Ardent || MCU

Chapter Nineteen

*dream*

Louise stood in the bar alone, the same one from before, remembering her dance with Bucky.

Bucky.

James. James.

Bucky stood in a dark blue suit, his coat opened to show a black vest and blue striped tie. His body leaning against the empty doorway, his light eyes watching Louise, her body swaying softly in a very light blue tea dress. He takes a few strides to meet her, her light eyes moving around aimlessly as he approaches.

"Doll?" She hears quietly behind her, Louise's body turning to face Bucky. She gives him a wide unaltered smile, the same one she had given almost everyday of their lives.

"James." She responds and he takes a step towards her, her own eyes scanning over his suit and over his slicked back dark hair.

"May I have this dance?" He asks, holding a hand out, that she instantly takes. He begins to sway them, holding her close as a song suddenly fills the empty air. Her head turns to find the sound playing in her ears, her mind quickly forgetting the thought and setting her head onto his shoulder.

'I'll be seeing you

In every lovely summer's day

In every thing that's light and gay

I'll always think of you that way'

The music plays in the background, letting them savor each other's touch, letting them sway in peace and comfort. She lets him, twirl her once, giggling at his smile and going back to swaying.

"I love you, Bucky. I always have." She whispers, remembering she missed her chance to tell him earlier. He kisses her temple, taking a step back after a minute of bliss.

"Buck..." Louise speaks, her words soft as Bucky took a few steps back. The bar atmosphere disappearing as a black void surrounded them. He gives her a small smile before looking at the floorless ground.

"I love y-" His screams fill her mind, his words, voice, disappearing as she watched him fall into a snowy pit right where he had stood. Hundreds of feet below her he lands, his being missing from sight as she had fallen to her knees. Tears having heavily fallen as she cried out his name at the edge of the void before the pit. She breaks down easily, feeling heartbreak and emptiness shroud her as the void.

-

Louise lays atop a bar counter, rubble from war bombing being of what was once the last bar Steve, Peggy, the Commandos, Bucky...... were once in. The sky was a dull dark grey; burnt wooden beams were what was left of the roof, ash and dust covering everything, even some buildings near and far in the same situation. Her head aching from her slight recurring dream, a few things changing each time, but his death imminent in all.

Steve sat at a lone dusty table, a half empty bottle of bourbon on the table, a glass in his hand. Louise held her own bottle of whiskey, her right hand though hanging off the side as she laid back, her left arm covering her eyes. Her left sleeve hid the tears that could have fallen from her dream, keeping her cold composure in front of Steve.

A radio blurred the silence between the super soldier duo, a soft fuzzy voice filling the air with news of the city wide blackout in London. A crunching sound enters the air, catching the duo's attention, though only Steve looks back to see Peggy.

"Dr. Erskine said that... the serum wouldn't just affect my muscles, it would affect my cells. Create a protective system of regeneration and healing. Which means um...I can't get drunk. Did you know that?" Steve speaks up as he poured himself another glass, Peggy entering the rubbled area to sit on an empty chair across from him.

"Both of your metabolisms burn four times faster than the average person. He thought it could be one of the side effects." Peggy responds, glancing back at Louise who took a swig of her bottle before laying back down.

"It wasn't your fault." Peggy speaks after a second, referring to Bucky, to his death.

"Did you read the reports?" Steve retorts, only glancing up at her before back to his drink.

"Yes."

"Then you know that's not true." Steve adds on, and Louise can feel the guilt radiating from him that had tried to consume her thoughts. She groans quietly, feeling his emotions unfiltered and attacking her own emptiness.

"You did everything you could. Did you believe in your friend? Did you respect him?" Peggy says, Steve looks up and gives her nod as his confirming answer.

"Then stop blaming yourself. Allow Barnes the dignity of his choice. He damn well must have thought you were worth it." She continues, as Louise stays silent taking in her words.

"I'm goin' after Schmidt. I'm not gonna stop till all of H.Y.D.R.A. is dead or captured." Steve pursues as he gives Peggy a look meaning his seriousness, this statement making Louise sit up for the first time in hours.

"You won't be alone." She speaks up, catching their attention as Louise calmly dropped her bottle, shattering it on the ground. No liquid was seen on the ground, causing Steve to stare in slight worry.

"I'll be back." Steve tells Peggy as he stands to follow Louise out of the bar.

Louise walked down the gloomy, empty streets of London outside the bar. Her movements slow as her objective was to reach the base after nightfall.

"Louise." Steve says from behind her, trying to catch up with her for a few seconds before moving to stand before her. She pauses, no feelings, emotions driving her forward at the moment.

"You need to come back, or at least wait for Peggy to drive you back." He says as he holds his arms out, trying to keep her from moving.

"I'm fine, Steve. Now move, so I can return to base myself." She tries and stops as he blocks her.

"Just let us go back, so we can get a ride from Peggy. You're in no condition to be alone." Steve adds, and it makes Louise look up at him for the first time in a few hours.

"I am in a perfect condition, Steve. I have no ties, no resistance, nothing. I feel nothing at the moment, and it's a perfect time to be focused. So get out of my way, so I can begin my mission." Louise pushes against him, only making him move a few inches before he is back.

"No, you're wrong. Neither of us is in a good state of mind, but we can figure out a plan together. You've drank 5 bottles of who knows what, all of them basically full leftover bottles. I will help you back, just come with me." Steve replies and grabs her arms to drag her back.

"Let me go. I am leaving, no matter your want." She responds and pulls away easily, annoying Steve.

"No, come on. Don't lose your control or anything, let's just go back." He says and tries to maneuver her backwards.

"No!" Louise shouts, her mental power seeping into Steve's mind to control him. Making his body become limp and take a step back, Steve's own vigilance creeping back as he fought her power. Steve grunts as pain fills his head, regaining control of his mental state, Louise herself surprised as she had lightly used her gift against him.

"What was that?" Steve asks, holding his head in one hand as he felt the fear, grief, hate, the distrust manifesting from the glimpse Louise forced into his mind. Feeling the helplessness take over his thoughts and emotions as she took a step back to distance herself.

"Steve, I lose control. I lose control over almost everything, but not my guard against everything and everyone." Louise responds to his statement from earlier, wanting to leave after affecting him, attacking him, she thought.