LEGACY: a bucky barnes story

Chapter 5 - Shatter

The last few hours have been a whirlwind. My head is spinning and hasn't stopped. My heart is in my throat while my stomach has all but fallen out of me. My ability to restrain the shaking nerves from Nat won't hold much longer.

Nick Fury disappeared from the scene downtown, as had the mysterious attacker. And now, mere hours later, Nat and I speed down the highway to the hospital. Nat ordered me to call the hospital, to find out where we could find Nick as soon as we arrived.

The nurse mentioned that Captain Rogers admitted Nick with a lethal gunshot wound. It left me with questions Nat had little to no answers to, so I kept my mouth shut as her sports car weaved in and around traffic.

As soon as we arrive, I chase after Nat's sprinting figure until we bust into the viewing room of a surgical suite. We are met with Captain Rogers' backside, leaning on the rails of the suite window, and not breaking eye contact with the surgery unfolding.

Nat breaks the silence. "Is he gonna make it?"

"I don't know," came Captain Rogers' reply.

I stopped hearing either of them. I pressed my palm to the window, my heart aching. It was a degree of pain I hadn't succumbed to since my father was killed. My senses all but ceased functioning, frozen with fear.

I hadn't even noticed Agent Hill was in the room, too. She crept up beside me, arm around my shoulder. As soon as her touch grazed me, I crumpled. Turning into her embrace, I let her arms envelop my shaking figure. I tried not to cry, but it was futile—the floodgates had already opened. As the shaking and sniveling subsided, Maria spoke softly.

"Hey. Hey, look at me. Look at me, Jen."

I hesitantly turned my head up to meet her eyes. My skin began getting hot, the wetness around my eyes cooling when a small breeze blew by. Her eyes were noticeably red too, and I couldn't decide if that made me feel better or want to cry more.

"Please sit down," Maria coaxed as she guided me to a hospital chair. She squeezed my hand, and backed away slowly to rejoin Nat and Captain Rogers at the window.

"Ballistics?" Nat asked.

"Three slugs, no rifling. Completely untraceable," came Maria's response. I stared at her ability to speak so clearly, without a hint of a tremble or a quiver.

I silently resolved myself to adopt the same etiquette. I am an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., so I must toughen up like one. I started breathing slowly to calm my beating heart, wiping my eyes dry.

Suddenly, I hear the monitors in the surgical suite beeping with ferocity. Calling for a defibrillator, I watch in horror as the team attempts to start Fury's heart.

Pulse. Where's the pulse? Come on, Nick, please.

My head is racing.

Then all at once, the commotion stops.

The activity in surgery slows.

Their heads are bowed.

"No...God no...please," my shoulders collapse as I drop my head into my hands.