"I've broken my promise once, and the only way it will happen again is if I'm six feet under."
- in which Bucky and Indigo Barnes fight to protect their broken lives
Mature Content 18+
[Final Book, Book 3]
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"Nat, I'm scared," Indigo murmured, her voice trembling as she felt the suit cinch tighter around her. She watched over her shoulder as Nat zipped it up with practiced ease.
"Everything will be okay," Nat reassured her, her voice steady as she moved towards her locker. Indigo turned to face her, anxiety clear in her eyes.
She hadn't slept a wink the previous night. Every time she tried to close her eyes, her mind was consumed by the what-ifs. What if they came back and Gracie was gone? What if they went through all of this trouble and it didn't work? What if they only made things worse?
Her thoughts swirled around countless scenarios of disaster, while only one scenario offered a glimmer of hope: what if they came back, snapped their fingers, and everyone returned home?
"We'll only be gone for a few seconds, really, if you think about it," Nat said softly as she sat down on the bench, her gaze steady and reassuring.
Indigo felt like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders, and she did. Her world was Gracie, and Indigo now held her daughter's fate in her hands.
She walked over to Nat and sank down beside her, resting her head on Nat's shoulder as she let out a long, weary sigh. The comfort of Nat's presence was a small relief amidst the overwhelming stress.
"Can you believe we're about to time travel?" Indigo asked, attempting a chuckle despite her anxiety.
Nat managed a strained laugh, her eyes distant as she reminisced. "It feels like just yesterday we were sneaking through the halls of the Red Room, plotting to steal candy from Dreykov's office."
Indigo burst into a loud, genuine laugh, her stress momentarily melting away as she thought of the countless adventures and shared memories with Nat. "What do you think we'd be doing right now if Thanos hadn't happened?"
Nat's head rested gently against hers, a comforting gesture of shared history and understanding. "I think you, Bucky, and Gracie would be at Steve's and my apartment, enjoying dinner and watching movies together," she said softly, her voice tinged with nostalgia.
"That sounds perfect," Indigo sighed, her heart aching with a mix of longing and hope. "When we bring everyone back, you and Steve should get that apartment, and we'll be the first ones there with you."
"It's a date," Nat said, her voice bright with a hint of excitement. The promise of a future together, filled with normalcy and shared moments, was a small but powerful beacon of hope amidst the uncertainty.
"You're going to have to say yes to him, you know," Indigo said, lifting her head and looking at Nat with a mixture of seriousness and warmth. She could sense Nat's hesitation, despite knowing deep down that Nat and Steve were meant for each other.
