𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓷𝓲𝓪𝓬 ❖ 𝓫. 𝓫𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼

C H A P T E R (45) - T R U T H

Locked in an office surrounded by only one guard, Cassie had no other choice. She glared at the guard and clenched her jaw.

"Let me out."

**

Meanwhile, Tony, Natasha and Sharon were trying to fend off the Winter Soldier. After Tony's and Sharon's attempts had failed, Natasha took her shot. She got a few good blows on him, even managing to get her legs around his neck. It didn't last long however before he slammed her into a table, his metal arm gripping her neck tightly.

As she struggled, another person brought Bucky's attention away from Natasha. A swift kick to the left shoulder where his scar lay was enough for him to retreat a few steps, letting Bucky raise his head to see his attacker.

Staring back at him with a fake confident stance was Cassie, her chest heaving up and down with nerves. Natasha cast her a thankful look, to which she responded with a slight nod. Bucky had taken his attacker in, analysing specifics like which side she favoured, yet he was unable to - she kept shifting her weight.

Cassie stood proudly in front of the soldier, trying to intimidate him the best she could. If it was working, she didn't know, nor could she tell from his blue eyes that now held no emotion whatsoever.

Her train of thought was interrupted as a metal fist sprung forwards, aiming for her right cheek. Cassie had just about managed to dodge it, ducking before it could make contact.

From where she crouched, she raised her body back to her standing position. She grabbed his arm before it could retreat and bringing it forwards slightly, pushed it back with all her might. It caused a slight reaction from the soldier, but nothing major. She had basically just pissed him off even more. Before he could throw another punch, kicks were being sent to him by T'Challa.

Whilst the soldier was distracted, Cassie took the few steps towards Natasha who lay in distress, getting her breath back.

"Are you alright?" Cassie asked as she helped her to sit up.

"I will be, but you need to get him." Natasha replied, pointing over Cassie's shoulder.

Cassie's eyes widened as she noticed T'Challa on the floor, and the soldier moving his way up the stairs. With one small nod to Natasha, she left and sprinted over to end it, yet she didn't want to hurt him.

Cassie had gone up the stairs that were opposite the flight Bucky had gone up, it was a quicker route. Those stairs would lead to the top of his, making it easier to get to him.

Just as she got to the top, she was met with Bucky who stood a few steps down from where she was. She looked at him with a hardened expression, trying to find a hint of recognition in his eyes. Yet it was nowhere to be found.

"Bucky, come on. You know me. I know you do." She began, trying to soften him, "You just need to remember."

The soldier furrowed his brows at first, but didn't let his guard down long as he charged at her, throwing punches and kicks. They were sloppy to begin with, and Cassie had hoped it was because of her words.

She blocked his hits, but couldn't manage to land any of her own. But it was good enough to avoid getting punched. After catching one of his punches with her hand, she interlocked their fingers and pushed him against the wall they were by harshly.

"My name is Cassie Rogers. Your name is Bucky Barnes." She spoke softly to the man she held against the wall, "You know me..."

The last sentence had become more of a reassurance to herself, trying to remind herself that he did in fact know her.

He was silent and didn't show any change to his cold glare that Cassie suffered from. She tried to offer him a small smile and bring their intertwined hands down, but he pulled away from her grasp quickly. He spun her around so that she was against the wall, and brought his metal hand up quickly, wrapping it around her neck.

The cold metal stung at her bare skin as she gasped for the air she was being deprived of. After continuous failed attempts to rid of his grasp, she gave up and found comfort in his blue eyes.

"I love you, Bucky."

The words struggled to leave her throat, and when they did, they were barely noticeable. She couldn't breathe and wanted the only words she could choke out to have meaning.

Cassie didn't think they had worked until his grip loosened and he brought his hand away from her bare neck. She dropped to her knees and was gasping quickly, replenishing the air she needed badly.

After she was sure she could breathe properly, she stood back up again, ignoring the harsh pain pulsing in her neck. However, when she turned to Bucky, he was gone. The slight recognition that had sparked had only been enough to get him to leave, but she was sure he wasn't out of Winter Soldier mode just yet.

"Cassie, are you alright?" Natasha asked, helping her to her feet.

Natasha was looking at her with concern, but was mainly intrigued at the scene that had happened before her.

"You got him to leave." She stated breathlessly, "How?"

Cassie looked into the red-head's eyes and only just getting her breath back, explained everything in just four words.

"I told the truth."

Although Natasha was confused at her words, she didn't push any farther. Instead, loud bangs from above the pair brought caught of their attention.

"Are they coming from the roof?" Natasha pondered, talking about the noises.

When something clicked in Cassie's mind, all she could do was supply a nod of her head. The Winter Soldier required an escape plan. It just so happen that escape plan was on the roof.

She left Natasha in the hallway, darting around to find the stairs to the roof. The signs painted on the walls were making it easier as she found the one door that led her up. She hesitated as her hand gripped the door handle, swallowing her fear and finally ripping it open. But nothing could've prepared her for what she saw.

The scene unfolding in front of Cassie was one of chaos: Bucky inside of a helicopter, trying his best to fly away whilst her brother used all of his might to keep him from doing so.

Cassie watched on as Steve struggled to keep the helicopter in his grip, as one would. She was breathing heavily, debating her options of how she could help. She had to help, because otherwise this was going to end in disaster.

An idea sprung to mind, and although risky, it was less risky than watching her brother get torn to shreds by a helicopter. She spied the open window of the helicopter door where she could see Bucky through it. Yet this wasn't Bucky: this was the Winter Soldier, leaving no trace of the man she once loved.

Her only plan had to take place fast as she watched the pain grow on Steve's face, so bracing herself, she began her run towards the helicopter.

Once she was a metre away, she sprung into the air, horizontally gliding in through the window. Cassie positioned her legs so as she entered she hit Bucky in the head with them, it was enough to get him to fall unconscious. As much as she hated to hurt him, she couldn't let any more innocent people get hurt.

The helicopter was beginning to topple, so latching onto Bucky, Cassie kicked the door of the other side, watching it as it fell into the water a long drop below. She took a deep breath and grabbed him around his chest, getting into a diving position and jumping out of the helicopter with a no longer conscious Bucky.

The impact of the water hit Cassie hard, causing more pain to grow on her neck than she already had. She grimaced at the thought of what the Winter Soldier had done, and how she could still feel the ghost of the tight grip around her neck.