ineffable memories / / bucky barnes

[chapter thirty - three]

TIMESTAMP: PRESENT

Bucky and the rest of the group had found a temporary haven, a safe place to regroup and strategize. Now, they were all gathered around Luna, trying to make sense of the chaos that had spiraled out of control.

"You're Luna. The Luna," Bucky whispered, though his voice was barely a murmur. His eyes lingered on her, trying to reconcile what he knew with what he was seeing. "How is this possible? You met Katherine almost two centuries ago."

Luna paused for a moment, her gaze distant yet calm. Her lips quirked into a half-smile as she stepped away from her cloak, letting the dark fabric fall to the floor. "Well, you met her a century ago, so nothing is impossible, is it?" Luna's voice was soft, but the weight of her words was undeniable.

Sam blinked, his brows furrowing in confusion. "I'm lost. How is this possible? You can't be over 19."

"If I showed you my true self," Luna said, her smile fading into something more melancholic, "you'd run the other way. Trust me, it's not a pretty sight. I've seen more centuries than I care to count. I'm over 300 years old."

Sharon whispered, awe and disbelief in her voice, "I didn't know that was even possible."

Luna's eyes flickered with something unreadable, a mix of memories and secrets buried deep within. "You'll have plenty of time to ask me about it, and I'll gladly share. But for now..." She exhaled slowly, her expression hardening. "We have bigger fish to fry."

Bucky clenched his jaw, his expression hardening with an unreadable tension. "Why are you here? I'm not even gonna ask about the 'how'... but you're here to help save Katherine, right? Please tell me that's why."

Luna's gaze softened, but there was a sad truth behind her words. "One way or another, it's a lose-lose situation, James. I must warn you."

Sam shot a quick glance at Bucky, noticing the subtle shift in his posture, the way his eyes betrayed the concern that hid beneath his tough exterior. "How do we get the most satisfying ending? For everyone?" Sam asked, his voice quiet but earnest.

Luna exhaled, a trace of sorrow in her eyes as she began to explain. "Katherine is losing her power. She's become an enemy of the State. But there's something worse—she's on the brink of losing the ability to hide Valentina's mark from the celestial world."

"The celestial world?" Sharon asked, confusion lacing her voice.

"Valentina's connection with Lady Whispers," Bucky murmured, piecing the pieces together. "If she even suspects something's wrong and tries to probe Valentina's presence... she'll know that Kai didn't honor the deal. And that means..." His voice trailed off, the implication of his words heavy in the air.

"Lady Whispers will seek revenge," Luna finished, her eyes narrowing with determination.

Meanwhile, in her cold, isolated cell, Kai walked in tight circles, her mind racing with the few plans she could still muster. But with her magic almost entirely drained, her options were dwindling fast. The walls around her felt like they were closing in. Katherine had hoped that Bucky would understand the message she left him—would see through her act. But deep down, she was afraid he wouldn't. Afraid that the intricate web she'd woven to protect him would unravel, and he wouldn't be able to untangle it in time.

With her thoughts racing, she stopped pacing and glanced at the small window of her cell. Her eyes traced the beams of dim light filtering through the iron bars, but it did little to soothe the knot of anxiety growing in her chest. She turned toward the door.

"Hey," she called, her voice sharper than she intended. "Can you come here?"

A younger agent walked in, looking at her with an expression of indifference, but his eyes narrowed slightly.

"I think I have the right to make a call," Kai said, her eyebrow arched as she leaned against the stone wall.

The agent scowled. "This isn't a prison."

"It's a government facility holding me hostage," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You're not a hostage, witch."

Kai chuckled bitterly. "Am I here by choice? No, therefore I can and should consider myself a hostage."

The agent opened his mouth to argue but was cut off by an older agent who was passing by. "Just hand her the damn phone, kid. We've got better things to do," the older agent grumbled as he passed by, giving her a pointed glare.

The young agent grunted, reluctantly handing her the phone. "You've got two minutes," he muttered before walking away. Kai didn't waste a second. Her fingers dialed Bucky's number with trembling hands. She knew he would be busy—knew he was probably buried in the weight of all the uncertainty surrounding her situation—but she needed to hear his voice. Her heart clenched as the line rang. When the voicemail picked up, she exhaled deeply, knowing she didn't have much time.

"Hi, Sergeant Barnes," Kai's voice was unsteady as she spoke, her words barely more than a whisper. "I don't have much time. Almost had to kick a teenager to let me make this call, but—well, that's not important." She chuckled softly, wiping away a tear that had escaped her eye. "I don't know how this will play out. I really don't. I wish I could tell you that I have everything planned and figured out, but I've done my fair share of lying." Her voice faltered as her emotions got the best of her. "Listen, James... whatever happens, there's only one thing I need you to know..."

Her words hitched in her throat, and she closed her eyes to steady herself. She whispered softly, almost as if she were speaking to the very air around her. "I have loved you since the day we met. And I will never stop loving you, no matter what happens."

With a trembling hand, she ended the call and handed the phone back to the agent. She sank to the floor, curling into herself as her knees drew close to her chest, offering her a small semblance of comfort. Despite the fear and the darkness closing in, her heart clung to the one thing that still mattered: Bucky.

Across the city, in a grand, ancient study dimly lit by flickering candles, Lady Whispers ran her fingers over the pages of a thick, worn book. She hummed softly under her breath, her mind lost in the dark incantations she had been studying. The faint rustle of footsteps behind her interrupted her concentration.

"M'Lady," a servant called softly, his voice hesitant. "The witch has been locked away by the government."

Lady Whispers didn't look up. Her eyes stayed fixed on the text before her, and her fingers moved along the page as if tracing the future. "Hm," she murmured, acknowledging the news with only the slightest of reactions. "Bring me her head. It's time."