The Clone

13.

Bucky watches Sara sleep, hair fanned out all over the pillow and her face. He smiles a little and brushes her hair back, her eyebrows scrunched up in concentration, even in her sleep, like her mind is constantly working. He supposes that's why he has trouble sleeping too, thinking too much, all the time, his mind constantly working, rolling, flickering through everything, it's why most nights he can't sleep, he gets flashes of the things he's done, things that haunt him. He sighs softly and strokes her cheek. A female Steve. That's pretty hard to believe, he knows science has come on wonders in the last 50 years but still...he brushes her hair back and looks over her neck, there really is no mark, no bruises, no evidence that he had tried to kill her. His expression turns regretful and sad. He can't believe he put his hands on her like that. He sighs and slips out of the bed before he leaves the room, letting Sara sleep.

...............

Bucky frowns at Steve who stands across the kitchen counter to him.

"So science made her?" Bucky asks Steve who nods. "To be exactly like you?" Steve nods again. "But it went wrong?"

"Yes" Steve answers. "They wanted an exact copy....as in a male. So...she's 99% me" Steve sighs. "Does it bother you?"

"That I am attracted to a female version of my best friend....a little bit" Bucky admits. "But right now I am more bothered at the fact I almost killed her" he sighs.

"She forgave you" Steve reminds him.

"I know, but I can't...." Bucky points out. "She's been nicer to me then....anyone else here, except you, and I...hurt her"

"Yeah, you did" Tony snaps from the doorway.

"Tony" Steve starts.

"Forget it" Tony snaps. "Sara already talked to me, unfortunately my sister knows just how to wrap me around her little finger"

"Meaning?" Steve asks.

"You can stay" Tony grumbles looking to Bucky. "But you have to go to counselling with Wilson everyday for six months, or until he thinks you're better"

"I'm not going to get better" Bucky grumbles under his breath.

"And, she fought me on this, but..." Tony sighs. "You are to stay away from Sara" Bucky looks to Tony. "And I mean it, you've taken enough from my family already....."

"We live in the same tower" Bucky argues.

"Yeah, and you can leave the room when she walks in, avoid her, just stay the hell away from her...." Bucky looks to Steve as Tony walks away.

"It's better then the alternative" Steve offers, Bucky sighs and nods.

"Yeah, I guess" he grumbles.

"I know you like Sara" Steve starts and then sighs. "But maybe this space will help you think about what it is you actually want.....what you need" Bucky nods and looks down.

"Yeah" Bucky agrees.

......................

Sara spins the batons in her hand as Tony holds up his own, he's not a very physical man without the suit, but he does like to get some training in, just right now he wishes it wasn't with his super soldier sister who is annoyed and angry at him. She spins and launches an attack, Tony ducks and rolls out of the way.

"You shouldn't shut him out like this" she scolds spinning and ducking under his baton. "He needs people around him"

"He tried to kill you" Tony reminds her, blocking her counter attack.

"It was an accident" she counters pushing him back. "Why does this bother you so much?" he grunts as she catches his arm with her baton, and he knows not all of her strength is going into this.