Nightmares and New Beginnings
Avery woke up to a loud crash. She ran out of her room and could hear sobbing coming from Bucky’s room.
"Jamie???" Avery called as she opened his door to find him shirtless on the floor next to a hole in the wall. "Jamie, are you okay?"
Avery rushed toward him when she didn’t get a reply.
"No, stay back. I don't want to hurt you." Oh, no, this was bad. Avery knew she should have followed him after he left her room.
"The fact you're saying that makes me think it's not possible that you will hurt me. Jamie would never hurt me."
"You don't know what I have done, who I have hurt." Actually, Avery did know. She had been given Bucky's file before moving to the base by Tony.
"Bucky, are you okay?" It was Steve, his voice coming from the hallway.
"I am with him, Steve," Avery called out. She didn’t want to surprise him. As she knelt next to Bucky, who was sitting and leaning against the wall, she waited.
"Hey, need any help?" Steve came through the door, but Avery wasn’t sure if he was asking her or Bucky.
"I’m fine, sorry to have woken you both up." Bucky’s voice broke; he sounded like he needed a drink.
"You say that every time. I’ll go get you some water. Can you help him off the floor?" Steve’s concern for Bucky made Avery happy; they had each other.
"Gladly, Steve." Avery moved toward Bucky, and he almost pulled away from her. "Come on, you can kiss me, but I can’t help you up?"
"I can’t do this. I can't taint you. You're so pure. You go out of your way to help everyone." Avery was so done with this. Bucky deserved her.
"Like you didn’t do that for me?" Avery was trying to sound caring, like Steve, but she was exhausted, so it came off as a bit annoyed.
"What do you mean?" Bucky looked genuinely confused.
"You stayed up late with me to watch those horrible videos. You came back to check on me. Even when I fell asleep, you stayed just in case I needed you. You stayed with me after I woke up screaming, but you’re not letting me return the favor?" He had made her feel so safe; she just wanted to try to do the same for him.
"I don't want to pressure you. I don't want you to think that you need to save me." He was worried that she saw helping him as something she needed to do for the team. He hadn’t quite understood that she enjoyed being around him and liked helping him.
"I thought you didn’t know if I would save or destroy you?" Avery tried to joke. "I don’t feel pressure around you, Jamie. I feel at peace. I don’t want to leave your side." She heard the door open again.
"Hey, you got this?" Steve walked in, looking at both of them.
"Steve, she shouldn't have to look after me like this. You shouldn’t either." Bucky avoided eye contact. He wasn’t used to Steve looking after him, and he definitely wasn’t used to Avery doting on him either.
"You don’t get to tell us not to care. That’s our decision, and I’m happy that you have someone else around that cares as much for you as I do." Steve was definitely frustrated, but it warmed Avery’s heart that he saw her that way.
"Steve’s right. I care. I don’t care what anyone thinks, but I care about you, Jamie." Avery felt like she only cared about him.
"Doll, I know, but I think you deserve better than this." How wrong he was. Avery wanted him, battle scars and all.
"Yeah, I deserve to have you sleeping next to me, but you didn’t want to, and now here we are. Even if staying with me didn’t stop the nightmares, I would still want you there. Now drink your water and come to bed." Wow, Avery’s confidence came out of nowhere.
"She’s bossy. You need that. I’m going to bed myself. See you at Stark’s party. I’ll talk to Tony, see if I can keep him off your back." Steve left the room.
"Doll, do you want to just stay in my room?"
"If you are comfortable with it," Avery replied softly.
Avery woke up to banging at the door.
"I apologize, but access to this room is only for Sergeant Barnes, Steve Rogers, and the new agent." It was FRIDAY. Avery had no idea who was on the other side, but it was nice to know that Jamie had told FRIDAY to give her access to his room. She didn’t know he had that kind of lock in place.
Bucky groaned and sat up. He was only in boxers. Avery hadn’t realized he had been so undressed the previous night. She blushed as he got out of bed and walked toward the door. When he opened it, Wanda stormed in.
"Come on, we need to go dress shopping before tonight." She waited for Avery to get up.
"Wanda, I don’t need a new dress. I have dresses," Avery said, not wanting to get out of Bucky’s bed.
"Stark’s orders, and he’s paying. Let’s go, you can cuddle with your soldier later." Wanda threw a glance at Bucky, who looked too tired to argue with her.
"Alright, give me a minute. I’ll meet you in the kitchen, Wanda." Wanda smiled and almost skipped out of the room. Bucky closed the door behind her.
"You know, Maximoff kind of scares me. I think it’s the mind control thing. Just a scary woman." Bucky was laughing but not joking.
"Yeah, I get that," Avery stood up and walked toward him. "Do I get a goodbye kiss?"
He didn’t answer; he just pulled her against him. God, she could feel the heat he gave off as he kissed her. It was breathtaking. His hands were in her hair. She pulled away, and he looked a bit disappointed she didn’t want to continue.
"You know, Jamie, I think you’re gonna destroy me." Avery reached up and gave him a quick peck before leaving the room.
Shopping with Wanda was fun, but Avery did want to tell her about how she had told Tony about her and Bucky.
"So, I may have got caught up in the heat of an argument and phoned Tony and dropped the whole me and Bucky thing without warning on him."
"Kid? Are you insane? Wait, why is Stark paying for the dress if you did that?" Wanda turned around from looking at a rack of dresses.
"I don’t know. Of course, he wasn’t happy. He treats me and Peter like he treats his daughter." Avery was really concerned. Jamie was starting to mean a lot to her, but Tony was the one who brought her on board. "I feel like I’ve thrown everything back in his face by falling for the one person he hates on the team."
"Hey, don’t blame yourself. Stark’s issues with Bucky aren’t yours. You are your own person, and you deserve what makes you happy." Wanda had her hand on Avery’s shoulders as she looked her in the eyes. "You’ve gone above and beyond since you got here. You’re not even a week into training, and we already had you on a mission."
"On a computer. Not the same thing, Wanda." Avery laughed as she spotted a dress across the room. It was green, a deep green, almost black until the light hit it. "Wow, Wanda, what about that dress?"
Wanda almost ran across the room to get it for her. Avery went into the changing room, and the dress was perfect for a party. She decided to call Tony and show him since he was the one buying it. Nervously, she started a video call.
"Well, if it isn’t my favorite rebellious kid."
"You’re not my actual dad, Tony."
"I could call him, tell him that your new boyfriend is older than both of us combined."
"You wouldn’t dare. Please don’t call my dad." That was a problem for a different day. "I was calling to see if you approved of the dress you offered to buy."
"It’s nice. Green, kinda like Loki’s colors though."
"Who's Loki?"
"Another bad idea, but now I’m scared if I tell you to stay away from him, you might get a new boyfriend just to spite me."
"I’m not with Bucky to spite you. It didn’t happen like that." Was that what Tony thought—that she was doing this to hurt him?
"Oh, so this isn’t revenge for sending you miles away and getting you to do some exercise?" He was making a joke, at least he didn’t seem totally mad at her.
"No, it’s not. And the exercise isn’t that bad. Nat is a cruel taskmaster, though." How did she even explain what happened? It was like Bucky was just magnetic. She was drawn to him.
"Have they brainwashed you, kid? The girl that doesn’t leave her room thinks that the exercise isn’t that bad now?" She could see him laughing at her on the video.
"Is your joking about all this a coping mechanism, or are you trying to let me know you’re okay with it?" She really hoped this wouldn’t cause an issue. If she ended up with bad blood with Tony, she didn’t know how it would affect her and Peter.
"I (much like your boyfriend) am an old man. I’ll be fine. Just be safe, kid. Wear the pretty dress and just don’t expect me to be completely happy, but I’m not mad at you." Well, that was the best she could hope for. Tony wasn’t going to be a problem. Maybe she could enjoy the party tonight.
She hadn’t really spoken to Bucky about yesterday since the whole nightmare thing happened. She was unsure if he would come to the party. That would be embarrassing—to tell Tony she was bringing him only for him not to come. So much for Jamie in a suit.