Bucky Barnes X OC (Amelia Stone)
Hiraeth: (n.) “longing or deep yearning for a place, time, feeling or person long gone; or that never was.”
Summary: Bucky realizes the OC is much more to him than just a friend.
The government had got wind of the Russian's death, which led to scrutiny that maybe they would try to retrieve Dr. Kauko. As fate would have it, it was fortunate that Amy and Bucky were not with the team, because the Avengers and the "rogues" were being followed.
The Ishohi government had placed a few agents in Wakanda, who were selling "medical equipment" made of Vibranium to various hospital all over the country. What Wakanda didn't know was that these infiltrators were actually smuggling these to Ishohiland to aid in making various biochemical weapons. The equipment weighed a few micro grams more than usual, to allow for more vibranium to be smuggled off-land, millions of them. Dr. Kauko was forced to apply his prior experience with the metal to their recent research.
When news reached that his survival from the plan crash was no longer a secret, they had to move Dr. Kauko from a high security location in the capital to a small rural town close to Wakandan border. No one would suspect that he is so close to the border, and secondly, transport time for vibranium to get to the labs was greatly reduced, operations could be quicker.
It took a long time for Amy and Bucky to convince a local to “visit” one of these medical facilities as a transporter. He would then transport the supplies to their major customer, only half of the journey. Next, another man was given the responsibility to plant a small signaling device as the metallic clip of an ID badge. A little accident, the driver’s badge falls, they change it quickly, hand it back and the driver basically takes it to the camp where the doctor is kept, three days later the device is replace again, destroyed. The two helpers then placed in another town while the operation takes place.
This was where Bucky and Amy had to step in. Their three month long search was coming to a finale. They were planning to retrieve the doctor but security was very tight, and since it involved the border of two countries, they had to be discreet. The danger of the mission elucidated on Bucky that he had to call Steve.
"I can sense some underground activity", she spoke into the comms, her binoculars raised in the direction of the small collection of huts up north. She was hiding in a small cave nestled among the southern mountains.
"Don't use your abilities", Bucky muttered into the comms, "The disruption can raise alarms."
"I have been practicing, Sergeant", she said, looking around the huts as well.
"True", he replied, thinking of the nights she spent practicing with him. He had been helping her learn how to focus her energy on just one object. She couldn’t fool him perfectly, yet, but she could disrupt extremely sensitive electromagnetic equipment with prowess.
She looked at her watch, which also communicated to a drone that overlooked any suspicious activity. "Okay, No.23 just dropped the last cargo of the night and he's leaving the gate. That's it. Now we can go."
"You are staying back", Bucky announced casually. He was staying in a small inn just west of the establishment. He straightened up and began to equip himself with his weapons: guns, knives, fiber wire.
"I am coming with you", she bickered over the comms, "Don't be an idiot. There are at least 50 men there. You can't take on them all alone."
"I'm not all alone", he announced, "I have guns... a lot of guns. YOU, on the other hand, have compromised physical function. Your shoulder….”
"I am not disabled, Bucky. I have abilities", she said, sliding out of the cave and preparing herself as well. "I'm joining you... just you wait."
Bucky almost slammed the comms on the ground, but controlled his temper. He quickened the pace of his preparation and left the inn.
As he closed in, he felt a faint tingle in his left arm... she had arrived as well. The first thing she did was to cause distortions in their communication, cutting them off from their partners. However, she knew their headquarters would be quick to see this as a threat and respond. Time was of utmost importance.
"They are coming in within 15 minutes tops", she announced, looking at her watch.
Bucky was quiet as a shadow, feeding off of their fear and silence. When he was on a mission, one had to see him to believe that such clarity was possible. He was one with the shadows, a beetle could be louder than his footsteps, extraordinary since he was a heavy built man. His arms was strong and equally fast. His movement brute and ferocious. He could take down 4 people at once.
"FUCK", she muttered under her breath as the drone warned of an inbound projectile. A missile.
She also jumped into action and began to fight some people. Her right arm was well enough to hit people, and she used her abilities to stop bullets aimed her way. The sound of men falling began to ring throughout the perimeter.
A blast in mid-air caught everyone's attention. The missile aimed at them had been intercepted while still afloat, familiar red wings stretched across the horizon signalling help.
Within a few seconds, Steve, Natasha and Wanda were there as well, joining the fight. Sam was in the air, looking out for any trajectory.
It was too sudden, the blast. A noise swept through the air like the ripping of a very thick cloth, and she found herself on the rocky ground, inhaling dust and gravel. For a few moments, she could hear nothing, not even the debris that was falling on and around her.
" WHAT HAPPENED?", Bucky's voice began to fade into her ear, replacing the loud buzzing. Dust had permeated into her nose, eyes, ears and mouth. She felt her throat and nasal cavity dry up because of the dust. It was horribly dry, positively suffocating, plain terrible.
"I'm okay", she panted, feeling rocks in her throat. "I'm okay..." She looked around, Natasha was plastered against a broken wall. Wanda had deflected the attack so the missile landed a few yards away but she was also out of her senses for one second.
Seeing a few drops of blood come out, "Shit", she hissed.
"What happened?", Bucky asked.
Bucky and Steve quickened the pace of fighting. Pretty soon he could see where they were, sprawled on the floor, while Wanda was protecting the two of them while they regained posture. She felt dizzy, and it seemed like the arteries in her head were trying their best not to burst open.
"You know what?", she could hear Wanda whisper, "I have had enough of this shit.."
Within seconds, a bright crimson wave seemed to wipe through the area, turning everything to fragments. She also put the last of her energy into the air around her. The guns from the guards flew into the air and Wanda’s force-field made crumbs out of them all, giving them the moment to subdue the enemy.
While the ruckus continued outside, Steve had easily broken into one of the huts and found Dr. Kauko nestled in a corner; he looked 50 pounds lighter and 50 years older.
"Dr. Kauko... I'm Steve Rogers. We are here to take you home, sir."
A black jet was waiting for them, Wakandan by origin. As soon as they entered, they were welcomed by the soldiers of Wakanda, accompanied by the nurses and a doctor. As soon as the door opened, the medical staff took the two girls away to the medical attention section. Steve, Bucky and Wanda were only marginally hurt. Sam was panting, taking his wings off. Smoke and dust lingered in their nostrils as well, as if they had never left the field.
The trip to Wakanda was relatively short, thanks to Wakandan technology. Steve had taken to the comms, trying to stay updated on the status of Ishohiland after this rogue undertaking. T’Challa had decided to release a statement as soon as they had the doctor back in the country, which is why the doctor was being tended to most urgently, in case they need to show him to the world media. Steve asked some food to be sent for the doctor.
There was a long, strange silence in the jet, like when a bus is taking its course through the night and everyone is asleep, except you. The exhaustion of the mission seemed to have overcome the need to talk about things, to celebrate, to complain, to be angry. Sam was busy unwrapping his wrists free of the protective wrist bands under his gloves.
“How’s the girls?”, Sam asked Wanda who was just coming back from the medical area. She hadn’t been hurt as much, owing to her powers.
“They need medical attention”, she replied, biting her lip as uneasiness set in. “Natasha broke 4 ribs and her elbow. Ellie had a force field around them but the blast was a little too close, I think she has internal bleeding they need to tend to.” She almost threw herself on a seat, wanting to rip her clothes open and just lie on her bed.
The doctor had contacted the airport to have two ambulances ready, calling for emergency imaging tests, blood, electrolytes, coagulants. It was a part of the job, but it didn’t mean it wouldn’t worry the team. They looked through the window on the door to the makeshift medical wing. Natasha was talking to Ellie about something and she was laughing at her, pain evident on her features. They also ended up laughing painfully on each other’s faces, looking ashen and blank like a sheet of paper. They noticed the three boys standing in the window and gave them a smile. Ellie knew Steve would kill her; if the bleeding didn’t of course.
“I told her to stay away”, Bucky muttered under his breath, finally tasting the dirt in his mouth, which he had been trying to spit out and wash. He felt as if some metal was somehow stuck inside his skull, just around the nose. It began to dawn on him how hot his body had become after the brawl.
Thankfully, the pilot announced they were over Wakandan airspace and they heaved a sigh of relief. The nearest airport was a small, domestic one, 30 minutes away.
“You alright, Buck?”, Steve asked, putting his hand over Bucky’s shoulder.
Bucky nodded. “Then what are you thinking about?”
“I told her to stay away”, he said.
“Hey”, Steve said, “If this incident teaches us anything, it is how stubborn Ellie can be. It was a foolish move, what she did. But you were with her, and you’ve done your best.”
“Captain Rogers, King T’Challa would like a word with you, please. Gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts as we are about to land.”
Bucky watched his back as he walked into the cockpit and Sam took his place.
“But I couldn’t protect her.”
“Are you kidding me?”, Sam heard him and broke in “You have been with her every step of this stupid-ass mission that she took upon herself. You have protected her from all sorts of danger, from herself and her crazy decisions. Don’t blame yourself for this; it happens.”
“I just.. I don’t know. I told her to stay back, her shoulder…. and she really isn’t that great with physical combat with it… I told her not to come with me. But she wouldn’t listen. I mean why does she have to be this stubborn?” Bucky was talking more to himself than to Sam. His mind kept replaying how the men were kicking and punching her whenever they got lucky. He remembered the heat from the blast, the dust, her voice as she convulsed in pain.
“You are getting all wound up about this…”, Sam reassured, “You saw them. They are doing fine. Relax a bit.” Would they? Internal bleeding isn’t a good thing. What if the wounds are deeper than expected. “They are going to run tests and take them to the hospital. Wakanda is GREAT at stuff like this.”
He looked at Bucky who was carrying the usual brooding, lost expression on his face. He didn't speak after that too. Sam could see that his thoughts were running deeper than theirs. Of course they cared about their teammates too, but Bucky seemed to be having a worse time. All they could hear was the engine as they approached Wakanda.
The sound of the gurney interrupted his thoughts. There were ambulances ready to take the girls to the hospital. Bucky saw as the nurses were quick to rush the gurneys to the ambulance. Natasha was soon to follow. He swallowed a lump as he looked at the ambulance doors close, time moving slower than he remembered. He turned his eyes to Sam, who was walking towards T’Challa.
“Besides”, Sam said, over the noise of the helicopter in which T’Challa had come to receive then. “Why are you so worked up about it?” Bucky could only stare at his back as he walked away.
“Because I’m in love with her... and I don’t know what to do about it.” he whispered in a defeated realization.
--------------------------
PSA: Yes I write stuff in detail. I’m SORRY *ugly sobs*
https://my-favorite-fics-and-imagines.tumblr.com/
