Amnesia

C14: The Phone

By the time night rolled around, Steve hadn't gotten out of bed, and I had completed most of a season of Arrow. I really like that Oliver guy, very relatable.

I had checked on Steve every few hours, but most of the time he was asleep when I went in.

This time was different.

This time I went in and he looked not only sick, but utterly scared.

"You okay?" I said shocked.

He looked at me with wide eyes and took a few short breaths.

"Where am I?" He demanded.

I looked at him like he was crazy, but continued on anyways.

"You're in your room... In our apartment... in New York..."

"Our apartment?" He muttered. "Who are you?"

I looked at him very apprehensively for a second.

"It's me Steve. It's Bucky..."

"No Bucky is dead. So who are you?"

"Steve...I... it's me..."

"Stop lying!"

"I'm Bucky! It's not a lie! You've lived with me for like the past year!"

He looked confused and tired as his eyes scanned the room for answers.

"If you're him...then tell me something no one else would know."

"Um... when I first met you, you were 7 and we went to my house and ate spaghetti after we walked home from school and..." I stuttered, not really knowing what to say.

His expression changed to something more light, and for a second I thought I saw a smile.

"Bucky?"

"Yeah Steve..."

"Wow it's...it's you...its been so long."

"No it hasn't Steve, you saw me this morning."

"What?!"

"Just lay back down okay. You're sick."

"But I just got you back."

"I'll be here Steve. I'm not leaving."

"But..."

"Shhh... just go back to sleep." I whispered as I walked over to the table beside the bed.

"Bucky..."

"Yeah Steve. Go back to sleep." I grabbed his phone as his eyes were shutting, slipping it in my pocket.

I sat down on the bed beside him and pushed the little blonde strands away from his face. His cheeks were so warm and his eyes were fluttering shut, it reminded me of a child. Or more like him as a child. I guess he did get sick a lot back then.

His mouth had shuddered shut, and his breathing slowed down when I finally got up off the bed. I'm pretty sure he was asleep so I slipped back out of his room.

I slowly walked into the kitchen and turned a light on over the counter. I set my face down in my hands as I rested my elbows on the countertop.

What's going on with you Steve?

I reached into my pocket, pulling out his phone that I slipped from his room. I flipped it around in my hands, studying it although it was identical to mine. The slick black screen reflected the light across my face, but I still stared at it intensely wondering if I should turn it on.