𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒

Stay

A/N: just a smidge of violence

You struggled to keep your eyes open, straining them to focus on the building in front of you. You were on a stake out mission trying to gain intel on a possible threat. You usually went alone but after a particularly intense mission, the team didn't want you to be alone.

So, your partner on this dreary night was Bucky. Your suspect was doing absolutely nothing concerning, causing you to lose interest quickly. Bucky sat in the drivers seat, munching away on take out food as you rested your head against the window.

"What's this guy's deal anyways?" Bucky asked with mouthful of food making you let out a breathy laugh, "possible weapons dealing." You responded, sitting up and stretching your arms out in front of you.

Bucky turned his head to you, watching your eyes squeeze shut as you let out a loud yawn. "Tired?" He questioned while shoving more noodles in his mouth. "Extremely." You shortly replied before tossing your head back onto the seat.

"If you want to sleep you can. I'll stay up." He sweetly offered, placing his food down and wiping his mouth with a napkin. "No no, it's okay. I just haven't been sleeping so well." You didn't want to leave Bucky to do all the work and wanted to do your job properly.

"Why not?" Bucky furrowed his brows, watching your droopy eyelids open and close. "Just, having a hard time." You quietly replied, flashing him tight lipped smile. Truth be told, after the last mission you were shaken up.

You felt so helpless and you hated it. You didn't like the team seeing you as fragile and making you have a partner. But you also didn't want to admit to being scared and talk about how the mission had affected you.

"It's okay to need some help you know." Bucky placed his hand on your thigh, sending a nervous jolt through your body. You locked eyes with him and noticed his concerned features. Bucky somehow could read you like a book. He always knew how you were feeling and how to help.

"I know. But I want to be strong." You admitted moving your gaze back in front of you out the windshield. "You are strong Y/N. You're also human, I would be more concerned if you were totally fine all the time." He laughed giving your leg a gentle squeeze.

You lightly laughed back, "Yeah I guess." He moved his hand up to your head, lightly tucking your hair behind your ear, and caressing your cheek lightly with his thumb. "Get some rest. I'll watch." He smiled at you.

"Thank you." You quickly placed your head back against the window, curling your body into itself. Your eyes finally closing for good, giving into your fatigued state.

"Y/N..." You heard a strained voice calling out your name. You opened your eyes and everything was blurry for a moment, the air felt hot. You rubbed your eyes with your fists, trying to adjust. You looked over to the drivers side, gasping loudly.

There was a masked figure with his head through the window, strangling Bucky. "Buck!" The figure had his hand tightly grasped around his neck, Bucky doing his best to claw the arm away, but to no avail.

You couldn't move, why couldn't you move? The man reached into his pocket, pulling out a large knife. "NO!" You screamed, watching as Bucky stared at you helplessly with wild eyes. The knife was plunged into Bucky's chest, a loud sob escaping your lips as the tears ran down your cheeks.

Why couldn't you just move? Why couldn't you help him?

"Y/N!!" Bucky violently shook your shoulders, trying to bring you out of your nightmare. You shot up out of the bed, frantically looking around, arms flailing. "Hey hey it's me it's Bucky! I've got you!"

You finally stopped moving around, staring up at Bucky as he stood over you. "Where, where are we?" You asked, noticing you were no longer in the car. "We're at the hotel, the stake out was a bust. I didn't want to wake you."

You continued to take deep breaths. "You alright? I heard you screaming from my room." He gently sat down in front of you.

Ignoring his question at first, "did you carry me up here?" You asked. Bucky brought his hand up to his forehead pushing his hair back, "yeah you were so tired I thought I'd let you stay asleep."

You nodded, "thank you." There was a moment of silence as you moved you gaze down to your hands, still trying to ground yourself. "Are you okay?"

You looked back up to him, trying to get the gruesome image out of your mind. "Yeah, yeah sorry about that." You tried to laugh it off, but he kept his hard expression.

"Okay well, my room is next to yours if you need anything." He pointed behind him towards the door. You nodded and watched as he slowly stood, smiling as he walked away.

You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, "Bucky?" He quickly turned around, as if he was waiting for you to say his name. "Yeah?"

"Can- can you stay?" You questioned looking over towards him. His lips turned up into a smile, "of course."

He walked his way back towards you as you scooted over in the bed, opening the covers for him. He slid right in next to you and immediately pulled you his arms.

You let out a big sigh, feeling a lot better knowing he was holding you. "Do you need to talk about it?" He whispered into you hair.

"No, that's alright. I'm just glad you're here." You snuggled closer to him, placing your head on his chest.

He placed a gentle kiss on the crown of your head, settling himself into the bed as well. "I'm always here for you Y/N."