The Newest Avenger ❤️

Chapter 12

Back at the hangar Anna gets off and runs up to Sam and hits him hard in the chest with the palms of her hands. "Where were you, Sam? How could you let him go in there alone?"

Sam doesn't do anything, just lets her continue to hit him, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry, Anna."

Steve comes up behind Anna and grabs her and guides her to the locker room for her to change. Not even when they had to deal with Dreykov had she been this distraught. Though he had lost his friend too, he couldn't help but feel slightly responsible for everything.

Everyone changes and leaves Anna in the locker room to shower and change. She didn't want to think anymore. She couldn't feel anything. She tried showering, but she just ended up on the floor thinking about Bucky. All the times they spent together on the roof laughing and singing; the times they spent in bed making love. She loses al sense of time before she hears Steve.

Steve eventually knocks on the outside of the door after leaving her in the shower for more than an hour. "Anna? It's Steve, can I come in?" He doesn't hear a response as he enters cautiously, finding her naked on the shower floor as the now freezing water washed over her. She sat with her knees pulled tightly to her chest, her eyes red and swollen from crying. He sighs, not saying anything as he turns off the water, wrapping her in a towel. He finds a shirt of Bucky's from his locker and helps her into it and some shorts from her own locker. He guides her quietly to Bucky's room, helping her into his bed as he wraps the blanket around her as she falls asleep.

Steve finds Sam in the hallway after leaving Anna in Bucky's room, distraught. Sam sighs when he sees Steve. "I'm sorry, I got ambushed. I never would have let him go in alone. It's all my fault."

Steve places a hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "It isn't your fault, Sam. She doesn't blame you; she's just upset. Give her some time."

Tony stands in the kitchen with Natasha as she goes over what happened until he notices Steve enter with Sam. "How is she?"

Steve sighs, crossing his arms over his chest. "I was able to get her in bed. She's in Bucky's room."

Tony nods, thankful Steve was around to take care of her. He takes a deep breath trying to remain calm, raising his voice slightly, "what happened?"

Steve shakes his head, shrugging slightly. "I don't really know, none of us do. Sam clocked heat signatures implying hostages and Bucky went to look. But they weren't real. We don't know how they did it, but whoever it is obviously wanted Bucky. They were able to appear and disappear after they had him. I assume they wanted the Winter Soldier."

"But I thought that it was all wiped when he was in Wakanda."

"I don't know Tony! I don't know! Maybe they can reactivate it somehow. I don't know!" Steve repeats angrily as he dropped his arms to his sides.

Natasha steps forward between them with a sigh. "Look it's been a long day for everyone, why don't we try and get some sleep and talk tomorrow." She looks around as everyone nods in agreement.

Steve stops at Bucky's room to check on Anna before going to bed. He finds her shivering under the blanket as he grabs another one to place over her. He sits beside her, brushing some hair gently out of her face. "I'm so sorry, Anna." He dips down to kiss her on the forehead before laying on the floor beside the bed, finally able to let his own tears fall as the events of the day overwhelm him.

***

Anna wakes up in the middle of the night disoriented. She realizes she is in Bucky's bed alone, wondering where he was. She sits up in the bed with a groan. "Bucky?" She kicks her legs over the side of the bed, kicking Steve awake on the floor beside the bed as the events of the day hit her like a brick wall. She clutches her chest as she remembers. "Bucky!"

Steve leaps to his feet, sitting beside her as he pulls her to his chest and she begins to sob loudly. "Shhh, Anna. It will be okay. We will find him," he promises softly as she just continues to sob.

***

"It's been weeks! She never comes out of his room, and she won't eat anything!" Steve shouts as he spars with Natasha like they do every day since they lost Bucky.

"You don't need to yell at me Steve, I don't know what to do!"

Steve has been trying to get Anna to eat for almost two months now to no avail. She barely ate anything, staying in Bucky's room all day. After sparring, Steve makes her breakfast like he did every day and walks to her bedroom where he is stopped by Loki. "Let me try today." He rolls his eyes as Steve hesitates and Loki holds his hands out. "Please?"

Steve sighs, handing him the plate. After all, he had had no luck, so why not let someone else try?

Loki knocks on the door but doesn't wait for an answer as he enters the room, setting the plate on her desk. He smiles at Anna as she just grimaces, rolling away from him as he takes a seat beside her on the bed. "I love you pet, but you smell. Have you showered?"

"Fuck off Loki." She pulls the blanket up over her head with a groan as she hears him laugh.

"Oh! She speaks! That is excellent. You've been coddled, get out of bed." He rips the blanket off her as she sits up and tries to hit him. He alters his matter, making her pass right through him as she falls off the bed onto the floor. She then begins to throw things at him as he lets them all pass through him, causing loud noises as Steve barges into the room to see her throwing things.

"Loki! What the fu—."

Loki pushes him back out of the room with a sigh. "Look, you've had your chance, it's my turn. Don't worry, I won't let her hurt herself. Now go away." Loki slams the door just as he gets hit in the back of the head with a book. "Now pet, that is uncalled for."

"Go away Loki! I don't want to talk to anyone!" She plops onto the edge of the bed with her arms over her chest, looking down at the ground.

"I will go as soon as you shower and eat," he offers calmly as he stands firm in front of her.

"Fuck off!" She pushes his chest as he grabs her wrists and picks her up to throw over his shoulder and carries her into the bathroom. "Let go of me!!" He sets her in the shower fully clothed and turns on the cold water full blast and shuts the door so she can't get out. "I hate you Loki!"

"No, you don't love." Loki leaves Bucky's room and finds a confused Steve outside, waiting. "I've gotten her in the shower." He winks at Steve and enters Anna's room. He finds some clean undergarments, pants, and a shirt and goes back to Bucky's room, and closes the door on Steve. He opens the bathroom door and sees the wet clothes she was wearing on the floor. He sets the clean clothes with a clean towel on the back of the toilet. He grabs the wet clothes and closes the bathroom door. He strips the bed and tosses all the laundry into the hallway at Steve with a chuckle. A small crowd had now gathered outside in the hallway; Natasha, Steve, Sam, Wanda were all pacing up and down the hallway in front of Bucky's room. Loki just smirks, pointing to the laundry at Steve's feet. "She needs new bedding." He slams the door and waits for Anna to get out of the shower.