THE CHAIN, B. Barnes daughter

41. sick

THIS IS SHORT, like a little filler chapter cus idk anyways

TW: SELF HARM SCARS.

"HANG IN THERE, SEV," Bucky said, his voice trembling as he watched Sam push a pile of supplies off Sharon's table to make room for Sev. "I'm right here, just hang in there."

Sev lay motionless on the table, her breathing shallow and labored. Blood seeped from the wound in her arm, pooling on the table's surface. Bucky hovered nearby, his hands clenching and unclenching with helpless frustration.

Sharon moved swiftly, her movements precise as she worked to stabilize Sev. Sam ripped Sev's sleeve off, exposing the wound. As the fabric tore away, Bucky's breath caught in his throat. His eyes widened in shock and disbelief as he saw the numerous scars that marred her arm, the telltale signs of self-harm.

Zemo, standing off to the side, made a snide comment, his voice dripping with disdain. "Seems the girl has more issues than just being shot."

Bucky's fist clenched, and for a moment, he considered knocking Zemo out cold. But he forced himself to focus on Sev. She needed him. Anger could wait.

As Sam and Sharon worked to stop the bleeding, Bucky's mind raced. The scars on Sev's arms painted a devastating picture. How had he missed this? How had he not seen the signs?

He prided himself on being observant, especially when it came to his daughter. And yet, here was undeniable evidence that she had been suffering in silence, hiding her pain from him.

When Sharon finally managed to stabilize Sev, Bucky's knees nearly buckled with relief. She was still unconscious, but her breathing had evened out, and the bleeding was under control. Knowing she was out of immediate danger, Bucky stepped back, his mind a whirlwind of emotions.

He walked away from the table, his steps heavy, and collapsed onto the couch in the corner of the room. He buried his face in his hands, trying to process everything. The image of Sev's scarred arms was burned into his mind, a painful reminder of the turmoil she had been facing alone.

A torrent of guilt washed over him. How could he have been so blind? He had been so focused on protecting her from external threats that he had completely overlooked the battle she was fighting within herself. Every scar, every mark on her skin was a testament to her silent cries for help, cries that he had failed to hear.

The weight of his failure pressed down on him, suffocating him with its intensity. His mind replayed every moment, every interaction with Sev over the past months, searching for clues he might have missed. The long sleeves, the sudden mood swings, the times she had withdrawn from him—how had he not put it all together?

Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision. He felt a deep, wrenching sorrow for Sev, for the pain she had endured without him knowing. The thought of her suffering in silence, feeling so alone and desperate that she resorted to hurting herself, was almost more than he could bear.

A sob escaped his lips, and he didn't try to hold back the tears anymore. They flowed freely, hot and unchecked, as he cried for his daughter. His baby, the light of his life, had been battling demons he hadn't even seen. The realization tore at his heart, leaving it raw and bleeding.

Bucky's shoulders shook with the force of his sobs. He felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. He was supposed to protect Sev, to keep her safe from harm. But he had failed in the most fundamental way. He had let her down, and the scars on her arms were a constant reminder of that failure.

As he sat there, crying for Sev, a resolve began to form within him. He would be there for her, no matter what. He would do everything in his power to help her heal, to show her that she wasn't alone. He couldn't change the past, but he could be there for her now, and for every moment going forward.