The Dawn of Something New

CHAPTER: 6

A few days after his visit to the breakfast café, he was sitting by the pond with Brooke. They were skipping sones on the water as she talked about the latest technology she was working on.

"So, it's a basically supposed to print new organs, designed specifically for the person who needs it." She said bending down to pick up a rock.

"That's very cool. Has it already been done?" Bucky asked, turning his gaze away from his sinking stone.

"Oh yeah. We have been able to make organs with less complex structures like the bladder. We still have a long way to go but, the applications are countless. This could save thousands of lives! Isn't that cool?" she said excitedly.

"Are you kidding? That's revolutionary!" Bucky told her matching her excitement.

"We want to take it a step further and repair organs like the brain or the spinal cord which is one of the more challenging regions of medicine. That was 6!" She said skipping her stone on the water.

He abandoned the rock he was holding and turned towards her. Bucky was could barely keep up with what she was saying but he couldn't help his curiosity. "How is that possible?"

"It's all in the wrist. Hold th-"

"I am talking about repairing the spinal cord."

"Right, that. Just like we print new organs, we could print tissues and new bone cells directly on the person, designed so that it blends seamlessly with their body."

"That's so exciting!" he said unable to contain his amazement.

"It is." She agreed turning to look at him, surprised by his enthusiasm and interest.

"Hey, I have plenty of books on this topic if want." She suggested.

"That would be great!"

"Alright. Come to my house around 5. Okay?"

"Absolutely. Now, about the wrist action."

She laughed and enthusiastically picked up a new stone to demonstrate. Little did Bucky know that he was going to have a very interesting evening.

5 o'clock on the dot, Bucky was knocking on Brooke's. Two seconds later she opened the door.

"Hey! You're right on time! Like always!" She said cheerily as she stepped aside to let him in. Her face was slightly pink and she sounded out of breath.

"What's going on with you? Why are you talking like that?" he asked as he followed her into the living room. The far side of the wall had a beautiful wooden bookshelf overflowing with books.

"I just heard some good news." She said as she handed him the book. Bucky waited knowing she only paused for dramatic effect.

"My brother is engaged!" Bucky thought about her pink-faced-short-breathed appearance.

"Where you jumping?"

She shrugged "I love my future sister-in-law."

"Tell your brother I say congratulations." He told her sincerely and paused as it occurred to him that he knew nothing about her family or history. Which was strange considering the amount of time they spent together this past month. But as he replayed his previous interactions with her, he realized that they only ever talked about books or shows or movies or her work.

He wondered if that was because he was so unwilling to share his own past. He enjoyed her company but he wondered if they could become closer if he opened up more. Would she still care about him? Would she still want to spend time with him? He pushed these thoughts away immediately. Telling her the full story was out of the question, especially considering how badly in went last time. He couldn't risk losing her friendship.

"You have a brother?"

"A very annoying one." She said fondly.

"Is he younger or older?"

"He was born after me but we are the same age now." She said leaning against the back of the couch.

"Right." Something else he hadn't noticed before, she tended to skirt around the topic of the blip.

"Do you want to go out to dinner?" he blurted out and watched her eyebrows rise. The reason he asked that was he wanted to take the opportunity to get to know her better. But now that he had said it out loud, he realized it sounded like he was asking her out on a date.

"I think I owe you a meal." He rushed to explain, gesturing to the kitchen behind him. Her expression cleared at that and she allowed herself a small smile.

"You don't owe me anything. We're friends." she said bumping his arm with her shoulder.

"Still, friendship is a 2-way street." He said as another voice echoed in his head, the first time he heard those words from a short skinny blond. The bravest man he ever knew had said those words to him when Bucky initially declined his offer to help him cook for his baby sister. He blinked, surprised by the memory. It hadn't happened in a long time.

"You okay?" Brooke asked him softly.

"Never better." He smiled.

She studied him for a few moments before saying "Okay, let's go."

"Where do you want to go?"