Bound By Purpose

All My Tears

Bucky and I sprint forward with our Wakandan brothers and sisters once again. JENNA bypasses all the power left in my suit to my repulsors which enables me to be of some help. Even if I could fly I wouldn't want too. James and I are staying together no matter what happens. Into the fray we go. Dogs come for us from all sides as our front lines collide. I throw out my arms taking out as many as I can before I hear the familiar screech of Tony's suit above me. Looking up I smile seeing that he's found his way back into the fight.I smile even bigger when I see Pepper flying beside him in her own suit. "Eve!" Bucky calls my name in warning, but my distraction has cost me. I'm hit hard on the side and thrown to the ground. It claws at my face as I kick out at it, I get an arm up and blow a hole straight through it. The body collapses down over me. I take a breath as heavy footsteps run by me. Bucky's by my side in an instant. "You good?" He asks. I nod.

"I'm good." We heave the creature off of me and he pulls me up once again. "I'm a little rusty. It has been five years." I say with a laugh as I make sure we have the time for a conversation.

"So I've heard." He responds. I glance down realizing that I'm older than him now. We'd never truly spoke about how old we both were in accordance with our time in and out of sleep but it had always been close. I'm five years older and a mother, and he looks exactly as he had the last time I saw him. I can't look as young as I had then, my body doesn't look the same either. He sees the hurt in my eyes, I know he does. He doesn't let go of my hand instead he slings his gun across his back and pulls me to him. We'd missed out on a kiss earlier he wasn't about to let that happen again. I melt into him as he holds me. I'd long dreamed of what it would feel like to kiss him again, to have him in my arms.

"Wow deja vu... I feel like I told you this the last time but this is really not the time for this." I pull away from Bucky against his protest. Rocket stands staring up at us. He crosses his arms after shooting an advancing soldier. I roll my eyes and crouch down. He climbs up to my shoulder and sits with his legs swinging over my shoulder. He snipes a few rushers as I turn back to Bucky with a slight smile. He can tell we've formed a bond.

"So you're the one I should be thanking for taking care of my girl." Rocket and I look to each other and laugh. We'd become good friends, but we'd hardly spent any time together, we merely understand the other.

"That thanks belongs to Tony Stark." He says from my shoulder. My laugh falters, I know Rocket doesn't know about our history but I'm worried about how Bucky will react. When this is all over I'll explain it all, how Tony has forgiven him, how much he and Pepper helped me heal and made the world live able for my children. I just want it all to be ok. Bucky shakes off the comment though. He turns away and continues to push back those advancing. I'm left standing, overthinking it all. A blast explodes close to our feet which wakes me back up to the fight. Forcing my palms out I conserve what little energy I can by blowing away those that Bucky and Rocket can't keep down.

There's a break in the wave of monsters at which point Rocket jumps off my shoulder. All around our teammates battle on. It's unclear to see who is winning due to the uneven terrain and the quick movements of both sides. I look over the brim of our little fox hole and see that the battle rages on, my eyes scan the field until I see Clint racing across it. I instantly go to coms, but he's beaten me to it. "Cap, what do you want me to do with this damn thing?" I give a relieved smile as Steve answers.

"Groot?" The conversation about the van and the stones falls to the wayside as I turn to see that it's Rocket who's spoken. Groot has climbed over a little dirt hill and slid down to where Rocket now greets him. Bucky climbs up to where I sit and we watch their reunion together. the night where he was reunited with Nebula flashes through my mind as I think about how just a day ago he was the only one of his family left, and now he's been given a second chance. I look over at Bucky who's still watching the happiness down below. We've all been given a second chance. Bucky catches my glance and we hold our own gaze for a moment thinking of every possibility our new start would present us with. Our moment is short however, because Peter is calling for help, looking back out at the field I spot him just as Steve reaches him. Bucky nods at me and we go together over the slight burrow.