[oom] tell the ones that need to know

[nerves_of_ice]

The mesh mask - a 'photostatic veil,' he gathers it's called, officially, but whatever - works. Over the last few days after the first trial, Sharon's become more comfortable with small trips, which means it's time for him to suggest the idea he's been mulling over for some time now.

It's not something he wants to spring on her, though, which is why he takes the time this morning to make sure that breakfast is a little nicer than usual. Pancakes, at least, he can make.

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[from_the_outside]

It's hours between when Bucky leaves and when he'll logically be able to be back again, and Sharon spends it all prowling the house, looking through old photos, and trying not to worry about what will happen when he shows up with her parents.

If he shows up with her parents.

She can't relax inside, and she can't relax outside, either; goes in and out like a cat that can't make up her mind. She's upstairs when she finally hears tires crunching on the stone driveway, has to take a moment to breathe when she hears car doors opening and slamming shut again.

Sharon comes down the stairs and opens the door out to the front porch, watching as they get out of the car: Bucky, and –

"Mom," she says, and her voice cracks, making her sound suddenly fifteen years younger. "Daddy?"

[marvel_npc]

They stare at each other across the driveway, and then Sharon says "Mom?" in that quavery, questioning tone, and – "Daddy?"

And Amanda Carter drops the weekender on the gravel of the driveway, running to the porch to take her daughter in her arms. "Sharon," she says, over and over, hugging her hard, pulling away to look at her face, hugging her again. It's only a second before Harrison's there, too, his arms around them both, and they're all laughing and crying at the same time.

"My sweet girl," Amanda murmurs, kissing her daughter's hair, her face, hugging her tight. "Oh, Sharon."

[nerves_of_ice]

He picks up the overnight bag Amanda'd let fall, slinging the strap over his shoulder and settling it against his back. Bucky stays where he is, hanging back by the car, giving them time and space.

It's safe enough. They'd checked the area when they arrived, before he left, looking for any signs of surveillance or remote monitoring. There's always the chance of a satellite lookdown, but the jammer should cover that as well. He doesn't need to hurry them inside.

[from_the_outside]

Finally, Sharon pulls back, wiping her hand across her eyes and laughing. "I missed you, too," she tells them. "So much. And there's a lot to tell you. Let's go in."

When she looks over at Bucky, her gaze is bright and purely, simply happy in a way it hasn't been since that first morning they woke up together in Brooklyn. "You did good, Barnes," she tells him, fondly.

"You did great."

[nerves_of_ice]

His answering smile is warm. "I'm just glad it all worked out." Bucky looks at Amanda.

"I'll take your bag up for you," he says. "Give you all a few minutes to settle in."

[from_the_outside]

"Thank you, baby," Sharon says, unthinking, and doesn't notice the sharp glance Amanda gives first her and then Bucky. "I'll make a fresh pot of coffee, okay?"

"Coffee sounds wonderful," Amanda tells her, and puts an arm around her daughter's waist as they head into the house. "I get the feeling we all might need a lot of it."

"There's still Scotch in the cabinet," Harrison says, following them in. "We might need some of that, too."

[nerves_of_ice]

Harrison's probably right, he thinks, because based on Amanda's laser-sharp glance there's not only no way she missed the endearment, but she's also putting a few things together.

"Sounds good," he says, and makes his way to the other wing, where the Carters' bedroom is. He'd gotten the full tour when they were checking the place over for surveillance tech, and a hell of a tour it'd been. Another house, Sharon had said before. He hadn't realized that the vacation home would be a mansion on a mountain estate.

Bucky takes his time getting there and back, trying to give them at least a few minutes for their reunion without someone else present, but finally makes his way back to the kitchen.

[from_the_outside]

"Some of what happened I still can't tell you," Sharon says, heading back into the kitchen and filling the coffee pot with water. "But I'll do the best I can with everything else."

"Where have you been?" Amanda wants to know. She takes a seat at the kitchen island, her eyes following Sharon's every move as if worried her daughter will disappear again if she so much as blinks. "Since Berlin."

"I was in Wakanda for some of it," Sharon tells her, measuring out grounds.

"Wakanda?" her father says, surprised. "What were you doing there?"

"I had a contact there," Sharon fudges, slightly. "From my old SHIELD days. They were allied with Cap at the time and they gave me sanctuary. After that..."

She shakes her head as she sets the coffee to brew, leans against the counter to look at her parents. "I can't tell you the details. I'm sorry. But Bucky and Sam found me a few weeks ago."

[marvel_npc]

"Sam Wilson?" Amanda says, astonished. "I didn't realize you were friends."

"We're not, really," Sharon admits. "Or... we are, but I hadn't seen him in a long time. He got snapped. Bucky, too. Everyone who had any idea of where I was did."

Amanda narrows her eyes. "And how well, exactly, do you know Sergeant Barnes?" she asks, and watches closely as her daughter's glance turns a little shifty.

"He was in Wakanda too," Sharon says. "He helped me get home."

"And he's been checking up on us," Amanda realizes, as footsteps sound in the hall. "For you. Hasn't he?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Yes, ma'am," he says, easily, as he walks into the kitchen. "I wanted to make sure everything was okay, see if you needed any help. I know you both went through a rough time."

Bucky finds a clear spot against the counter on the other side of the island and leans comfortably against it, then looks at Harrison.

"I'm sorry if it seemed like I was lying. I just didn't want to worry you."

[marvel_npc]

Harrison shakes his head. "It's fine, James," he says, then amends. "Sergeant. I'm just glad you were able to help us find Sharon again."

"And that you were able to find her at all," Amanda adds. She's watching Bucky with undisguised interest; for his part, Harrison goes to his daughter and hugs her again, pressing a kiss into her hair.

"We missed you so much, kitten," he tells her. "I can't tell you how happy I am to see you."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Bucky," he tells Harrison, firmly, then looks over at Amanda again as Sharon's father goes to hug his daughter.

"I am, too."

[from_the_outside]

"I missed you too," she tells her father, hugging him back, breathing in his scent. "I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to see you again. Either of you."

The coffee pot beeps and she detaches from her father, rubbing the heel of her hand over her eyes as she goes to the cabinet and takes down four mugs: black coffee for Bucky, just cream for her parents. She makes her own mug last, and brings it to the kitchen island to take a seat. "I know you both probably have a million questions," she says, after a sip.

"I'll answer what I can."

[marvel_npc]

Amanda and Harrison exchange a glance, and she shakes her head. "We learned a long time ago not to ask too many questions about where you were and what you were doing," she tells her daughter.

"But you're safe now? You haven't been staying here, have you?"

She could – of course she could, and welcome – but Amanda watches as her daughter glances at Bucky. "No," Sharon hedges, "I haven't been staying here."

[nerves_of_ice]

"She's in a secure location," he says, taking a sip of coffee. "Something of a safe house I had access to."

It's only due to years of training that he's able to keep his expression neutral, without giving anything away.

"It's unlikely this house is being actively watched, but it's not wise to spend too much time here. Not until the pardon comes through."

[marvel_npc]

All her other questions evaporate in an instant, and she looks at Sharon in astounded delight. "A pardon! Oh, honey, I'm so happy. We'd always known you did the right thing, of course, and now everyone will. This is wonderful news! We'll have to celebrate properly – when is it happening?"

Sharon's expression is more complicated than she would have expected, but her daughter forces a smile from somewhere and shakes her head. "It's not a sure thing yet," she says. "Bucky's being optimistic. Sam said he'd try, but I'll believe it when I see it."

"Oh, but they have to," Amanda says, and glances at Bucky, appealing. "They have to."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Sam'll come through," Bucky reassures them, even as his gaze shifts from Amanda and Harrison to give Sharon a steady look. "I can't promise when, but I can promise that he won't give up. So it'll happen."

[marvel_npc]

She watches as Sharon looks at Bucky, studies the subtle shifts her daughter's expression goes through.

Sharon hadn't meant to say what she did earlier, she thinks; relief and surprise had kept her from thinking about what came out of her mouth. Amanda wonders if she even realizes she'd said it. "Well," she says, smiling.

"A safe house of yours, Bucky? And you brought her home? You two must have gotten very chummy in Wakanda."

[nerves_of_ice]

"We're close," he says, turning to Amanda. Out of the corner of his eye, he catches the way Harrison's gaze shifts from Sharon to him with surprise and speculation.

He doesn't dare look at Sharon now. He has no idea what she wants to tell her parents about them - or not tell them, rather - but he's not going to let them think he doesn't care.

"Sharon means a lot to me."

[from_the_outside]

It's a noble effort, but as she sees her father's eyebrows furrowing and her mother's interest sharpening, she knows it's not going to be enough. She sighs a little and reaches to take Bucky's hand where it lies on the kitchen island.

"I am so sorry for everything that's about to happen," she murmurs to him, then turns to her parents. "Bucky and I have been together since Wakanda," she tells them. "Seven years ago now."

He'd been snapped, but she'd still been here; it's been seven unbroken years for her. "I've been staying with him since I got back."

"You're dating Bucky Barnes?" her father says, incredulous. "He's old enough to be your grandfather!"

"Okay," she says, a little stung. "But not really."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I was in cryostasis for a lot of that time," he points out, mildly, as he moves around the island to stand at Sharon's side. "So yes, I'm a hundred and six, but subjectively it's a little different."

He laces his fingers through Sharon's, holding on to her, and letting her hold on to him.

[marvel_npc]

"Seven years?" Amanda repeats, watching the way Bucky goes to her daughter, how he looks at her and how she looks up at him. "Honey, I think that's the longest relationship you've ever had."

"By a lot," agrees Harrison, sipping at his coffee and watching Bucky with new interest.

"Yes, by quite a lot," Amanda says. "I think seven months would have made the same record."

"Okay," Sharon sighs. "Yes, I know, thanks for the observation."

[nerves_of_ice]

The corner of his mouth quirks up as he slants a look at Sharon.

"Guess that makes me pretty lucky."

[from_the_outside]

Her wry smile turns more real as she looks back up at him. "Well," says her mother, eyes bright and interested.

"And now you're living together. Is it serious?"

Sharon almost laughs at the question, though she's not sure if it's from amusement or hysterics. She thinks about the year and a half they spent together in Wakanda, how he refused to leave Madripoor without her, the apartment they have together. "Pretty serious, I guess," she says, still looking at Bucky.

"What do you think, Barnes?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Yes," he says, looking back at her, his smile gentle and warm. "It's serious."

Bucky makes himself tear his gaze from Sharon to face her parents, and repeats, "Very serious."