Chapter 22 - Icing on the Cake

I am so sorry that it has been so long in posting this last chapter. I honestly just forgot. If you made it this far, I am thankful as this is very long and one of my first stories. Please leave a review and let me know what you think.

"You are sure it's alright for him to come home, Doctor?" Clint asks as he places his hands on the handles of the wheelchair. Steve shifts uncomfortably.

"Yes. He will be fine. There isn't anything else we can do for him here and the only thing I can suggest would be to get lots of sunshine, and that can't be done in a hospital room" Doctor Paul hands Natasha the paperwork but Bucky takes it from her to look over it.

"Thank you, Doctor. I'm looking forward to being home again, even if I was only confined to bed for a day" Steve smiles at the Doctor.

"You were here for about two days before that as well" Clint points out and Steve shrugs.

"Let me ask once more," Doctor Paul looks at Steve "how are you feeling?"

"Small" Steve says, brow furrowed, "small and helpless."

"I see. You should be able to walk on your own again soon" the doctor replies "you need to come in for a checkup in about two weeks, come in before if you are in pain" he turns to Bucky "That goes for you as well Mr. Barnes."

Bucky nods and Steve mutters an "Okay" before they head out the door.

When they enter the living room, they find Tony, Bruce, Sam, and Jamie standing around the table with a cake and welcome home banner. "Welcome back guys!" Tony says, "I was about to starve without you Steve!"

"I've cooked plenty of good food for you" Natasha says with her hands on her hips "get over it!"

Sam walks over and pats Steve and Bucky on the back "Glad to have ya home. It was starting to get quiet around here."

"Quiet?" Steve asks with a glance at Bucky "Here? I don't believe you."

"Are you feeling up to cake?" Bruce asks, holding up the spatula.

"Ooo, what kind?" Bucky walks over to get a better look.

"Marble" Clint replies "I'll take a slice."

"This is great guys" Steve says.

"It was Jamie's idea" Bruce replies as he cuts the cake.

"Thanks Jamie" Steve says as he takes a slice from Sam.

"It was nothing. Tony payed for it, not me" Jamie also takes a slice of cake.

"Onby aayss poor wewewing" Bucky says with a mouthful of cake.

"Could you try that again" Steve says "in English?"

Bucky swallows "I said, Tony pays for everything."

"That's very true" Tony takes the knife and cuts himself a corner piece with lots of icing.

Steve reaches to set his plate on the table but is too far away. When Bruce sees him struggling, he takes his plate for him. "There is enough cake to feed an army of super soldiers. What are we going to do with the rest of it?" Steve looks around the room for ideas.

"Jamie, what do you think of bringing it outside for the IT department, and anyone else, to share?" Clint suggests.

"Sounds like a good idea to me" she nods "I could go down and tell everyone."

"Sure" Tony says "let's head out to the left side courtyard and meet everyone there."

They all agree then head down the elevator. Jamie gets off on the third floor to tell everyone she worked with that Tony Stark said they could leave work early for cake.

After making the announcement she turns to see Lilith. "Hey Lilith! Are you coming out for cake?"

"Jamie!" Lilith beams "You're in a great mood this afternoon. Of course I'm coming down. What's the cake for?"

"Mr. Barnes and Mr. Rogers are home from the hospital. It's to celebrate!"

"That's awesome!" Lilith turns to see everyone leaving with their brief cases or purses and turns to Jamie with a frown "I left my purse up on the seventh floor. I had to go help with some computer trouble and forgot all about it until now!" she starts towards the stairs "I'll be down soon, don't wait on me!"

"Ok," Jamie calls "see ya in a second" she piles into the second elevator with the others.

She finds Bucky and Steve without a problem. The trouble is - getting to them. When she turns to try and catch their attention, she loses sight of Bucky. 'Where'd he go?' she muses.

"Hey" she hears as someone taps her shoulder.

She turns to find Bucky grinning at her. "You were" she points to where she'd last seen him "and now you're... how did you?"

Bucky laughs. "I know how to get around crowds. So, tell me, which of these fine people are your friends?"

"Oh" she looks around for Lilith "I only really have one friend and her name is Lilith. She went to get her bag and I've not seen her come out yet."

"Well you'll have to introduce me to her when you find h..." Bucky stops as he hears a booming noise. "That sounded almost like a..." the north side of the tower is blown off and people start pouring into the street screaming "Bomb! Bomb! Everyone get away!"

"Lilith is in there!" Jamie shouts and no one sees her rush into the tower.

By the time Bucky realizes that Jamie is no longer standing at his side she is already halfway up the first flight of steps. He catches a glimpse of her through the glass. "Jamie! Come back!" his shouts are lost in all the commotion.

A girl with bleach-blond hair rushes for the door and yells "But I'm telling you, I saw her go in there!" as people try to hold her back. "Jamie! Jamie!" she calls.

"Lilith," one of the women say "Lilith, you can't go in there! What if there is another bomb? You could die!"

"But I can't let Jamie get hurt! She is my friend" she struggles even more.

Bucky looks up and finds Jamie on the stairs again. He locks eyes with her and points to Lilith. She sees her friend and begins rushing back down.

Fire trucks burst around the corner, sirens blaring. Jamie reaches the ground floor right as another bomb goes off. The force pushes her though the window and onto the street, thirty feet from the building.

She forces her eyes open and sees red lights blazing and people rushing about, their screams sound muted and far away. She sees Lilith rush over to her and lift her into her arms. 'She was a true friend' Jamie thinks. Behind Lilith she can make out the form of Bucky 'Clyde was right,' she thinks 'he once said that my mission would make me great - he changed me. He taught me how to forgive.' She hears Lilith sobbing and wants to reach out to her, to comfort her.

She takes a shaky breath that rattles her whole being and manages to choke out one word "Friends" before the darkness fills her vision and the pain disappears.

Bucky leans down and hears her utter "friends" before seeing her body go limp and cold.

That, dear reader, was Jamie Jankins' end. And this is the end of our tale. (Please don't hate me!) 😊