Sam had never driven so fast in his life. Even as a foolish young man that liked racing and speed, he had never made an automobile move so fast. But everything in him screamed for him to move faster. His friends were in trouble and it didn't help that his friend beside him was about to claw his way out of the car to get to his woman.
They were thankfully coming into view of the city. The darkness overhead was still carrying on as they got closer and closer to the signal on Madison's phone. "Turn right," Bucky urged Sam as he finally realized where they were heading. They were less than a block away and Bucky could practically feel the electricity in the air on his skin. He needed to see Madison. His gut was telling him that something bad was happening and he wasn't there to help her. This was eating him alive.
"We're almost there," Sam urged, trying his best to calm his friend. As Sam slammed on the breaks, bringing the car to a sudden halt, Bucky was already out of the car racing down the street. Sam wasn't far behind him as he turned the street corner. Both men stood shocked to see Steve clinging to Natasha as everyone else was looking up into the sky.
The blood flowing in Bucky's veins felt as though it turned to ice when he heard Tony's desperate plea over the communication device in his ear. "Anyone, do you copy. Please. Madison is hit. She's not responding. Please, anyone. I can't get to her in time!"
Bucky couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. Looking upward he saw a small dark speck coming into view. His heart felt like it was about to explode in his chest as he realized what he was seeing. Madison's body was falling from the sky and he couldn't do a damn thing about it. "Oh God, Maddie" Bucky shouted as his knees gave out on him causing him to crumble to the ground.
He barely responded when he felt soft, gentle hands wrap around him holding him upright. He couldn't take his eyes off of the sky as he watched. Bucky didn't want to see this, but he also knew he couldn't look away.
It took mere seconds, but he was ultimately glad he hadn't looked away because out of the corner of his eye he watched as Sam took off like a rocket, wings extended.
Sam realized what was happening, after they all heard Tony's transmission over the com system, so it only too him a second to realize what he needed to do. Racing back to the car, Sam knew he had only moments to get suited up and into the air or there would be no saving Madison. Lowering his goggles into place, Sam allowed himself one last glance at Bucky as he watched his friend collapse to the ground before soaring into the sky.
Throwing his arms back to his sides, Sam begged the suit to fly faster than it had ever flown before. He could see Madison coming into view. Her hair whipping around her face. Stretching out his arms, he willed her body to come to him, begged his finger tips to reach her.
They were still descending rapidly. The gauge on Sam's suit read out 1400 feet just as his fingertips finally touched the leather jacket she was wearing. Pulling her into his arms, Sam held Madison as gently as he could, cradling her to him as he soared into the sky. "Gotchya," he said as he began to pull up from the descent, otherwise they would land too fast.
On the ground, Wanda held an inconsolable Bucky close to her as she continued to talk to him. "Sam will get to her in time James, you have to believe that." They both watched as Sam continued to get closer and closer.
Bucky let out the breath he had been unconsciously holding when he finally saw Sam scoop Madison into his arms. His legs felt like jelly as Wanda helped him stand, his eyes never leaving Sam as he slowly made his way to the ground. All around him was carnage, but his attention couldn't be torn from his friend who had just saved Maddie from plummeting to her death.
Coming to a soft landing Sam held Madison in his arms. Her body felt so light, almost like a child in his arms. She had a large scorch mark on her chest leading up her neck. Now that he had landed he could smell the scent of burnt flesh that caused him to turn his head. Sam knew Bucky was going to lose his shit when he reached them, and that would be soon as he watched his friend race over to him.
Reaching them, Sam gently passed Madison's body to Bucky as he took her and lowered her quickly to the ground. Constant words of thanks to Sam seemed to tumble out of Bucky's mouth as he cradled Madison's body in his arms. Methodically he looked her over. His fingers gently settled against the side of her scorched neck to feel for a pulse as he lowered his cheek to rest over her mouth.
Everyone surrounding Bucky held their breath until he finally let out a sob of relief. "She's alive," he said, hiding his face against Madison's skin. Bucky clutched her close to his chest, rocking her gently back and forth. "James, we have to get her back to the compound so that Bruce can take a better look at her." Wanda was always gentle with Bucky. She had been like a sister to him from the moment they met, both of them always watching out for the other.
Looking up at Wanda's face, Bucky let her words sink in a moment before he slowly began to stand. Wanda supported Madison's body so that Bucky wouldn't have to let her go, as if he would anyway, as he rose.
"Guys, a little help here," Natasha called as she continued to hold up a wounded Steve. "I've got him," Sam called as he moved quickly to Nat's side taking the weight of Steve upon his shoulder. Steve continued to hold his side that had previously been wounded during the assault. Sam noticed that blood was still slowly seeping through Steve's fingers. This wasn't normal as wounds on super soldiers tended to heal rather quickly. He must have been hurt pretty deeply.
As the group made it to where the cars had been parked, they soon realized that their rides were now buried under a mound of rubble. They turned to Sam's car and loaded Madison, Bucky, Steve and Natasha into the back. Wanda and Vision had arrived on their own and were capable of getting back to the compound without assistance. Wong said that he would be staying at the inner sanctum since it still needed guarding even without Strange's presence. Bruce awkwardly climbed into the back of Sam's jeep boot. It felt like a clown car with how many people were suddenly crammed into it.
Turning back towards the compound, Sam drove as quickly as he could without jarring his injured passengers too much. Madison still hadn't woke and Steve groaned with every bump and swerve made that caused his injured side to bleed more.
Arriving back to the compound the first people they saw other than the guards at the gate was an extremely worried Pepper. She rushed to the one returning car screaming to be told what happened to Tony and why he wasn't with them. Natasha rushed from the car to her side just as Wanda and Vision arrived to the compound. Wanda, seeing how distraught Pepper was, rushed to help Natasha walk her inside as she tried to calm her explaining what had happened.
Sam came around the car to Steve's side and helped him slowly ease himself out of the car. Bucky still held Madison in his arms, never allowing her to be out of his sight. Bruce ran into the compound to give his staff a few minutes advance notice of the incoming injured. As the small group made their way down to the infirmary, Bruce pointed to two different beds for each injured member. The medical team began working on Madison, hooking monitors to her fingers, arms and chest. Within a few moments the gentle beep, beeping of her heart could be heard over the monitor. Bucky pulled a chair close to her bedside as he continued to hold her cold hand.
Steve had been helped onto the bed by Sam as Bruce slipped a pair of medical gloves on and grabbed a pair of scissors to remove Steve's shirt. Cutting away the material, Sam watched as Bruce's fingers gently removed the scorched material. Whatever type of blade had been used, it left a residue behind that was causing his wound to not be able to start the healing process. So he was continuing to lose blood.
Natasha rushed into the room, concern evident on her face for both members of her family. She was torn who to go to first but moved to Steve's side first as he seemed to be in the most immediate pain. "What can I do," she pleaded with Bruce.
"Grab that clear bottle right there and a couple of those sterile packages next to it on the second shelf," Bruce instructed.
Moving to the medical cabinet, Nat grabbed the requested items and returned swiftly to Bruce's side. "Slip on a pair of gloves and open them for me, would ya?"
Nat grabbed a pair of sterile gloves and moved to help Bruce as quickly as she could. Taking the opened bottle from her hands he instructed her to hold the gauze under the wound as he flushed it with the solution. Nat visibly winced in shared pain as Steve cried out when the liquid hit his skin. It was cleaning the wound, but not without causing minor irritation as it flushed away whatever was keeping the wound open. Two bottles later and the wound was finally showing no signs of the substance.
Steve lie on the hospital bed sweating and panting from the physical exertion caused by the pain of the treatment. All through the pain though he had tried to keep his eyes on his daughter who lay just a few feet from him.
Bruce proceeded to stitch the wound closed. Steve's DNA had been altered due to the super soldier serum so much that healing would take a relatively short period of time. But he still needed rest so that the process could start. Covering his handy-work with a bandage, Bruce pulled his gloves from his hands. He set about getting set to move towards Madison to see about her condition.
Drawing closer, Bruce could see that much like her father her own healing process had begun. The scorching on her clothing of course still remained, but the skin that had previously been black as soot now was turning a bright pink color. Being as careful as possible to not cause further pain to the young woman, Bruce prodded gently the singed areas of Madison's skin. He had to maneuver around Bucky who sat at Madison's side not willing to budge from his position as he held her hand looking on worriedly.
"Why isn't she waking up," Bucky asked of Bruce, his worry and concern evident in the lines that creased his forehead and corners of his eyes. Bucky was a fierce warrior, but when it came to Madison he was a huge marshmallow.
"Well, from what I can tell…I believe her body is just allowing her to sleep through the pain." Bruce gently pointed to the places on Madison's chest that were still a deep blood red. "Those burns are taking longer to heal and I'm sure are very tender to her. They probably hurt a great deal when she breathes, so sleeping through the pain is the best for her right now.
Removing his gloves and tossing them into the nearby disposal, Bruce rested his hand on Bucky's shoulder to comfort the young man. "Don't worry, when she's ready, she'll wake up."
As Bruce turned to make notes in the chart that one of the medical staff handed him he heard Bucky softly wonder out loud, "Do you think she knows I'm here?"
"With her," Bruce said offering Bucky a smile, "absolutely."
This meant the world to Bucky as he brought Madison's hand up to his cheek, placing a kiss to her wrist.
Natasha sat by Steve's side as he slept, allowing his wound to heal while Bucky remained by Madison's side. Both seemed reluctant to give up their spots of keeping watch over their loved ones. Bucky tried hard not to stare when he noticed the way Natasha reached up to smooth Steve's hair. Or the way that she fussed over the bed sheet that covered part of his bare torso. When he winced in his sleep as he adjusted his hips to a more comfortable position, Nat's hands hovered over Steve's body as though waiting for a chance to be of help to ease his pain. Watching all of this made Bucky smile. It had been a long time since he saw his friend being cared for by someone. He couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Nat was a little sweet on Steve.
The idea of Steve and Nat dating made Bucky happy. Since Peggy, Steve rarely seemed to be interested in another woman. Perhaps this was his second chance. Just as Bucky reached up to place a cool cloth on Madison's forehead he couldn't help but jump in surprise. Madison's eyes had popped open as though she were in shock. He couldn't keep her from moving as she bolted upright in the hospital bed setting off all sorts of medical alarms as her blood pressure and heart rate spiked.
"Tony!" she exclaimed loudly to the room. Madison began thrashing about in the bed causing Bucky to desperately try to hold her in place until she could calm down. Bruce ran to the bedside, a needle in hand filling the syringe with god only knew what before he injected it into the tube that had previously been rehydrating her.
Madison's constant screams of 'Tony' brought Pepper quickly to the ward having heard her calling out her fiancé's name from far down the hall. "What the hell is going on?" Pepper exclaimed, breathing heavily.
"I don't really know," Bucky tried to explain as he continued to hold Madison down. The sedative was taking longer than expected to have its effect and she was struggling against Bucky fairly strongly.
"Please," Madison begged Bucky. Her eyes terrified Bucky as all he saw was wild desperation in them. "You have to reach Tony. He can't stay on that ship," Madison gasped, desperately trying to fight through the sluggish feelings she was suddenly feeling from the secondary dose Bruce had injected into her IV. "Contact him, tell him to turn the ship around." Madison reached up and gripped the shirt that Bucky was wearing so tightly in her fist that she was able to yank him forward so that his ear was right at her lips.
Everyone in the room waited with baited breath to hear what she was saying to Bucky. Gently, Bucky eased Madison down to the bed, the medicine finally kicking in and knocking her back out.
"Well, what did she say," Pepper begged Bucky to give her the details of Madison's whispers.
Bucky took a shuddering breath before turning to look first at Natasha then Bruce before finally settling his gaze on Pepper. "We've got to contact that ship somehow." His gaze shifted back to Madison as she squirmed in her sleep trying to awaken. Her brow creased with worry imagining only god knows what. Bucky realized it was up to him to do what she couldn't right now.
Everything was hurting. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to move. There was the most god awful smell that Madison just couldn't seem to get away from. She remembered following Tony into the air trying to catch up to the escaping ship that held Dr. Strange and the time stone. She just wasn't going fast enough to catch them.
Madison jerked as she remembered the pain. She was hit with an energy blast straight to the chest. For anyone else it would have been a death sentence but for her and her super soldier DNA it was painful, but not deadly…thankfully.
She must have blacked out because she didn't remember falling or hitting the ground. Surely if she were thinking through the events she wasn't dead. So that must have meant she survived it somehow. But how? Madison tried to remember, to figure out what happened afterwards. Voices. She remembered hearing voices. Tony's could be heard over her earpiece. Peter was on the ship too. He was trying to save the doctor. That's why Tony didn't try to help her when she was hit, he was too far away trying to save Peter.
A tear slipped down the corner of her eye and along her cheek. Madison continued to try to put the pieces together, but everything after the blast was so muddled. Where was she right now? She could feel her hand being held. "Bucky," she thought to herself. She would know his touch anywhere.
Madison desperately wanted to wake up to speak to him. To tell him not to worry about her. She could tell he was worried by the way he kept kissing her wrist. He did that when he wanted to reassure himself that she was there with him. He did it when he woke in the middle of the night. He seemed to be comforted by it.
There was something else though that Madison needed to do. She just couldn't seem to remember what it was and it was nagging at her. So Madison did what she could to try to figure it out by running through the people in her life. Dad, Mom, Bucky, no…nothing about them felt out of the ordinary. Bruce, Peter, Pepper, Clint, Sam…no, still nothing felt off about them. What was it then?
Suddenly it dawned on Madison what she needed to remember and she became frantic, needing to wake up but her body just wasn't cooperating. "Come on girl, wake yourself up. You have to before you can't reach them anymore." Madison's inner voice was cheering her on, but her body was fighting her every step of the way.
Finally, with a burst of energy Madison was able to open her eyes. She found herself staring straight up at the ceiling before looking around and seeing Bucky sitting to her right. He was looking away from her. Why wasn't Bucky looking at her? Then suddenly he was and his smile disappeared as he must have realized she was awake. It took only seconds but it felt like several minutes had passed as Madison fought to find her voice. Once she found it she got out the one word she knew she had to say, "Tony!"
Madison began clawing desperately at Bucky to get him to listen to her but so far the only thing that had managed to come out of her mouth was Tony's name. Bucky tried to calm her down. Why wasn't he listening to her, he had to help. He was the only one that could know the whole truth. But he had to listen. Finally getting a firm grip on Bucky's shirt Madison pulled him down to her as she whispered into his ear the whole story and why Tony had to be stopped.
"You have to get him to turn the ship around and return to Earth. He faces off against Thanos and almost dies if he makes it the entire way. He has to come back here or else Peter will die as well. Please," Madison begged Bucky.
Madison couldn't struggle anymore. Between being exhausted and the apparent sedatives that Bruce was filling her IV with, Madison just didn't have the energy to fight the sleep that was quickly pulling her under. She recognized the coolness of the sheets beneath her as Bucky eased her back down onto the bed right before she passed out completely. All she could do now was to pray that Bucky could handle this as she was in no shape right now to do much of anything.
As Madison lay there in the peace of her own mind's darkness she found herself still thinking about her Uncle Tony. With each minute that passed he was getting further and further away from Earth and closer and closer to his doomed destiny with Thanos. This frustrated Madison to know that there was nothing she could do to stop this from happening. The more she thought about Uncle Tony the angrier she became. It had been her job this whole time to correct the mistakes that had happened in this universe so that the same didn't happen as in hers. In her universe her Uncle Tony died as did billions more at the hands of Thanos. Nothing she was doing seemed ultimately be changing anything in the long run. It all seemed to be drawing to the exact same conclusion just in different ways.
These thoughts continued to race through Madison's mind as she tried to focus on how to fix things for Uncle Tony. Would Bucky be able to reach him in time? The more frustrated Madison became the more she struggled with what to do. As she lay there listening to the quietness of her mind, Madison could swear she could hear Tony's voice. It was faint, but it was there. He was arguing with Strange about how they needed to work out a plan. As Madison listened she could hear Peter talking too. She wasn't sure if she was going crazy or what. The sounds were getting louder and louder like they were almost in the same room as she.
Slowly the darkness of Madison's mind started to brighten and shapes began to move. The arguing voices were getting quieter and they all seemed to be focusing their attentions on something. Brighter and brighter the darkness got until finally the dark shapes became actual people.
"Holy shit," Madison thought to herself.