Can't Catch Me - Bucky Barnes

Chapter 9

When she finally woke up it was to find a sharp scent of smelling salts held up to her nose.

She gave a groan as smacked away the bottle.

"OW!" She said sitting up. Her body throbbed just as it had when she'd been shot. She peered at her shoulder and saw her blood stained white shirt.

Her light blue suit jacket was on the floor and she could see how much blood had stained her white shirt. She also noticed how her shirts sleeve had been cut apart for better access to the wound but then pinned with a single safety pin.

"What happened while I was out?" Erika asked holding a hand to her stinging nose.

Dr.Bruce Banner was working beside her. She was sitting on a table which she assumed was so Bruce could treat her. "I removed the bullets from you but before I could stitch everything up you started twitching. So we woke you up."

"We?" She looked over and saw Bucky helping Bruce. She looked back at her shoulder which stung like a mad burn. "Why do they need stitched up?" Erika asked she winced as she turned to look at Bruce.

"Unpin your sleeve Erica." Bruce said. Erika unpinned the sleeve and noticed the gaping hole the bullet had cause. She'd seen the giant rip in the fabric of her shirt but she hadn't realized how big the hole was. She assumed Bruce going in to remove the bullets didn't help either.

"The one on your shoulder is the size of my finger nail while the one on your back is the entire size of my thumb." Bucky said approaching her.

She snatched his hand before he could say anymore. She used her own hand to see what the size of Bucky's thumb was. She couldn't believe she had a hole that big on her back. The quick movements made her clench her teeth and then she started seeing how that could be possible.

"How are you doing Erica?" He asked. He wrapped his hand around Erika's before she could measure the size of his finger nail. Her stomach dropped and she looked up to see his eyes.

A pair of eyes that made her experience butterflies like never before and the same pair she had sworn to hate.

"I've been better." She smiled at him. He frowned at her.

"I can't believe I just walked away without checking up on you, or anyone else." He said blaming himself.

"You went to go fight the people shooting. How does that make it your fault? You went to protect everyone." Erika said, she squeezed his hand when she felt the full ache of her bullet wounds.

"I went after them for selfish reasons. I think I know why Hydra targeted you."

"Why?" She asked, she felt her throat squeeze shut. She worried for just a moment that he was seeing right through her.

"You were the most vulnerable one there. Not to mention you were sitting next to me and Hydra has been targeting and using me for god knows how long."

Erika could just nod at him. He thought that Hydra attacked her because of him. In a way it could be true. She was made to destroy him. She'd failed that mission and Hydra never forgot. It made sense, but not in the way he thought.

Erika could see the guilt washed over his face. He stared at her like he was the one who'd shot her. She'd never seen someone care about her, not like this at least.

Bucky's hand set Erika's down gently as he turned to the entrance of the lab.

Tony had just arrived.

"So she's awake now? You can't sue us Erica, you signed. Also not to worry you but if you're in danger we have to do something." Tony walked in taking off his sunglasses and joining Bruce at his computer. Bruce was gathering supplies to stitch up Erika.