Chapter 1
Once upon a time, in a rainy bar, just like this one. This miserable, old speakeasy that was quelling & tempting back old memories like a familiar tune (or punishment, really), he danced to this damn song.
"With all your faults, I love you still..."
It was in their apartment.
No, not going there. He downed another shot. He was already punishing himself enough. There were limits, even the ones he pushed.
"Why don't I try to forget?..."
Think of another instance. Come on, this song is nearly 100 years old Buck, you had to have heard it elsewhere.
The jazz singer continued, the just right balance of smoke & mystery mist pouring from the piano.
He did hear it somewhere else. In his apartment, his first one.
The record scratched faintly, he sat on the bed, Betty Walkind from Delancy getting dressed. "You like Marion??"
"Mmhmm. Steve got it for me."
She sighed dreamily, her brunette curls turned slightly toward the phonograph. "Aw, lucky girl who gets to dance to this..."
She looked up to see Bucky's hand outstretched to her. "Well. May I have this dance then, Ms. Walkind?"
She positively lit up, like those Broadway marquees. "Oh Bucky!"
Betty was nice girl, beautiful & kind as Apple pie. All American gal.
But the brunette curls were turning to red again.
"Who knew you had such good dancing shoes, James?"
A smile that was Times Square on nights when only lovers were only there to watch it.
"You never asked."
"Must've been all those Fred Astaire movies."
He dipped her. "Perks of living this long."
Perks of living this long with someone who could under-
He closed his eyes. The bar came into focus again, along with the dull ache.
The bartender looked at him. "5 shots of my best bourbon. Gotta say bud, I admire you."
"& even be glad, just to be sad, thinking of you...."
"Thanks." He said quietly.
The man winked, pouring another. "On the house kid."
"Thanks.".
He tried to drink this one slower. Make his brain try to believe he could get inebriated. Then again, Steve drank a whole bar after he fell, and that did him as much good as drinking awful tasting water.
".....You know, I don't think it was good ol' Fred."
"Really? Gene then?"
"No." He spun her in their kitchen. "Just the man. ....Lucky girl."
He shook his head. "No.", James said, kissing her gently. "Lucky time gave me you."
"For nobody else gave me a thrill...."
He left a $20 tip with the tab & left.
He could already hear Daisy in his head, cussing him out for staying down here so long, to punish himself further.
"Stubborn fool", she'd be saying.
He walked to the nearest alley. Not stubborn. Just a lucky idiot once.
He transported back to the ship.