BLUE [BUCKY BARNES]

SAY BYE-BYE

Bucky sat beside Elizabeth on the hospital bed as the nurse took his blood pressure. She leaned her head on the stump where his metal arm would've been. The skin was covered with a black padding making a somewhat comfortable place for her head to rest.

He looked down at her with a smile and leaned his head against her with his hair brushing across her forehead, making her push it out of the way playfully. Bucky thanked the nurse softly as she left the room with the machines.

As she left the room, Steve walked in through the doorway. He let his eyes trail to the large cryogenic freeze capsule in the middle of the room. The bright lights from inside the machine showing the bed-like structure on the inside. He looked at the two sitting side by side on the bed with a friendly smile.

"You sure you want to do this?" He asked Bucky as he shoved his hands into the pocket of his blue jeans.

Bucky had talked to Elizabeth about it a few days ago, saying how he felt like it was what had to be done. "I can't trust my own mind," he sighed before lifting his head off Elizabeth's. "So until they figure out how to get this stuff out of my head, the best thing for everyone is for me to go under."

"I beg to differ," Elizabeth said begrudgingly as she wrapped her arms around his wait.

He laughed lightly, thinking she was joking. "You know, she's right," Steve agreed as he kicked Bucky's foot that hung off the bed lightly with his own.

"Yeah well," Bucky began with a gaze down at the house slippers he was wearing. "I could still use a couple years of sleep," he tried to joke it off as T'Challa walked into the room.

He smiled at the three of them with his hands clasped in front of him. "Is it time?" Elizabeth asked the man solemnly as her grip around Bucky's waist tightened ever so slightly.

T'Challa shook his head slowly. "There is one more person who wishes to say goodbye," he said vaguely.

Bucky looked at Elizabeth in confusion, not knowing who the other person could be. The two people he cared for most in this world were right there in the room with him. "What do you mean?" He asked with a tilted head.

As if someone had pressed a button, there was a soft meow coming from outside the open door. Bucky and Elizabeth both watched with wide smiles on their faces as Alpine walked through the door. Her white fur almost blending in with the white tiled floor.

While Bucky played with Alpine who jumped up into his lap, she looked past the doorway and expected to see a familiar face. But the hallway was empty. T'Challa saw her expectant look and nodded to her secretly, letting her know that they were in fact here.

She pushed them out of her mind for a second as Alpine stretched herself across Bucky's lap. She scratched the back of the cats ear softly, earning a light purr.

"How did this happen by the way?" T'Challa asked with a glint in his eyes as he gestured between Bucky and Elizabeth with the cat in their laps. "This happy family of yours." Whether he meant it as a genuine question or a joke, neither of them knew.

Steve crossed his arms over his chest with a smirk. "Yeah, I think I'd like to hear the story too."

"Well, it was love at first sight," Elizabeth sighed dramatically as she leaned into Bucky.

He smiled at her widely as they locked eyes. "Actually, it was more like shoot on sight," he corrected her as Steve let out a light laugh, remembering the day.

She swatted his side playfully as he kissed her forehead. "Call us when you are ready," T'Challa spoke up when he saw that they had so much more they needed to say to each other. "I think it's time we leave the two," he said the last part to Steve who nodded reluctantly in agreement.