Retrograde▸bucky barnes

21. Be Safe

"That's not good," Lena said as she watched John Walker kick a Flag Smasher down a staircase and through a wall. The body crumpled at the bottom, far too mangled to warrant having been pushed by a normal human being.

"What'd you do?" Sam asked, staring at Walker, his voice full of the horror Lena felt.

"They've got Lemar," Walker deadpanned before stalking away.

"That's supersoldier strength Sam," Lena whispered, feeling herself almost gag on the word.

"Yeah. I don't know how he got it. But he has it," Sam frowned before running after Walker.

Lena stood rooted in place for a moment longer before lifting her hand to her in-ear comm, "Bucky?"

"Little busy doll," he grunted, and Lena heard a sickening crunch, like someone had been pushed through a wall before the comm momentarily went silent.

"Southwest corner of the building?" his voice finally said in her ear.

"Got it. And Bucky?"

"Yeah?"

"Walker has the serum."

The line was silent for half a moment too long, "He what?"

"I don't know how, but he's definitely taken it. He's a super soldier," Lena said as she rounded a corner to find Bucky, Sam and Walker fighting three Flagsmashers.

"God dammit," Bucky swore. Lena wasn't sure if this expletive was in response to what she'd told him or the fact that a knife blade had very nearly connected with his face.

Lena jumped into the fray, finding the Flag Smashers to be just as annoyingly strong as the last time she had encountered them. The one before her was slightly taller than she was, but slower, which allowed her to push him back against a wall, electricity jumping sharply along her fingertips. Despite the clear bewilderment across his face, the man was still bigger and able to gain the advantage. Lena had a brief moment of panic as a knife flashed a little too close to her face too.

But instead of a gaping wound to add to her collection of scars, the man's raised hand was suddenly flat against the wall, a knife sticking out of his palm. Lena whirled around to see Bucky frozen post-throw across the room, the two of them momentarily aware of only each other.

"You're welcome," he mouthed, his voice inaudible over the sound of the others' fighting.

Lena grinned and shook her head, it was nice to know someone was looking out for her. She wretched the knife from the wall and with her other hand sent a shock of electricity through the Flag Smasher with what she hoped was only enough force to knock him out.

As the man slumped unconscious, another appeared at her flank. The girl's red hair bloomed out from behind her mask like a brilliant lion's mane, making her look all the more formidable.

"Good to see you too Karli," Lena said as she sent the girl flying away from her, sparks dancing over her skin in a way that Lena imagined could not have felt good. But the girl seemed unphased and immediately popped up, frowned and headed for Bucky.

Lena intercepted her, blocking her path. Back to back with Bucky, the two of them immediately adjusting to cover the other's blind spots, Lena couldn't help but again laugh internally. In one lifetime he's trying to kill me, in this lifetime I'm trusting him with my life.

Karli seemed to have had enough of what was happening because she abruptly sidestepped Lena and nodded curtly. Lena felt Bucky's body collide with her and she could picture it in her mind; the big man Bucky had been fighting had stepped back and delivered a violent kick to Bucky's chest, sending them flying across the room.

Somehow in that same brief moment Bucky was able to twist his body and wrap his arms around her so that when they hit the floor on the opposite side of the room, it was his metal arm that bore the worst of it. With his other arm wrapped around her protectively and her head buried in his chest, there was a moment where neither of them moved from where they landed.

"You okay?" he asked softly, concern ripping across his features in a way that Lena wasn't sure she deserved.

"Yeah. You?" Lena groaned, the wind knocked out of her.

"Maybe a fractured rib," he frowned, "But nothing major."

He didn't give her a chance to respond, instead helped her to her feet and so quickly that she could have imagined it, he kissed her forehead.

Lena really wanted to dwell on this endearing forehead kiss, but her attention was quickly grasped by the sight of Karli sending Lemar flying across the room to where he hit a concrete column. Time slowed as he slid down it and slumped at the bottom, unmoving. The room fell into a sticky silence as Walker rushed to his side, the only sound the retreating footsteps of the remaining Flag Smashers.

In horror, Lena stood frozen as Walker tried to wake Lemar. Lena was unsurprised when he couldn't.

Even after he ran from the room, his shout of anger and despair still ringing around them, Sam, Bucky and Lena stood frozen.

Sam was the first to speak.

"This is really not good, guys."

"The serum," Bucky said, his eyes still trained on Lemar, "it takes whoever you are before - and makes it worse."

"That's what I'm worried about," Sam said, his voice grave.

Momentarily Lena thought about Bucky, who he might have been before HYDRA's supersoldier serum had been forced upon him and who he was now. But she shook her head to clear the thought - there was no time to dwell on that.

"Come on," she said, "We have to get to him before he does anything stupid."

Bucky frowned, his voice low, "I have a feeling Walker is capable of incredibly stupid things."

To Bucky's credit, he was right, but Lena thought the sight that met them in the little town square went far beyond stupid - it bordered on insane.

Bucky, Sam and Lena's steps faltered at the edge of the crowd ringing Walker. Dozens of people stood around him, the town square absolutely silent except for the sound of everyone's seemingly collective gasps of horror. Lena stared, her stomach twisting with dread. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Bucky's face and it made her feel even worse: there was the shield that Lena knew Bucky felt like was a little piece of Steve he could hold onto - there it was covered in blood.

After what seemed like an eternity of silence, the square unfroze as police sirens permeated the air. Walker sprinted away like a common criminal as the crowd parted before him in fear.

Bucky started after him but stopped and glanced at Lena, worry heavy on his features.

"Go. I'll deal with this," she said and gestured to the oncoming police.

He nodded slowly. "Be safe," he said as he reached out, squeezed her hand and took off running.

Lena let out a shuddering breath - she wanted to do anything but get involved with the Latvian police, but until somebody with higher authority showed up, it was in her hands. As she walked toward the oncoming swarm of flashing lights, anxiety twisted in her chest: this was exactly the sort of thing she had dreaded happening. It was high profile and violent. Their names would be in international news. Her façade of being a normal civilian would once again be shattered.

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happy star wars day <3

xx