Heart and Soul [Bucky Barnes]

2

Trigger Warning - Suicide and depression are discussed in this chapter.

"If you're lost, you can look and you will find me. Time after time. If you fall, I will catch you—I'll be waiting. Time after time."
— Cyndi Lauper

Chapter Two

Claire spends the rest of her day holding James until his parents come to bring him home. She masks as a volunteer so that she can meet them, but the interaction is short and uneventful.

And then, she has to go back to her life behind glass. Metaphorically, of course. In an empty hallway, Claire flashes out of physical existence.

Despite her promise, she doesn't see James again for a month. Instead, she spends her time watching her great-great grandson, Henry. Her theory is that his life could be connected to her unfinished business somehow, though that has failed her before. Until she knows more, she's going to at least try it out.

Every time she does make a visit to James, she tells herself that it will be the last time. He has loving parents who do everything for him, and his health has improved. There is no good reason for Claire to stick around, but she can't seem to help it.

However, ten years later, James's mother dies. She had three more kids after him, but Claire could see the difference in how she looked at her eldest son. When she dies, the effect on the family is heartbreaking.

James, who has grown up to be called Bucky, is hit the most by her untimely death. Claire struggles to watch the young boy deal with the stress of taking care of his younger siblings now that his mother is gone. She longs to comfort him like she had so many years ago, but fate has other plans.

Henry doesn't change much over the decade. He's still distant from his family, contact and all. It is not until his Aunt Mary dies that he finally makes another trip back home.

With all the death that is plaguing the living, Claire has a difficult time deciding who she should spend her time helping during her day amongst them. With Bucky's father constantly working or out of the bar, the ten-year-old is mainly left alone to care for the others. Henry, on the other hand, is Claire's family.

Despite the ache in her heart, Claire chooses her relative. As her body becomes whole and visible, she teleports to Henry's location, but what she finds is far more than she could ever imagine.

In his family home, Henry sits on the edge of the bed in his best suit. Beside him lays a silver revolver.

"Henry?" She calls, making the man look at her in fright, "What do you think you're doing?"

He grabs the gun when he realizes that he doesn't know her. She stands in the dark, opposite of the door, so one can imagine the surprise the poor man has in seeing her there.

"Who the hell are you?" He questions her, rising from his spot with the gun in his hands. He points it at her, though he's barely able to hold it straight. "Tell me right this minute or I will shoot."

She's surprised by his forward threats. To be honest, she's not exactly sure what would happen if he did shoot her, but she doesn't care to find out.

Claire takes a step forward, her hands out as if to steady him. The soft light from the window graces her face as she walks into it and the man falters.

"Julianne?" He whispers, lowering the gun.

Claire struggles to keep her composure. It makes sense that he would recognize her as his dead sister in such dim lighting—they must be almost identical. The problem is, Claire doesn't know anything about the girl besides what she learned on the day of her death.