Saving Bucky (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter 16 - Regret

Sensations start coming back to you slowly, piece by piece. Touch is first. You're on a cold surface. The entire world seems to be shaking. Swaying. Moving. 

Taste is next. Your mouth is dry. Bitter. 

And then the smell.

Metal. Acrid metal. Gasoline. Strong enough to bring about the realization that your head still hurts. You crack one eye open. The space is small. Cramped. But there are chairs. And windows. The sky is a bright blue. No clouds, and overwhelmingly bright. 

Your not at the Hold. A quinjet?

You try to sit up but can' t move. From exhaustion or something else you can't tell. But you have to have been unconscious for at least two hours for the sun to have risen fully.

"Take it, Buck."

"I gave it to her, Steve."

"No...she won it from you in a bet you shouldn't have made. You and I both know Charlie always kept his keys in his pockets, pal. You were makin' a point."

You wince as the voices echo slightly. They sound far away but you know they must be close. You peak open one eye again and look up from the floor. Two hazy male figures stand several paces away. Talking.

"She wants you to have it back, Buck."

"...so you told her?"

"No. She'd only feel bad. Just, take it back. I promised her I'd get it to you."

The talking ceases, but that pounding in your head is painful. You close your eyes and can't help the small groan of pain you let out as the flyer dips and you roll slightly, banging into the wall of the jet.

"She's up?" Natasha's voice rings out from further up ahead, past the two men.

"Not quite. But she's getting there," Steve answers. "Was it really necessary to tie her up, Nat?"

"Yes!" two voices shout in unison. 

"I told you not to bring her," Barnes says gruffly. 

Your thoughts are still jumbled, and you struggle to orient yourself as you lay limply on your side on the ground. You take deep breaths as the voices continue to bicker, willing your strength back and settling the pain in your head.

"I can end this now," says Natasha. "Give me your knife, soldat."

Your heart leaps in your chest. You're not strong enough to fight off an attack from Natasha. Let alone a spurned super soldier.

"No."

"No?" Natasha answers incredulously.

"I said no," Barnes snaps back. "I'm not killing anyone I don't have to. We'll...we'll drop her somewhere."

"Buck, you can't -"

"That's a terrible idea," Natasha interrupts Steve's gentle rebuttal with ferocity. "You do that, and there's nothing keeping her from running back to the Company. From telling them everything."

"She won't," Barnes grunts. "She killed two of her own. She's probably as eager to get away from them as we are to get rid of her."

"Still cleaner to just kill her," Natasha grumbles.

"That's enough," Steve says firmly, raising his voice for the first time. 

You hear him take a few steps, presumably separating Natasha and Barnes. You will all your strength to focusing your vision in the harsh light as you open them fully and spot Steve, his back turned fully to Natasha as he leans towards Barnes.