Unlimited || Bucky Barnes

The Footsteps

Steve remained silent and his face turned sour. Steve shook his head, "That can't be right."

"Read it Rodgers, he wrote it all down. Hydra sent him in to execute her parents when he went all screwy. After that, they sent him to kill her," Tony gestured towards me.

Steve tightened his grip on me and held me close as my tears seeped to his shirt. The shaking stopped as I closed my eyes and tried to relax.

In a time like this, all I wanted to was to breathe in Bucky's minty musk, but all I smelt was Steve's scent, which reminded me of fresh laundry and the ocean. Calming, but not in the same ways as Bucky's. Steve's grip was different too. He was holding on to me like I was fragile, with the same amount of stillness and pressure as you would hold a glass vase. Bucky's grip was firm, but tender. He held me tight whenever I was upset, and this moment kept me imagining that he was next to me instead.

I know Bucky didn't do it. I mean, he did. But...he didn't.

The Winter Soldier killed my parents, not Bucky. He was tricked by those villainous monsters that trampled on everyone just to get what they wanted. They didn't care that what they did forced Bucky to have to write in a notebook everyday because he lived in fear of forgetting. They didn't care that they had awoken something in me that casts a shadow over my entire being.

"Jarvis, call everyone in," Tony instructed.

"Yes sir," the voice replied.

Moments later, everyone rushed in at once, but stopped in the doorway at seeing me on the floor. I quickly wiped my face and looked away, knowing very well that all eyes were on me.

"Is this why everything was going haywire Rodgers? Why is she-" Nat started.

Steve pulled off of me and held a hand out. He shook his head, and gestured for her to take a seat. The rest of the Avengers followed and found a place to sit silently.

"Are you okay now?" Steve asked, placing a hand on my knee.

I nodded and pulled myself up, avoiding any eye contact from him. I wandered to the far side of the room and curled up on a sofa, facing away from the group.

"What is going on here?" Fury exclaimed. "I was trying to take a nap until I almost fell out of bed. Now explain to me what in the h-"

"Buck is gone," Steve shut Fury up. "He left his notebooks with Darby and we know why he left."

"Well are you going to to keep us in suspense or tell us?" Clint snickered.

"When Hydra got hold of Bucky on our mission, they sent him in to kill two people. A man and a woman-"

"Her parents," Nat interrupted, her jaw dropped. "Oh god. Is that why she-"

Steve and Tony nodded in sync with each other, and everyone shook their heads in silence.

"Where did he run to?" Fury inquired.

"We don't know. We just hope he's smart enough to hide and not get taken by Hydra again," Steve sighed.

I could sense everyone directing their heads back to me, but I didn't turn around. I pulled my knees to my chest and hung my head between them. I rested my arms on top of my knees to block out everything. Except my stupid powers couldn't let me have that satisfaction.

"We can start a search party as soon as possible. Barnes may be dangerous and sly, but so is Hydra. It's still early enough that he probably hasn't fled the city yet. Barton and Romanoff, you will search uptown. Rodgers, Wilson, Stark, you search downtown. Banner, you stay here with Darby," Fury instructed sternly.

"And where will you be?" Nat raised an eyebrow.

"Everywhere," Fury smirked and stormed out, his black coat swishing behind him.

The five followed after quickly and Bruce came to me just as fast. I didn't lift up my head, but I felt the couch indent next to me.

"This isn't your fault Darby. This isn't Bucky's fault either. There's no one to be mad at except Hydra," he stated.

I closed my eyes tight in hopes that if I tried hard enough, Bucky would come back to hold me.

"They'll find him. They found him once, they can find him again. I'm sure Bucky wants to be here as much as you want him to. "

I glanced up and shook my head.

"Look, I know you're trying to make me feel better, but talking about Bucky isn't cheering me up as much as I would like it to. Do you mind if I be by myself for awhile?"

He pursed his lips, and then nodded before he strolled quietly out the door. I leaned back and slumped down into the cushions. I rested my arm over my eyes and relaxed my whole body.

I napped for a little while until it was almost 2. This was around the time that Bucky would take his nap in his leather chair. I never felt at peace as much as I did when he napped, because when he did, I knew he wasn't worrying about me.

No one had found Bucky yet, so I wandered to my room in hopes of maybe falling back asleep. I cracked the door open, but I could sense footsteps in the kitchen. They were big footsteps, so maybe Steve was looking for me. They could-

No. Those weren't Steve's footsteps. Much too heavy to be Steve's.

Wait.

I know those footsteps.