Radioactive | Bucky Barnes

IRON MAN: CHAPTER SIXTEEN

"As I've said before, he made a new heart to keep himself alive." Rhiley sat opposite Coulsin in the middle of nowhere, "Was it necessary to drive two hours away?" 

"I didn't want to risk getting you compromised." 

"I'm good at my job." 

"Nothing else raising any flags?" 

"If there was, Coulsin - I'd tell you." 

Coulsin stared at her, not in the way Peggy and Tony had that very morning. It was as if Coulsin was suspicious of her. "I know he's your nephew, Rhiley."  

"But he's not." Rhiley laughed, "We may be related by blood but that's all this will ever be." She shrugged, "If he knew who I was, and I'm the reason his childhood was that way, he'd mark me an enemy." 

"His childhood wasn't your--" 

"Howard used to talk all the time about kids, not to many people, not to anyone. Except me." Rhiley shakes her head, "I never wanted kids, I can't --" She stops herself, she couldn't tell Coulson she couldn't have kids because her body temperature would roast anything inside her. "I would have taken my duty as an Aunt, seriously. He was supposed to be an amazing father and I was supposed to be wine wine-drunk aunt getting the kid in trouble." 

"I'm sorry." 

"There's no need to be." She looked around, "Things happen." 

"Not these kinds of things."  Coulsin continued, "Have you reconsidered therapy--" 

"I need to go." Rhiley stood up, "I'll see you next week." 

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The convention. Not a single soul in sight. An empty stage. Rhiley had come to terms with this reoccurring dream. It was the same every single night. She was the last one left (Steve was still in a coma) and she was a fish out of time. 

This night. She wishes it never happened. 

Rhiley stepped swiftly out of the way of a man, it was the exact dream, every night. "I am so so sorry-" and no matter what she did to change it, nothing changed. "I wasn't paying attention." 

She didn't look back at the man. She knew who it was. 

"I know." She shook, "Watch where you're going, Or it'll be your ass on the ground next time."

"I am sorry."  He smiled, she could see that smile she memorized that smile, "I didn't mean to run into such a pretty lady." Rhiley closed her eyes hoping that would wake her up from this nightmare, "I'm James." 

"I didn't ask." Rhiley choked up. The moment of love at first sight was not a recurring nightmare.

Then she felt his hand on her shoulder and that spark---

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Rhiley woke up drenched in sweat. She couldn't make it to the bathroom and ended up vomiting everything she had the last few days out into the basket on the side of her bed. "I didn't ask." She repeated, "I didn't ask." until the voices in her head calmed down. "I didn't ask." She slammed her head into her bed. 

"Is everything alright, Ms. Jones?" 

"Don't call me that." Rhiley snapped, finding herself crawling to the bathroom connected to her room and the cooling floor tiles that felt nice against her burning flesh. She lay there until there were no thoughts left in her head when she could finally stop the tears that had a mind of their own.