𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓷𝓲𝓪𝓬 ❖ 𝓫. 𝓫𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼

C H A P T E R (29) - H O W L I N G / C O M M A N D O S

Stood outside a HYDRA base with the Howling Commandos, Cassie was fiddling with the dog tag on her neck in an attempt to calm her racing heart. She kept thinking of all the things that could go wrong, but she didn't want to back out.

"You ready for this, Cass?" Bucky asked from beside her, nudging her in the shoulder to catch her attention.

"What is there to be ready for?"

"HYDRA soldiers with guns wanting to kill us."

"Right."

She laughed nervously which earned a concerned look from Bucky, and when she caught his eye she dropped the laugh and sighed.

"Okay maybe I'm nervous-"

"Are you admitting your feelings right now? Someone get a camera."

After a death glare from Cassie, he brought her closer by grabbing her hips and then cupping her face. He was silent as his eyes scanned her features, taking in her nervous eyes, scrunched nose and pursed lips. He let out a breath, casting a wave of air over her skin.

"You'll be fine, trust me."

Although his words were calming, they weren't the ones she needed to hear.

"I do trust you, but it's not me I'm worried about."

She admitted the truth, that she wasn't afraid of herself getting hurt. If she got hurt, she got hurt. She couldn't help that. But if Steve or Bucky were hurt, or worse, killed, she knew she wouldn't be able to function.

Bucky didn't respond, and his grip on her loosened for a few seconds before it returned even tighter, drawing her eyes back to his. He pulled her in and kissed her for what felt like forever, never wanting to let go. She melted like putty in his hands, loosely kissing him back.

Still with his lips grazing against hers, he pulled back and whispered, "I know you have no regard for your own safety, but come back to me in one piece."

She pulled back to put the smallest distance between them so she could look into his eyes before replying, "I promise I'll try."

"You'll try?"

"It's the best I can offer at the moment." She shrugged with a smirk as their lips connected once more.

The only thing to tear them apart was Steve's harsh glare and words, causing them to step away from each other abruptly.

"You ready for this Cassie?"

"Why do people keep asking me that?"

**

"Okay. I really wasn't ready for that."

Cassie's voice was the only thing heard in the now silent hallway of the HYDRA base they had been stood outside of. She had made the stupid decision of wandering off from the group and exploring a few hallways, taking a wrong turn into a group of HYDRA soldiers. The fight that had occurred was chaotic, leaving her now sat leaning against the wall surrounded by three knocked out bad guys.

When footsteps echoed in the hallway, she let out an audible groan. She had a pulsing pain in her head that she hadn't bothered to check on, she was sure it was nothing. She tried heaving herself off the floor, to no avail, and put her head back to try and convince herself that day was the day she was going to die. Or the day she would jump to conclusions.

"Cassie?"

She looked up from the floor and was met with Bucky rushing over and crouching at her side, brows furrowed and eyes full of concern.

"You said you were going to be safe..." he mumbled with a hand on her face.

"I said that I was coming back in one piece. To my knowledge, I think I've kept that promise."

Bucky shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips at her humour in a situation like that one. She tended to do that, be the humour when everyone needed it. The person to bring a smile to your face when you least wanted to, and the person who could make you laugh without trying.

"Oh God, you're bleeding."

She furrowed her brows, not feeling the pain anywhere in her body other than her head. Her unasked questioned was answered as Bucky brought his hand to her forehead and wiped away the blood with his thumb, pulling it away and pressing his lips into a thin line.

"If HYDRA doesn't kill you, I might just." He said, causing Cassie to let out a small laugh.

"Meh, I could take you on."

"Is that a threat?"

"Merely an observation."

Before the conversation could continue, Steve and a couple of the others came running down the hall to where the pair were sat.

"Cassie! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm in one piece." She answered with a wink to Bucky as he helped her to her feet.

"Your arm doesn't look-"

Steve was interrupted when Bucky shot him a death glare, widening his eyes and shaking his head. Cassie furrowed her brows before turning her head towards her arm, but was stopped when Bucky put a finger under her chin.

"Don't do that to yourself."

His voice was soft and quiet, leading her to follow his order. If she was hurt, she couldn't feel it. Maybe she would when the adrenaline wore off, but she was still in her fighter mode, all pain she should've been feeling had been temporarily removed.

She responded with a nod to him, ignoring the urge it took her to look down. The ability to move her fingers was a good sign, it meant it was at least still there.

They had made it out of the base after shutting it down and returned home, Peggy meeting Cassie upon their arrival.

"Oh my God, Cassie what happened to your-"

"Arm? Yeah I don't know yet. Give me five minutes and I'll update you on the pain."

Peggy raised her brows and watched as Cassie tapped her foot against the ground, counting the time. She let out a cry of agony as the pain ached her arm, Bucky rushing over from where he was originally stood talking to his friends. He snaked an arm around her waist to hold her upright as every part of the pain came rushing back to her.

She could now feel the warm blood dripping down her arm that had tried to be prevented with a piece of fabric, but from the feeling she now had, knew it didn't work very well. She could feel the aching muscles and the pulsing pain running through her arm.

"Update - it hurts."

A/N; I imagine the kiss at the beginning of this chapter to be like when Sandra kissed Scarlett at that awards show