Summary: Steve and Bucky found you locked up in a Hydra cell naked and chained to a bed with a thin sheet as cover. You were scared to say the least, having thought they were there to… abuse you like the others. Instead, they rescue you.
Two months ago*
"Just get in, get the folder, and get out as quick as possible so we can blow the place to dust and ash, got it?" Tony sounds through the ear comms.
It was an easy mission enough, only needing two Avengers to be on the safer side to do the extraction from an old Hydra base. That was until they heard noises coming from down the hall after they found the file they needed.
"You hear that?" Steve questions quietly.
At the time, you had been abandoned for about a month and a half. You were desperate to be set free whether that meant to live or die. You weren't going to be picky at this point. When you hear the door entering your cell gets pushed open, you think you're being delusional.
"P-please," you beg, shaking your head as one man turns into two men.
The two super soldiers are shocked to see you living as, for they knew the Hydra plant was abandoned a couple months ago. You lie on a metal table, chained up and hooked up to multiple machines with IV's running.
"We're not going to hurt you," Steve promises as the two men inch closer to you cautiously. "My name is Steve, and this here is Bucky. We're going to get you out of here, okay?"
Something in Steve's eyes makes you believe that he's not like the Hydra men. Bucky let's Steve do all the talking as he isn't good with words most times. As the men draw in closer however, you begin to panic, they're too much and can easily overpower you.
"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay!" Steve begins to soothe when he sees you begin to struggle. "Not going to hurt you, remember? We're going to help you."
Bucky decides to try to calm you when Steve is unable to get you settled. "Eyes on me doll." Your eyes instantly flicker over to Bucky's ocean blue eyes. "That's it. Breathe with me." Inhale. Long exhale. Repeat. "Good. That's really good doll. Can we come unhook you from everything?"
You open your mouth, but no sound will come out.
"How about just one of us?" Steve asks gently.
Slowly, you nod your head in confirmation.
"What's your name?" Steve asks softly to try to keep your attention on him instead of Bucky as he begins to approach you.
"I… I don't know," you reply.
Bucky feels for you. Afterall, for decades he didn't know who his identity was.
"I'm going to touch your leg to keep it still so I can get these cuffs cut off," Bucky says softly. "It shouldn't cause you pain, but I don't want you to jerk by accident."
"Tony," Steve seemingly says aloud to no one. "We have a situation."
Present time*
"The change will be good for you," Jackie the nurse smiles. "Trust me, you need it."
"What- what if they don't like me?" you ask quietly, uncertain of said change.
The last couple of months you have been living in the med bay at the Avengers base. Having gone through extensive testing and exams, you had been cleared to head to the main base last week.
"Oh, come on," Jackie smiles, "Steve and Bucky surely like you, after all not only did they bring you here, but they visit every day."
"But- "
"Knock, knock," comes Steve's voice, cutting you off unintentionally. "Hey sunshine," he smiles as he comes into the room. "You ready?"
"Yep!" Jackie answers happily for you. "I'll check up on you tomorrow."
Steve grabs the small backpack of clothing you got provided throughout the time of being here and slings it over his shoulder. "Chin up sunshine. Bucky will be meeting us later today; he's just now getting back from his mission. Tony wants to meet with you when you get settled. I'll show you around first and then to your quarters."
You simply nod your head and keep pace with Steve's strides which he keeps at a leisure pace. Surprisingly the two of you don't run into anyone on the walk over to the main building. Be that as it may, once you step foot into the new building, you see tons of people, overwhelming you slightly.
"You with me sunshine?" Steve checks.
"m'fine," you lie.
"Are you sure you don't want to try the elevator again?" Steve asks when you downright refuse the elevator ride, you'd rather walk up the fifteen floors.
When you don't budge, Steve relents and motions to where the staircase is. By the time the two of you make it up the fifteen flights of stairs, Steve has broken a small sweat while you are as cool as a cucumber, having not taken the elevator.
"A few rounds of going up and down and you'll change your mind," Steve mutters making you giggle. "FRIDAY call all Avengers to the living area please," Steve says aloud to the AI.
Everyone gave you a respectable space, something you appreciate greatly as you are still pretty tense and jumpy around people aside from Steve and Bucky. One by one each Avenger introduces themselves and one by one they go back to whatever work they had been doing previously. As they disperse, you relax more and more beside Steve which doesn't go unnoticed from the super soldier.
"How about I show you where my room is so you know how to get to it and then I'll show you to yours and Bucky's?" Steve suggests softly.
"Sure," you agree easily, after all, who were you to disagree as you're sure that the knowledge would come in handy.
"So, we all have a bathroom in each of our rooms and we all share the living area and kitchen obviously. I'm right here if you need me," Steve taps on his bedroom door. "Me, Sam, and Clint share this area and then," he motions to keep moving to a separate area down the hall, "this whole area is yours and Bucky's. We all have semi-soundproof rooms however yours and Bucky's are completely sound proof since the two of you suffer from night-terrors."
"Steve Rogers to Starks office," announces FRIDAY.
"Go get settled, I'll check on you later, okay?" Steve hands you your backpack before walking down the hall and disappearing from your sight.
Entering your new bedroom, you drop your bag next to a computer desk where your very own laptop sits along with any office supplies you need. In the middle of the room is where your bed sits, a beautiful bedframe with matching side tables and dresser with a television on top. Closing and locking the door behind you, you explore the room fully to get a feel of where everything is and what new things you have… and it's a lot.
Being in a Hydra cell, you had nothing but the thin sheet Bucky and Steve found you under. You had no sense of self, nothing to call your own, and no rights, nothing. After looking through your closet, you make your way to the bathroom where you find a huge bathtub to submerge yourself in. Deciding to do just that, you are quick to find your toiletry items and a change of clothes.
You keep yourself submerged in the tub until the hot water turns lukewarm and you switch to shower yourself clean. By the time you are out and dressed in a pair of yoga pants and long-sleeved shirt, a knock sounds at your door.
"Mr. Barnes is at your door Miss," sounds off FRIDAY.
You're quick in making your way out the bathroom and opening your door to find a smiling Bucky on the other side, freshly showered and changed himself.
"Settling in alright?" Bucky asks.
Simply you nod and step to the side to allow him in, closing and locking the door behind him.
"I know it's a comfort thing for you," Bucky begins as you sit yourself on the soft bed, "to lock your door… just know nobody is going to invade your space if you don't want them to."
You want to believe him, really you do, but trust doesn't come easily to you. "How was your mission?" you change subjects.
It's been nearly four months since you have settled into the Avenger's tower. You've worked with everyone and have become close to Wanda and Natasha and even closer to Bucky if that were possible. You and Bucky are basically connected at the hip. Bucky absolutely adores you; it doesn't go unnoticed by anyone else in the tower except for yourself.
"Hey sunshine!" Steve smiles at you entering the kitchen where you are baking a few batches of cookies for everyone.
Baking. You're baking! Something you'd never gotten the chance to do before.
"Hey Steve," you chirp returning a soft smile.
"Ooo, are those peanut butter cookies?" Steve licks his lips. "They're my favorite!"
"I have some chocolate chip and sugar cookie's cooling," you offer. "I'm trying new recipes."
"Chocolate chip is Bucks favorite," Steve smirks. "Where is he anyways? I thought he was with you."
You pause your movement before quickly resuming as if you hadn't. "Sharon needed him for something," you shrug to hide your indifference.
"Sure she did," Steve mutters. "I'll keep you company."
"Thanks Steve but I'm okay on my own for a little while. I know you're busy."
"Nonsense! Today's my downtime. Bucky hogs your time so I think I'm due for some quality time with you."
"Get yourself a cup of milk then," you instruct. "You get to be my guinea pig."
An hour of taste testing cookies, an hour of laughter, and an hour of missing your best friend- not that Steve isn't one of your closest friends, said best friend comes back with a look that could kill.
"Woah there Buck," Steve comments before you can say anything. "I take it the Sharon thing- "
"I swear if she comes asking for help ever again," Bucky growls out taking a seat as you turn to take out the remainder of the cookies out of the oven. "I'll make sure she's never to be seen again."
Arching an eyebrow you reply, "Even I knew what she wanted help with," you snicker.
Bucky arches an eyebrow towards you as he is quick to grab a couple of chocolate chip cookies and a cup of coffee for himself.
"I told you so," Steve says chuckling. "You didn't believe me."
"Well, I do now," Bucky grumbles before digging into the homemade cookie, groaning loudly at the taste. "These are better than Chips Ahoy!"
You laugh with a shake of your head replying, "Thanks, I think?"
A/N: This was gonna just be one short story, but I've turned it into chapters instead. Let me know what you guys think!