One | Steve Rogers

33

" Lauren?"

" Bucky?"

" What are you doing here?"

" Therapy."

" Me too."

" Dr. Raynor?"

" Yep."

As they stand in the hallway, their eyes lock, but their faces give nothing away.

The well trained individuals stand in silence for a moment before it's broken.

" I saw you on the news," Bucky says, " Great speech."

" Thanks," Lauren says, " I wish you could've been there."

Bucky lets out a dry chuckle as he looks at the ground.

" Yeah, well, nobody's really interested in hearing from the Winter Soldier," He says.

Lauren takes a step forward and grabs his fleshed hand. From the contact, Bucky's gaze goes from the ground to her. To her beautiful green eyes that are captivating no matter how many times you see them.

" You are no the Winter Soldier," She says, " Not anymore."

" But I was," Bucky whispers, " I was, and I--"

Lauren is quick to wrap her arms around the man with a metal arms. At first, he's tense, but his body soon melts from the contact and embraces her. A whiff of her perfume goes up into his nose and fills him with a strange feeling. Something he's never felt towards her, but something he can't identify. They pull away, and their eyes meet once more.

" Where are you staying?" She asks.

" Brooklyn," He responds.

" You have a ride?"

" I walked."

" Then I'll walk you back."

Bucky shakes his head and tries to argue, but it's of no use.

" I'll run down and get us some coffee's and wait for your session to end," Lauren says.

Bucky lets out a sigh of defeat, knowing that no matter what he says or does, it won't change her mind.

" Then at least let me pay for it," He says as he reaches into his pocket.

He pulls out his wallet and hands Lauren a $10 bill. She takes it with a smile, then turns around to walk out down the stairs and out of the building. Bucky watches as she leaves, then clears his throat and goes into the office of the therapist that she just left.

As he sits on the couch, Bucky relives memories of a past life. A life that was never his, but a life he's cursed with the memories of.

" So, Mr.Barnes, are you still having nightmares?"

Bucky stares off into the distance and gives no response.

" James, I asked you a question. Are you still having nightmares?"

" No," Bucky finally says.

" We've been doing this long enough that I can tell when you're lying," Dr. Raynor says, " Well, you seem a little off today. Did something happen recently?

" No," He says with a slight shrug.

" You're a civilian now. With your history, the government needs to know that you're not gonna..." She says, then makes a stabbing gesture with her pen, and Bucky nods, " It's a condition of your pardon. So, tell me about your recent nightmare."

" I didn't have a nightmare, " Bucky says almost scoffingly.

The doctor sighs as she sucks in her lips then grabs her pen to start writing.