LIGHTNING ▷ BUCKY BARNES [UNDER EDITING]

23| THE FALL OF SHIELD

Winn Miller was dead and so was SHIELD. The fire was still burning in the distance after hours and it seemed like no matter how many firefighter came, the fire wouldn't dim. Valerie stared out of the window for hours now, waiting for it to dim but it never did. Her eyes colored orange due the blazing flames and all the anger inside of her was shown by the electricity sparks sparking out of her fingers. The Avengers assembled back in the tower after the fall of SHIELD and tried one by one to talk to Valerie. To get her away from the window and get her to wipe her shed tears but to no avail. She stood quietly at the window, waiting for Winn to fly out of the debris but he never did. The lab was quiet apart from small sobs coming from Valerie once in a while. Bucky sat outside in the hall waiting for Valerie to walk out and ready to comfort her if necessary. His head was resting against the doorframe of the open door and he heard every heartbreaking sob coming from the brunette but didn't engage in walking up to her as she specifically had asked him to wait for her outside. And he did.

Valerie walked out of the lab in silence, her back was surprisingly straight and her face left no traces of tears behind. It was as if she didn't cry. Bucky stood up the moment she walked out of the door and trailed behind her in worry. "Where are you going?" He asked worriedly and confused at the sudden coldness in her voice. "My room. I'm gonna pack." She replied while still walking forwards, not daring to turn around to Bucky and just collapse. She was tired, everything happened too fast in just one day. "Why?" He quickly grabbed Valerie's wrist and turned her around to stop her from walking away from him. Her eyes were slightly red which was the only trace she showed of her crying and she looked down as soon Bucky noticed it. Before he comprehend what he did his warm palm of his flesh hand touched her right cheek and she had to stop herself from just falling into his touch which was smooth and caring, the opposite of what he looked like. Her eyes never left his as she told him the truth. "I don't want to stay here." Valerie whispered lowly, her eyes starting to water once again but she stopped herself from being so weak. "I'm going away. If I have to live with the powers I have, it's not going to be here." She confessed. Her hand slowly started to tremble again as she thought about all the things that happened in just one day. She got choked unconscious by a man she just kissed, got thrown out of an apartment from that same man. Got broken ribs and has bruises everywhere and not to mention the city was almost HYDRA's property. All because of her.

"The tower?" Another voice from behind Bucky asked which made Bucky drop his hand from her face. Valerie cocked her head from behind Bucky as she watched Tony stand there helplessly in sadness. "America." Valerie corrected with a sad smile on her face. "Tony, it were some thrilling weeks with you guys but this, this is not my home. I'm no Avenger." She explained, the tears falling freely from her eyes as she watched Tony nod his head understandable. She gave Tony a crooked smile before passing him to walk towards her room, ready to be packing her bags and to leave the possibility of living a heroes life behind in the tower.

Three soft knocks were heard at the door of her closed room and she looked up from her packed bag to welcome in whoever was at the door. "I'm coming with you." Bucky said as soon as he entered the door. Valerie's eyebrows pulled together into a frown but she quickly laughed it away, taking Bucky's words in as a joke. He wouldn't leave Steve so soon. "I'm not joking. I'm coming with you. This" he said, looking around the room with a sad expression on his face, "isn't my home either." Valerie nod understanding the position he was is. He used to he a deadly assassin and he needs to lay low.

"Then where's your home?"

"This is really 40's of me to say but wherever you are going."

Valerie smiled shyly, looking down at her backed bag and taking a deep breath. "Do you remember something before you turned to... you know." She glanced at Bucky from her eye corner and he looked at her skeptical but a small smirk quickly appeared on his lips. "Yeah, you kissing me actually." He teased and a small blush crept upon Valerie's cheek. She straightened her posture and walked towards Bucky.

Despite him being a ladies man in de 40's he swallowed almost nervously when Valerie was at a close distance from him. She felt his unsteady breaths against her face. "What about France?" Valerie said leaning towards Bucky. His eyes twinkled and his wide smile became a small one. "Sounds good to me." He whispered back at her before their lips met each other once again but in better circumstances.