(bad dream)

While Steve and the others went to steal his old suit from a museum, Visaena asked Jacaerys to take Eliana and Luke back to Celestria with him. She didn't want them caught up in everything, especially now that Bucky was there.

"Yes, mother. Me and Cole will take them." He hesitated. The mother knew he wanted to be there, to help fight. He was a capable fighter after all. Visaena would love to have his help, but she preferred him to stay on Celestria.

"And please, keep them away from Otto." She muttered his name as if it was a curse. She loathed her Father for many reasons. But especially now, after taking back Celestria with her children, he tried to get his slimy hands on her children, to give them 'counsel' on how to be rulers. It was pure bullshit and she knew it, so she kept him away from them.

She hugged her children goodbye once more, watching them leave in a flash of green. Jace had inherited Rhaenys teleportation powers, making for easy access to Earth and back. Once her children and Criston had left, Visaena made her way back inside the facility. She was already adorned in her armor, ready for their mission ahead. Her mind kept straying back to Bucky. How could she let that happen? All those years he suffered, and nobody came to save him. She was determined to get him back. Even if it compromised the safety of others.

⋆✩⋆

"Hey, Cap, how do we know the good guys from the bad guys?" Sam asked as the three ran.

"If they're shooting at you, they're bad," Steve replied, as the three split up into different ways. Visaena raced towards the first agent she could see, flinging her hand in front of her, she smothered the agent in her green glow, and she quickly flung him off the Helicarrier before continuing on. 

"Hey, Cap, I found those bad guys you were talking about." Sam's voice spoke through the earpiece. 

"You okay?" Steve asked. 

"I'm not dead yet." 

"Falcon, status?" Maria asked. 

"Engaging." Visaena raced through the top of the helicarrier she was told to shut down. She blasted each jet around her, so no stray agents could escape. 

"Alright, Cap, I'm in," Sam said. 

"Me too," Visaena added as she came to a stop.

"Eight minutes cap," Maria stated.

"Working on it."

Visaena stopped at the edge of the helicarrier, about to blast off when she felt a strong metal arm spin her around. His grip was firm around her throat. She tried to blast him off of her, but she began to drift out of consciousness, just before she could, she managed to squeeze a small blast at his abdomen, successfully pushing him away. Visaena fell to her knees, gripping her throat as the air made its way back to her lungs. 

"James. It's me, please remember me." Visaena spoke slowly, as she recovered. For a few seconds, he stared at her, as if he was trying to remember her. But it was gone before she could blink. He began toward her once again, his face twisted into a look of anger and pain. Before she could move, he grabbed her by her throat once more throwing her off the helicarrier. 

Visaena began to plummet toward the water, her body heavy with exhaustion. Every muscle screamed from the relentless strain, and her power nearly drained after pushing over her limits. The wind roared in her ears as she fell, the dark waves below rising to meet her faster with every second. With the last remnants of her strength, Visaena focused, reaching deep to summon what little energy remained.

It wasn't much, just a faint pulse of green energy, but it was enough to slow her descent. She managed to direct her fall, though it was rough and unsteady, and her landing sent a jolt through her body as she struck the ground. She had barely stayed upright, her legs nearly buckling from the impact. But she had made it. She had landed in between the water, and the outskirts of a forest.

"Visaena?" She heard Maria in her earpiece. Visaena clutched her abdomen, sitting on the ground.

"I'm fine. I don't think I can get back up, I'm drained," The queen replied. Visaena felt useless. She so desperately wanted to get her Bucky back. She hoped Steve could get through to him. 

⋆✩⋆

As Steve sank beneath the cold, dark water, his mind flickering on the edge of consciousness, Visaena sat on the riverbank, her vision blurring as she fought to stay awake. Her powers were almost entirely drained, the adrenaline that had kept her moving now gone, leaving only a hollow, aching fatigue. She had been fighting so hard to get to Steve, to Bucky, to be there when he needed her most, and yet, here she was, barely able to move.

Then she saw it—movement in the water ahead of her. Bucky, dragging Steve whose form was limp, drifting like a shadow in the river. Visaena's heart raced, a spark of hope flickering within her, his face was distant, his eyes glazed over with the steely detachment of a soldier executing a mission, no glint of recognition or humanity there.

Struggling to push herself up on trembling arms, Visaena crawled forward, inching closer to Bucky as he laid Steve down on the riverbank, his body heavy with exhaustion. Bucky's gaze fell on Steve's face, confusion flashing briefly in his eyes as memories seemed to tug at him. But he didn't say a word, the Winter Soldier's programming still too strong.

"Bucky..." Visaena whispered, her voice cracked and weak, yet filled with a quiet intensity. She reached a hand out toward him, her fingers trembling as they hovered inches from his metal arm.

"It's... it's me. Visaena."

At her words, Bucky's gaze shifted to her, an icy flash of recognition stirring, but barely breaking through the hardened expression on his face. He took a small step back, his hand twitching as if caught between reaching for her and retreating.

"Bucky, please," she continued, her voice softer now, almost pleading. "You know me. You've known me... for so long. We... We were together, Bucky." She spoke slowly, hoping that each word would strike through the wall of fog and confusion. She had seen glimpses of the man she had once known in the way he had just pulled Steve from the water—despite the soldier's programming, something inside him remembered his friend.

Bucky clenched his jaw, his face flickering between recognition and detachment, pain etched in the depths of his eyes. For a long moment, he just looked at her, as if her voice was a faint echo in a world he couldn't fully access.

"I don't... remember," he murmured, voice laced with a frustration that bordered on anguish. He turned away, fists clenched, the inner battle evident in his posture.

"It's okay," she whispered, inching closer. "I'm here. I'll be here as long as you need. Just... don't go."

He glanced at her one last time, an unreadable look flickering across his face. Then, without another word, Bucky turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Visaena kneeling beside Steve, her heart heavy but filled with a sliver of hope. She watched him fade into the distance, knowing he was still out there—her Bucky, lost but not gone.

authors note

As I was proof reading the end, subway by Chappell roan came on, :'(

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