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

Chapter 73

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It was a mistake.

What a big one it was, she would painfully feel soon enough.

Emilia knew the very second she saw their seemingly perfect world fall into tiny little pieces that there would probably be no way to put it back together.

Bucky was gone. And he didn't even have a clue that Emilia wasn't left behind alone.

He didn't get in touch. She didn't contact him either.

She did exactly what the caller asked her to do and waited for some further instruction or message from him. Anything about what was to follow. But for a whole week, nothing of the sort happened.

Whatever he was up to, there was no way for Emilia to find out. The traces he leaves by calling her lead nowhere, so she gives up in resignation.

Shortly after Bucky left the apartment without a word, she broke down crying. All the pent-up tension, all the anguish, and all the fears that had come true burst to the surface.

The pain over the renewed loss rolled over and threatened to pull her into the depths. But even more so was the disappointed and hurt expression on the otherwise loving face of the man for whom she herself was responsible.

There was a split second when it seemed as if he didn't care. Bucky's gaze was blank. Just like when their eyes met for the very first time. The idea that he would look at her like that for the rest of his life, dismissive and as if he didn't know her, literally sent Emilia into a state of panic.This brought her out of the swoon in which she had been trapped for days.

She realized something. Never, really never again would she give him up. Not then. And especially not now.

She wanted to fight. For herself. For Bucky. For what they had. And also for what still awaited them.

To hell with this guy who tried to destroy their lives. If he thought he could separate them so easily, he was wrong. She would find and banish him from her life once and for all and get back the man without whom it was incomplete.

With one arm under her head and her bent legs pulled up, she lay on the bed. Her hand searched the empty, cold sheet behind her. It made her even more aware that Bucky had left.

He only occasionally slept on the hard floor anymore. Mostly when the nightmares were too unbearable. Then Emilia settled down with him, put his head on her lap and gently stroked through his hair while her small palm on his bare, slightly sweaty chest covered his racing heart.

She could feel the beats slowing and matching hers each time she took another breath. It was almost as if his heart was beating inside her.

Just like the small strong one in her womb.

Emilia took her hand from the sheet behind her and placed it on the still almost inconspicuous bulge under the Henley shirt she was wearing. It smelled so intensely of Bucky that she thought he was right behind her, holding her close with his strong, warm arm.

Her eyes followed her own fingers as they carefully smoothed the dark red fabric.

There was so much more she wanted to fight for.

"Don't worry, little one. I promise to bring him back. I'll fix up what I broke."

Another moment later, she stood up and frantically grabbed her notebook and phone from the dresser.

In the living room, she sat down on the couch and began searching everything that late evening for a man named Jackson Nolan.

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