Chapter Text
Philomena Aldrich decided that it was time for a day of relaxation. Since her consecutive massive breaks she would like to reward herself, spa day, maybe the cinema or musical. Overall she just needs a day off. This private day was interrupted by the infamous Brynne Halle. Bringer of misfortune for Meena decided that this day will be a public event. That is how Philomena ended up in her apartment with five other people.
Brynne had decided that her work wife needed to socialise. Meena had a habit of disappearing once the job was done, so no one ever actually got to know the reporter properly. That was not to say that she didn't have any friends. In fact, Miss Aldrich was indeed quite popular. Amazing reporter with an enjoyable personality, to her annoyance – she was a magnet to people. As a result of this 4 others in the same department decided to take a ‘sick day’ in the hopes of tormenting hanging out with Philomena. That definitely pissed of their boss. Although Meena was annoyed that her private day was interrupted, she was enjoying herself... and self indulging. Of course they couldn't just storm into her sanctuary without some 'peace offerings'. So that is how the group have been watching Disney movies for the past 4 hours whilst devouring cakes and snacks alike.
“Let’s play ‘Truth or Dare’ now, it will be fun.” Jess – the columnist – suggested.
“Yes, yes, yessss. Jess that is such a good idea, why didn’t I think of that!” Brynne said excitedly, “Okay Meena, truth or da...”
“Okay 1 – I never agreed to this, and 2 – why am I going first?”
“It’s your house and you have the most secrets, c’mon it’ll be fun.” Due to the peer pressure of her friends, Philomena gave into their demands and began to play along. Of course she only picked dares – she had secrets to keep – which allowed everyone to discover that she can balance on 6 drink cans, seemingly with ease. This game continued far longer than anyone expected with many new things being learnt such as Miss Brynne Halle having a secret older brother. Overall this game wasn’t such a bad idea. Until...
“You’re dating Bucky Barnes aren’t you.” Brynne said abruptly to Philomena. This turned everyone’s head immediately.
“Excuse me?” Meena replied, her only reply she could think of at that moment.
“I mean you have to answer truthully, its truth or dare of course.”
“I didn’t even pick”
“You always pick dare, time to spice things up.”
“Then no I’m not”
“You’re lying.”
“After forcibly making me answer truth, you then say I’m lying?”
“Well you are a pretty good liar.”
“And I have evidence” Miss Halle said triumphantly.
“What evidence?” Miss Aldrich questioned, with true intention in fact, since she hates when people have information over her.
“I mean you two were getting so chummy when we here together, and he was so worried about you too.”
“For starters, he hates my guts. Not sure why cause y’know I’m great, but he does. Plus he’s faaarrr too annoying for me, and broods too much. I have my tastes.” But before Meena could list her many tastes there was a ring on the doorbell.
“Now who the fuck is that!”
– – – – ※ – – – –
James Buchanan Barnes was seemingly out of it. After of going on countless of missions throughout the week, the soldier was at his wits end. He and the rest of the *Thunderbolts have been going on countless missions over the past week – with zero rest. This was likely what made them sloppy. This was likely why he has 3 gaping holes in has abdomen and another in his arm.
Unlike the usual, this mission was not routine, first red flag. They were sent into a hidden covert operation with heavily armed personnel, next red flag, Oh how he felt so stupid looking back now, knowing it was a bad idea he would never of let them go, never gone himself. Alas they went in, and in fact it wasnt going terrible. They were following the plan exactly. Until they met unaccounted for sensors. Then you could say all hell broke loose
Bullets were flying everywhere with no open window to fire back, not to mention that everyone was spread all over the place. This was not looking good for them not in the slightest. Oh how Bucky is gonna have a word with Valentina about sending them into death traps.
“Is everyone good!” Someone shouted over the comms, a woman’s voice, Ava’s maybe. To be honest it was kinda hard to tell over the repeated fired shots.
“Fine, ish. We ain’t staying right?” That was John Walker, an annoying voice truly recognisable.
“We cannot go, not yet. We must finish the mission for the GLORY!” Alexei voiced boomed through the comms. Horrible feedback echoed throughout his ears.
“Aha, no. We are NOT staying. But where are we meeting up?” Yelena responded, with the question seemingly been directed at Bucky.
“Not here, everyone got an exit?” He asked with a reply of affirmative grunts and noises.
“Alright,” Bucky began, “We all get out of here and we can make our way back to the tower. With that, the team quickly got to work of escaping when Barnes noticed the main reason they were there. These people were testing out different reactors for something big, yet no one knew what. Of course it was right in the area where bullets were flying. But he’s a super soldier, he should be fine – right.
He was in fact not fine. Yes he was able to clear it with the reactor but that led to the hot red ooze of blood seeping out of him. Well seeping is an understatement, more like flowing. Bucky was grunting in pain as he hobbled out the building. Luckily for a reason unbeknownst to him, there was no guards ready to shoot him point blank and as if the universe was apologising for his situation, some idiot left his keys in the bike allowing for Bucky to hop on (more like indistinguishably climb on) and drive away. He knew that there was no way that he would be able to reach the tower in this state. He was bleeding out of course. There was a hospital. No...... Not there. He remembered a place, she wouldn't be happy though.
Bucky reached her place. In itself it’s an odd situation, she lived in an apartment complex, but it was right at the top which happened to be an entire house. Rich people problems. Alas his problem occurs how he needs to climb multiple flights of stairs. Well he can only begin with one foot in front of the other. As Bucky traversed up the stairs, quite slowly, he got a multitude of mummers and whispers about him as he kept pulling himself up using the railing. Someone even said that they could take him to the hospital. That was greeted with a very distasteful no. People couldn't recognise the old war hero as his hood was covering most of his features, and the blood pooling out of him. By the time he reached her door, Bucky was feeling far too dizzy to even stand and he was cold. Bad sign. With the failing strength he still had he rang the doorbell. He could the increasing sound of a hurried voice,
“ I SWEAR, if you’re asking me to join your STUPID cult again, I’ll knock your teeth out!” With that the door swung open for Bucky to see her: Philomena Montana Aldrich.
“I..I..I wont bo..ther you, just need to sort my sh..it ou..” But before Bucky could finish his sentence, Meena interrupted him,
“You remember where the kitchen is right? Under the sink right at the back there is a med-kit you can use. I have people over so give me a minute to get them out.” Bucky was only able to nod before using the wall to guide him over to the kitchen. By the time he got there his vision was getting blurry. He sank against the door frame unable to hold himself up. He tried to pick himself up and walk over to the sink but ended up collapsing and taking all the drying dishes down with him. He propped himself up with is back to the cabinets. At that point he was too tired to move too tired to find the medkit. Bucky just wanted close his eyes, he knows he shouldn’t. Yet he did.
– – – – ※ – – – –
“You remember where the kitchen is right? Under the sink right at the back there is a med-kit you can use. I have people over so give me a minute to get them out.” Meena said, quite worriedly in fact. The only reason that Bucky was able to make it to her door was the super soldier serum yet its usefulness is running out in this situation. But times wasting with her just thinking. As the soldier was out of eyesight, Philomena hurried back to her friends,
“Sorry guys, something has come up and you gotta go like now. Please don’t argue, it wont work.” That final statement closed up everyones gaping mouths who were about to try argue their inevitable fate. There were far too many goodbyes, especially as they’ll all see each other the next time they go to work. The last to leave was Brynne, obviously.
“You sure you don’t need me?” Brynne said with a pouty expression.
“I’m fine, something just came up, now leave I’m not giving you any more free food.” Meena chuckled pushing her friend out the door. Just then they both turned to a crash coming from the kitchen.
“What was that?”
“Nothing you need to worry about, you know how I like to stack my dishes like jenga.”
“Alright, alright fine. Call me if you need.” Brynne replied followed by an air kiss
“Of course, see you soon.” Also followed by an air kiss, Philomena smiled and closed the door, finally having an empty house. Yet it was not empty was it.
As soon as Philomena was able to catch her breathe, she ran to her kitchen. She got her friends out much quicker than expected so her ‘situation’ shouldn’t be too much of a problem. How wrong she was. By the time she reached the kitchen Miss Aldrich saw a horrid sight: James Buchanan Barnes sitting in a pool of his blood, flooding her kitchen, on the brink of death. And his eyes were closed – why would he close his eyes. The reporter ran to the dying man trying to wake him up.
“James, James, hey Ja- BUCKY WAKE UP!” With that exclamation the soldier began to stir but his eyes were muted and glassy with his beautiful blue eyes becoming muddy and dull.
“Hey” Bucky said so sluggishly it physically hurt.
“Hey, what do you mean hey, you could’ve been dead and I would have a murder charge, and the first thing you say is hey. Now let me get the medkit.” She then realised how her hands are seemingly glued to his gunshot wounds.
“Okay, I need you to hold, hard alright.” Meena said in a soft tone. Bucky nodded and weakly put his hand over the gaping wound. When he did, Meena seemingly ripped open the cabinet under the fridge next to them and starting rummaging for the bright red bag that should live there.
“Now where is it. Come on it should be here, yes found it.” With that, Meena pulled herself out almost hitting her head only to greet herself with the sight of Bucky slipping from this reality, with his hand not applying any pressure – not like it really was to begin with – and it only lying in his lap. The journalist got to work in trying to stop the bleeding, wrapping him with gauze giving her just enough time to move him off her kitchen floor into a close by bedroom.
With every shuddered breath and trickle of blood from the already saturated gauze, Meena was able to get Bucky onto the bed. As she was about to run to get the medkit again, a wet hand grabbed her wrist.
“Do...don’t go.” Bucky whimpered followed by a horrid wet cough. Meena returned to his side. His entire body had broken out into a cold sweat, with his skin so clammy and pale.
“I’m not leaving don’t worry,” She said as she held his hand luckily with him holding back tightly,
“Just going to get stuff to patch you up alright.” With that Meena slowly slid his hand out of hers and laid it down before running to get what is needed.
When Philomena returned, she worked at a speed not seen by others. Miss Aldrich began to cut open everything on Bucky’s torso, clothes and gauze and all to reach his skin. This was painted with the dark blood swirled like a Van Gogh painting. From there she was able to take out the remaining bullets ridden in the hero. She then had to go through the hard part of cutting the dead skin. This made him scream. He screamed in such an ear splitting way that Meena worried her neighbours would come knocking on her door. Luckily she was able to finish quickly so none of them had to suffer.
Philomena had been working for hours to keep Bucky alive, so it ended up being around 1 in the morning. She then noticed how weak his breath was. This wasn’t right, he’s a super soldier, he should be clotting at least by now. Meena went back to his bedside and slowly tried to awake him,
“James, can you wake up for me... Please.” With such a ting to her voice you could almost think that she was pleading, was she pleading? Before the reporter could explore that thought any further Bucky interrupted,
“Yeah,” with a weak croak, “you’re really pretty d’know tha..” With this declaration being interrupted by another round of strong wet coughs which lead him to throwing blood... Again. Meena had him sit up slightly and ended up stroking his hair as he still continued to breathe raggedly and fell back asleep. Shit. At this rate he wont make it to morning. He can barely breathe and he’s delirious too. Him calling her pretty. It would be kinda bad to hold that over a dead person so Meena needs to figure this out.
Philomena Aldrich was stuck between a rock and a hard place. For someone accelerated healing, no progress was being made.
“Shit, what is going on, he’s still bleeding, he’s not healing, why won’t they just ... Clot.” Clotting. With this revelation, Meena hurried to where she kept the bullets she’d taken out. She finally had a chance to get a good look at them. Purple blood. With that the reporter definitely knew what was going on and how to fix it. Philomena raced to her closet to get what she needed, to save him. Just as she almost tripped down her stairs and slipped on her floor, Meena got to the room where Bucky was lying. And he was doing just that, only that.
“James.” With no response, she ran dropping everything that wasn't necessary. Climbing onto him, checking his pulse – none, starting CPR,
“C’mon James, you’re not leaving just yet.” After 3 rounds of CPR, Bucky finally took a gasp for air. With that window Meena injected him with something, and before you knew it Bucky’s wounds began to do exactly what they were meant to do. With that she was able to finally slump to the other side of the bed.
– – – – ※ – – – –
James Buchanan Barnes slowly opened his eyes. He felt unreasonably groggy but at least he was able to keep a coherent thought. He looked over to his flesh arm to himself connected to both an IV and, blood? Bucky began to slowly sit up before hearing a voice echo from another room,
“Don’t try, I don't want to repair any rips do hear me.” With Philomena walking into the room. Bucky couldn't help but feel like shit. As Meena’s clothes were adorned with his dried blood.
“I’m sorry.” Bucky began,
“Don’t. There’s no need.”
“I’ve should’ve gone to a hospital.”
“You really shouldn’t have, you would have never made it there. Really I should be thanking you got my friends out.” Meena ended with a chuckle. Bucky could see through it though. Not tired, just, drained. With that Bucky (in spite of himself) began to pat the empty side of the bed.
“Excuse me?” The journalist said.
“Come lie down,” Bucky asked calmly, on the inside he was the complete opposite of calm.
“I’m not tired.”
“Don’t care.”
“I really shouldn’t”
“Just... Come.” Bucky said strangely adamantly.
With that Meena gave a large exhale and walked over to the empty side of the bed and climbed in. Bucky gently pulled her closer to him with his vibranium arm – this gave them both a blush.
“Hope I didn’t give you too much of a scare.” Bucky began after they both have settled.
“Nah, not too much.” Meena chuckled. Bucky new she had to be lying but there was no indication that she was. Odd.
“Your heart is so fast” the reporter commented, “Much better than when your heart stopped.” This turned the soldier’s head. To Bucky it looked like she barely registered what she said.
“Philomena,” Bucky said whilst grunting as he turned onto his side to truly look at her, “Are you okay, this is something that you should have never been put through, I, should have never put you through.” Meena lifted his chin as he ended up talking to the mattress to her eye level. Her eyes were not as dark as he remembered, the brown was diluted with a tinge of grey.
“James listen to me when I say, I am fine. Plus the CPR I did on you was light work, there was a time I had to do it for an hour straight.” Meena explained, however Bucky’s face perked up in childlike wonder.
“But that is not a story to be broken down tonight.” Philomena said quickly, closing the door to that idea.
They both laid there in silence, listening to each other breathe, until Bucky asked,
“How did you have all of ‘these’ things?” While he lifted up is other arm with multiple things injected into it.
“My father was a rich man, a rich man who did many things before having me. That led him to being paranoid, and prepare for everything. That of course passed down to me.” Philomena answered. Both had their eyes slowly drift away, to each others lips.
“Philomena,” Bucky started as breathed heavily, not due to any difficulty, “Thank you. For ... everything.”
“You’re,” but before she could finish her reply Bucky gravitated onto her lips, a kiss, soft, yet defining.
“One time.” They both said in union. After the consensus it was Meena that came crashing down onto Bucky with that one soft kiss developing into something far more.
– – – – ※ – – – –
By the time Bucky awoke again, the sun had arisen to its rightful place, and he was seemingly no longer bound to the confinements of the bed. With this he saw at the edge of the bed that there were some clothes at the edge of the bed for him. Figures, the ones her were wearing before were trashed and covered in blood.
After he got dressed and left his room, Bucky saw Miss Aldrich to already be fully dressed in a fancy blouse and tailored trousers.
“C’mon, I’m going to drop you off at that cafe near the tower where the team can pick you up.” Meena said while putting on her shoes.
“Can’t you just drop me back at the tower, and why are you dressed like that?”
“Well do you want to experience the nuisance of people’s imaginations, plus when was it a crime to look nice.” She rebutted as if the events of the last night never happened. Then again it was only once.
“Now hurry up.”
As the pair the two of them reached the cafe, Meena parked her car off to the side. She then went to grab Bucky’s phone out of his pocket. Bucky raised his eyebrow as he said,
“What now?” In a rather bothered tone.
“Putting my number in, incase you need to get to me. You won’t always get lucky like that.” Philomena explained.
“And I didn’t even need to ask.” The hero smugly joked. With a scoff Philomena said,
“Well you can get your head out the gutter and you can get out of my car.” With that the passenger door of the car popped open. Bucky rolled his eyes and exited the car silently.
“Oi you know you owe me.” The reporter shouted with the only response from the soldier was a a hand thrown up as a lame excuse for a wave without looking back. With that she took an annoyed sigh, closed the door and driving off. The slight smirk that was on Bucky’s lips were quickly washed away as he got closer to the cafe, as he was greeted by his team. The time he did decide to look back to her, she had already gone.
James Buchanan Barnes was finally resting in his own room after the worried tones from the rest of his teamates as they were able to get back together relatively unscathed and him having a stern talking to with Valentina about giving then mission where ‘they actually know shit’. He ended up scrolling on his phone to catch up on anything he missed. That was a lie. He was looking for something, or someone. But no matter how much he scoured the internet, he couldn’t find it.
“Guess she really wanted that day off.”