Flowers in the Darkest Parts: Bucky Barnes X OC

Rejuvenate

I hear the beeping of a monitor. My eyes flicker open to a bright, sterile room: the infirmary. I blink a few times and realize that I'm back at the Avenger's compound.

Suddenly I wish I could fall back asleep because memories of what happened at the bar and the train station come flying back to me. I can picture Bucky's dead body lying on the floor, my hands covered in his blood.

My chest tightens and I clamp my eyes shut as fresh tears sting them. I bring my hands up to cover my face, letting the tears flow freely. There's no point in holding them back, I hurt too much to care if it makes me look weak. It doesn't matter anymore.

Nothing matters anymore.

"Save those tears for when you really need them."

I jump, startled by the deep voice. I hadn't realized I wasn't alone. Removing my hands from my face, I look to my left and feel a brand new wave of tears coming. Bucky sits on the hospital bed next to me with his legs dangling over the edge, shirtless with a pair of sweatpants and a half-crooked grin on his lips.

I can barely process what's happening before I'm flinging myself out of bed and into him. I wrap my arms around his neck, burying my face into him. "You were dead," I sob into him. "I watched you die. How are you here?"

He holds me around the waist as I stand in between his knees. He kisses the side of my head, "You saved me."

I pull back to look at him. "What?"

He nods. "Whatever you did to stop the bleeding, saved me. Bruce said that if the hole hadn't been cauterized like it was, I would have bled out before they could get me back here for surgery to remove the bullet."

He shifts and I take a step back. He turns his body so that I can see his back. I gasp. There's a surgical incision at the base of his lung that's been stitched up, and right above it, a handprint burn mark over a once-open bullet hole.

My mouth hangs open, it moves but no words come out. So the rest of that memory is real too. The part where my body somehow heated up so hot that it was enough to cauterize his skin. Hot enough to heat my blade up and slice through limbs and damage vocal cords.

I look down at my palms, trembling. Bucky stands from the bed and gently grabs them, making me look up at him. "I don't know what happened to you out there, but I'm glad it did. You saved me and you put Rumlow away."

I squeeze my eyes closed and bury my face into Bucky's chest. His hand finds the back of my head, comforting me as the realization hits me of what this means. The sound of my crying fills the room for what seems like forever.

It's over. It's finally over.

I slowly bring my face away from Bucky's chest and look up at him. His hands go to my face, cupping my cheeks. He stares back down at me, his eyebrows drawn together and his expression serious. I notice a bruise on Bucky's cheek. My heart sinks, "Did I... did I do that to you?" I bring my hand to his face and gently touch the spot.

He shakes his head, "I'm fine, doll. Don't worry about me." He kisses my forehead. "I'm just glad you're okay."

I can't bring myself to look at him. My guilt comes flooding back to me. I hurt him. I almost killed him. I almost made him go back to the one thing he fears the most. He almost gave up everything, and for me. "I am so, so sorry, Bucky." I can barely get it out, the air feels trapped in my lungs.

He lifts my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. He rubs his thumb over my trembling lip. "Don't you be sorry. Listen to me, I would burn this entire world down for you. You mean more to me than you will ever know. In that moment, there was nothing more I wanted than for you to be safe. Even more than my own life." He leans in closer, "Now Rumlow's gone. You're going to be okay. We're going to be okay." He pulls me to his lips and I melt into him. I bask in the feeling of him, never wanting to forget what his touch feels like. Never wanting to lose it again.

We're going to be okay.

He pulls away just in time for Sam to enter through the door. He laughs and whistles at us, "Well, that's the wildest first date I've ever seen. You better make it up to her, Buck."

I spin around, my cheeks heating with embarrassment. I breathe out, "I think that's enough excitement for a while."

The door opens again and the rest of the team makes their way over to us. Steve walks up to me and I wrap my arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you," I say quietly.

"I told you, I'm just a worried big brother."

I smile. "You're the best big brother."

I pull away from him and the next thing I know I have Natasha wrapping her arms around me. "I thought we all agreed not to do anything dumb."

I let out a laugh, "I know, I'm sorry. I'm so glad that you came though." I squeeze her tight.

She holds me for a moment. "He can't hurt you anymore. You're free." I step back to meet her gaze, her eyes glossy with the threat of tears. "You're amazing, Rose. Don't let anyone tell you different."

A tear escapes down my cheek and I quickly wipe it away. My lips curl into a small smile, "Thanks, Nat."

Tony clears his throat. "Well, that was all very exciting, but I'm starving. Who's up for some food?"

I can't help but laugh. I'm overwhelmed with this feeling, this feeling of having so many people on my side. So many people who would drop everything to save me without the slightest hesitation. People that I can go to for anything and everything. People that make me feel at home. A family.

I turn to find Bucky. He's talking to Sam and Steve and he's got that smirk on his face that I've learned to love. He notices me and his eyes soften. He steps over and wraps me up in his arms. His scruff brushes up against my cheek, and his muscular body presses into me flooding me with butterflies. I'm filled with so much love. Love of my brother, love of my newfound family and my love of Bucky.

Unconditional, unrestricted love.

My shoulder throbs as I hug him, but I embrace it. It means that I'm alive. It means that I'm okay. It means that I can finally start to move on from my past and onto a brighter future. A future that I'm in control of.

I whisper into his ear, "I love you."

I can feel a smile form as he presses his face against the side of mine. "I love you, too."