You Are Not a Monster

Safe and Sound

"I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said, 'I'll never let you go'
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said, 'Don't leave me here alone'
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound

Don't you dare look out your window darling
Everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold onto this lullaby
Even when the music's gone
Gone"

"Bucky!" Sam coughed, shaking his shoulder. As soon as he was awake enough to smell the smoke, he shot up. She choked beside him as he stood to see what it looked like downstairs. Below them, flames licked the dry, rotten wood of the barn. Smoke was funneling up, escaping from holes in the roof. The bottom half of the stairway was on fire, and the flames were quickly devouring the rest of it. It was impossible for them to get out that way.

He knew that outside there were HYDRA agents waiting to kill Sam and capture him, but they had to escape the barn- it was burning like a tinderbox.

"Put my armor on." Bucky instructed. Sam slid it on, though it looked funny with her smaller frame in the large armor, her left arm completely exposed.

A heavy, burning beam fell over the central part of the barn, sending a wave of heat up with it. Bucky knew he had to get Sam out before the loft floor completely collapsed. Using his metal arm, he ripped a hole in the boards of the wall.

"Hold on tight and don't let go. When we get to the bottom, run. I'll fight them off. Don't let them find you." He said as he picked her up and stepped to the edge of the hole.

He jumped just as another beam fell, right over the loft. Both the shock-absorbent soles in his boots and Zola's serum in his veins lightened the impact.

He dropped Sam to her feet and ordered her to run, which she did.

Or at least started to.

HYDRA agents emerged from every inch of the forest, all armed with various weapons.

She stopped and slowly backed up.

"Bucky?" She said, her voice shaking.

"Put your hands behind your head, both of you." One of them said. All the others held their guns steadily at the two.

He tried to calculate a way out. He tried letting the Winter Soldier part out so he could use those instincts to find a way to save Sam, but there was no way to fight them all off. Bucky's stomach sank.

"You're surrounded, Soldier. No way out. Now put your hands behind your head and give us the girl." The same agent instructed.

"And if I refuse? Your orders aren't to kill me." Bucky challenged, hiding his fear.

"Seeing as though Dr. Pence is dead, she wouldn't mind if we changed them a little."

So that was the evil doctor lady's name.

Bucky reached his hand back to grab Sam's.

"Now, Soldier!" The man ordered as he directed her behind him and held her close.

"They'll shoot me, you can run-"

"No, I'm not leaving without you."

"Sam,"

"No-"

"Sam!"

Bucky's chest ached because he knew there was no way either of them were getting out alive. It was impossible.