Certainty (A Bucky Barnes Fanfic)

━◦○◦6.4: Not Without You◦○◦━

episode 6 - One World, One People

A few hours later, after Bucky had changed out of his suit, packed some for him and Shamara, and returned to Shamara's apartment, he heard Sam in the hallway. They had left Shamara's door open, so Sam peered inside, blinking from Bucky to Angie. He was sopping wet, despite his water-resistant suit. Angie smiled at him from her seat at the table where she drank her whiskey.

"What happened?" Sam pulled off his goggles. "Shamara?"

Bucky looked up. He sat beside Shamara, who still lay on her couch. Angie had helped her change into cloth shorts and a tee-shirt, but in her fever, Shamara hugged herself and trembled violently. Her face still looked unhealthily flushed, and she was sweating all over. Sam stepped closer, his forehead furrowing as he looked from her to Bucky.

" . . . is she gonna be okay?" Sam hurried over.

Shamara opened her eyes, cracking a smile, "Not dead yet."

Bucky willed his fear to remain controlled, forced himself to meet Sam's gaze, "Shuri is sending one of the Royal Talon Fighters. She can take care of Shamara better in Wakanda. She already has several solutions, just hasn't tested all of them thoroughly."

Sam slowly nodded, grabbing a towel from Shamara's pile of clean laundry that she hadn't touched for days. Bucky lifted an eyebrow, then immediately turned to Shamara when she released a soft groan. She rolled towards him, pressing her hot face against his shoulder. Her breathing was almost ragged. Bucky kissed her hair, even though it was slick with sweat.

"My head," she hissed through her teeth.

"You are too warm," Bucky moved his metal hand to the back of her neck, making her flinch at the cold.

"Do you want to take a shower or bath, honey?" Angie stood again.

"I think it'd be too much," Shamara's teeth chattered. "Bucky feels freezing."

"We don't have to run it too cold. Just enough to control your temperature."

"Perhaps."

"I'll run a bath, and you can decide whether you want it," Angie walked to the other room. "And remind me to take you shopping!"

Shamara nodded, then made a rough, almost sob-like sigh. Bucky's heart clenched as she put her arms around him, and he rubbed her back.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. Bucky wanted to have more time, not have to face the question marks yet. Shuri had seemed so confident that she had another week to examine her various solutions, but . . . What is accelerating it?

Angie got a bath ready, and Bucky carried Shamara into the bathroom. He kissed her forehead before walking into the other room. Sam stood at the table. He poured some whiskey from Angie's bottle, lifting his glass at Bucky. Bucky stepped over to him and leaned against one of the chairs.

"Do you think she's gonna be okay?" Bucky glanced back at the other room.

Sam didn't answer for a painful amount of time, "I didn't even know it was getting this bad."

"It just got there. Tonight. We thought we had another week."

"You have connections," Sam nodded, pouring another small glass and passing it to Bucky. "If anyone can help, it'll be the Wakandans. And she has you to fight for."

"It's not really a fight, Sam," Bucky heaved a sigh and took the glass. "Nothing in her willpower or mine will change the outcome."

"You can keep hoping, Buck. That's your weakness, and that's where she needs you to be strong right now. If you lose hope, you've practically lost her," Sam pulled out a chair and sat.