The Winter Soldier is Still Here (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier x reader)

The Beginning of the End

BUCKY POV
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As I said the words and I felt consciousness ease out of my body, I sensed her pause, just for a millisecond at my words. I hadn't told her I loved her before, not the actual words, but I knew it was true beyond the shadow of a doubt. She had said she loved me too as she was coming out from under the sedation. My last thoughts would be of that as I began to feel the weight of everything lift off of me and I drifted away in peace.

NATASHA POV
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We were making our way to where she was being held, Barnes of course was supposed to be with her. As we were walking, I just barely heard a ferocious snarl, "FIGHT BACK!" I recognized the voice, despite its new and darker edge. I took off in a sprint, everyone else not far behind me. T'Challa surpassed me, leading me to the room where they were. When I entered, I could hardly hear him, but I saw the look as he told her: "I love you, (Y/n). Do it. Kill me. I won't fight you."

I knew he meant it and I also could tell he was close to leaving us. I sprang into action, yelling to Steve, or anyone who was around that could help.

"We have to get her unconscious. He's not going to make it if we don't."

I ran, Steve on one side, T'Challa on the other, and Okoye on my heels. The four of us began to grapple with her until we could get her off of Barnes...but just barely. I heard Wanda just over the chaos.

"Natasha, tend to Barnes. I've got her."

I took her word for it. Between her strength along with the other three, they would have her pinned back down soon enough. I headed for him. I kneeled down, sliding my hand and arm under his neck and head and pulled him slightly into my lap.

"Come on, Jam-" I paused momentarily, forcing myself to stop calling him James was going to be difficult. That had been what I had called him then, though. It was a name reserved only for my use. I swallowed hard as my eyes filled with tears and tried again.

"Come on, Barnes. Stay with us. We need you. (Y/n) needs you. She needs you now more than ever." I heard her growl deafeningly in response...despite that I knew she was still trying to bring his death about and was being held against her will. There was no response from Barnes. He was fading fast and I could feel my own will to live not far behind.

READER POV
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They were all against me now, but I had a mission and I couldn't let them stop me. I hit, kicked, punched, jumped, everything I could do against them to get to him...the traitor. The redhead left, headed toward him, MY mission, and I sensed I had a chance. Before I could kick my fighting up a notch, my body fell limp, yet remained tight. I was being moved through the air with what seemed like minimal effort. My eyes zeroed in on the next target after I finished off my mission. The face seemed to be one I recognized but one I may have known in a different life. Now, however, she was on my list. She would pay for being an obstacle. She told her colleagues to get ready because she was about to put me down. She had me situated over the table. I could feel my body straighten out into a lying position. I began to drift towards the table and they all grabbed a limb to help her hold me down. I was slowly making headway to be released from her grip. The ones surrounding me were having to use their entire body weight to keep me down.

"Hold her down. I've got to get the syringe in the other arm, where the previous wound is not," a girl in a doctor's coat that I didn't recognize said to them.

"I'll be back, and he will die," I hissed as I felt the needle slide into my arm and the sedative began making its way through my veins.

STEVE POV
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Once she was out, we all took a breath, then I remembered Buck and Nat. I ran over to them. Nat had fresh tears flowing down her face, wetting Buck's shirt and her own.