This Is Stella's Reality

August 4, 2015 PT 2

Bucky fell asleep in Steve's arms as I fed him teacups of draughts, honey, and herbs. Tears stained his face, and my heart ached more than it ever had.

I stood and looked at the wolves. "Protect him at all cost," I ordered them. They understood. I turned to Steve who looked up at me expectantly. "Let's pay a visit to that return address," I said.

"What about him?" Steve asked, sliding Bucky's sleeping form off his chest and onto the couch.

"The wolves will protect him, and I'll charm the door so it can't be opened by anyone but myself," I said. "He'll be asleep for a while. We'll probably be back before he even wakes up."

Steve nodded and took one last look at Bucky's sleeping face before following me out the door to the compound.

It was early afternoon now. The sun was bright in the sky, and summer's heat settled over my skin. Natasha was awake now and making coffee in the kitchen.

She turned when she heard us, a small smile on her face. "Morning," she said sweetly until she noticed the look on our faces. Concern marred her features. "Everything okay?"

"No," Steve said lowly. He looked around the room and slipped his hand up her back. "We could actually use your help with something."

She looked up at his stern brow and back down to me. Our eyes locked, and she seemed to understand that this was serious. Slowly, she nodded. "Can I change first?"

Steve sped down the New York highways. Probably breaking a few laws as we made our way to 2nd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232.

Nat leaned forward from the back seat and rested her hands on my seat. "So Hydra has copies of the book and sent one to Barnes?" She asked.

I nodded, picking at my fingernails as my heart hammered with anxiety.

"Didn't think they'd be that bold considering how crippled their forces are," she mused. "Wonder what they have up their sleeve."

"Nothing we can't stop together," Steve said confidently. He turned down a winding street. We were getting close to the marker on the gps, but it made no sense.

We were in a populated area. The piers to our right and a long strip of shops and restaurants on either side of the road.

"Wait," Steve breathed. He pulled over into a parking spot and sped out of the car. Nat and I jogged behind him, confused.

He ran up at pier marked Pier 4. We followed behind him until we reached the water's edge. He looked around, breathless. "Bucky and I used to come here," he sighed.

I frowned, "Would Hydra know that?"

"Yeah," Nat said. Her voice was quiet as she turned around. There was a flip phone in her hand, a hydra logo on its top.

It rang. My heart skipped a beat, and I looked around. We were being watched. But there were a dozen people on their phones, and hundreds of thoughts for me to sift through.

Steve answered the call. "Who is this?" He asked.

Nat and I continued to look around as he talked. Families, kids, couples, random people walking about. It was a cluster of confusion. I listened as Steve grew angrier over the phone.

What do you want?

You've stolen our toys from us. We deserve at least one of them back, Captain Rogers.

Fuck off. His name is Bucky Barnes, and he's not your fucking toy. You have no idea what we're capable of. We will hunt you down. You're done.