2
"I-I gotta take you home," Steve said, because it was the first thing he could think to do. "Stop crying, it's okay, I'll get you home and you can tell me everything."
"I can't," Bucky said. "I can't, I can't, I can't."
"Why?" Steve demanded.
"They'll come looking for me. They'll find me," Bucky said.
"Who'll find you?" Steve said and Bucky just looked at him and shook his head.
"They're expecting me," he gasped. "They'll find me, they find me and put me back and they'll freeze me up."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Steve said incredulously. "But look, it doesn't matter, look, I'll take you back and you'll be safe, please, Buck."
"I was supposed to kill you," Bucky said. "The director and anyone else who got in the way."
"Well, you can't kill the director," Steve said. "Please, come here, I'll help you." Then, "Bucky, who are they?"
"I don't know," Bucky said between between racked breaths.
Millions of questions flew through Steve's head, but Bucky didn't seem to have very many answers, and he wasn't in a position to give the answers he did have.
All of a sudden, Bucky scrambled to his feet. Steve tried to follow, but he wasn't nearly as fast.
"I've got to go," Bucky said in a panicked voice.
"No," Steve said. "No, wait!" Bucky was poised, and the second he made a move, Steve pounced on him. They hit the floor and Bucky put up almost no resistance. Steve sat on top of him and held his wrists.
"You've got to let me go," Bucky said. There was fear in his face.
"Bucky, you were dead!" Steve cried. "I'm not letting you go for anything!"
"They're gonna kill me for not completing the mission," Bucky said.
"Then come home with me!" Steve exclaimed. "Don't let them beat up on you!" Bucky had been looking away from Steve's face, his eyes far-away, but he finally focused for a second on Steve's eyes and blinked, as though he hadn't considered that.
"They'll find me," he breathed.
Steve gripped Bucky's wrists tighter.
"The car's outside. Come with me," he said.
"But-" Bucky said.
"No buts, this isn't up for discussion, you're coming," Steve said.
