Placing her steady foot on the solid concrete, Bethany couldn't help but sigh in relief, as the long hours flying from the US to Berlin had absorbed most of her stored energy. She felt the Earth surge beneath her planted feet as she exited the busy airport, as the ground embraced her arrival with satisfaction. She sighed drearily, slightly exhausted from the sickening flight, and took a short moment to encapsulate her foreign surroundings. Bucharest was bustling with conversing civilians, beeping cars and charming buildings. The lively city wasn't as colorful as Washington or New York, but it's delicate nature was very subtle, instantly tickling Bethany's fancy. She smiled at the pleasant landscape, admiring the alluring structures with careful thoughtful.
If I wanted to hide from the world, I'd live here too.
Now, where could he be...she thought hastily, swiftly expelling the distracting thoughts and quickly closed her eyes.
The ground vibrated in unison towards her command, searching throughout the humming city for his particular footprint. Suddenly, before her mind's eye revealed a glowing figure, sitting down in an apartment on the east side of the area. She quickly opened her eyes, breathing heavily with anticipation.
There you are.
Bethany stared anxiously at the small apartment complex before her. The unkempt building loomed above her tiny figure intimidatingly, causing her to frown with sudden apprehension. The middy light shined against her cautious eyes as she observed it's sturdy foundation, just in case something dangeous were to occur. It wasn't the liveliest building in the city, which made her goal seemingly harder to accomplish.
Bucky's in there, she thought with encouragement, brushing away her hesitant thoughts.
I have to see him.
Swallowing her reluctant bile threatening to spill from her dry mouth, Bethany continued forward, marching one doubtful step after another towards the shady double doors at the face of the building. She pressed her quivering hands onto the dirty glass and opened the creaky doors, entering the rusted complex with alertness. She observed her surroundings carefully, ignoring the rising heartbeat in her tightened chest. The stale lobby was empty, much to her silent relief, and only contained a rickety stairwell leading up to the other shady levels.
Now, which room is he occupying...
Giving a quick glance around the silent room, she bent down, placing her sweating palm flat against the dusty concrete. A sharp burst of energy poured into her bare hand as she scanned the building hastily. Each lonesome room was either empty or occupied by a civilian tending to their private lives. Suddenly, a couple of floors above, a single, quiet room contained a weary man sitting quietly against his chair. A metal appendage glimmered effortlessly in the place of his left arm. Without another thought Bethany's eyes flashed open with determination.
"Here it goes."
It seemed impossible to determine how long Bethany had stared at Bucky's grimy apartment door. It felt like hours, or even days. Time had frozen over as soon as she had walked up to the harmless door, as sudden panic had paralyzed her entire body, filling her confidence with immobilizing doubt.
What's he gonna do when he sees me? Run? Fight? the voice of doubt screamed in one ear.
You won't know until you find out! another frustrated voice yelled in the other.
Her conflicting emotions dazed her conscience, fighting continuously inside her claustrophobic head.
I have to do something. Now.
Desperately ignoring her conflicted emotions, she placed her chilled hand against the stale doorknob. She turned it ever-so-slowly, flinching at the eerie sound it produced inside her perspiring palm. With another heavy sigh, she opened the rickety door with slight force, abruptly banging it against the delicate wall inside Bucky's apartment. Before she could recollect herself after her brash actions, Bucky instantaneously appeared inside the entryway, menacingly blocking her from going any further.
Her eyes widened in bewilderment as she gazed at his built figure; he wore the exact same attire from his last appearance in her apartment, excluding the navy cap. His unkempt mid-length hair framed his strong jaw, framing his glowering face perfectly. His piercing eyes glared down at her cautiously, causing her to shiver in uncomfortable anticipation.
"What do you want." he growled, flaring his nostrils in frustration.
"I...uh...I don't exactly know..." she stuttered awkwardly, fumbling over her words like a mesmerized child.
He frowned impatiently, obviously uncomfortable from the look of his hardened expression.
"I don't have time for this." he muttered, and began to shut the broken door on her stunned face.
Gathering her mumbled thoughts by his angered actions, she instantly planted her leather boot in the crack of his door, preventing from abruptly closing.
"Wait! I'm sorry that was immature-" she began hurriedly, clenching the handle in an effort to force the door open once again.
"You're sorry? You shouldn't be, lady. You were right in Washington. It's better that I'm alone." he interrupted harshly, placing his metal hand forcibly over hers.
The cold metal seeped into her bare pores as her eyes connected hesitantly with his. There was a moment of unnerving silence, until he sternly yanked her hand off of his apartment door.
"Don't come back." he ordered impatiently, and closed the small gap with a loud thud.
Bethany's breath hitched in her dry throat as she was once again left staring at Bucky's apartment door. Her frightened thoughts stirred wildly in her mind as she tried to concentrate on what exactly had just transpired.
It's not his fault. It's your fault. You shouldn't have let him leave, she thought guiltily, impulsively biting her lip with frustration.
Well, he shouldn't have tried to kill you.
That wasn't his fault!
Raising her quivering hand to her throbbing temples in an effort to ease the sudden headache, she slowly began to try and figure out the best possible solution. Her conflicting emotions swirled in the pit of her empty stomach, as rising frustration slowly began to constrict her struggling thoughts.
Why did I give in to what he said? she thought angrily, clenching her sweating fists with agitation.
I didn't come here for nothing.
She paused at the edge of the concrete steps, immediately realizing her next course of action. It didn't seem to be the right one, but it was worth a try nonetheless.
"You know what? You're right! You do deserve to be alone." she shouted frustratingly, bursting through the apartment door with integrity.
Bucky, obviously started by her sudden arrival, quickly paused his actions and rose from his seat. His confused expression quickly formed into bitterness as he glared at Bethany with immediate distaste.
"What the hell do you think-"
"No. You listen to ME James Buchanan Barnes. I don't regret what I said back in Washington. It's safer for you here." she interrupted fiercly, stalking up to his intimidating figure with improved determination.
He quickly closed his mouth, by his frustrated scowl impulsively remained.
"I am going to help you get your memories back. I don't care how long it takes. If you've still got that "Winter Soldier" shit in your brain I'm gonna get it out of there by any means necessary. Not for your sake, but for Steve's." she snapped angrily, placing her trembling hands on her small hips with authority.
He continued to glare down at her, but to her silent surprise, he didn't object.
"From now on I will stay next-door, and when I can, I'll help you remember. You can't run from this, and as you can see, I'll always find you. Do I make myself clear?!" she shouted sharply, mirroring his glare.
Bucky blinked at her with clear remorse, his glassy eyes shining with apparent dislike. The pair stayed silent for an painfully long moment as he seemingly decided how to answer to her forced order.
"Fine." he grumbled, his intense eye contact stubbornly unwavering.
"Good." she huffed, sagging her tight shoulders with secret relief.
"Also, my bloody name is Bethany Summers. Not lady." she added with indignation.
Impatiently avoiding his reply, she began to inspect his dreary apartment without invitation to do so, frowning at the state of his home with slight uncomfort. Everything was a mess, from the dirty carpet to the unsanitary kitchen overflowing with dishes that he had obviously ignored. It was small, she had to admit, but the least he could've done was keep it up to living standards. A single mattress lay across the tiny living room floor, covered by stained brown ruffled sheets and an inflated pillow. At the table he had previously sat, was placed an open leather journal, it's pages completely bare. She frowned with confusion, making her way over to the journal with piqued curiosity.
"Don't. You can do anything else. But don't touch the journal." he warned, grabbing her bare arm protectively.
His stern eyes filled with surprising desperation, and after a moment of stillness she silently nodded at his request, acknowledging his suspicious privacy.
"Why did you decide this was the best place to hide?" she asked, quickly changing the focus.
"This used to be a Hydra hideout. It's the only safe place I remember." he answered in monotone, immediately erasing the vulnerability he had previously shown.
"Oh." she breathed, suppressing the rising guilt forming in her chest.
Once again, the moment was abruptly encapsulated by uncomfortable silence, as the duo stood uneasily in Bucky's apartment. Taking in a deep breath, Bethany concentrated on her muddled thoughts as she planned the first step towards Bucky's recovery.
"Alright. Today, I think we should start with what you can actually remember." she said with resolve, planting herself on one of the uncomfortable chairs next to his tiny table.
He stayed persistently silent, not exactly complaining but obviously resilient towards her objective. He placed his sturdy frame in the chair opposing her, firmly cementing the scowl on his grizzled face.
"So? What exactly can you remember? Of your past, I mean."
"I don't know." he murmured slowly, averting his eyes to the table top with slight concern.
"I saw you at the Smithsonian. Did that ring any bells?" she asked with fake intrigue, masking the pain from the memory forming behind her eyes.
"I remember you. Next to my name." he began cautiously, lifting his obscure gaze towards her.
Her heart fluttered in her tight chest as he stared at her perplexingly, seemingly conflicted with his choice of words.
"You mentioned Steve. Back in Washington. When Hydra-" he abruptly cut himself off, obviously uncomfortable with the mention of his previous employers.
"On the bridge, when Steve said my name. I felt something. I can't explain it but I felt it-"
"Okay that's enough." Bethany intervened with disguised desperation.
His confused words constantly stabbed at her frail heart, as he slowly tried to recollect his muddled memories. It hurt extensively, as she gradually realized the man she once loved was never going to be the same again. But to save him, and herself in a twisted way, she had to endure his pain. For the both of them.
She managed to smile gently, struggling to ignore his tortured snowy eyes. She placed her quivering fingertips loosely over his metal hand reassuringly, and suddenly experience the daunting sensation of de ja vu.
"You don't have to explain anything. I can wait."