Don't Hide | Bucky Barnes |

36

Pain, that's all I know right now.

It sears through the arm that holds onto Bucky, making my eyes water and my breaths shallow. My arm is horribly out of place, and there's nothing I can do to relieve the excruciating pain.

"Let him go, Dawn"

Tony's voice is muddled by the white hot pain screaming through me. I keep my eyes locked on the man I'm holding on to, though. His blue eyes are wide and tinted with concern.

"No" I manage out, the one word dripping with a thousand more. I can hear Tony and Steve fighting behind me.

"Let me help her, Tony!" Steve grits out, the sound of blasting thrusters and clanging metal sounding behind me.

"Once she lets him go!" Tony responds.

The pain is becoming almost unbearable, but I hold on. I know that the pain of watching Bucky drop would far exceed this momentary pain. I know that I'm not strong enough to pull him up and that I'm too weak right now to conjure the focus required to use my venom to lift him back up. I quickly come to the conclusion that someone will have to help me if Bucky's going to live. As I rack my brain for ways to convince Tony to stop preventing Steve from helping, there's only one clear solution.

I have to tell him the truth.

"Tony," I call out, my voice dripping with pain, "Please, let me save him"

I keep my gaze locked on the man that has stolen my heart.

"Why should I?" Tony yells back, the sound of the fight raging behind me intensifying.

"Because HYDRA will be here any minute to take me away and it's the last thing I'll ever be able to ask of you"

Bucky's eyes widen slightly and grow increasingly alert.

"What?" Bucky manages out, his voice strained. I feel my heart constricting, threatening to burst in my chest.

"That fake doctor," I begin, making sure I'm loud enough for Tony to hear me, "He knew I'd try and stop you guys from fighting. He called Clayton and HYDRA. They agreed to make a trade, me for my brother's life"

"Dawn, you can't do this. There has to be another way" Bucky rushes out, his grip tightening on my wrist to keep from slipping.

"There is no other way" I whimper, my voice broken. I strain my hearing for Tony's response, but it never comes.

I gasp in shock when a metal Iron Man hand reaches into my vision with one of Captain America and helps pull Bucky over the ledge. The relief off of my shoulder is immediate and I almost let a tear fall in elation. Once Bucky is safely back on the floor, he uses the hand that's still connected to me and scoops my drained body into his. I drop my head tiredly onto his heaving chest, the sound of his racing heartbeat calming me. I feel his arms wrap tightly around me, reminding me just how painful it's going to be to leave him.

"We just love to save each other, don't we?" I manage out, my voice strained. My arm's still ponding, but in a much more bearable manner.

"You can't go back, I won't let you" he murmurs. I feel my heart crack again and pull away slightly to look at his beautiful face while I still can.

"I have no other choice" I respond softly, my voice broken. His eyes travel down to my hurt shoulder and he pulls away from me and reaches out to it gently. I wince when his fingers graze over it.

"This might hurt" Bucky warns. Before I have a chance to respond, he grips my arm and slides it back into place. I shut my eyes and cry out in agony, but the pain quickly fades away. I'm still sore, but I know it'll heal just fine. I open my eyes again just to see Bucky staring at me with what can only be described as pure heartbreak.