Bucky Barnes had found refuge on a small farm in Montana two years ago.
It was there that the Winter Soldier seemed to disappear from his mind and Bucky was able to be himself again.
He fell in love with a young woman. Ray introduced him into a wo...
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chapter sixteen sick
When Ray walked out of the house and into the warm air, she immediately found comfort in Bucky's arms. She let out a shaky breath and pulled away to kiss him; needing the comfort he brought her.
Then after a moment, she looked up at him. "Let's go." She grabbed his hand and started towards the door. "Everyone else stay here."
They disappeared back inside the house and she shut the door behind her. She tightened her grip on Bucky's hand and pulled him to where the kitchen was.
Bruce was still sitting at the table, but when he saw the new company he immediately stood up. He recognized the Winter Solider even after the haircut and shaved face.
"Whoa," Bruce was more than confused. For a moment he thought she had brought him to kill her. But then he saw their intertwined hands.
"Bruce, Bucky. Bucky, Bruce."
Bucky looked at her father with only slight amount of distaste. He hated Bruce for what he had done to Ray; but he was also in a way thankful. If things had been different he never would have met Ray.
So Bucky was the first one to stick out a hand in peace. Bruce looked between his daughter and Bucky for a moment before shaking it slowly.
"The Winter Solider. It's not every day that this happens."
"It's Bucky." Ray spoke sternly. "Only Bucky."
Bruce nodded. "Sorry. Please, sit."
Once they sat around the table, Ray looked at her love. "Tell him."
"Where do you want me to start?" Bucky asked her.
"At the beginning. Tell me what?" Bruce asked but was ignored.
"The ranch. If you're okay with that."
Bucky nodded and then turned to Bruce Banner. He swallowed before speaking. "I'm sure you remember DC very well. After that, I ended up on the Smith farm. That was where I met Ray. I stayed for close to two years before HYDRA found me again. They found me with Ray, so they took us both. In Vienna, after the accords, they tried to use the Winter Solider to divide the Avenger's. It worked. They also used Ray to hurt me. They gave her the same serum that I was given and Steve was."
"What?" Bruce looked at his daughter.
"Then everything happened between the Avengers and Ray has spent the last year in the run. But she's been sick lately, really sick. She's been having seizures and her lungs are swelling, as well as her brain. The doctors in Wakanda believe that the serum she had injected with and the gamma radiation she was exposed to haven't mixed well. She's dying." The last part was the hardest for him to say.
