A Stucky Story

Stucky Part 2

When Steve woke up, it was too bright. He thought he died, but the constant beeping of the heart monitor assured him he was alive. He tried to remember what happened, but the tightness in his chest made remembering hard.

"You're alive, good morning Steve." He looked to his left and saw Sam. Usually Bucky was near his bedside, when he was hurt. He sat up, but Sam pushed him back down.

"How do you feel man?" he asked.

"I'm fine, but where's Bucky? We're you guys able to get him over the winter soldier?" Sam got quiet, Steve looked at him. Something bad happened.

"Sam, where is he?"

"Steve, we don't know. Nat and Clint are out looking for him."

"How long has he been captured?"

"Not captured, just missing. And it's been almost two days."

"Wait, missing?"

"I guess I can start from the beginning. Once we got you here, he just started shutting down every time someone talked to him about him shooting you. Then you like flat lined and he was gone. Friday said he just walked out. And he apparently took the tracker out of his arm."

"Why didn't anyone stop him?"

"You were dying man, we couldn't handle you and him being the winter soldier at the same time." Steve sighed and got up despite the pain in his chest. 

"Nat and Clint will find him,"

"Sam it took us years to find him, he could be anywhere in the world in two days. Why did he leave?"

"Best guess would be he felt guilty for almost killing you, but Friday also told us that we were being hostile towards him." Steve left the medical lab with a bigger hole in his chest than before. Bucky didn't have complete control of the winter soldier, everyone knew that. But for him to leave because he felt guilty of doing something he had no control of, made Steve feel worse for sending him out in the field in the first place. He got to the main floor and was met with Tony, Rhodes, Wanda and Bruce. 

"You're alive. How do you feel?" asked Bruce.

"Physically fine, mentally I'm just confused."

"I'm sure Sam told you about Bucky, look Cap, the kid will be fine. He can survive on his own."

"What are you saying, Stark?"

"Maybe soldier boy needs to be alone. He's dangerous and unpredictable..." Tony didn't finish his sentence, Steve grabbed his neck and looked him in the eye.

"Don't you ever call Bucky dangerous. The winter soldier shot me, not Bucky. He left because he felt like he was danger to everyone. He's going to be in even more danger if Hydra finds him again." Steve let him go. Steve went to his and Bucky's floor and saw the note on their bed.

"Steve, if you're reading this, then you're still alive. You've noticed by now that I am missing and you are probably about to go look for me. But I don't want you to. I don't want to endanger anyone around me because I wasn't strong enough to fight those words. It's best for me and for everyone else if I stayed away. Steve please don't look for me. I don't want to be found. I don't want you to worry about me anymore. Thank you for being my best friend all these years. I really do love you, punk. Your pal, Bucky." Steve didn't fight the tears, he just got Bucky back. And just like that; he was gone. Then there was a knock. It was Natasha.

"You feeling okay?"

"Just fine, best friend of hundred years just left without a goodbye. Fine. Perfect even." She knew he was lying. She sat next to him and rubbed his shoulder.