epiphany || bucky barnes

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐍𝐄

2014

WASHINGTON D.C.

The tinted blue glass shattered across the empty tile floor, sprinkling down like potent snowflakes as my body collided with the ground. My hair tie was cut loose, letting brown hair blanket out behind me and sprawl over the tiles. A cut on my cheek leaked blood, painting my skin a dark red. 

I drew a shaky breath inward, wincing and pushing my hands down on the ground. I sat up, moving carefully as to not pierce myself with any glass. I staggered to my feet, small fragments of glass raining down on the tiles.

"Son of a bitch..." I whispered, turning toward the shattered window and seeing the helicarriers outside, still holding steady for the moment. "Huh..."

I reached behind my back to find the holster empty. "My staff..." I breathed, looking around. "Shit..." I blinked and rubbed my eyes, "The Soldier... I should be with him..." My feet started to move instinctively. As if I knew where to go if anything goes wrong. "Father..."

My staggered walk turned into a sprint, running down the stairwells and searching every room. Loose papers, old books, files, anything you could imagine littered the floors. My breath quickened with every step I took, eventually swinging the door open on a larger room. Blood was splattered on the floor, accompanied by thick glass shards. I stepped in, examining the walls and the posh furniture that decorated the room. I rounded a corner, to find a body on the floor. When I found who it resembled, my heart dropped.

"Father?! Father!" I yelled, running to his side and collapsing to my knees, pressing my two fingers to his neck to feel for a pulse. There was none.

My mouth fell agape, my hands shaking uncontrollably as my fingers pressed to his cold skin. My gaze shifted downward to the two gunshot wounds in his chest, forcing a sob out of my throat as my head fell against his body.

Despite my agony, no tears filled my eyes. As if I had nothing more of my emotion to give to him. My hands curled into the fabric of his suit, gripping it tightly as I screamed as loud as possible. So the people that did this would hear.

"HOW COULD THEY?!" I cried, coughing and falling back off of my father's figure. "How could they do this to him... He said... He said, they cared about him..." I almost choked on my words, trying to find the balance to get onto my feet but failing terribly.

I could only sit there and scream until my voice had nothing left to give. Until my throat was raw and burning with agony. Until my exhaustion took me over entirely.

It wasn't until I looked out the window that I had stopped, that my sadness was replaced with urgency. The helicarriers were going down, and one was coming right for the building.

A shaky breath left my throat, "Soldier..."

...

The rumble of a truck followed by a crash interrupted our moment. I pulled away from Bucky, grabbing onto his hand to help me to my feet. 

A large shadow grew over our heads, the second hostage truck barely hanging on to the spalting. I held my breath, clenching my fists tightly. It seemed as if a force was holding the truck back from its demise, John was forced to let go, the truck falling further onto the beams. I heard the sound of metal bending, putting my hands up to form a forcefield in case the truck did fall.

But, what I was bracing for never came. I opened my eyes, letting my hands fall when I saw Sam holding up the front end of the truck. 

Two redwing remakes detached from his pack and attached to the truck, pushing it upward slowly. I held my breath, grabbing Bucky's metal arm tightly to keep my bearings.