Find Me / Save Me (Bucky x Reader)

Sixty-Five

Steve's POV

I was exhausted. Nat and I are barely getting any sleep, our waking moments spent trying to do something, anything to help. To atone for our failure. I went to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face in an attempt to wake up. What I saw in the mirror shocked me. I was a mess. My hair unruly, beard growing in. Sleep deprivation clear in my face. I had to be better than this. I had to be strong for our team, for our family. That's what a Captain does after all.

Deciding the first step towards this goal was to look somewhat presentable, I went ahead and combed and styled my hair. Once it was no longer and unruly mess it was time to tackle the beard. By the time I was finished shaving I looked at my reflection once more and saw a small resemblance of the Captain again. Although I looked like my strong steady self again, inside I was still a mess. But this was a step.

Sighing I hold myself against the sink, letting my head hang, convincing myself that I can do this. Then I heard something, far away. But it was something. It made me look up my attention now on the small side mirror shaking in its place.

"Steve!!" Nat's voice rang out and made me run from the bathroom. Finding her in the common room, I get a glimpse of what she saw. Carol. Her glowing form clearly visible in the middle of the night. On her back, a ship. My heart jumped, hope running through my system as we ran outside the compound to meet the ship outside.

As soon as the ship touches down and the hatch opens Carol quickly walks inside. As she leaves my view, a familiar face comes into view. "Tony!" I call out as I run to his side. He's being aided down the walkway by an unknown person. A shell of his former self, eyes sunk in, thin as a bone. I can see the exhaustion in his body.

As I reach him, I help him stay steady in his feet. His eyes open wide as he grabs my arm with intensity. His face both broken and relieved in seeing me.

"Couldn't stop him." Tony's voice is flat, his tone deafeated.

"Neither could I."

His face turns, guilt taking over his features. "I lost the kid... (Y/N)..." No. Oh god no.

"Tony, we lost." So much. We lost so much...

"Is, uh...?" I could see him struggling with the words, but at that moment Pepper comes into view and I can hear him struggle to keep tears in.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Pepper cries as she embraces Tony in her arms. Tears falling down her face.

"It's okay..." He whispers, trying to calm her. But his words are flat, knowing nothings is truly okay.

I hear a gasp beside us from Nat as she runs past me. "(Y/N)!!!" My heart practically soars out of my chest at the sound of her name, knowing that meant she was here. But when I turn to see her, my heart falls.

She was draped lifelessly in Carol's arms. I couldn't move from my spot as I watched Nat running her hands throughout her body, in either an attempt to access her injuries or just to rouse her. I was frozen in place. I couldn't will myself to move, I didn't want to see her up close, to acknowledge another loss.

"STEVE!!! Help me get her inside!!!" Nat's panicked voice finally broke through my spell, and I found myself running to her side. My breath was caught in my chest when I finally got a good look at (Y/N).

She was pale, too pale. She had lost weight, giving her a frail almost breakable look. Her suit was stained crimson, the white barely visible anymore. Shallow breaths were the only indication that she was even alive, this alone kept me from breaking down. Knowing she needed attention right away I went to grab her from Carol and was shocked to find how light she was in my hands.