Chapter 18
After hours of being stuffed in a car, they had finally arrived at the safe house. Most of the house was underground, so there were more than enough rooms for everyone to have their own. However, Willow and Lulu had chosen to share a room that had two twin beds. What they needed to discuss that was so important Steve couldn't guess. He was just glad that everyone had made it to the Safe House in one piece. Steve felt horrible for endangering all of his friends, he hadn't wanted to drag them down with him. He especially hadn't wanted to put Willow in harm's way. Steve saw Willow as a little sister, and Bucky was the closest thing he had to a brother. The fact that he had endangered two of the people closest to him made Steve feel absolutely horrible.
Tossing his duffel bag onto the bed, Steve decided to jump in the shower and clear his head. Steve turned the knob on the shower and was assaulted by a shower of ice cold water. The feel of the freezing water on his skin, combined with the shock of not expecting it, brought memories flowing back. Crashing the plane into the ice. Feeling the water slowly surround him, the horror of running out of air.
Steve curled into a ball on the floor of the shower, the ice cold water raining down on him. He couldn't move. Couldn't breath.
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"Ummm, Bucky?" Lulu stuck her head out of her room.
"Yes."
"I think I just heard a thump from Steve's room. Do you think our favorite senior citizen has fallen?"
Willow shoved Lulu out of the doorway and steered her wheelchair into the hall. Her face had an expression of mild panic, "Bucky, somethings wrong with Steve."
A bolt of panic ran through Bucky, "What do you mean?" Bucky had always felt protective of Steve, especially when he had been so small and sickly. Steve was like Bucky's little brother, and it didn't take much to throw Bucky back into big brother mode.
"I wasn't reading minds or anything. I was half asleep and then I felt this surge of fear. Everyone else is fine, but Steve's mind had shut down completely."
"I'll check on him." Bucky walked quickly to Steve's room and shoved the door open. Steve wasn't in his room but Bucky could hear the sound of running water from the bathroom. He knocked loudly on the bathroom door, "Steve! You okay Buddy?"
There was no answer, so Bucky tried the door. It was unlocked, so he opened it. What he saw shocked him. Steve was laying on the floor of the shower, curled up in the fetal position, his eyes completely blank. Bucky reached into the shower and twisted the knob, shutting of the flow of water. The water was ice cold, and then Bucky realized what had sent Steve into shock. Maybe the icy cold water had brought back Memories of the plane crash.
Bucky tossed a towel of Steve, and then hauled his friend out of the shower. Thankfully, Steve was still wearing a pair of underwear. Bucky half dragged half carried Steve out of the bathroom and then tossed him onto the bed. "We need to get him warmed up."
Lulu nodded and ran out of the room, returning a few seconds later with an armful of blankets. "Here."
Willow started layering blankets on top of Steve, who had curled back up into a ball and was hyperventilating. Willow's manner was completely calm, this was something Bucky truly admired about her; Willow's ability to take everything in stride. Bucky grabbed a blanket from Lulu's pile and tucked it over the three blankets that Willow had already thrown over Steve. Bucky knew exactly what Steve was going through, he'd often had something trigger a bunch of memories. Willow had always helped him threw it, and now Bucky hoped she could help Steve.
Steve's eyes were wide, though they were staring at nothing. He was reliving the crash, over and over again.
"Is there anything else you can do?" Bucky asked, putting a hand on Willow' shoulder.
"Yes Bucky, good things come to those who wait."
Willow placed her hand on Steve's clammy forehead and her eyes glowed briefly. Steve's expression calmed and his eyes closed. When Willow lifted her hand, Steve was sound asleep. Willow looked incredibly tired, like calming Steve's mind had taken a lot of effort.
"You alright Willow?"
"Yeah, I'm fine Buck," Willow yawned.
"Come on, you need to go to sleep too. Lulu, can you keep an eye on Steve?" Bucky asked, grabbing the handles of Willow's wheelchair.
"Oh yes, that I can do," Lulu plopped down in a chair next to Steve's bed. "I'll keep an eye on Stevie here."
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