Chapter One
They called themselves 'The Avengers' protects of this world and yet they couldn't even sneak up on a wounded ex-hydra assassin who up until a six months ago was a dead veteran hero. Pathetic, he thought this world is truly going to the dogs. He would have snuck away ten minute ago when he first saw them arrive, all geared up and ready to take down a dangerous man.
He scoff at the thought.
He could barely grip his knife yet along stand, if they were expecting a fight they'll be deeply disappointed. At first his cuts were superficial but the problem with being a human is that they're weak and prone to infection if not checked. Hydra usually checks me, I wasn't to know and now everything hurts. Things are swollen, nausea quickly followed when my wounds turned black and my vision with and without the mask is double. Hydra did not come, I waited and waited. No one tracked me down, the return base was desolate and my handler according to newspapers is dead. I estimate I'll be next, no Hydra means no fist of Hydra. Which brings me to here and now, this was the thing I wanted to see one last time before I died.
"James Buchanan Barnes" or "Bucky", the old me, I look up at the old image of me and I feel nothing but I smile softly anyway. I remember him like a dream, pieces are blurry but he's there in my head taking up residency and messing with everything I though I once knew. Hydra took him from me, he hit me like a two ton truck on my third month of waiting, the pain was nothing compared to what I'm experiencing now but at the time it was excruciating. One minute I was training with my knife the next I'm swarmed with everything him. The smell of his preferred morning coffee, the warmth of different women under him, on him and around him, the warm feeling he used to get when he took women dancing, even the shivers from a cold breeze wherever the hell he was at that time. He had much shorter hair then, but he was still as handsome as ever, something that he knew from experience was more of a curse than a blessing.
"Bucky?"
He had to stifle the sigh that came to his lip when he finally approached. They'd been watching him forever, apparently he didn't look like a threat judging by the lowered weapons.
Steve Rogers, ex-best friend, enemy of Hydra, Shield Agent and Captain America. Six months since he pulled Steve out of the water saving his life in the process, he did It for the other him and now he's been searching for him ever since. With no clue what it was he could possible want he kept avoiding him and his sad looking team of colorful but damaged individuals.
"Steve"
He took that as a sign of something because his next step was sitting down on the wooden bench next to him, he noticed in his peripherals the others were on alert for sudden movement at the point.
"I've been looking for you?"
"You've found me"
He ran his hands through his blond locks messing them up in the process, then turned to fully face him.
"Why are you here Buck? Six months I've been trying to find you and suddenly you just stop here, of all places"
"Do we need to waste time on small talk, get to the point of your possessive stalking Steve?"
"You're my best friend Buck-"
"-Was your best friend, Steve."
"You still are in my eye and I want to help you"
"I'm not the same guy that used to be your best friend and sidekick in stupid shit, I'm a different person and you're only going to be disappointed when you realize that yourself."
"Either way you still need help, if you don't come with us, you'll be running from Shield and Hydra for the rest of your life."
"Your Shield" I point out, holding in the need to vomit.
"Yes I am, but we can keep Fury from having you captured and locked away if you co-operate and come with us. We have a doctor who can help you and people who would love to help save you"
"I'm past the point of saving, I just want to be left alone to sit here."
"No one's past the point of saving Bucky, and even if you were I'm with you to the end of the line"
The last part was said in a soft whisper as his emotions clouded him. I went to reply when the urge to throw up was too strong and I fell to my hands and knees as I chocked up blood.
"BUCKY!"
The last thing I saw was the avengers rapidly approaching as I fell to my side and darkness took over.