A Winged Freak

A part of her dreaded the idea that maybe this wasn’t over. Maybe she was still stuck and fearful, but at this moment. She couldn’t care less. Tears left streaks down her face as she grinned, letting him hold her hand as tight as he could. She smiled down at him.

“I love you too.” She said softly, looking down at him before Clint touched her shoulder. If they waited any longer it would be too much. They needed to move him and she needed to move. She reached over and kissed his forehead, before moving as the nurse explained the sedative they were giving him.

——-

“He’s been asking about you.” Dr. Cho spoke and smiled. Elena blushed, hair pulled in a bad ponytail and finally changed into jeans and T-shirt. She held a bag of hers and Bucky’s clothes since they’d be staying for a while.

“How is he?”

“On the mend. As are you. Take it easy alright?” She answered and Elena nodded, before walking into the room.

He looked beaten up and worn down, half dozing she guessed, but he was alive and that’s all she cared for. Steve looked up from where he was and smiled, before nodding to sam. Elena smiled before putting the bag down and sitting in the seat beside his bed. She took the metal fingers in her hand, enjoying how cold it was against her skin, but how real it felt.

He hadn’t remembered much of what happened. Steve and the doctors explained the best they could while he drifted in and out of consciousness. The most important thing was Elena was safe. Knowing that made his stay in the medical bay worth it. 

She smiled at his voice, though worried when he groaned. She had a few bumps and bruises from the fight. They had all been bandaged and healed and now it was just a waiting game.

Elena managed up what energy she could and practically crawled toward him, trying to get to him. She stayed away from Clint and the medic that were trying to help him.

“No. No Bucky. I’m fine. I’m fine.” She said quickly. In truth she was fine, she wasn’t injured. But using powers that had been vacant for so long took so much out of her, and she was weak. But she was there for him. She would be.

“Y-you did it. You killed him.” She swallowed thickly, rubbing her hands across his cheeks to brush dirt and blood away.

“We-we won?” His voice was weak, straining from the pain. Bucky kept his eyes on Elena as Clint and the medics tended to him the best they could. It was severe enough a trip to the medical bay at the avenger’s facility would be needed, but they could mend it enough to get him there. He swallowed back the overwhelming taste of blood, feeling the thickness in his throat, a sensation that made him feel sicker. 

“I love you too.” She said softly, looking down at him before Clint touched her shoulder. If they waited any longer it would be too much. They needed to move him and she needed to move. She reached over and kissed his forehead, before moving as the nurse explained the sedative they were giving him.

——-

“He’s been asking about you.” Dr. Cho spoke and smiled. Elena blushed, hair pulled in a bad ponytail and finally changed into jeans and T-shirt. She held a bag of hers and Bucky’s clothes since they’d be staying for a while.

“How is he?”

“On the mend. As are you. Take it easy alright?” She answered and Elena nodded, before walking into the room.

She couldn’t see anything in front of her. After they bout of energy, her body was weak, useless. It took everything to keep her on her own two feet, that and leaning heavily into Natasha who had managed to find them in a flash.

But she heard him. She heard Bucky, and by the time they got there, she saw Ezra fall to the ground, hopefully dead. Shield members were surrounding him. Steve had made his way over to Bucky, and Elena could see the blood from the wound. “Medics are on their way.” Barton spoke as he made his way over with a makeshift first aid kit.

“Elena? Elena!” Heads turned when Elena collapsed, falling to her knees as Natasha tried to keep her up. Elena breathed heavily, but managed to look up at Bucky. He was alive. And Ezra was dead. Was everything finally going to be okay? “Buck?” She managed out, swallowing thickly where she kneeled.

Once Ezra had fallen, Bucky laid back on the ground. Applying pressure with both hands, just staring up at the sky for several seconds. He could feel the blood rushing out from between his fingers, the coolness creeping in over his body from the loss of blood. He heard the faint murmur of something about medics. Giving Clint a spacey gaze as the man started doing what he could to alleviate the loss of blood. The only voice he heard clearly was Elena’s. The fear and pain in her tone. 

“No. No Bucky. I’m fine. I’m fine.” She said quickly. In truth she was fine, she wasn’t injured. But using powers that had been vacant for so long took so much out of her, and she was weak. But she was there for him. She would be.

Elena struggled as much as she could. She didn’t like feeling weak. She didn’t like this.

Ezra chuckled. “Is that what you want? You want to sacrifice yourself for that pathetic soul over there? She’s done more harm than you should believe. More than you think. She deserves to be locked up…..but I guess I could use someone like you. I think I can find those words. Make you a soldier once again.” He laughed and smirked.

Elena felt Steve’s arms suddenly when she fell, the man holding her on the ground. He clicked the shield on and landed before looking at Elena. Elena looked at him, before following where Bucky had once been.

“No!” She screamed, and a bright orange ball big Ezra, shoving him backwards. Her orange eyes glowed. “It’s over, Ezra.”

“Pretty girl. Is that really what you think? Don’t you remember? You’re mine.”

“She deserves a chance to live her life without the fear of you ruining it. So if taking me means she can be free… then so be it.” Bucky held his bionic arm out, the other applying pressure to his stab wound. Knees beginning to feel weak from the loss of blood. “So take me.” 

Just as Ezra moved in closer the orange glow moved in, seperating them further apart. But the force was more than enough to knock Bucky to the ground. Whimpering under his breath as he hit, eyes squeezing shut from the pain surging throughout his body. He curled up, vision fuzzy as he tried to focus on Ezra’s sillohette. The man was still too close for comfort. Bucky’s hand trembled as he slid his fingers over the handle of his blade, inhaling deeply, struggling to steady himself enough to get a decent aim. 

But she heard him. She heard Bucky, and by the time they got there, she saw Ezra fall to the ground, hopefully dead. Shield members were surrounding him. Steve had made his way over to Bucky, and Elena could see the blood from the wound. “Medics are on their way.” Barton spoke as he made his way over with a makeshift first aid kit.

The explosions had blown the house and the barn beside it to pieces, which had managed to buried the tossed soldiers across the perimeter. Elena was one of them. She was coughing relentlessly, buried under the rubble. She had tried to shift it, in any way possible. But her powers had fizzed away, leaving her unable to move until help came.

She had to get to bucky. He didn’t understand. Ezra had tricks up his sleeves. He was going to win regardless, in any way. And she’d go back to that hole. Her own hell.

Something above her shifted, and she felt her weak body pulled from the rubble. She thought it was help, but suddenly she sensed it wasn’t help, and she began to struggle.

She looked up in time to see them. “Bucky!” She tried to call out. She hated this. Hated being a damsel in distress. All she wanted to do was save Bucky.

Hearing Elena’s cry distracted him just long enough for Ezra to strike. Biting back a painful groan as he felt a blade sinking into his skin. Bionic fingers digging in deeper to the man’s shoulder, his arm whirring as he applied as much pressure as he could. Bucky couldn’t help but feel a pull, a voice screaming in the back of his head that he needed to get to her. 

“Steve!” Bucky cried out, knowing his friend would understand what to do if he was still conscious. 

Ezra chuckled. “Is that what you want? You want to sacrifice yourself for that pathetic soul over there? She’s done more harm than you should believe. More than you think. She deserves to be locked up.....but I guess I could use someone like you. I think I can find those words. Make you a soldier once again.” He laughed and smirked.

Elena felt Steve’s arms suddenly when she fell, the man holding her on the ground. He clicked the shield on and landed before looking at Elena. Elena looked at him, before following where Bucky had once been.

“No!” She screamed, and a bright orange ball big Ezra, shoving him backwards. Her orange eyes glowed. “It’s over, Ezra.”

Elena coughed, stumbling up as quick as she could, looking around. She could feel a trickle of wetness down her arm and knew she had to be bleeding somewhere. But she had to find Bucky.

Natasha managed to regroup with Bucky as well as Steve, as they shifted through rubble to find fallen soldiers. Elena had found Clint, and they headed toward where she thought he was. Elena looked up, in time to see him. Holding the gun toward Bucky.

“No!” She screamed, alerting Steve. He had spun around, throwing his shield up as the bullet left the chamber. Elena threw her hand out, an orange blast erupting from her hand and hitting the other man. He stumbled, and she kneeled, suddenly weak. Powers she had used were being woken. She was weak.

“You never learn do you?” Ezra laughed, before another explosion separated the groups. Ezra separated from Elena, but with Bucky.

“It’s just you and me soldier.” He growled, as the others tried to make their way toward him.

“He’ll kill you. You have to help him!” Elena begged, looking toward Clint. She couldn’t lose him. She couldn’t.

Bucky found himself a little caught off guard by how swiftly things turned into chaos. The air was heavy, pressing down intense feelings of guilt and worry. He knew he should have just sent Elena off and popped a bullet into the guy’s head long before this moment. 

The disorientation made him stumble, faltering to his knees just before Steve stepped in to intervene. The moment the shield was released, things felt as if they were in slow motion. Every agonizing second lingering on and tearing him further away from keeping Elena safe. Any relief he felt from seeing Elena use her powers quickly faded when the second explosion rocked the area. Heat flickering along his exposed skin. 

He pushed himself up off the ground, ignoring the deep aches within. His sights were set on Ezra once he realized they were alone. It’s exactly how he wanted the battle. Bucky wanted to see the life leave his eyes, especially after all this hell. 

“You’ve underestimated your chances, Ezra. A few explosions will not deter me from taking the life from you.” Bucky tightly wrapped his metal fingers around the handle of his knife, unsheathing it. He felt no fear, not for himself. Dying wasn’t exactly a horror in his eyes, as long as he took the bastard with him. 

She had to get to bucky. He didn’t understand. Ezra had tricks up his sleeves. He was going to win regardless, in any way. And she’d go back to that hole. Her own hell.

Something above her shifted, and she felt her weak body pulled from the rubble. She thought it was help, but suddenly she sensed it wasn’t help, and she began to struggle.

Elena bit her lip. She couldn’t believe this. What she was doing. But she wasn’t safe. Not anymore.

——

“I’m sorry from pulling you from Laura.”

“She understands. She knows how much you mean to us. She’ll be fine.” Clint reassured the wingless woman. Elena swallowed, looking out the car window. They were going to some small house in the middle of nowhere, New Zealand actually. She had always wanted to go, but not in this case.

She shifted uncomfortably again. “Your back again?” Elena looked at Clint before nodding and sighing. “We need to check that out as soon as we get there.” She nodded and looked back toward the window. Bucky and Nat were in the car ahead, scoping out the house once they got there.

She looked up once able to leave the car and meet with Bucky. “Home sweet home.” She said softly to his, taking his hand in hers and taking s breath. Now or never. She turned toward the house, before something clicked.

And the house blew into fire and ash.

Elena fell backward, pulled from her friends as the rubble and dust flew. “Bucky!” She cried out, coughing and looking for the man.

Bucky couldn’t shake the feeling of uneasiness, fingers tapping anxiously against the steering wheel. Even all the way out here he still didn’t feel safe, even after the several reassurances from the others that it was one of the best locations. With that man out there after Elena, nothing would be good enough, not until he was able to kill the man and end the running for good. 

He stayed on edge, surveying every inch of the property he possibly could as they pulled in closer. So far everything had seemed normal, maybe he was just overacting. He needed to be strong for Elena and if he was panicking too much she’d be able to tell. Bucky took Natasha’s advice on just taking some deep breaths, doing his best to keep himself grounded. 

Once he was out and holding Elena’s hand, his nerves seemed to somewhat calm. For the time being he knew she was safe, he had her and nothing would take that away. 

Natasha managed to regroup with Bucky as well as Steve, as they shifted through rubble to find fallen soldiers. Elena had found Clint, and they headed toward where she thought he was. Elena looked up, in time to see him. Holding the gun toward Bucky.

“No!” She screamed, alerting Steve. He had spun around, throwing his shield up as the bullet left the chamber. Elena threw her hand out, an orange blast erupting from her hand and hitting the other man. He stumbled, and she kneeled, suddenly weak. Powers she had used were being woken. She was weak.

“You never learn do you?” Ezra laughed, before another explosion separated the groups. Ezra separated from Elena, but with Bucky.

“It’s just you and me soldier.” He growled, as the others tried to make their way toward him.

She swallowed. This wouldn’t be safe. Think logically Elena. He’d easily figure out a way into the apartment and not only harm them, but others in there as well. She shook her head. “Well go somewhere else. We wouldn’t be safe here.” She agreed.

“But I want Starks strongest protection. And nat or Clint if possible.” She hated asking for so much. She didn’t deserve it. But she would feel safer. “I know you wouldn’t want steve around.” She added and sighed, turning away to run a hand through her hair.

“You got to see my eyes finally huh?” She asked, wanting to lighten the mood in any way possible.

“They’re already rounding up the best protection out there, and I’m sure Clint and Natasha will be more than happy to watch over you as well.” Bucky poke calmly, giving her space for the time being. “And you know I won’t let that asshole anywhere near you, even if I need to bring Steve in.” 

——

“I’m sorry from pulling you from Laura.”

“She understands. She knows how much you mean to us. She’ll be fine.” Clint reassured the wingless woman. Elena swallowed, looking out the car window. They were going to some small house in the middle of nowhere, New Zealand actually. She had always wanted to go, but not in this case.

She shifted uncomfortably again. “Your back again?” Elena looked at Clint before nodding and sighing. “We need to check that out as soon as we get there.” She nodded and looked back toward the window. Bucky and Nat were in the car ahead, scoping out the house once they got there.

She looked up once able to leave the car and meet with Bucky. “Home sweet home.” She said softly to his, taking his hand in hers and taking s breath. Now or never. She turned toward the house, before something clicked.

And the house blew into fire and ash.

aceofstarks:

“C’mon, El, you know me. There’s lots of things way more fun than that. Deeper massage first, then maybe we’ll get to the fun stuff. No more kids.” Tony stroked his hands down her sides, then guided her to lay down on the bed and grabbed some of her lotion to spread over her back as he worked his fingers deeper into her muscles.

Elena hummed, eyes closed tightly as she laid there, feeling his fingers work tired muscles to relax. Holding a baby, feeding, changing. All of that was hard work and she was tired. She moaned softly. “Magic fingers exist.” She said softly, letting her body relax.

aceofstarks:

“C’mon, El, you know me. There’s lots of things way more fun than that. Deeper massage first, then maybe we’ll get to the fun stuff. No more kids.” Tony stroked his hands down her sides, then guided her to lay down on the bed and grabbed some of her lotion to spread over her back as he worked his fingers deeper into her muscles.

Elena hummed, eyes closed tightly as she laid there, feeling his fingers work tired muscles to relax. Holding a baby, feeding, changing. All of that was hard work and she was tired. She moaned softly. “Magic fingers exist.” She said softly, letting her body relax.

Elena looked up at Bucky when he told her to calm down. She swallowed, not wanting to go through this. She couldn’t go through it again. Not like that. She felt his lips brush against her forehead as she took a few breaths, trying to calm down.

“A safe house?” Define safe house. She didn’t want to know. “I will not put anyone in danger…..but I don’t want to be put somewhere where I feel imprisoned bucky. I can’t go back to that.” She said, before moving to wrap her arms around his waist. She was scared, and that hadn’t happened in a while.

“I know honey,” Bucky said with a faint sigh, kissing her forehead. “I don’t want that for either of us honestly, but he may know where we live. I can’t say we’re safe here. But… we could put some protections up I suppose. Have some agents hang out in the building.”

“But I want Starks strongest protection. And nat or Clint if possible.” She hated asking for so much. She didn’t deserve it. But she would feel safer. “I know you wouldn’t want steve around.” She added and sighed, turning away to run a hand through her hair.

aceofstarks:

“C’mon, El, you know me. There’s lots of things way more fun than that. Deeper massage first, then maybe we’ll get to the fun stuff. No more kids.” Tony stroked his hands down her sides, then guided her to lay down on the bed and grabbed some of her lotion to spread over her back as he worked his fingers deeper into her muscles.

Elena hummed, eyes closed tightly as she laid there, feeling his fingers work tired muscles to relax. Holding a baby, feeding, changing. All of that was hard work and she was tired. She moaned softly. “Magic fingers exist.” She said softly, letting her body relax.

She hadn’t wanted to hear that. She assumed but it didn’t make it any better hearing it. She looked down at their hands before looking back up at him.

“I thought it was a fluke when I sensed it, my powers hadn’t worked in years. I shoved them down so I didn’t have to think about them after losing my wings. But they just started working now that he’s out?” She swallowed thickly. When she lost her wings, she lost her powers, or so she thought.

“And with my anxiety running rampant. …what if I hurt you bucky? I can’t hurt you or anyone and you can’t afford to stay away from your job and we can’t afford this and….” she had to take a breathe.

“What are we gonna do?”

Bucky reached up to caress her cheek as she spoke. He couldn’t even imagine what she must be feeling and thinking, how overwhelming it all had to be. He leaned in close, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. “First off, take a couple deep breaths, alright? Right now you’re safe. I am not letting anything happen to you, Elena.” Bucky gave her a few seconds to calm herself the best she could, still expecting her to be rattled. 

aceofstarks:

“C’mon, El, you know me. There’s lots of things way more fun than that. Deeper massage first, then maybe we’ll get to the fun stuff. No more kids.” Tony stroked his hands down her sides, then guided her to lay down on the bed and grabbed some of her lotion to spread over her back as he worked his fingers deeper into her muscles.

Elena hummed, eyes closed tightly as she laid there, feeling his fingers work tired muscles to relax. Holding a baby, feeding, changing. All of that was hard work and she was tired. She moaned softly. “Magic fingers exist.” She said softly, letting her body relax.

aceofstarks:

He smiled too, then pulled away after a long and comfortable few seconds. “See? You’re proving my point, now. Amazing. You wanna lay down and let me get a little deeper, or do something else?”

She couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Tony!” She giggled, kissing his cheek. “These are the reasons Im the mother to your son. But surprise me? I just don’t want anymore kids right now? Don’t think my body could take it right now.” She said with a smile.

She leaned against the doorway, clad in one of his old shirts covering her body. “Well I would hope so.” She spoke softly, giving a small smile that quickly disappeared. She hated seeing him like this. Hated seeing home worried.

“W-what did she say?” She asked, wanting to know the news. She pushed her hair from her face as she took a few steps into the room, watching him as he messed with the rifle. She didn’t want to know, but in reality, she had to know what was going on.

“I thought it was a fluke when I sensed it, my powers hadn’t worked in years. I shoved them down so I didn’t have to think about them after losing my wings. But they just started working now that he’s out?” She swallowed thickly. When she lost her wings, she lost her powers, or so she thought.

“And with my anxiety running rampant. ...what if I hurt you bucky? I can’t hurt you or anyone and you can’t afford to stay away from your job and we can’t afford this and....” she had to take a breathe.

aceofstarks:

“It’s always true.” Even if she didn’t believe it, Tony thought that it was important she heard it. He smiled softly at her when she turned, then cupped her cheek and kissed her. “Beautiful. And just generally amazing.”

She grinned, looking up at him as he cupped her cheek. She laid her hands over his cheeks, the towel dropping from her hands and onto the bed around her. She kissed him softly, smiling against his lips for a moment.