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“The homework is due Monday.” Dr. Pierce finishes up as you snap your notebook shut, you grab your bag from the back of your chair, rushing to pack up for the basketball game you’ll be working tonight, when you hear your name. You turn around to see your step father behind you, “Yes Alexander?” He throws your most recent essay in your lap, “71 percent, 71 measly percent. Your mother has entrusted me to make sure that you make it through this degree, even with all of your *issues* and you cannot even get more than a ‘C’ on a paper for Political Science.” You go to defend yourself when Steve pipes up from across the room, “Come on Flame, we gotta go. Call is in twenty, and you know how Stark and Potts get if we are late.” Grabbing the push bars on your wheelchair you follow Steve out of the room, heading across campus to the college television station.
Brock re-enters the room after Rogers and Barnes exit with Flame. Joining Pierce at his desk, “Well what are we going to do about that?” Brock asks, motioning towards the trio moving across campus in the windows. “I am not sure, Rumlow, but I am sure that Rogers is protecting them from me.” Pierce slides an envelope across the desk, Rumlow picking it up, hearing the rattling of the contents. “It needs to be done soon. They are amassing too much, too much status, too much money, too much protection, Stark and Potts are petitioning against me with the Dean. I need them gone, and that is your job here.”
Bucky steps ahead of you and Steve, “Pierces’ lecture today sucked, huh Stevie?” Buck says, turning around to look at you. “Well Flame, when can we expect the next paper to be due since you know everything?” “Buck! Fuck if I know, you and I both know that he wouldn’t give me a leg up even if I was in the ICU in a coma.” You tease, passing the admin building. “Now move or get run over, you know the drill.” Activating the power assist on your chair, needing it for the slight uphill slope from the admin building to the student center where the cafeteria, gym, and broadcasting compound are housed. Steve catches the door for you. “We still have about 15 minutes until call, do you want to grab some lunch really quick? Today is going to be a long day behind the boards.” You nod, heading towards the cafeteria.
“Eeyyyyy, Flame, they have your favorite soup.” Bucky calls out across the room, while you scour the salad bar looking for something that actually sounds good with your nausea. “Yasssss,” you call out heading over to where they have the soup, making yourself a to-go bowl, grabbing a protein shake, and a sports drink. Between the soup, the drinks, and the IV fluids in your Port-a-cath today should be a good day. “So Steve, who do you think Pepper will have direct today- me or you? Everyone else is first years’, and it is championship weekend.” Steve thinks for a moment, “I am sure we will both have a chance. We have two games tonight, four games tomorrow, and the final game on Sunday afternoon, and we are the only two cleared for game directing. Besides, Stark will have Rhodey or Nate in the Control Studio all weekend, so I am sure that if you need a break you can get it. You know your accommodations mean you don’t need to be in the control room for every game.” You nod along, as he picks up his food, Bucky is behind him, everyone heading for checkout. After checking out you move out of the way, when Bucky grabs your drinks from your hand, zipping them in your bag in one fell swoop, Steve grabbing your soup and putting it on his to-go container. “Both of you knock it off, my hands work. I can put stuff away on my own.” You jibe at the pains’ in your ass. “But why would we let you do that when we can do it and make you all flustered.” Bucky teases back. “I’m gonna toss a freezer meal in that silly crockpot you bought Flame, you guys will want a home cooked meal. Brock and a few of the other guys from Criminal Law are coming over, so we can get ready for the test next week. But I am kicking them out, when you guys get home. Wanda and Nat are having a med study group in the basement and will be done at 9. Oh Doll, don't forget you need to get a home nurse out to do your weekly assessment tomorrow morning, before you leave for the games.” You roll your eyes, he is such a mother hen. “Yes Buck, I know. I already called Melyssa. She will be out at 8, so Stevie and I can leave for first call at 9.” You start rolling away before he can start worrying about how much time you are spending working this weekend, headed to the first of many games you’ll be working.
“Looks like you are up first, Flame.'' Steve says looking at the call sheet, seeing what first years have been assigned to us for today. The two of you being the only upperclassmen in the program, after 90 percent of the program failed out in your second year, all because of a drug test. Pepper and Tony have strict rules for the students who represent them in the community, one of them being a zero tolerance policy for drug use. The first years being the only reason that we can even run games and other station events. You eat your soup quickly and then, clean your hands to administer your afternoon nausea and routine medications through your IV; in your small office-like space that Pepper had set up for you when you first needed accommodations, taking an under used recording studio, adding a couch, desk, fridge, microwave, and station, where you could store foods, and supplies. Steve laying out on the couch, eating his burger and fries, “Steve if you get fry sauce on my couch I will murder you after this weekend is over!'' You warn in jest, you and all your friends hang out in this room when you are in this building, allowing you the space to stretch out, get out of your wheelchair in a controlled environment, do homework in quiet and have a safe and sterile station to take care of any medical needs. He laughs at your statement. “You know I would never spill in here. Pepper would kill me and take away my access pass. Hey out of curiosity, what did you get on your Poly Sci essay?” “A 71, he seemed pissed, I am going to look at it and see the justification. What did you get?” You respond, cracking open your drink. “I got a 92. What is his issue? You literally worked your ass off on that essay, you had more research than me or Buck, and it was well within the word limit. Why does your stepfather hate you?” Chuckling, you retorted. “You know why he hates me Cap,” teasing at his on-air persona, “I am my mothers child, and he only married her for the money. The only reason I decided to go to school here is this Journalism program, otherwise I would have gotten the hell outta dodge, my mom doesn’t care if I go here or not, it is well under the budget that I’ve been allotted for schooling. And he is the only one who teaches Poly Sci, so it’s not like I can just drop the class and get a different professor next semester, and we have to have it to graduate, so I will take the C, we all know I am pulling straight A’s in my other classes.” He nods, the alarm on your phone going off, warning you that it is time to meet the rest of the crew and go over your expectations for this game. You join the crew in the call room, not noticing Steve checking his phone - a text from Bucky.
Buck-I am going to surprise them with flowers tonight, if they need to leave early let me know.- Steve-wait what?!?!? Pierce said months ago, that anyone being with Flame, and they would be cut off by their mom.-
Buck- well about that, Flames’ mom was at the tower just now dropping off some paperwork and asked about why Flame never talks about me, especially after everything with them getting diagnosed and all the shit that is happening now. And I told her what Pierce said, and get this- Flame was never in danger of being cut off.-
Steve -fucking asshole Pierce, making you stay away.Something about that smells fishy, he doesnt even like Flame. you heard him today right? -
Buck- yea. I did. also said that Pierce has been trying to get Flame to go out with Brock-
Steve- Fuck, keep him away from their room. I don’t like that. Brock is the campus asshole. Good luck. Flame will love it. I know they miss you.-
Finishing up assigning cameras, graphics, and studio support to the first years before you call out to Steve. “Alright, if you have any issues shoot a text to Cap here. He will be around to jump in as needed. Ms. Potts and Mr. Stark will be looking in on us today too, so let’s show them we deserve to be here. Game starts in 45, so go get set up.” You finish your speech, heading to the control studio with Steve and the crew needed for that room. The camera crews grab their gear and head to the Gym. Your phone buzzes, checking the messages. A few from your mom, but checking the one from Bucky.
Bucky-hey, if you need, let me know and I can come get you early if the second game is too much ☺️- Rolling your eyes at the text you fire back.
Flame- yes mother 🙄😉😂💕
A subtle hint that you know what you are doing, this is your 3rd semester of dealing with your health issues, and you have a pretty good system down. Christmas break of your freshman year, a virus that wouldn’t quit, your body becoming overtaxed and sending you into Autonomic Nervous System failure, a whole host of problems joining the group. You never knew that you had some underlying conditions prior to the virus that sent your whole body haywire, making the nervous system failure so easily attainable. Bucky never left your side all those months of trying to figure out why you were passing out 16 times a day and now, it seems like he can’t even look at you, apparently the wheelchair, daily IV Fluids, home nursing, and a short ticking clock of life, are making you unappealing, undateable. It took nearly a year to get all the diagnoses’ and then a few months later Bucky backed off, everything settling in. And now, 3 months later he only says something if he doesn’t hear Steve or Nat ask about it or talking about shallow things. Meals, classwork, and chores at the tower. Getting comfortable in the control studio, you put your phone away. Prepping for how the rest of the night is going to be, Nate as your technical director, you calling out the shots and him putting them up. “Alright folks, let’s do this. Ready camera 1.” a small pause “Take 1, lets get those score graphics up, take Graphics.” The rest of the game continues, you getting into the zone, proving why you are the best student director in the program. “Ready 3….. Take 3. Walker, I need you to focus, something is going on with your camera.” Your team wins 3 points ahead of the competition, sending you to the next round. “Ready logo, Take logo. Good job folks, you’ve got 45 minutes to eat and be in your assigned positions for the next game. Walker, come see me.”
You roll back from your spot at the desk, stretching your neck and popping your fingers, head pounding under the lights, nausea flaring. The studio empties as Walker comes in. “Hey John, what is going on? You were all over the place. You never do that when Cap is directing.” Walker rubs his hand down his face. “Ya know Flame, I am not quite sure that you are one to talk,” motioning to your chair, “you missed a few games this season.'' You stand, not willing to take this sitting down. “John, everyone has off days, but you were disrespecting me on the headsets, you cannot do that. Don’t let it happen again or I will be talking to Potts, and if you insinuate what I think you are saying again, I will go to the Dean and have you suspended up for discrimation.” John slams his hand to your chest, pushing you back in the chair, kicking your bag with the IV pump and supplies. “You will not be talking to anyone. I am more talented than you and I will not be taking orders from a worthless lump!” Walker storms out of the studio, knocking shoulders with Steve on his way out. Wiping the tears out of your eyes, Steve asks. “What is up with John, he seems a bit off today.” You shake your head, “I am not sure Steve, we can talk about it after this weekend is over. Wanna go get a drink?” Steve nods and you head to the cafe, making small talk about the game and the ones to follow. “What did you think Stevie? Did I do okay?” Your chest starts to ache, slowing down a little as the pain gets more aggressive by the second.
“That was really good Flame. I sat with Tony and Pepper for a little bit, and they were impressed. How are you feeling, how's your heart rate?” You continue down the hall vision going a little fuzzy. “Honestly Steve, I am pretty beat, but we still have another.” Your IV pump in your bag blaring, interrupting your sentence. An excuse to stick around and help through Steve’s game, even if just with tech support or chilling with Pepper, helping with tips for future games. You roll to the side of the hall, checking your port-a-cath in your chest, seeing the line filled with blood. Heart racing, black spots joining your fuzzy eyes. “Steve, help!” You murmur, attempting to grab the backpack off the back of your wheelchair. He brings the bag around to you, kneeling in front of you and placing a hand on your knee to ground you to him. The blaring of your IV pump stops as you stop the infusion, no pressure in the bag, as you notice the IV fluids leaking through a hole in the bag. Your head spinning, watch going off, warning your heart rate is going extremely wrong, your vision cuts to black as you pass out. Steve catches you as you lean forward, nearly coming out of your wheelchair. He puts your backpack back on the wheelchair, grabbing the emergency strap and hooking it around your chest so he can move you back to your safe room, ;pulling his phone out and calling Bucky. “Hey punk, what’s up, how’d the first game go?” Bucky says as he picks up. “Buck you gotta come get Flame. Bring Nat or Wanda.” Steve rushes out then hangs up the phone. Opening the door to your day room, moving you as gently as possible to the couch so you can stabilize. Bucky rushes down to the basement living room in the Tower, entirely forgetting his study group, bursting through the door. “Nat, Wanda, something is wrong with Flame, we gotta go get ‘em.” Both of the women excuse themselves, everyone on this campus knows you, hosting the most popular radio show, being the campus mom most of the time, no one ever complains if you need help. Bucky grabs the spare keys to your mobility SUV, he will drive it back and Steve will take the truck back after the games are over. The five minute ride from the Tower to the Student center parking lot is the longest five minutes in recent memory for him. Steve is struggling to get you to wake up just as Bucky sprints in the door, Nat and Wanda closely behind him. Nat takes charge, checking all of the equipment and your vitals. You wake up after a few minutes, all of them watching you breathe. “Hey guys, sorry about that. I think I just got some negative pressure, and it just messed with my nervous system. I am good to go back to the control studio as soon as I get unhooked and get the bag figured out.” You go to sit up and Nat stops you. “You’ll be going back to the tower with Bucky, Wanda and me. You need to stay in bed for a while.” Bucky and Wanda nodding behind her.
“That is unless you want me to call Melyssa and get her out tonight, and no more work for the rest of the weekend!” Bucky pipes up, forcing a groan out of you. “You know I have no problems going straight to Potts to get you to use your accommodation. Doll, you have to rest! The doctor told you about that - you can’t overdo it.” You grumble out: “Fine! Take me back to the tower.”
Brock watches Bucky leave, excusing himself to use the bathroom. Sneaking into the room with the little flames all over it, Flame written in big bold letters. Sneaking around the room, adding small cameras to watch the room, adding other cameras to the rest of the house. Making a mental map of all the exits, and the overall layout of the tower.
Bucky lifts you from the couch and into your wheelchair, helping you get buckled in, arranging everything around you. You barely have the energy to lift your head, let alone fight him on letting you do it yourself. “Come on, Doll. Let's go home.” Wheeling you out to the SUV, and taking you home. Checking your smart watch, noticing your heart rate is through the roof again, 160 and rising, your autonomic nervous system failure going into a flare. Groaning to yourself, you know that this weekend will not be spent working games, it will likely end in a trip to the Emergency Room or a hospital admission, or if you are really lucky, just spent miserable in bed. Bucky pulls up to your home, The Tower, a 5 story townhome bought by your mom when your college housing no longer worked. It is fully accessible, giving you the luxury of having a home while also having your friends close and being near campus. Nat and Wanda were the first two to move in, both bringing their boyfriends - Clint and Vision, and then Steve and Bucky joined you . Getting everything unloaded from the car and heading straight for the elevator, going to your room to get into bed. Rolling in the door to your room, a gasp escapes your lips, a huge bouquet of your favorite flowers sitting on your desk, along with a basket of safe to eat snacks, and a new blanket. Pulling the note out of the basket, “Doll, turn around.” Bucky says, and you turn, facing him. “I like you Doll. I know some things happened that I am not proud of, but I want to be in your life as more than just a roommate, or the weird friend of your partner for class. I want to be yours, and I want you to be mine.” Tears welling in your eyes, you pull yourself into his arms, letting him hold you up. “Bucky, I want to be yours, but we have some things we need to talk about. You just up and ignored me for months, I thought we were going somewhere.” He nods, letting you know he hears you. “Your stepfather told me that if you started dating anyone, your mom would cut you off. You would lose everything, the tower, your schooling, healthcare. I couldn’t do that to you, but it was not true.” Your head starts spinning, standing for too long, your heart racing. “Um Buck. I need to sit.” Your legs buckling out from under you, Bucky catches you, moving you over to the bed to sit down. You quickly set to work on getting yourself ready for bed, fixing a new bag of IV fluids on the IV pole, pushing your medications, setting an alarm for 7:30 when the nurse is supposed to come in. Kicking Bucky out, you change and then set up your bed for the night, hooking up the bag of IV fluids and then let him back in once you get settled. “Bucky, do you wanna watch a movie with me?” You offered, patting the bed next to you and turning on an old favorite while falling asleep hand in hand.
You wake up to Steve shaking Bucky awake. “Yes Steve?” You ask rolling over to face him. “Hey Flame, it's almost time for the nurse to be here. Did you want to get up, or do you just want me to send her in here?” Sitting the bed up slowly, head spinning. “Can you send her in here? And let Pepper know I’ll be using my accomodation for the first game. I am going to try and get to the second game.” Steve rolls his eyes. “Whatever you say, Flame. I want you to ask the nurse if she thinks that is a good idea, and Bucky is going to stay with you and make sure you don’t try and weasel your way out of it.” Bucky rolls over again, looking at Steve. “I got this punk, go eat or whatever it is you do at this ungodly hour.” The clock shows quarter to 8, giving you fifteen minutes until the nurse arrives. Nausea hits you more and more every minute. “Hey Buck?” You ask after a few minutes. “Can you go grab me a bottle of water and some crackers from the kitchen?” Kicking him out of the room so you can puke in peace, heading to your ensuite, taking care of your stomach and then, splashing some water on your face. “Hey Doll, I am back, are you okay?” He calls out next to the door. “The nurse is here, just come out when you are ready, okay?” You can hear the nurse grabbing supplies from your medical closet, knowing she is laying them out on the bedside table, getting ready to put a new needle in your port, draw labs, and get you all set up for the week ahead. Heading out of the bathroom, you see Bucky, watching every move the nurse makes. “Hey Melyssa.” You nod, head continuing to spin, slowly working your way over to the bed to lay back down. “Hey Flame. Steve and Bucky caught me up downstairs about last night. Let’s see how you are looking, okay?” She works quickly, getting your blood pressure (not great), heart rate (extremely high), and temperature (luckily normal). She cleans your skin and gets everything sterile ready to poke your skin. After getting all of the labs pulled and starts a bag of fluids to free flow while she does some paperwork; you lay back down trying to keep yourself from passing out. “Hey Melyssa do you think I could go work the rest of the games this weekend?” You ask, feeling guilty for leaving Steve on the busiest weekend of the semester. “No, I really don’t think that is a great idea. You are struggling not to pass out just sitting up, your chest is bruised and I have no clue how that happened,” Bucky growls at that. “And I would like to see what your labs look like so I can get a hold of your doctor. Right now you are running the risk of sepsis from the bag issue yesterday. So no you may not go to work the rest of the games. You need to stay in bed, rest, hydrate, and take your rescue medications. I will be in again tomorrow to check on you.” She gathers her bag and leaves the room, Bucky following her out. You pull your phone out, sending mass texts out to everyone about what she said, and send Steve and Pepper an apology, excusing yourself from the games today, hoping and praying that you will make it to Sunday’s final game. Stealing Bucky’s sweatshirt from the nightstand, putting it on and curling into it more and more. Bucky comes back in, holding a sports drink and his backpack. “Hey Doll, you look cute in my hoodies. I brought you something to drink and got some more instructions from the nurse. Lets keep you out of the ER this weekend okay?” You nod, cracking open the drink and nesting into your bed, adjusting it to sit up a little bit to watch tv. “Did you want to sit with me or sit at the desk to work on your homework Buck?” He comes over to the bed, kissing you on the forehead. “I’ll work at the desk, you get some rest. Steve and I will be having the Crim Law students over tomorrow after the final game, just so you know.” You curl in a little more head starting to pound, a yawn over taking you. “Go to sleep love, I will be here.” The day moves on, you napping on and off and someone is always there when you wake, movies playing quietly in the background, medications given and snacks. Around 2 Bucky
wakes you, bringing in a plate of safe foods, feeding you and checking on you.
Rumlow sits next to Walker, taking a sip of his coffee. “So I overheard you talking to Lemar about the little altercation you got in with Flame. I could use some help.” Walker nods, writing his phone number down and sliding it to Rumlow. “Call me.” Walker gets up, walking away. Rumlow sees his opportunity, use Walker to get Rogers, Barnes and Co. away from Flame, allowing him to take care of his job from Pierce.
The day continues much of the same, getting up, passing out, Bucky worrying, taking medications, and working slowly on the few homework assignments you had to do over the weekend. Starting with Pierce’s Poly Sci, pulling up the civil case and starting to read it with Bucky. Taking notes, pulling information from the case to put in the mini essay. “Hey Buck. Can we take a break? I need to eat something.” He nods, coming over to the bed, pulling you into his arms. “Wanna go get something, or we can order take out or I can make us something really quick.” You think for a minute, when Steve comes in the door, “Hey how did the day go? Sorry I wasn’t in.” You say to Steve, “We were just deciding what to do for dinner, do you want to join us for some take out?” He nods, sitting on the arm chair. “Sure, Nat and Wanda are out with Clint and Vision, celebrating Vision's new job with Banner, assisting in the medical sciences teaching department.” Steve and Bucky decide on Chinese ordering you your favorite meal and having it delivered to the Tower, you and Bucky cuddling on your bed and Steve chilling in the arm chair, watching an action movie. You excuse yourself to your bathroom, checking your phone, and get a text from an unknown number. -The Dean and I will be talking on Monday, you aren’t meeting the requirements of the program.- Instantly knowing it is from Walker you mute the number and head back to bed. Curling up to Bucky as Steve takes care of the leftovers. “Hey Doll, we gotta check your vitals again,” you groan at him. “Melyssa wants a record of them for the day, trying to see how you are doing.” Doing a final check for the night, you settle into bed, kicking Bucky and Steve out. Checking your phone again, seeing a barrage of texts from Walker, calling you every name in the book and becoming more and more unhinged with each ignored text. Tossing and Turning for hours you decide to sneak out for a little fresh air. You take your walker to the elevator, sitting on its little seat and rolling around the house, putting on a pair of flip flops, and opening the front door. Enjoying the cool breeze and the fresh air, you slip on your headphones and just gaze at the stars, watching them twinkle, you don’t notice him sneaking up on you, tipping your walker over with you sitting on it. Walker stands over you “You bitch, Stark wouldn’t let me do anything besides lackey all day, because he said I ‘don’t respect anyone or this program.’ This is your fault!” He spits in your direction, kicking the walker away from you as you gasp and struggle to get up. “People like you don’t deserve to be in this career field” he yells as he storms off. Struggling for air, the attack kick starts your fight or flight system that barely works, heart pounding in your chest. Finally, you get over to the walker and get it stood up to pull yourself off the ground as the sun starts to rise. Rushing inside as quickly as you dare, you shut and lock your door, sobbing into a pillow and trying not to puke, or wake the rest of the house, after you finally calm down you take off your (Bucky’s) hoodie and assess the damage, an open cut from hitting the ground on your arm, scrapes up your legs, and bruises starting to form, pulling on a tank top and some shorts, and curling into every blanket you own, you fall asleep with tears still in your eyes.
Bucky gets a late start, spending hours the night before working on homework, creating a study slide show for his crim law friends coming over later today. Making lunch and checking his texts, one pops in from Steve, -Just about finished with the game, Crim Law is coming in 45 minutes and I will be there in about an hour. Run to the store and grab some snacks and drinks, it is going to be a long evening. I haven’t studied at all.- Bucky grabs his sandwich and heads up to Flames room. “Hey I am going to the store, text if you need anything okay Doll?” You respond with a false strong: “Okay.” And listen for his footfalls to go away. You can barely move, having bruises on most parts of your body, chest aching, heart racing, unable to push any IV fluids or medications. Falling back into the fitful slumber you have been fighting all night. An hour or so later, you hear voices floating in the hallway, people in your home, doors slamming and food smells wafting up the stairs, you drop your head again and go back to sleep for a little while. Bucky answers the door, Melyssa coming in and heading up to your room, “Has she been okay today?” Bucky responds: “She was asleep every time I checked in on her, probably just really tired. I am gonna study, holler if you need anything.” Melyssa runs into Wanda and Nat on the stairs. “Join me up there?” She asks, knowing this visit may require extra hands. You wake to the three of them coming in the room, covered by blankets and heat blasting. “Hey Flame. Let's get some vitals and see what we can do to help you, okay? Blood is still processing, but your labs are all over the place. They are worried about an infection.” You groan at Melyssa while Nat gets you uncovered. The three of them gasp as they see the damage on your skin, Nat is down the stairs in just a few moments. “Everyone get the fuck out of the house. NOW.” The room of crim law majors clearing. “Steve, Bucky, up to Flame now!” Nobody notices Rumlow slipping into a guest bathroom and locking the door. Bucky takes the stairs three at a time, out of breath when he gets to the room Wanda and Melyssa, carefully maneuvering you so they can see and take pictures of every single scratch on your body. Wanda comes to Bucky and asks: “WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!?!?! They were fine when I saw them last night.” Grabbing his shirt. “I swear to God if you hurt them I will kill you!I’m sure Vision and Clint will help me!” Bucky pushes Wanda aside. “They were fine when they kicked Steve and I out last night, and have been asleep every time I checked in.” Bucky comes over to you, taking your hand. “Doll, what happened? Who did this to you?” You cough a few times, voice breaking. “Walker…” Bucky’s metal arm clenches, plates gnashing together, machinery whirling.
Steve and Bucky launch into action right away.“We are going after him, he can not still be on this campus. Wanda get Vision to meet us, Nat call Clint and get him to talk to the other campus security personnel, we all heard that Walker attacked Flame. We need to find him and get some answers. Melyssa will you stay with them? I only trust you.” You continue to cough and barely understand the issue at hand. Bucky kisses you, heading to his room to put on some shoes. Steve, Nat and Wanda head to their own rooms to get everything they need and make some calls. Melyssa gets you cleaned up, reaccessing your port, and pushing the medications you missed. Sitting at the desk and charting all the issues at hand. Bucky and Steve come back in, promising to find Walker before the day is up, giving you small reassurances while you beg them to be safe. Rumlow hears vehicles starting in the driveway, and the doors slamming. He heads up to your room. “Hey, Melyssa right? Bucky asked me to sit with Flame. I am a friend from the crim law program. I can take over if you need.” He says, going to sit in the arm chair in your room. Taking out his phone and scrolling through, finding a number he is prepared to use. “Thanks I will still be here just a little bit, I want to make sure that this bag gets all finished and then set up another, they are pretty weak.'' Rumlow nods, sitting in silence, grabbing his laptop and ‘studying’. After about an hour or so Melyssa sets up the next bag of IV fluids, her phone ringing as she finishes. Taking the conversation out to the hallway, Rumlow can just barely hear her, stating she is just getting ready to leave, and that she will be there in a jiffy. “Hey, I need to go, I have another patient having issues. Can you watch Flame’s phone or let Bucky know, the last of their labs should be back in just a few hours.'' Rumlow puts on his best fake smile and charm. “Of course. I will stay until Barnes or Rogers return.” You continue to sleep, the hushed tones and pain meds keeping you lulled softly. Rumlow walks Melyssa to the door, locking the tower down and shutting off all the lights, making sure a window is open to sneak out of. Going back up to Flame’s room, searching through his backpack, finding the syringe that Pierce provided. Touching nothing but the syringe and injecting it into the bag of IV fluids, taking the syringe, taking a video of Flame twitching and seizing on the bed and leaving, heading to main campus to order food, watching from a window as Barnes and security escort Walker to a police car, a large bruise forming on his face, shirt torn.
Slamming the door shut in Walker's face, Bucky smiles, Steve giving him a disappointed look, “I just wanted to be you but better Steve.” Walker yells as they drive away. Bucky checks his phone, a text from Melyssa. -hey left flame had an emergency with another patient. Watch for a text from me later about labs.- Bucky rounds up the team and heads back to the vehicles, headed back to the Tower as quickly as possible. Walking into the tower and hearing glass shattering, Bucky runs up the stairs, finding you in your room, seizing, having pulled everything off the bedside table and on top of yourself, covered in glass and books surrounding you. He kneels next to you, seeing the blood on your forehead and then, Bucky hears something drop behind him, a sharp gasp, Wanda whipping out her phone and calling 911, Nat and Vision hitting the ground next to him, rolling Flame on their side, stopping the IV fluids, Steve rushing to the ground floor to open everything for the Medics when they arrive. “Bucky, I need you to step away, the medics will be here soon, and they need space to help Flame.” Wanda says to Bucky, pulling him away from your seizing body. “Can you find the nurse's binder to take with us, and grab them some of their favorite clothes?” The medics come in, assessing the situation, loading up your body and taking you to the nearest hospital.
Bucky sits in the waiting room for 6 hours, everyone taking turns sitting with him. Vision and Nat convince Dr. Banner to come over and take a look at the labs and scans. Steve and Bucky are talking quietly when Banner comes out, “The good news is they are alive, bad news is that their body has undergone a lot of trauma, there was experimental medication found in their bloodstream. When injected directly into the blood it causes seizures and brain damage, their body will heal, but right now I am not sure if they will wake up, we will have to continue to monitor their autonomic nervous system failure as well, because I am not sure how this will affect it.” Steve and Bucky just nod, Bucky with tears in his eyes. “We have gone ahead and placed them up in the ICU, they are in a coma, you can go up and visit whenever you are ready. The police will be coming to the house to search Flame’s room for the source of the toxic medication.” Banner walks out, leaving the boys shocked, Bucky crushes a metal travel cup in his hand. “Steve, this is all my fault! I left them. Somebody poisoned them. If they ever wake up how will they ever forgive me?” Bucky says with a sob. Steve reaches over to comfort him, pulling him in for a hug. “They won’t see it that way and you know it. Let’s go see your Doll.” The boys go up to the ICU, your still body, covered in tubes and wires, beeping of monitors, and the rise and fall of your chest forced by the ventilator you are on. Bucky grabs your hand, caressing the lines on your palm, kissing each pad, and knuckles, softly sobbing while Steve goes to find the rest of the group and inform them of what Banner said, giving you and Bucky some privacy. After a lot of guilt and yelling, the group finally goes back to the Tower, dragging Bucky along. The trend continues the next day, and the day after. Your friends are at your bedside when not in class, bringing their homework and dragging Bucky home at the end of the night. 3 weeks pass, Bucky sitting in the room, talking to you about his day, finals coming up. They are finally weaning you off the ventilator, meaning it's all on you to wake, the damage to your body healed, but your brain protecting itself. The nurses and Doctors say that talking to you is good, Steve tells you all about the games, how Walker got kicked out of the program. Wanda tells you all about how Vision, Banner and Nat have been working on a way to appeal to the FDA letting the medication be manufactured. Bucky, he tells you about everything, reading the cards you receive, the notes Steve and him have taken for you, and mostly how sorry he is. Another 2 weeks pass, the doctors saying that maybe you won't wake up. The doctors talk to your mom about options, withdrawing care, rehab, more tests. Bucky watches your mom sob, just hearing a soft “Withdraw care,” and storms into your room, “Doll, you have to wake up, you have to do it right now, I cannot live without you, I refuse. I need you, I need to be able to make up for everything that happened, the lies I told because of Pierce.” He kisses you, his last hope. “Wake up Doll, please! Do it for me, but if you can’t or don’t want to, just know that you were always it for me. My endgame, the spring to my winter, the love in my heart.” Dropping your hand and leaving the room, his goodbye was said. He goes to sit in the waiting room, while your mom says her goodbye, just waiting for the Doctor to confirm death. He and your mom sit vigil, the rest of the crew coming and going, sharing stories, giving you last goodbyes. A flurry of activity in the hallway by your room, when the doctor comes out, scrub cap in hand. “They-” Bucky’s heart stops, gasps fill the room, “Flame is asking for you Bucky.'' His head whips up, jumping out of his chair and sprinting to your room. There you are, eyes open, propped against the pillows, a weak smile on your face. “Hey Buck, I love you too. Thanks for being my Prince Charming.”