The ghosts we hide (Winter Soldier x OC)

Three

Bucky POV

Steve's grip tightens on his shield the second she pulls out her gun, aiming straight at the child's head. I look back at Nat and Clint, who are both in similar states of distress, though trying not to show it.

Her arm doesn't waver as she looks down at the kid. The seconds seem to take minutes to pass as no one dares to breath.

Clint is the first to crack.

He goes to stand but Natasha's hand shoots out, willing him to stay where he is. Steve looks back and shakes his head, eyebrows knitted together.

We can't interfere.

Crouched low on one of the bridges towards the very top of the hall, it gives us a perfect vantage point to watch but makes it almost impossible to be spotted accidentally. If Barton starts shooting arrows, however, we'll be in deep shit.

"Do. It." The other soldier spits, splitting both words into separate sentences. His voice echoes up to us, slightly delayed.

The girl, Nyx, doesn't look bothered. She stands perfectly still with her gun pointed at the child's head, almost as if she doesn't know the other agent is there.

I count the heartbeats as we wait.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

In a flash of movement, she spins round and shoots the man in the armpit. His gun clatters to the floor, but the sound is drowned out by his guttural screech. She shoots again, sending a bullet straight into his thigh. He collapses on the floor, writhing. The girl bends down to whisper something to him, but her black ponytail falling to one side of her face makes lip reading impossible.

She barks an order and the men around her jump into action while she scoops up the child and places him back with his mother.

Why didn't she shoot the kid?

The screaming agent is cut off as he's dragged away and a door closes behind his body, leaving the room in relative quiet.

"We wait for the order." The raven haired girl says, before leaving through a different door.

We wait a few more seconds before everyone relaxes. Steve turns to face us, eyes troubled, but less so than a minute ago.

Everyone shuffles uneasily.

I catch Nat's eye but she looks away quickly.

I know what she's thinking: that used to be us.

And if the order was given, I'd have shot the kid.

"Bucky and I will go and set the charges. If we don't come back before they go off, follow the plan as usual. We want as few casualties as possible." Steve whispers. He says it so quietly I rely more on watching his mouth than my ears.

Clint and Natasha both nod, shuffling to the side to allow Steve and I to pass.

Once we're off the bridge we can stand up properly for the first time in thirty minutes. Groaning, I stretch out my legs one at a time.