A MOMENT OF CLARITY

The lights above them blared red, sirens screaming at them. Ileana knew that these meant something was severely wrong, and if she asked about it she knew her question would be blown off, or not acknowledged. She was the woman who killed one of their own, they had no reason to treat her fairly. 

So she puffed next to Tony as they raced closer to the crashing sounds and the screams. A faint mechanic whirring could be heard, and it took all of her strength not to stop in her tracks. Tony wanted her to speak to Bucky, but what if he wasn't the person she knew? What if it was the other side of Bucky she feared, the side of him that she sometimes glimpsed at during the nights, when his nightmare induced dreams attacked him? She refused to believe that they would let an amateur go near the super solider, a notorious assassin known for at least one hundred deaths. 

How wrong she was. Tony beside her seemed unaffected by their fast pace, pushing his legs to go faster when a piercing shriek invaded their ears. A bead of sweat formed on his forehead, but she was convinced that it wasn't the strenuous exercise that caused the perspiration - it was the thought of what challenge lay ahead of them. 

Then it all went quiet. 

Their heavy footfalls were all that was to be heard, feet slapping the ground mercilessly. Her arms pumped ferociously at her sides, propelling her further than she thought her body could ever travel. Tony cast a nervous glance at the still blood stained woman by his side, his resolve crumbling. He'd feel much more confident with a trained professional at his side; he knew none of them had a chance of bringing Bucky back. She knew him, she had to be able to bring him back. 

If not, everyone in the compound was compromised. 

As they neared the entrance, Tony turned to Ileana, gripping her arm. "You see him, you try talk to him. He starts going haywire, run. No matter what happens, you run. Do you understand?" 

Ileana faintly nodded, thinking back to when Bucky said something similar. It was ironic that it was now a S.H.I.E.L.D member telling her to run from her only friend. If that's what he was - she didn't know anymore. Tony sighed, satisfied with her reply, muttering under his breath. "I'm going to regret this later." 

Without much more thought, Tony grabbed a hold of his watch, pressing a button hidden within it. Before her eyes, the watch transformed into one of Iron Man's repulsors, the metal entrapping his arm within a matter of seconds. She stood in awe, marvelling at his technology when he purposely nodded his head in the direction of the commotion. 

"Knock 'em dead. I'm right behind you if this goes to Shit City." 

Again, unable to do much else, she nodded without conviction. Her body was trembling, and she couldn't stay standing still in one place. She needed to keep moving, and her feet dragged her to where she heard the shattering crash. 

She hadn't been prepared for the sight in front of her. Her friend, the one who went without food for days to make sure she ate something, snatched at an agent. His face was blank as he carelessly tossed the agent across the room, not even looking back at the limp body. This was what she was afraid to see. 

Hands shaking, she moved to the centre of the room. Glass crunched under her feet, and she winced with each sharp sound. Bucky's head snapped towards her, taking in her frail figure and staring at her. Taking a shuddering breath, she raised her empty hands, letting them weave through the air. 

"Hey Bucky." She signed, a smile being pasted on her face. "Are you okay?" 

His eyes followed her hands movements, his entire body tensing. "My names not Bucky." 

A shiver rode down her spine. His voice was so cold, so devoid of emotion. It wasn't anything she'd heard before, even when he woke up pale faced from a nightmare. She had always been awake when he jolted awake, the mattress in the corner of the room being too soft for her liking despite springs poking out of it. He didn't need to ask her to comfort him, she just moved to him silently and sat with him. 

Actions spoke louder than words, and he heard her loud and clear. 

Seeing him there, like that, she felt as though she was staring at a stranger. He could've been a passerby on the street, and she wouldn't have recognised him. Honestly, she'd have been intimidated by his hulking stature. 

Instead of panicking, she took a step backwards. It sent an odd wave of relief through her. She had more time to run. This newfound feeling encouraged her hands to string another sentence together. "Your name is James Buchanan Barnes. You lived in Brooklyn. You enjoy plums. You have friends. You are loved." 

His gaze became distant, and hope flowered within her. She allowed herself a second of euphoria - she had gotten through to her friend. Her joy was half lived, when a foreign fury controlled his face. He began walking towards her, strides increasing in length. As though he couldn't wait to destroy her. 

Panic returned to her body, and she took another few steps back, never taking her eyes off of him. Not wanting to take her eyes off of him, and have him kill her without her seeing his face one last time. More glass crunched under her foot, the sound cutting into the silence. This time, she didn't wince, thankful for at least one noise to calm her nerves. 

He got closer, and Ileana's breathing quickened. Where was Tony? He swore that he would help her, he promised. She wasn't surprised though, she did kill that man, what did he owe her? He probably thought it was the perfect time to have her gone. 

Her chest tightened. He was close enough for her to touch, and she'd run out of space to run. He'd trapped her against the wall, and all she could do was stare pleadingly into his eyes. She couldn't even shout out for help. She couldn't do anything to prevent the inevitable. 

She felt it before she saw it. Her face lit up in pain, head snapping to the side with such speed she was surprised her neck hadn't broken in the process. She gasped, glancing up in time to see a clenched metal fist ploughing towards her face again. His hand collided with her nose, cracking the bones and encouraging the blood to rush out. It dripped ruthlessly down, caressing her lips and soaking her chin. Her hiss of pain couldn't be hidden as his hand blurred towards her face again, smacking her head against the wall. Her sight blurred, dark spots appearing when his hand raised again. Weak, she collapsed to the ground.

Ileana mustered the energy to lift her hands high enough for him to see. They weakly formed three words that she knew Bucky would need when he was sane again. 

"I forgive you." 

His fist relaxed, fingers splaying open. His gaze softened at the sight of her beaten face, and his mouth opened to utter something when the sound of a repulsor charging filled their ears. Instantly, the care was wiped from his face. Ileana's heart fell. Tony Stark had horrific timing. 

He stood behind Bucky, repulsor held high. Tony aimed it at his back, the normally crippling power only making the Winter Soldier stumble. A fleeting look of horror crossed Tony's face, him composing himself as the mighty soldier spun around. Without time to prepare himself, Bucky threw a punch at Tony, flipping him halfway across the room. He let out a small cry, a grunt passing his lips as his body crumbled to the ground. 

"Well that's not fair." He mumbled, clambering to his feet. The Winter Soldier casually strolled over to him, Ileana forgotten as she lay moaning against the wall. Tony appeared to be calm and collected, raising his arm again and blasting Bucky with his repulsor. This time it did more damage, sending Bucky careening backwards. Triumph overtook Tony's features. 

Until Bucky managed to lift him off the floor. He held him firm against the wall, pinning him there. Uncaring, Bucky placed his hands at Tony's neck and squeezed. 

Ileana's eyes fluttered open, the sound of Tony flailing instantly attacking her ears. She quickly sobered, clambering to her feet drunkenly. She needed to stop Bucky before he did anything else. Before he made more regrets.

The agent Bucky was fighting when she entered was still crumpled against the wall. Their gun had been thrown from their hand, and it was in that moment she made a decision. Leaping for the gun, she crouched and aimed, closing one of her eyes to get a better shot. She prayed that her shot would only hit her target and not kill him, but she knew that if she didn't do this Tony would die. And Bucky would hate himself. Even if he had forgotten her and left her behind, she still cared for him. She still wanted to salvage what friendship they had left. 

She pulled the trigger. 

A bang echoed throughout the room. The gun kicked back in her hands, her palms stinging. It fell to the ground at the same time Tony did, gasping and clawing at his throat. The breath caught in Ileana's throat as Bucky slowly raised his hand to his shoulder, poking at the bleeding hole pumping crimson life. He checked his hand, staring at the colour staining his hands. 

Ileana couldn't breathe. 

Her eyes connected with Tony, his eyes wide and red. Run, he mouthed. Run. 

She really should've listened to him. 

The Winter Soldier didn't even need to turn around to hurl the wood at her. She was knocked out before she even hit the ground.