In from the cold - Part 2

Mar. 2nd, 2023 02:22 pm
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He started to tell the little girl not to tell the man he was in there with her but two things stopped him. First was the look of terror that crossed the child's face, and second, was the appearance of the voice's owner at the door. He was a big, burly man with a shaved head, tattoos all over his face, and a looped belt grasped tightly in one of his meaty hands. He didn't see Bucky at first when he entered as he stalked straight towards Annie, raising the belt over his head.

"Girl, when I tell you to do something, you better do it!" he snarled, bringing the belt down towards Annie.

Annie threw up her hands to shield herself, shrieking and cowering away from him.

But the belt never lands its target, as Bucky stepped forward, and seized it with his metal hand. Tommy, he presumed, looked at him with a shocked look on his ugly face. When he opened his mouth to snarl at Bucky, it was then Bucky smelled reek of alcohol on the man's breath.

The man's eyes blazed as he asked, "Who the h—"

Bucky cut him off by cold cocking him, and as Tommy fell unceremoniously to the floor, he turned to check on Annie. "Are you okay?" The little girl stared at him, stunned by what he'd done. He knelt in front of her, and tried to get her to hear him. "Annie, doll, are you okay?"

Annie blinked, and looked at her mother's boyfriend's crumpled form. "Did you kill him, mister?"

He shook his head, "No, I didn't kill him. He's just knocked out right now."

"I wish you would've killed him, mister."

What a horrible thing to hear such a sweet looking little girl say! "Why would you wish for something like that?"

"'Cause when Tommy wakes up, he'll be super mad, and he'll... he'll..."

Bucky didn't need for her to finish her sentence, and he shushed her. It' had been such a long time since he'd touched another person with such gentleness, but he was gentle as he could be when he pulled the child into what he hoped was a comforting embrace.

"He's not going to hurt you again. I promise you that he's not going to hurt you again. Now, do you have school today?"

Annie nodded. "Uh huh... and he'll be waiting for me when I get back home today too!"

Bucky guided her towards the barn's door. "Then you go on, go to school, and by the time you get back home, Tommy won't be taking any of this out on you."

"What are you gonna do, Mister?"

Truth was, he didn't know yet what he was going to do about Tommy, but he wouldn't fail the little girl either. "You don't worry about it. Just go to school."

***
Bucky kept his word to Annie.

When Tommy woke up, he wasn't happy to find himself all tied up by the Winter Soldier, but he was even less thrilled to be questioned by him. Still, Bucky got him to tell him the whole situation. As it turned out, Annie's mom Laurie was a nurse who worked sixteen hour shifts at a time, and wasn't home often while her daughter was still awake. Since they had no family close by, and Laurie had no friends she could depend on to watch out for Annie, she'd asked Tommy to move in with them. In return for taking care of Annie, Tommy had room and board as well as free access to Laurie's bank account.

Yep, the lowlife was even living off of the woman whose daughter he was supposed to be caring for, not abusing. When Bucky learned all of this, he grabbed the man's throat with his metal hand, and told him in no uncertain terms that he would be leaving that day with nothing but the clothes on his back.

"But what about my stuff?" Tommy asked in an outraged tone.

"Consider it repayment for all the free things you've wrongfully taken from Annie and her Mom. Now, hit the road, pal, and do not ever come back!"

Tommy started to protest but one hard, cool look from Bucky silenced him, and he started down the road leading from the farm house. Bucky watched him until he disappeared, and he made a note to make sure the guy had actually left before he left himself. Speaking of leaving, he knew he shouldn't leave until he had a chance to talk to Laurie.

She'll probably call the police on me, he thought, But that's a chance I'll have to take. He just needed to be sure that Annie was there when he did it, so she could back up all the claims of abuse against Tommy. He hoped that when she heard it all, she wouldn't be angry with Annie but with Tommy, and would then try to work something better out for her daughter.
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Love in a Winter Wonderland

Mar. 2nd, 2023 02:21 pm
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Eva has always been like her father in so many ways, and so like him, she has never been a morning person. But when she opened her eyes to see the snow falling outside her window, it was enough to make her get out of bed earlier than she originally felt like. After she wrapped herself in a thick robe, she then headed to the kitchen to make herself some nice, hot mocha coconut coffee. With her mug in hand, she stood at the kitchen window staring out the window at the winter wonderland outside lost in her thoughts until she heard a knock on her door.

"Who in the world?" she muttered, as she walked to the door.

Eva checked her door camera first, and she couldn't believe who it was she was seeing standing on the other side of her door. She felt her heart pounding as she reached out, and opened the door. "Loki! Oh my gosh!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck. "What are you doing here?"

He was obviously stunned for a moment as he neither moved nor spoke, but then he lifted his arms to hug her back. He murmured in her ear, "Why I came to see you," he replied, "Of course."

The hug lasted for another few seconds then Eva pulled away, and gestured towards the interior of her home. "Please come inside!" He nodded, and stepped into her house, his eyes scanning the room.

As she followed him inside, and offered to take his long grey coat from him, Eva couldn't help but feel a little flustered. She and Loki had been friends for years, but lately in the last few years, there was always an underlying tension between them that she couldn't quite explain. "Do you want some coffee? It's mocha coconut!" she asked, motioning to the Keurig.

Loki nodded, and Eva made him a cup, savoring the warmth of the mug in her hands. They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, watching the snow fall outside.

Finally, even he must not have been able to take the tension in the room as Loki broke the quiet to ask her. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

Eva hesitated. It was freezing outside, but something in the way he asked made her say yes. They bundled up in their coats and hats and stepped outside into the snow.

As they walked, they talked about everything and nothing, the snow crunching under their feet. Eva felt her cheeks grow warm, and not just from the cold. She couldn't help but feel drawn to Loki, despite the fact that they had always just been friends.

Eventually, they found themselves at a park that was close to her house, and Loki led Eva to a secluded spot. "I have something for you," he said, pulling a small box out of his pocket.

Eva's heart began to race as she opened the box. Inside, she found a beautiful necklace, the pendant shaped like a heart. "Loki, it's gorgeous," she breathed, feeling her face grow hot.

Loki smiled, taking the necklace from her and fastening it around her neck. "It's not as beautiful as you," he said, his eyes locking deep into hers.

At that moment, Eva was finding it hard to breathe. She had never seen that look in his eyes before. She realized in that moment that what she had been feeling all these years was mutual. As she watched, Loki started to lean towards her, and before she knew it, his lips were pressing against hers. Eva immediately deepened the kiss, and cupped his face with her gloved hands. Suddenly, Eva found herself almost face down on the bench when Loki pulled away, and sprang up, walking away from her at a fast pace.

Eva was stunned for a second, and then sprang up to hurry after him, catching up to him quickly. "Loki, is something wrong?"

He didn't slow his pace, and he nodded. "Yes, I've ruined
everything!"

"Ruined everything how?" Eva asked in a breathless tone as his fast pace was starting to get to her, even as fit as she was. "Loki?"

Loki stopped suddenly, and without facing her answered her. "I-I shouldn't have kissed you!"

"Why shouldn't you have kissed me?"

He sighed, his head dropping. "Because you see me as only a friend, nothing more or less. For me to kiss you, that is a betrayal of our friendship, as I am trying to turn it into something it is not. I'm sorry, Eva. It will not happen again." With that said, he started walking again, this time at a much slower pace.

Eva shook her head, and went after him. She walked beside him in silence, trying to figure out how to word what she wanted to say to him.

"If you wish to return the necklace, I will understand, as it was a presumptuous gift on my part," he said, sounding utterly defeated.

"Oh for crying out loud, would you just stop being an idiot already?!" she exclaimed.

Loki stopped walking once more, and looked at her. "I beg your pardon. What did you say?"

"I said would you stop being an idiot already?!"

"I am not being an idiot!"

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are, or you wouldn't have ended one of the most epic kisses ever until we were both out of breath!"

Puzzlement crossed Loki's features. "'Most epic kisses ever'? Am I to understand that you are telling me that you were enjoying my kissing you?"

Eva took a step closer to him. "Yes, you big dolt! That is exactly what I am telling you! Believe me, if I hadn't been, mythical god of mischief and chaos or not, I would have knocked you out cold with the right cross my Dad and all of my Uncles helped me to develop, and left your butt there on that bench to wake up on your own!"

"You would have?" Loki said.

"Yes, I would! Loki, I... I love you!" she exclaimed.

His eyes widened, and then he closed the gap between them. "You what?"

"I said, I love you!" Eva muttered, dropping her head. "I have for a long time, I think." She bit her lip, hoping now she wasn't the one to destroy everything between them.

He placed a gentle hand underneath her chin, and lifted her face up. "Eva Stark Anthonysdottir, I love you too."

"You do?" she asked in a whisper.

Loki nodded. "Eva, there are so many things I love about you. I love the way you see the world. You have this unique perspective that I can't help but find so fascinating. Ever since we met, you have challenged me in ways that no one else ever has. You've made me see the universe in a new light. You make me want to be a better person."

As she stared into his eyes, Eva felt her knees going weak. She knew without any doubt that Loki is the one she loves without every part of her heart. She knew with all that she is, he is her soulmate, and they will be together forever. With this knowledge and certainty, she is the one who initiated their second kiss.

For a long time, they stood there, kissing in the snow, with the hot intensity of their passion keeping them warm. As they finally parted, Eva couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected, snowy morning that had brought them together.

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In from the cold - Part 1

Feb. 27th, 2023 10:09 pm
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Bucky Barnes, formerly the Winter Soldier (or at least he is trying to formerly become the Winter Soldier) woke up early on a cold winter morning, his senses on alert as he scanned his surroundings. He was in the barn of a remote cabin in the mountains, surrounded by snow and silence. The cabin was occupied with a small family, so he had spent the night in the barn, not wanting to alarm those inside of the house.

He had been on the run for months, trying to escape the memories of his past as a deadly assassin. But now, in this peaceful wilderness, he felt like he could finally breathe.

He got up and he was preparing to leave the barn behind, knowing he needed to get started as soon as possible of he were going to put miles between this place and his next destination before nightfall.

When he opened the barn door, and peeked outside, he found himself wishing for a hot cup of coffee. Huh, he mused, that was a strange reaction upon seeing his own breath rising up before him. He'd not had a thought like that in decades!

Seventy years to be exact, Barnes!

Bucky shook his head, and cleared his thoughts. He returned to the inside of the barn to retrieve his backpack carrying his meager possessions, and was stopped by a voice at the door.

"Hello," said the voice.

He immediately turned around, taking a defensive stance, and was surprised by who he saw standing there: a girl about eight years old is standing at the door. The way she's dressed is warm but not for someone who is going to be out in the cold for long, and there's a bucket hanging from one of her hands.

"I said, hello."

Bucky tried to make himself relax, although he couldn't do it fully. Not with everything HYDRA had done to his mind and body over the 70 plus years they used him as the Winter Soldier. Maybe he would never be able to relax fully, who knows.

"Can you talk, mister?" the girl asked, her face contorted with worry.

"Of course, I can," he replied, gruffly but not as gruffly as he could have. "Who are you?"

"My name is Annie, and I'm supposed to be milking our cow right now." As if on cue, the cow mooed, and turned her head to look at them both, munching on hay. Annie pointed to the bovine, and told him, "That's Penny."

Bucky nodded his head, "Hello."

"Mister, why are you in our barn?"

"I'm a friend of your Dad's."

"You mean Tommy? He's not my Dad. He's Mommy's boyfriend who stays with us."

"Oh."

"You don't know him do you?"

Bucky almost lied, and told Annie that of course he knows her mom's boyfriend, but there's something about the way she is looking at him that keep him from doing it He finally shook his head, and muttered, "No, no, I don't know him. Or your mom either."

"Then why are you in our barn?" Annie asked, innocently.

"Because I needed a place to—"

"Annie, what is taking you so long in getting that cow milked?" a hard, male voice asked from the outside.

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The One Thing

Feb. 12th, 2023 01:41 am
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"No! Honey, no! No! Don't do it! Don't do it!"

At hearing the plea, Rhodey throws back the blanket and rushes down the hallway, hoping that this time he would prevent—

He bites back the curse when he sees the little form huddled by the shut door, clutching her favorite stuffed dog in her arms. Her eyes are gleaming with tears in her eyes when her little head turns up in his direction, and her bottom lip is trembling.

"Uncle Rhodey, I...I..." The little girl breaks down, unable to get out any other words.

Rhodey kneels beside Morgan, and wraps his arms around her. "Shh, sweetheart, I'm going to help. I know you want to help too, but I've got it." He picks her up, and points her towards her bedroom. "You go back to bed. I'll take care of this." He watches as Morgan goes back to her room, and the little girl shuts the door behind her.

Once she's safely back in her room, Rhodey goes back to the bedroom door, and not hesitating he turns the doorknob. He doesn't announce himself in any way, neither does he seek permission to enter, he just enters the room.

Tony is still asleep, and therefore still in the clutches of his nightmare. He is jerking, flopping, and moving all over the bed he once shared with the woman whose death he can't escape even in his dreams.

Rhodey approaches the bed, does what he knows is the best way to awaken Tony when he's caught in a nightmare. He touches Tony's shoulder, and keeps his distance as much as possible since on the first night he had to do this, Tony socked had him in his sleep. He wasn't hurt too bad in that instance, but Rhodey honestly preferred to avoid sporting another shiner for a couple of weeks!

"Tony! Tony! Wake up! Come on, man, wake up!" he says, shaking the other man's shoulder.

Eventually Tony's eyes opened, he looks at Rhodey, and he states more than he asks. "I did it again."

Rhodey nods as there's no denying it.

"Sorry," Tony mumbles, sitting up. "I can't stop dreaming about her or when she..."

"I know, Tones," he says, laying a hand on Tony's shoulder. "It's only been a month. You've got to give yourself time to—"

"Get over it?! Is that what you were going to say? Hmm? Because if that's what you were about to say to me, then I'd really like for you to explain to me how I'm supposed to do that when my life is gone and she's not ever coming back!"

Rhodey didn't miss the fact he said life and not wife, and it'd been the truth since that day.

One month ago, to the very day this morning, they had all been on the destroyed grounds of the Avengers compound fighting Thanos once more. A Thanos who, as it turned out, to be from 2014. But that fact had not made him any less dangerous or less determined to remake the universe in his own image. They had all been struggling to keep the Infinity Stones out of his hands when Pepper had been the final one holding the gauntlet when the mad Titan believed he had won.

He believed he had the Stones in his possession, and had even snapped his fingers. But they were actually with Pepper as she was the closest to him, and Tony had programmed the nanites in the gauntlet to respond to her as though her suit were Tony's own.


"I am inevitable!" Thanos had gloated before he had snapped.

When nothing happened as he'd expected, he had looked over where Pepper was, holding up the Stones for him to see. She had said nothing in reply to him, just gave him a look that alone should have killed him, and she snapped her fingers.

It's symbolic that when he lands, Tony is momentarily brought to one knee — for Tony will be brought to his knees for the rest of his life by what's about to happen. He quickly is on his feet, and he rushes over to where Pepper is half sitting, half laying up again some rubble. As he approaches her, he wants to yell from the agony that engulfs him when he sees half of her beautiful face is burned beyond recognition.

No, please no!

He kneels down beside her, and places a hand on her chest. "FRIDAY, vitals!"

Pepper stirs, and looks at him, smiling as much as possible as the AI responds, "Life signs are critical."

Tony starts to speak to her when he realizes some of the others are not behind them. He looks around, not really seeing that Thor or Cap are there, keeping their distance. He doesn't even see Rhodey has arrived or even Peter because there's only one person he's looking for.

"Strange!" Tony calls out when he sees the sorcerer. "Thank God! She's dying! You've gotta help her!"

Strange gives a head shake, and tells Tony quietly, "I'm sorry, Tony, but there's nothing that I can do for her now."

"But you've got to! She's not supposed to die! I'm the one who's supposed to die! Please! Please, Strange, you've GOT to HELP her!"

Rhodey doesn't know WHO the oddly dressed man is or what he can do to help Pepper, and he does not care. All he cares about is what he can do to help Tony get through the next few minutes without adding more regrets than the ones he is already going to have.

He puts his hand on his friend's shoulder, and says in a firm voice, "He can't help her, Tony."

Tony's head turns towards him, "Yes, he can! You weren't there on Titan! You didn't see what he could do with all his hocus pocus! He can save her! I know he can!" he looks over at Strange. "Show him, Strange! Show him what I'm talking about!"

Strange didn't say anything or move.

"Show him!" Tony insisted, taking a step towards the sorcerer.

Rhodey grabs his arm, and stops him.

Tony tries to jerk his arm away from him. "Let me go!"

"Tony! He can't help her, and you are wasting the precious little time Pepper has left trying to make him! Time need to be spending with her!"

It's like a light goes off in Tony's head, and he realizes that Rhodey is right. He immediately tugs on his arm again, and since this time it's clear that he wants to go to Pepper, Rhodey releases his hold.

"T-Tony..." Pepper whispers as he kneels by her.

Tony takes her hand into his own, cursing the metal encasing it. "I'm here, Pep. I'm right here."

It's obvious Pepper's having a hard time focusing her eyes, or perhaps his gone blind as she does not look at him. But she smiles for him, as much as she can. "Glad."

"Oh Honey, why did you do it?"

"L-L-Love y-y-y-you."

"You did it because you love me?"

"Yeah."

"Oh Pep..." Tony says, and stops there.

It's obvious Tony is trying not to break down sobbing as his breath hitches several times.

"Ro...ro... dee?"

Rhodey hears his name, and in an instant he's on her other side of her. "I'm here, Pepper."

"T-take c-care o... ny and M-M-Mo?"

It is Rhodey's turn to fight back tears, and he nods. "I will. I promise you, Pepper. I'll take care of them both."

She smiles again. "Goo... hey... be... kay."

"Yeah, they'll be okay. I'll make sure."

Her head turns in Tony's direction again. "T-Toe... l-l-l-love you... m-much."

Tears are running down his face as Tony replies, "I love you too, Pepper. More than you'll ever know. Please stay with me. Please don't go."

"C-can't. Tired. Ssss... tired."

Tony looks at Rhodey, then back to her, "Then go to sleep. I'll be... I'll be right here, Pep."

Pepper doesn't respond to him. Instead, as they watch, her body relaxes, and her blind blank eyes become empty. Tony stares at her, as though he can't believe or accept what he's just seen. But then reality sinks in, and he screams.

It's the most primal sound of agony Rhodey has ever heard, and he's heard more than his fair share on countless battlefields.


"I told Pepper one time that she was the one thing I couldn't live without, Rhodey, and I still can't! I want to die! I want to blow my brains out so I won't have to go another day without her!"

The second he finished speaking, Rhodey's hand found its way across his cheek. In response, Tony gives him a shocked look as his own hand goes up to his cheek.

"What the actual—"

"Don't you ever say something like again, Tony Stark! Pepper died, she died so you can live, and be here for the daughter who thinks the sun raises and sets on you! I know you miss her more than I know or can imagine. But that is no excuses for what you just said and I don't want to ever hear you say those words again!"

Tony looks like he is going to fight back for a second, and then he nods. "Okay."

Rhodey nods too. "Okay."

"Okay."

"Good."

Tony starts to lay down again, then stops. "I woke Morgan up again."

He wishes he could deny it, but Rhodey sighs. "Yeah, you did."

Muttering a curse, Tony places his feet on the floor, and stands up.

"I'm not going to get any more sleep tonight so I am going to go see about Morgan. If she's still away, I'll get back to sleep. If she's sleeping, I am going to sit by her, and remember why I can't lose myself in the pain."
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