Heart and Soul [Bucky Barnes]

4

"Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead."
— Adele

Chapter Four

Nothing could possibly prepare Claire for what happens next. She leaves Steve and New York behind as she follows Bucky off to war and London. His ranking as a Sergeant grants him special training and opportunities in battle. Much to her surprise, he excels as a military sniper.

The year brings about several changes. While Bucky earns his stripes as a marksman, Steve gets recruited by the Strategic Scientific Reserve for Project Rebirth. Claire checks in on him during his training because she knows that Bucky would want her to. She is even present for the procedure in which Steve is injected with super-soldier serum.

Just before her yearly visit, Bucky and his men go up against a HYDRA military force in Azzano. She watches the battle behind her hands until the HYDRA soldiers start taking the remaining crew into their custody. Bucky is one of the men captured.

She tries to tell Steve, though that doesn't mean anything when you're invisible. Even Azrael doesn't answer her plea to help him, especially when the experiments begin.

It's hard to leave his side through it all. Sitting in an unsanitary cage with fifteen other men has been written off as war circumstance, but Claire knows better. As soon as she becomes visible again, she's going to do everything she can to help him.

And she does, or at least she tries.

"Bucky?" She calls into the dark room. He's been there all day, though she's had to wait for all the scientists to leave before coming in.

"Claire," Bucky groans, completely out of it.

It's not the first time he's said her name while undergoing their torture. She's had to leave many times before because of how horrible it is, but he's hanging in there.

"I'm here. I'm here, James."

"Claire," he says again, but her face is hovering over him now, and he has finally noticed that she's really there. "I'm dreaming. You're not real."

Well, she thought he knew. It doesn't matter though—she doesn't need him to be coherent during their escape.

"I'm very real, sweet boy," she whispers, placing a cold hand against his face. He is covered with sweat and radiating heat, so he melts into her touch with a sigh. "Let's go, okay?"

His hand finds her free one and he grips it tightly. She loops her fingers through his automatically as a reaction.

"Bucky, it's alright. I can get you out of here," she assures him, tugging on their hands to get him to sit up. "It won't take long; I just need you standing."

"We can't," he mumbles, his eyes fluttering. "I can't."

She's losing him to whatever they injected him with. She thought they had more time.

"Please," she pleads, "Bucky, please get up!"

Claire tries to teleport them out, but nothing happens. His eyes are completely closed now, but he's still gripping tightly to her hand.

"He can't go with you, Claire."

She already knows who it is before even turning around. The Angel of Death himself stands alone in the corner. His black suit matches the dark cell perfectly, but the impeccable cleanliness of it does not.

"Why not?" She questions, "He hasn't done anything to deserve this. I can help him escape."

"Can you?" He counters.