Flowers in the Darkest Parts: Bucky Barnes X OC

14. Bucky

Two more days slowly drag by while keeping minimal contact with you. By the third morning, I'm falling apart. I toss and turn in bed, my mind won't settle and I've barely slept at all. My thoughts are stuck on you. You are all I ever think of anymore and it's killing me.

I decide to get up. At least I can start my day. Laying in bed is useless for me anyway and it feels too lonely without you next to me. I throw a shirt on along with some sweatpants and head out.

You're already on the couch when I walk out to the common area, tucked up with a blanket wrapped around you, your long hair tied in a loose braid. I take a seat next to you, making sure to leave enough space in between us. As I sit there, I place my head into my hands, my head pounding from lack of sleep.

"Are you okay?" you ask.

I don't look at you, fearing you'll see my true thoughts. "I'm fine."

I'm met with silence. I rub my eyes and then turn to face you. If I look as bad as I feel, I probably look pretty rough. Your expression turns to concern, your blue eyes studying my face. You open your mouth to say something, but you're interrupted by Natasha walking out of the hallway. She looks serious as she walks up to us and hands you the papers she's holding. "We found Rumlow." She pauses to let her words sink in. "He's been sneaking around New York City looking for his next victims. We have coordinates on the location he was last spotted at."

I instantly look at you and your face tells me everything I need to know. No, I couldn't let you go on this mission. It would put you in too much danger. It would put you too close to HYDRA's filthy hands. No, I couldn't afford to let that happen. Not again.

You stare wide eyed at Natasha, trying to process this new information. I shake my head, "No, Rose. Don't do it."

You whip your head to me. "I have to get back at him, Bucky. We have to stop him before he can hurt anyone else. There are innocent people that we can save. You of all people should be biting at the bit to bring him down."

It stings, but it's true. "I know you can't stand the thought of him still out there and honestly either can I, but you don't have to be the one to fight him. We barely got you away from him as it is and you're still trying to regain all your past memories from before HYDRA. This is not the time to test our luck." You are so bull-headed though, you already have your mind set. I lean in closer to you, "We just got you back, you don't have to do this."

"Yes I do," you whisper, your voice pained. "I have to make sure he's gone for good. That HYDRA is gone for good."

My frustration and fear are starting to slip. "Trust me, I want to see that bastard put away as much as anyone, but there has to be a different way than to involve you."

"Actually," Natasha interrupts, "she's the perfect one for the mission. We need her skills to gather information on Rumlow. He seems to be moving around quite a bit and we need to figure out where he's going to hit next. This is just where he was last seen. There's got to be someone there that knows something and she'll be the one to find them."

There's no use in arguing. I'm down two-to-one against two stubbornly smart women. There's no chance for me. At least if I go with you on this mission I can make sure I'm at least there to protect you.

My head still pounds from my sleepless night and arguing is not making it better. I get up from the couch and head to my room. If I'm going to go with you, I better be ready. I hear you call my name, but I don't turn back around. I'm too tired.

My soul is too tired.

I open the door and walk to my dresser. I pull out my uniform and put it on, grab my guns from the closet and a couple knives I keep in my side table. I have to be prepared for anything. Rumlow isn't someone to mess around with. We have to be careful.