Relapse ★ Bucky Barnes

JUNE SIXTH

Bucky,

It's been over twenty four hours since I've written anything down for you. I hate that I wasn't able to find time for you, but yesterday was just so hectic. I left for Clint's and spent the entire ride sleeping on Wanda. Then after we arrived at his house we began the annoying process of moving in, and lifting boxes with broken ribs isn't exactly easy. It was hard on Wanda, too, considering she's still trying to recover from being doped up on suppressors and other various forms of medication they had her on at The Raft. Clint offered to move things in for us so we didn't strain or hurt ourselves, but being the stubborn pair of "psycho sisters" we are, we refused him, of course.

The house is very nice, though, and it's very big and secluded. It's very different than what I'm used to and probably very different from what you would be used to. There's more trees than there are cars, and at night I listen to the sounds of birds chirping rather than the annoying and distant sound of cars and horns.

I have my own room here, too, that's how big the damn house is. Wanda and I offered to share, but Clint had been setting up our rooms for some time now. Tony had apparently gotten to him long before I even knew Wanda and I were going to Virginia in the first place. I have to give Clint some credit, though. My room is decorated perfectly for me, and it somewhat reminds me of my room back in Washington. The only thing missing from it is you.

Clint's family is great as well. His wife (Laura) is very welcoming and one of the sweetest women I've ever met. His kids are the greatest and the cutest human beings in the world. His son, Cooper, reminds me a lot of Mason, and that gives me some comfort in being away from him, but only some. Lila is his daughter and she is absolutely adorable. Since Wanda and I have been here (which isn't very long at all), she's clung to us. I think she's just happy to have more girls around now than just her mom. Nathaniel is precious and quite possibly the most rambunctious one year old I've ever known. I'm already very attached to the little one, though I can't help but feel a bit upset when I look at him. When I see him I sometimes wonder what Malory would have been like if she'd been born.

Today I got into a bit of trouble for once again not bothering to worry about myself before helping someone. I was helping Laura outside in the garden when Clint showed up to drag me back into the house. Trying to do physical labor while recovering from a broken rib is one of the stupidest things a person could do, but doing so while under the watchful eye of Clint Barton is even stupider. He acts like such a dad to me, but I like that about him. It shows that he cares.

I think I'm gonna be okay here at the Barton residence for the time being. It's definitely not Washington, and I'm not here with you, but for now it's all I have. I wish there was something more exciting going on that I could write down for you to read, but my life as of right now is anything but exciting. Maybe one day I'll go skydiving or bungee jumping and tell you about it so you can yell at me for being so reckless after you read about it. Wow, just thinking about the sound of your voice makes me wanna crawl in a hole and hide until I can hear it again.

I love you more than you know, James Buchanan.

Yours,

Marlena