Character/relationship building chapter ahead. I'm so excited about where this story is headed! Please leave me a review!
Bucky took in his surroundings from underneath the baseball cap he was wearing and absentmindedly pulled the sleeve of his stolen jacket further down on his left arm. The room was filled with people, no doubt drawn to the exhibit after the battle that had just taken place. The room told the story of Captain America, but Bucky was looking at one wall in particular. A wall that had his face on it and was filled with his story. He read about growing up in Brooklyn, living with Steve Rogers, joining the army, and dying. He read how he and Rogers were inseparable. A part of him remembered these things. He remembered the smell of popcorn on Cony Island and the feel of the mud underneath his boots in Italy. These memories played like picture shows in his mind, he saw them but felt nothing. He couldn't tell if he was actually remembering them, or if they were just images brought to life by reading them.
"Have you been able to read the files Black Widow leaked?" Bucky turned his head towards the conversation of two teenage boys.
"A few, but now they're underneath so many levels of code you have to go to MIT or some shit to be able to find them."
"They should be out on the forums soon, though."
The boys continued walking through the exhibit chatting about what might be on the files. One of them set a backpack down while examining the busts of the Howling Commandos in their uniforms. Bucky looked around to make sure no one was watching and deftly stole the backpack, slipping out a side door before the boy even knew it was gone. He stepped out of the museum and took a deep breath. That he could remember, he had never walked outside in the sun without a mission. The air felt different to him now that it wasn't being filtered through a muzzle, he could see clearer without black camouflage obscuring the corners of his vision, he could walk down the street without being followed by handlers.
He quickly made his way through the streets, carefully keeping his cap low on his face and avoiding large crowds. He arrived at the brick building and made sure no one was watching him before climbing the fire escape to the third floor. 101 was where he had left her, sitting in a corner of windows with her rifle perched on her shoulder. She was pale though, way too pale, and he could see her shivering.
"You're sick." He felt her forehead with the back of his palm.
"Can't stop shaking." 101 pushed out through chattering teeth.
Bucky recognized the symptoms. They happened to him every time he was on a long mission and would be starting for him soon enough. "It's withdrawals from the injections. Drink this," He handed her a bottle of water from the backpack. "You need to stay hydrated."
101 eagerly gulped down the bottle but her hands continued to shake. Bucky took the rifle from her and set it to the side.
"If we just went back -" 101 started to plead for what felt like the millionth time. A stab of guilt ran through Bucky, although he couldn't understand why.
"We're not going back!" He told her harshly, trying to keep himself from screaming at her. She drew back from him on instinct and guarded her head with her hands. Seeing her take a defensive pose woke something up inside of Bucky. "101," He said gently, wishing he knew her name. "I'm not going to hurt you."
"I hate this." She replied, lowering her hands and looking up at Bucky with shiny eyes. "I feel sick and something is buzzing around up here." She motioned to her head. "I can't stand this."
Bucky put his hands on her cheeks and pressed his forehead against hers. "Just get through the day." He whispered. The urge to protect 101 rose up strongly in Bucky's chest. He needed to get her out of here, they needed to hide, to get away from Hydra and from the Captain who would be hunting them. But first, he had to get her through the sickness. His own hands were starting to shake and he was terrified he wouldn't be able to keep 101 safe once the sickness hit.
He hated this too, hated staying in one place when he knew they needed to be on the move. The feeling of helplessness was almost more than he could take. He perused the stolen backpack and found a notebook and a laptop computer. He opened the notebook, intending to write down what he remembered today. But, he still didn't trust the memories. He wrote down the only thing he knew for certain, the only thing he felt was true.
My name is Bucky Barnes.
Darkness was starting fall and 101 was feeling sicker than ever. She coiled into the fetal position in an attempt to keep away the bone chilling cold. All she could think about was an injection, she needed the warmth that only the needles offered. Her mind was a jumbled mess of memories and half truths, her body was covered in sweat, and she gripped her knife in order to defend herself from the enemies she was sure were about to attack.
Something touched the back of her neck and she lashed out with the blade.
"It's just me." One, no Bucky, laid down next to her and scooped her into his arms. She shivered and grabbed on to his jacket collar, trying to bring him close enough to feel his body heat.
"Please just take me back to them." She begged. "I need the warmth, the serum."
Bucky shushed her and squeezed his arms around her more. "It'll be over soon, I promise."
"Why are you doing this? Why won't you let me go?" She spoke into his chest.
Bucky pulled her up slightly and 101 saw something different in his eyes. They were soft, but hunting, One - The Winter Soldier, her trainer was showing through. "Because you're mine." He said simply.
The sound of approaching footsteps made Bucky instantly alert. He disentangled himself from 101 who had drifted off in a fitful sleep. Her body was weak, she still shook violently, but her temperature was returning to normal. By morning, the worst of the sickness would be past. He, on the other hand, was not doing well. There were two voices in his head arguing about what to do next, The Soldier and Bucky. He was starting to break out in a cold sweat and could feel the pain behind his eyes as new memories tried to push their way forward.
The footsteps were coming from the fire escape. Bucky grabbed one of the rifles and silently made his way outside. The man he knew was named Steve Rogers was standing at the top of the stairs.
"Bucky." He breathed out, the relief evident in his voice. He was out of uniform, instead wearing a pair of jeans and a button up shirt. Bucky aimed his rifle and clicked the safety off, Steve raised his arms. "I'm not here to fight, Buck."
"Leave." Bucky did not lower his weapon.
"That girl in there, there's a lot of people looking for her." Steve's voice was calm but wary.
"You're lying." Bucky stepped half a step closer, still keeping his gun aimed at the Captain. No one would be looking for 101, she was just another asset, no family, no ties. Bucky was all she had, he had to protect her.
"Her name is Suki Lovelace. You don't remember, but she isn't like you. She's not a soldier. Let her go and we can get both of you help."
Alarms were sounding inside Bucky's head. The name, Suki, it sounded familiar. But he also remembered 101 as a little girl, he remembered seeing men in white coats strap her to a table and inject her veins with the blue serum. Suki - 101 - had always been Hydra's, always been his, hadn't she?
Perhaps sensing his hesitation, Steve moved forward just slightly. "C'mon, man. I can get you help, there's a doctor -"
Bucky readjusted the aim of the gun so it was directed at Steve's head. "We're not your fucking test subjects!" He growled at the blond. All he could see was the army of white coats holding him down, shooting him up with injections and scrambling his mind. Steve wanted to take him back to that, wanted other doctors to do the same to him, and to 101.
He didn't want to kill this man. There were men on his list, men he would be hunting down like the dogs they were, but this Steve Rogers was not one of them. "Leave." Bucky repeated. "Don't make me kill you."
"A lot of people are looking for both of you." Steve stated.
Bucky adjusted his gun again but didn't say anything.
"I'll go." Steve continued. "But I'm not giving up on you, pal."
Bucky ducked back inside the building and briefly panicked when 101 wasn't where he left her. He heard sobbing in the corner and saw her small frame sitting with her knees tucked up to her chin and one of the pistols pointing out at an invisible foe.
"Suki." 101 turned and looked at Bucky with bloodshot eyes. "He said my name."
Bucky nodded. "Does that feel right?"
Suki slowly nodded her head, her eyes were unfocused when she looked at Bucky. "I remember... things. My father, he...tortured me. The needles, the beatings..."
Bucky saw Suki's pupils dilate and recognized the signs of panic settling over her body. "They're not here, you're safe." He crouched down so he was directly in front of her and cupped her chin in his metal hand. "It's just you and me now."
"Lovelace and Pierce, Hydra." Suki shook her head as if clearing her thoughts. When she looked back at him, Bucky gasped at the clarity in her jade eyes. "We were their lab rats."
"They won't find us, Suki. We're never going back to that place." Bucky reassured her. He relished in the way her name rolled off his tongue. It felt right. She was more than a number, they were more than assets.
"No. We have to go back." Suki lowered her gun finally and rested her palm on Bucky's cheek. "We have to go back and kill them all."
