Take Me back to the Start | B. Barnes

61. A Ride to Hell

"Three minutes. Get what you need." Steve commands and everyone goes to their rooms to get prepared for the upcoming battle. I'm about to leave as well, until my best friend stops me when we're alone. "Eve, wait."

"If you're mad that I wasn't fully on your side when Tony and Bruce created Vision, I just want you to know that Tony asked me to trust him. And since he trusts me about Bucky, I returned the favor. As you can see, it wasn't exactly a mistake to do so." I clarify before he gets the chance to yell at me. "And now excuse me, I have to apologize to a King for kicking him- "

"Do you really think I wouldn't know why you did this?" He half smiles, shaking his head. "That's not what I wanted to talk about."

"Oh. What then?" I sit down, my foot impatiently tapping the ground which looks, like the whole floor, a chaotic destruction.

"You seem pretty much like a mess since Wanda got into your head." His features soften with sympathy. "Wanna talk about it? We haven't really had the chance."

"No." I shake my head, pressing my lips together. This dream was a nightmare that I rather forget, knowing that it'd consume me if I let it in. "Something else?"

"Try not to die on this mission. There's still Bucky waiting for us." He reminds me and I sigh and nod, hoping that our lost friend is safe and not captured by Hydra or involved in this problem. Where are you? I glance at the dog tag and think of Bucky, my lips pressed together, I miss you.

"Hey, Steve?" He looks up and I walk towards him to pull him into a tight hug. His body language tells me that he seems to be confused but then I feel his strong arms around me and how one of his hands strokes my hair. "Thanks for being concerned. I love you."

"I love you too. Everything okay?"

"Always." I pull back and smile at him which he genuinely returns. Behind his turquoise eyes is still the spirit I've grown up with, the ambition of the little blonde guy who never ran away from a fight. "And I'm sure that we'll eventually be home."

"Eventually." Steve's smile grows and I leave the room, only to coincidentally meet Pietro in the corridor.

"You have any clothes for my sister?" The silver-haired boy asks tentatively and scratches his head. "And shoes for me?"

"Yeah, I'll get them for you, just wait in your room." I notice his tense stomach and hasty quitting, revealing similar signs of something I had in the forties. After getting a leather jacket and an old dress for Wanda and sports shoes from Steve for Pietro, I walk into the kitchen on the other floor.

"Oh, hey. What are you looking for?" Clint spots me from behind the kitchen island with a cup of black coffee in his hand. It doesn't surprise me that he drinks his beloved coffee instead of preparing himself for the mission.

"Something eatable for Wanda and Pietro, they must be starving and- ", I search through the shelves and end up groaning, "Okay, who ate the last box of donuts again? Like seriously? I just bought one last week!"

"Probably Tony." He assumes, chuckling and puts down his cup. "I think we've got some cookies left in the fridge."

"Not gonna question why they're in the fridge, but thanks." I take the last box of cookies from the fridge, ready to leave the kitchen with the fully loaded stuff until I meet Clint's curious gaze.