Waiting for Superman

Bucky grinned, "I like you, you actually admit I'm right. Not that I'm right all the time, usually people tell me I'm wrong" Bucky headed to the store and picked out the drinks. As he paid for them he looked at Annie and smiled, "here you go." Bucky walked with her to sit somewhere to just talk, "so What does a pretty girl like you do on the weekends? " Bucky was really curious about Annie, she looked like she had a lot to tell and that pulled his interest.

---

Iris chuckled, "I keep asking him, if he's such a ladies' man why can't he asked my sister out? I won't ever understand him" Iris agreed, "that's true, " she stood up and fixed her dress. "Do you miss New York or do you go frequently? "

"Why should I tell you that you're wrong if you're right?" Annie said, shrugging her shoulders. That's how she saw it anyway. She saw no reason to do or say something unless it was actually called for or true. "Thank you." She smiled, following over so that they could just sit and talk for a little while. "I waitress a couple of days a week actually. When I'm not at that coffee shop or with my niece and nephew I'm usually there. When in doubt anyway." She shrugged her shoulders. "My life's really not that exciting."

---

Steve chuckled softly. "You do have a point there." He said, finishing off the last of his coffee. It didn't really make sense that Sam constantly talked about how much of a ladies man he was, and yet he couldn't even ask out Iris' sister. It was rather ironic actually. "Here and there. It's different from how it used to be when I first lived there. I miss how it used to be more I guess." He shrugged his shoulders. He couldn't help being a bit nostalgic about how things used to be sometimes. "I don't really get to go back too much though anyway."

[Part of me wants to skip to that scenario we discussed yesterday, but the other part of me doesn't know if I can endure the pain ]

Bucky shrugged his shoulders, "people enjoy giving me a hard time." Bucky took a seat next to Annie and took a sip out of his soda. "Oh yeah? Which restaurant? Maybe I'll stop by and say hi every once on awhile or everyday" he grinned. Bucky looked at Annie, "well, I don't think you're boring or your life is, mine has been busy with always being away." Sometimes he wished his life had been more normal, but if it had Bucky wouldn't be sitting here with Annie. He was starting to form some kind of bond with her.

---

Iris followed Steve out the door once they finished up, "you know, now that I think about it, Sam is only shy around Nina and vise versa. Which is why they're not dating" she chuckled. iris smiled, "I bet, sometimes I wished I was from the 40s I'm obsessed with that era" she grinned. "Well, maybe one day maybe you'll go back. You can take me with you" she chuckled.

[we can if you want. I don't know if I can handle it either ]

[I'm going to skip ]

Annie rarely ever worked the night shift. However, one of the other girls had called in sick last minute, and they were really in a bind, so her boss had practically begged her to stay and work a double that night. And Annie couldn't really say no. It was a Saturday night, business was usually booming, and the other waitress who was on the floor that night had very little experience. She couldn't really screw them over like that, so Annie had stayed and worked until closing at midnight. Needless to say, she was pretty damn tired when she got back to her apartment around one AM. So, when her phone started ringing around 3:30, she was kind of annoyed at first. "Hello?" She mumbled sleepily.

---

Steve's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Really? Are you sure that we're still talking about the same person?" He asked, chuckling softly. He found it hard to believe that Sam would ever be shy around anyone, though he supposed it explained why Sam hadn't really mad a move on Iris' sister just yet. "Things were a lot simpler back then." He told her. "Though the food is a lot better now. We used to boil everything." He chuckled once more. "I take it you've never been to New York then?"

[ ]

Bucky was sitting in the middle of the floors staring at the gray walls of his apartment. He closed his eyes as he started to shaking, all these flashbacks coming back to him. All the pain he caused and pain that was inflicted on him. He started to cry out of frustration as he stood up and began to punch the walls and throw stuff around and break anything insight and as he did so he came to see his reflection in the mirror. The torment and pain showed in his blue eyes, he'd let his hair grow out again Bucky looked like the Winter Solider. He could see his metal arm and flinched at the thought of hurting anyone else. Bucky breathed hard as he began to scratch at his metal limb trying to rip it from his shoulder as he cried out in pain. He didn't want to be this monster he didn't want to be remember as a monster. He just wanted to be normal. As he attempted to rip his arm off he screamed out in agony. after an hour he just gave up in frustration though he had almost taken it off. He lied on the floor bloody and realised what he had done. He quickly grabbed the phone trembling as he was failing Annie's number, "A-A-Annie... I need you" he whispered his voice trembling.

---

Iris laughed "yes we are, I don't think he's ever seen such a pretty girl, we get our good looks from my father." Iris didn't even want to acknowledge her mother, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Iris chuckled, "salt and pepper are food's best friend, well, sugar too if we're talking about baking" iris shook her hear "never been, I want to though, maybe one day I suppose it's possible."

"Bucky?" Annie stifled a yawn, sitting up in bed and rubbing some of the sleep from her eyes. She was about to ask what time it was when she heard how his voice was trembling. A frown tugging at the corners of her lips. Something was wrong. She could just tell. And it made sense. She doubted that he would've called her at this hour just to have a chat. "I'll be right over." She didn't ask any questions as she got out of bed, slipping on her slippers and grabbing her keys before heading out of her apartment. She had only really ever been to Bucky's apartment once before, and they hadn't stayed there for more than an hour, but she knew where it was. In any other instance, she would have been slightly pissed off about being woken up at 3:30 in the morning after working two shifts back to back, but this was different. Bucky needed her.

When she reached the apartment, she looked around, hoping to find a spare key somewhere. "Everyone has a spare key..." She mumbled to herself. Finally, she found one above the doorframe, she'd have to find a better hiding spot for it, and entered the apartment. It was a somewhat small apartment, practically studio-sized. It was dark inside, which was kind of to be expected seeing as it was nearly four in the morning now. She could hear someone mumbling. It wasn't in English though, it was a different language, one that sounded much harsher to her ears. In the moonlight, she was able to make out something reflective...silver maybe? "Bucky?" She approached slowly, unsure of what she was going to find. "Bucky, sweetheart, is everything alright?"

---

Steve chuckled. "Maybe that's it." He said. Either way, he was going to definitely rag on Sam a bit for being shy and nervous around her sister. Those were two words that he never thought he'd associate his friend with, though he supposed there was always a first time for everything. "We just thought the best solution was boiling everything...clearly things have changed, and for the better too. Food's definitely a lot better now, though my opinion might be slightly biased seeing as I've tried some of the best cookies and brownies in the entire district." He chuckled once more. "It's nice. I liked it more back in the 40's but it's still nice now."

Bucky was trembling as he rocked himself back in forth on the floor. His hair was messy as he had ripped some of it off, and bloody all over. He hadn't had nightmares or flashbacks in months this made him feel awful. Bucky started mumbling phrases in Russian, rocking himself back and forth. He trembled with fear and agony. He needed help but didn't want anyone to are how fragile and weak he felt. His breathing got heavier as he heard the open, he was still rocking himself as he geard Annie speak. Somehow he couldn't make words come out he just kept rocking himself and mumble Russian.

Bucky finally looked up when Annie walked over to him and he just looked so sad. He couldn't get up he was just frozen and away trying to hide his misery he never wanted Annie to find him like this. Who else would Bucky call? Certainly not Steve and he trusted Annie.

---

Iris nodded, "he's going to kill me for telling you that but oh well," as they walked Iris grabbed onto Steve's arm. "You are so muscly probably the most built man I've seen. she smiled. "I like boiled eggs that's it," she shrugged. Iris giggled "I can cook pretty well, maybe I'll make you something sometime" she nodded. "

Annie had never seen him like this before. He was always so happy and laughing and smiling, but that wasn't the case right now. No. He looked so sad...and broken. And she hated it. She hated seeing him like this. As she got closer, she was able to make out more of what he was mumbling. It sounded like...Russian? She didn't know that he knew Russian, but that didn't matter right now. She was able to make out more of him now that she was closer. He was shirtless, this was the first time she was seeing him without a shirt. Not important. She could see the source of the gleam now. It was his arm...his arm was...metal? That didn't matter right now either. What mattered was making sure that he was alright.

She was only really able to see the state he was actually in when she switched on the light. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw the state the scar tissue, where metal met flesh and bone, was in. It looked as though he'd tried removing his arm, and her assumption was proved correct when she saw his bloodied fingers. There was a lot of blood, more than she was really prepared to see right now. There were nicks and scratches across his chest, the skin slightly irritated and an angry red color, though the worst was definitely by his left shoulder. The cuts, which some seemed to be inflicted by hand and others by what she could only assume was a knife, were deep.

"Everything's going to be alright." She said quietly, her eyes glossy now. She couldn't help it. She couldn't believe that he'd do this to himself. Something had obviously set him off, she didn't know what it was, but she wasn't about to ask either. Right now she needed to get him patched up. "I have a first aid kid in my car. I'll be right back, okay?" Her voice was soft and gentle.

She headed out to her car, trying her best to remain calm as she did so. She let out a shaky breath before making her way back inside. "I'm going to clean you up a little bit, okay? Everything's going to be fine, I promise."

---

Steve chuckled softly. "Hey, he's ragged on me plenty of times, I think it's only fair that I do the same to him." He said. He was definitely going to say something next time he saw Sam, and he was certain that he'd be seeing his friend soon enough, what with the whole Bucky situation and everything else. "He'll have had it coming to him." He shrugged his shoulders. "You can cook and you can bake? Any other secret talents I should know about?" He chuckled once more. He liked where things seemed to be headed so far. Iris seemed like a really great girl, and he was really glad that he'd finally asked her out and stopped making excuses. This was definitely the push that he needed. "Did you want to go for that walk now?"

Bucky didn't say much he just nodded and rocked himself, it was clear he hasn't surpassed the pain. Bucky wanted to move and get passed this but that was going to be a long time. He let out a sign as Annie walked closer to him. Bucky was still trembling he looked up and tried to speak, "i-I'm s-s-Sorry." He hadn't meant to wake her up, Bucky just really needed someone to talk to. Annie was the only one Bucky had, at the moment anyway, he still had to sort things out with Steve. That would have to wait for another day.

Bucky was a mess and he needed her help, he trusted her whole heartedly and he was going to tell her the truth. As soon as he was patched up, which was going to take awhile. Who was he supposed to call for help? That Tony Stark? He'd have to call Steve for that and Bucky didn't want to resort to that. He groaned at the pain but Bucky's been through worse so this wasn't new. "I-I didn't w-want to s-scare you.."

---

Iris nodded, "yeah, I understand he did it to me all the time, Sam is an oddball." As they just walked around iris nodddd, "yeah, lead the way Cap" she grinned. "Yes, I can cook too. Um well.. I sing in the shower terribly, I like to swim but I don't have that talent. Erm.. Have bambi eyes. That's not a talent though" she giggled. "I'm pretty strange I know"

"Shhh..." Annie shushed him gently. "Don't you dare apologize for calling me, never apologize for that." She was glad that he'd called her when he had. She didn't care that it was 3:30 in the morning or that she was running on two hours of sleep right now. She was glad that he'd called her. With the amount of blood that there was, she was afraid that he might've bled out if he hadn't.

She worked on patching him up, placing gauze on the deeper wounds gently until they stopped bleeding. Once she got the bleeding to stop, she bandaged them up. She knew that some of them could really use stitches, but something told her that taking him to the hospital wasn't really an option right now. "C'mon, lets get you to bed." She had so many questions swirling around in her mind right now, but she figured they could wait until the morning.

---

Steve chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Yeah, that's definitely the word for it." He said, getting to his feet. He waited for her before started towards the door of the cafe, holding it open for her with a smile. Once she was outside, he followed suit. He chuckled once more in response to her later words. "If you want to consider them a talent, you can consider them a talent. It's all a matter of perception."

Bucky felt so vulnurable and weak and he hated feeling that way, what else could have he done? He was still rocking and whispering Russian words as he looked up. Bucky felt Annie's hands on him, helping him with his wounds, he thought she was one of the kindest people he's met. Not that he's met many people since the incident. He's tried to but no one ever caught his interest.

Bucky sighed softly as Annie finished patching him up and he knew that she'd be asking him so many questions. He would just have to tell her the truth and hoped she wouldn't run away. He nodded slowly and stood and looked around at all the mess and blood, he slowly walked to the bathroom to clean himself up a bit. He slowly walked back to bed and took a seat, "do you mind staying?" He asked softly, Bucky didn't want to be alone.

---

Iris chuckled, "but it's not, they are just eyes, I'm just a pretty girl who knows how to bat my eyes not that I do it often because that's weird." Iris held onto Steve's arm as they walked, "my dad use to call me Bambi when I was younger because like I said I used to bat my eyes and well, I had him wrapped around my finger," she laughed. "I wasn't a brat or anything just certain moments, I need to go see him soon, he's in Baltimore now."

Annie was glad that Bucky seemed to trust her enough to call her in a situation like this. She was honestly pretty confused, she didn't know if something had set him or not, but any and all questions that she had could wait. They weren't necessary right now, and she really didn't want to bombard him with questions either. Not straight away at least. "I'll clean this up, go clean yourself up." She said, watching as he glanced around the room.

Once he had walked off to the bathroom, she started cleaning up what she could. She was even more exhausted now than she'd been before, but it was alright. She didn't mind helping out. She looked over to Bucky when he walked back in and sat down on the bed. Smiling slightly, she shook her head. "I don't mind staying at all."

---

Steve chuckled slightly. "That doesn't really surprise me at all for some reason." He said as they walked. "Do you visit him often?" He wondered if she spent time with family often or not. She seemed pretty busy between the hospital and the bakery. She also sounded rather close to her father and sister though, so he could only assume that she made time for her family. She seemed like the type of person who would do so no matter what needed to be switched around in her schedule.

Bucky sighed softly and took Annie's hands in his, "thank you, you've been so kind to me and i promise to tell you everything tomorrow. " Bucky didn't like keeping secrets or having feelings bottled up. Annie was kind to him and he knew that he could trust her. Bucky patted his bed, "you look tired I didn't mean to wake you up." He lied dowb as he waited for her so many things ran through his mind. Mostly the pain that was coursing through his left shoulder.

---

Iris smiled and nodded, "I try to, were both just so busy, hes a detective but I always make time for him" Iris looked around as they walked. "You don't have any family?" She asked curiously. She wasn't sure if she should be asking but she wanted to get to know Steve better.

Annie shook her head in response to his words. "You don't have to thank me." She said quietly, a small smile gracing her lips. And she meant it too. He didn't need to thank her. She did what she had because she cared about him. "I know you didn't mean to. I'm glad that you did though." She was really glad that he'd called her. She was tired, exhausted really, but that didn't matter. She was just glad that he'd called her, and that he was alright. She climbed into bed next to him. "Get some rest." She said quietly.

---

Steve nodded. "At least you make time for your family whenever you can." He said. "That's all that really matters." That's how he saw it anyway. She might not have gotten to spend time with her father very often, but at least she did whenever she had the chance to do so. He shook his head in response to her later words. "No, none that I know of anyway." He said. As far as he knew, he had no living relatives.

Bucky smiled weakly at Annie as he got uo to turn off the lights. Once he did he lied down next to Annie. He could still see that beautiful face of hers even in darkness. "I'll try, you probably need it more" he yawned softly as he closed his eyes. It had been quite the evening he'd probably hear from gis neighbors or landlord soon enough. Right now he didn't care. Bucky eas glad to have Annie here.

---

Iris nodded "yeah, I do more then my sister, she simply likes to party way too much. That's not my scene but I take after my dad. I like the simple things" she chuckled. "You should meet him, he's great. He's recently retired from the military well, like 4 years ago. So he went into law enforcement." Iris smiled. "I'm sorry i talk about my dad so much, it drives people crazy" she squeezed his hand "I'm sorry. Well, if you ever need company im always available"

As if on cue, Annie let out a quiet yawn. "I guess I am pretty tired..." She admitted, a small smile gracing her lips. She was exhausted, but she wasn't about to go on and complain about the double shift she'd worked that day, or the last shift she'd worked the night before that. There was a time and place for everything, and this certainly wasn't it. "Good night." She said quietly, allowing her eyes to close.

---

Steve smiled. "There's nothing wrong with that." He told her. Everyone was entitled to their own opinion and that also meant that they were allowed to enjoy different things too. "Is he really?" He asked, listening as she talked about her father. He didn't mind her talking about him. He just liked hearing her talk, and he was finding that he was getting to know her a lot better. "No need to be sorry." He assured her with a smile. "It's alright, I'm used to it." He'd lost both his parents during the first world war, Bucky had always been the closest thing to family that he had. "But thank you."

Bucky closed his eyes and started falling asleep, glad that he had called her. As he slept Bucky wrapped his arms around Annie, he usually wasn't so grabby he just needed comfort. His hands placed on her waist gently pulling her close.

---

Iris shook her head, "no, there isn't. Sometimes she pokes fun at me, I act like an old lady apparently" she laughed. "Yes, at first he did it to keep his mind off mom, it keeps him busy" Iris still felt bad that someone so sweet had no family, she guess he had friends to make up for that. ""I don't think I've been to this park..."

Sleep found Annie rather quickly. Clearly she was actually as exhausted as she felt. She slept soundly throughout the night, well, technically it was morning since she actually fell asleep around 4:30, but that was besides the point. In any other instance, she probably wouldn't have slept. She would have been far too worried for sleep to find her, but with everything that had happened, it was hard for her not to sleep.

---

Steve chuckled slightly. "If you don't like partying, you don't like partying. There's nothing wrong with that." He said, shrugging his shoulders. He didn't really go out very much himself. The only reason he ever used to, was because Bucky used to drag him out dancing all the time. The number of girls his friend had set him up on dates with was crazy. "One of my friends, he used to drag me out on all these double dates. We used to go dancing a lot. It was never really my thing though. I really only ever did it for him."

Bucky slept through the entire morning and into early afternoon. It was weird for him to sleep in so late, but after what happened earlier it was understandable. He sat up in bed rubbing the sleep from his eyes and yawned. He looked over and noticed Annie was still sleeping. Bucky got out of the bed and stretched out wincing in pain, he shouldn't have tried that. Bucky pulled his hair into a small pony tail as he slowly walked to wash his face. It had certainly been quite the night.

---

Iris shrugged, "my friends used to drag me out so I know how you feel," as they walked around the park she would look at him every so often. "I'm not much for dancing, but I know how, my dad says one day I'll get married so I need to know how to dance" she laughed. "so are you into sports or anything?"

Annie slept much later than she normally would have. Though, with the day she'd had yesterday, that was kind of to be expected. When she did stir, it was probably half an hour or so after Bucky woke up. Sitting up, she stifled a yawn, stretching her arms above her head. She glanced around the apartment, trying to judge what time it was based on the amount of sunlight there was, she'd left her phone in the car when she rushed up to the apartment the night before, it appeared to early to mid-afternoon.

---

Steve nodded, glad that she at least understood where he was coming from. He was honestly pretty surprised that they had as much in common as they did. It was definitely more than he was expecting. "I never really played any sports, but I was always into baseball. I used to listen to the Yankees games on the radio all the time, even went to a few games here and there. Bucky and I always had a great time." He smiled, not really realizing that he'd mentioned his friend.