Buzzkill: The Reckoning

Chapter 57

There was a warmth. A sudden comfort that swelled around Ruth's body. She was sitting up, propped with her back against a wall. Moving her hands, she could feel the familiar texture of a blanket she knew. A bright light shined overhead. Where was she?

"If it makes you feel better, you lasted a lot longer than I thought you would," A familiar voice spoke to Ruth.

She looked up, her eyes opening fully to see Ryker sitting beside her, cross legged, on the twin bed she slept in for thirteen years.

Was this a dream? It felt so real.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ruth asked, a smile emerging on her face seeing that Ryker said his comment with a sarcastic smirk.

"Well, for one thing, Kal is older than you are," Ryker replied, holding a book in his lap even though Ruth knew he was more involved in this conversation than the story.

"That doesn't mean anything."

"More experience."

"More pressure."

"Hm," Ryker looked back down at the book in his hands. "At least you have a couple days off from hand to hand now."

Ruth leaned her head back against the wall she was pushed up against. She furrowed her brows, looking up at the ceiling, then glancing back down to Ryker, the curls of his hair falling slightly over his eyes.

How was this real? How was she back at the facility? Everyone is dead. Ryker is dead. Was it all a dream? Ruth felt a pang in her heart. When would she have been able to fall in love with the Winter Soldier?

Ryker broke the few moments of silence, "You need to go back, you know."

Ruth looked over at him with confusion, "What do you mean?"

He smiled warmly, "You know what I mean, Ruth."

Ruth's heart sank to her stomach, "So this isn't real?"

"In a way it is."

"Am I dreaming?"

"Nah."

Ruth shook her head. "I don't want to go back."

"Yes you do," Ryker urged.

"No," She said firmly. "I just want to sit here with you."

Ryker shook his head, "You don't need to be here with me. Not yet. You finally got what I wanted you to have, what I died for you to have."

"And what's that?"

"A home."

Tears filled Ruth's eyes again, "You never should have died for me."

"You would've done the same thing for me," Ryker replied.

"That's the point, maybe I wouldn't have," Ruth told him solemnly. "That's why you deserved to live. You're the one that's actually capable of being so much more than the scum of the earth."

"But Ruth, you're already there," He turned to face her, closing his book. "Do you have any idea what you've done for people?"

"Don't start with the bullshit, Ryker. I've killed people."

"When will you realize that you actually have a heart?" Ryker's voice raised, "When will you realize how much you love the people around you? How much they love you? Why do you still doubt that?"

Ruth stayed silent.

"You think that you're protecting James when you isolate yourself, when you tear yourself away from him. But you're hurting him."

"I can't let him die like you did!" Ruth exclaimed,, "I will never let him sacrifice himself for me." She shook her head, her voice becoming soft, "I felt like I died when you were killed, Ryker. If he died I...I wouldn't be able to go on."

"And yet you're going to let yourself die and leave him to feel the same way?"

Ruth let out an exasperated laugh, "So—so what then? What if I live? I forget about what I've done and try to love someone and live happily ever after?"

"Exactly."

Ruth scoffed. Her whole life flashed before her in frames. Having Ryker by her side, his support in the darkest moments had her wishing she could turn back time to have him back with her. Why couldn't he just go back with her?

"It's time, Ruth," Ryker spoke up.

Ruth looked over at him, a small, warm smile on his face. His last words flooded her mind; I'm going to miss you.

"I'm going to miss you too. So much," Ruth's voice broke, barely above a whisper as her eyes welled with tears.

Ryker smiled wide, a heartwarming, innocent smile that Ruth missed with all her heart.

"You know that I always thought of you as my family, right? As a brother?" She asked him, looking into his eyes as if they would fade from view at any moment.

"Of course," Ryker replied. "I've always thought of you as my sister. Sure, you were a pain in the ass most of the time but you had some good moments."

"Jerk."

"Punk."

Ruth stood from her bed, her hand lingering across the fabric of her blankets, looking around her old room as a faded memory. A place where it all began.

Ryker stood up beside her, his eyes showing a hint of grief.

Ruth took a step forward and hugged her brother, holding onto him with more urgency than ever before, knowing this would be the last time.

As they held their embrace, Ryker spoke, "I love you, sis."

"I love you too."

They broke apart after many moments that went by too fast, still standing close to one another.

Ryker dramatically stretched his arms as if he were about to workout, "This is going to hurt."

Ruth scrunched her brows, "What are you talking ab—"

Ryker took both of his hands and shoved Ruth's chest as hard as he could.

She fell back onto the ground with a thud, her chest burning, feeling as if the shove broke her ribs. "What the hell, Ryker!" She shouted at him.

"Why do you have to be immune to electricity?" He complained. "It makes this that much more difficult."

Ruth, utterly confused, looked up at her brother who knelt down next to her.

"You'll thank me later," Ryker said, smiling solemnly before reeling his fist back and slamming it once again at the center of Ruth's chest.

On impact Ruth felt herself slip away from the reality with Ryker, cascading, falling down into darkness. The pain amplified. Everything was pitch black. She could feel a warmth around her, holding her, but it wasn't as it was before.

"There's a heartbeat!"