Baby Barton

Chapter 72 Chloe Barton.

You cling to his unconscious body with every fibre of your being, the ground beneath you gives way, the world collapsing in around you.
How has it come to this?
You were happy, you were ready to start a life with him.

The blast from behind causes the ground to give way Steves body disappears from under yours, reaching out your arms you scramble to grab his suit terrified of being apart from him.
Unsure if it was the rush of the air around him, or if he was just conscious enough but his arm raises grabbing onto your chest.

The silly little fights, and all the miscommunication all seeming insignificant now as you free fall hundreds of feet towards the water below.

Wake up Chloe.
Except it isn't a nightmare. Its the worst dream you never knew you had, come true.
You should have let him in from the beginning.
Maybe things would have been different.

Moments before you hit the water you see Steves eyes flicker open, there is nothing either of you can do but just to try and hold on to the idea that you could have had everything you ever wanted, if you just had more time.
The sting of the icy water hitting your already chilled body knocks you unconscious, the current ripping Steve from your grasp, and you from his.
Your eyes opening and closing softly as your drift in and out swaying about under the murky depths of the river.
You fight against it, you fight as hard as you can.
But its too hard.
Wouldn't it just be easier to let go?
You're so tired of having to fight for everything.
Everything you ever fought for has been ripped from your grasp, you prided yourself on your sobriety and that was gone, the hardest thing you ever done was fight to stay sober. Now that it was gone, maybe you should go too.
So you stop. You stop swimming.
Your body instinctively fighting for every last bit of air, you allow it to lose. You allow your corrupted lungs to take in water. Glancing upwards at the surface, seeing the exit but no longer having the strength to survive.
Submerging yourself in pain before you let it all go.
Your final agonising breaths encased in euphoric sadness, you let your weak limbs cease.
This is it.
Peace.

Your body jolts suddenly the grip of someones hand pinches your skin as you are reluctantly pulled to the surface, bobbing around the water as oxygen is given and then taken away as waves crash over your head your lungs expand searching for more air, you are dragged from the shallows of the shore. Your eyes fixated on the metal hand that has gripped onto your vest.
Bucky.
You turn your head to the side, his human arm dragging Steves lifeless body out of the icy water too.
He lies you both on the pebbled shore, stones and rocks digging into your soaked skin. Your lungs burn as the oxygen inflates them, causing heaving splutters in an attempt to clear them of the mugginess.
He lingers for a moment, looking down at Steve as water trickles out of his mouth, he sniffles and turns away.
"W...wait p...please." Calling after him as you gasp for air.
You turn Steves head to the side to allow the water to evacuate, pressing your head to his chest listening to his laboured breathing, trying your best to stifle the sobs that exhume from deep within you.
Bucky begins to limp away as the sound of sirens become increasingly louder with every passing second, you look to the sky the world is on fire.
Your world.
How can you go on living this life with this perfect man. You cant expect him to understand.
Because this fight is your fight, and you'll have to go it alone.
"T...take me with you!" Your lungs wheeze under the pressure of your raised voice.
Bucky's head snaps round his solemn mouth pursed, "no." He continues to walk away from the shore line.
"You...you f...fucking owe me!" Spitting the words as you crawl along the pebbles after him.
His eyes close in defeat, he walks back for you sliding his arm under yours helping you to stand.
"Hold on..." you limp back to Steve, placing your cold cheek onto his lips feeling his warm soft breaths against it. Hot tears soak your face, as you kiss his mouth gently, saying good bye for who knows how long. Whimpering, "I love you." Softly in his ear.
Closing your eyes trying to etch his scent into your mind forever.
"Its time." Bucky helps you up from the ground, and you limp away together.
The tears falling freely down your face as you are unable to control the sadness that strangles your body.
Sobbing silently by his side.
Wishing you could wake up from this nightmare, you had everything you wanted, but only for a second and then it was cruelly ripped from you.