No Time to Die - Bucky Barnes

Chapter 21

You couldn't breathe.

This couldn't be happening. 

Your mind went to the worst possible scenario without even having all the information.

You felt grim reaper lurking in your mind. Trying to push back and come out. But with Shuri fixing you, her pushing just turned into a headache rather than grim taking control over the body.

You start sprinting towards the med.

You had to know who was hurt.

Was it Bucky?

Your soldier?

When he should have just stayed in your arms.

When the two of you should have stopped fighting years ago.

Is he hurt?

Is he still alive?

You couldn't stop it. Grim Reaper was coming back. Or it at least felt like it.  Or maybe it's you all along. The darkness was always you. The fact that you'd burn down the world from one man and one man only. You needed to put a name to the emotion, to the instinctual part of you that only knows pain and suffering just to make it feel less real.

But you were in denial. This entire time it was always you.

But before your thoughts could get any further arms wrapped around your frame. Familiar, warm and cold arm.

Bucky.

He was safe.

But that only meant that another was injured. Another person in your newfound family. You looked around making mental note of everyone who was there and who wasn't. You lock eyes with him and that's when you knew who.

Natasha.

The way his eyes were bloodshot but not a single tear was shed. The way his jaw was clenched tight and his knuckles turning white. He was trying to keep it cool. But you could read past his facade which he is grasping to hold on to. It's not the first time he has lost someone but that doesn't make it any easier.

Tensions were high when you looked at the others. No one could keep still. Breaths were held when the door to the operation room began to open. The doctor's face was all you needed to see to know that she did not make it. Or at least would not make it if you did not intervene.

"Ms. You can not go in there!"

"Like hell, I can't. I'm her one shot of living."

"I know that this loss must be difficult for the team but she is gone. Time of death-" You cut the doctor off before they could utter another word. "Step out of my way before I drain you of your life and use it to save Romanoff."  You said keeping your voice levels. A deep part inside of you enjoyed the fear in the doctor's eyes. A part of you missed those days when people would coward merely your presence. You weren't sure why these thoughts suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Months it was quiet until a few days ago. But you did not have the time to question the why. Every second was precious.

Entering the room, flashbacks of your time in Hydra reappeared. The sterile rooms where you were forced to watch them erased Bucky's memories over and over again. Rooms where they forced you to 'practice' your powers. But seeing Natasha's lifeless body, seeing the blood that she had bled.

You force your power into her, realising enough to have her heart working again. You turn the rest of the world off as you feel the power leave your body like water dripping down your skin and let Natasha absorb it.

Once you hear the EKG machine beginning to beep again, you pull back your power. You stumble back once you release your power. It's been too long since you have given someone energy as most of the time you were taking it away.