BLUE [BUCKY BARNES]

OPEN THE GATES

Even after five years Elizabeth still found it hard to find a reason to get out of bed. But she knew that if she didn't do it herself, Natasha would send Wanda or Pietro to drag her out of bed. Usually ending in a screaming match at eleven in the morning.

Groaning, Elizabeth rubbed at her eyes as she sat up straight in her bed. She yawned with a stretch before looking around the dim room, the sunlight peeking in through the closed curtains. Her bedroom in the compound remained just as it had five years, everything in the exact same place it had been since she first moved it. The atmosphere letting her have a moment of peace every morning when she forgot the horrid things Thanos had done.

Alpine shifted over the duvet as Elizabeth moved to check the clock by her bedside table, the time reading half past ten. As she untangled her messy hair with her fingers, she debated whether she should go back to sleep for another half an hour until Natasha sent someone to pull her out of bed.

Unlike the other three only residents of the compound, her sleep wasn't filled with nightmares that sent her waking up with a scream. No, her sleep was the one thing she cherished -besides her cat, of course. Her sleep was plagued with dreams so beautiful and realistic that sometimes she'd wake up in tears.

They consisted of happy memories or even moments that never happened with all the people she'd lost, mostly Bucky. They were the only things that kept her happy anymore, they were also the only time's she'd get to see him. Which is why sometimes she'd sleep for nearly whole days, not bothering to wake up.

Sure, she always could've killed herself so she'd see him in heaven or hell or whatever. But she didn't believe in all that crap, she didn't believe in them one bit. They were just stories told to make the living feel better. When you die you're gone, that was it. There's no after or no light at the end of the tunnel. Death was the end of the line.

She was brought out of her bitter daydream when she heard the sound of footsteps and the clattering of dishes coming from the kitchen. With a heavy sigh, Elizabeth made her way out of bed and into the bathroom to get ready.

Patting her hair dry with a towel, Elizabeth saw Alpine sitting patiently by the bedroom door. The cat's eyes looking at her expectantly. She gave a tight lipped smile to the cat before heading to open the door. She threw her towel in the laundry basket and followed after the cat. The soft voices getting louder with every step she took.

Passing by the now many vacant rooms in the compound, she tried not to stare too long at them. Knowing that it would just make her more sad than she already was. Yet, she still stood a second too long by the empty room across the hall from hers.

Steve had left a few days after they had killed Thanos. Not offering anyone of them any explanation besides a goodbye and promises to visit. They only saw him every few weeks now. But it was better than what Tony had given them.

The billionaire up and left with Pepper the minute Bruce cleared him. Not saying goodbye to any of them, he left them with a note on the desk in his office. His address was written on it, signed by his name and a doodle of some sunglasses.

Bruce left after that. Saying goodbye to Natasha with a smile before heading off into a car left by Tony. Instead of an address he left a phone number, telling them to call him for anything. They haven't seen him since, but they assumed he was good. Thor was god knows where, no one had seen or heard from him since he killed Thanos. He wasn't waiting for them back on the ship.

After that, Rhodey left with Rocket and Nebula. Elizabeth still wasn't sure what they did up in space but she liked to call them the 'Space Police'. Carol left too, she had no reason to stay anyways. They all spoke once every few days, Natasha taking up the space where Nick Fury would be. She was the only one keeping them all together.