Second Chances

Chapter Eight

Emily had sat quietly the whole flight to the compound, Billy on the other hand, he had loved the whole ride, he had sat at the front on Steve's knee. Emily had so many feelings going round in her head. She couldn't stop thinking about Bucky. As the jet landed and they started heading to the compound, Billy had run off in front to walk with Nat, Emily hesitated at the entrance, the last time she was here, she had been under arrest, this time she entered free, but she also entered without Bucky, again. Steve stopped next to her, he put his hand round her shoulder.

"You ok?"

"Every time I come to this place....it's because I've lost him in one way or another and this time it might be for good."

Steve pulls her closer to him as they head inside, Billy ran to her and she scooped him up and carried on her hip. They all just stood in the kitchen, no one really knew what to do. Emily looked at them all, her motherly instinct took over.

"I'm gonna cook us some dinner." she said after a moment. "let's all get a room, shower and meet back here in about an hour."

Everyone looked at her, she walked with Billy back to the room she had stayed in. It was very much the same. She started unpacking the bags she had brought with her and placed some of Billy's toys on the bed, he came over and started playing with a small truck. She was putting the clothes in the draws when Steve came in. Freshly showered.

"I thought he might need watching while you have a shower."

"Thank you." Emily picked up a towel and some clothes and headed to the bathroom. She stood under the water, tears started to stream down her cheeks, she hadn't cried since this terrible thing started. She wanted to be strong for Billy, he was their whole world. They were going to get Bucky back, they were going to get all of them back. She had to believe they could get them back.

Emily finished off in the shower and stepped out grabbing a towel on the way. She heard Steve and Billy talking as she opened the bathroom door.

"Mama said Dada has gone away."

She realised this was half a statement, half question to Steve. She peered round the door after pulling on the last of her clothes, Steve was sitting on the floor with him, Billy was still playing with the truck.

"Yer bud, but he's coming back."

"When?"

Such a simple question, a child's question, that no adult had the answer too. Steve pulled him into his lap. "Really soon."

Steve turned then as Emily opened the door a little more, she gave him a small smile. They headed down to the kitchen, there wasn't much food in, but there was enough to make some pasta. As everyone gathered, Emily placed the large pan on the chopping board on the side placing several small bowls for everyone to dish their own food up. She smiled when she saw Billy stood next to Steve, he had his own bowl in his hand, Steve put him some pasta in the bowl and he ran with it to sit next to Nat. Emily got her own small bowl and went to sit with everyone. They ate quietly and sat letting what had happened sink in. As the evening wore on, Emily turned and saw that Billy had fallen asleep next to Nat. She scooped him up and took him to her bed, she laid him down and covered him up, kissing his head.

The following weeks were filled with trying to figure out, who was still here and who had gone. There was a rumbling outside the front entrance of the compound one evening, it had sounded like large engines powering down and sure enough looking out from the balcony on the second floor they saw a jet coming into land. As the doors opened, Emily was shocked to see Tony, Steve helped him in, Pepper was overjoyed to have him back. He was weak and Emily made him a bowl of soup, while Bruce hooked him up to a drip. Tony was angry, far more angry than she had ever seen him before. He had always had a temper but most of this seemed to be aimed at Steve. As Stark's body finally gave in Emily rushed forward to catch him as he collapsed from the one sided shouting match, they settled him into one of the hospital beds, Bruce hooked him back up to the drip and left Pepper to sit with him.