Inevitable (Bucky Barnes x OC) [Book 3]

7. The Never-Ending Nightmare II

We lost.

Half of all living creatures had turned to dust at the snap of the fingers of the Mad Titan, Thanos. More than half of the Avengers were gone, including T'Challa, Shuri, Fury, and Maria Hill.

I had lost Bucky... again.

So far, we had a general consensus of everyone lost on the planet, confirming that Thanos had indeed wiped out half of our population.

And we still had no idea if Tony was even alive or not. All we knew from Bruce was that he had somehow gotten off-world with Doctor Stephen Strange, a wizard of some sort, and Peter Parker, the Spider-Man.

Pepper was worried sick, and I didn't blame her. I was worried, too, for Tony. I wanted him to be alive. I so desperately wanted that for her.

M'Baku and Okoye had to help Queen Ramonda handle the devastation of Wakanda, not only losing its King (again) but its Princess as well. Okoye and Ayo said I should return with Steve and the others, even after I protested that I wanted to stay and help. They thought I'd be of more use here than there.

I don't think I'll be of use anywhere...

So, I returned with all who remained to The Avengers Compound: Steve, Natasha, Rhodey, Thor, and his new companion, a crude-talking raccoon who went by the name of Rocket.

I guess the tree had disappeared, too...?

We all had heavy hearts and tried to figure out what we were supposed to do now.

What were we supposed to do now?

There was a knock on the door to Wanda's room, which was where I was currently residing. I was dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants and a matching oversized sweatshirt, changing out of the suit Shuri had gifted me. Steve entered the room after hearing no response from me, and he sat at the edge of Wanda's bed, a heavy sigh leaving his lips.

"You'd think this would be easier, losing him," he said, touching my leg. "With how many times he's disappeared on me."

Was he trying to make a joke?

I cradled the pillow I held until I finally sat up on the bed, staring at him.

"It never gets easier," I whispered. "He's really gone this time, Steve..."

"I know..." Steve sighed.

I wiped the tears from my face, looking down at my stomach.

"I can't do this without him," I sobbed. "I can't."

"Do what?" He asked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm pregnant. We... Bucky and I were going to have a baby," I held my face in my hands as I sobbed uncontrollably.

Steve said nothing as he rubbed my back and held me as I cried.

"What am I supposed to do?" I asked, not really looking for an answer.

"I don't know," he said, both of us unsure of what the future now held for us. "I don't know..."

I quieted my sobs, taking a deep breath to calm myself down.

Natasha knocked on the door, leaning on the doorframe.

"I found something," she said to us. "Least I think I found something."

We both immediately jumped up from the bed and followed her into the main office.

On the holo-screens were the number of every country's missing persons that had knowingly dusted away. I watched as the numbers continued rising and rising, and I shook my head.