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.
(Video after next chapter xx)
(Tags: steve rogers fanfic, steve rogers fanfiction, fanfic, steve rogers, fanfiction sites, fanfiction websites, adult fanfic, fanfic websites, adult fanfictions, fan fiction sites, avengers fanfiction, bucky barnes and steve rogers, bucky barnes steve rogers, captain america steve rogers, marvel fanfiction, best fanfiction sites, avengers fanfic, best fanfiction, ao3, wattpad, wattpad stories, steve rogers x reader, wattpad stories romance, best wattpad stories, chris evans, sebastian stan, blake lively, gossip girl scenes, modern royalty, youtube, youtube fanvid, marvel pov series, romance novels, wattpad stories, young adult literature, fanfiction.net, romance novel books, best romance novels, romantic love novels, ya novel, ya books, young adult books, best young adult books, young adult romance books, best ya books, romantic novels for adults, fantasy love story books, filmfiction, romantic love novels)
0 Comments