Emma Joan Tallis

chapter fifty-one: Cathedral

We dance for laughter, 
we dance for tears,
we dance for madness,
we dance for fears,
we dance for hopes,
we dance for screams,
we are the dancers,
we create the dreams.

~ Albert Einstein

~*~

The sun was shining, and the house was clean, but we hit another dead end. Every time we thought we were getting close to Bucky, he would slip off our radar again. We were trying to find him, the problem was, he didn't want to be found. 

Steve wouldn't listen when I tried to tell him that we needed to leave Bucky alone. He insisted we keep looking for him, even though after six months of looking, he always evaded us. Except for one time, I managed to find him.

Steve, Sam, and I split up while searching a city. Brussels to be exact, in Belgium, where Steve's ability to speak French came in handy. Sam just got lost, and I enjoyed the scenery. Brussels is a very large city in Europe, so we decided to split up in hopes that we could find Bucky. 

I found Bucky, kind of. More like Bucky found me in a Cathedral. 

After searching for hours and coming up with nothing, we all called in and decided to call it a day. Sam and Steve went back to the house we were staying in, while I decided I needed some peace I only got by sitting in a church. So I found myself in the Cathedral of Brussels where the Royal Family still had their coronations, weddings, and funerals. 

I remember Leopold II, he was a unique individual. 

As I knelt in front of one of the altar in a side chapel, someone knelt down next to me. This wasn't unusual, when we stopped in Paris to look for Bucky, I spent a whole day at the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal, searching for Bucky during Mass, and kneeling in front of the body of my friend St. Catherine Laboure and praying to her for help. Hundreds of people came to pray at the old shrines and churches because of individual devotions. 

Normally, I wouldn't look to see who knelt next to me. But something prompted me to look, and kneeling next to me was Bucky. I sighed heavily, but didn't move as he turned his head to look at me. I finished the rosary I was praying before standing up and walking out of the chapel, it was a designated prayer chapel, and I didn't want to try to speak to Bucky in there. 

I think he knew that, because it took him awhile to come out. However, I was patiently waiting for him. "Emiliana," Bucky said when he saw me. 

"You finally figured out my full name," I said crossing my arms. "Why did you find me, Bucky? You could've searched out Steve, he knows you better than anyone."

"He wants to save me," Bucky said. "I don't need saving, you know that." 

"Steve wants his friend back," I shot back.

"I'm not his friend."

I rolled my eyes, and immediately felt a wave of dizziness, "you still don't remember, do you?" Bucky's silence was the answer I needed. "Do you remember me?"

"I remember when we were both being experimented on, but no," Bucky said. "All I know is what I've read."

"I am not Thor's girlfriend," I said blandly.

"But you're also not human," Bucky said. 

"No."

"You're Asgardian."

"Yes," I agreed. "I'm also your friend."

"I don't have friends," Bucky said.

"You do, even if you don't  want them."