Bring Me Home // Bucky Barnes

Chapter L - Stains of The Past

As soon as Bucky and Steve pulled into the driveway Tony made his way outside. He was limping slightly and his side throbbed with every tiny movement. Watching the old truck trundle along the path as he took a seat on a bench by the door he made a mental note to set alarms for pain killers with FRIDAY.

"Tony?" Steve was first out of the truck, his eyes full of alarm and his body tensing, ready for the fight he had missed hours before. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing major Cap." He waved his hand dismissively before the two men in front of him and slowly got to his feet. "I'm not here to talk to you."

Bucky could feel the hair prickle on the back of his neck. It was no secret that of all the people in the compound Tony was the one he truly struggled to speak to. Everyone knew why and although Tony had accepted that The Winder Soldier's actions were separate to Bucky Barnes, Bucky couldn't look at him without feeling the fire of self-loathing and pain that he was trying so desperately to overcome.

"It's Lizzie."

Bucky tore into the building, almost ripping the door from its hinges as he raced into the lobby and smashed his fingers into the elevator buttons over and over again.

"Hey, slow down." Tony called out behind him, using Steve as a prop to keep him upright. "She's not hurt. She's upset. I figured she might want you or something." Tony shrugged as he brushed Steve off and wobbled into the elevator.

Bucky took a deep breath to steady his shaking hands as the lift climbed between the floors, opening up to the deserted compound living quarters. Tony was the first to step out, making his way to the couch so that he could rest, muttering to himself about temperamental super soldiers who didn't listen before they acted.

*

In a small chair that faced out to the view of the vast grounds of the compound Lizzie sat with her knees up and her eyes downcast. She had wrapped around herself until she was tiny, taking up as little space as she could in the room she called her own. Even now, her mind would not quieten. She could feel the pain of their wounds as if they were her own and no matter how many times she tried to shut it off, the pain crept back in and wrapped itself around her mind, keeping her connected to the very atoms of the people she loved.

Her shoulders no longer shook, and she was no longer sobbing with such ferocity that she could feel the burn of her lungs as if a fire was raging within her, but still she cried. Silent, sombre tears fell as she watched the world slowly pass her by.

In the doorway Bucky and Steve stood side by side, their eyes glued to her as she sat alone, oblivious to their presence.

"You want this one or should I handle it?" Steve stepped forward as he spoke, stopped only by the soft grip of a hand on his shoulder. He turned back towards Bucky who silently held a small velvet box out to him, waiting for Steve to take it.

As Steve smiled, wrapping his fingers around the tiny gift, Bucky sighed.

"I think I've got this one." He smiled sadly as he stepped around his friend, moving towards Lizzie slowly. "Keep hold of that for me?"

"Of course Buck."

Steve closed the door behind him as he left and Lizzie's head snapped round to see who was there. He was standing just a few feet from her, looking at her with such soft, caring eyes, and she crumbled.

"Hey," he cooed as he strode to her side, picking her up with ease and shifting her so that he could sit down, cradling her against him. "What's wrong Time-Bomb?" He ran his fingers through her hair, pushing it back from her face, pulling back slightly so that he could look at her.