Chapter Nine: Steve's Tipping Point
In the weeks following Cece’s high tea, Sarah and
Bucky found themselves drawn to each other like magnets, while Steve intentionally
kept his distance. Thankfully for him, the compound was large enough to offer
ample opportunity for avoidance. And when necessary, he kept himself occupied
with tasks at S.H.I.E.L.D., even if it meant menial paperwork.
As Sarah prepared for her day, waiting impatiently
for Tony to fulfil his promise of helping her with her secret project, her
phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence of the morning.
"Miss Carter, my name's Agent Torres. I'm told
you're interested in doing some shadowing. Are you available to talk?" The
woman on the other end of the line sounded authoritative, indicating she might
be the key to Sarah's aspirations.
"Oh, absolutely!" she exclaimed eagerly, a
spark of excitement igniting within her.
Sarah could already envision the headlines: 'Sarah
Carter Ready To Tackle The Family Business'. This was her chance to break
free from the confines of her previous roles; prove herself in a new light.
"Great! Do you think you could manage to come
in sometime today? If the paparazzi don't give you too much trouble that is.”
"I’d love to! Don’t worry, I'm an expert at
sneaking out of this place. I'll see you soon.”
Sarah let out a loud squeal of delight, shooting
Tony a quick text of thanks before making her way downstairs. This was too
important an opportunity to pass up; it had to be seized with both hands.
She moved through the halls of S.H.I.E.L.D. with
familiarity, almost unnoticed by those around her. It was as if the walls
themselves held a silent recognition of her presence, a tribute to the
countless hours she had spent within these walls during her youth.
In fact, it was the Disguise Department that had initially
sparked Sarah's dream of one day becoming a famous actress. She cherished
memories of playfully exploring the Chief of Disguise's office, marvelling at
the array of masks, wigs, and, of course, The Closet. This
expansive space rivalled even the most popular fashion magazine, housing every
elaborate costume and suit ever designed for S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and Avengers
alike.
Sarah’s Louboutins clacked against the freshly
polished floor, echoing through the corridor. Judging by the scent of fresh
paint and the sound of hammers, she was certain she’d taken a wrong turn along
the way. A lifetime away from home would do that.
She rounded another corner, her designer handbag
swinging wildly, when she spotted him. Steve. Sitting alone in the glass-walled
conference room, bathed in the blue hue of the bank of monitors. He looked like
a GQ cover come to life… all crystal blue eyes and brooding good looks. Sarah’s
heart did a familiar flip-flop, followed by a painful twist.
Before her brain could catch up with her mouth, she
found herself in the doorway, words dripping with sarcasm. "Hey, future
brother-in-law."
Steve’s chair swivelled, those piercing blue eyes
locking onto hers with laser focus. "Are you dating Bucky?" he asked,
no preamble, no small talk. Typical Steve, going straight for the jugular.
Sarah’s mouth opened, closed, opened again. No sound
came out. Her silence was apparently all the answer Steve needed.
A sad smile tugged at his lips, more devastating
than any frown could be. "I'll take that as a yes..."
Something inside Sarah snapped. Maybe it was the way
he said it, like he had any right to an opinion on her love life. Maybe it was
the weeks of pent-up frustration, of watching him dote on her sister. Whatever
it was, the dam broke.
"So Bucky and I have gone on a couple of dates.
What's wrong with that?" she exploded, her voice rising with each word.
"Do you have any idea, any clue, how hard this is for me? Seeing
you with Sharon?"
Steve’s jaw clenched, a muscle ticking in his cheek.
But he remained maddeningly silent, those blue eyes giving away nothing.
"I thought I could handle it," Sarah
continued, her voice dropping to a hoarse whisper. "The endless wedding
planning. The tabloids. Watching you two make googly eyes at each other at
family freaking gatherings." She shook her head, blinking back tears.
"No. It's... it's all too much!"
Steve rose slowly, towering over her. For a
heart-stopping moment, Sarah thought he might reach out, might pull her into
his arms like he used to. Instead, he silently moved toward the door, turning his
back on her.
"Say something," she pleaded, desperation
creeping into her voice.
"What do you want me to say, Sarah?" His
voice was low, almost cold. "Congratulations?"
"You know, I expected you to be a little
more understanding than this. Given our history… I swear, it's as if you're
punishing me for leaving."
"Yeah, well, maybe I am," Steve confessed,
his retort sharp.
"And what, pray tell, have I done to deserve
that? What was so horrible, Steve? Tell me… What could possibly be so grossly
unforgiveable?"
"Geez, Sarah, I was in love with you! Crazy,
out-of-my-mind besotted with you. And you just up and left without saying a fu–
a damn word! No call, no text, no… letter…?"
Steve's admission shattered the silence that had
enveloped them, draining the blood from Sarah's face. He glared down at her, his
eyes filled with a world of pain. For a moment, just a moment, Sarah
saw a flicker of the old Steve… the one who used to look at her like she hung
the moon.
"Steve, I... I had no idea..."
Like a switch being flipped, his expression
shuttered. "Yeah, well, now you do," he said softly, before
disappearing down the corridor.
At the compound, Sarah spent the rest of the
afternoon holed up in her suite, a familiar refuge during moments of turmoil.
Despite her fame and fortune, some things remained unchanged—like her tendency
to self-isolate in times of distress. While others sought solace in family and
trusted friends, Sarah found herself grappling with her emotions alone. Once
upon a time, she had Steve. Now? Now she felt utterly alone.
As she attempted to distract herself by responding
to emails from her publicity team, her thoughts continuously returned to
Steve's revelation. Had she made a monumental mistake by leaving him behind?
The morning after Tony's wedding flashed through her mind, bringing with it a
surge of conflicting emotions. Before she could spiral further into self-doubt,
her phone buzzed, disrupting her reverie.
"Hey, gorgeous. How'd it go at HQ today?"
Bucky's call served as a welcome distraction, his timing impeccable.
"Ugh, terrible. I bumped into Steve. We kinda
got into it. It wasn't very pretty," she replied honestly, grateful for
the chance to vent.
"I'm sorry. Anything I can do for you? Maybe
talk to him?"
Sarah's mood lifted at the offer of comfort.
"You know what? I haven't had dinner yet. You could do something about
that..."
"Hmm... I wonder..."
"What do you wonder?"
"I'm wondering if what I read about the famous
Sarah Carter is true... That her favourite food is sushi with Beluga
caviar," Bucky mused, eliciting a delighted giggle from Sarah.
"Please. You're old enough to know better than
to believe everything the media tells you.”
“Wait, was that a dig at my age, young lady?”
Bucky’s voice, warm with amusement, crackled through the phone.
“I mean, it wasn’t, but now I’m wishing I had
meant it that way.”
“Carter, you little…”
Sarah’s laughter
bubbled up, genuine and unrestrained. For the first time since her tense
encounter with Steve earlier that day, she felt the knot in her stomach begin
to loosen. “Okay,
look, in all honestly, I don't care if you show up with a homemade sandwich and
chips… Just as long as you’re here.”
As
their playful banter continued, Sarah found herself relaxing, the stress of the
day melting away. The unsettling contrast between her lingering feelings for Steve
and her growing attraction to Bucky still lurked in the back of her mind, but
for now, she pushed those thoughts aside. In this moment, with Bucky’s warm
laughter in her ear and a smile tugging at her lips, Sarah allowed herself to
simply enjoy the easy comfort he brought to her world, even if only
temporarily.
Watch Episode 9 Here:
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