Out of Oblivion

Chapter 15

For three days I laid on the couch, sleeping, eating soup, and staring at the TV, sweating and shivering. I had called in sick each day, trying to explain to Dashner that it was a just by chance that I ended up sick. He insisted that it was my mission that had caused it.

The hardest phone call was telling Rogers why I couldn’t make it to the interview. He wasn’t angry with me, but he gave me the, “I told you so” speech. I think I fell asleep half way through it.

The only person I had seen was Grace. She came after work to check on me each day.

It was on the third day that I received unexpected company. It was in the evening. I had just ate and had fallen into a deep sleep.

“Stanton, you awake?” I heard a familiar, deep voice ask.

My eyes flit open. The sight of him standing over me frightened me. Somehow the first thought that came to my mind was how awful I looked. I had been bedridden for three days for Pete’s sake. He must have noticed my surprise because he backed up and apologized profusely.

“It’s ok. I just…didn’t expect to see you there…” I told him, messing with my matted hair which was thrown up in a sloppy ponytail. He, on the other hand, was wearing dark jeans and a light denim button-down shirt. His hair looked combed, but without gel. I gulped.

“I just…um…came to see how you were doing,” he said, shifting his feet.

“Well, um, pull up a chair. You don’t have to stand there,” I offered, motioning to the kitchen table.

He nodded and pulled a kitchen chair over in front of the couch. I sat up, facing him, and wrapped the blanket around me.

“I brought you some coffee, if you’d like it. I’m sure you’re still cold,” he said, holding out a cup of coffee from the SHIELD café. I hadn’t even noticed him holding the two cups of coffee.

“Oh, um, thank you.” I took the coffee and sipped it. French vanilla flavor filled me with a comfortable warmth. I gave him a quick smile. “It’s very good, thank you.”

He nodded, taking a sip of his.

“So um, I’m sure you’ve had busy days at work these past few days,” I said, attempting at small talk.

A half smile lit up his face. He streaked his metal fingers through his hair, ruffling it to make it stick out in every direction on the compass. A bizarre thought entered my mind. I had the desire to touch it. I quickly pushed that thought away, feeling my face blush.

“Actually, I’ve been like you the past few days,” he told me.

I scoffed out a laugh. “Wait. Really? You were sick too?”

A sound which I guessed was a laugh escaped his mouth. It made the skin on my arms crawl. I rubbed it away, bothered by my reaction. “Yeah, I uh, I had a fever for a little while. Then I was throwing up the next day. Don’t know why.”

“Oh death…I’m so sorry. Uhh, why did I have to be so stubborn to go to that stupid place?”

“Don’t be sorry. You discovered something important. Could save our lives in the long run,” Bucky assured me.

I sighed and took another sip of coffee. “I hope you’re right.”

“Oh…and by the way, I had to explain more to Dasher. He was too suspicious as to why we were both sick.”

For some reason, his statement made me laugh instead of angry. “What did he say?”

“Well, uh, he said you were ‘the most stubborn journalist he’s ever hired’’’, Bucky answered, perfectly mocking Dashner’s nasally tone.

I doubled over laughing, almost spilling my coffee.

“Then I told him he was the stubborn one for making you go with me.”

“You said that?” I wondered, raising my eyebrows in surprise.

“Well, yes. I am much higher ranking that he is.”

“So does that make you better than him?” I pressed, testing him.

“No. It just gives me the freedom to tell him the truth.”

My laughing died. I pondered his answer. Even behind those sad, broken eyes, there was a wisdom breaking through.

After taking the last few sips of my coffee, I yawned.

“I should go…” Bucky mumbled, a look of disappointment etched on his face. He stood up and took my coffee cup to throw it away.

 “I hope you feel better soon,” he told me, standing back where he had been when he first arrived.

“You too.”

He nodded and turned to walk away.

It took every ounce courage to say my next few words. “Hey, Bucky, thank you.”

He stopped in his tracks and whipped around, surprise lighting up his face. “What did you just call me?”

“Um…Bucky?” I answered, feeling my face flush red. His stormy eyes bore through my skin.

“So…you believe me now?”

“Well…” I couldn’t believe what I was about to say, but it slipped off my tongue, “the Winter Soldier wouldn’t save my life, but Bucky Barnes might.”