Sunflower

93

After easily three hours of minding my business with my suit, I realized that I had to leave my lab eventually.

The house was merely empty, making me know that Steve, Scott, Sam, Bucky, and Sharon had already left to the time machine. I made my way to the kitchen, where I saw Natasha, Carol and Emrys sit. Dean must’ve been put to  bed already. I grabbed myself an apple, before trotting up to my bedroom, suddenly noticing a letter on my bed. I frowned, opening it.

Dear Amber.

Please take care of our son, Dean. I truly wish I could stay longer, but this
is my opportunity to live my life. The one I wanted… Trust me, if I could live both, I would.
But unfortunately, I cannot. Remember that I love you, and Dean.
Take care of everyone. I’ll miss you all.

- Steve

I froze as I lowered the letter. ‘I wish I could stay longer?’

What did Steve mean by that? But then it hit me.

The time machine.

I jumped up, dropping the letter to the ground, as I ran out of my room, straight down the stairs. Without listening to everyone calling after me, I ran out of the back door and into the woods. Even with the voices following after me, I didn’t slow down. I ran as fast as my feet could allow me, jumping over logs and ducking under trees. I had to stop Steve. He couldn’t leave Dean and I like this.

In the distance I saw Steve stand ready. Was I too late?

“Steve!” I yelled as I approached them. “Stop!”

I yelled as loud as I could, but they didn’t hear me. I rushed as fast as I could, but I was too late. Just when I reached their view, Steve vanished.

“No!” I yelled, grabbing all of their attention.

With confused eyes Bucky looked at me, seeing me freeze. “Amber?” he questioned, as he noticed my teary eyes.

“No, no, no.”

“Five, four, three-”

“No,” I said, taking a step back as I felt my hands shaking lightly.

“One.” Scott turned a switch, but nothing happened.

That’s when I broke. Suddenly I felt my body set on fire, and suddenly take my mind under control. I collapsed to the floor as a loud, heart breaking, screeching scream left my mouth. Bucky ran forward in alert, just as the other’s arrived. He wrapped his arms around my burning body as he dropped down next to me, but just as he did I gave another scream, sending my body into another heat wave.

Bucky fell back as he felt his skin set to fire.
“What the hell?” he said in fear as he felt my skin burn.

“Aah!” I screeched in pain again, holding my hands to my chest.

Carol fell down beside me, pulling me into her arms. By her surprise, she looked at Bucky, her eyes wide as she felt my body temperature.

“Bucky?” Natasha asked as she helped him up. “What’s wrong with her?” she asked as she noticed tears pouring from my eyes.

Bucky shrugged. “Her skin is on fire,” he said with wide eyes and a worried voice. “She came running here, and just when Steve entered the time machine, she collapsed in pain.”

“Where is Steve?” Natasha asked, looking past Bucky at the empty machine.

He turned in alert, noticing Steve’s absence.

"Scott?” he questioned, looking at Scott’s sorrow. “Scott where is Steve?”

I gave out another screeching scream, feeling my own body burn into a crisp.

“He took off his bracelet,” Scott said, before hearing me scream in pain again. “He’s not coming back.”

“No!” I yelled as I leaned into Carol’s chest.
Bucky looked at me, realizing I was mostly in pain because of Steve. But something else was the bother as well. My skin was figuratively on fire, something that was a serious concern.

“It’s okay. It’s okay!” Carol kept repeating as she lightly rocked me back and forth. She caressed my head as her eyes looked up at Bucky and Natasha, her eyes worried. Even she knew my body was burning, but only she could handle it.

Bucky stared back at her with wide eyes. He knew that she was also worried for me. Everyone was.

“Melion?” Emrys asked as he came running towards us. “Melion?!” he yelled, noticing I was in shreds.

“No!” Carol yelled, throwing her hand in the air, causing Emrys to pull himself to a stop.

“Her body’s on fire,” Bucky said, looking at Emrys.

“What?” he asked in shock.

“She’s literally burning up!” Bucky said, looking at me.

I was indeed. My body was on fire, and it hurt. But it didn’t hurt as much as the thought of Steve leaving. Not because I still ‘loved’ him, but because I knew Dean would grow up without a father. At least Steve would have been in his life if we weren’t together, but now he would be gone completely.

“Has this ever happened before?” Sharon asked, stepping beside Natasha, looking at Emrys.

“No. No. Never” he said, looking at them. “This is something new. She’s- I don’t know? She’s never been like this. Not once in her life! She had a seizure a few years ago, but that’s not the same!” His voice was worried, just as much as all the other’s.

“She’s calming down,” Carol said, grabbing their attention again.

“Calming or cooling?” Samuel asked, stepping closer to us.

“Calming. She’s still on fire,” Carol said, before sliding her one arm under my legs and one under my arm. She stood up, carrying me in her arms.

“Carol?” Sharon asked stepping forward. “She’s not just calming down, she’s unconscious.”

“I’m taking her to the house. She needs a cold bath!” she started walking back towards the house, with me laying in her arms.

“Sam. You, Scott, Emrys and Bucky stay behind and pack all this up before Tony-”

“No. I’m coming with,” Bucky said, interrupting Natasha.

“No you’re not. You four are cleaning up here. We’ll take care of her-”

“Nat. You don’t understand. I’m coming with you-”

“Bucky stop!” Natasha yelled, surprising them all. “She has just lost the father of her child, after you confessed your love to her, while she was in so much stress. She is currently in more pain than we can imagine! You are not coming near that house until I let Sam know you can! If you do I’ll make sure you don’t ever walk again! Do you understand me?!”

Bucky sighed, knowing Nat was serious. “Yes.”

She nodded, before turning back around, joining Sharon as they walked after Carol into the woods, towards the house. The boys started packing up the time machine.