Dreaming
The soldier closed into the cornered woman. Her mouth was turned into a ferocious scowl but her jade eyes betrayed the rest of her face’s confidence. In her hand was a sharp knife with a jagged edge but her hand was trembling.
“Bucky, stop!” She shouted but her voice sounded disembodied as her mouth was moving but the sound was coming from somewhere else. The soldier felt himself falter but didn’t stop his movement towards the woman.
Mission, kill. No witnesses. He thought to himself.
Now the soldier was close enough to the woman to reach out and grab her wrist which was now holding the knife in front of her, shaking which is exactly what he did. The knife clattered to the floor as the soldier could feel the bones in the girl’s grind together.
“Please.” She pleaded but before she could continue his metal hand flew to her throat, cutting off the air supply.
The soldier pressed harder and harder as the woman’s life force began to drain from her.
“Bucky wake up, please.” She choked one last time before her eyes fluttered shut, her body going limp.
Bucky’s mind flew awake just in time to see Iris slump lifeless in his grip. His hand flew off her neck as she crumbled to the ground.
“Shit, shit, shit!” Bucky dropped to Iris’s side. “Iris, oh shit, Iris I’m so sorry. Iris please, wake up.” He shook her shoulders, clueless as what to do. He was used to taking lives, not saving them.
“FRIDAY call someone!” He shouted as he continued to hopelessly shake Iris’s motionless body.
“Who shall I call Mr. Barnes?” The AI returned.
“Anyone! Just please call anyone!” Bucky shouted. “Please!”
“Right away Mr. Barnes.”
“Iris please, stay with me.” Bucky was pleading now. Suddenly Steve burst into the room, looking down at Iris cradled in Bucky’s arms.
“Move!” Steve shouted as Bucky placed Iris on the ground. He began pressing on her chest and all Bucky could do was stare despairingly from the sidelines. Steve pinched Iris’s nose shut before breathing breaths into her lungs. He then continued the compressions. No change.
Second after second passed, each pushing Bucky’s heart closer to oblivion.
This is your fault. Bucky screamed in his head. You killed her.
Suddenly Iris began coughing, Steve quickly backing away as Bucky dropped to her side.
“Iris, I’m so sorry. I’m so so sorry.” He shuddered as he felt a painful relief sweep over his mind and body. Steve stood to the side. Pietro and Wanda seemed to have heard them as they were standing in the doorway for a split second before Steve ushered them out, leaving with them.
“It’s not your fault Bucky, it wasn’t you.” Iris coughed as Bucky helped her sit up.
“I hurt you, it’s all my fault.”
“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Iris smiled weakly. “Just promise you won’t do that again.”
Bucky didn’t say anything.