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"Buck, stop!"

Steve followed Bucky out of the hospital. He was several feet in front of him walking quickly towards the parking lot. Steve wasn't exactly sure where his best friend was headed, as he didn't have his own vehicle to leave in, but he knew it was likely somewhere away from what had just happened. The thought only made Steve feel worse. Bucky wasn't supposed to find out about him and Marlena the way he had, but there was no turning back now. The only thing he could do was hope Bucky wanted to listen to what he had to say.

"Bucky, wait, please."

Steve caught up to him and grabbed his arm, though he still kept a slight distance. Bucky turned around immediately, his gaze shifting from Steve's hand wrapped around his arm to Steve's eyes. Steve could see the tears filling Bucky's eyes, and he frowned. Although he knew it was inevitable, this was the last thing Steve wanted for Bucky.

"I—" Bucky couldn't get his words out. He didn't know what to say. All he could focus on was how he felt. He was angry and confused and absolutely heartbroken. He almost felt betrayed.

"I know you're upset, Buck," Steve spoke nervously and loosened his grip around Bucky's arm. "But I'd really like to talk about this if you're willing to listen. If not, that's okay. If you wanna hit me instead, that's okay, too. But you're still my best pal and I really can't stand the thought of losing you again."

A single tear fell from Bucky's eye as he looked at Steve. He pondered over Steve's words for several moments. For a split second Bucky thought seriously about taking Steve up on his offer, given the circumstances, but he wouldn't have been able to forgive himself for hurting Steve. He wanted to believe that over the years he'd become less impulsive with his anger, so he removed his arm from Steve's hold and turned around. Without a word, Bucky walked over to one of the many benches outside the large hospital. Steve followed him and sat down, not too sure what to expect of whatever was about to happen.

"Y'know, I actually panicked when you told me how long we'd all been gone," Bucky finally spoke to Steve after several moments of silence between the two. His voice wavered as he tried to conceal his desperate want to burst into tears. He hated feeling so weak, and he definitely hated the reason why. "It did occur to me that Marlena could've moved on, but I couldn't help but think about what I would do if she had. Sure, her being single could've been a chance for me to get her back, but she's not single, is she, Steve?"

"No," Steve answered quietly.

"How long, Steve?" Bucky wiped his face again. He hated that he couldn't hold back his tears, but at this point it was inevitable. His emotions couldn't be controlled. "How long have you two, uh, been together?"

"About a year and a half." Steve knew exactly why Bucky had asked the question. He was afraid of how soon their relationship could've began, but Steve was quick to reassure him.

"And she's pregnant..." Bucky chuckled quietly to himself and shook his head. He wiped his face again, not even bothering to wait on a response from Steve before speaking again. "Who started the relationship?"

And that was the question Steve knew Bucky was afraid to ask. He was afraid of the answer, but Steve couldn't lie to him. "It was Marlena," Steve answered with a sigh. Bucky simply looked down to the ground in response. That was the answer he was afraid of receiving.

"So, she, um..." Bucky couldn't even get the words out. He felt sick to his stomach. So sick.

"Look, Buck," Steve started, turning a bit more towards Bucky. He wanted him to listen. He wanted him to know he was there to let him know whatever he wanted to know. He was there to answer his questions. Steve was there just to be there for him. "I need you to know it took years for things to get to this point. This isn't something that happened just because you were gone..."

"Then what is it, Steve?" Bucky asked him. He was genuinely curious, but he also needed a much more logical explanation than the one he made up in his head. Of course it would hurt to hear, but Bucky needed the truth. He needed the whole truth.

"It's a bit more complicated to explain than that," Steve replied as he thought back on the last five years he spent with Marlena. He remembered every moment and every tear, including those he didn't want to. They'd been through hell together, but through it all they had each other. That was what Steve cherished.

"Try please," Bucky urged quietly. He still didn't look up at his friend.

"Marlena came to stay with me about a month after we lost you," Steve began his attempt at an explanation of how his relationship with Marlena finally came to be. "She didn't have anywhere else she wanted to go, and I really just couldn't stand the idea of leaving her to grieve alone. It was only meant to be temporary until she felt comfortable being on her own again, but that time never came."

"So...you two have been living together this entire time?"

Steve nodded his head in response and let out a quiet breath. Talking to Bucky about him and Marlena was much harder than he thought it would be. "Believe me, it was no vacation, Buck. I've never seen Marlena as lost as she was after we lost you. She wasn't herself for years. It took me a year and a half just to convince her to go grocery shopping with me. She also suffered with a lot of survivor's guilt on top of everything else. She didn't celebrate birthdays or holidays because she thought the world would punish her for having fun without you. She constantly blamed herself for your death and sometimes even I couldn't convince her otherwise. I look back on it now and feel relieved that you never had to see her like that, and I hope you never have to see it at all."

Bucky wiped his face again. Knowing Marlena had been so distraught after his death and the death of her entire family didn't help Bucky feel better. He remembered watching her grieve after her mother was killed. He'd never seen her so torn until then, so to hear Steve speak on the Marlena that existed over the last five years was nothing short of unsettling. He couldn't even imagine the pain she must've experienced. What made matters worse was that he couldn't be there to take that pain away from her. "You obviously helped her get through it, though," Bucky remarked quietly in response to Steve's words.

"I did what I could to help encourage and support her, but I won't take credit for where she is now, emotionally, at least," Steve told him. "She's one of the strongest people I've ever met. She's gotten through so much, so I knew she'd be able to get through it on her own, but I still made sure she didn't have to."

"So, you really haven't thought about the possibility of what your encouragement and support could've done to influence her feelings for you?" Bucky asked Steve. At this point he was grasping for anything—any chance, really—that would lead Marlena back to him. He wasn't so sure he'd get it, though.

"I have thought about it, actually." Steve sighed, "But I know how she feels for me. It's hard not to. We all know Marlena can be very open with her emotions."

"She's my wife, Steve," Bucky said sadly as he finally looked up at his friend. He could see the conversation was having its effect on Steve just as it was him, but Bucky doubted Steve could understand just how deep his pain truly ran.

"I know, Buck." And he did know. For Steve and Marlena, five years had passed. Life had progressed and changed for them beyond what they ever thought it would or could, but for Bucky it was the opposite. He'd disappeared and reappeared with next to no knowledge of the time that'd passed. For him, it'd only been moments since he'd last seen the love of his life, but while she was still his, he was no longer hers.

"My wife is with my best friend," Bucky chuckled bitterly to himself and shook his head. "My wife is with my best friend," he repeated again.

"Buck—"

"I might actually throw up."

"Bucky—"

"You do understand why I'm so mad about this, right?" Bucky cut Steve off again and looked him in the eye. He was serious, and Steve didn't need to look at him to know it.

"You know I do," Steve answered.

"A long time ago I asked you to take care of her and you didn't let me down," Bucky began as he wiped his face dry with the sleeve of his shirt. "You've always been there for her when she needed you, and that's something I can't ignore. I'm always going to appreciate everything you've done and been for her, but you're my best friend, Steve. Knowing the two of you are together makes me feel sick. Obviously I've gotta find a way to accept that she doesn't love me anymore, but I have to do that while I watch her love you instead."

"Don't worry, Buck, I understand." Steve replied sadly, "But you should know she does still love you. A lot."

"I know she does," Bucky glanced over at Steve before looking out at the parking lot once more. "But you and I both know it's not the same. I could see it in her eyes, Steve. She's changed. You all have. It makes me wonder why you even went to so much trouble just to bring everyone back. You all had five years to move on and be happy with your lives. People are in new relationships and in new homes with new lives, and you guys thought bringing us back was a smart idea? Now we have to sit back and watch the people we love continue on with their new lives while we're stuck five years in the past struggling to adjust to this new world and new normal we never even asked for."

Bucky had a point. Steve hadn't thought things completely through regarding the time heist. He was more concerned with reuniting family and friends across the universe and saving the lives of trillions. He hadn't stopped to think about what it truly could mean to bring them all back after so much time had passed, especially to those he was bringing back. For Steve and Marlena, nothing had changed other than the fact they now had their friends and family back. For Bucky, on the other hand, his wife was no longer his wife and had instead moved on with his best friend.

"Look, I can't keep talking about this," Bucky chimed up before Steve could respond. He stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets while Steve looked up at him. "I'm already worried about Charlie and Jay as it is, so I'd prefer to keep the focus on finding them instead."

"I understand."

"Right." Bucky gave an awkward nod and started backing away, but Steve stopped him before he could get too far.

"Where are you goin', Buck?" Steve asked him.

"I don't know, but I just can't be here," Bucky answered. "I can't be here with either one of you."

"Buck—"

"I can't do this, Steve," Bucky cut him off quickly. He was on the verge of tears again, and the sight broke Steve's heart. "I can't handle this right now. My children are missing, and of all the people on this godforsaken planet, Marlena is in love with you. You can help me find the twins and bring them back, but that's all, because I really can't do this."

Steve watched Bucky walk away with a frown on his face, but he knew he couldn't stop him. He didn't want to push Bucky too far. He deserved all the time he needed to work through things, and that's what Steve would give him.

Bucky walked aimlessly through the parking lot. He wasn't exactly looking for a place to go. In fact, he didn't really care where he ended up. He just wanted to be away from the hospital and away from Steve and Marlena. He loved them both so much, but watching them love each other was a pain he didn't think he'd ever have to feel.

As Bucky continued walking, a strong hand latched onto his arm. He turned around, more than ready to defend himself from whoever, but stopped when he laid eyes on a familiar—and comforting—face.

"It's only me, Buck."

Bucky let out a breath of relief and lowered his fist, "I thought you left already, Wanda."

"I decided to stay a bit longer and wait for you and Steve to finish your inevitable confrontation," she told him with a lighthearted laugh. "I figured you could use a friend."

Bucky studied Wanda's sad green eyes. She felt sorry for him and it was very apparent. Wanda, of course, didn't really mind Marlena's relationship with Steve the way Bucky did, but what she did mind was knowing Bucky was so torn because of it. She anticipated those feelings, as she would've been devastated herself, but she was prepared to be there for him if he needed it. He wasn't the only one trapped inside a world he no longer knew.

"Did you know?" Bucky asked Wanda, though he was sure he already knew the answer. He wouldn't have been surprised if everyone else but him knew.

"I knew, but it wasn't because anyone told me," Wanda answered him. "Some thoughts are just louder than others."

"I really don't know what I'm supposed to do about this, Wan," Bucky said, and he didn't even try to hide the building tears in his eyes. All he wanted to do was cry.

"You just have to learn how to live with it," Wanda answered softly and started walking towards her rental car. She motioned for Bucky to follow her, so he did. "As I've come to discover, life pretty much sucks. You're not the only one who disappeared, y'know? And you're not the only one who just lost the love of their life," Wanda's voice broke with emotion as she thought about Vision. She missed him so much. "I've always been here for you, Bucky, and you know that. Marlena and Steve are not the only people who care about you."

"I'm really sorry about Vision," Bucky spoke sincerely. He could see the pain in her eyes. He could see she was holding back her tears. Wanda would always talk to him about Vision. She loved him so much. Bucky then remembered the words Steve had spoken about Marlena just several moments prior. Marlena had been so lost when she thought Bucky died, and he wondered if that was how Wanda felt. He didn't want that for her. He didn't want it for anyone.

Wanda shrugged slightly and wiped away a stray tear that had fallen, "And I'm really sorry about Marlena, Buck."

"But are you surprised?"

"Yes and no." Wanda leaned back against her car door. Pietro was waiting for her patiently inside the vehicle, but she figured he could wait a little bit longer while she talked to Bucky. Despite how excited she was to have her brother back, she knew Bucky needed to talk, and she knew she could get through to him better than anyone else could. At least at the moment, anyway. "You were Marlena's everything, Bucky. There's no one that could ever share the connection between you two, but there's no one that could share the connection between the two of them either. It is strange to see her with someone other than you, but given these unusually horrible circumstances, I'm not surprised the two of them found their way to each other."

"I knew the answer was coming, but hearing it hurts just as much as I thought it would," Bucky muttered and wiped his face again. He wondered if the tears would ever stop. "I can't believe this is happening to me."

"I know."

"Can't you just go in with your space magic and make him forget the last five years ever happened?" Bucky chuckled, indicating he was only joking.

"As much as I would love to do that, I don't think Marlena would be very happy about it," Wanda joked back, though she knew there was a truth behind her statement regarding Marlena. "It's gonna be hard to get through, I promise you that, but you don't have to get through it alone."

"And what if wanted to get through it alone?" Bucky asked her with a small smile.

Wanda shrugged her shoulders, "I'm still gonna be there regardless, because I know you'll be there for me."

"This life's just been so kind to us, hasn't it?"

"Not exactly," Wanda chuckled and opened up her car door, "But I like to think we're strong enough to get through it."

"I guess we'll find out, won't we?"

"I guess we will."

A/N: FILLER CHAPTER.
I hope y'all don't hate me yet. There's a bigger storm coming.