The D in Apartment 23

"How is she?" Bucky asked the teenager who he had come to trust over the past five months. They were sat on a bench in a garden area that patients could enjoy when they had time away from their hospital rooms.
"She's okay. Working." Peter commented taking a sip from his can of coke as Bucky's eyes remained focused on the hospital doors. He knew she were due to meet Peter at any moment in time so this was his chance to get his glimpse of her. "You know you could ask her yourself." Peter chimed in. He didn't know what happened between Harry and Bucky; a part of him didn't want to know, but, he was sick of these weekly meetings about his aunts friend.
"How many times that's not an option." Bucky told him sighing as he ran his hand through his hair. He missed her more than anything, but, he knew this were for the best. The only way he knew he could protect her.
"Why isn't it? If you insist on me spying on her I deserve to know why." Peter snapped before biting his lip as Bucky turned his gaze to him. "Sorry." The teenager whispered.
"I had Wanda change her memories. She doesn't know we have a history." He breathed out as Peter frowned looking at him.
"You went in her head? You messed with her head?" He asked as Bucky nodded slowly.
"To protect her." He tried to justify himself when he saw how emotional Peter got about his confession.
"You of all people should know that going in someones head is wrong. Wow, find yourself a new spy." Peter shook his head before walking quickly towards the doors where Harry had just walked out of. The assassins eyes lingered on the beautiful girl that he hoped would have been his as she laughed at something the teenager had said as they walked towards the little shop just past the garden area. He watched as she disappeared out of his sight before checking his phone to see what caused it to vibrate.
'Mission we're coming for you.' Read the simple message from Sam, he bit his lip throwing the paper cup that was half full with bad coffee in the trash before walking to the main road and getting in the car that was waiting.

"Something is wrong Peter." Harry commented once they'd ordered their food. "Is it May?" She looked worried as he shook his head no. "What is it then?" She asked him with a soft smile. She really did think of him as a younger brother and she wanted to help him with any problem that he faced.
"If you know someone has done something wrong to a friend, but, for the right reasons should you tell that person?" He finally relented biting his lip as he watched her ponder.
"Is the person hurt by the others actions?" She asked digging further.
"No. They don't even know." He told her causing her to frown slightly.
"Would you have done the same thing?" She asked.
"I don't know. Maybe." He whispered biting his lip.
"There's plenty of secrets in the world Peter, some that need to be kept and some that don't. Ask yourself does it need to be kept? Who gets hurt the most? You keep your secret from May, use that as your marker." She looked up at him handing him his sandwich as he nodded. They headed back to the hospital slowly tucking into their sandwiches in between talking about Peter's new school projects and none school projects.
"Are you in work tonight?" He asked once he'd finished the story of how he's finally caught a burglar who had managed to break into a dozen houses.
"No I'm off tonight." She smiled before blushing.
"Why are you blushing?" He asked frowning. "Are you going out?"
"Yeah, um, Nancy has set me up with a friend of hers so we're going on a date." She bit her lip thinking about her best friend's description of the stranger.
"Good for you." He smiled, deciding to keep Bucky's secret from her; she was moving on she didn't need to know about him. "Aunt May will be happy, she was worried you was getting lonely and going to have a flat full of cats." He laughed.
"Thanks Peter." She shook her head with a chuckle. "I best get back anyway. Stay safe kid." She tapped his back gently before walking through the automated doors to finish her day off.
"I've kept your secret from her, on one condition; you stay away from her. She's moving on from Kit and that means she's moving on from you." Peter sent the message to the unsaved number.

It was finally time for Harry to set off ready for her date with Zachary. Her best friend Nancy had told her it was time to get over Kit and she had just the guy in mind, enter Zachary. Harry bit her lip making sure she looked okay in her pencil skirt and silk vest top, complete with her black peep toes heels. She grabbed everything she needed before slipping on the mac that added class to her outfit and slipping out of her door and walking down all the flights of stairs. She finally reached the restaurant about fifteen minutes later, unsure whether she was supposed to wait outside or in she nervously pulled out her phone only to slip it back in when she heard a tap on the window and the handsome brunette smile and wave at her. She went to grab the door but he had already come to do that for her. "Harriet right?" He asked as she nodded, smiling when he kissed her cheek.
"I'm hoping you're Zachary." She laughed as he looked confused before laughing at her reaction.
"Imagine if I wasn't." He smiled offering his reservation name to the maitre d who promptly showed them to their table. They sat down after he helped her take her mac off, talking away.
"So Nancy told me you both met in high school and moved over here together." He smiled as she nodded. It was true, the only person she kept in her life from England was Nancy; she had been there for her when she found out her parents had been murdered, she was there when Harry had nightmares driving to her house with ice cream and chick flicks in the middle of the night.
"Yeah, there was no keeping us apart it was like we both had the idea at the same time." She laughed. "How about you? How do you know her she never actually told me that bit." Harry laughed taking a sip of he gin and tonic.
"I'm a customer at her shop and one day she just came out with this idea." He laughed and so did Harry it was exactly the sort of thing Nancy would do. The conversation kept flowing and Harry could feel herself smiling more and more as he told her stories from when he worked in a zoo as a teenager.

Their food had just come when a waiter came over to their table causing their conversation to stop. "Sorry to interrupt are you Dr Fitzpatrick? Harry Fitzpatrick?" He asked Zachary who frowned shaking his head, as the waiter bit his lip looking down at his pad to ensure he had the right table.
"That's me. I'm Dr Fitzpatrick." She spoke who trying not to laugh at the young waiters reaction.
"Um excuse me Dr. You have a phone call at the bar." He told her as it was her turn to frown.
"Did they say who?" She asked reluctant to go answer it, if it was work they would have rang her mobile, if it was Nancy she would have text, Peter wouldn't have bothered to ask until another day; no one else knew she was here.
"No they just said it was an emergency." He told her motioning for her to follow him. Looking over at Zachary with an apologetic look he smile shaking his as he took a gulp from the wine glass. She quickly got up walking over to the bar and taking the phone from the waiter.
"Hello Dr Fitzpatrick speaking." She tried not to snap out and remain professional.
"You know me but right now you don't. I promise I'll explain everything I just need your help. Please." The voice pleaded out as she frowned, instantly recognising the hurt and pain in the once familiar voice.
"I think you have the wrong Doctor Fitzpatrick." She spoke out biting her lip, it was clear who ever was on the other end of the line was injured and turning away from them was against her nature.
"You're name is Harry Fitzpatrick and you moved to Brooklyn from England. You're a surgery doctor at city hospital and your parents were murdered. I promise you, you know me but you wont recognise me. Please Harry I need your help." The desperate voice was practically shouting now as she bit her lip looking over at Zachary who was checking his phone.
"Where are you?" She hated herself for asking the question.
"The alley at the side of the restaurant you are in." A sigh of relief came out as she looked to the door.
"When I walk to there you have your hands above your head. No funny business." She warned as she heard the person groan in agreement. She hung up the phone quickly handing it back to the bartender before walking over to her table, her breath steady and calm. "I am so sorry it's work, there's been an emergency and they need me in." She looked over at him before searching her purse for her money.
"Don't be silly, you have an important job, go. Maybe we can reschedule sometime." He smiled trying to hide the disappointment.
"Thank you so much for being understanding." She smiled placing the money on the table before grabbing her coat and walking out quickly and to the alleyway, making sure he wasn't following her. She grabbed her phone and set the app up for the torch holding it up to see a dark figure with one hand in the air.
"I can't hold the other one up." The voice came up as they walked further into the light and that's when she saw him, eyes wide at how he had the cheek to ring her after all this time.

Notes