Take It Back - Bucky Barnes x OC

Chapter Twenty-Eight

New York, New York

Same day.

It didn't take very long for reality to set in.

If it weren't for the sight of Bucky cradling Ashlyn's body in his arms as he tried to set himself against the window glass, Rylie would've thought this was all some bad nightmare.

His eyes were hollow and staring into the full head of hair on his wife's head, his fingers trembling as they held onto her scalp.

Rylie's lips started moving. She was trying to communicate with him as best she could.

He knew she was talking to him and that she was giving him some sort of instruction. He could clearly see Rylie from his peripheral.

Yet all he could do was shake and continue to hold his wife.

Rylie's heart shattered at the scene in front of her. Knowing that she had partially been the cause of this did something terrible to her heart.

She knew that two years - fifty years- down the road, she wouldn't forgive herself for causing the amount of pain she did.

It was all because she fell in love with a taken man.

Ashlyn's face was lifeless: pale, her lips and cheeks fading color. Rylie knew this was bad.

Rylie continued to repeat the words to Bucky until he finally blinked.

"What?" His voice was hoarse,  blue eyes meeting hers.

"We need to lay her down." She repeats, concerned.

It seemed to take a few long seconds for him to register what she had instructed him.

Bucky nods, pulling Ashlyn in tighter by her underarms.

Rylie's in pain as she watches the broken man in front of her struggle to oblige.

"Come on, Bucky." She says exasperated when he still didn't move from his spot on the floor.

It took about ten minutes for them to finally get Ashlyn tucked into her master bedroom.

Rylie didn't intend to, but her eyes drifted around their room. It was warm and comforting. The walls were a soft cream color and the duvet was porcelain white. Five pillows lined the head of the bed.

She doesn't allow her eyes to trail for too long as she helps adjust the pillows behind Ashlyn's head, but their wedding picture was on the nightstand.

It reminded Rylie of her place.

"I'll call a doctor, just in case."

Bucky steps out into the hallway, pulling out his phone to call their family doctor.

Rylie stays behind, next to Ashlyn's bed.

Her nimble fingers trailed the side of her sister's almost opaque face. She looked so peaceful compared to how she had been a half hour ago.

Rylie had never seen anyone so broken. She runs her hand up the front of her hairline.

What had I done?

Rylie considered speaking to her even though she probably couldn't hear her. She wanted to voice out her thoughts and her sisterly compassion.

Ashlyn seemed to have moved for a second as Rylie felt the mattress shift, and her heart sped up a bit.

It must've just been in her head because she continued in the same position.

Peaceful.

Rylie heard a soft shuffling of feet on hardwood behind her. She looked back to see Bucky staring at her with an expression she couldn't really read.