𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓷𝓲𝓪𝓬 ❖ 𝓫. 𝓫𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼

C H A P T E R (1) - I N S O M N I A C

1943

Cassie Rogers gazed out of the glass, looking through her window at the stars that she could clearly see in contrast to the dark sky. She was meant to be asleep, of course, but that didn't mean she was going to. She didn't care - it was just her in the stars.

Until her brother interrupted.

"Cass, look at the time." Steve Rogers practically squealed.

Cassie glanced over at the clock in her room, it had just passed midnight. She sighed before bringing herself down from the windowsill she had been perched on.

"Go ahead, you can say it." She said with a slight giggle.

Steve's smile lit up the whole room before he began to break out into song, singing 'Happy Birthday' to celebrate Cassie's 18th.

"Happy birthday, Cass." He finally concluded, leaving a faint smile upon his sisters face.

The two embraced in a hug as the moonlight shone through the window, creating a light effect Cassie couldn't help but be dazzled by.

Her eyes followed the shadows the moon created on the walls of her bedroom, admiring each curve and light sparkle with an excited glint in her eyes.

Steve's voice was the only thing to remove Cassie from her trance as he asked, "What do you want to do to celebrate tomorrow?"

His voice was dripping with sarcasm as if he could guess her answer, watching her face scrunch up and relax within seconds.

"Is sleep an option?" She murmured, pinching the bridge of her nose as she focused on the pulsing ache in her head.

She gave Steve on last small smile as he left, turning to fall onto her mattress. She tried to indulge in the warmth and cozy up, but yet again she failed to fall asleep.

She hadn't slept well for a while, but recently the nights were getting harder and harder to deal with. Either her thoughts were racing or she simply had the inability to close her eyes and drift away, sometimes both. But whatever it was made her struggle, and she hated her own body and mind for that.

Cassie had thought at one point she had found a way to help, perhaps making herself tired would help. But it didn't. Nothing did. Instead, she found herself lying in bed and with one blink, the sun would be rising. It would create the most beautiful colour in the sky, and every dawn she could look across the desolate street and into the window across from her. Which just happened to be where Bucky Barnes slept.

She would get up and admire the sunset and watch as Bucky slowly got himself up, acknowledging her with a slight nod of his head. He also seemed to enjoy the sunrise, but he didn't pay as much attention to it as she did. She had not much else in her life that made her happy.

Steve wanting to join the army had made those lonely feelings even worse, but she didn't dare utter a word about it. She didn't want to burden him with her feelings, and yet she also didn't want him to leave. After their mother had died, Steve and Cassie had found themselves alone for the first time in quite some time. With the exception of Bucky, who was always there for them when they needed.

Each night that passed without sleep made Cassie more on edge than ever, any simple noise causing her head to twist like an owls.

It was impossible to miss the state she was in, and of course Bucky and Steve had noticed it already. They would converse when alone, discussing if there was anything that they could do to help; but there never was.

It was midday on Cassie's birthday when the trio quietly celebrated as they walked through a busy Brooklyn street, Bucky's arm wrapped around her shoulders and holding her close.

An unimportant, audible sound echoed in the distance, prompting Cassie's head to snap in the direction where it had come from. She couldn't truly tell which direction that was, furrowing her brows and shaking the thoughts from her head. Her eyes darted back and forth as she processed her emotions, rapidly falling into a state of dissociation.

She froze in the middle of the street, the world around her pausing at her will. Her racing thoughts soon became a tiring action when her knees gave way, yet she never felt the hard surface of the floor.

Instead, a pair of strong arms were holding her up, catching her smoothly and helping her to her feet. As her head rested against their chest, she gazed up at Bucky's face which could only be described as full of concern.

"I'm taking you home," he whispered into her hair, "I won't watch you suffer like this."

Cassie could barely stand as her face subconsciously snuggled into his chest, his warmth drawing her in. She didn't hear the conversation in the air above her between her brother and Bucky, but she could make out the tones of their voices; concerned and angry.

Cassie's blinking slowed until her eyes finally closed, admitting defeat against part of herself that was forcing her to stay awake. She had won, finally.

The next thing she knew, she was pushing the thin covers of her bed off of her body, feeling the cotton brush against her skin. She groaned quietly, rubbing her temples with the tips of her fingers.

"You're awake." Bucky acknowledged from the doorway.

He was leaning against it, looking tired with bags underneath his eyes - he was beginning to resemble herself. She couldn't help but giggle in her head at the thought.

"Unfortunately." She responded with a groan, "How long was I out?"

He opened his mouth and helplessly closed it again, hesitating as he perched himself next to her on the bed, "You were asleep for two days, Cass."

"What?"

"Yeah, I guess your tiredness finally caught up to you."

Cassie was silent. She had slept for two days straight, and she was trying to take in the information when Bucky placed a reassuring hand on her knee, circling his thumb around.

She was silent. She had slept for two days straight when she usually couldn't keep her eyes closed for two seconds. Unusual wouldn't be a good enough word to describe any of it.

As she tried to process the information, Bucky began comfortingly circling his thumb around on her knee.

"You're okay, I just think you need to get a better sleep schedule..." he let out a small laugh as she stood up and threw her hand through her hair.

"No shit..."

"You say that too often." He joked in return.

Bucky stood up, placing his arms underneath hers for support with whatever energy he had, which wasn't much. As the pair connected eyes, Cassie finally noticed the tired glint in his.

"You should sleep." She whispered, loud enough so he could hear.

"I should be telling you that."

"Bucky, sit your ass in that bed and sleep or I'll make you." Cassie demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.

He threw his hands up in a surrendering position and fell backwards onto the bed, "Yes ma'am."

She let out a soft chuckle at his words and watched him curl into her sheets, "You folded quickly."

"For your information, I'm doing this so I don't hurt you."

"I'm sure..." Cassie responded as she propped him up on the pillows, but he was already asleep by the time she could lay a blanket over him.

She tucked a small piece of hair behind his ear as she backed away and admired his peaceful state.

Oh how the tables had turned.