Winter's Angel

You're back

Restlessly pacing in the hallway Bucky's mind raced with concern for the woman. No one had come out to tell him anything and it'd been three long hours. Looking around the little waiting area that was clearly never used he dropped into a chair and held his head in his hands. Closing his eyes he could see her falling from the sky in perfect slow motion. Remember the feeling of her hot blood on his hands as he searched her body for wounds. Pulling his head up he saw her blood had dried on his shirt and jacket. Shrugging his coat off he folded it and set it next to him.

His heart started racing at the sight of her blood on his hands and felt himself slipping under. All he could hear was a static ringing in his ears as his breathing picked up. Bucky's eyes become hyper focused on the dried blood clinging to the lines and crevices of his hands. Flashes of memories from Winter fill his head. The bloody faces of his victims flash through his mind's eye. Closing them he shakes his head hard to try and get them to go away. Muffled voices pull him back to the present. "Barnes.. Bucky, hey!"

Tony snaps his fingers in Bucky's face to get his attention. Dazed eyes look up at him in confusion wondering when he got here. Seeing him struggling to come back to the present Tony sits next to him talking to the doctor he asks her, "Can you get something to clean his hands? Quickly please."

"Yeah, just give me a second." Dr Thompson nods seeing the look of horror in Bucky's eyes at the sight of the blood.

It's as she's walking away that Bucky sees a man and woman who had to be detectives based on the way they were dressed and how they carried themselves. Tensing he worriedly glances over at Tony who checks over his shoulder to see what he's looking at. "They're here to check on the girl's progress. They know you didn't have anything to do with her getting hurt."

The woman stepped forward to reassure him that what Stark said was correct. "That's correct Mr Barnes-"

"Sergeant." Tony instantly corrects the detective of Bucky's rank. He felt a flash of surprise, but gratitude for him correcting her. The slightly balding man stepped forward garnering his attention.

"Sorry about that Sergeant Barnes. I'm Detective Stabler, this is my partner Detective Benson. It's an honor to meet you, sir." Now Bucky really did feel surprised because this was the first time anyone outside of the team had treated him like Steve rather than the Winter Soldier. He nodded, giving them both a half-hearted smile. Benson caught his attention to apologize for her slip, but he waved it away with no hard feelings.

"We have footage from outside the bank as well as the perpetrator who Ms Xavier herself restrained with the strap from her purse before trying to get help." Stabler said, stepping over to show him the footage on his phone.

His hands clenched in anger at her doing nothing wrong to not only be robbed, but shot. She had one hell of a right hook though he thought with pleasure to see the man slump to the ground with one punch and watched as she tied him to a lamp post. He then watched as she took off her black peacoat and wings exploded from her back. His breath came out a bit shallow at her struggle to fly before finally getting air and disappearing down the street to where he caught her.

"Ms Xavier is the woman I helped?" He asked them looking up from the video. The detectives both nodded.

"We found her purse next to the guy who shot her with her wallet inside. Looks like a simple mugging gone wrong he'll be going away for a long time. It was a good thing you were there otherwise the Doc said she might not have made it." Detective Stabler informs him with a smile that he actually returns happy to know she was okay.

Turning to see the woman in question with a washcloth in her hands. Handing it to Bucky, she explains the woman's injuries and healing issues. "She pulled through, but she's got some serious physical therapy to do. Her abilities are helping because she's healing rapidly, but that is also hindering her muscles from getting enough time to do it normally. If she wants to dance again she'll stick to the plan I'm coming up with."