Winter's Ghost
Chapter 2
Dora had been missing for several hours. That morning, Bucky had awakened alone, he had no idea where she was, whether HYDRA had found where they lived and whether they were torturing her or— S.H.I.E.L.D beating her for information about where HYDRA bases were. He was worried sick, and called his best friend Steve to try and help find her, he even went out looking for her on his own. But even Bucky, an expert tracker, couldn't tell where she was or how she'd gone. It was almost like she had never existed, like Dora had been nothing more than a dream or a— a ghost.
Returning home in defeat for the tenth or eleventh time he collapsed in a chair downstairs, burying his face in his hands. "God— Dora why?" He muttered, feeling devastated, and disappointed, and worried, a hurricane of emotions stirring in his soul. But the tears wouldn't come. He was too strong, lost to many people in the past to let it show.
The floorboards creaked behind him and he flew out of his seat, fists balled up and ready to fight anyone who had come into his house uninvited. But it wasn't an unwelcome intruder. A voice that sounded velvety and familiar like home spoke.
"Buck, I came as soon as I heard. I'm sorry this happened. Can you tell me anything?"
Steve stepped out from the kitchen, folding his arms as he looked at his friend. Dora was nothing to him, just an emotionally unstable person who had once tried to kill him and then apologized for it the next time she saw him. But he knew how much she meant to Bucky, and he knew that something was happening that she was caught up in. Bucky nodded, his reflexes relaxing as he once again sat down, Steve taking a seat beside him.
"Steve— I don't know how this happened. I don't know who took her— or how I could've stayed asleep while someone came into the house. They must have— drugged me or something. I'm worried about her. So worried." He rocked back and forth nervously thinking of all the possibilities of what could have happened to her. Steve thought for a moment before speaking.
"Is it possible that she could have left of her own will? I mean— she might have felt unwelcome or— I dunno, maybe she felt like it was just time to move on?"
Bucky blinked, trying to understand what his friend had just said.
"You think she dumped me?"
Steve shrugged.
"It's a possibility, but— she probably had another motive. I've seen the way she looks at you, and when you're together— I don't think she'd leave because she didn't like you anymore."
Bucky smiled softly, remembering moments that he and Dora had shared so recently. Then he furrowed his eyebrows.
"She's been more distant lately, to me and to everyone else. There was a— misunderstanding with some of my family members. And she took some of the things they said about her really personally. It wasn't fun but I thought that she'd get over it, you know?"
Steve nodded, resting his hand on his chin as he continued to think.
"Did she say anything unusual to you recently? Something— I don't know like— about leaving or— not being able to stay much longer."
Suddenly it was like a forgotten memory had been triggered in Bucky's mind, it immediately snapped to the forefront.
"Oh— no no no no…" He jumped up and started pacing. "About three days ago, I overheard her talking to herself about— nothing lasting forever, saying something about useless, didn't belong here. Making things worse. She could have left because she felt like— she was making my situation worse." He sighed and folded his arms, the weight of losing her getting heavier and heavier every moment.
"Sounds like she might be going back to HYDRA, or worse. I'll see what I can do. You just stay safe and— don't get into trouble, okay?"
Bucky nodded, not making eye contact with Steve, who placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sure she'll be fine. Remember, Dora always took care of herself before she met you." Bucky chuckled lightly, remembering how close she had been to death when she finally called him that night.
"Okay Steve. Thank you." Hugging Steve closely he closed his terrified eyes.