Till The End

Chapter 19

My eyes flicker open to see the other half of the bed empty. Slowly sitting up, I groan when the pain sparks through my veins. On the bedside table are two tablets and a glass of water. Leaning over, I lift up the glass and it instantly slips through my fingers. I attempt to catch it but it smashes into shards on the wooden floor.

"Damn it." I mutter.

"Ste?" Bucky shouts, leaping up the stairs.

Bucky races into the room, stopping in the doorway and glancing at me with worry.

"Are you okay?" He questions.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just dropped the glass." I admit.

Bucky bends down by the edge of the bed, picking up the shards of glass and placing them in his palm. Leaning down, I wrap my hands around his wrists to make him stop. His head instantly snaps up.

"Stop. You'll cut your hands." I announce.

"Okay. I'll get some gloves."

Bucky walks out of the room and returns with a dustpan and brush. He cleans up the mess and throws it in the bin. I watch him, but when he raises his head I look away so he can't see me staring. I hear Bucky chuckle and he sits beside me on the bed, reaching out for my hand and lacing his fingers with mine.

"Sorry I made a mess." I whisper.

"Shush, it's okay. Don't apologise." He says.

I nod slowly.

"How are you feeling?" He questions.

"Okay." I mumble.

"You'll feel better soon, just get some rest." He points out.

"Yeah."

I lie back down and Bucky pulls the duvet up. Grabbing his hand, I pull him down beside me and wrap my arms around his waist. Resting my head on his stomach, he cradles my face in his hands and I hear Bucky sigh, holding me tighter to him.

"Go to sleep Ste, I'll look after you."

*

The sound of thunder strikes against the window, shaking. It hits my head, sparking through my shuddering body. I sit up, wrapping my fingers around the duvet and gripping it around my body.

With each clap of thunder, it sounds like an explosion in my head, echoing through my body like vibrations. Like a gun shot or a bomb shell. Then the screams come, filling my ears. Tears prick at my eyes as I cover my ears with my hands and squeeze my eyes shut.

"Steve? Steve!" A voice shouts.

I shake my head quickly, my toes curling as the thunder gets louder and louder in my head.

"Steve! It's Bucky! Look at me!"

Prising my eyes open, I slip my arms around his neck and curl my fingers in his t-shirt. Bucky pulls me into his lap, my legs around his waist and our bodies locked together.

"The war." I gasp, my heart racing like I'm having another asthma attack.

"It's over. You're home. You're safe." Bucky points out, his lips against my ear as he tries to calm me down.

"The screams won't stop. They don't stop." I argue.

"Shush shush shush. Do you remember when you came round to my house, you were 8 and I was 9 and my mum made us brownies. After that, every time you came round my mum made us brownies and gave you extra to take home." Bucky explains.

I nod against him, my face nuzzled into his neck and clutching him tighter.

"When I came round to your house and you weren't there or you were asleep when you were sick, I would leave parcels of brownies outside your front door."

I pull away, still holding his shoulders. His eyes sparkle with happiness and joy.

"That was you?" I quiz.

There's another flash of thunder, the sound filling me again. I hold back a yelp as I clutch Bucky again, breathing down his neck.

"I've got you, Ste."

*

My eyes flicker open when I feel something on my neck. Turning my head, Bucky pulls back his fingers from my neck and leans his elbow on his pillow to look at me properly.

"Buck, are you checking my pulse?" I question, still lying on my front but with my head to the right to look at him.

"Just checking you're not dead." He admits.

"Go to sleep, Bucky. I'm fine, stop worrying."

"I can't help but worry about you." He admits.

Leaning forward, I kiss him quickly and then lie back down.

"I'm fine now the thunder storm has stopped." I repeat.

"Are you sure?" Bucky questions.

"100%."

"Okay then."

Bucky lies down, resting his head on the pillow and watching me. He smiles that beautifully shy smile that I've grown to love. That smile that is contagious.

"Night Bucky." I whisper.

"Goodnight Ste."

*

Climbing out of bed, I feel a spark run through my body as I stand up. Throwing the pills into my mouth, I drown them with water and pull my jumper on. Wandering out of the bedroom, I walk down the stairs slowly and hear the tv blaring a children's song. Standing in the living room doorway, I watch Bucky sat next to Kitty, both of them are singing along to the Peppa Pig theme song.

When the song finishes, I chuckle and Bucky looks up at me, smirking but his cheeks blush slightly.

"Morning sleeping beauty." He says.

"Haha." I joke, sitting beside him on the sofa.

"How you feeling?"

"Much better." I admit, leaning my head on his shoulder.

Kitty climbs into my lap, crossing her legs between mine and resting her head on my chest. I curl a strand of her hair around my finger, as I feel Bucky run his fingertips through the back of my hair and tug slightly. Kitty grabs my hand, pulling it around her small waist and she starts to play with my fingers.

"Did Captain America teddy help make you better?" Kitty asks.

"Yes, sweetie, he helped me very much." I whisper.

Half an hour later, Bucky has taken Kitty to the park and I stand up to answer the door. Natasha is stood in the doorway, her red hair showering her shoulders and she's wearing that dark jacket that she loves. Opening the door, she steps past me and wanders into the kitchen. Closing the door, I follow her and turn on the kettle.

"So, you feeling old?" She teases, smirking as she leans against the counter.

"Nope. I'm feeling back to normal." I say.

"How's Bucky coping?" Natasha quizzes.

"He's fine. There's something I need to talk to you about, but it needs to stay between us, no one can know Natasha." I announce.

"Of course." She replies.

"Kitty had a nightmare a few weeks back about a fire, and that Bucky got stuck. She had a nightmare that predicted what exactly happened and it was true. Nat, I think she has a power." I explain.

Natasha nods slowly, taking in what I just said.

"She has a power?"

"I think so." I whisper.

"Who else knows?"

"I told Sam about her nightmare and Bucky was there, that's it." I answer.

"Cap, are you sure it isn't just a coincidence?" She quizzes.

"No. I know it. I'm almost certain." I argue.

"Come on, Captain, you have no evidence or proof."

"No. No. I suppose you're right." I mumble.

Natasha has a point. I don't have any evidence. But I know I am right. Kitty does have a power and SHIELD can't find out about it.