Bring Me Home // Bucky Barnes

Chapter LVIII - Warmth of Red

Natasha slapped at Steve as he entered behind her, shushing him as he turned to stop the bickering between Tony and Thor. Bruce smacked into him as he walked with his head down, his eyes roaming through the pages of the little red book that sat open in his hands.

"Shut it Tony," Steve snapped as Tony shot another quip back at Thor for using his lightning on the quinjet.

"What?" Tony turned to him with a sour look as Steve jutted his chin towards Bucky and Lizzie, fast asleep on the couch. Lizzie's nose bled slightly and Bucky's arms were tight around her as she lay against him.

"What happened to her?" Thor boomed as Bucky's eyes snapped open.

He groggily shifted beneath her, careful not to jostle or wake her, and looked over to Steve.

"Steve?" He whispered, gently brushing her hair as she whimpered in her sleep. "Rumlow was here."

"What?" Steve rocked back in shock as his voice bounced off of the walls and Lizzie shuffled in Bucky's arms. "Where is he now?" His eyes ripped around the room as he reached over his shoulder for his shield, instinctively dropping into an offensive stance.

Bucky kicked at his shin from where he lay, bringing his attention back to the moment before him and glared up at him.

"I swear to god Steve, if you wake her you will be sorry." His arm instinctively tightened around her as he reached up and gently wiped away the small trace of blood from her face, knowing it was the exhaustion of her power that left her so weak. "She dealt with him." His voice was low and tainted with sadness as his mind worked through the pain she would no doubt be feeling now.

Slowly Wanda moved around Steve and knelt beside the couple entwined on the sofa. She brushed Lizzie's hair and held her hand as she watched her sleep. Closing her eyes she focused on Lizzie's mind, she focused on the blue of the burning and she waited for the call to come; the call of power.

When her eyes opened they glowed a striking scarlet and she looked to Bucky with a sad smile.

"May I?"

He nodded slightly and gently lifted Lizzie from him, sitting beside her and resting her head against his lap as he brushed her cheek with his fingers and let Wanda hold her, giving her the connection she needed to focus.

Wanda watched with sadness as Lizzie's memories swam into her mind. She felt the pressure of the world coursing through her veins. She felt the fire of the earths atmosphere shake and shimmer as it burned her from the inside out. She watched through Lizzie's eyes as Rumlow cowered beneath her and Bucky screamed behind her. Wanda's tears fell as her eyes stared into a reality that was not her own, she stared into a void of black nothingness and blue oceans. She watched as Lizzie lay, floating in the abyss, her arms spread beside her as her hair billowed around her and stars of shimmering silver stuck to her skin.

This was Lizzie's escape.

"She's so scared," Wanda sobbed as she reached out for the woman who lay alone before her, "she was scared he'd get to Bucky and she - oh God - she pulled him apart. She killed him."

Wanda shook as her mind reached the floating figure and waves of red washed over her, warming the blue and wrapping around her with tender care.

"She is in peace for now... but the sadness. She is so sad."

"Enough," Bucky whispered, pulling Wanda's mind back to the room. "You saw what happened. Anything else is up to her to share, okay?"

His fingers brushed her hair softly and she stirred against him, her eyes fluttering open as she sought out the comfort of his touch. With every movement she felt her entire body protest. The weight of her actions pinned her down and her heart fractured with every thought that entered her mind. Wanda was right. Negative triggers overwhelmed, but negative actions destroyed.