This Is Stella's Reality

March 11, 2015

I groaned as the sunlight peeping through the windows shined over my sleeping face. My body was sore, littered with bruises and aches. I tried to move, and shooting pain struck my nerves like lightning.

The birds were chirping outside. I wished they would shut up. My hands pressed a pillow over my ears, hoping to drown out their screeching songs. I groaned when they still screamed in my eardrums.

I turned my head, Bucky was sleeping peacefully beside me. His dreams were peaceful. Soft grass, warm meadows, playful laughter dancing through summer air. I scowled at his handsome face. My hand connected with his chest, and he woke with a start. His eyes were wide, and I frowned even more. I couldn't move without wincing.

He looked down at me, and a cute, dopey smile tugged at his face. His lips leaned down to kiss me, but I slapped my hand over his mouth. He looked at me, confused and alarmed. A muffled question was asked through my hand.

"Shut up," I hissed at him. "You did this to me. Fix it." There was hostility in my voice. He had really kept his promise of making sure I couldn't walk today. The gears in his head turned, and he seemed to understand what I meant.

He laughed behind my hand. His eyes crinkled, and he stepped onto the hardwood floors. "Be right back, my love." His sleepy voice soothed me a bit. It was warm and reassuring in my ears. Still, annoyance at my situation tingled in the back of my mind.

I heard the water run in the bathroom. A lighter flickered a few times. Blue dusk from the departing dawn still lingered in the corneres of the room, orange candlelight danced through the doorway and chased it off. A smile pulled at my lips. Perhaps I could not be so mad at him. He was too sweet and caring for me to stay like this for long.

Bucky returned to my side with a smile and gathered me in his arms. As we walked to the bathroom, he pressed kisses to my forehead. "You were such a good girl for me," he muttered. Ease spread through my body.

He lowered me gently into the warm bath. I sighed, relaxing my tense and sore muscles. His fingers played with the strands of hair framing my face, "You're so lovely." He was sitting on the side of the tub, letting his fingers glide over my skin.

Blush crept up my neck, and my eyes rolled. "You're so cheesy."

"You like it."

"No, I don't."

He smirked; we both knew I did.

There was a sudden knock at the door. I sent my thoughts outwards, checking to see who it was. Steve. He seemed anxious.

He felt my mind brushing past his. Can I come in? He asked.

I'm in the bath.

Can I come in? His thoughts sounded urgent. I opened the door with my magic. Bucky was watching my face the entire time. "Steve?" He asked.

I nodded, and in walked Steve Rogers, more of a mess than I had ever seen him. It looked as if he had just ran the world's longest marathon. His chest heaved, and his hair was soaked with sweat.

He looked between Bucky and I, "We found it."

"Found what?" Bucky asked. I knew. The Winter Soldier's book.

Steve's blue eyes were piercing, "Vasily Karpov. The book. I know where it is."

There was silence in the bathroom. My stomach churned. "Let's go," I said suddenly. My voice was hardly a whisper. I reached my hands over to lift myself out of the water.

Bucky's hands stopped me. He held my shoulders down. "Right now?" He asked. There was a mixture of concern and darkness marring his thoughts. He wanted to go, but he also wanted to continue ignoring it. He knew we couldn't do that. Around and around his thoughts went like a merry-go-round.