Bucky's Anchor

Chapter 42 - Into the Fray

I could feel Bucky's heart still pounding as we held each other after our frantic reunion. But the moment didn't last. The echo of explosions and the cries of battle filled the air again, snapping me back to the grim reality around us. My arms were still wrapped tightly around him, but I felt him tense, the warmth of his body shifting into a readiness I had seen before. His instinct to fight was taking over.

I pulled back slightly, just enough to see the conflict in his eyes. They flickered between me and the chaotic battlefield behind me. I knew what he was thinking. And as much as I wanted to beg him to stay, I couldn't do that. He was a protector—a fighter. He always had been.

I reached up and placed my hand against his cheek, gently turning his gaze to mine. "Go," I whispered, the word tasting bitter on my tongue, but it was the only thing I could say. "They need you out there, Bucky."

His eyes softened as he looked down at me, his hand coming up to rest on top of mine. "I don't want to leave you again, Emily," he said, his voice thick with the weight of his promise.

Tears burned behind my eyes, but I forced myself to stay strong. "You have to," I whispered. "This is what you're meant to do. I can't hold you back from that." My voice cracked, but I steadied it. "Just promise me... promise me you'll come back."

Bucky nodded, his jaw tight with determination. "I promise. I'll come back to you. No matter what."

He leaned down and kissed me—fierce and urgent, like it was the last moment we'd have together. I kissed him back with the same desperation, clinging to him as long as I could. When he pulled away, he lingered for a second, his forehead resting against mine.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," I said, barely getting the words out before he turned and sprinted toward the battlefield, disappearing into the haze of smoke and debris.

My heart clenched painfully in my chest as I watched him go. I wanted to chase after him, to stay by his side, but I knew I couldn't. I wasn't like him. I wasn't a soldier.

---

I turned and hurried toward the safest spot I could find, somewhere far enough from the frontlines where I could stay out of the fight but still close enough to see Bucky, to make sure he was okay. The air was thick with smoke, and my lungs burned as I dodged falling debris and ran through the maze of crumbling buildings. The ground shook beneath me as another explosion went off nearby, the noise deafening.

I reached the edge of what looked like an old structure—a small alcove that would give me some shelter and a view of the fight. My hands were shaking as I crouched behind a crumbling wall, my eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of Bucky.

I tried to steady my breathing, clutching my hands together to stop their trembling. Fear gnawed at me, but I couldn't let it consume me. I couldn't afford to panic. Bucky needed me to believe he'd come back, that he would be okay. He needed me to be strong for him, and I wasn't going to fail him now.

My gaze locked on a figure moving swiftly through the dust and rubble. It was him—Bucky. He was back in the fight, charging toward the enemy with that same fierce determination that had drawn me to him from the beginning. Every movement was precise, fluid, like he had done this a thousand times before.

I wanted to scream at him to be careful, to not take any risks, but I knew better. This was who he was—Bucky Barnes, the man who had fought his way through hell and back. And even though it terrified me to see him fighting again, I was proud of him. So proud of the man he had become, the man who was now fighting not just for survival but for a future we could share.

As I crouched there, watching him, I felt my own resolve harden. I had to believe in him, in his strength, just like he had always believed in me. No matter how terrified I was, I couldn't let fear win. Not when Bucky was out there fighting for us.

---

Bucky was a force of nature on the battlefield. His Vibranium arm glinted in the dim light, moving with deadly precision as he took down enemy after enemy. He was relentless, focused, a warrior in every sense of the word. I had seen him fight before, but this time it was different. This time, there was a fire in his eyes that hadn't been there before.

I watched as he fought alongside Steve, the two of them moving in perfect sync, their movements a seamless dance of combat. Steve called out commands, and Bucky responded without hesitation, covering his back, blocking attacks, and throwing punches that sent enemies flying.

At one point, Bucky paused for a second, scanning the battlefield. His eyes found mine across the chaos, and for a brief moment, everything else fell away. Our gazes locked, and he gave me a small nod—a silent promise that he was okay. That we were okay.

My heart swelled with love and pride as I watched him. This was the man I loved, the man who had fought so hard to overcome everything that had been done to him. And now, here he was, fighting for something bigger than himself, fighting for a future we both believed in.

---

But that didn't stop the fear. Every time I lost sight of him, my heart would race, my breath catching in my throat. I sat there, hidden in my small alcove, my hands clasped tightly together as if the sheer force of my will could protect him.

"Stay safe, Bucky," I whispered over and over, my voice barely audible over the noise of the battle. "Stay safe."

Time seemed to blur as I waited, my eyes never leaving the battlefield. I watched as the fight raged on, as our allies pushed forward, gaining ground inch by inch. But I didn't care about the battle, not really. All I cared about was him.

And as long as Bucky kept fighting, as long as I could see him out there, I knew I had to keep believing that he'd come back to me.

---

Watching him disappear into the battle felt like losing him all over again. But this time, I had to believe. I had to trust that the man who had survived so much would survive this too. Because I wasn't ready to let him go. Not yet. Not ever.