Time After Time (Book 3)

Tears and Time Travel

Days had passed since the funeral. 

Despite the upheaval brought about by the blip, or maybe because of it, Betty had managed to secure a small apartment in Brooklyn for her and Bucky. Steve offered for them to stay with him but she knew he was only being brotherly. They'd lived apart for long enough now that spending every night in each other's pockets was starting to wear a little thin. Betty could tell things were weighing heavily on Steve's mind. He'd been through so much after the snap and then during the blip. He looked so tired and Betty couldn't miss the growing crinkles around his eyes and the smallest of grey patches appearing in his scruff.

Bucky spent most of his days with Steve at the government offices as Betty still wasn't allowed to be considered his "chaperone". Fuckin' Ross is gonna get my boot up his fuckin' ass one day, she grumbled to herself as she bustled around the kitchen making dinner for the three of them. The door opened and Steve came through first, shrugging out of his jacket and hanging it on the hook by the door. His steps were weary as he walked past Betty to his room, ruffling her hair fondly as he went.

Bucky closed the door behind him as he entered the apartment, a bunch of sunflowers clutched in his hand. With a broad smile he presented them to Betty before bending his head and kissing her cheek.

"Missed you Doll."

"Hey Buck, I missed you too. These are lovely, thanks!"

"You're welcome. I just realised that I never really bought you flowers, so we stopped off on the way home."

"Well I don't think I was ever a flowers kinda gal Buck, but I sure do appreciate these." She kissed him right back as a faint blush tinged her cheeks.

"You two still smooching?" Steve asked as he came back into the room.

"Every damn day Punk."

"Don't I know it," Steve scoffed.

Bucky opened his mouth to retort but was interrupted by his phone buzzing in his pocket. He looked at the screen and frowned slightly at the number before turning away and taking a few steps into the lounge before answering. The Rogers siblings shared a look and a shrug as Bucky had his conversation, shoulders tense. He paced around the room, his trademark scowl becoming even more pronounced. Betty could only hear one side of the conversation but Steve, with his enhanced hearing, could detect it all.

"Mmmhmmm," Bucky nodded tightly, "yes, sure.  I understand."

He wasn't giving much away from his end of the conversation and Betty began to worry. They'd had so many setbacks, were they about to encounter another?

"Every week, sure. I...thanks. Really."

The call ended and he turned to face them, blowing out a breath and running a shaky hand through his hair.

"Everything OK Buck?" Steve asked warily.

He looked at Betty, eyebrows almost in his hairline, eyes wide and watery with disbelief. "That was the lawyers."

Betty sucked in a breath and she could feel Steve tense beside her.

"The Government agreed to a full pardon," Bucky almost whispered, as if he didn't quite believe it himself.

"What?!"  Betty burst out crying and stepped into the circle of his arms.

"I...I gotta have therapy but...I'm a free agent," he choked out. "I guess you're off the hook for babysittin' duties now Pal," he said to Steve over Betty's shoulder.

Steve clapped his friend on the shoulder, eyes misty, and then turned to plate up the dinner while Betty composed herself. He heard them whispering softly to each other, their words punctuated by gentle kisses and quiet giggles. If he concentrated he'd be able to hear what they were saying but he gave them their privacy, Lord knew they'd had enough heartache between them for a hundred lifetimes; they deserved their little bit of peace.