Bring Me Home // Bucky Barnes

Chapter XL - Reach and Rein

Elizabeth hummed the memory of a tune from the dance floor as she slipped out of her dress and into shorts and a t-shirt. She unpinned her hair and shook it out before removing her make up, her mind wandering over moments of magic in the madness of tonight: the way he had gently brushed his fingers along her back as they danced; the way he chuckled each time she stumbled in their dance; pulling her closer to him every single time; the way it felt to rest against him, this time with both of them knowing the significance of such a small touch. The nostalgia came with a sadness that danced through her mind with ideas of all that had been lost: little stolen moments, little kisses, little plans and little churches...

Watching herself swipe off the rouge of her lips in the mirror she smiled softly and reminded herself to focus on making tonight enough, because it had been more than she thought she would ever have again.

The soft wash of worry crept into the room before Wanda did, tickling at Elizabeth's senses, pulling at the waves of blue that lay dormant inside her now.

"Wanda?" Lizzie smiled before she turned around, greeted by the impressed smirk on her new friends lips.

"Hey," she laughed lightly, tucking her hands behind her back and rocking on the balls of her feet slightly. "Do you have a moment?"

"Of course." Lizzie climbed onto the bed and crossed her legs, patting the mattress beside her as she did so. "Is everything okay?"

She hung back by the door, still a little uneasy in the compound and the light, airy space that was Elizabeth's room.

"It's just that I never got to thank you." Her eyes misted as she spoke. "Without Pietro... well, I don't know what I would do Lizzie, so thank you."

Elizabeth shook her head as she looked down at her hands.

"You don't need to thank me Wanda. I just did what anyone would do."

"Well," Wanda finally took a step into the room, smiling softly at the girl on the bed who had no idea of the impact she had on those around her, "thank you anyway. I know Pietro is incredibly grateful too." She let out a light laugh as she thought back to Pietro's petulance as he watched Lizzie and Bucky dance tonight. "He seems to be very intrigued by you."

Elizabeth cursed herself internally as she felt the heat of her blush climb her chest and up her neck, spreading slowly across her face. She sighed out half a laugh.

"I'm not that intriguing, really."

"Well," Wanda walked to the door, her hand resting against the frame as she joked, "he thinks you are. And I would know Lizzie. I can read minds after all."

Elizabeth grinned and Wanda smiled back, finally feeling peace in this place.

"About that? Do you think you could help me?" Elizabeth shifted forwards so that she was almost kneeling on the bed, excitement bubbling under the surface as she realised she could possibly gain some insight, some understanding of the thing she now had to fight to control. "Control it, I mean?"

Shock. Wanda couldn't think past the shock.

"You'd - you'd want me to?" Her eyes were wide and Elizabeth could see the shame and guilt written underneath. "I'd be honoured. Training room at seven?"

Elizabeth smiled after Wanda as she left the room. Despite everything that had lead to them meeting, despite the fear and pain of it all she liked Wanda. She felt their connection, their energies that matched and she felt safe around her: like no matter what happened Wanda would be there to guide her, to control her. She finally felt like things might be okay.

*

He tossed and turned as he slept, caught in what had been stolen.