Play Pretend - Bucky Barnes

Part 9

A single seizure rarely caused comas but continuous seizures could produce a state so severe that it prevented the brain from recovering and thus slip into a coma.

That's what Bucky was told by the doctors. His heart pumping incredibly fast and hands turning clammy, the minute they walked out the door and started to explain your current state. He had been waiting for almost a day for an update and when it finally came, the resulting feelings were a mix of relief and worry.

The relief came from the news that you had been cured. Bruce had managed to figure out the chemicals and their workings and had promptly created an antidote. They weren't sure if you would have any lasting problems caused by the poison but at the moment it didn't look that way.

The news they gave, however, weren't only satisfactory. You had slipped into a coma and they weren't sure when you would wake up. He was hesitant to even think of the worst outcome; that you wouldn't wake up at all. It brought chills to his body and a nauseous feeling crept up his throat at the mere thought.

"You are allowed to see her, sir." A nurse gently laid her hand on his arm and escorted him down to your room. His body reacted without thinking the moment he saw you lying in the hospital bed. In seconds he was beside you, eyes taking in your condition.

He almost collapsed into the strategically positioned chair next to you, still taking in everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. The sight of you made him realise that it wasn't a dream and that you really were hurt.

The guilt that had already been eating at him grew larger, as he realised how much at fault he was. He should have known that getting Amy's phone and decoding it was more important than a trivial work day, and to make matters worse it wasn't even for his real job. He should also have known that you would have reacted as you did to finding crucial information. He should have been there beside you, he should have protected you - and he didn't.

He arrived late, too late, to a sight that would haunt him for months. You were tied to a chair, head hanging down, bruises littering your body. For a split second his mind went to a dark corner but the thought was forgotten as you lifted your head. He caught your eyes and recognised the painful look swimming inside. He had gone through experiences that caused a similar look before and knowing that you had been hurt started a fire inside him, a hideous raging fire that would burn down everything in its way. If he could go back in time and bring the pain onto himself, he would. It was an easy decision to make.

If he hadn't promised you to not kill unnecessarily, he would have abandoned all discipline and morality to revenge you. He had gotten lost in his rage as he fought Daniel completely forgetting the other threat in the room. It was too late when he came back to his senses, the syringe's content had already been injected into you. His finger had twitched for his gun, but he settled for a hard kick to Amy's side, knocking her head harshly into the floor. She fell unconscious and he shifted his attention to you, his focus would first and foremost be on you. He had failed to keep you safe, something he had vowed to do.

He had failed and now he was sitting in a hospital room next to a comatose you.

His shakily brought his hand up to brush a fallen hair out of your face, palm cradling your cheek as his trembling thumb caressed your face.

"I am so sorry," he whispered, voice cracking with each syllable. "Forgive me."

Everything was perfect.

You lived in your dream house with the love of your life; you literally had everything you had ever wished for.

"Doll, I'm home!"