the team doctor || bucky barnes (EDITING IN PROGRESS)

61.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜱᴏɴɢ: ɪ ᴍɪꜱꜱ ʏᴏᴜ, ɪ'ᴍ ꜱᴏʀʀʏ - ɢʀᴀᴄɪᴇ ᴀʙʀᴀᴍꜱ

"𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲."

~

VALERIE COULDN'T BREATHE.

She felt like the wind had just gotten knocked out of her. For a moment, she thought maybe she was going crazy and didn't hear Bucky just say those words.

"I'm sorry," She shook her head. "Did you just say--"

"Yes,"

"I think I might throw up,"

"That's a perfectly valid reaction,"

"So, you're saying Cody is my brother who tried to date me in order to lure me to my dad, whose ultimate goal was to get you into his hands so he could turn you into the Winter Soldier. But since I dumped Cody, that plan was no longer viable and they had to figure out a new plan, which was when they staged me being hurt so you'd turn yourself over,"

"Nikolai sent you that letter before you dumped Cody, but I have to believe he saw you with me and figured their plan might work on its own."

"That makes sense of why Cody wasn't very upset when I dumped him," Her eyes darted around. "I thought he just didn't like me that much,"

She added, "He also said he figured I was seeing someone else. He must've known you and I had gotten..involved,"

"From our phones,"

She buried her head in her hands. "Oh my god,"

He waited as she processed what they were saying.

"Shit, yeah, I'm glad you didn't tell me this while I was in the shower,"

"I tried telling you," He said softly. "Are you okay?"

"Um, no, Bucky, I wouldn't say I'm doing great. I can't believe this at all--I kissed him! Multiple times!"

"Okay, we don't need to take that stroll down memory lane,"

Her face scrunched. "He touched my bra,"

Bucky's jaw clenched so hard he thought his teeth might break. "Valerie,"

She was pacing now. He was breathing deeply, trying his best to keep his composure. But, fuck, if he didn't want to put a knife between Cody's eyes. And her father's, for that matter.

"How could you think this would make me view you differently? This should make you view me differently--my father did this to you,"

"I was the Winter Soldier before him. He just awoke it. That has nothing to do with you,"

"But he was using me to get to you,"

"Yeah, and it worked. It will again,"

She halted in her pacing. "What do you mean by that?"

Bucky cursed.

"Bucky," She raised her voice.

"They sent us a message. They want you or they'll come to the tower." He grunted. "Tony decrypted a message from them yesterday, we haven't briefed the team until we figure out our next move."

"What?" She sank down next to him.

"Of course that won't happen. Tony's secured the tower and you'll be perfectly safe here. I will make sure of that,"

"But it's not me they really want," She whispered. "It's you,"

"Sometimes I hate how smart you are,"