In the Dark

Whole

"Thanks, Doctor Banner." Sofia smiled at the man with a small wave.


Bucky looked up from his hands in his lap, locking eyes with Sofia. He stood up with a groan, Sofia hearing him as she walked over and raised her brows.

"You okay there old man Barnes?"


"Ha-ha," he deadpanned. "So funny. You're getting there, too, ya know?"


Sofia held up her index finger high up in the air. "That is a lie!"


They walked out of the outpatient center and into the warm Los Angeles sun. Bucky reached out and grabbed Sofia's hand, intertwining his long fingers with hers. Sofia sighed contently next to him.

It had been 6 months since the incident and both Bucky and Sofia had gone through a lot since then. Soon after Sofia went back home she thought she was having complications from the surgery but it turned out that she had severe anxiety that she only made worse by pushing away the symptoms on top of PTSD from the event. 

Bucky was going through the same thing as well. He would wake up in the middle of the night covered in sweat and tears in his eyes as he relived the moment over and over again. It came to a point where he was afraid to even close his eyes.

It wasn't until one day when Peggy was over that she suggested they get help. Sofia looked at Bucky but he was already looking at her waiting for her to nod her head. He'd go to the ends of the Earth for her. 

Once they began to get help, things got a little easier. Bucky began to sleep through the night and Sofia kept her attacks in check, usually being able to catch one before it got too bad.

But as they started to get better they grew closer and closer. Before they both knew it, they were waking up in each other's arms and loving each other as they had never loved anyone in their life before.

Sofia slipped her sunglasses off her head and perched them on the bridge of her nose to cover the sun from her eyes. Bucky held a hand up to cover the rays, taking in a deep breath as well.

Sofia had also decided to take a break from Hollywood. Everyone whispered about it being an early retirement but they didn't know that Sofia was going to come back to the business and take over everything once more.

For the time being, she lived like a normal person—sort of. Every once in a while she was stopped or followed my paparazzi but most of the time she was able to relax and lay low. Sofia didn't exactly like it but it would do for the moment.

"Hungry?"

"Nah." Sofia scrunched up her face. "But coffee sounds great."

"Then we'll go and get coffee."

They got into Sofia's car and drove to her favorite hole in the wall cafe the employees smiling at the sight of her walking through the door. They knew her well enough to know her order by heart and ever since the accident they all worried about her but there was no way for them to have contact with her. And the rumors that the accident had been worse than it actually was made them worry even more.

"How are you holding up?" The manager of the shop came out from the back to greet her. "You look good!"

Sofia smiled at the woman, placing some cash in the tip jar. "Thank you, Mary. I've been doing pretty well."

"And I see you have a new boy toy." She winked at Sofia making her blush.

"Hi," Bucky nodded, quickly sticking out his hand and shaking Mary's own. "I'm Bucky."

After a bit of banter with the staff, they got their coffees and headed out. Since Sofia was driving she thought of taking Bucky to her favorite place in Los Angeles—The Griffith Observatory. It had almost been a year since Bucky relocated to LA but he still hadn't visited the famous location.

He asked Sofia multiple times where she was taking him as she drove up the side of the winding mountains. She laughed in her seat and told him to be patient, something Bucky knew much about but for some reason, he had none when with Sofia.

Luckily, she found a parking spot on the side of the hill, knowing that if she drove past it, she probably wouldn't find another one. After perfectly parking in between two cars, she hopped out and Bucky followed. She held out her hand for him to take, quickly intertwining fingers and walking up the semi-steep hill leading to the observatory.

Once in sight, Bucky gasped softly; It was mesmerizing. Kids ran around with their parents calling after them while some people took pictures with the Hollywood sign behind them. Sofia pulled Bucky inside the building and stopping right at the pendulum, watching it sway effortlessly. 

The pair took their time looking around and even watching a show at the planetarium. At the end of their tour inside the observatory, Bucky frowned but Sofia had one more place to take him. She dragged him out to the terrace where the view of Los Angeles took over.

"Want to know why this is my favorite place?" Sofia asked, leaning against the terrace wall. Bucky copied her and hummed, ready to listen. "It's because of time kind of stops. I'm so far away from the city and my job and every little materialistic thing I could possibly think of; it's gone. It doesn't follow me here. LA is a place of dreams sure, but it also comes with nightmares."


Bucky licked his lips, placing his chin in the palm of his hand and looked over at Sofia. She was staring straight ahead, a dreamy look in her eyes. "So I wanted to share my safe haven with you. It's kind of like showing you another piece of me in a way. When I feel like I'm feeling down I know I can come here and that everything will sort of just fade away even if for just a moment."

Sofia took in a deep breath through her nose and let it out of her mouth slowly. Bucky was already taking up such a big part of her life and heart that it kind of felt overwhelming in the best way possible.

"I love you," Bucky blurted, not knowing what else to say.


Sofia looked over at Bucky and grinned. "I love you, too."

"Thank you," he cleared his throat, shifting his body closer to Sofia's and turning slightly so he could be facing her. He took her wrist in his hand and found her fingers, intertwining the tips of his fingers with hers. "Thank you for making me happy. Even after all the shit I put you through."


"You? Are you sure? Last time I checked, I was the one who put you through hell. I have press reports, pictures and a scar to prove it."


He leaned his forehead against Sofia's closing his eyes and sighing softly. "I don't like thinking about that day."


"I'm sorry," Sofia apologized, her voice barely a whisper. 

They stayed silent for a bit, Sofia's hands coming around to wrap around Buck's waist and holding him close. They were missing puzzle pieces at most. They fit perfectly even with their rough edges.

"You know," Sofia started. "I'm kind of glad Coulson was shot."


Bucky pulled back, a confused look strewn across his face. "Why would you..."

"No!" Sofia laughed, "Not like... I don't know; I wouldn't have ever met you if that hadn't happened. Life would have been so much different."


"Life works in funny ways."


"Most of the time."


"Is it weird that I can't picture my life without you now?" He swayed them softly.


Sofia shook her head. "Nope."

"Good."


Sofia leaned up slightly on her tippy toes to catch his bottom lip between her own, their eyes fluttering shut in unison. Bucky had a feeling he would never stop feeling butterflies in his stomach and Sofia believed she'd never stop seeing fireworks every time they kissed.

True happiness truly consumed them whole. There was no more running or hiding; their love was brighter than who they were in the dark.