Hallowed (B. Barnes)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Bucky wakes alone in bed, his fingers instantly seeking out Sydney but finds her side of the bed cold. He groans and rolls over to check. His fingers brushing over the sheets before they find a small note left for him. Bucky lifts it up so he can read it. 'Gone to pick up groceries. Back soon. xxx'. Bucky smiles to himself and stretches out in the bed before curling up again. He knows he has to get up, he won't go back to sleep without Sydney in the bed with him. He turns over and then climbs from the sheets, his feet touching the soft carpet. He still can't get over it sometimes. That he wakes up and he's not in some derelict apartment but in a much-loved apartment filled with his things, and Sydney's things and their shared things. The bedroom has photos of them together, from their travels, of them sitting together in the living room, with Alina and Mihaela. He smiles. Cause despite everything....he got a happy ending. He got the girl. A great girl. Someone that loves him. Someone he loves, completely. He runs his fingers through his hair as he heads towards the bathroom to shower for the day.

..........

Later: Bucky lounges on the couch, watching the tv play some old black and white movie. He's starting to worry about Sydney. She's been gone a while. A lot longer than it usually takes her to get groceries. He taps his fingers on the tv remote and sighs, trying not to think too much on it. He cocks his head a little when he hears the downstairs door open and close.

"Syd?" Bucky asks hearing her steps on the stairs, but there is something off about them. Something staggered. Slow. He stands from the couch and frowns at the door as it opens and Sydney stumbles into the apartment, her fingers gripping her shirt. She looks up at him and sees his frown. She lets out a small relieved breath before she collapses in front of him, Bucky's eyes widen and he hurries to her, blood seeping through her shirt. "Syd" He clutches her face, lifting her up slightly into his arms. She cries out in pain and grabs at his shoulder. He carries her towards their little kitchen area, swipes at the top of the dining table, clearing it of everything on the top of it before he sets her down onto the top of it. His fingers pry open her shirt to look at the wounds beneath. She's riddled with bullets. How she even made it home is beyond him. Her skin is bubbling around the entry wounds, her fingers grasping at his sleeve. He brushes her hair back from her face, smearing her blood across her cheek.

"Take them out" She begs. "You have to take them out...."

"I don't think that's going to help" his voice breaks as he admits this. She nods and swallows, her eyes fluttering.

"Please" she begs. "Please...help me" he nods and turns her face back towards him.

"Okay" he assures her, even though he knows the extent of her wounds would likely even kill him, let alone a human, and he knew, he knew this day would come, that someone would hurt her because of him.

............

Bucky finds Sydney's first aid kit in her bathroom and makes his way back to Sydney who is almost motionless on the table, he can see that she is breathing but she is having trouble. He honestly doesn't know how to help her here. He sets the kit next to a bowl of warm water and takes a breath. Her eyes watch him, pained and scared. He touches her cheek and tries to give her a reassuring smile but it comes out strained because he is scared too, absolutely terrified of what is going to happen. He needs her. He loves her. He can't lose her.

"Okay," he tells himself, steeling himself, as he pulls the tweezers from the kit and touches her skin around one of the bullet wounds. He gets to work. Pulling them from her, wiping away her blood, treating her as if this isn't going to kill her. Her fingers grasp weakly at the bottom of his jacket, holding to him, anchoring herself to him. One after another he takes the bullets out. Questioning why they are wooden and why her skin seems to burn with them, but he can't concentrate on that, he just needs to concentrate on saving her. When he is sure he has them all, he turns to the first aid kit and sorts through the bandages in the kit before turning back to her. But he finds his eyes staring at her skin. Because other than some blood, there is no sign of her ever having been shot. Bucky touches her skin where there should be bullet holes. "Sydney" He states and lifts his eyes to meet hers. She sighs and closes her eyes. Because how is she going to explain this to Bucky without telling him the truth. "What....what is this?" She sits up and opens her eyes. "What are you?" He counters.

"James" she whispers and lets out a breath.

"Why can you heal like that? Did they send you? Are you with them? Are...."

"I'm a vampire" She admits, interrupting him, he opens his mouth to say something but nothing comes out. He stares at her a moment before cocking his head.

"A vampire?" he asks her. "Like.....Dracula?" she nods and then shrugs. She knows that yes, basically, she is like Dracula, but the line between truth and myth are still a mystery to her too. She hasn't exactly had a tutor through this whole ordeal. Most of what she knows, she has discovered for herself.

"Yeah" she whispers. He lets out a shaky breath.

"I can't..." He steps back from her, her eyes flickering with hurt and rejection.

"James, please" she begs, he swallows slightly and looks away. "I'm sorry" she sniffles. "I'm sorry" he can't look at her. He can't. Because he knows he will cave if he sees her crying. Vampire or not, he still loved her. Loves her. But what is he supposed to do with this information?

"Why didn't you tell me?" he whispers, she rubs at her eyes.

"Would you have believed me?" She asks, he closes his eyes. No. He wouldn't have believed her.

"No" he voices and closes his eyes. "I can't...do this....I'm sorry" he whispers and walks away from her. Grabs his jacket from the back of the couch before leaving. Sydney closes her eyes and sinks to her knees, her arm around her middle as she cries.

..........

Bucky leans back against the closed front door and closes his eyes. He can't believe this. He knew she was keeping secrets, just as he is, but he never thought it would be this, he never even considered that sort of thing was real. She's dangerous. A monster. His heart stutters a little. Just like him. She's never hurt him though. Never raised a hand or....fang to him. All she's done is love him but he can't move past this, not yet. Not until the whole truth is out there. He has to tell her now. He has to tell her everything now. It's only fair. Despite how this truth came out, it has, she's been wholly honest with him. He needs to do the same if they are to keep going. No more lies.