Connection

More a burden than a helper

2 weeks later at Avengers compound
Cadence's POV

A tear after tear rolled down my face as I was packing my things in my room. Millions of thoughts of possible outcomes of my actions circling in my head, yet all of them led to my concern of one, always the same one, certain person, Bucky. "This feels so wrong, but I'm doing the right thing right?" I sniffled a little bit too desperately. "I-I believe so." I think even Carnage wasn't so sure anymore.
Then Wanda suddenly walked in my room. "Hey Cade, can I borrow your— you're going somewhere?" she stopped at my doorstep, leaning on a doorframe. I couldn't even get the words out so I just turned around to face her and when she saw my red puffy eyes, she immediately ran to hug me. "Oh my god Caddy, are you okay? Did something happen?" she asked shocked. She then looked around my room, to see it now completely undecorated and empty like it was new. "You're leaving?" she asked quietly and sadly. I managed to just nod. "When were you going to tell us?" she pouted. "I actually I-... I wasn't going to. You know I hate goodbyes so much, I couldn't see all the faces, so I made a holographic recording through Jarvis so he can play it out for you all after I leave." I finally managed to speak. "Have you at least told Bucky?" she asked desperately and my eyes widened. "You didn't?!" she asked a bit too angrily. "I uh, I'm sorry for lashing out, I just can't believe you're really leaving. I'm going to miss you so much." She embraced me for another hug. "I'll miss you too." We both stayed in a long hug, sniffling quietly, steadying our breathing. "Well, I guess I'll leave you now to your packing." She said, pulling out of hug. She stopped at the doorway, looking back at me, knowing this was probably our last goodbye, and then she slowly walked away. My flight was at 4:00am so I left the compound around midnight, waiting for a new life to come.

Next day...
3rd POV
"Morning, has anyone seen Cadence? We were supposed to go on a morning run but she didn't show up." Steve greeted everyone. "Nope, haven't seen her since yesterday at the gym." Natasha answered. "That's weird, has anyone checked her room?" Thor added. "Guys calm down, she's probably still sleeping." Clint tried to loosen up the atmosphere. "Her room is empty and she's not there!" Bucky ran out of elevator. "What do you mean?" Steve asked. "Someone explain please." Bruce quietly joined. "I have news...and not exactly good ones." Tony suddenly appeared in the kitchen. "Jarvis woke me up and told me to gather all of you in the living room, says he has a message to deliver." Tony continued. "Well, we are listening." Clint sat on a couch. "Okay Jarvis, play the recording." Tony commanded.

"This is a holographic message from Cadence Brock to all avengers, playing now." said Jarvis, turning on a hologram source. "Is it recording? Yeah okay uhh so, hello everyone! I'm sorry for scaring you like that by my absence in the morning, but through this I'm telling you that I...left, for good." Hologram Cadence started talking. "At this moment while you are listening to this recording, I am somewhere above Atlantic ocean on my way to Europe. No San Francisco, because that would be a danger to my family, but a far away Europe. And yes, I'm okay with telling you about my whereabouts, I'm sure you would track me either way. But that's because I'm not hiding from you, I'm not hiding from anyone. I'm just starting a new life in a new city. And as hard as this is for me, I believe it is the right thing. I feel like I was more of a burden than an actual help anyway. Yes I was on a few missions, but the number of troubles that came with my presence were big. I'm not joining SHIELD's European subsidiary, nor am I joining any other government agencies here. I'm going to live as a civilian now avoiding all this mess. Now uh, that would be all for general." Cadence crossed her arms. "Now I'm talking directly to you Buck. Others can leave or listen, that doesn't matter. I just wanted to say how sorry I am again for this and that I love you so so much, please never forget that. But as much as I'm selfish and I want you for myself, you deserve happiness, and now that I'm not there anymore, you should move on. I'm not saying I'm breaking up with you, no. Because I don't think I will be able to move on, but you should. You deserve it, you deserve someone better than me. When you move on, I won't be angry cuz after all, I was the one that left, I am the one to blame. So please be happy, do it for me, okay? Be happy for me. I love you, farewell." And with those words, Cadence's recording ended and her hologram disappeared. The group just sighed, Wanda wiped her tears and Bucky stormed off with a cold expression. As Steve was about to go after him, Natasha stopped him in his tracks. "No, he needs to be alone now." she said. "But I'm his friend, I can help him." Steve objected. "I don't think you can help someone with a broken heart." Clint added. Steve was warily deciding what to do. "Screw this, I'm going after him, I've known him since 30s." he pushed through. "Language Cap!" Tony shouted at him.

"Hey jerk, h-how are you taking this?" Steve slowly opened the door to his room. "Honestly? Not so well." Bucky looked down. "Is there any way I can help?" Steve came to sit next to him. "She told me to move on." Bucky started talking as if Steve's question didn't exist. "She told me to forget, but I can't...I don't want to." he said quietly, on a verge of tears. "I can't believe she did that. She said she loved me, yet she still left." he continued, now more angrily. "How could she do this to me?!" he raised his voice which made Steve flinch. "Okay listen, I'm sure she had a good reason to. I know she wouldn't just leave you for nothing." Steve tried to calm him down. "But being sad about it and blaming yourself won't help anybody." Steve continued. "Ye I know, sorry for overreacting. I should be happy for her, I should be happy that she finally found peace." Bucky finally looked up to meet Steve's gaze. "Thanks punk." and they hugged.

Meanwhile somewhere in Belgium...
Cadence's POV
"Grrh, can you just stop sobbing for a while?" Carnage grumbled. "This is your doing, you left, so you shouldn't be the one that's crying."  "You're not helping." I said, walking the street with a hood on my head. "Pull up, you're a strong woman. You fought villains, saved some civilians, but you're crying over this."  "You probably don't know of a word: mental pain."  "Oh maybe that's because symbiotes never showed that much compassion for anyone." ... there was a minute of silence. "Okay I know you miss them, but remember you did this for yours and their sake. Besides, you still have me."  "Thanks C. Alright, let's do some grocery shopping."  "Yesss, chocolate!"  "No I meant something important like bread, butter, jam, mineral water."  "What the hell, are we living in Stone Age? What about soda, bacon, eggs, milk, chocolate huh? I mean come on, we are not so bad with money after Stark gave you a credit card."  "I don't have the credit card anymore. I'm no longer an Avenger so it felt wrong to waste their money."  "Sndkebigejdg you did what?! You said you don't care if they track you if that's what bothers you."  "No I'm not scared if they track me through credit card, I just stopped being a burden. And relax, I'm not stupid that much that I would travel without money. I picked some money from the ATM from Avenger credit card, but that doesn't mean I have to spend them all in one day. I will, however, find some work. And not just because we could live with these money for only a month."  "Suit yourself peasant. I just wanted you to live comfortably."

(A/N: Heyoo <3, I'm terribly sorry for being MIA for so long. A lot of things were happening, then I was on a vacation in Iceland and right after that, Christmas and other holidays came so it was too much. But I'm back now! And I will try to write more and be more active. Enjoy, and happy new year!🎆🍾)