Caught in Storms

Bucharest

-Bucky-
It's nice to know that there are still people in the world that are willing to help strangers.
The couple that we came across were just on their way into the city themselves for the marketplace and a nice weekend out together. Thank God for small favors.
Emma sleeps almost the whole way, tossing a little bit in my lap. I try to keep her calm, but she cries out for James several times and the woman asks if she's okay. I explain that she has bad nightmares from her childhood, and the woman nods sadly.
Emma wakes up just as we are getting into the city limits and looks around curious. She stares out the window and just takes everything in, the city dowsed in soft lights and some crowded activity. It'll be good to blend into as we get to the safe house. We get further into the city and the man driving stops the truck and gets out, then I do the same. The man stops me before I get Emma up.
"Vă putem lăsa aici, iată niște bani ca să vă aduceți doi pentru o zi sau două. Aveți grijă unii de alții (We can drop you off here, here is some cash to get you two by for a day or two. Take care of one another)," the man says and hands me a small handful of local cash. I look up at him with a warm smile and put my hand out to him, and he gives me a firm handshake with a smile.
I get Emma out of the truck and we thank the couple for their help. Emma and I disappear into the crowd as quickly as we can.
"What did he say to you Bucky?"
"He said to take care of each other and gave us some cash for a few days if we need it," I say and kiss her forehead.
"That was very kind of them," she says blushing.
As we are walking around the city, I get my bearings and remember where I am and lead us as quickly as possible to where my little safe house apartment is. Emma clings to me tight, nervously as we walk through crowds of people.
I find the building that I have been looking for and we go up the stairs quickly, trying to avoid detection as best as we can. I see some of the damages that were inflicted to the near abandoned building from a fight against government agents, and come upon the door to the apartment I used. I open the door carefully and look around, making sure no one is in there, and lock us inside.
I wander the apartment slowly, realizing how much time has changed it, but also it looks the same in some ways. The little mattress I had used when I was last here is still where I left it, some clothes I had gathered, and a few things of weapons I had stashed. Good thing no one comes here.
"You stayed here," Emma asks as she looks around.
"I did, when I was running from Hydra and SHIELD as the Winter Soldier. Steve came and found me and tried to get me to come back but...I couldn't remember him or anything from my old life," I say and look around.
This whole issue with Hydra Steve makes me feel sick and depressed and I just hug Emma to me tight. She lets me just hold her to me, teared up and not wanting to let her go.
"Why don't we get laid down for the night and try to get some rest, baby," she says softly, running her fingers through what's left of my hair, which makes me feel tired all of the sudden. I nod and let her pull me to the mattress, both of us kicking off our boots and then climbing in to try and get comfortable.
I lay behind Emma on the twin mattress, holding her to me tight as we just lay there and try to relax. I finally feel myself slipping into sleep after about 20 minutes.

—Emma is screaming, she's screaming and I can't find her. I am running through corridors of a building, trying to follow her screams and get to her. I turn a corner and the screams are louder and I burst through a set of double doors.
Emma is strapped to a chair with Rafferty and Hydra Supreme standing on either side of her with weapons or bare hands, beating and hurting her.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!!"
I lunge myself at the two of them but they don't even budge to my attacks, and I land on the ground hard.
"You're worthless," Hydra Supreme says and slams a knife into Emma's stomach and twists it hard. She screams my name in pain and fear and sadness as he does. Rafferty and Supreme disappear and I desperately try to get Emma out of the chair, but she won't release, she's slipping away from me and I can't help but cry and scream—