BUCKY

Brooklyn Cemetery, New York
2017

The Cemetery was quiet at night with only the occasional car driving past and the occasional voice of drunkards that were heading home from the bar at midnight. The full moon lit up the sky and casted a pale glow on the tombstones and pathways. There was rumbling in the distance, signifying that a storm was on its way, moving lazily closer and closer.

A call of a crow sounded through the air as the black bird glided down and landed on one of the two tombstones that were away from the others. The one it had landed on held the name 'James Buchanan Barnes' and the one next to it had 'Steven Grant Rogers'.

The crow cawed and began to peck at the stone, as if it was trying to break it open to get something in it. Then, it stopped and waited, eyeing the grave below it with a critical eye.

It took a few minutes before there was movement just under the surface of the ground. It was subtle at first, but it began to be more and more prominent until, finally, it was like a trap door lifted, breaking the ground in a perfect rectangle. The lid of the casket creaked before a figured crawled out of the ground with just one hand, the other gone forever. As the figured continued to crawl, his feet clearing the lid, dirt smudged against the white button up shirt that he wore.

He clambered to his feet with help from a nearby tree, gasping as he got his bearings back. A rumble of thunder made his eyes blink and he shook his head, ignoring the caw of the crow behind him. He took a deep breath and began to stumble away, the flapping of wings following behind.

He managed to get of the cemetery and began his track through the alleyways, the crow that was with him taking the lead. He didn't question it and just followed as he tug off the dirtied button up and discarded it on the ground. He didn't even register his feet landing on broken pieces of glass, rocks and whatever else, he didn't feel any pain.

He didn't even look down at his battered body, at the scars that littered it, nor did he glance at his stump. He could vaguely remember how he got all of that, but it was all fuzzy.

He just kept walking, time seemingly leaving him as he walked through the alleyways almost aimlessly. That was, until he came upon a vaguely familiar alleyway. He walked until he got to a certain point and he dropped to his knees and his bare hand came into contact of the ground. Just as it did, there was a flash of white and then, he was remembering.


Brooklyn, New York
2016

He and Steve were walking down the street side by side late at night after they had gotten off work, Steve laughing at something Bucky had just said before the blond man slapped him on his back with a grin.

"Come on Buck don't be like that. You're going to keep breaking those girls' hearts!"

"I'm just saying, Stevie." Bucky drawled. "That's what gonna happen when they keep on assuming stuff about me- like me liking them. Just because I was a lady's man as a teen does not mean I'm still am at this age."

"Never thought I would ever hear you say that." Steve teased. "Whatever would Tony think!"

"That I'm off my rocker?"

"Yeah, probably." The two shared a laugh as they continued to walk, their hands stuffed in their pockets so they wouldn't be exposed much to the November air.

"Shit." Bucky suddenly murmured, realizing what time it was when he checked his phone.

"What? What is it?"

"We forgot to text Tones. We got out of work later than usual, we're usually home by now."

Steve facepalmed and he let out a small groan. "Fuck."

Bucky began to go through his contacts when a man stepped in front of them, making the two stop on their tracks. Behind, Bucky heard a cock of a gun and that made his heart sink.

"In the alleyway." The man in front of them grunted. From what Bucky could tell, the man had very short- shorter than his- black hair and a stubble.

"Bucky…" He heard Steve murmur as they did what they were ordered.

"It's gonna be okay, Stevie." Bucky replied quietly as he eyed two other men that was waiting in the alleyway. They were outnumbered and at least one had a gun so he knew there was nothing either of them could do.

Everything became a blur after that. There was a lot of shouting, pain rippling as bullet rippled through his body, felt the pain of his arm being cut off by…something and him slumping down on his side, eyes watching as Steve got riddled with bullets as well, one entering his forehead and spewing his brains out of the back of his head. He was stretching out his remaining arm, trying to reach for his best friend since childhood, calling to him weakly. Blood was pooling around them and he was fading fast. The last thing he heard was a simple phrase that would haunt him into the afterlife.

"Hail HYDRA."


Bucky gasped as he fell back on his ass, breaths coming out in harsh bursts. He shuddered in horror, eyes wide as he stared at the spot where he had died, right next to Steve. His hand was shaking, and he couldn't stop it.

"No…no, Stevie…" he moaned in despair as he let his head drop in his hand. He had promised himself to always do what he needed to for Steve, to make sure he was fine, but he had failed. "Steve…"

It took him a minute to realize he wasn't alone anymore in the dim-lit alleyway. He lifted his head up and he could see what looked like a grotesque skeleton that wore a black cloak with its hood up. He could only vaguely get glimpses of the red hue that the exposed skull seemed to have.

"I'm hallucinating." Bucky stated bluntly, shaking his head. "I'm a dead guy hallucinating."

"I am no hallucination." The skeleton reassured him in a thick German accent. "I am simply here to give you a means to vengeance."

"Vengeance?"

"Yes. Your soul cannot rest until all of those who have played part in your and your best friend's deaths."

"…I have to kill those people that killed us?"

"The entire organization." The skeleton corrected him. "Every last one of them."

Bucky thought for a moment before he nodded in understanding. "How will I do that when…"

He gestured to his stump. His visitor said nothing, but his eyes glowed an eerie orange color and Bucky gasped in pain that came from his shoulder and stump. He screwed his eyes shut and waited it out. He didn't know how much time had passed and when the pain was subsided, he opened his eyes and looked.

To his shock, a gleaming metal arm was attached to him now. He lifted it up, clenching the metal fist and unclenching it. It was as if it was his actual flesh arm, no delay of action or anything.

"Follow the crow, for it shall be your guide and lifeline." The skeleton stated and, in a blink, he was gone, leaving Bucky sitting there alone.

The crow cawed at him from its spot on a dumpster, spurring him to stand up. With a deep breath, he began to walk once more, following the crow as it led him.