No More Pain

Chapter 24: Home

Author Note: This chapter is short and Sad. Mature themes and vulnerable, kicked puppy feels! After this we are moving forward toward the resolution of this drama!!!!

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MUMFORD & SONS LYRICS

"Home"

Spin me 'round just to pin me down on the cover of this strange bed
Spin me 'round just to pin me down

Wrap up your questions, keep them down
Let the water lead us home
And I was sorry for what I'd done
When you were young, I was not old
But our story was not told
But torn apart by greedy hands

Spin me 'round just to pin me down on the cover of this strange bed
Spin me 'round just to pin me down
Spin me 'round just to pin me down I'll be gone by the night's end
Spin me 'round just to pin me down

The first thing he became aware of was her voice, soft and gentle and soothing close to his ear. His eyes fluttered open into the slightly dimmed room. It was difficult to open them as his face was swollen, eyes stinging. The next sensation he was aware of was the sharp, painful discomfort throbbing through out his entire back. He started to shift but instantly stopped as spikes of fiery pain shot up his spinal cord and he let out a chocked gasp of pain.

"Don't move,..... Your back is injured,..... you must remain still!" Natasha spoke in Russian, her tone still gentle but firm as she stroked the hair from his face. He tried to settle and realized that he was lying flat on what felt like a cold gel surface, a pad of some sort that must be designed to reduce the inflammation of his back injury. He opened his eyes again and looked toward his left where Natasha sat next to him. Her face looked swollen and bruised as well and he could tell by her shallow breathing that she was compensating for broken ribs. Her eyes looked dilated and she smiled at him, her head tilting. He swallowed and his throat felt dry. He turned to his right and there sat Steve hunched over, one hand holding the Soldier's flesh hand and his head resting on his other arm sound asleep.

The Soldier felt a wave of relief wash over him and it helped him accept the paralyzing pain. His shoulder was back in its socket he realized and the glass and wood splinters had been removed and bandaged. He slowly rolled his head back toward Natasha and couldn't help but grimace at the pain the movement caused.

"Water?..... Please?" He asked in raspy Russian. She nodded and slowly stood up, walking with stiff movements over to a refrigerator and retrieved a pitcher of water that she pored into a cup with a straw. She then held the straw in his mouth. He excepted the liquid gratefully and focused on drinking it slowly so not to choke. He realized that he too had some cracked ribs and the process of breathing and drinking was painful. Steve woke up at the sound of his drinking and sat up suddenly then stopped himself with a painful wheeze, cradling his own rib Cage. The Soldier turned and looked at him with concern.

"Hey Buck!...... Glad your awake!...... Those tranquilizers ere really powerful and Bruce was afraid to give you painkillers until you woke up,..... he thought it might be too much on your system." Steve smiled and he could not keep tears from filling his eyes as he leaned forward again pressing the Soldier's hand to his forehead. "God Bucky!...... I am soooo sorry!...... I am so sorry I let them hurt you again!...... That I left you and Nat here alone!" Steve's voice quivered with remorse and guilt.

"Rogers!" Natasha scolded as she shook her head. The Soldier frowned and used the flesh hand to wiped the tears from Steve's face.

"It's okay Steve........ You are in pain?" The Soldier spoke in English and Steve looked up with a startled choke of relief.

"Buck!..... You spoke in English!" The Captain exclaimed with joy and his tears continued to flow despite his grin. The Soldier tried to nod but the pain was still too intense shooting up into the back of his skull. He closed his eyes briefly from the blinding jolts and then opened them again looking at Steve, eyes bright with the pain he felt shooting through his whole body.