Bring Me Home // Bucky Barnes

Chapter XXVI - Bewitchingly Broken

It had been over a week with no calls, she knew it would be this way. She hadn't anticipated what she faced now though.

The news was filled with files and names and threats to democracy as they knew it. Elizabeth's mind reeled as she watched and rewatched the video of the crafts crashing into the Potomac. S.H.I.E.L.D was gone. HYDRA had grown like a poison under their noses. She sat transfixed on the screen as she watched two figures fall from the craft. She watched Steve fall from the craft. And Bucky. She ran from the room and to the bathroom, her stomach churning and her heart in her throat.

*

The sun was setting over the compounds grounds and a soft golden glow shone through the window as Elizabeth sat at the grand piano tucked into a corner of the living room. She watched as her hands gently traced the notes of the melancholic tune she had absentmindedly created. The swell of minor music filled the air as her heart ached for Bucky. When she closed her eyes she saw them falling. She saw the way he jumped. The way he dove in after Steve. He was still there. Now she just had to keep herself pieced together until he came back to her.

"New song?" The hushed whisper caused her to jump slightly as Tony approached from where he had stood watching her. "Sounds beautiful."

Elizabeth didn't answer. Her fingers continued their dance over the keys and Tony perched himself beside her on the stool, his back to the piano and a small, sad smile on his face.

"I believe it's time for training my Firey Ice Cube." He nudged her slightly as she stopped playing, trying to make her smile.

"You know Stark, that's the worst nickname yet." She sighed as she closed the lid on the keys.

"Ouch." Elizabeth's head snapped around at the familiar voice in the doorway. "I thought it was pretty funny when I came up with it."

"Steve!" Elizabeth tripped over her own feet and then again over Tony's as she dove towards where Steve stood. His face was bruised and torn from a fight and as Lizzie crashed into his outstretched arms he winced from the pain of his broken ribs. "Thank God you're okay." She clung to him, needing to feel him there to know he was safe.

"I'm okay, sweetheart." Steve breathed. "I'm okay."

When she pulled away to look at him she couldn't read his face. His eyes were guarded, closed. His face was contorted with pain as he shifted out of her embrace and placed a hand over his ribs. Her eyes darted to the door and her heart sank. "Where is he? Is he here?"

Steve sighed as he took her by the hand and lead her to the couch.

"He's here Lizzie. But..." His voice shook as he looked down at their hands. She had already been through so much. "Lizzie, his memory."

Elizabeth ducked her head down, trying to get Steve to look at her. When his eyes met hers she felt his pain. It wracked through her, pulling at every thread of hope she had and unravelling it. This pain, the overwhelming sense of dread and concern, it wasn't hers and yet it rolled over her and pushed her into the ground as if it belonged to her.

"Steve... you can tell me." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Lizzie everything is such a mess. S.H.I.E.L.D, HYDRA, everything is a mess. Bucky - he's not who he was. He's been through so much and he's lost Lizzie. We - we fought on that helipad. He was going to kill me. He was told to kill me and - and he would have but something - something stopped him - he's still in there. He's still in there Lizzie and we will get him back... We will."

"Steve," Elizabeth pulled her hands from his. "What aren't you saying?"

"When I woke up on the bank, he was there Lizzie." Steve put his head in his hands. "He doesn't remember the war. He remembers our lives before the war, but he doesn't remember the war."