Redemption ||Bucky Barnes||

29. Game Over

(Bucky's POV)

The first thing I notice about Danielle when she and I surface is that she's not moving. Not flailing about to stay afloat. I angle her to see that her eyes are closed. She's out, I conclude grimly. I'm glad the bastard is at the bottom of the river, he deserves it.

The water is louder now, and I turn my head to see we're nearing the edge of a waterfall. Of course we are.

I can't pull Danielle and myself to shore; I don't have enough time, and the current will fight me the entire time.

The agents continue to fire on us. Jessabelle shouts something at them, and they cease fire. She wants us alive. She must see Dani. But they still pursue us like the hunters they are.

The pull is greater now. I hold Danielle close against me, pressing my lips to her wet head. The worst part about this is the anticipation, the knowledge that we're about to plunge over an edge, this time against our will. My jaw locks as the chopper's spotlight stays on us, like we're the lead roles in a play.

This is what this is to Hydra: a show. Something for their entertainment.

Going over the edge isn't so bad, I'm used to falling from great heights. All the way down, I make sure I land first and not Danielle. She's already knocked out and hurting from what I've seen. I'd heard the gunshot, someone had shot her. Where they got her, one of her legs is my best guess.

I'll know once I swim us to shore.

My back is the first thing that hits the water. We sink like rocks before I kick to angle us so we can surface. I forget about Hydra, forget that we're only delaying our capture at this point. My sole focus is Danielle and making sure she's alive.

I spit out water once I hit fresh air. I notice the rain has stopped all of a sudden. I keep Dani afloat and gently tug her to shore. She's nothing to me, practically air. The thing delaying me is trudging through the water. For the first time, in a long time, I'm almost worn to the bone. I'm certainly soaked that deep.

I'm breathing slightly heavy, but I'm not entirely out of breath. My eyes are focused on the alluring piece of soaked land just ahead. It's motivation enough for me to dig in my reserves to pull us out.

I'm almost pulled back into the memory, but I don't let it take over. This is almost like the time I had saved Steve's life, only I don't try to kill Dani before saving her. We don't fall from a doomed Helicarrier. I'm not the Winter Soldier. I'm not about to leave her unattended.

I can't let her die; I've had enough people die around me. And that was before I ran away from Hydra. I don't want Dani of all people dead. I'd feel like I'd failed Vanessa, S.H.I.E.L.D., and most importantly Dani. I can't afford to have her die in my care.

I drag her unconscious form onto the ground back first. Her appearance startles me. Her face looks too tranquil for me, her overall color a little too pale. I press my ear to her chest. There's a heartbeat. My shoulders sag with temporary relief.

At least she saves me from performing CPR on her.

With the gentlest touch possible, I roll her onto her side so I can see what's hurting and where. I grimace at the small hole that's pierced through her pants. Red seeps through, traveling over the soaked material.

I act on instinct, tear a piece of her pants off to make a tourniquet for her leg. I have a feeling I know the culprit behind the shot. The person behind the gun.