Certainty (A Bucky Barnes Fanfic)

━◦○◦5.1: Repercussions and Realizations◦○◦━

episode 5 - Truth

Shamara sat on the bar in Zemo's apartment, her hands shaking. She had about a dozen things on the stove and oven, filling the kitchen with Arab spices. But she just kept staring at her hands. She rubbed her knees, seeing Nico's body each time she shut her eyes.

Nico had been unarmed. He had held Walker back, but he had done nothing. She should've called out to Nico. She should've followed him to keep Walker from . . .

She shook her head, flexing her hands.

Walker had left immediately. Sam and Bucky had followed, once Bucky made Shamara promise to head back to the apartment. "Stay out of this one, Shamara. He's too unstable. I don't know if we'll be able to talk him down to reason." She had been perfectly willing to listen. But cooking just kept her distracted for so long. She ran her hand through her hair, her stomach twisting.

The door opened, "Shamara?"

"Bucky?" Shamara looked up, not moving.

Bucky stepped around the corner, his face tensed. He walked over to her and ran his hand through his hair. Blood covered his face. A cut was on the bridge of the nose and another one under his eye. A large bump was swelling on his forehead.

"Where's Sam?" Shamara frowned at him, her hands and throat still clenched.

"I just . . . got out of there. I -," Bucky cut off and hesitated.

"You okay?" Shamara looked him up and down, her eyes narrowing at his stance and the blood.

" . . . no."

Shamara pulled him into her arms. She cradled her hand against his head, leading him to rest on her shoulder. Bucky slowly put his arms around her, inhaling heavily.

"Sam is okay?" Shamara smoothed his hair, ignoring the blood and sweat.

"No worse than me. It was . . . rough," Bucky cleared his throat. "But he got the shield."

"Why did you walk here without him?"

"Because . . . because it was that kind of rough. We both need to deal with it. I can't . . . I can't."

Shamara bit back a sigh, pulling him closer, "What happened?"

"Walker fought. Tried to do what he did to Nico -."

Shamara caught her breath. Her heart skipped a beat as her hands tightened on Bucky's back.

"He ripped Sam's wings off. And . . . it truly took both of us to finally pull the shield from him," Bucky kept his voice dark but empty.

"And?" Shamara moved back enough to meet his gaze.

Bucky made a face, looking away, " . . . and . . . I kinda got . . . electrocuted. Again."

"What do you mean?"

" . . . that was what Zola used -."

"Bucky," Shamara held him tighter, her heart tightening. "I'm so sorry."

"It just . . . it feels so similar to . . . ," he was shaking, and Shamara pressed her lips against his head.

"I know. I know. Breathe," Shamara rubbed Bucky's metal arm. "You can still use it?"

"Vibranium can't be damaged by electricity. But it is a metal, so it still conducts it," Bucky flexed his hand, looking down.

"What can I do?"

" . . . hold me."

Shamara led his hands to her sides and traced his shoulders. He pressed his face against her neck, holding on to her.