catch her as if she was about to fall straight to the ground with the pained look she had.
"Any chance you can get a hold of those fun meds, Sherri?" she laughed, trying to play off the pain but failing. Bucky was quick to her side, holding her good arm for support as she leaned into him.
"Considering the wrist and ribs? Yeah, I can get the good stuff for you," she winked. "I'll go get some now before you guys head home."
"You're a lifesaver," she smiled at her.
"Let's get you started downstairs into the car. The sooner you're in bed resting, the better," Thomas motioned to the door.
"I want to take a shower before I go to bed. If it's as bad as you are all making it out to be, I won't be able to move at all tomorrow," she nodded as Bucky walked her to the door, and everyone followed.
"Whatever you need, Bug," Thomas said in a fatherly way.
Once they got downstairs and Y/N situated in the car, Sherri came out with the prescription drugs the doctor had written up really quickly.
Bucky and Steve said their goodbyes as well as offered a helping hand if she needed it for the next few days.
Thomas eventually drove off in his truck with a very tired Y/N falling back in the passenger side.
"Those drugs are going to be her best friend tomorrow," Steve chuckled when they got back in the car.
"I'll stop by and check on her tomorrow, too. Make sure she's got everything she needs and is set," Bucky said on the side, looking out the window.
"I take it that whatever conversation that went on in that short time went a lot better than the one earlier tonight?" Steve said with a smirk.
"A lot better," Bucky couldn't help the giant grin that formed on his lips. "I got one of my best friends back. For real this time."