Save You To Save Me {| BuckyBarnes x Reader |}

Chapter Six

I land the jet on my friend's property, on his private runway.  I turn everything off and we head out, greeted by Charles's smiling face.  "Y/N!  So glad you got here safely!"  He gives me a quick hug, his accent as charming as ever.  Bucky comes out, now fully dressed compared to earlier in the day.  "You must be Mister Barnes," he extends his hand for him to take.  "Charles, it's a pleasure."  I watch as Bucky calmly returns his smile and shakes his hand.

"Nice to meet you," Bucky states while shaking his hand.  "This is a... lovely place you've got here."

His home is huge.  From the private runway, to air hangers, to the main house, to the guest house, to the garden... it goes on forever.  It is lovely, though.

"Thank you, thank you.  Pain in the ass to keep up with, but thankful for it nonetheless.  I'll have someone come and collect your things, let me walk you both to the guest house.  I'm sure you're both exhausted."

"You could say that," I tease lightly.  "Thank you again for your help.  I don't know what I would have done if you didn't pick up your phone earlier."

"Y/N, I've owed you a favor for a long time.  I was happy to help."

"How do you both know each other?"  Bucky asks as we begin to walk.

"When I blew the facility I was being held at, Charles and a few of his students were being held captive there.  I broke them out before I destroyed the building.  It feels like that was a lifetime ago now."

"You're that Charles?"  He asks, sounding surprised.

I chuckle softly as Charles looks over at him.  "I'm that Charles."

I listen as they both talk about whatever guys talk about.  I'm so glad they like each other.  We go into the guest house as they continue talking.  Finally, somewhere actually safe.  The security here alone is enough to man a small army.  I know when I go to bed tonight, I'll actually be able to sleep.

Eventually, Charles leaves us.  Bucky and I both go and get ourselves cleaned up the best that we can, knowing it's long overdue.  I'm in the shower, the warm water making the irritated spots on my skin sting.  Otherwise, it's welcomed.  I've held it together so far.  Taking a calming breath, I turn off the water.  I step out and begin drying myself off, being mindful of my stitches that are amazingly still intact.  I get into my lounge clothing and rake a comb through my tangled hair.  I put it up into a loose bun and walk out into the bedroom.  The rooms are beautiful here, never mind the size of them.  It makes my apartment look like a run-down dollhouse.

I sit down on the bed, gently rubbing my neck as I try to release the built-up tension.  Having time alone has brought my mind right to where I didn't want it to go.  Doing what I did today... It wasn't smart.  I'm fighting through it, I'm going to be fine, but having let everything I've been suppressing back in makes me feel like I've lost a piece of myself in the mix of everything.  I feel like I've let myself down because I couldn't do what needed to be done without becoming her.  I'm not a killer.  I'm not without mercy, whether someone deserves it or not.  It's never been my right to choose who lives or dies.  If someone is threatening another person, I'll do what I have to, but it's the last resort.  I hate what I became today, and my soul feels like it's been tarnished again after spending all of these years fixing it.  I rub my eyes tiredly as I take a shaky breath, knowing the darkness that's screaming to come back out is going to give me a headache for the next week.  The sound of gentle knocking on my door catches me off guard, making me flench slightly.  "You can open it," I state as I look over to the door.

Bucky eases the door open, taking a step into the room.  "Hey...  How are you doing?"  How do you know!?

I shrug as my eyes fall, looking down at my hands.  "I don't know," I mutter.  "How about you?"  I ask, looking back up at him.