Trying Your Luck - Bucky BarnesxOC

Part 28: Blood//Water

Ayo speaks the words, watching him closely, her spear ready in case the deprogramming didn't take. Instinctively, he feels the heartbeat of who he used to be — what he used to be. His eyes focus on the flames in front of him, ignoring the heat prickling his skin. Bucky pushes back as fear and dread flood his chest. He feels like he wants to be sick. It's hard to swallow. Tears sting his eyes. Memories flood back, overwhelming him. His body readies itself to fight, to bend to Ayo's will and the will of the words so precisely punching him in the gut.

"Semnadtsat."

"It's not going to work."

"Rassvet."

The flashbacks are quick, intense, bold, and bright as she continues listing off the words. His body is flooded with a hundred emotions all at once. Pain, grief, regret, sorrow. Rage. His throat closes and Bucky finds himself gasping for breath, choking on his tears and his own fear as Ayo speaks the last word.

Freight car.

Nothing happens.

Bucky gasps, bringing his fist up to his lips and biting down on his knuckles. He looks up at Ayo. She smiles.

"You are free." She takes a deep breath. "You are free."

For eighty years, he's been crawling through darkness, following orders, not knowing who he was. Now, he can see the exit of this horrifying tunnel and all he has to do is reach out. He owes it all to Ayo. To Wakanda. They took a chance on him. They knew what kind of a risk he was and they saved him anyway. Bucky begins to sob as eighty years of grief courses through him like rushing water.

And then relief. Joy.

He knows who he is and who he's always been.

His eyes pop open and he looks at the clock. 5:15am. He rolls onto his back and stares at the ceiling, willing himself to go back to sleep while Shannon snores softly beside him. After ten minutes, Bucky rolls out of bed. Alpine is already awake, perched on the dresser and staring at him. He dresses and scoops her up while Ace takes his spot on the bed and snuggles in beside Shannon.

"Let's let them sleep," Bucky whispers as he carries her downstairs. Sam's door is still closed, as is Janice and George's. Bucky heads to the truck to grab Alpine's food out of the back and feeds her on the porch. He looks in the shed for some tools and some WD40 and fixes the creaky back door before making some coffee for himself. As he leans against the counter, he closes his eyes. Alpine snakes around his ankles in a figure eight, mewling softly. George's voice interrupts him.

"Found the coffee maker, did you?"

"Yeah," he laughs. "I hope you don't mind."

George smiles at him.

"Not at all, son. As long as you made enough for everyone."

"Of course. You want a cup?"

"Sure."

Bucky grabs him a mug and pours him a generous cup while George grabs the paper off of the front porch. He tries not to watch the man obsessively or meddle in his morning routine. He seems lucid as he slaps the paper gently down on the kitchen table and opens it up.

"So Shannon tells me you're from New York."

"Yes sir. Born and raised in Brooklyn."

"Never been to New York," George says nonchalantly.

Bucky frowns and turns to a photo on the fridge of Janice, George, and Shannon that was clearly taken in Central Park. He doesn't press it.

"Were you born here?" Bucky asks.