Layers Of

Chapter 17

Watching Kaylee nearly being ripped from his sight awoken the alpha in Bucky, something he didn't realize was truly possible anymore. It wasn't rage or the rut that caused him to act, he knew this. It was something else he couldn't put his finger on. Steve had to choke him out the previous night and when he woke up, he was in a cell once more. He knew it was for his safety and others once he figured out what happened.

Now, staring at the solid wall before him, the clear one on his back, he knew he had to help in some way. The omega had looked different than when he saved her, he noted. More skinny and her eyes had seemed to sink into her head. He felt his heartbreak - what was wrong?

Bucky heard Steve before he smelled him. The tightness in his throat returning as a reminder. He had all night and morning to calm down but he has just been numb and in pain himself.

"Hey, Buck," Steve said calmly, almost as if one would talk to a scared animal. "How are you feeling?"

The former Soldier turned to face his friend slowly. His expression hid his inner thoughts but he looked exhausted and felt it too. He barely slept just trying to keep himself from raging again.

"Like shit," he replied to which Steve scoffed, smiling a bit.

With a huff, Steve sat down, his back to the clear wall as well. They stayed there in silence, swapping silent apologies like they use to do. The energy in the room stilled to nothing but neutral between them. The intensity from last night, gone.

"Tony has news on Kaylee that he wanted to share with everyone," Steve started after a few minutes. "I thought you should be there if you want."

"If you're asking if I'm under control, I am," Bucky said deadpanned.

Steve cleared his throat, standing up. "Then let's go. It's important, Tony said."

Bucky inhaled, deeply. His eyes closed tight. He was mentally preparing himself for the possible assault from the others about last night. With the exhale, he slowly got up and watched Steve open the door.

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Urgency is something everyone understands at a fairly young age. About to miss school or searching for homework last second. That was what everyone was expecting. Something was severely wrong with the youngest person in the Tower if Tony had an intervention about it. He waited for Bucky to take a seat before he began.

"This isn't about what happened last night," Tony started, slowly coming to his feet. It appeared, for a short moment, that the playboy had gained years just overnight. "It's strictly about Kaylee."

The bomb that dropped moments after disturbed the group. The silence that followed weighed down even more. No one spoke a word when they realized the horrible truth.

"It's my fault," Bucky finally mumbled, staring at the ground before him. He shook his head in disbelief himself. "You shouldn't have brought me here a-"

"It's not your fault, Bu-" Steve started.

"You don't get it, Steve," Bucky snapped. "It's not the same, Steve. She wants to die and it's my fault."

"Tell me what you did to her," Nat finally voiced. "All of this started with her training. What did you do?"

Panic. He never admitted it to himself and he didn't want to now. He had a choice back then and he made the choice. Bucky shook his head, refusing to answer. He saw Steve shift from the corner of his eye and the others perked in curiosity.

"What did you do," Tony seemed to growl, threatening the alpha as he neared.

Bucky swallowed hard. He felt his throat tighten. "I made my choice," he said.

"What did you do to her!"

"I had to imprint on her!" Bucky snarled, his fist clinching enough to make the knuckles white. "I made my choice to save her life and I did."

Silence. Natasha shook her head. "Why-"

"It was she trained with me or Hydra would send her to be a sex slave," Bucky growled. "I did what I had to for her protection."

"There were hundreds of other omegas there!"

"And I saved at least one! I couldn't take them all!"

"This is can't be about that," Tony snapped. "This is about Kaylee and her current state!"

Steve looked up to his friend who began to stare at the wall past Tony but still listened closely.

"She's on an IV but this is her first real heat. It's hard to keep fluids in her. She'll be on a constant watch by any one of us," Tony looked at everyone, Bucky last. "You can't watch her, though. You might scare her."

Bucky scoffed and looked away. He shifted his weight and crossed his arms. "She won't last without something, Stark."

"We already have the most we can do. You don't want to do something you or her might regret," Tony stated calmly. "She's vulnerable and been through hell the past few days alone. I'm still restricting you from seeing her."

Bucky looked up at the beta playboy, pain in his own eyes.

Yikes, I feel this is rushed but I kinda already starting writing the next chapter before I wrote this. I meant for the last part to be really intense and I think I completely missed the mark.

Thoughts on Bucky's imprinting? A further explanation will be in a few chapters. You know I like to keep yall waiting.