Blue || Bucky Barnes

22. Unwelcome Guests

Steve Rogers walks into their empty apartment and looks around at its state. It's tidy, but certainly lived in. He knows he has the right place. Steve looks at the couch and the kitchen, he sees the storage units running the length of the wall. He turns around and sees the mattress on the floor. Steve's face is questioning as he looks back at the kitchen. He spies a small black notebook on top of the fridge which he reaches to. Steve flicks through the pages and lands on a picture of himself

Sam's voice comes through Steve's earpiece. "Heads up, Cap. German Special Forces, approaching from the south."
"Understood." Steve says.

Bucky opens the door and they both creep in silently, untracked. The pair spy the tall man with the shield standing in front of the fridge. Leia's heart races but she doesn't feel uncomfortable. Bucky stands tall and Leia stands beside him, slightly behind. The two of them stare at the man intrigued. He must've sensed their presence because he jolts, turning around to see them, looking the pair up and down.

"Do you know me?" He asks.
Bucky looks at him hesitantly before speaking. "You're Steve. I read about you in a museum." Bucky's chest rises and falls heavily and Leia grabs his arm gently.
"What about you?" Steve asks Leia, but she gives no response.

"They've set the perimeter." Sam's voice comes through Steve's ear again.
"I know you're nervous. And you have plenty of reason to be. But you're lying." Steve takes a few steps towards them and her heart skips a beat.
"I wasn't in Vienna. I don't do that anymore." Bucky breathes out unsteadily. Leia squeezes his forearm gently, trying to get him to calm down.

"They're entering the building." Sam says.
"Well the people who think you did are coming here now. And they're not planning on taking you alive." Steve keeps stepping closer and Leia's heart beat is in her throat.
"That's smart. Good strategy." Bucky says and Leia feels her heart suddenly drop. Bucky starts to move and his eyes glance around the room.

"This doesn't have to end in a fight, Buck." Steve tells his old friend.
"It always ends in a fight." Bucky breathes out inching closer to the doorway. He pulls his glove off his metal hand and turns to Leia.
"You gotta run." Bucky whispers to her.
"You know I can't do that Buck." She whispers back.

"You pulled me from the river. Why?" Steve says again as Bucky looks down at his de-gloved hand.
Bucky breathes out, jaw clenching.
"I don't know." Is all he says.
"Three seconds." Sam's voice comes through once more.
"Yes you do." Steve's eyes are on Bucky, and his eyes are on Steve.

"Breach! Breach! Breach!" Sam yells. Their attention turns to the window where an object flies through. Steve deflects the first one with his shield, but the second lands on the floor. Bucky thinks quickly and kicks it towards Steve, who smothers it with his shield. Bucky pulls Leia behind him and throws the mattress between them and the window deflecting another bomb. There's bangs and the door shakes from the battering ram. Bucky pushes the mattress back and runs towards the table launching it at the doorway, disabling the door from being opened.

Leia turns to the windows to see men kicking them down and flying into the room. Bucky, Steve and Leia fight the men knocking them off their feet. Bucky sends the mans bullets flying through the air and Leia ducks quickly avoiding them. Another man tries to enter the apartment through the balcony door but Bucky grabs his gun kicking him in the gut.

"Buck stop! You're gonna kill someone!" Steve grabs Bucky's shoulder and he twists around to face him. Bucky slams Steve down onto the floor and punches a hole in the boards right next to his head. Leia knows exactly what he's doing as he pulls out their backpack.
"I'm not gonna kill anyone." Bucky growls. He chucks the bag out the door and down onto the nearby rooftop. "Leia go!" Bucky says and she runs out the door quickly jumping off the roof.