Till the End of Time-

Chapter 50: Stepping into the Past

After I wake up in my old bedroom, I waste no time in transporting myself once more to another location. I end up finding a countryside house on the outskirts of Boston to stay and hide out in.

My first couple of hours alone in the house makes me feel guilty about leaving without a word to anyone. But in all frankness... I need the space.

I make a last minute decision to send a note to my aunt, telling her that I needed some time away, and that I'll be back eventually. I also told her to tell Steve that I'm sorry.

I know it isn't much for him to go on, but I can't say anymore without explaining everything, and that's something that I have to do in person.

I end up sleeping a lot during the first couple of days, mainly because my brain feels heavy with all the memories trying to find their place in my head.

The timeline of my life with Bucky replays in my head, from the day we met to the day I last saw him.

At first I hated him when we met, but eventually the brain washing began to wear off and the man he is inside started to peek through.

As he was becoming more himself, he would try to talk to me a little each day. Whether it was a word or a sentence, he continued to try. Sometimes I would engage because of how deprived of company I felt, while other times I just ignored him.

Eventually, one day came when he wouldn't fight me. I think I was just as surprised as everyone else when he did that.

His refusal to obey their command resulted in him becoming the one that took a beating that day. It was after this that I realized how much of a victim and prisoner he was in all of this like I was.

...

I landed roughly on my hands and knees as I am thrown back into my room angrily by Dimitri. I turn around and glare at him just as much as he is glaring at me.

"You don't have to be so rough", I snap at him.

"I don't know what you did to the asset but don't think for one moment that we will let this go so easily", he says full of venom, before turning to shut the door.

Before he closes it I make sure I have the last word, "Where's the fun if you don't?".

The door pauses for a moment as he probably determines if he should do something to me or not, but then the door closes completely leaving me alone.

I take a deep breath as I sit there and replay what just happened. He stood up for me...

He willingly went against their command just to spare me from being hurt again today. Instead he took my place.

I had wanted to hate him like I did the others... but I think I was wrong about him.

A tear slips out from the side of my eye, as I realize that what he did was the first act of kindness that I've had in all the time that I've been here so far. I promise myself that when he gets back I'll be there for him like he's been trying to be there for me.

Hours pass, and eventually I hear shuffled feet and voices bring the metal armed man back and into one of the other rooms on the floor.

I try to peek out my door and can only see his boots as they carry him inside and leave him there.

Over time I continue to try to listen for sounds of him moving around in his room, but I must have fallen asleep because when I wake up there's a tray of food already in my room.

Again I make my way to the door and peek outside straining to see or hear anything. When I hear a low groan I decide just to call out to him and make the initial contact.