Kinda short, but a lot happens here.
Farbeyondthegrave: Aww I'm so glad you liked it! I'm trying to get a little deeper into his head, figure out what's going on.
Cassouminette: I'm sure it's not Rumlow/OC. It kinda seems like it would be though. At least at the beginning. But don't worry, she'll get a happy ending eventually.
DarylDixon'sLover: So many feels. Even more in this chapter, believe it or not.
NadzKers12: I wanna hug Bucky too. But the feels aren't over yet. They're just getting started. And it's Friday, which I am thankful for, and I have the weekend off to just relax and breathe and probably write a hundred chapters. Okay, maybe not that many, but I never know when inspiration strikes.
CJ/Oddball: Yeah, I am evil. I know. I couldn't not let Steve suffer a little. Not that he doesn't suffer enough. And yes, the reviews are lagging again. Looks like it's time to write more passive-aggressive emails to to get them to fix their problems.
Tiphanie: Well, I'm glad you found a cute chapter, because you know that won't last long. And you're right. She is like a kitten! And James isn't going to let her go astray. And of course there's gonna be more trouble! It's me after all! I can't let them have smooth sailing all the time!
Minx1993: Aww thanks! And don't worry, there will be plenty of talking in the next chapter.
Lesliezin: Yeah, Bucky's coming to care for the headstrong, curious kitten Olivia. Even if it confuses him.
Enjoy!
I didn't get much sleep that night, tossing and turning on the old couch. I was terrified someone else was going to find us, and we'd be toast. Though, I would have rather died in my sleep. Less painful, and I wouldn't even know what happened to me. James didn't seem to have the same problem, as he was out almost right away. I guess the stress of the past couple days finally caught up to him. But I was glad he was getting some rest. He deserved it after putting up with me for so long.
I laid awake for a few hours, until I heard a shift in the room, my heart jumping in my chest as I froze. Had someone found us? I heard the movement again, and then a pained grunt. I scanned the room as best I could, no sign of anyone from the streetlight outside. There was another shift and the sound of something sliding across the floor. I sat up, looking to where James was leaning in the chair. His hands were gripping the table, nearly breaking it in half. He jerked, grunting again.
I got up, walking slowly towards him. "James?" No answer. "James, wake up."
I reached out, my hand inches from his shoulder when I was pushed to the ground, James' body covering mine. He stared down at me, eyes wild as his metal hand punched nearly through the floor.
"You're my mission." He growled, raising his right fist.
"No, please, no!" I screamed, but a gunshot sounded through the air, James reeling back slightly.
It took a moment for everything to erupt into chaos, but suddenly more bullets were flying through the air, James holding up his metal arm to defend himself. I crawled across the floor, hiding behind the couch as James shot back at whoever was shooting at us. I kept my head down, curling up behind the couch as bullets rained through the air. My heart was pounding in my ears as everything seemed to move in slow motion.
I screamed as a hand grabbed me, throwing me across the floor. I dodged the spray of bullets sent my way, rolling to my hands and knees. A boot came down on my back, pushing me onto my stomach. I felt the barrel of a gun against the back of my head, pressing my face into the dusty wood underneath me.
"It's nothing personal, sweetheart." I heard a gruff voice say, and I waited for the shot.
I probably wouldn't feel it. Not through the head like that. But the shot never came. Instead, the gun was pulled from my head, a yell and a thump echoing through the room. I was pulled to my feet, my backpack shoved into my arms.
"Olivia, run!" James yelled, shoving me towards the door.
And I did. Right into the arms of another man. He pushed me down on the floor, my backpack breaking the fall for me. Something clattered under me, and I remembered the knife. I reached back as the man pulled a gun from his belt, pointing it at me. I swallowed nervously, terrified that this was going to be the end.
"He upped the cost if we bring you in alive." The man said to me, his accent thick. "But from what I've seen, I don't want to have to deal with that."
"Yeah, well me neither." I said, stabbing the knife into his leg.
He yelled, cursing at me as I shoved past him, running through the door. If I could get somewhere with a crowd, I could hide easier. But what if they shot into the crowd? That could get people hurt. And I didn't want that on my conscious.
I was almost to the exit door when something jumped up and bit me. My leg gave out from under me, and I fell to the floor, my thigh burning. I tried to stand, but that wasn't happening, so I resorted to crawling. Until a boot came down on my leg, making me scream in pain. I was flipped on my back, a whine leaving me as pain shot through my leg. A body knelt over mine, the barrel of a gun pressed against my forehead.
"I'm really going to enjoy this." The man I'd stabbed said.
Tears fell down my cheeks as I waited for it to happen, but a metal hand shot out, grabbing the man off me. A crack rang through the air, and the man dropped dead. James didn't hesitate, turning around to scoop me off the floor before running out the exit door. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing my face against his metal shoulder as he ran, checking his tail every so often. I tried to ignore the pain in my leg as he ran, keeping my eyes glued to the area behind us.
James ran out of town, not stopping until we were well out of town.
He found an old barn, nothing in it but a lone chicken and a few mice. He scanned it with his eyes, before sitting me down down on a bench. I refused to let go of him, gripping his shirt tightly. I had almost died. I had been shot, and had almost died. Everything had happened so fast it barely felt real.
"Where are you hurt?" I heard James ask me lightly, but I couldn't speak.
I heard him sigh before his hands were running over me, checking me over for wounds. I didn't care that he was touching me. I didn't care that I was terrified. I felt sick. I gripped James tighter, whimpering as his hand brushed over my leg.
"Shit." He breathed, looking at the blood staining his fingers. "You have to let go of me, doll." He said, trying to pull away from me. "I need to stop the bleeding-" He cut off, pushing me away lightly before standing to his feet.
I turned, watching as the barn door opened, an older man with a shotgun walking in. He spoke harshly in a different language, James reaching behind him with his metal arm, fingering the gun at his back. He spoke back to the old man, slowly and cautiously, glancing back at me a couple times. I watched as the old man looked between us before lowering his gun, saying something to James while gesturing with his head. James bent down, picking me up again before following him.
"What's going on?" I asked, leaning against James' shoulder again.
"We're staying here tonight." Was all he said as he walked out of the barn, following the man to a cute little farm house.