Disclaimer: I own nothing Captain America-related, not even Bucky Barnes…though I might consider asking Marvel to loan them and the rest of the Avengers to me for a while. Until then, only original characters and plots/ideas are mine.
AN: Here's the next chapter. Next up will be the epilogue, and that will be it. A new story will be up in a couple weeks, give or take. Enjoy, and please don't forget to review.
Chapter 21: Rest and Recovery:
Sitting back in her hospital bed, Anna struggled to replay her rescue and the destruction of the base inside her head.
She didn't remember much –just brief images, sounds, lights, and scents. Her lack of food and water, as well as the attempted brainwashing, had left her mind in a fog that had parted only occasionally. It was only when the fog parted that her brain managed to absorb bits and pieces of what had been happening around her.
'Is this what it's like for Bucky?' she wondered. If so, it was no wonder that he found it frustrating.
Closing her eyes, she tried to relax as she struggled to grasp at the memories that were flitting through her mind.
She remembered staggering along, with Bucky's help on one side, and Captain America (of all people!) on the other. She vaguely remembered the good Captain fighting off enemy soldiers as Bucky tried to get her out of there as fast as possible.
At some point during the skirmish, they were joined by Natasha Romanoff, as well as another woman who was just as deadly as she looked. Anna remembered fleeting glimpses of the two women taking down men twice their size with their bare hands, stun weapons and pistols. Had she been able to focus, she would have openly gawked at them as Bucky rushed her through the corridors.
The five of them somehow managed to make it out of the building, and as soon as they were a few feet away, Bucky ran as fast as he could away from the structure, the others following close behind. She remembered another man joining them, shooting arrows at a group of pursuers as they fled.
They quickly made their way to a waiting aircraft, and it was only when they were taking off that Anna began to take things in a bit clearer.
The first thing she fully became aware of was being in Bucky's lap, his arms wrapped protectively around her as they flew away from the mushroom cloud that had once been the HYDRA base. She didn't remember hearing the explosion, but knowing that her tormentors were truly gone had sent a flood of relief through her.
In her line of sight was Captain America, his mask pulled back to reveal his handsome, chiseled face. Kind blue eyes put her at ease as he introduced himself, and proceeded to ask how she was feeling. Having a legend and a hero asking about her health had been boggling to her hazy mind.
To be fair, Anna had seen him before, when Adena had introduced him to the whole family. However, given the sheer number of immediate family members that had been gathered together, Anna had barely gotten more than a quick introduction and a passing smile from the guy. If she remembered correctly, his time had been primarily occupied by her grandmother and all of her aunts and uncles, who wanted to ask him questions and make sure that he was going to make Adena happy. Anna, as well as the rest of the cousins, had been forced to sit a good distance away and fill their heads with the millions of questions they wanted to ask, but knew they'd never get the chance to.
But here she was, getting his full attention as Bucky held her close. Steve, as he asked her to call him, filled her in on how Adena was doing, and assured Anna that her cousin was waiting for her to be brought safely home. It had been more that comforting, knowing that a familiar face was going to be there, ready to fuss over her when they landed.
And not long after having that thought, Anna had fallen asleep; her head landing on Bucky's left shoulder, the metal pleasantly cool under her cheek even as his body heat seeped through it and into hers.
When she'd woken up, it had been in a hospital bed with all the typical machines around her. The room had the sterile scent of a hospital, and the room looked like a hospital room, but Anna had a feeling that she was in some type of SHIELD hidden base.
A doctor had immediately shown up when it was clear that she was conscious. He conducted a rather thorough exam, and declared that she was going to make a full physical recovery. Since she still felt like crap, Anna began asking him questions of her own, starting with what had been wrong with her.
"You were dehydrated upon arrival, but we've pumped your system full of fluids to counteract that," he explained. "We've also flooded you with nutrients, since you clearly hadn't eaten anything while in HYDRA custody. You were also on the verge of exhaustion. I recommend lots of bed rest over the next couple days. You should also eat well, but carefully, as your body's system is still a little off balance."
"Any serious head wounds and stuff like that?" she asked, explaining that she had a headache.
"No; just a bit of strain along your spine. I suggest a visit to a good chiropractor or a masseuse for that." He smiled. "Considering what you've been through, you're lucky. In a couple days, you're free to head home."
A soft voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Hi."
Snapping her head up, Anna watched Bucky approach the bed, a worried look on his face as he took a seat beside the bed. "How are you holding up? I heard you can leave in a day or two."
She gave him a reassuring smile. "That's what the doctor told me. Then I'll be back to being a pain in your side."
He reached out and took her hand. "You could never be that."
They sat together in comfortable silence as a clock on the wall ticked. It took a moment for Anna to realize that something was deeply troubling the man next to her. "Bucky, what is it? Is it because of what happened with HYDRA? You know I don't blame you, right? It wasn't your fault."
Bucky shook his head. "No, it isn't that. Well, not as much as it was before. It's just…when I tried to get you back, I had to fight to do it. I had to fight –and kill."
Ah, that was it. She squeezed his hand. "You're worried about your old HYDRA programming, aren't you? You're afraid of going back to being their assassin again."
It was eerie, the way she'd picked up on that so quickly.
Bucky thought back, the scenes at the HYDRA base replaying behind his eyes. For a short time, he'd let his killing instincts take over –and they'd served him well. He'd taken down a lot of enemy agents without difficulty, and as a result, Anna was lying in the bed before him, alive and healing.
During the fighting, Bucky had thought that he would enjoy destroying his enemies and exacting revenge for all the pain they had caused him. But when it came down to it, he hadn't. In truth, he almost felt guilty about taking those lives and causing injuries, something he never thought would happen when it came to facing HYDRA.
He owed that to Anna; she had not only helped him recover part of who he'd been, but also given him his humanity back. He would always be damaged, but thanks to her, he was healing.
Anna's gentle grip on his hand brought Bucky back to her room at the SHIELD medical center. She had a kind, warm smile on her face, and almost immediately, Bucky felt his fears and doubts begin to melt.
"I don't blame you, Bucky," she told him, "and I don't hate you. You did what you had to in order to save me, and you did! I'm here, I'm safe, and I'm going to be fine."
Letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, Bucky closed his eyes and let himself relax. He knew Anna too well to doubt her words. She'd meant what she said.
His shoulders sagging in relief, he felt something shift in his jacket pocket. It was a subtle reminder of why he was here. "I have something for you," he said, blushing slightly as he pulled out a small gift box.
Anna perked up at the sight of it. "A present? I love presents!" she exclaimed, reaching for the box.
Bucky chuckled and handed it to her. "I bought it for you the day you were…taken. I hope you like it."
Her fingers released her hold on his hand in order to accept the box. Almost immediately, Bucky was on edge again. What if she didn't like it?
He shouldn't have worried. As soon as the paper was torn and the lid opened, Anna let out a gasp of delight. "Oh, Bucky; it's beautiful!" she cried as she put the snowflake pendant on.
To his surprise, she leaned over and pressed a kiss against his cheek in thanks. A jolt of warmth where her lips had touched went straight to his heart, and Bucky found himself smiling long after he left Anna to get her rest.
A few days later, Anna sat beside her cousin in a black SUV, heading away from the SHIELD base she'd been hidden in.
Adena, bless her, had promptly begun fussing over her the minute the doctor had allowed her to do so. The two had immediately begun tossing stories back and forth, comparing their living conditions, the men they lived with, and the experiences they'd both gone through, thanks to their association with SHIELD and its people.
When she was declared fit to leave, Anna had gotten the surprise of her life: she and Bucky were going to live with her cousin.
"This is surreal, you know," Anna muttered as the car pulled into a parking spot, her eyes taking in everything outside the tinted window. "I never in my wildest dreams imagined this kind of living situation happening to me."
Beside her, Adena laughed. "Well, the house you shared with Bucky is closed down and sold, so there's no way you could have gone back there to live. Until Phil can find you another home, you and Bucky are going to stay with us. Lord knows we've got the room!"
She honestly couldn't believe that she was going to share living space with her cousin and Captain America. Adena had even mentioned that they might even get other members of the Avengers to pay a visit, which almost blew Anna's mind away completely.
"You didn't get to meet Agent Barton, which is a bummer since he's such a nice guy," Adena said as they got out of the car. "The others are busy doing their own thing, but I'm willing to bet that Tony will pop by, once he's got the time. He does that sometimes, if he's already in town. "
Anna almost swallowed her tongue. "Tony Stark?" she squeaked. "Tony Stark is going to visit?"
Steve sighed and shrugged. "He just wants to meet you. Apparently he got all suited up and flew in from California in order to help rescue you, but by the time he got in, it was over."
Adena sighed. "Needless to say, he was disappointed not to have been the hero of the mission," she sarcastically said, rolling her eyes. "Much as I like the guy, his need for attention it annoying!"
Anna laughed and reached out to hug her cousin around the shoulders, trying not to wince as she did so. Her muscles still ached from her being strapped to that damn table at the HYDRA base, and she hadn't had the chance to work them out yet.
Adena noticed, though, and returned the hug with a gentle one. "Don't worry; I've got you covered. We've got a masseuse coming in for you this afternoon, to help you out with your aches and pains. But in the meantime, don't freak out about meeting Tony. All you need to focus on is relaxing and getting better."
Easier said than done, considering what she'd been through. Anna had nightmares about what HYDRA had put her through, but they were slowly coming less frequently. Of course, that might have been because Bucky decided (rather firmly) to sleep in a bed beside her, so that he could wake her up and comfort her whenever she woke up, shaking and sweating.
She'd also had flashes of HYDRA's brainwashing film going through her dreams, but those were fading as well. Luckily, she'd only been forced to watch about five minutes of it before Bucky had burst into the room and saved her. The SHIELD doctors and psychologists said that she hadn't watched enough of the film to warrant any type of brainwashing, which meant that she wouldn't be chanting "Hail HYDRA" anytime soon.
Up the elevator they went, leaving the car in the parking structure as they zoomed upwards. When the elevator doors opened, Anna's mouth dropped open.
"You live here?" she asked, stepping out onto hardwood floors. "Seriously, this is twice the size of my old apartment! No, it's twice the size of my parents' house, which makes it three times the size of my old apartment!"
Adena shrugged and led her inside. "Your stuff is in one of the guest rooms. You've got your own bathroom, though it's a bit small. Bucky is right next to you, with his own connecting bathroom, so you're not crowded or having to share."
Anna took in all the comfortable furniture; the rugs on the wood or marble floors; and the artwork and knickknacks on shelves along the walls. It was modern, but also warm and welcoming, just like the people who lived in it.
"I guess working for a billionaire pays off," she muttered while following Adena down a hallway.
Her cousin opened a white wood door and showed her inside. It was almost like a hotel room in its decoration, with a basic wardrobe, comfortable bed, bedside tables and lamps, and a closet. There was a large window with a nice view, and elegant golden brown drapes that could be drawn, blocking out the light. There was also a television, a DVD player, and a desk with a lamp.
"Your clothes are already in the closet, and in the drawers," Adena said with a smile. "The rest of your stuff is in a secret storage area not far from here. Anything you want, we can have brought over from there in about an hour."
She cleared her throat. "Have you called your parents yet? Do they know what happened to you? Or should I say: do you want them to know what happened?"
Anna shook her head. "No. They were freaked out enough after what happened with SHIELD collapsing and everything; they thought you were in danger, and almost literally worried themselves sick. If they knew about what happened to me, they'd lock me up forever, and that's the last thing I need!"
Adena nodded. "That, I can understand. Okay, so the masseuse will be here in an hour. That means you've got time for a nice nap."
More than happy to do as her cousin suggested, Anna waited for Adena to leave before flopping down on the bed and promptly falling asleep.
Sitting on the Rogers' couch, Bucky looked at the glass in his hand and tried not to head back to Anna's room to check on her. He knew he shouldn't interrupt while a masseuse worked on Anna's aches and pains, but he just didn't like the thought of another man putting his hands on her.
'That's your old-fashioned upbringing showing,' he chided himself. 'Besides, he's helping her feel better, like a doctor would. The man is just like a physician.'
Another part of him said that this 'physician' used his hands in ways a doctor usually didn't, but he pushed that thought aside. If the man could take away Anna's pain, then he'd put up with it –well, for a little while.
"Buck, if you stare any harder, you're going to burn a whole through my floor," Steve joked as he took a seat in a chair across from him.
Bucky looked up, his cheeks burning a little. "Sorry. I was just thinking."
Steve smirked. "I can only imagine about what, considering all that's happened. What's on your mind? Do you want to talk about it?"
Not that particular subject, he didn't. So, he chose another one. "I was thinking about where Anna and I are going to live, now that our old location has been compromised."
His old friend sighed and sank back in his seat. "I'd love for the two of you to move in here," Steve admitted. "There's nothing I'd like more than to help you recover your memories. I know there are tons of things that only you and I know about, and that I can get you to remember."
He raised a hand to stop Bucky from protesting the idea. "But I know that you and Anna make a good team. She's good for you, Buck, just as Adena was good for me. If she's proving helpful with getting your memories back, then I won't interfere."
It was Bucky's turn to sigh. "You're right on all counts," he admitted. "I know that there are memories that might only come out with your help, but I like what I have with Anna. She keeps me calm and grounded when I need it most, and having her around makes me feel…almost like my old self again."
He smiled a little. "I need her, Steve. Something about her keeps the monster inside me quiet. I don't know what I'd do without her."
Steve smiled, too. "I know how that is. Adena was a solid rock for me, never giving up on me even when I wanted to. And she wasn't afraid to dive right into danger to help me, or others. I guess the two of them are cut from the same cloth."
"Good, solid cloth," Bucky said, sipping from the glass of scotch in his hand. The alcohol had no effect on him, but it was still good stuff.
Across from him, Steve sipped on an iced tea. "You know, we can all take advantage of this reunion," he said, rubbing his chin with his free hand. "I know that Adena's going to want to spend as much time with Anna as possible, so that'll give the two of us to do the same. I know you've been around a lot longer than I have, but there has to be a few things in the world that you'd like to see or do, but never got the chance to."
Bucky thought about that for a moment. There were a few things that he wanted to try, but hadn't had the courage to mention to Anna. "I've heard Anna talk about all kinds of ethnic foods from all over the world, but haven't had the chance to ask her about. I did travel to a lot of places, but HYDRA was strict with my diet. There's lots of food out there that I should, or would like to, try."
Steve chuckled. "You should have seen me, when Adena tried introducing ethnic foods to me. She almost tore her hair out, trying to get me to try all kinds of things that I'd never heard of before. For all the traveling we did for the Army during the War, we didn't get to try much, if any, of the local chow."
Bucky let out a laugh. "Those damn Army rations! I remember those. One of them gave me an upset stomach for three days, do you remember?"
Rolling his eyes, Steve shook his head. "I remember. That had to be the worst food I'd ever eaten, and that's saying something." He grinned. "I have, after all, eaten your cooking."
He dodged a pillow Bucky aimed at his head. Before Steve could retaliate, though, a soft footstep and a loud, pointed cough stopped him. Turning, the two men saw Adena standing in the doorway, arms crossed as she frowned at them.
"None of that," Adena said, throwing a glare their way. "If you spill on that carpet, you get to clean it up –with a toothbrush!"
Both men obediently sat back in their seats. For all that Adena was an easy-going woman, none of them wanted to get on her bad side.
When she'd moved on to the kitchen, the two men shared a moment of quiet laughter. It was good to share a bit of fun with each other again.
AN: Epilogue will be up next week. Please be kind and review? Thanks!