THE FADING FALLEN ● Bucky Barnes X OC ● 18+ ● ENGLISH [COMPLETE]

Chapter 71

∼⋄∼⋄∼ ○❖○ ∽⋄∽⋄∽

New York, early February 2025

Emilia had just returned from a long meeting with Lucy and some possible supporters for the organization.

She was exhausted. Not only from all the long conversations, but also from the countless desk jerks she was trying to convince for the good.

Her new friend and neighbor was a big help. Lucy enjoyed it and finally agreed to take the senior seat on the board of the small foundation. This meant that in the future Emilia could concentrate again on what she really wanted to do: working directly on site and in nature with the people.

But at first she didn't really get to do that. For several days, she repeatedly felt nauseous, which she attributed to the stress of the last few weeks.

Even now she thought she would have to throw up for a short time. But as quickly as it came, it was gone again.

With the pile of mail in her hand, she went into the bedroom, slipped the uncomfortable pumps off her feet and flipped through the envelopes. She got stuck on one of the larger ones. Everything inside her tightened awkwardly.

The handwriting on it looked familiar. She had seen it before, but needed to rummage around in her memory a bit.

Carelessly dropping the other letters onto the tufted green and gray bedspread, Emilia tore open the unstamped and unmarked brown envelope.

For a second she faltered, but then reached for the inside. There were several pages of thick white paper. When she turned them over and realized who was shown on the photos, her stomach turned again.

In the first shot was Bucky. He was crossing the intersection. She could tell from a rather conspicuous sign that he must have just come from a reunion with Yuri.

The two happened to run into each other after returning from Madripoor. And even though it was pretty hard for Bucky, he wanted to honor his old friend's request and talk things over again. It turned out to be the right thing to do.

The second photo showed him and Emilia, happy and carefree, just recently coming out of a small flower store. They were running some errands and by chance walked past it. In one hand, Bucky carried the bags containing Emilia's few purchases. Among them were some bridal fashion and wedding magazines.

Although they hadn't set a date yet, she wanted to get a little inspiration to take her mind off the new business. The day stuck in her mind especially because it was exactly on that Wednesday two weeks ago that they got the confirmation of the transfer in ownership of the property in Louisana.

The exuberant happiness she felt at that moment, however, could not dig through the ever-increasing swoon as she looked at the last picture.

It was taken the day they returned from Delacroix in front of their apartment building in Ridgewood. She could tell because of the silver rental car Bucky stepped out of the driver's side door. Her much-loved Mustang had been left with a salesman in New Orleans. Emilia could see herself turning in the passenger seat to the back seat and reaching for her jacket.

The pictures alone choked her throat. That on each of them Bucky's face was painted over with a death's head in bright red was too much to bear. The threat was clear as day. Almost like in a bad crime thriller.

It was working in her head. Someone wanted him dead. But who?

Emilia took another look inside the envelope with slightly shaky hands and discovered a small folded note inside. She pulled it out.