Marked ❤️

Chapter 21

Bucky groaned as Steve marched up to him.

"What is going on Bucky?"

He sighed, "there are armed gunmen in the mall. They have taken a few hostages, including Daphne."

"What?!" Steve looked from the mall entrance, back to Bucky, "you were supposed to keep her safe! How could you let her go?"

"She insisted! I only have one arm! One of them was injured and she thought if she went with them that she could distract them long enough for us to figure out what to do."

Steve nodded, "I know what to do, we go in there and bring them out."

Bucky nodded, "without them killing any of the hostages? Daphne included?"

Steve groaned, "okay. Where is Sam and his stupid Redwing when I need him?"

Bucky laughed, "come on. I'm sure the police will let you in."

Steve walked up to the policeman in charge, "you have to let me in there."

The policeman hesitated, "I don't know if that's a good idea."

Steve glared at him, "I'm Captain America! I'll bring them out without casualties. You have my word."

The policeman nodded, "okay. Fine."

Steve sighed, relieved, "good." He pointed at Bucky, "he's coming with me." He looked at Bucky, "you can help to get the hostages out."

Bucky nodded as he followed Steve into the mall.

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Daphne looked up at the gunman, holding a gun at her. She shook her head, looking back at his injured friend, keeping pressure on his abdomen. "There isn't a lot that I can do here without medical supplies. He most likely has bleeding in his abdomen." She flinched as he shoved the gun closer to her.

"Do something!" He started to point the gun at a hostage huddled behind her, "or I start shooting!"

Daphne put her arm up, "no. Point the gun at me. It's okay." She sighed as he pointed the gun back at her as she tried to remain calm. "Grab me some clothes. See if there is a first aid kit."

The gunman nodded, pointing to a hostage, "go look for a first aid kit behind the counter."

The hostage nodded, going behind the counter, coming back with a small first aid kit with only bandages.

Daphne shook her head, looking at the gunman, "do you have a knife?" She pointed to the knife in the gunman's pocket, "so that I can dig out the bullet."

The gunman hesitated but pulled the knife out, handing it to her as the man on the ground shook his head.

Daphne bunched up a shirt, shoving it in his mouth to bite down on as she opened the knife. She groaned, cutting into his skin as he hit her in the chest, making her grunt. She looked up at the man with the gun, "you have to keep him still!"

The gunman looked around before kneeling on the ground next to his friend, holding his arms down.

Daphne nodded, using the knife to pull out the bullet as the man passed out from blood loss and shock. She looked up at the gunman, taking the knife, piercing it through his right eye as he screamed out, falling back onto the ground.

"Fucking bitch!"

Daphne stood up, ushering the hostages out of the store, looking up to see Bucky helping them. She nodded, smiling at him as she felt the man on the ground grab her ankle. She grunted as she fell to the ground, kicking him where he was shot, making him let her go. She grabbed a new shirt, placing it over his wound, "if you don't want to die, I suggest you keep that there." She stood back up, walking towards Steve as he came into view. She got halfway to him as she heard a shot, feeling a pain in the back of her right shoulder, making her fall to her knees.

Steve grunted, feeling the pain Daphne felt as he made it to her. He looked behind her to see the gunman taking the knife from his eye, pointing the gun at them again. Steve pulled a knife from the side pocket of his leg of his uniform, throwing it at the man's wrist, making him drop the gun as he yelped out. He looked back at Daphne, bringing his hands up to her cheeks, "are you okay?"

She nodded, "I am now."

He sighed, kissing her quickly before helping her to her feet as Bucky came back to them, "help her out. I will get them. Send paramedics in."

Bucky nodded, placing his arm around her waist as he guided her outside to a paramedic, "I'm so sorry Daphne."

She chuckled, "I'm fine Buck. It wasn't your fault." She grabbed his hand, looking at his panicked look, "hey. I love you Buck. I'm okay."

Bucky grinned, placing his hand at the nape of her neck as he kissed her on the forehead before resting his head on hers, "I love you too. I was so worried about you."

She grinned, "I stabbed him in the eye."

Bucky laughed as he heard Steve laughing, coming up to them.

"That you did. How did you even get a knife from them?"

Daphne smiled, "I used it to pull the bullet from his wound. They weren't terribly smart. They'll be okay though, won't they?"

Steve nodded, "yeah angel. They will."

She sighed, relieved, "good. Do no harm." She shrugged, flinching at the pain as she did, "well at the very least, don't kill them."

Steve laughed, shaking his head, "you didn't kill them." He looked at the paramedic, "we're taking her to the compound with us to our doctor. No offense."

The paramedic chuckled, "no offense taken Captain Rogers. I've pulled out the bullet, but it is going to need to be closed up."

Steve nodded, "okay. We can do that. Thank you."