haunted

May 31^st, 2018

Wakanda, Africa.

“Leave a message at the tone-”

Bucky hung up the call. There was no point leaving another message, the sick worry only grew every time he heard that beep.

Their home felt suddenly entirely too small.

Leaving the phone on their table, he left the small cottage and went to stand in the sunlight. Maybe it’d clear away some of the cobwebs and shadows collecting in his fucked up brain. She loved the sun.

Where are you, Aleks?

When she woke, he usually did too – it was hard not to be attuned to her every breath, every movement – but he never followed her. He’d watch her though. Aleks would go and stand outside, like a flower waiting for the morning, and she would watch the dawn.

Where are you, Aleks?

When she slipped back into bed, she’d be sun warmed and scented like the grass and the dew that collected at night. For the first few minutes, she’d be the same temperature as him, before her core chill brought her back down. The sensory memory of the cool of her skin was as clear to him as the grasslands around him.

Where are you, Aleks?

She had been distant lately. Or, perhaps she’d been distant for a while. Fuck. He’d been in and out of cyro for months. Maybe that was why. She had said she was happy, though, that she was proud, that she wanted him whole, that she understood- Bucky raised his only hand to press at the growing ache at his temples. He knew she was probably with Steve somewhere. That was his only comfort now – he trusted them both to watch the other.

Where are, you Aleks?

It didn’t make it any easier to be without her. God, he was embarrassingly co-dependent. It was like those uncertain months after they left HYDRA. The wanting, the needing, the waiting. He wondered if this was how she had felt through the years when he had been on ice, and she had been in that room. He hadn’t thought about that depressing cell for a while, but even with the wide space and fresh air surrounding him, it was far too easy to conjure the four concrete walls and prison bunks, the smell of mildew and rust, and her. Her putting him in bed, her splashing water on his face, her watching him with knife-sharp eyes, her, her, her, her-

He wasn’t alone.

He turned, instinct and training making him fast and sharp, and if he’d had a weapon it’d already be up and aimed at the small party making their way towards him. He recognised Okoye and T’Challa at once. His stomach dropped at their heavy expressions, at the distinct lack of his partner beside them.

He forced himself to be still, forced himself to calm. Just because she wasn’t answering her phone, and just because she wasn’t there didn’t mean-

“Sergeant Barnes!” T’Challa called to him in greeting, and he inclined his head in an almost bow.

“Your Highness.” Bucky couldn’t wait, couldn’t stand the not-knowing, “Aleks – is she-?”

Okoye clicked once, understanding dawning on her pristine features. “Your partner is unharmed and on her way back home. Worry not, Sergeant.” Bucky felt himself sag slightly, almost unbalancing. Then he realised none of the weight on T’Challa and Okoye’s shoulders had lifted.

“I’m starting to think I should worry anyway.” He quipped wryly.

T’Challa almost smiled. “You may be right. I would not ask this of you if there was no choice,” He turned and gestured to one of the guards behind them. The tall man in purple robes stepped forwards, and placed a large ornate case on the hay bale beside them. Bucky eyed it, with a dawning suspicion and resignation. The case opened and Bucky was unsurprised to see the black and gold arm lying glistening, waiting for him.

He didn’t bother masking his expression. “Where’s the fight?”

“On its way.”

He had meant to make a smoother entrance. T’Challa stepped aside for him to greet his friends, and at first it was fine.

“Buck.” Steve’s voice was all relief, and Bucky didn’t miss the way his friend leant on him as they embraced. Bucky had only just learnt about Thanos, the fight for Earth, but Steve had been living it since 2012. No wonder he was already exhausted. “It’s good to see you, how've you been?”

“Ah, not bad for the end of the world.” He shrugged, trying to keep it light. He could feel their eyes on his new arm, and resisted the urge to hide it. He didn’t need to be self-conscious of it anymore – this arm wasn’t blood-stained, it wasn’t made by enemy hands, it wasn’t a weapon to kill anymore. It was just…him. He nodded to Natasha, and then looked past her. Aleks was already looking at him. He couldn’t stop the smile that kept growing. He’d missed her. “Aleks- oh.” He realised with a start that she was in his uniform. His stomach did a flip and he swallowed against a suddenly dry mouth. “You look- oh- that’s mine, uh…”

Sam barked a laugh, and clapped him on the shoulder as the party kept moving. “Smooth talkin’, my guy.” Bucky resisted the urge to take a swing at him. Aleks stood, waiting, and he watched her greedily. It definitely fit different, but in all the best ways. And he knew he could technically have it off her in 2.8 seconds if he chose, because he’d been in and out of that suit for over fifty years and knew every buckle and strap-

“-James?”

Ah shit.

He blinked sheepishly. “Sorry, darlin’, what did you say?” The corner of her mouth twitched, and he watched her take a quick look around the empty landing platform before she closed the space between them.

“Distracted?” She asked, voice lilting in the way he knew was her teasing.

Unable to help himself, he ran his palms over her waist, hips, flattening his hands and gripping her tight. “Can you blame me?” He asked, watching the way her eyes flickered momentarily to his new arm. “Distracted?” He teased back, flexing the mechanics of the new arm to make the gold gleam in the light.

Her own hand came up to run over the intricate design. “By you? Always.” She met his eyes through her lashes. He huffed a laugh, and pressed his forehead to hers. Her face fell slightly, and she sighed. “James, we have to talk.”

“Uh oh.” He tried to play off the brief flare of nerve with laughter. “Historically, when a gal says that to her guy-”

“I don’t know what is going to happen today.” Aleks interrupted him. He shut his mouth, dropping the fake smile. Her face was hard and serious, and she was unblinking. Whatever she was going to say, she had planned it and prepared for it. “But I need you to know that-” She took a deep breath, and he kept quiet. She didn’t express things in quite the same way as other people, he knew that better than anyone, and so to see her so anxious just to speak told him that she had been sitting on it for some time. “James, I respect you, and I love you,” Okay, this was seriously starting to sound like a breakup. He tried to keep the trepidation off his face. “However, I can’t- I don’t like how long we apart. When you undergo procedures, I feel like I don’t see you. It has been making me feel lonely, and sad.” She spoke carefully, almost like a middle-schooler talking through their emotions.

Oh. Oh.

Immediately, guilt flooded his system.

He had been hurting her, and he hadn’t even realised. Of course, he hadn’t realised. She kept all her shit locked up tight – and he’d just- well, he’d been selfish. In the time between his response, he realised her face had gone blank again. She thought he’d be angry, he realised. She was starting to step back, and he held her tighter.

“Aleks, darlin’,” He swallowed, and bent so she was forced to meet his eyes. “I am so sorry.” A little ‘oh’ fell from her parted lips, and incredibly, she blushed. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

There was no contest for him.

If she had asked him to stay with her, then he would have. He could recover his memories a different way, he could work through triggers the way she did, he would have done everything differently. If only he had known.

Her jaw worked, and still with pink cheeks, she shrugged jerkily. It was a gesture he recognised from Sam, and almost smiled because of it. “I thought it was what you wanted. I am now feeling,” She paused again, delicately, “Embarrassed. I thought you would rather-”

“No.” He cut her off, desperate for her to understand. “No, it’s never anything but you, okay?” A pleased smile began to spread across her face, and she was so pretty- “Do you understand? It will always be you.”

She kissed him, still smiling. “Я должен был что-то сказать ...” I should have said something…She whispered. “And now it’s too-”

“Don’t finish that sentence.” He pulled back from her, and pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose just to watch her squirm. “It’s not too late. We’ll fight, we’ll win, and then we’re going to get started on the shelving you wanted to put up, and then we’ll tell Shuri I’m done.” She bit her lip, and he knew she wanted to tell him to be realistic, but he kept smiling, and eventually she nodded.

“Okay.” She interlaced her fingers with his new metal ones, “We’ll fight, and then we’re done.”

“Мы в безопасности.” He told her, “Always secure.”

Shuri’s scan of Vision’s body was slow and steady; and it revealed the immense mass of interconnection within the android’s body. He looked like a galaxy.

Aleks leant against the nearest empty work bench and watched the way Banner’s eyes got wider and wider at each display of Wakanda’s advancements. When Shuri tilted her hand and produced a hologram of the inner-connection of the stone in Vision’s forehead, the man audibly gasped. “Whoa…”

“The structure is polymorphic.” Shuri said, squinting slightly at the image.

Banner nodded, “Right, we had to attach each neuron non-sequentially.”

Shuri looked at him incredulously. “Why didn’t you just reprogram the synapses to work collectively?”

Even Vision shot Banner a questioning look. Banner cleared his throat. “Ah, because we didn’t think of it?” At his clear sheepishness, Shuri smirked.

“I’m sure you did your best.” She said snarkily, and Aleks cleared her throat, shooting the young girl a warning look. Shuri remained incorrigible.

Wanda stepped a little closer to the Princess. “Can you do it?” her voice shook with emotion, and Shuri’s smirk dimmed slightly.

“Yes.” Wanda’s shoulders relaxed slightly, but Shuri held her gaze, willing her to understand. “But there are more than two trillion neurons here. One misalignment could cause a cascade of circuit failures. It will take time brother.”

T’Challa rubbed his chin, face impassive. Steve cleared his throat. “How long?”

“As long as you can give me.” Shuri said honestly. The girl was brilliant, but even she had her limits. Aleks could see her frustration, could see her wishing she could snap her fingers and have it done.

An alarm sounded, and Okoye’s kimoyo beads began to trill with warning. “Something’s entered the atmosphere.” The hologram of the globe expanded, and Aleks watched the small red blips of the UFOs begin to descend. Outside, the sky remained a clear blue, perfect in near insult.

Her comm-unit crackled. “Hey, Cap, we got a situation out here.” Sam’s voice was steady. They all heard the whine of the explosion as something large connected with the shields above the palace.

Aleks lifted her hand to her ear at Steve’s nod. “It’s time to assemble at the front line, gentlemen.” She spoke at large, broadcasting to Rhodes and her partner at the same time. “The shields will hold. We’ll be with you soon.”

“Yeah, well don’t be too long. We’ve got more incoming, outside the dome.” Rhodes spoke

“Aleks.” She turned to look at Shuri. The princess was already at work, and she didn’t spare Aleks a single look as she spoke. “Your suit is ready. It might be a good idea to get it on.”

Aleks smiled slightly. “Thank you, Shuri. I will see you soon.” It was only then that the young girl lifted her eyes. She was unsurprised to see them free of tears or worry. Shuri had faith in spades, and Aleks let the girl’s surety buoy her. She looked to T’Challa and Steve again. “I will see you on the field.” Steve inclined his head, mouth tight, and T’Challa nodded, saluting her the Wakandan way, a gesture she returned before phasing from the room.

The new suit was laid across her bed, and she wasted no time admiring the details of the white and silver armouring, simply slipping it on and thanking Shuri for the close and light fit. Experimentally, she shifted, finding it far easier to slip in and out of the Grey with her new reflection panels. For once, she was only doing half the work.

She pulled her hair and braids up and out of her face, securing them in a tight knot at the base of her skull. Despite her best efforts, the wispiest, thinnest strands of hair around her face slipped free. She had no time for vanity, and so she simply bore it.

Already, the chill was creeping through her veins, and the calm before the fight was turning her to ice.

Nothing but the mission.

It beat a drum through her chest, and she holstered her weapons and made for the battleground.

“What are they doing?”

“Some pre-battle ritual. Haven’t you heard of them before?”

“The White Wolf-”

“White Widow fought beside-”

Aleks could hear the whisper of the Wakandan soldiers around them, and ignored them. Her partner, just as sharp of hearing as her, smiled slightly. They were sitting together, face-to-face, and cramped enough in the low-flying transport that their knees touched. It reminded her of their escape from the states, of their long journey in the cargo hold to Greece.

“О чем ты думаешь?” What are you thinking about? Her partner’s thumb grazed soothingly over her knuckles, their intimate gesture hidden from the others by their weapons.

Aleks tried to smile back at him. “Callistrati.” She said. “Я думаю о ее еде.” I’m thinking about her food.

Her partner huffed a faint laugh. “Эта женщина умела готовить.” That woman could cook. He agreed, and squeezed her hand lightly. “Мы должны пойти к ней после этого.” We should go visit her after this.

Aleks hummed. “Я хочу снова искупаться на этом пляже. Это было н.” I'd like to go swimming at that beach again. It was nice.

“I’ve got two heat signatures breaking through the treeline.” Rhodes voice came out clipped, and Aleks looked up to watch the Colonel and Sam soar over them. The pilot of their transport called out a warning, and she made to stand. Her partner’s grip on her hand tightened, and she paused, confused. Slowly, he raised their joined grip and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.

Her heart fluttered and her stomach tightened at the gesture. “I love you.” She told him, and he smiled at her.

“I love you, too. Let’s go kill some aliens.”

Their transport shifted down at an angle, and the Wakandan soldiers began to disembark, sliding smoothly over the side in a practiced motion. Never one to be left behind, her partner leapt first from the transport, and was immediately swept into the rush of the soldiers assembling in perfect lines. Aleks phased smoothly through, walking calmly through the mass of soldiers to join him. Her partner shot a glare at her playfully. “Showoff.” He muttered to her, but let her take his hand to pull him into the Grey, and through the organized chaos towards Steve and Natalia.

The Jabari were chanting their distinctive warcry as she approached. Despite the volume and their soundless steps, both Natalia and Steve turned to look at them. Natalia quirked a brow, mouth turned up in a pretty but humourless smile. “Shall we go hear what the bastards have to say?”

Aleks turned to look at the two aliens standing just beyond the shield. She recognized the tall large one from footage from Greenwich Village, and the woman from Scotland. She sighed, and gave her niece a look. “What I wouldn’t give to never hear another enemy monologue.”

Steve chuckled, and shook his head. “Unfortunately, not many people are as succinct as you, Aleks.” T’Challa, Natalia and Steve began to head towards the barrier.

“Not many aliens, either, apparently.” Aleks muttered to herself, ignoring her partner’s laughing look. “Я скоро вернусь. Смотри на мое слепое пятно.” I'll be right back. Watch my blindspot.

James rolled his eyes at her, already affixing the scope to his rifle. “I can’t believe you just said that. Like I won’t be watching.”

Aleks flicked him off, and began to jog after the others. She fell into step beside T’Challa, Natalia mirroring her on the other side of Steve. As they got closer, she watched the female-alien’s snarl grow. She was testing the strength of their shield with her blade, but lowered her weapon as they got close enough to hear her.

“Where’s your other friend?” Natalia’s voice was light, but her words were needling and sharp.

The alien woman’s eye twitched. “You will pay for his life with yours.” She snarled again, lips pulling back over her sharp fangs. “Thanos will have that stone.”

“That’s not gonna happen.” Steve said.

T’Challa jaw was tight. “You are in Wakanda now. Thanos will have nothing but dust and blood.”

“We,” The alien paused, voice almost delicate, “Have blood to spare.” With a grunt, she thrust her sword into the air, and at the signal, the large doors of the spaceships beyond the shield began to open. Aleks watched with wide eyes. This was nothing she had ever seen before…aliens and monsters and gods and gemstones…

And with it all; the fate of the universe.

Her partner was waiting for her, and he met her eyes with a cool neutrality that was at least a little bit of the Soldier. “Did they surrender?” Aleks fell in beside him, and turned to face the array of spaceships before them, and the vast jungle beyond that.

“Not exactly.” Steve said. At the edge of her hearing, Aleks began to hear sounds. Beastly sounds; inhuman snarling.

The hordes of six legged, foul looking aliens came pouring from the tree line, and she felt her breath hitch for a moment. Beside her, her partner’s fingers tightened on the trigger of his rifle. Old habit made her lift her hand and wrap her fingers around the bulk of his metal bicep, ready to pull them both into the Grey.

T’Challa began to shout a war cry, and the assembled Wakandans began to move again. Stepping deftly in front of them, the border tribes activated their shields, and her view of the approaching alien army was tinted blue.

“Save your strength.” Her partner’s voice was quiet, and she tracked his gaze to her hand on his arm. “Don’t waste it on me.”

She couldn’t help but scowl at him. “It’s never wasted on you.” He smiled at her, and she reluctantly retracted her hand.

There must have been thousands of the creatures; so many that the dust clouds they kicked up in their passing began to pollute the air outside of the shield. The alien woman lifted her sword again, and the creatures began to throw themselves at the shield.

“Looks like we pissed her off.” Natalia said quietly.

The creatures seemed single-minded, unheeding of the pain and their deaths as they pushed themselves through the shield. “They’re killing themselves…” Okoye sounded, for the first time, frightened.

“They are rabid.” Aleks breathed, “they will tear themselves to shreds just to get a chance to kill us.” From what hell hole had these things been torn? What fiery pit had birthed such creatures? Aleks hoped she never found out.

The first of them began to break through the shield, and they wasted no time to recover from the burns searing over their bodies, simply screeching and galloping at full speed towards them. As the Wakandan soldiers lifted their blasters, her partner raised his rifle. She could hear her heart in her ears now, could feel her muscles bunching and readying themselves for action. Her partner didn’t miss. Every bullet found a home, and yet they kept coming.

Sam soared past them again, and her stomach flipped uncomfortably as one of the aliens jumped impossibly high, almost drawing its wicked claws across his exposed belly. “You see the teeth on those things?” His voice was loud in her ear.

“Backup, Sam, or get your wings singed.” Rhodes called a warning, and in the next moment, the ground at the base of the shield was awash in flame. The bulk of the creatures’ entrance was blocked, but Aleks immediately noticed the pack splitting in two, racing around the outside of the dome.

“Captain, if these things circle the perimeter and get behind us, it’s over.” She addressed Steve directly, but broadcasted her voice through the comms. Immediately, Sam banked sharply to follow the left pack. “There’s nothing between them and Vision.”

Steve met her eyes for a moment, mouth hardening into a tight line. “Then we better keep them in front of us.” She nodded in agreement.

“How do we do that?” Okoye looked to T’Challa, who clenched his jaw. Aleks knew he was thinking the same thing she was, and unholstered her handguns.

His voice was heavy. “We open the barrier.” He lifted his hand to his ear. “On my signal, open North-West section seventeen.”

“Requesting confirmation, my king – you said open the barrier?” The Dome Control operator’s voice was disbelieving, and she could only imagine the fear running through the people.

“On my signal.”

Aleks looked at her partner one last time. His face was shuttered in concentration and his eyes were sharp. Just the sight of him was still enough to make her old, cold heart flip. She turned to the enemy, and took off the safety on her weapons. Nothing but the mission.

“WAKANDA FOREVER!”

The barrier opened like the gates of Hell, and Aleks threw herself towards the battle like an avenging angel.

Or perhaps, just like an Avenger.