Not again.
Bethany was completely and utterly breathless as she rapidly descended to her impending death. The intense pressure of gravity prevented her from adjusting her body in an effort to somehow break the devastating fall. But it wouldn't have mattered anyway. She was entirely paralyzed, trapped within her own horrible nightmare.
Bucky's lifeless expression quickly disappeared over the edge of the hovering helicarrier, most likely completing the mission Hydra had assigned. Bethany knew she wasn't part of the plan, but her death must've been a personal bonus. Her fading perception on the expansive vehicle swiftly began to lessen, causing her heart to immediately throb unhealthily inside her dry throat. The rushing air constantly consumed her need to scream as she plummeted closer to the ground, sensing the Earth's warm embrace ready to capture her stupified state.
The impact's gonna be too much, she thought with insensible horror as panic spread throughout her frozen figure.
The Earth can't save me now.
The heart-stopping experience felt too surreal to comprehended, as Bethany was unable to think of one simple thought, just one simple memory of her complicated life to reminisce over before she died.
I...I...
Suddenly, a wave of uncomfortable moisture encapsulated her entire body as she connected with a surprisingly saturated surface. Her heaving lungs immediately took in large amounts of the salty liquid. Her shocked body took a moment to understand what exactly had transpired, watching with shocked curiosity as her loose hair floated gently around her submerged figure.
I'm...alive?
Quickly swimming to the shimmering surface, Bethany emerged from the river, inhaling heavily with gratitude. She desperately gulped the air, sending the satisfying oxygen straight to her struggling lungs. After a few moments recollecting her frightened thoughts, she hastily made her way to shore, dragging her saturated body heavily along the dirt, and leaned against the ground in overbearing exhaustion. She felt her heart pulsate rapidly against her drenched pearl shirt, closing her eyes in silent appreciation.
I'm alive.
Instantaneously remembering the reason for her near-death experience, she quickly lifted her soggy head to the sky, staring wide eyed at the three intimidating helicarriers circling the S.H.I.E.L.D HQ, watching cautiously for any signs of explosions or gunfire. Her panicked thoughts were quickly consumed with concentrated concern towards her teammates, clenching her fists against the dirt in frustration.
"C'mon Rogers. I believe."
For a long while, Bethany sat among the dirt and saturated soil, shivering in her drenched clothes with immense discomfort. She obediently watched the sky, waiting for any sign of danger produce from inside the floating helicarriers. She felt utterly hopeless, as it was impossible to join the relentless fight above. Nat, Sam and Steve were somewhere inside one of the three helicarriers, fighting for billions of lives and their own, while the only thing Bethany had managed to do was to be tossed off of the helicarrier by her previously deceased lover. She had spent five minutes contemplating summoning enough earth to launch herself into the air, but it was no use. The painfully eventual day had worn her powers extremely thin, barely abo=le to conjure enough energy to stay alert.
"Everything's gonna be fine." she muttered,releasing an impatient sigh.
"Everything's gonna be okay."
As soon as the words slipped out of her unconfident mouth, the three helicarriers immediately began aiming their intimidating canons towards one another, destroying each-other with their own impressive weaponry. Bethany's tired eyes widened in shock, staring in horror at the massacre before her. The explosions were deafening, even from where she sat, huddled against the mud in bewilderment.
Is this part of the plan? she questioned, unable to decide how to feel about the imposing situation.
Quickly ignoring her conflicting thoughts, Bethany couldn't help but watch the massive machines gradually descend through the clear blue sky, 'safely' crashing into the now-destroyed S.H.I.E.L.D HQ. Cascading debris from the helicarriers scattered around the broken facility, decorated in blazing fire and smoke. The river she sat beside caught most of the damage, making the decent slightly softer for most of the damage dealt. Disturbed, she continued to observe the destruction, unwillingly searching for anything resembling the colors of red, white and blue.
"Where are you Rogers..." she murmured softly, furrowing her eyebrow in concentration.
After the first two helicarriers quickly settled among the flaming debris, Bethany's heart began to flutter with panic, as none of the squad had revealed themselves outside of the chaos. As her breath began to shorten, dreading the moment she will have to admit her disbelief, a sudden flash of familiar colors awkwardly dropped from the last dismembered helicarrier. Without another prolonged moment Bethany bolted into the crowded river, avoiding the remaining parts still declining from the sky. There was only one goal on her tormented mind as she maneuvered the heavy water around her exhausted body, swimming directly to the last place she saw Steve's seemingly unconscious body.
Taking a short breath of polluted air, she quickly dove underwater, desperately searching for his floating body. After a long moment of stillness, suspended in the cloudy water, she finally spotted Steve to her joyous delight, and began to make her slow way towards him.
I'm comin Rogers, she thought with excitement, desperately reaching out to seize him.
Before her outstretched hand could claim his body, a flash of metal erupted before her weary eyes. To her disbelief, Bucky grabbed a hold of Steve's body, and immediately swam to the surface, leaving Bethany in complete shock. Instantaneously following his intended direction, she surfaced quickly after him, thoughts racing around her disturbed mind. She watched in complete surprise as Bucky laid his body softly against the edge of the river, crouching beside him with widened azure eyes.
"Is he dead?" she growled, her anger quickly overcoming her astonishment, cautiously approaching him with an decisive glare.
Bucky slightly flinched at her surprise presence, rising to his feet to glance from Steve to Bethany. After a moment of tense silence, he shook his head, gently flapping his mangled hair against his bruised face. Breathing heavily with apprehension, she quickly made her way towards Steve, collapsing by his side to confirm Bucky's supposed calculation. Holding her damp fingers against his frozen neck, her heart immediately expanded with the sensation of his pulse beating gently against her fingertips. She impulsively embraced Steve, silently relieved he was alive. She could feel Bucky's icy gaze against her neck as he watched her, prompting her to stare up at him with utter confusement. The confused thoughts gave her a roaring headache as she stared up at him, her face reddening at the remembrance of his recent untrustworthy actions.
"You threw me off the helicarrier." she breathed.
He didn't respond, and instead slightly nodded at her statement, averting his wide eyes to the dirt. She frowned at his strange attitude, cautiously hugging Steve's comatose body against hers.
"Why did you save him? So you could finish the job yourself? Is that it?" she muttered with disgust, struggling to ignore the building rage caught in her tight throat.
Once again, true to his nature, he didn't respond, continuously staring at the ground with an conflicting frown. She felt her resentment build up inside her weakened mind, slowly releasing her emotions on the unpredictable assassin.
"You can't have him. Do you hear me? I'll protect him with my LIFE." she gnarled, clenching her fist against Steve's chest protectively.
Bucky's dazed expression finally focused on her, but he didn't respond. Infuriated, Bethany rose to her quivering feet, opposing Bucky with terrifying ferociousness.
"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" she screamed miserably, overcome with sadness and overbearing confusement.
She swayed on her tired feet, but continued to glare at him with all of the energy she could muster. After a brief moment of silence, Bucky looked at her for what felt like the first time since they had encountered eachother. His mesmerizing azure eyes glimmered in the fading daylight as he stared at her with intense pain.
"I don't know.", was all he said.
Bethany watched in overwhelmed silence as Bucky slowly walked away, his metal arm shining intimidatingly against the flaming debris from the river.