Soul Stealer ~ (A Bucky Barnes Love Story)

It's All Downhill from Here

I came back to awareness like it was an emergency, as if being unconscious was dangerous.  Given my current circumstances I supposed it likely was dangerous.

My heart was pounding erratically and there was a buzzing like static electricity in my ears so loud it made me wince.  My eyes popped open, and I went from slouched and uncomfortable to ramrod straight and uncomfortable in an instant. 

"Evie."

My head whipped back-and-forth, trying to figure out where I was and how I got there.  The leather seat under my palm was the softest material I'd ever felt and there wasn't a spec of dirt or dust anywhere which was so far from the life I'd become accustomed to it was comical. There were small windows lining either wall that reminded me of the port holes in the cabin of the ship that carried us to Europe. 

"Evie, look at me."

His deep baritone voice drew my attention like a moth to a flame.  Bucky sat across from me in a seat identical to mine.  We were facing each other, so close our knees touched which felt oddly comforting.

His hands were still restrained with industrial strength super soldier handcuffs.  It was the sight of his manacles that reminded me of my own chains.  My hands float to the collar still securely wrapped around my neck and I swallowed down a sob.  It was all I could do to stifle the bile bubbling up my throat one agonizingly slow inch at a time.  Vomit would not be a good look on the pristine white carpet lining the floor.

"Are you OK?" he asked, leaning forward and prying my hands from the collar one finger at a time.  His hands were warm and familiar which helped ease some of my rising dread.  At least we were in this together.  "Talk to me."

There was a low murmur of voices behind me, and I strained my neck, turning around to see most of the Avengers huddled together.  Their eyes briefly floated to me before Captain America nodded and got to his feet, rolling his broad shoulders.

"We're on Stark's plane," he explained, his thumb rubbing circles on the back of my hand.

Desperate for comfort I instinctively reached for our bond.  A muffled cry that didn't sound human fell from my lips, and I squeezed Bucky's hands so hard I wouldn't be surprised if I broke a few bones.

"It's gone."

He frowned, glancing over my shoulder briefly.  "What's gone?"

"The bond."  He looked grim but not surprised at the declaration.  "I...I can't feel my power."

"It's not gone.  It's...suppressed."

"Suppressed?" 

He nodded, pointing at the collar with a disgusted scowl.  "They call it a suppression collar.  Stark developed it as a way to contain the enhanced.  This is a prototype, that's why it..."

Hurt me.

"Evelyn, I wanted to apologize for what happened," Steve said, sliding into a seat next to Bucky.  A flash of dismay passed across my father's face when I pushed further into the seat to put more distance between us.  "Tony made an adjustment, and it shouldn't cause you anymore pain.  We had no idea it would do that." 

"But you did know it would take my power?"

For as long as I could remember my powers were buried inside me, locked away but always present.  They made me an outcast which was something I didn't need.  My parentage all but guaranteed I'd never fit in, but for better or worse they were a part of me. 

I reached inside to the place where my ability resided, expecting to feel the warm, glow brush against me in greeting.  Instead, all I felt was cold, desolate, emptiness.  I couldn't suppress the tears that sprang to my eyes.