Lovers in Arms | Bucky Barnes

Part 12

Karol wakes up in a bed. The very first thing she notices that this isn't her own bed - or the floor where she prefers to sleep when she's alone. This bed isn't as soft as the bed she slept on last night. She likes it. She tries to sit up but she is stuck on something. There is an IV in her arm, which is attached to a bag with clear liquid.

"What the fuck is this?" she whispers. She lifts her shirt and feels her side where she got stabbed multiple times. It's already fully healed, not even a scar is left behind. That was fast, even for her healing powers. Nice.

With a jerk she pulls the needle out from her arm and pulls off a clip from her finger. The moment she ripped them out several soft alarm bells go off. She ignores them and lowers her feet alongside the bed and stands up. At least she tries, but she immediately slumps through her feet and falls stretched out on the cold floor.

"Karol!" Steve runs into the room and helps her up. "Let me help you get back to bed." He grabs her upper arm and lifts her up on the bed.

"What? Steve? Where's Bucky?"

"He's not here, but he'll be here soon." Steve replies.

Natasha also comes running into the room. "Karol! You're awake. Finally!" She gives Karol a big hug, not wanting to let her go.

"Hey Nat. Nice to see you too, but we talked just a few hours ago." She chuckles. "You can let go now Nat. Or else the boys will get jealous." She winks at Steve.

Natasha laughs as she lets go. "Oh honey. You slept a long time. You blacked out at the warehouse, you've been asleep since."

"Oh, so how long have I been out? A day? Or two? I knew I felt well rested."

Steve looks at Natasha with a worried look on her face. They just wished Bucky was here to see her. He has been a mess.

"It...It was a bit longer Karol." Steve continues. "The warehouse incident... that was almost 4 weeks ago."

"4 weeks?!" Fuck. That explains some things... "Where's Bucky?" She asks again, this time a bit more worried.

"I just got off the phone with him, he will be here in about an hour." Natasha says. "Do you need something?"

"Uh, yeah! Something to eat! I'm starving!" She jokes. "Can you get me some clothes too? I need to get out of this thing." Pointing at the hospital gown she is wearing.

"Sure honey. Be back in a jiffy."

Karol sits straight up in bed cross-legged, she doesn't want to lay down. She slept for 4 weeks so that should be enough beauty sleep.

Steve takes a seat next to the bed on a chair. "Bucky was really worried. What you did was stupid Karol. Brave, but stupid. He was angry at first but later couldn't stay away from your side. He lived and slept in this room next to you, barely eating."

Karol is worried about Bucky, but still stands with her decision to try to kill Pierce on her own. "Sometimes you need to do something stupid to get things done. It didn't matter if I lived or died. Pierce needed to be punished."

"It mattered to Bucky. I never seen him so stressed and depressed as in the past 4 weeks. He really cares for you. We all do." Steve grabs her hand and squeezes it. "I'm glad your awake." He says with a soft smile. Karol didn't expect this reaction from him, she just got to know Steve. But she can't deny, he's the kind of guy you bond with quite fast. He's nice.

What surprised her even more was Bucky's behaviour. Was he really that concerned? Thinking about it she would probably do the same if the roles were turned.