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

Chapter 50

∼⋄∼⋄∼ ○❖○ ∽⋄∽⋄∽

For a while, Emilia and Bucky just talked late into the night. About all sorts of different things.

Their childhood, their families and siblings. Little things that interested them. But these were mostly before Bucky's time with Hydra and Emilia's life with the Avengers. Of course, they also talked about their friends.

The loss of Steve still hung over Bucky. He had always been like a brother to him. He was able to say goodbye to him, at least in some ways. Quite the opposite to his sister.

Rebecca was to him what Matthew was to Emilia. Even if there were arguments, nothing seemed to put a wedge between the Barnes siblings.

He hadn't really thought about going in search of her until now... or more specifically, what she left behind. Maybe there was someone else living out there someplace who was related to him by blood.

With one elbow on the bed, Bucky propped his chin on his fist. Leaning back casually, his vibranium arm rested on his bent knee as he gazed a little absently out at Emilia into space.

She could tell by his expression that he was quite bothered by the topic of conversation. The idea of not knowing if Rebecca was still alive or what happened to her saddened her.

"If you want, I can do a little research. I know a trick or two about getting data."

Sitting cross-legged on the futon bed, she tilted her head a little and looked at him. Bucky glanced up at her with a slight smirk.

"Do I really want to know what those tricks are?"

Emilia answered only with an innocent shrug.

"Thanks. But I think it's too early for that. First I should concentrate on fixing some things."

He looked down at the floor, sighing as he let his arm fall to the bed.

There it was again. That dark cloud over his mind. And with each passing moment, it seemed to grow larger. Although his nightmares were nowhere near as bad as they had been shortly after he left Romania, they continued to haunt him almost every night.

Looking at him, Emilia suddenly felt that guilt from before again.

"I will never forgive myself that I couldn't help you at the time... If only there was some way I could have gotten you out of there..."

Her voice broke. The memories of the time in the Hydra shelter were clear and distinct as never before. So were the agonizing screams that echoed through the corridors. She thought she could now quite clearly hear Bucky among them.

"That wouldn't have made much difference. Besides, you helped me far more after that than you seem to realize."

Sniffling and with big googly eyes, Emilia looked at him. He lifted his hand and placed it on hers in her lap. His eyes watched closely as her dainty fingers then began to play with his.

It felt so normal to Bucky. Never before had he known such a feeling of home as he did at that moment. For the first time in a long time, he thought he had found a glimpse of peace.

And Emilia felt this as well.

In this moment, she was no longer an out-of-control voodoo botanist with multiple personalities. And he no longer a former brainwashed hitman with no memory and no existence.

They were simply themselves.

That it might all be just an illusion and be over again before he had a chance to really become aware of it scared Bucky.