Play Pretend - Bucky Barnes

Part 10 - END

The comfortable blackness suddenly turned into a blinding sharp white light as you squintingly opened your eyes. An unfamiliar room welcomed you with its white walls and space void of objects except a TV hanging on the wall opposite you.

Questions flashed through your mind as quickly as it allowed them. Where were you? What happened to Amy and Daniel? More importantly, what about Bucky? A single thought took twice as long to be processed, it felt like every thought was weighed down.

Your eyes flickered to your left side as a splash of something wet caught your attention. You immediately recognised the person holding your hand as tears splattered on your fingers.

Bucky.

Your fingers shook with effort as you tried to squeeze his hand, hoping it would get his attention, and perhaps stop his crying. You couldn't bear to watch him cry. His head flew up instantly, red-rimmed eyes searching for yours, relief swimming in them as he found them open.

"Hi," you croaked, vocal cords dry from not having used them in a while.

"Hi." He breathed out, a disbelieving smile on his face. He sat there for a moment just taking it all in, relief clear on his face. His hands continuously brushed his cheeks free of fallen tears, however, this time they were happy.

"Where are we?"

The simple question made him turn his head away, eyes leaving yours as he grimaced.

"SHIELD'S medical unit." He almost forced the words out, guilt dancing all over his face.

"What happened? Where are Amy and Daniel?" You frowned asking some of the many questions floating around in your head.

"Don't worry about them," his hands clenched as his eyes narrowed, "We took care of them." The look he gave you made it clear, that he didn't want any further questions.

"Why are we here?" You obliged his demand, only to back him into a corner, making him answer the one question he didn't want to.

"It was my fault." he bit his lip, "I should have been there." He rubbed his neck looking down to the floor. "I didn't know she had the syringe. I should have known. I should have been there from the start." He started rambling, almost scolding himself with every word.

Even as you found no truth in his words, he did manage to open the door to the memory of having the syringe jammed into you. Bitch.

"You couldn't have known," you frowned shaking your head slightly, "I didn't tell you I was going there. It was a miracle you even found me! It wasn't your fault."

You caught his eyes, trying to make him see you genuinely believed it. He didn't deserve to have more guilt weighing him down. He nodded, still not fully believing you, but wanting to focus on the fact that you were alive.

"Oh," he nearly jumped in his seat, a thought dawning on him. "I'll go get a nurse, they told me to call when you woke." He squeezed your fingers, only tearing his fingers away when it was absolutely necessary.

The fact that you were awake still felt incomprehensible, and even more the fact that you didn't blame him for your stay here. Leaving your side, made him fear that it was only a dream and that you would still be unconscious when he came back, but he only knew that that was foolish.

A small smile even adorned his face as he went about searching for a nurse. No matter the confused looks he was met by, he still wore it proudly. Only he knew, that it meant that you were awake, or more importantly just because of you.

He hadn't realised before he was denied your personality and attention, just how much he missed you. He missed the nights spent on the couch simply talking as he got watch you ramble on about your interests. The glint in your eyes as you spoke, hands moving all over the place and the small smile that danced on your lips was what made him fall in love with you. He hadn't realised that it affected him deeply until he had to watch you lie unconscious before him, no sound of laughter or cheesy jokes, only pure silence.