CRAVE - Bucky Barnes x Marvel AU

Part 18

// SHIFTING TO LIZZIE'S POV //

Me and James pulled up outside Steve's place. It was a big, flashy apartment. I'm guessing his wife chose it and did all the decor. I'm assuming she seemed so very... housewife.

"Bucky!" Steve shook hands with him and patted him roughly on the back, which he didn't even flinch.

You need to stop noticing these little details!

"Thanks for having us, Cap," James replied. Everyone got seated around the table as one of Steve's butlers served dinner.

Doesn't James have house staff as well?

I mostly chimed in with the general conversation, it was mostly idle chit chat.

"So Lizzie," Natasha said, I did not just gulp "how is life for you? Owning a fashion empire?" Her eyes lit up as she asked me.

"Not, as glamorous as it looks," I said "most of the work is... paperwork and tactical thinking."

"Don't you, like, make dresses?" She asked, I couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not. Elements of being a 'dumb blonde' became clearer as the conversation went on, besides the fact she was a redhead.

"I have what I call my 'workers' who are the only people allowed in the design studio," I said "I have my PA, well he's actually marketing director or something, called Howard. And everyone else in the building does the paperwork paperwork."

"Lizzie's pretty picky about who she collabs with," James commented, making them laugh a little.

"Every season Ragnorok asks to collaborate," I laughed, until the reality sunk in a little. "But Hela's just-"

"Hela?" Nat's voice became deeper, she looked more sober at the mention of her name, the glint in her eyes was gone.

"CEO of Ragnorok," I replied quickly.

James's eyes flickered between us both, Steve clearly had no idea what was happening. Natasha's eyes didn't leave mine for a second.

I heard a gentle click.

If it wasn't for James pulling me down, the bullet would've hit me square in the back, instead, it just winged me.

This all escalated way too fast.

I looked to where the bullet came from, the butler was having trouble reloading his gun. Noob. Natasha had one strapped to her thigh, she came round the table and pointed it straight at me.

"Nat..." I breathed, raising my hands as I stood up "it's me. Just Lizzie, please, snap out of it-"

"Aargh!" I was interrupted by Steve, who'd body slammed Natasha down, the bullet winged my other side.

I could see James already holding a gun by the butler's neck, who was frozen, possible already on the verge of death.

Natasha was fighting Steve- and winning. I picked up her gun that had flung across the floor.

"STOP IT!" I screamed, pointing it straight at her. She saw it, and dropped Steve to the floor, who whimpered in pain.

How to work a gun?

"Nice knowing you, Lizzie." I swear I saw Nat wink as she said it, she obviously figured I'd no idea how to use a gun. She ran towards the glass walls, my jaw dropped as she smashed through it, jumping down the 3000 foot drop.

A helicopter came down, throwing a rope which she grabbed, and within seconds she was flying over the Atlantic Ocean.

-

James hadn't let go of me since Natasha jumped, he'd called a chauffeur to come pick us up. Steve was going to be alright, but was still on his way to the hospital.

James was careful with both of my shoulders, I hadn't realised the amount of blood or the burning pain that came with it.

I was in a hospital bed, both of my arms were bandaged up, they'd be ok in a week or two.

"Doing any better, doll?" James asked. He hadn't left my side once, not even to check up on Steve.

"I'm alright, go check on Steve. He'll be missing you," I smiled, James reluctantly left me.

I switched on the news channels, I found a local New York one. There was footage of Natasha jumping out the building, and police had hijacked the chopper.

They were currently interrogating each of the subjects, including Natasha. I decided to keep up to date with the story, I knew the police had spoken to James already, I'd heard him on the phone.

// SHIFTING TO JAMES'S POV //

"It's about time, Buck," Steve said as I entered the door.

"Shut the fuck up, Steve," his face dropped a little when he saw how angry I was "you could've had Lizzie killed-"

"You think I had any idea?" Steve looked like he'd already been through the realisation that his wife wasn't who he thought she was.

We stayed in silence for a while, only the TV talked quietly and the sounds of nurses rushing up and down the corridors.

"I need to get back to Lizzie," I decided, it'd been too long.

"You really..." Steve stopped my from storming out, sometimes I couldn't help but see the beaten up kid from Brooklyn when I looked at him "you really love her?"

The word spent chills down my spine, he smirked when he saw whatever expression I had on my face.

"Get out of here, Buck."