The Fall

87. I can't keep this from her.

DECEMBER 30, 2018 — AVENGERS COMPOUND — BUCKY

The buzzing of my phone wakes me.

A glance at the screen shows a text message notification...and that it's almost ten A.M..

'Réa slept all night without a nightmare!' I think.

I open the text; it's from Tony, saying there's a meeting at ten-thirty in the conference room.

I text Réa to see if she's awake; I hear her phone vibrate, and her moving to pick it up.

"Good morning, sweetheart," I say through the door.

"Good morning, Bucky," she replies.

"How did you sleep?"

"Actually, really well. I didn't have a nightmare...I actually didn't dream at all."

"I'm glad you got some sleep." I pause. "There's a meeting at ten-thirty; I need to get ready for that. I'll be back afterward."

"Okay...." She clears her throat. "Would, um...would you like to w-watch The Fellowship of the Ring with me? When you get back?" She pauses. "In here?"

"Yes," I reply before she even finishes the question.

I hear just the faintest whisper of a giggle from behind the door, and something warm unfurls in my chest.

'I love you,' I think.

"I'll be back in a little while," I say.

"Okay. See you soon, Bucky."

"See you soon, Réa."

I make my way into my suite where I quickly shower and dress, then head to the conference room; I'm the last to arrive.

"You seem to have a little pep in your step today, Robocop," Tony says as I enter.

"Réa didn't have any nightmares last night."

"That's great!" He pauses. "And also a perfect segue into why we're having this meeting."

Tony turns to face all of us.

"We need to tell Réa that we saw."

"Tony—" I begin; there are similar responses from the others.

Tony holds up his hand.

"This is not up for discussion. It's been almost two months since we had to sit through that. And Réa has been awake for just over five weeks. She needs to know that we saw, and the longer we wait to tell her, the worse it's going to be when she finds out."

"So why haven't you told her?" Steve asks before I can speak.

"I think we should discuss who tells her." Tony pauses.

"I'll do it," I say quietly.

Everyone looks at me.

"Buc—" Steve begins.

"I'll do it. Because if one of you does it, and she knows that I saw but didn't say anything, she'll never trust me." I sigh heavily. "I've known I need to tell her, I've been debating about when to do so. I guess today it is."

The others all look at me; Wanda opens her mouth to speak, but closes it without saying anything.

"Is that all you needed, Tony?" I ask.

"Y-yeah," he replies.

I stand and leave the conference room.

----------------------------------------

I knock on Réa's door. I hear her soft footsteps, and then the door slowly opens, revealing her in a gigantic hoodie, sweatpants, and clutching her white wolf I gave her for Christmas.

'God, I love her so much,' I think as she gives me a tentative smile.

"Hi, Bucky. That was a quick meeting."

I nod.

"Is everything okay?"

I nod again, even though everything is definitely not okay.

'Come on, Bucky...use your words,' I tell myself.

I don't want to do this...and I know it needs to be done. I can't keep this from her.

I draw in a deep, shaky breath.

"Réa...we need to talk."