In celebration of my friend independentalto graduating, here is an update as a present! Also, go check out her stories, they are AWESOME!

Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel. If I did, Cap would not be HYDRA, MockingPrincess would be a pairing, and a lot of other stuff would happen!

Ch. 9

It was the morning after the New Year's Eve party, and Bucky had spent the night. The others had headed home, mostly. Jade had gone over to Sareena's, but the others headed to their own homes.

"Buck, get up," Steve said, knocking on the door of the guest bedroom.

"Go away," Bucky groaned, putting the pillow over his face.

"Bucky. You need to get up now." Bucky sighed and sat up, rubbing his eyes sleepily before forcing himself out of bed.

"Where're we going?" Bucky sleepily asked.

"I have some errands I need to run and I need your help," Steve said. Bucky sighed but nodded; he would go with Steve.

Fifteen minutes later, Bucky was all bundled up and ready to head outside. Steve chucked at his friend.

"A bit cold?" He teased.

"It's zero degrees out," Bucky argued. Steve laughed. "I know."

Soon, the two of them were at the store. They walked through the aisles. Steve stopped and looked at something before frowning.

"What is it?" Bucky asked. Steve shook his head. "Just thinking."

"About what?" Bucky asked curiously. Steve shook his head again. "Nothing important." Bucky frowned at him but Steve just smiled at his friend. The two continued to shop.

Once the two boys were done with the errands, they headed back to Steve's place. Steve was driving and it was blizzarding out. It was nearly a complete white-out. Steve squinted to see through the blinding snow. Unfortunately, he didn't see the car barreling through the light. The car slammed into the driver's side. Steve slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. The car spun, the wheels sliding over the slick, icy ground. A second car slammed into the passenger side, or maybe it was the same car as the first, Steve couldn't tell. All he knew was pain. All over. Everywhere. So much pain. Steve couldn't even tell where one ache ended and the next began. Faintly, Steve heard sirens before he passed out.

Paramedics rushed onto the scene, trying desperately to help the two boys.

Annette was at home, doing some homework. Takeda was still asleep, and Jade was still at Sareena's, Annette didn't bother to text Jade or anything, knowing what her cousin was probably doing (or rather who she was doing). Annette didn't really want to think about what that was, though. She glanced worriedly at her phone, Bucky was supposed to have texted her a while ago. Annette stared at the phone, biting her lip as she contemplated whether or not to text Bucky. She didn't want to seem clingy or anything, but she was worried about him. Annette stared at her phone, still unsure of whether or not to text Bucky. She sighed and set her phone off to the side, Annette would wait.

An hour passed, and no word from Bucky. No calls, texts, or anything. Annette sighed and decided to text him, wondering what was wrong.

Annette: Hey Bucky

Annette didn't get a reply back, so she just set her phone back down and went back to her work. About an hour later, Annette checked her phone again. She didn't have a text from Bucky. But there was one from Natasha.

Natasha: Steve and Bucky were in an accident.

Annette gasped as the world around her shattered.

Half an hour later, Annette sat in the waiting room of the hospital. She hung her head in her hands. Bucky. Hurt. She ached inside, she couldn't get away from the pain. Annette had never felt such an intense pain, she wondered if it was because Bucky was her soulmate. The seat next to her squeaked as the person sat. Annette looked up to see Natasha in the seat next to her.

"Hey," Natasha murmured.

"Hey."

"How are they?"

"No update yet." Natasha sighed and nodded. Annette glanced at the red-head.

"They'll be okay," she murmured.

"What if they're not?"

"They will be."

"But what if they aren't?"

"Natasha…"

"No! You can feel how much pain Bucky is in like I can feel it with Steve!" Annette looked down, Natasha was right. Annette could feel the pain, it was like a phantom pain, there but yet not there. It was weird and yet not. Annette had had phantom feelings before, but never like this. She hurt, so much. Annette let out a sigh. She hoped Bucky and Steve would be okay; Annette hadn't known Bucky long, but she already didn't want to live without him. She and Natasha sat in silence, praying and waiting.

A nurse walked in. "Annette Bower?" Annette looked up. The nurse walked over to her.

"Mr. Barnes wishes to you see." Annette nodded. When Annette walked into the hospital room her heart sank to the floor. Bucky was hooked up to nearly a dozen machines. Annette let out a shaky breath. She slowly sat at his bedside. Bucky let out a small groan, which caused Annette to look up. Bucky was beginning to wake up, he must have passed back out sometime between talking to the nurse and Annette walking in. Annette shifted closer to his bed.

"Annette?" Bucky said weakly.

"I'm here," she said instantly. Bucky turned his head to look at her. "You're here?" Annette nodded. "Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" Bucky looked down. He didn't think she was going to come. But she did. She was there. For him. It made Bucky feel happy. His soulmate was here, for him. Bucky smiled.

"Sleep. I'll be here when you wake," Annette murmured. Bucky nodded sleepily. Annette kissed his head as Bucky slipped back asleep. She sat back, watching him sleep. Annette smiled, Bucky seemed like he would be okay. And as long as he was okay, she would be too. Annette didn't care about herself, her first priority was always Bucky. She watched him as he slept. Yeah, it was slightly creepy to be watching someone sleep, but it also relaxed her. Bucky was her soulmate, he was The One for her. There wasn't anyone else in the world meant better for her than Bucky. The two were meant to be, they were made for each other.

Annette didn't know the specifics of how soulmates worked, hell, science didn't even know how exactly they worked. One popular theory involved past lives and reincarnation. It was a long and complicated theory. Annette didn't understand much of the theory, though she did understand some. From what Annette understood, a person and their soulmate had loved each other in the past, but that love was lost too young and this was a way for them to get a second chance at their relationship. And most times it ended up great, the couple was happy. But Annette knew that sometimes it didn't, but those were rare. She hoped her and Bucky wouldn't be one of those cases, where they didn't get a happy ending. Annette truly loved Bucky, she really did. She would always love him, Bucky was The One for her, and she knew that. He would always be The One for her. No matter who else Annette met, Bucky would always be The One. He would always be in her life, always be there for her. Annette was glad for it. She really was glad she had him.

Annette was glad Bucky was accepting her more. She was worried he wouldn't ever accept her. But he had, finally. And Annette had never been happier. All Annette needed was Bucky. Nothing else. She did wish, though, that Jade had the same. But alas, Bobbi was still 'just friends' with Jade. Annette glanced at Bucky again. He was still out.

"He won't be up for a while," the nurse said as she walked in.

"Can I visit Steve Rogers?"

"Of course." Annette got up. She placed a gentle kiss to Bucky's head before heading out. Annette headed to Steve's room. Steve was laying in a bed, also attached to machines. Natasha was at his bedside. Annette sat across from the red haired student. Natasha barely looked up.

"Hey," Annette said softly.

"Hey," Natasha mumbled. The two stared at Steve. He looked so pale, so weak. He looked so unlike Steve that it scared them. Natasha shifted. Annette looked at her.

"Steve's in pain," Natasha grimaced. Annette nodded. "Oh...That makes sense." Steve's machines suddenly began beeping more. Natasha and Annette sat straight up. Steve let out a low groan.

"Steve."

"Natasha?"

"I'm here." Steve weakly turned his head to look at her. Natasha gave him a small smile.

"Is Bucky okay?" Steve weakly said. Annette nodded.

"He's just a little banged up," Annette assured him. Steve nodded.

"How are you feeling?" Annette asked.

"Ugh..." Steve let out a pained sigh.

"That bad?"

"Just...hurts…" Steve grimaced in pain as the nurse walked in. She made her way over to Steve's bedside.

"Need some pain meds?" The nurse asked kindly. Steve nodded. The nurse injected something into his IV. Steve let out a relieved sigh as the pain meds kicked in, Natasha let out a similar one. The nurse smiled at the two, she left the teenagers alone. Steve smiled at Natasha, squeezing her hand.

"I'm glad you're here, Nat," Steve said in a raspy voice. Natasha leaned forward and gently kissed him. "Of course I'd be here for you, Steve."

"Still...Thank you." Steve then looked at Annette.

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

"Of course, you're Bucky's best friend...his brother." Steve nodded sleepily.

"Sleep," Natasha said softly, running her fingers through his hair. Steve nodded and drifted off to sleep. Annette and Natasha kept watch over him.

Meanwhile, the most of the others had all arrived at the hospital and we're waiting in the waiting room. Clint paced, looking worried. His friends had been in an accident. Clint felt sick but he just sighed and sat. Wanda sat next to him and took his hand. Clint smiled at his girlfriend, Wanda smiled back. She rested her head on his shoulder. Clint hugged her close.

"They will be okay," Wanda said. Clint nodded. "Yeah...yeah…" Wanda smiled at him again. Clint hugged her tight. He glanced around the room, nearly everyone was there. That made Clint feel better. He hugged Wanda again. Wanda rested against him. Clint glanced around the room again. Everyone was just lingering around. Bobbi was on her phone, though she looked frustrated.

"Takeda, why the hell is your sister not answering her phone?" Bobbi asked, her tone frustrated as she hung up her phone.

"She spent the night at Sareena's house so chances are the two of them are..." Takeda trailed off. Bobbi scowled at the implication, between her, Seth, and Takeda, there were over two dozen texts and about a dozen missed calls. Bobbi sighed and called Jade for the sixth time. This time she answered. "Hello?"

"Finally you answered your f*cking phone," Bobbi all but snarled.

"Well sorry if I'm busy and can't check my phone all the time!"

"Yeah, busy banging your girlfriend!"

"Why the hell are you being such a b*tch all of a sudden? Are you jealous?"

"Why the f**k would I be jealous?"

"Then why are you being a b*tch for no f*cking reason!"

"Well maybe you should check your phone!"

"Why? And why do I have over two dozen texts and a dozen missed calls?"

"Maybe if you checked your phone, you would know!"

"Maybe you should just tell me!"

"Bucky and Steve got in a car accident." There was silence on the other end.

"Oh."

"That's all you're going to say?"

"No, I'll be there soon." Jade hung up. She rolled over and looked at Sareena.

"You have to go, don't you?" Sareena said softly. Jade nodded. Sareena kissed her softly. Jade smiled and kissed back before heading off.

*hides under mountain of blankets* Please don't kill me! I'm sorry! Just uh...review?