White | B. BARNES

Chapter 12

📍Black Sea | January 2014

"I bought you food," she said, handing him a sandwich.

"You didn't steal this, didn't you?" He eyed her suspiciously as they sat on a bench at the deck of the ship.

She rolled her eyes, "I have money."

"Thank you," Bucky told her.

She replied with a shrug lifting her knees to her chest and resting her chin on it while closing her eyes. "It's whatever."

It's been more than a day of non-stop traveling.

"You tired?"

"Just a little," she answered not moving, feeling the sea breeze whip against her skin.

"You can sleep you know. I'll look out for us," Bucky said, taking a bite from his food.

"I'm good," she replied, detesting the idea of sleep with anyone around.

"Who are they?"

"Agents from the prison where I was detained," she said, opening her eyes and turning her head towards him.

He tilted his head in confusion, "Why?"

She scoffed, "I don't know. They have an obsession with me. 4 years ago, I had a mission in London. I got caught, but there wasn't any evidence so my sentence was reduced to 3 years. They kept me for 4, not until Steve took me out."

"You know, when I woke up in HYDRA, that's the first time in 4 years I slept on a bed," she chuckled, looking ahead.

It was getting dark.

"Don't they give you a room in prison?" He furrowed his brows, continuing to eat.

He wanted to know more about her since she didn't talk much since they left Washington.

She shook her head, "They did, but like I said I hate people. I managed to beat up anyone close to me."

She pointed in her head, "I mean, it doesn't take much to hurt anyone. All I need is a face, then boom," she motioned her hand as an explosion going farther her head. "They scream in pain."

"Where did they put you?"

"Isolation. A huge cage in the middle of bob wired walls with 3 gates before you can enter," she said. "All I had was a fabric that I attached on the top part of my cage and hung it like a hammock. It was thin, but it's better than going back to HYDRA."

"Why did you leave HYDRA?"

She snapped her head towards him, looking coldly, "You're getting annoying now."

He rose one brow at her because of how fast she quickly shut down again.

"Alright," he nodded, leaving her alone to her thoughts.

As she looked out of the sea, she kept scolding herself for talking too much.

For her, talking about who she is, is putting her guard down. It means trusting. And the last time she trusted someone, it left her with horrors in her head that keeps replaying every time she closes her eyes.

"I still don't have your name," He mentioned, cutting the silence.

"43201," she said.

"That's not a name," Bucky insisted.

She turned to him with a blank face, "But that's who I am."

James was stunned by her reply. What did HYDRA make her be for her to be this cold? One minute she's full of attitude, then before you could even blink, she's responding to you like a robot.