A/N: Hi all! Sorry for the delay! Another reminder that this will be kind-of sad BUT, fear not dear readers, this opens up our Civil War party so I hope you're already ready for it! I'm not ready for it…. Ahhh!
Anyway, please remember to review. Reviews are what keep me going. I wonder if we can get up to 10 reviews this chapter? Hmmm, I leave that in your hands, readers!
Speaking of reviews…
Reviewers:
Sarahmichellegellarfan1: Thank you!
Lynnspid5: Gotta have a bargaining chip in there somewhere! Let's see where the baby fiasco takes them!
Like it Random: Right? Maybe she will kill him?! Who knows?!... well, I guess I do.
Mzfeebs: All the drama and all the feels! Thank you for reading and reviewing!
And one last friendly reminder, the italics in a flashback to Brazil!
You know the drill!
Read, Review and above all… Enjoy!
Disclaimer: It's the second story and if there's any question on this whole 'owning Marvel' or 'making a profit on this' then… we have a problem haha.
Brazil… 1.5 Years Earlier…
He sat on the floor outside the bedroom with his back against the door. He was finally able to jam the door shut; now she was stuck in there screaming and cursing at him. Another painful relapse; another violent outburst. He was pretty certain a bruise would have formed on his cheek if his body wasn't so durable. She got him good. He'd never admit that to anyone, especially her.
Bucky knew she'd tire herself out soon, she always did. Then the realization would kick in, then the crying and self-loathing. He'd seen it all, he'd been there before. Now he was watching it happen to the woman that made him feel safe. She kicked the door causing it to jerk which snapped Bucky Barnes out of his thought. "Come on, Red." He said sternly. "You're better than this." He was tired, worn out and beaten. He was losing steam and faith that this could even work anymore. She was stuck, or rather, that's how it felt to Barnes. She was stuck in her relapses and wasn't progressing forward. He was running out of options and soon another meeting with Fury would be happening soon. How could he admit that things weren't getting any better?
A few more thuds came from behind the door, followed by shrieks and threats before it all became too quiet. He sat for a moment, listening. He heard nothing but silence from the other side of the door. Cautiously, Bucky stood up and put his hand on the door knob. "Red?" He called out to her. Nothing. "Red, are you okay?" Still he was answered with silence. Finally, Bucky twisted the door knob with force and opened the door. She had to have calmed down by now, right?
He stared into the dark room, she wasn't at the doorway anymore. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure to the right of the frame. Before he could slam the door shut, she slammed her elbow down on his good hand and kicked the door open completely. Forcing her way out of the bedroom, she was now making a break for the nearest exit.
Bucky was faster, he was always faster. He grabbed her shoulder and forced her down to the ground where he sat on top of her hips to keep her still. She screamed and yelled and thrashed about. Just another night for James Buchannan Barnes and Riley Jane Campbell. "Come on, Red!" He tried again, his voice harsh as he held her arms down. "Focus on something, anything!" He pleaded.
She struggled a few more times before the pain finally subsided. The tension in her body eased up as tears streamed down her cheeks. She looked confused, like a deer caught in headlights. She didn't know what to do now. She looked back at him unable to speak. He knew she was not going to attack him anymore, she was coming down. He cautiously got off her and pulled her onto his lap. His arms held her close to his chest as she broke down into sobs. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She kept repeating over and over again as she clung to his now tear stained shirt.
"It's okay. I'm here." He cooed, holding her close to his chest as he rocked gently back and forth. "I'm not going anywhere." Bucky held the damaged girl in his arms as she cried harder. "I promise I'm not going anywhere. Ever." He meant it then. He meant it with his entire being. He would see this through and above all he'd save Riley the way she had saved him so many times before.
Present Day…
The light was fading from the sky leaving red and pink tints on the horizon and fading upwards into the dark blue of night. It was almost too calming after all that had happened. After all he had done. The house in the distance adding to the serene scene as the car slowly pulled up to the front of the house. He held his sleeping baby girl in his good arm, the car filled with silence as they park besides the other familiar, but empty, car.
Clint was the first to get out of the car, practically racing inside and passed the two guests that had wandered out on the porch. He wanted nothing more than to see his family, especially after the day he had.
Bucky almost didn't get out of the car. If it wasn't for Wanda opened the door and offering her assistance with the baby. "I can take her." She said softly. Hesitantly, Bucky nodded and handed his daughter to the girl. His body tensing slightly as the small weight left his arm and into another's. When he did exit the car, the dreaded confrontation with Steve was already happening.
"Everything okay?" Steve asked, although he had a strong feeling it wasn't. "We began to worry when Clint's car wasn't following us."
"Not now, Steve." Barnes said in a warning tone. "Just not now." He stormed after Wanda, following her into the house and to keep close proximity to his daughter.
Steve looked at the car, Pietro was already in the trunk and pulling out his duffle bag. "She shot at us." He admitted in somewhat passing. A quick nod to the bumper would prove his story as Rogers noted two bullet holes. "He fought back." Pietro began to walk nonchalantly passed Rogers. "One thing I've learned during the earlier years, the early wars in Sokovia." He said. "Never take a child from a mother." Steve watched in silence as Pietro seemingly disappeared almost immediately after his last syllable hung in the air. He was now alone as the world darkened around him, feeling worse than before for his friend's well-being.
Laura's smile was comforting to Barnes as she took Emily from Wanda, cradling the still sleeping child lovingly. "She has Riley's hair." She commented, looking up to see Clint make a face. "Is Riley okay?" Laura asked, her eyes going wide as she looked at the group.
"She didn't come with us." Barton mentioned quickly, hoping to end the conversation. A notion that would lead to a long conversation in private later.
Laura cleared her throat, looking back at Bucky with a reassuring smile. "She will be fine. As you can see, I have some experience with kids." She said with a small laugh. Bucky wasn't in a laughing mood as he wandered back outside and onto the porch. He needed time to think and he needed time to forget. Something he never thought he'd ever wish for.
Laura looked at Clint. "You have a lot more explaining to do."
Clint sighed, rubbing his temples as his shoulders fell. "A lot happened in the past twenty-four hours."
"Clearly." She said, her expression turning sympathetic. "What's your next move?"
"Waiting on the Captain." Barton said. "Right now, he's got his work cut out for him trying to convince Barnes to stay."
"He wasn't going to stay with you?" Laura asked.
Clint shook his head. "He planned on running to get off the radar. I'll explain more later." Laura accepted the quick synopsis for now, knowing her husband had a lot to share with her later.
"Let me put Emily in the crib." She said. "Thankfully we kept Nathanial's old one. Tell everyone to make themselves at home. Dinner will be ready in a little bit."
"You're an angel." Barton said.
"I know." She smiled sweetly before wandering off upstairs.
Riley slowly opened her eyes; her vision adjusting to the world as she stared at the plain white wall in front of her. Stark offered her a sleeping solution, basically a 'tranquilizer that could knock out an elephant' or so he told her. It was a nice change, a dark and dreamless sleep. Something she'd kill for again.
It didn't seem real. None of it had. But it happened and now she was lost. He was gone; he had promised her he'd never leave once. Now, he was gone and he took Emily. He took the one thing that made her feel balanced again. Riley hadn't felt this way since she got her memories back. This was something she never wanted to feel ever again.
She signed the Act. Of course she did. What choice was there in the end? Natasha was right, she had to get Emily back and this was the smartest way to do it. Otherwise, she'd gladly go rogue in a heartbeat.
She faked her way through the signing, through all the photographs of the event, through the press, all of it. Some even called her brave for being there after losing her child to the Winter Soldier. Only two people really saw through the façade; Natasha and Tony. Both hiding what they knew about the red head for her sake. Neither one knowing exactly how deep it really went in the end. A rabbit hole no one was prepared to fall down.
Riley forced herself out of bed, she had training with Natasha today. Silently and almost robotically, Riley put on her training outfit and headed out of her room. To her surprise, she was met in the hallway by a grouchy looking man with his leather jacket on and a duffle bag slung over his shoulder. "You're up earlier than expected." He snorted, walking by the red head.
"Where are you going, Logan?" She asked, her voice cracking slightly from having just woken up. "I didn't think you were still here."
"This isn't my fight, kid." He said. "I'm needed somewhere else." Riley nodded, he was right. The Mutants had their own fight to win. "I don't think this is your fight either." He began. "You should rethink where you stand in all this and get out while you can."
Stubbornly, Riley replied. "I'm not going anywhere."
His lips folded upwards, something Riley didn't think he was capable of… smiling. "Be careful, kid." He left without another word, leaving Riley with his last words that resounded with her before she took her leave to the training room.
"Again." Riley breathed out, her insides screaming after she landed with a thud on the mat.
Natasha was hardly out of breath as she walked over to her starting position. "You sure you don't want to rest?"
She shook her head, forcing herself to her feet and stretching quickly. "I need to get better at this."
"You've already proven yourself." Natasha tried to compliment her.
"Not good enough." She said, bouncing from one foot to the other as she raised her arms. "If I can't take you out, I don't have a chance with him."
Natasha warned her. "If you end up hurting yourself you'll lose your opportunity to fight him at all." She saw that Riley wasn't backing down, she wanted a fight. She needed the fight. "Last time and then we're taking a break." Riley nodded, taking a second to regain her composure before charging at the assassin.
Her first punch was countered with a block, giving Riley the opportunity to throw her elbow down onto Natasha's arm, breaking her counter. With another upper cut, she went for Natasha's chin. Natasha backed up just enough to give her room. Riley was giving her all, she wanted a fight and she was definitely giving it. Natasha grabbed Riley's arm, twisting it behind her back as she tried to incapacitate the red head. Riley swooped her leg back, hooking Natasha's knee and forcing her forward. She rolled, giving her the advantage of getting on top. Natasha, however, was a pro at this attack and was able to lock her own legs around Riley's and forcing her into a hold. "Tap out, Rye." She said through clenched teeth as Riley clawed at her arm. "Tap out!" She said again.
Reluctantly, Riley tapped the mat. Natasha was off her instantly and on her feet; offering a hand to help Riley up. Riley didn't take it as she stood up on her own, wiping sweat from her forehead. For the first time, Natasha was actually worried. In that instance, the expression Riley had on her face; pure hatred. A hate that was directed towards Barnes, the situation they were in and more importantly, hatred for herself in getting to this situation. Natasha saw it, she knew what was happening. Riley was slowly peeling and unraveling like chipping paint on a hot day. She had an idea, she needed to get those reports from Fury. Something wasn't adding up.
"Get some rest, Rye." Natasha said with bare minimum emotion as she headed out of the training room. In that moment, Riley felt her trigger finger begin to twitch. She needed to let out some steam, and fast.
Bucky sat on the porch of the Barton's secret home; the wooden Adirondack chair he had found really was one of the most comfortable things he had ever sat on. It helped, but only slightly, in clearing his troubled mind over the recent events. What had he done? What had he done to Riley, to their situation, to everything? It was eating him up and slowly.
Bucky Barnes wasn't exactly a gambling man, but if he were, he would have bet money on the person who had wandered onto the deck. He knew who it was, he didn't have to look. "Mind if I sit?" He asked, pointing to the chair next to the Winter Soldier. Bucky didn't say anything, he just waited. He knew Steve would sit regardless of what he wanted. And he did. "What you did today was hard. You have every right to be upset."
"You didn't see her, Steve." The image played through his mind over and over again. The rage and hurt in her eyes; the pain. He could almost feel it when he looked at her. "She's tried to kill me too many times to count. This time was different, it was personal. It was hatred."
Steve waited a beat before replying. "You knew the cost, Buck. You did what you thought was right for Emily."
"It's more than that, Steve." Bucky said, letting out a deep sigh. "I helped make her this way." Steve looked at Bucky, unsure of how to take his revelation. "When Fury asked for the reports on Riley, I almost gave up. One day, she suddenly remembered everything. I was so happy I didn't take into account the weight she was still carrying. She remembered everything. She remembered killing Emmett, and she couldn't let that go. I was selfish, instead of getting her the help she needed… I told Fury she was all right. I didn't want them to take her away from me."
"Buck—" Steve tried, unable to find words.
"I could have gotten her professional help, send her back to headquarters for in-depth psychological analysis." He deflated. "I wanted to be the one to help her, like she helped me. And she was doing well. She was improving but, I wasn't enough to help her. I wanted to be, I desperately wanted to be." He finally looked at Steve. "I finally got her back, how could I let her go?"
"If she knows she's unstable—" Steve began. "Why wouldn't she come with us?"
Bucky shrugged. "It's all part of it. She doesn't want to be the bad guy. After killing Emmett, that's all she associates herself as. The bad guy." He paused. "Some days were better than others. Some days, she was my Riley again. Killing Emmett, even though it wasn't her fault, destroyed her. I was too selfish to realize that. Maybe I am the bad guy in the end."
Steve waited a breath. "So what are you going to do? Run?" He didn't give Bucky a chance to decide. "Maybe you need to prove to Riley that being here doesn't make you a bad guy. Maybe staying and fighting will change her mind. I won't tell you what to do but, running doesn't seem like the best option here." Bucky ran his good hand through his hair. "Stay with us, I know we can help change Riley's mind. Once she comes with us, we can help her."
Steve's words resonated in his head as he let them sink in before a coy smirk took over his lips. "Let's hope she doesn't kill me first." He joked, grimly.
Steve frowned. "Not funny." Only to receive a small chuckle from his best friend. "Think about it, Buck. I'm serious. We're leaving tomorrow to meet with a few others who declined to sign. It would be nice to have you around."
Before Bucky could respond, the front door opened and closed with a loud thud. A concerned, white haired punk stood before them. "I think you two need to see this." Pietro said, pointing to the door before dashing away back inside. Bucky looked at Steve, the two sat perplexed before standing and rushing into the house.
Everyone stood around the television, a news broadcast was on the screen with a scrolling text stating something about a 'high death toll'. The broadcast showed a video of a man hopping from the back of a truck in black armor, white paint splattered on the front. "What's going on?" Steve asked, looking at the group.
"Terrorist attack in Wakanda." Sam said. "His name is Crossbones. He's calling you out, Steve."
Steve turned his attention to the screen as the video played, the man in the video asking for a fight with Captain America and threatening civilian casualties. "Well, team." Steve said. "Looks like we need to leave sooner than we thought. We'll head to the rendezvous with the others and take it from there. People are dying because of me."
The group were quick on their feet, preparing for their departure as Steve looked at Bucky apologetically. Not even five minutes earlier he told his friend there would be more time to decide. Now, he had to take back his promise. Bucky saw right through that before inhaling. "I'm coming."
"Are you sure?" Steve asked. "If this turns out to be big, I can't guarantee Stark and all of them will be crashing the party." If Stark showed up, chances were Riley would manage to force her way onto the jet. She wouldn't miss an opportunity like that.
"I'm counting on it." Barnes replied darkly. He was going to make things right even if it killed him. He was going to do what he should have done a year and a half ago; he was going to save Riley.
Final Thought: Thank you again! Let's try to get 10 reviews on this chapter!
