History

Chapter 17 - His girl

A few more weeks had passed of Bucky's absence, Lily's nightmares had grown more frequent and she had been sleeping less and less. She hadn't left the compound since the day Steve managed to drag her out for lunch 3 weeks ago.

Steve was wondering round the compound looking for Lily, he assumed she would be in her bedroom as usual but was surprised to find it empty. A loud scream came from the living room and he ran as fast as he could towards it. Expecting to see someone in danger, he was confused when all he found was Lily asleep on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. He noticed her face was contorted in to a pained expression, and he had seen enough of Bucky's nightmares to know she was having a nightmare of her own. A nasty one too by the looks of the sweat beading on her forehead and her muscles clenching.

"YOU'RE KILLING HIM" she screamed "DADDY PLEASE STOP. DON'T HURT HIM! KILL ME INSTEAD! Just please, leave Bucky alone!"

Steve leaned over the back of the couch and gently brushed her hair out of her face "Lily sweetheart, wake up. It's just a dream. You're safe, Bucky is safe. I need you to wake up"

Slowly her eyes fluttered open and she blinked up at him "Steve?" Her voice was hoarse from the screaming.

"It's me sweetheart, you fell asleep on the couch. You were having a nightmare"

She sat up, looking around panicked.

"Don't worry, it's just me here. Everyone else is out, nobody else heard" Her shoulders slumped with relief and Steve moved to sit next to her "is this why you've been so tired? Nightmares?"

"Yeah.. they're getting worse" she sighed sadly

"You um.. you said something about your dad and asking him not to hurt Bucky? Do you wanna talk about it?"

Lily eyed him for a moment, she had grown to really trust Steve these last few weeks. He'd been amazing and had really been there for her, trying to get her to eat and doing everything he could to take her mind off of Bucky. Maybe I can tell him? She thought If anyone here will understand it's Steve.

"Ok." She relented "but let's go to my room, I don't want anyone to over hear"

Steve nodded solemnly and followed her to her bedroom. Once there they sat on the bed and Lily carefully explained everything that had happened with her father, Hydra and Bucky. Ending with how she was told Bucky was dead and she was subsequently thrown in to cryo only to wake up alone in a dingy basement 70 years later.

"Holy shit" Steve exhaled heavily "that's a lot to take in Lily"

"You don't need to tell me. Why do you think I was so reluctant to tell him? I thought he'd either think I was lying or that I was just a lunatic"

"So Bucky really doesn't remember any of it?"

"Nope" she replied, shaking her head sadly

"I can't imagine how painful that must have been for you. It was hard enough for me when I found him and he didn't remember me or even himself" he winces at the painful memory of Bucky looking at him with cold eyes "Who the hell is Bucky?"

"It wasn't much fun" she admits "but I was grateful to be given a chance to have him in my life again"

She begins to cry and Steve pulls her close in to him, offering quiet comfort. "He'll come back Lily, I know he will. Whether he remembers or not, I know he'll come back"

"I hope you're right" she sniffles

"I know I am. You know he texts me every day asking how you are? He really misses you."