Cooking for the Avengers

19. Come Back to Me

~Jemma~

Pietro leaned into the kitchen island and licked his lips. "Okay Allie, would you rather... eat a bowl of vomit, or lick a hobo's foot?"

Allison stopped stirring the brownie batter as her lip curled in disgust. "Um, ew!"

Pietro waved her phone around with a cheeky smile. "You must choose! Vomit or hobo foot?"

"CHOOSE THE FOOT!" Tony yelled from across the room.

I looked over to where Tony and Steve were playing poker on in the little breakfast nook. Steve's face scrunched up as if he had a bad taste in his mouth, while Sam shook his head.

"Nah, I'd go with the vomit! Dog's do it, so how hard can it be?" Clint countered from the couch. From the other side of the L-shaped couch, Bruce looked up from his book, clearly grossed out by Clint's choice.

Clint threw his arms up in the air in victory as his army of rebels stormed into the castle, effectively defeating the evil king. "Eat that Thor!" he mocked, as Thor looked down at his Xbox controller confused.

Thor looked back to Clint. "How did you do that? And what is a hobo?"

"It's a homeless person Thor, and I am not answering that Pietro!" Allison said, pouring the batter into the cake pan.

Swiveling the stool around, I tuned out their squabbling as I looked to the elevator again. Bucky had been gone for eight days, and I was worried. The mission should have only lasted three days, but something must have happened that I wasn't allowed to know because I wasn't a SHIELD agent. Natasha was with Bucky, so I knew he was in good hands; but I still couldn't help but worry. Come back to me Bucky...

"-She zones out almost as much as you do Cat! JEMMA!"

I turned away from the elevator, looking at Pietro who waved his hands questioningly. "Oh, what?"

Pietro sighed and read from the phone again. "I said, would you rather burn to death or drown?"

Allison laughed at my face as I reeled back stunned. "What the heck kind of site are you on boy?"

"Yeah!" Sam chimed in. "Where are the fun questions?" He pulled his cards close to his chest and glared at Tony, who had tried to peek while he was distracted.

"Give me that!" Allison said, swiping her phone from his hands. She pulled up another site and handed it back to him. "Okay, try these."

Pietro swiped a few times and read what came up. "Live in the world of Dr. Suess or the Star Trek universe?"

"STAR TREK!" Allison yelled a too excitedly, earning laugher from the group. "I second that!" Bruce agreed without even looking up from his book.

Thor paused the game and looked back, making Clint huff in protest. "Who is Doctor Suess, and where does his world reside?"

Clint resumed the game, making Thor fumble for the controller. "Hey Roadkill, how about you pick questions that everyone underst- HEY!" Clint yelled as his controller suddenly disappeared from his hands.

"That is not my name!" Pietro spoke in an annoyed tone as he swung the controller through the air by its cord.

Tony snickered. "I told you to used the wireless ones!" Tony tossed a few more chips into the pile, grinning devilishly at Sam and Steve's visibly distressed faces.

Clint spun around angrily. "Give it back you little-"

I gasped and ran for the hall, completely ignoring everyone as a flash of silver exited the elevator. Coming around the corner, I slowed down, placing my hands behind my back. "Bucky! You're back!"

He nodded, stepping into the light. His face looked worn and tired, his clothes beaten and soiled, and his metal arm had nicks covering every inch. His bottom lip was cut, with dried blood trailing down his jaw, his eye surrounded by dark purple and black bruises. His hair a matted mess against his face.

"Oh Bucky..." I breathed, stepping forward, reaching out tentatively. He didn't put up a fight as I delicately trailed my fingers along his cheek. Bucky closed his eyes against my touch and exhaled a slow and shaky breath.

"I came back." He whispered. His face a mixture of relief and sorrow.

I wrapped my arms around him, my head lying on his shoulder. He hesitated a moment before dropping his duffle and fully engulfing me in a hug.

I nodded my head, hugging him tighter. I could feel him trembling slightly, but he didn't cry this time. I rubbed his back and whispered in his ear, "I knew you would."