Lost in Time

Fifty-Six

'Hey Sarge..'.. The Bucky on screen sighed... 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry for doing this to you, but it's the only way I know to save you. I've watched you grow, trained you, fought with you at my side the past couple of years, but I've seen what others haven't. I've seen you break, seen you fake it, and I can't watch it anymore. This plan of sending you back, it isn't to save everyone, its to save you..'..

The team all watched silently, hearing noise in the background of the video... 'I don't care about the world, I don't care about the universe, I care about you, and I want you to be selfish this time. Find me, get me free and we'll run, run away from it all and just live our lives in peace. Fuck them all, cause we've given enough...'.. On screen Bucky shook his head, taking his glasses off and pressed his fingers to his eyes... 'But you won't. I know you better than you know yourself, you won't ever be selfish..'.. He sighed again, looking at the camera... 'I just want to give you a chance to have the life you deserve Elle. Right now you're at the expo..'... A knowing smile on his face... 'Maybe you can save yourself, your younger self. I just wish we had a chance to change what happened to you, you never deserved it..'.. More noise in the background, that had Bucky on screen turning to look behind him for a second, before facing the camera again... 'No matter what, no matter where you are in time, you are and always will be my best friend, my girl. I'm with you Elle, always. So I'm asking you to do something for me..'.. He leaned forward... 'Live your life for you, not for anyone else. Even if you do change the past, don't let it all consume you, live and be happy..'.. He sat back again, taking a shaky breath... 'I love you Elle..'.. The video clicked off.

Tony shared a look with Loki, and then glanced to Barnes, seeing him still staring at the screen, everyone else silent... 'Lark, why did you do that?..'

'Captain Barnes needed to know. He needed to understand..'..

'Understand what?..'.. Tony asked.

'She didn't choose to come to the past, she didn't choose to give everything up. The one person, she loves most, asked her to. He asked her to sacrifice it all, and she believed she was sent back to change everything. She didn't know he left her a message until she came to the past..'..

Bucky dropped back to sit on the stool, processing everything. He was alive in the future, he became Captain America, and tricked her to come back. Even he could see how much he loved Elle... 'Where is she?..'... He cleared his throat.

'Mr Maximoff has taken her out for breakfast. I will not tell you where, she needs time to deal with everything. Captain, she didn't keep Jace from you, to hurt you. Her fear of you being taken again by Hydra, of them finding out about Jace being your son, is what kept it from you. Sergeant wanted take sure that you and Jace could have a life together, without worry, without fear. Every thing she has done since she came here, has been for you..'..

'Buck..'..

He shook his head, getting up and waving Nat off... 'So, what was she planing to do, once we all knew about her?..'

'Recruit the future Avengers, while locking away the infinity stones and killing the one who would use them. Among other things..'.. Lark tells him.