"I...love you." Alexandra whispered with a smile on her lips. Bucky sobbed loudly and tears fell down his cheeks as he held her tightly in his arms. Alex could feel his grip; a mix of cold metal and warm flesh. Everything faded away into black nothingness as she stared up at Bucky.
"No! Bucky!" The brunette screamed as she bolted upright in bed. She was drenched in sweat and her hair clung to her face. Her chest heaved up and down, her eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness around her like a nocturnal animal.
"Alexandra?" Bucky's voice drifted through the air.
"I'm here! Bucky...? I'm still here!" Her voice was panicked as she felt the bedsheet being pulled away from her sweaty body.
"Baby! Baby, it's OK." He wrapped his arms around her and held her against his chest, pressing her ear close so she could hear his steady heartbeat. "Shh... Shh..." Bucky stroked Alex's head and pushed her damp locks out of her face.
"Bucky..." She whimpered as she trembled against him. He rocked her gently and made quiet shushing noises.
"Another nightmare?" Bucky whispered before he placed a kiss on the top of her head. Alex stayed quiet, but he felt her nod against him. He moved his metal hand down her bare side and rested it on her hip. Alex felt comforted by his embrace and the coolness of his metal arm helped calm her breathing. "Are you OK? Do you want some water?" He asked.
"Please." Alex replied as she sighed loudly. Bucky turned and grabbed a glass of water off the bedside table. The brunette's eyes locked onto the glass and she went to take it from him with shaking hands.
"Ah, ah. I've got it." He smiled. Alex didn't put up a fight as he pressed the glass to her lips and tilted it towards her. She parted her lips and let the cold liquid flood her mouth and run down her throat. She swallowed eagerly, feeling much cooler already. "Better?" Bucky asked after he pulled the nearly empty glass away.
"Thank you, hon." Alex leaned against his chest again. Bucky wrapped her up in his arms once more and gently rested his chin on her head.
"Wanna talk about it?" He asked softly. Alex idly traced her fingers over the scar on her outer thigh and shook her head. "You sure, doll?"
"Do they ever stop?" She asked. Her voice was soft and meek sounding. As if she was a frightened child. Bucky squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced. It took everything in him not to lie to her. To tell her they did stop. Tell her she would be able to get a good night's sleep someday. Though he couldn't bring himself to lie to the woman he loved so much.
"Let's just take it one day at a time." Bucky danced around the question and laid back down, pulling Alex down next to him.
"OK, baby." She snuggled up close to him. "I love you."
"I love you too, sweetheart." Bucky stroked her hair and stared up at the ceiling as Alex drifted back to sleep.