The Clone

15.

Sara plops onto the couch with a tub of her home-made ice cream as Friday turns on the tv, Sara smiles and snuggles down as Dr. Sexy M.D's opening title starts. With the travelling the last few days she's missed a few episodes so now, now she is going to catch up and nothing is going to stop her. Tony sits beside her.

"Tony" she whines as he turns off the tv.

"Wilson came to talk to me" Tony tells her.

"About what?" she asks with a sigh.

"About you and Barnes..." She frowns at him. "He seems to think that there is something going on with the two of you" Tony looks to her. "Is there?" he asks.

"I'm not allowed near him remember" she scoffs at him.

"Barbie" he scolds. She sighs.

"I like his company" she admits. "It's....Tony" she fiddles with the ring on her finger and sighs. "It's like when I first met Dean" she looks to him. "I don't expect you to understand...and you can tell me to stay away from him, or whatever, but you need to realise that I can make my own choices and my own mistakes, God knows I've let you do it over the years...." he looks down and nods. "I've never judged you or belittled you or scolded you for the choices you have made, and I have wanted to, believe me I have....but I didn't...the least you could do is given the same courtesy. I know what Bucky did, I know what he took from us, But I forgive him"

"How do you do that?" Tony mumbles, she smiles and shrugs.

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" she looks to Tony. "Ephesians 4:31-32" Tony rolls his eyes.

"In the end God doesn't care" he tells her.

"Hmmm" she looks away. "Given recent years I am...." she sighs. "No" she shakes her head. "After everything...I need to believe" he touches her arm and smiles a little.

"Okay" he whispers. "I'll lift the sanctions on the Manchurian Candidate, just be careful" she nods.

"I can look after myself....I took on the devil....and the first demon and the mother of all monsters..." he smiles and nods.

"I just...You looked after me, when I was a kid and Howard wasn't around" Tony tells her. "It was always you and Jarvis...and...I just wanted to look after you back" he admits.

"I know" she tells him. "But we're both adults now, all grown up....so trust me" he nods and smiles at her. "You want to watch Dr. Sexy?" she asks, Tony snorts and shakes his head.

"God, no" he pats her knee and stands. "Have fun though" he teases walking away.

"You stole my ice cream!" She scolds as he chuckles leaving the room. Sara turns forward and shakes her head turning the tv back on again, she curls up and rests her head on the couch arm.

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

Bucky leans in the doorway watching Sara watch tv. He'd pretty much sought her out after Tony had told him that he'd lifted the block on their friendship. Not that he was going to stop him, between him and Sara there is 150 years worth of experience and he knows it's Tony being a protective brother trying to keep his big sister away from the crazy mindless assassin that killed their parents. Bucky hangs his head and turns to leave. This was a bad idea, he is a mindless assassin that killed her parents and she really shouldn't be anywhere near him.

"Stop stalking me and come sit" Sara states without looking up, Bucky smiles a little and moves to sit next to her, lifting her legs and setting them back in his lap.