The Newest Avenger ❤️

Chapter 17

"Bucky!" Anna wakes up with a scream from another nightmare. She has had nightmares the last three nights since Bucky's death. Steve barges into her room as she looks up at him before lying back, facing the wall away from him. She wasn't sure he slept the last three nights either. He would come in every time she screamed out even though she still wouldn't talk to him.

"Anna please," he pleaded softly as his heart clenched in his chest, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I lost him too... Please talk to me..." He sees her scoot over toward the wall he takes as a small sign of surrender. He lays beside her, on top of the blanket as she moves back toward him.

***

Anna wakes up in warmth, with Steve's arm around her. She was pretty sure this is the longest either of them had slept since Bucky died. But today was the funeral, and she just wasn't sure she was ready for that. She sighs, turning toward Steve as he slept beside her. She brought her hand up to his cheek, even in sleep, his face looked stressed. She finally nudges him gently until he wakes up.

Steve wakes with a jolt, opening his eyes to find her green ones watching him. "Sorry, Anna, I didn't mean—"

"Steve it's fine. But I need to get up and shower." She didn't mind waking up with Steve beside her, but she knew that she just wasn't ready for something like that.

Steve stands up and hesitates next to the bed for a minute, looking down at her. "Anna I..."

She stands up, wrapping her arms around his midsection as he pulls her tightly against his chest, resting his head on hers. "I know Steve. You don't have to say it. I don't blame you, not really. It wasn't your fault." She leans back to look up at him and she can see by the look in his eyes that he had been waiting to hear her say that.

"I know, but I promised you that I would make sure we both came back. At the very least it should have been me, not him." His eyes begin to well with tears as she reached up to place his forehead against hers.

"I know Steve. But it wasn't your fault. And don't talk like that, you know that wouldn't be what Bucky would want." He doesn't say anything, just nods a little as he squeezes his eyes shut, holding her for a few more minutes before she reaches up and kisses his cheek. "Come on, we need to get ready."

***

As Anna walks towards the casket, she feels someone grab each of her hands. She looks to the left and the right to find Natasha and Yelena. Besides Morgan, they were the closest she had ever had to sisters. She didn't have to say anything and neither did they, she just squeezed their hands in thanks. Anna doesn't really hear anything that is said during the entire funeral, completely zoning it out. They buried an empty casket; they couldn't bury a super soldier where anyone could come and steal his body. Tony assured her his body would be kept safe and away from everyone.

There were many people at the reception and Anna didn't know a lot of them. She sat around with some of the other Avengers as they started all telling their favorite stories about Bucky. She felt Steve come to sit beside her as she leaned her head against his shoulder, and she listened and laughed with everyone else.

Eventually, people started to leave so Anna took the opportunity to head to her own room. She took a long shower before putting her hair up and slipping into pajamas. She lay in her cold bed for a while, staring at the ceiling, feeling empty and alone. She finally gets up to pace in front of Steve's door as her thoughts ran rampant. What would it look like if she slept in his room? What would people say? That she was just jumping from one super soldier to another? That she was using Steve? Was she?

Steve must have heard her thinking incredibly loud because he opened his door and found her pacing. "Anna?"

She stopped pacing to turn and face him, and as soon as her eyes locked onto his she started to cry again. "I'm sorry. I just, I just don't want to sleep alone. I didn't want to bother you."

He opens his door all the way and pulls her gently inside by her hand, closing the door quietly behind them. "You're never a bother, and don't worry about anyone else. We all just want you to be okay."

Anna looked up at Steve and placed her hand on his face with a frown. "Why are you acting like I'm the only one that lost someone important to them?"

He puts his hands on her waist, resting his head against hers with a sigh. "I promised Bucky I would take care of you, no matter what."

Anna chuckles, shaking her head slightly. "Yeah, he made me promise things too. She puts her arms around his neck, and he pulls her close to him. "Maybe we can help each other fulfill our promises to him," she states softly as he just held her with his eyes closed tightly.

"Come on, let's sleep," he finally says, leading her to his bed where they fall asleep with his arms wrapped tightly around her.