Maybe Someday

Winter Soldier or Bucky?

I wake up one night, months later, to alarms and footsteps pounding outside my door. I sit up and move towards the door. Its flung open and I scramble back at the crash. I create ice, forming a ring around me but then I feel arms around me. "It's just me," Pietro whispers. "It's alright. You're alright. Wanda will be here in a minute."

"Pietro? Why are you in here? I was just about to go out," I say, returning the hug.

"I want to make sure you're safe. We need to hide, now." I nod and he helps me into my closet. Wanda comes in and joins us. As the door closes, I hear my room open and the door slam against the wall.

"Annabelle?" A voice asks. "Annabelle, where are you?"

I recognize it in an instant I rush out of the closet despite their protests. I stop as soon as I'm out. My breathing is heavy from fighting back. Pietro comes out and blocks me, standing before the Winter Soldier. "Winter Soldier?" I ask. I push past Pietro and stick my hand out. He grabs it and puts it on his face.

"I remember. I remember you and Steve and the war. Come on, we have to get you out of here!"

"What? What are you talking about? Bucky, slow down!" his grip on my wrist tightens and I start to claw at his hand until I realize it's made of metal.

"Let go of her!" Pietro screams. He tries to punch Bucky but he deflects the punch and knocks Pietro out. Wanda is still in the closet.

"Bucky! What's wrong? Why are you doing this?" I ask. His grip tightens even more. "Bucky, you're hurting me!"

"I'm getting you out of here. Hydra is the enemy. They were a Nazi science division that went rogue. They did this to me. I found the files. We need to go, now!"

"Bucky! I can't leave. This is the only home I have. Pietro and Wanda are my friends, too. I can't leave them."

"Please, Annabelle. We don't have time for this. I need to get you out of here."

"I can't leave. I'm sorry Bucky. I'd only slow you down. I'm sorry." I feel his metal arm tighten even further into my wrist and it starts to draw blood. I scream and try to get my wrist back. "Bucky, let go! You're hurting me!"

He releases my wrist and I sit down. "Please Annabelle. We need to go! You're not safe here. I promised your brother I would protect you. Please, come with me."

"I belong here, Bucky. At least for now. I'll find you when I'm ready or if I need help. I promise."

Bucky sighs. "Give me your arm." I stick it out and I feel him write something on my arm. "This is my tracking number. It tracks my arm. Change it as soon as you can to something only you would think. If you ever need me, us it. It'll send a jolt through me from my arm and I'll find you. Alright?" I stay quiet. "Alright?!"

"I got it. Yeah. Now go, get out of here if it's so dangerous." Bucky wraps me in a hug before running out of the door. I fall to my knees and cry, careful of my arm. I hear Pietro start to wake up and Wanda kneeling over him. I keep crying as the twins wrap their arms around me. One of them grabs my arm and I can hear a pen scratching on a pad. Warm arms pull me towards something and pick me up. I'm set on something soft and a blanket is pulled up to my neck.

The next time I wake up, someone is smoothing my hair. I turn to them and smile. "Hello?" I ask.

"Hello Belle," Wanda says. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. I feel horrible about turning Bucky away. What happened?" I ask.

"After Pietro woke up, we put you in our room so that we could watch you and make sure you were alright. Come on, let's get some food in you." Wanda helps me up and leads me to the mess hall.

Arms wrap around me and I smile. "Hey Pietro. What's up?"

"I see you're getting better at the twenty-first century. Still need a shopping spree, though," Pietro says. I yawn and lean into him. He leads me to a chair and sets me down. "Hey, what's wrong? How are you still tired? It's noon." he asks.

"Blind," I answer, incompletely. Wanda sets some food down and I start to eat the burger. I get mostly through my meal before I can't keep my head up. "I'm tired."

"Let's get you to bed," Pietro says. I nod and we stand up but I fall on my knees. "Hey, let's go." He carries me through the halls and sets me on a bed. I smile as he runs a hand through my hair.

I wake up again and Pietro is still sitting on the bed. "Hey," he says. "Feel better?"

"Yeah." I sit up and lean into him.

"What happened? Why were you feeling so tired?"

"It was nothing, really. It's because I'm blind. My mind tricks myself into thinking its night because I'm always living in dark. I can feel tired without being tired. It happens sometimes. I'll be fine."

"Someone came to look for you while you were sleeping. She said her name was Charlotte and to find her in the lab. You better get going."

"I want to say something, first." I pause and take a deep breath. "These last few weeks have been the best weeks of my life. It's not just because you've shown me new wonders but it's because you've been here." I take another breath and sigh. "When I'm around you, I feel something that I have never felt before. When I'm with you, I feel complete. I've never felt this way about anyone before. I think I love you." He stay quiet and eventually, I can't take it. I tear out of the room and an isolated tear streaks down my cheek I run for a bit before I use the walls to find the lab. The tears come faster and I use them to clear my arm. "Charlotte?" I call.

"I'm here. Hey, are you alright?" Charlotte asks, wrapping me in her arms.

"I told Pietro that I like him. I like like him and he didn't say anything. He just stayed silent for a while. Then I ran here. I was scared of what he'd say, what he'd do. Anyway, what did you need?"

"It's about the surgery. The doctor's decided that they are going to try the surgery but first they need to run some tests. They are going to take some blood and check on your eyes and they should have an answers tomorrow."

I smile and nod. "Alright, just lead me to my table." I'm brought towards a hospital bed and lie down on it. The needle pricks my skin and they draw blood. Another person starts to mess with the skin around my eyes. I start feel a little dizzy before they remove the needle and wrap a bandage around my arm. Someone tries to hall me to my feet but I'm too dizzy to do anything. I'm carried through the halls and brought to what I believe is my room. I hear a small gasp as we enter and someone pets my hair. I fall asleep to a light hum of a lullaby.