Take What You Can Carry | Bucky Barnes

James Barnes, the Winter Soldier

It continued to baffle me how out of 7 billion people on Earth, with millions of houses facing the same direction, this particular streak of sunlight decided to pick my curtain to slip into and shining its wonderful glory on my face. After desperately trying, yet failing, to continue to sleep and ignore this light of wisdom bestowed upon me, I threw over my duvet onto the floor and sat up. I groaned inwardly when I felt the throbbing of my head worsened from sitting up too fast and my dry throat completed this morning's misery.

I dragged my feet into the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet, rummaging through the labeled bottles, I finally found the one labeled Advil and popped two pills before washing it down with tap water.

The silence in the apartment reminded me of just how awful these past few days have been since Bucky was last heard. A few days ago, to save myself from actually going insane, I called the Compound and practically begged Maria Hill to give me any info on Bucky. Now I just realized how psycho and stalker-ish I was being. The fact that Bucky was indeed still alive did calm me down and the spontaneous trip to dr. Crane, the shrink, did help, but now I feel like shit, literally. I now remember exactly why I stopped taking the Benzos, the side effects can be a major pain my ass.

After turning on the coffeemaker, I threw myself onto the couch and turned on the TV. It became a habit of mine since Bucky left to keep the TV on and have it play the News channel all day, you know, just incase there's something on The Avengers.

Okay, now I'm being a super creepy stalker.

Thinking a shower might help, I did exactly just that, only to find out that it didn't. I grew even more frustrated and more like pissed at myself because I have no idea what's going on with me. When did I turn into this clingy, obsessive girlfriend who can't function when her boyfriend isn't around? And why?

"Fuck me." I whined.

Suddenly, the sound of the home phone startled me back to reality. I practically ran to the phone, thinking that it might be Bucky calling.

"Hello?"

"Oh dear God, she's alive!" Exclaimed the sarcastic voice on the other line.

I rolled my eyes. "Audrey. Just the person I've been waiting for."

"Aw, that's not the way to speak to your sister."

"What do you want, cowface?"

"Now that's more I like it. Mom, Dad and I are heading up to DC, as we speak. Please tell me you're free?"

I felt a grin creeping up my face and an explosion of happiness set off inside my chest.

"Yes, yes! Oh my God, why didn't you say anything?" I squealed.

"Well, that would beat the purpose of a surprise, wouldn't it? Anyway, please prepare food, for I am starving."

"Yeah, sure. Where are you now?"

"I don't know, somewhere between New York and DC. We'll be there in about... 3-4 hours tops."

"Alright, I'll fix you guys something up. Can't wait!"

"Whatever, dickwad." And the line went dead.

I chuckled and instantly, my spirit was lifted. I never would've thought that my family was exactly what I needed to break free from the depressing shackles that had me bound and tied up with negative energy.

The next 3 hours I spent cleaning up my apartment and at the same time preparing a meal for my cow of a sister. After sweating my tiny butt off in the kitchen, everything was finally set to welcome my circus of a family. I manage to sneak in a quick shower before the knock on the door came.