His POV.
Bucky describes himself as a man of few words, which makes him a fan of silence. Yet in this scenario, he’d do anything to hear Quinn bickering at him rather than being sat on his sofa with her eyes lost. She spent a good two hours cleaning that room to then lock it again, not accepting any help and just limiting him to be in the living room. It’s obvious to him that she had a painful past, in fact, that was what attracted his attention on her on the first place, but it didn’t make it less easy to watch the girl go through it. Not now that she’s officially a friend of his, and he openly cared about her.
“Maybe…” He cleared his throat. “Maybe Trish can come to help. Or you can call her if you need, I’ll be in the other room.”
“Wasn’t it weird for you to come back to Brooklyn?” She asked, avoiding eye contact. Bucky was on the other side of the kitchen isle. “Coming back being a whole different person.”
“I guess…” He got closer. “It reminds me of a happier version of me. I was happy here.”
“Well.” She stood up and walked, so they were face to face. “I wasn’t. That apartment was a mental and physical torture to me for years. Having not only to come back after being blipped but finding out the crusty bitch I had as a grandma left that room untouched on purpose, reminded me of what I’ve scaped from. As if she knew some day I’d be back. Now this shit happens and…” Although tears were forming in her eyes, she laughed and put a hand on her front. “I can’t fucking take it.”
“Quinn.” The girl turned around, to prevent him from watching her cry. “Don’t.”
“What?” She turned back.
“Don’t fucking take it. Get upset. Cry, scream, punch someone. It’s better to let it out rather than overworking yourself at the Hospital, isolating, pretending you’re used to your best friend’s new life and having that stupid bedroom locked. Believe me, a few years of frozenness taught me better.” Quinn was in such a vulnerable place, that not a single doubt got in her mind about his words. She believed him.
“How?”
“I think you know how.”
*
“Hey, the bed is ready for you to… sleep in. Huh.” The sight was fun. Quinn was peacefully sleeping while hugging who was once Mrs. Holly’s cat. The cute image had nothing to do with what happened almost an hour ago.
“(…) And I can’t believe you still use that cheap ass wig, that shit’s older than me! I’ll never forget what you did, making blind eyes when the old lady slapped me in the face for no reason. You’re worse than her. I hope you die as alone as she did; no one finding out you’re dead until the smell of your balding head warns your floor neighbors. And I’m taking the cat with me!”
His words seemed to have helped her coping with the exhausting events from the day. Now that he thinks of it, it was strange how much she trusted him to talk about her life, and even more the fact that he did too, by relating with her. After covering her with a blanket he went back to the bedroom, once again looking at his cellphone.
“Joaquín? It’s me, Bucky. I need your help.”
*
Having in consideration what it meant to not leave Quinn’s side would’ve been a nice choice, before offering himself as her personal guard. Sadly, it was too late for Bucky, so, there he was at 4:00 a.m., one hour after Quinn’s shift began at the hospital. Saying he hated Hospitals was an understatement. It basically reminded him of all those procedures and torture he went through not too long ago. But somehow, the fact that there were families with kids and nurses looking at him with heart eyes made it easier. Plus, the waiting room was nicer than any operation room he'd ever been at.
“Who’s the lucky lady waiting for you?” One of the young women asked. She was on the reception isle.
“I’m here for a friend.” He politely smiled. It was a bit uncomfortable to get approached this way. He preferred old school flirting. “From Trauma surgery.”
“Oh! Are you here for Dr. Miller? He used to serve in Iraq.” Another girl assumed. She was from his side of the hall, but next to the reception.
“No, actually. I’m here for Dr. Parker.” Both nurses looked at each other in awe.
“Dr. Parker has friends?” Her friend nug her arm. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. She’s an awesome surgeon.”
“What my friend means…” The other one added. “Is that she’s known for being more of a loner.”
“Did you ever ask her if she has friends?” He inquired. Both nurses stayed silent. “That’s what I thought. You assumed things about her.” As if running exactly by the clock, on the corner of the hall came Quinn with her dark blue surgical clothes with three people with light blue ones following her like a puppy.
“Good morning, Lucy and Ellie.” She politely greeted.
“Mornin’ Doc, here are the carpets.” Lucy, apparently, the one behind the counter handed her multiple archives of paper.
“Okay kids, you’ll have to end up this paperwork by 5, which is in 50 minutes. Be on time if you want to scrub in the appendicitis scheduled by 5:30. Am I clear?”
“Yes, Dr.” They replied at the same time, before running with their arms full to wherever they had to be.
“Ellie, could you please check on Lucas? I promised someone’d check up once an hour.” She gave Bucky a look. “His anxiety makes him believe he’ll die of an infection.”
“Uh, sure. Which room?”
“505, thanks.” Bucky stood up at her sign as they walked to an elevator. When being inside, she stared at him and chuckled. “Ok, now you can ask.”
“Who were those kids? They look at you with big cartoon eyes when you talk.”
“My interns. I’m not supposed to have interns, but my superiors are testing me so I can go back to the job I had before the Blip.”
“Which was…”
“Trauma chief.” She proudly smiled. “My biggest life accomplishment, snatched from my hands.” She sighed. “Anyways, what were the nurses gossiping about?”
“How do you know they’re gossiping?” Quinn gave him a knowing look, which unconsciously made him smile. “Yeah, they were. Nothing I didn’t know before though.”
“Yeah right.” She smiled back.
It was easy to understand her for being so different and calm when in her ambiance, after all the events from the weekend. Surgery was meant for her, and you could tell it by the way her whole body differently moves. When would Quinn politely greet someone whom she knows speaks behind her back? When would she look so bossy and hot and attractive at the same time by only wearing her working clothes? Wow, the white lights started affecting Bucky too much. But somehow, he couldn’t get out of the head the image of her softly smiling at him, as if they’ve always been this intimate. Maybe it was because she is basically sharing her little world with him, and the thought of it made his heart warm. Sadly, his romantic thoughts were interrupting by the girl’s finger snapping at him.
“Are you with me?” They were outside the hospital, waiting in the line of a food truck. “I asked if you want a coffee.”
“Uh, okay.”
“It’s not necessary for you to stay. I have scheduled surgeries from 5:30 to 1:00, and then I’m on the ER pit until the end of my shift.”
“You sure?” The girl nodded. “Okay, I’ll leave after that coffee.”
“Of course you will.” She smiled again. Oh boy, sleep deprivation threatened his sanity. How could someone look that good at 4 a.m.?