The Fall - Book 1

91. I missed her birthday.

FEBRUARY 11, 2019 — AVENGERS COMPOUND — BUCKY

The quinjet touches down at the compound.

"You can debrief," I say to Nat. "If Tony or Fury want to speak to me, tell them they'll have to wait. But I don't have any different information than what you all are providing."

She nods, and presses the button to lower the ramp. As soon as it touches the ground, I'm striding down it, doing my best not to sprint as I make my way inside and up to my floor.

Réa's been twenty six for four days...I missed her birthday.

I texted her, wishing her a happy birthday, but the fact is I wasn't here for it. Even though it's not my fault since I was on a mission, I can't help the guilt that gnaws at me.

I step into my room and freeze, catching the faintest hint of spun sugar and raspberries in the air.

'My mind's playing tricks on me,' I think. 'There's no way Réa was in here.'

I head into my bedroom, dropping my bags inside the door and striding into my bathroom. I take the fastest shower I can while actually getting clean, then get dressed. I stride into my closet and take a small, wrapped package off the shelf.

I leave my room and cross the hall, setting the package in front of the door and knocking. I turn to head back to my room; I've made it all of five steps when I hear the sound of a deadbolt being unlocked. I freeze, barely daring to breathe as I hear Réa's door open, followed by one of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard.

"Bucky?"

At the sound of Réa's voice, I start to turn toward her, but stop myself—a feat that takes every ounce of willpower I possess.

'If she wanted to be seen, she'd ask me to turn around,' I think.

"That's for you," I say. "The package."

There's a moment of quiet, and then Réa speaks again.

"Tha-thank you."

"You're welcome, do—Réa," I reply.

I hear Réa's door close.

"Will...will you sit with me?" I hear her murmur from behind it.

I immediately settle into my usual spot in front of her door.

"I'm here."

I hear paper tearing and rustling, followed by a soft gasp.

"I...you...how...?" she asks.

"Tony," I say, stepping into the workshop. "I need your help. Please."

He turns to look at me.

"Sure, Bucky. What can I do for you?"

"Réa's birthday is in six weeks. And I have an idea of what I want to give her...but I don't know if it's possible." I pause. "When we were on that mission...in Berlin...Réa was working on a surprise for me."

I tell him about what she made—the BARNES with all of the frames—and that I'd like to do something similar.

"I know she only had the one photo of her parents, and that it was destroyed when Jones blew up the original compound. But I was wondering if you knew a way to get a cop—"

"God, for a genius, I'm an idiot sometimes!"

Tony begins tinkering on his computer; after a few minutes, he plugs in a flash drive, then removes it and hands it to me.

"I have a photo...of Pepper and Réa. Taken in Réa's room. The photo of her parents is in the background. I had F.R.I.D.A.Y. enhance and clean it up. It's on that flash drive. You can take it and have it printed out."

"Thank you, Tony. Thank you," I say.

"Thank you, Bucky. Not just for thinking of this...for everything," Tony replies, his voice thick.

I nod at him, then stand and leave the workshop.

"You...you've had this...for six weeks?!" Réa asks.

"Yeah. It was hard not to give it to you as soon as I printed it...but I knew I wanted to give it to you for your birthday." I pause. "I'm just sorry I'm a few days late."

"Bucky, it's okay. You were on a mission." She pauses, and when she speaks again, her voice is teary. "This is...I...thank you, Bucky. Thank you so much...so, so much."

"You're welcome, Réa."

We lapse into silence, but it's not uncomfortable.

"Bucky?" Réa asks after several minutes.

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you're back. I...I missed you."

"I missed you, too."

'I love you,' I silently add.