Baby Barton

Chapter 71 Steve Rogers/Chloe Barton

Your body aches under the weight of the beating. Blood pulses from the gouge in your abdomen, turning your blue suit a sinister shade of purple.
You wont hit him back, you can't. You only want him to see himself, to be himself.
You want to bring him back.
Because the Bucky you knew was strong but gentle, he wasn't a murderer.
"Your name is," you pant deeply trying to keep your feet steady as the ground below you shudders, "James Buchanan Barnes."
He runs towards you, his eyes a mixture of confusion and rage "shut up!" His screams broken in anguish.
Explosions around you ring in your ears, the vibrations ripple through your body.
You take off your helmet, you need him to see your face, your eyes. Maybe just maybe you'll get through to him.
He takes his metal arm and connects it with your shield sending your body ricocheting backwards, falling to the ground.
"No! Steve!" Your blurry eyes snap round to see Chloe jumping over the fallen steel beams explosions going off behind her, she doesn't flinch shes ruthless.
The small spark of relief for both of them quickly dissipates as you're brought back to the moment...shes in danger.

Chloe
You bound over obstacles dodging debris as it tumbles from above. You have only one thought, get to Steve.
Why isn't he fighting back?
Even if you get to him, what use will you be?
At least you'll be together, and maybe together you can help Bucky.
You stand back hesitantly watching as they face each other.
Steve looks exhausted.
"I'm your friend." He stumbles backwards his breathing ragged, thats when you notice the gash across his abdomen.
Fuck.
"I'm not gonna fight you." He drops his shield through a hole in the glass below. He is weaponless, defenceless.
Please don't give up.
You do your best to push back sobs, have you come here to watch your boyfriend die?
Bucky dives towards him, knocking him to the ground, "you're my mission!" He screams, pinning Steves body to the ground with his own. His metal fist pummels his face. You can hear the flesh burst and the bones crack over the noise of explosions and gunfire.
It wasn't even a second thought, you run as fast as your legs will carry you, watching every repetitive motion of Buckys fist burst into Steves face, his head thrown back making no attempt to defend himself whatsoever.
You decide in that moment, that you will defend him. You'll be his shield.
You throw yourself on top of his body, gripping his suit as Bucky tries to launch you away from him. You cover him with everything you have putting yourself between them.
Bucky doesnt stop, he's killing him.
Steves ragged breaths echo in your ears as you cover his face with your hands, the metal fist meeting your knuckles, you scream out in anguish.
He raises his arm ready to drop another punch, but it hangs in the air, this will be the final punch. Steves breaths slow, his lungs rasping for air.
"Please no, please don't hurt him..." adrenaline and heroin still coursing through your veins, "I love him."
Who were you telling? Bucky, trying to force him to stop or Steve because you needed him to know incase this was it for you both?
Regardless, you love him.
You close your eyes unable to witness any more of the horror.
"F...finish it..." Steves weak voice bellows beneath you, "cause I'm with you...till the end of the line."

You cling to him your head buried in his neck sobbing as you listen to his shallowed ragged breaths try to hold on to life.
Your back to Bucky too terrified to look at him, "please, stop." Your strangled cries causing convulsions, "please."
You cover him your eyes squeezed tightly shut, bracing for the final punch. Tears streaming onto Steves chest as you hold him.
Everything was so perfect, and now it was this.
Your world flaking apart in front of your eyes, and all you can do is watch.
Everything stops, silence fills the air.
You glance round to see Buckys eyes change, you swear you can see his mind connecting, processing.
The stark realisation of everything he has done hitting him in one swift motion.
Like waking up for the first time.