The Grumpy Sunshine Series

Fond Of You

Originally Posted: 01/07/2022

"James- I don't...Metal is hard for me," you whisper as begin to see the wreckage and ruin you're both walking into. It was only minutes ago that Bucky got the emergency call. The two of you were the only ones at the compound, so somehow you had to make this work. You see a bridge full of cars, packed bumper to bumper, some even abandoned, as people scramble to get off the bridge. That's when you hear another loud explosion and sure enough, another beam is down. From the damage you knew that you couldn't fix them fast enough and simultaneously keep the bridge up so Bucky's idea was for you to try to keep the bridge up while he got everyone out of there.

"I know- I know. Listen give me a second and I'll think of something-"

"But I'm going to try anyway!" you reluctantly exclaim, hoping the false bravado will somehow make any of this easier. "Just don't- you know, don't take too long."

"I won't."

You nod as the two of you are finally dropped into place, you take a second to feel each of the metal beams. With another deep breath, you start taking the weight of the bridge, praying that Bucky can get everyone out fast enough.

But you're already sweating under the increasing weight of the bridge. With every snap of the big metal chords and every breaking support beam, you're carrying more and more pressure. That's when the big guys with guns see you. With as big of a current of wind you can muster, you throw them off, but it's not enough to stop them. "James! I've got a problem."

In your peripheral, you see his head snap up to you then to the guys with guns that you're barely able to fend off. One by one, he's taking as many of them down as quickly as he can.

You hear a new voice on the comms. "Tony told me you guys might need another hand?"

"Great timing, Sam," you chirp, recognizing his voice.

"She's holding up the bridge and I'm making sure these," he stops, throwing another punch. "-guys don't get to her. These people aren't evacuating fast enough, Sam?"

"Get the people out while the bridge is still up. On it." Another, smaller explosion goes off. They can both hear your strained breathing. "Can't you just- I don't know...fix the beams? Weld them together?"

"She tried," Bucky answers for you. "They're coming down too quickly."

"Can't she just smush them together?" He says helping people get over and around fallen debris.

"That's not really how metal or science- I think- works, Sam, I can't just weld things like that- it would be nice right about now," you grit, trying to hold the shattered fragments of the metal beams together.

"You're going to lecture me about science when you're literally holding up a collapsing bridge?!"

"Point taken," you laugh.

You hear Bucky over the comms. "Just get off the bridge. There isn't enough time."

"Not until you get everyone off. I can hold it," you insist through gritted teeth.

"Let go, you can't hold it," he insists.

"Yes, I can," you say in a forced sing-song tone. "Get everyone off."

You turn your head to survey the damage. "Who would do this?" you ask rhetorically, knowing that the actual men are only a few yards away. Only seconds later, you're reminded of the answer when several shots ring and ricochet off the beam you're standing in front of.

"My guess is those guys," Sam remarks.

You don't have time to comment before you see the next several shots fired at Bucky. He's distracted by the other bad guys and doesn't have a chance to react before you intervene, stopping the bullets mid-air. Bucky turns to you, eyes comically wide. "Thanks."