Resilient

Chapter 19

In the elevator she noticed that Bucky's mood had changed and she looked at him from the corner of her eye and his jaw was clenched. As they arrived on their floor and the doors opened but he stood to the side.

"Thanks for riding the elevator with me Buck. I hope you have a good time at the party," Evelyn said walking past him. Her heart sank when she didn't hear a response as she walked to her room. She got in her room and kicked her heels off. What happened? We were having a great time.

Annoyed, she changed out of her dress into her shorts and t-shirt. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and washed her face. She looked into the mirror, "don't be stupid. You told him to enjoy his night and came back up here. He didn't do anything wrong." She shook her head because even though she knew that her heart felt like it had gone through a rejection. Ice cream for heart ache.

Evelyn walked out of her room and put her headphones on. Humming to "We Belong Together" from a chick flick from her teenage years. She got into the freezer and saw a couple pints and decided on the Rocky Road and grabbed a spoon and leaned against the counter and took a big bite swaying to the song over her headphones.

Suddenly someone cleared their throat and startled her so much she let out a small squeal and jumped.

"Holy - Bucky you scared the shit out of me." Evelyn said, looking at him taking off her headphones. He was no longer wearing his jacket and his hair looked like he had been running his hands through it. "I thought you went right back down to the party."

"Evelyn, why did you tell that Ken kid you'd see him next week?" Bucky said not meeting her eye.

"What?" Evelyn said looking at him her heart still beating fast in her chest

"Why did you tell Corporal Ken Wells you'd see him next week?" Bucky asked looking into her eyes.

"I'm visiting the VA. Roy suggested I visit to volunteer and maybe get help myself. I told Kenny I was visiting and he said he'd be my guide," Evelyn said raising an eyebrow

"Oh," Bucky said looking down

"James Buchanan Barnes, are you jealous?" Evelyn asked, mouth slightly open noticing a slight pink had appeared on his cheeks.

"I may have jumped to a conclusion earlier," Bucky said rubbing his neck

"Hmmm. A conclusion that had you asked me about in the elevator you would have shared this ice cream with me after I explained but instead you were cold to me so you now do not get the ice cream?" Evelyn said, grabbing a new spoon.

"I'm not usually like this," Bucky said leaning against the back of the couch, "I'm a bit out of practice."

"Uh huh," Evelyn said spooning another bite of ice cream into her mouth.

"I was worried you'd take me asking about it as me being jealous and nosey so I didn't want to ask but then you walked away and I could tell I upset you and I've been sitting here wondering how to apologize," Bucky said running his hands through his hair.

"Here," Evelyn handed him a spoon, "apology accepted."

Bucky raised an eyebrow at her taking the spoon. "This seems like a trap."

Laughing Evelyn took another bite and shook her head. "Nope no trap. I just appreciate honesty."

"Noted," Bucky said nodding, "do you normally eat ice cream after going to a party?"

"No, normally I only eat ice cream when I'm upset," Evelyn said, the spoon freezing in her mouth as she realized she had said it out loud. Damnit.

"Hey don't worry about that ass from earlier. We escorted him out and made sure he was gone and Tony made sure the security got his picture so he can't get back in," Bucky said, taking a bite, noticing Evelyn didn't relax or meet his gaze. "Evelyn, I promise you're safe."

Evelyn sighed and looked at him, "I'm not upset because of that guy. I'm upset because you didn't talk to me in the elevator and I thought you went back to the party and I didn't know what I did to ruin the night but it made me sad."

Bucky's heart sank and he walked towards her, "I'm sorry - I didn't mean to make you sad"

"It's not your fault Bucky. I told you to enjoy the party and then got sad all of a sudden and then ice cream was needed," Evelyn said, giving him a small smile.

Bucky thought back to when she left the elevator and when he thought she was going on a date with Ken. How sad he felt and how lonely and then realized she had sensed his feelings. "I'm still sorry for being a jerk."

Evelyn smiled, "you're forgiven. You can head back downstairs and enjoy the party. I'm just going to head to bed - I have training with Nat in the morning and she destroyed me last time."

"Nah, I'm all partied out. I was only going to be a certain blonde's bodyguard for the night and she ended up not needing me," Bucky said, walking his spoon to the sink.

"Well I'm sure that blonde is very happy you showed up when you did," Evelyn said as she put the pint back in the freezer, "but she would probably gloat a little about how she was right." As Bucky laughed she looked at him, "Bucky, I'm sorry if I ruined your night. You seemed to be really enjoying yourself and now you're up here and not with Steve and the rest of the team."

Bucky closed the distance between them, "you are the only reason I went to that party tonight. I wish I had been the one dancing with you when he came up and then you wouldn't have hit him and could have enjoyed yourself more."

"You would've punched him instead and then it probably would've been worse," Evelyn said, not meeting his gaze.

"Nah, I would have just danced you away from him and let Steve and Sam have him," Bucky said bringing her chin up so she looked at him and grabbed her hand and gently put his hand on her waist.

"Wha- what are you doin?" Evelyn said, trying to remember how to breathe.

"I am cashing in the dance you promised me," Bucky said pulling her in

"Oh wow you are smooth," Evelyn said putting her hand on his shoulder, "you trying to impress me Sarge?"

"Maybe," Bucky said starting to sway

"F.R.I.D.A.Y, please play my playlist over the speaker for me," Evelyn said smiling at Bucky's confused face.

Evelyn's music started playing over the speakers and she realized her teenage self would be squealing to be dancing to A Thousand Years with a man as gorgeous as Bucky. He took the lead and twirled her around the kitchen. He surprised her and spun her and when he brought her to his chest she laughed from the surprise.

"There's that laugh," Bucky said looking down at her

"I've never had someone spin me around in a dance," Evelyn said laughing

"Really?" Bucky said as he spun her again; smiling as she continued to laugh. "You must not have very good partners" and he spun her again.

"Stop - I'm going to fall," Evelyn said laughing and grabbing his shoulders.

"Don't worry I got you," Bucky said, his hands on her hips steading her as the song ended.

As the two of them stared into each other's eyes F.R.I.D.A.Y's voice came over the speaker. "Mr. Rogers is on his way back up from the party."

"He always has had the worst timing," Bucky said, leaning down and kissing Evelyn's forehead and reluctantly letting go of her waist at the same moment she took her hands off his shoulders.

Evelyn leaned up and kissed his cheek and let her lips linger for an extra second and looked at him, "thank you for a wonderful night." She walked to her room the whole time forcing her feet to take the steps away from Bucky when every part of her wanted to run to him. She heard the elevator ding announcing it was to the floor she was at her door. Once in her room she sunk into the mattress, reliving the events of the evening, and fell asleep while wishing she was still in Bucky's arms.