Love & Bullets (bucky barnes x oc)

30: The Final Mission

"Did they agree?" James asks the moment he sees you walking up the stairs.

"Yes. Come on." You take his hand and lead him down the stairs to the underground cave. He stays quiet, observing his surroundings.

"This way. They're in here." You enter the room first, with James following shortly behind. Upon seeing him, Alina and Anya stand up.

"James. It's a pleasure." He holds his hand out. Alina stares for a moment before shaking it firmly. Anya, on the other hand, gives him a sharp nod and sits back down.

"Alina Petrov." Alina points to Anya, "Anya Kuzmin."

James nods, letting you take the floor, "Tomorrow morning, I'll hack into the mainframe and open the doors to the Red Room. From there, James will go in and keep the soldiers at bay. Alina, your job is to find the security code for Ivan's room and tell me what it is through this earpiece." You hold a small black earpiece in your hand, "We'll each have one."

You hand them each an earpiece, "Anya, you'll come with me to Ivan's room to make sure he doesn't try anything."

"And if he does?"

"We stop it, with Alina's code."

You take a sharp inhale, "Then... Then we complete the mission."

There's a brief silence before James asks, "What about the other girls? Won't they try to fight back?"

"They will. But once he's dead, they won't fight us. He controls them through his own body, his own thoughts. So once he's dead, he won't be able to control them."

"How did you get free, then?"

"Back when we were there, he was in the midst of creating this method of control. We just had iron wristbands, but we managed to pry them off." You roll your sleeves up, revealing your wrist, "But we could never get these marks off." A tiny "8" written on black ink reminds you of your time there. Number eight. The eighth girl there.

Anya was number six. Alina was number four. Each of you being among the first recruits there.

"The moment we got them off, we were set free... Until now."

James remains silent. He hadn't realized the severity of it all until now. Your words shock him to his core. Nothing he had ever done up until now amounted to this. At this moment, Ivan became his most dangerous enemy.

Anya rises from her stool, "I'm going to sleep. We have a mission to complete tomorrow."

Alina nods in agreement and turns to James, "Nice meeting you. And Alex?" She looks at you now.

"Yes?"

"Thanks for coming back."

You smile for the first time since you got here, "Thank you for trusting me."

They head into the next room, leaving you and James alone. He shifts his gaze from your wrist to your eyes. "You never showed me that mark on your wrist. Why?"

"My past... It defined me for a long time. I just wanted one thing to be... normal, I guess."

"So you didn't trust me?"

"I didn't trust anyone, James. Not even myself."

He nods. Deep down, he understands. Does he wish you had told him? Yes. But it's not in his place to know, after all. It's not his story. He holds his hand out and you take it, leading him into a small bedroom. A tiny cot with a few pillows and torn rags lies inside, but with James, it still feels like home.

You curl up on the cot and James fills the space next to you. The heat from his body makes you feel warm, despite the cold atmosphere. You turn to look him in the eyes one final time. "James... If I don't make it-"

"Shh." He places his finger atop your lips, "Don't say that, bellezza. Don't."

"But there's a chance. And if I die tomorrow, I want you to bury me. In New York..." Your voice trails off while your eyes well up with tears, "Where I'm close to you."

His steel blue eyes close as he swallows his tears, "Don't say this to me."

"Please, James. Promise me."

He holds your cheek in his palm, using his thumb to caress your skin. He nods slowly, too strained to form any words.

But the nod is all you need. You force a smile and lean in, planting a deep, passionate kiss on his soft lips. He pulls you in deeper, his fingers stroking your hair with the utmost care. You try to forget that this may be the last time. The last time you feel his lips on yours. The last time his fingers stroke your hair.

You sniffle and pull back for a moment, taking the time to admire his eyes once again. I'll miss those eyes. So much.

He holds you close, detecting your thoughts. His gaze never leaves yours. You snuggle your face into his chest as he plants a kiss to your forehead. Sleep seems so far away given the circumstance, but you know you must rest. And he knows too. He caresses the skin on your shoulders, lightly brushing your hair behind your ear to reveal more of your face.

He refuses to think about tomorrow. Instead, he focuses on now. Here. The woman he loves nuzzled into his chest. The beauty in her every move. How her features complement one another so effortlessly. How her soft hair flows angelically down her shoulders. How her chest rises and falls so beautifully with each priceless breath. How deeply he is in love with you.

How he simply refuses to let you go.

〄

The next morning arrives too soon. Too fast. The danger that lies ahead finally registers. The possibility of death too close to deny.

You pull your hoodie over your head, concealing your apparent fear. The streets are quiet, as if people know to stay home. The walk feels short, too short. You take the time to observe everything for a moment longer. How the roads are quiet in the morning, how the thin street signs sway with the breeze. Everything looks so new, so different, now. Even the wind feels colder.

Two turns later, and you each stand in front of the Red Room. Secluded, hidden from the outside world. James notices how your body tenses up at the very sight of it. He rests his hand atop your shoulder, reminding you that he is here. That you're safe. For now.

You turn around, and Alina nods and disappears into the corner. Anya steps next to you, waiting for your signal. You turn to James, your heart pounding. "I guess this is it."

He gazes into your eyes, breaths intertwining, "I love you, Alexandra. So much."

"I love you too, James." Tears fall down your cheeks, and he brushes his thumb across your skin to wipe them off, "Don't cry, bellezza. This isn't the end."

You swallow the remaining tears, "I love you, James. Thank you for not killing me when you had the chance."

He laughs lightly, a tear falling from his eyes, "I'll see you in a minute."

"Goodbye, James."

You turn around and step towards the door before hearing his voice again.

"Ti amo, mia bellezza bambina."
[I love you, my beautiful doll]

You stop and face him, "A presto, amore mio."
[See you soon, my love]

Anya punches a series of numbers on the keypad and the door clicks open. You step inside with her, holding back the tears.

"Are you ready, Anya?"

"Yes. Are you ready, Alexandra?"

"I'm ready."

〄