Bring Me Home // Bucky Barnes

Chapter XLI - Triggers

"Maybe I can help?" Pietro raced to Elizabeth's side, stopping just inches away from her, close enough to feel the heat of her as she flinched away, a laugh of relief escaping her when she registered it was him. He ducked down in a mock bow as he took her hand in his. "Princeska."

"Pietro..." she raised an eyebrow questioningly as he chuckled.

Wanda smirked as she watched her brother playfully interact with Elizabeth.

"I like the way you think Big Brother."

She stepped back slowly, deliberately, as Pietro distracted Elizabeth. Her fingers twisted and twitched as she summoned her power into them. Burning energy raged within her and she focused it all. She pushed it all into the palm of her hands. A ball of flames. She pushed it away from her, sending it hurtling towards Pietro.

"No!" Lizzie screamed out as she dove into the path of the orb and power exploded from her chest. Surrounding her, protecting her and Pietro was a waterfall of blue. The energy pulsated and breathed as she stretched it around them, pushing Pietro back and keeping him from harms way. "Are you crazy?" She grunted through clenched teeth as she battled against the repetitive blows of Wanda's strength.

"Focus Lizzie," Wanda almost cackled as she watched Elizabeth go from alarm, to fear, to rage and now to wonder. "What are you feeling?" She continued to fire the flames of power at them without a break.

Elizabeth shook as she tried to steady her breath.

"Come on Princeska," Pietro soothed from behind her, his hand gently resting on her back, holding her up as she pushed against the power that threatened to falter. "Focus."

"I didn't want to watch him get hurt again." She cried out, forcing the wall of blue out further, holding it with strength. "I couldn't see that again."

"That's your instinct to protect." Wanda shouted over the noise of crashing orbs and the buzz of their power colliding. "Focus on it Lizzie. That's your key. Hold it!"

Another succession of energy smashed against the barrier as Lizzie grinned. She could feel the power. She could feel every molecule in the air and yet she wasn't exhausted. She felt alive. Her eyes grew wide with awe as she glanced around her, realisation dawning on her.

"Pietro!?" Her laugh was buoyant and musical. "Pietro are you watching this? I'm projecting! I'm projecting and I don't feel faint!"

As she turned to face him he laughed, his eyes shining with admiration. Beneath the surface there was something else, something that made fire spread across her cheeks and her focus fade.

The smash of energy from another orb came with an explosive force that knocked her into Pietro's arms and sent them flying across the room. She felt him wrap himself around her, absorbing the blow as they crashed into the wall and dropped to the floor. She could feel his weight on her body as she lay beneath him, trapped momentarily by the shock of their flight and her body shook.

"Shit." He mumbled as he pushed himself up, his body hovering over her as he looked into her eyes. "Are you okay?"

The shaking got worse as she began to laugh, blissful ecstasy ran through her veins while she lay beneath him; smiling, listening, looking. Aware of everything.

"Are you kidding me?" She grinned as he gently brushed the hair from her face. "I just did that and I'm still awake? I don't think I've ever felt better."

With his hand still against her cheek Pietro's eyes grew darker, more thoughtful and he traced the depths of her eyes, the shape of her lips. Biting his own he brushed his thumb across her lip.

Elizabeth couldn't tell if her heart was thumping from excitement or the proximity of Pietro as he looked at her with so much desire she felt her chest burn. She felt the feathered touch of his thumb on her lip as his eyes met hers once more and she felt the smile slip away from her. Her breathing was heavy as he smirked, his eyes returning to her mouth, her lips slightly parted.

"Well..." His voice was low and heavy. It was seductive. "You are pretty incredible."

The clatter of the plate ripped her from her racing mind. Her head whipped to the side and she saw pain.

*

His eyes stung with betrayal and anger as he watched the silver speedster holding her, brushing his thumb against her lips, and rage consumed him. Without a word Bucky slammed the plate of pancakes onto the bench by the door and stalked away from the training centre. He needed to get out of there and he needed to get out fast.

The back stairwell was closest. Climbing the stairs two at a time Bucky felt the rage and betrayal shift within him. He felt the loss as if it were a tangible thing that could slip from his hands. For one night he had known what it could be to hold her; to call her his. One night. Now, as the mess and chaos of reality came crashing down upon him he could feel his hope slipping through his fingers like grains of sand.

Bucky crashed through the doors to the roof and cried out. She may not have been his to lose, but he could feel himself losing her still.

*

Elizabeth pushed Pietro from her and scrambled to her feet, tripping as she tried to get up and run after him.

"Bucky, wait!" She called after him as the door slammed shut and she slipped again. "God damn it!"

*

She raced through the compound and to his room. The door swung open as she crashed in breathlessly, gasping as she called out to him. His room was untouched, empty. He wasn't in the bathroom, the lab, the grounds.

"Bucky? Please!" She shouted out in the garden. "Just... talk to me Buck." Her head hurt as she kicked the ground and let out a frustrated grunt. If only she'd pushed him away sooner. If she'd just focused on her training. If she'd just done anything differently... "Damn it."

She turned back and pulled out her phone, dialling Bucky's number as she went inside to get help from the only person she could think to turn to.