Timeless

07

Bucky looked around for Mattie, then walked up to his best friend. "She still hasn't appeared. What if something happened to her?"

Steve shook his head. "Maybe she's around somewhere. I'm sure she'll turn up sooner or later."

Peggy walked up to them holding a note. "Gentlemen, you may want to read this."

Bucky grabbed the note and read it aloud. ""Captain America and Sergeant Barnes; I have taken something the both of you hold dear. If you wish to see the Sergeant's lovely lady again, you'll return Barnes to us so we can finish what we started. Should you not, Miss Watson will take his place." There's no signature; only the HYDRA logo. We have to get her back. We have to!"

"We will, Bucky," Peggy reassured.

"I'm going to be damn well sure I rescue her from their clutches. The horrors they must be inflicting on her."

"Bucky, we just rescued you and your men," Steve said.

Bucky turned and sneered. "If Peggy were in trouble, you'd jump at the first chance to save her. Hell, you did it for me! So you can damn well bet I'm doing the same for the woman I adore!"

"Okay. Let's save her."

---

Mattie screamed as a shock went through her body. "Stop! Stop it! Please!"

"Miss Watson, we cannot stop," Dr. Zola said. "Nor will we. You have been given a great ability and I would like to see what can be done with it."

"Get your hands off me!"

"Silence her."

A strap was tied over her mouth and behind her head to keep her from speaking. She continued screaming as the testing continued and soon fell unconscious from the pain.

Bucky and Steve ran in, the former putting on a brave face in case he saw Dr. Zola.

While Steve punched the HYDRA men, Bucky ran to find Mattie.

As soon as he found her, he gently untied the strap, then her arms and legs and quickly bandaged her wounds. Mattie's eyes opened and her screams resumed.

"Shh," Bucky told her gently. "It's just me, doll."

Mattie's screams of terror turned to tears of relief. She tried to stand but when she slid off the cot, she collapsed to the floor.

Bucky swept her in his arms and she clung to him for dear life.

Steve walked up to them and said, "We gotta go. Mattie, are you okay?"

Bucky shook his head. "She's much worse off than I was. Whatever they did to her- I'm gonna kill them, I swear to God."

"We need get her out of here first."

"Yeah. Come on."

They ran as fast as they could and were intercepted by Dr. Zola.

"Are you taking my prize away from me?" Dr. Zola asked.

Bucky glared at him, swallowing his fear. "She's not your prize. She's an innocent girl you took hostage, and the Captain and I are getting her the hell out of here."

"Should you manage to, we will find her again. As well as you, Sergeant Barnes."

"Good luck with that."

"Fate has a funny way of bringing lives together. I should think you, Miss Watson and I will reunite sooner than any of us know."

"If you get me, fine. But don't you lay one fucking hand on her again."

Bucky walked away. Mattie had since passed out again.

As they made their escape, Bucky said, "She needs a doctor."

Steve nodded. "We'll make sure someone is ready for her."

"I can't lose her, Steve."

"I know. Mattie's strong. She's gonna pull through."

"I hope so."

"What do you think they did to her?"

"I don't know. But the important thing is that she's alive and that we have her. She's safe now."

"If we hadn't found her or gotten that note-"

"You can't dwell that, Buck. It's only gonna weigh you down."

"Well aren't you optimistic. A big ball of sunshine, are we?"

"Someone has to be the optimistic one."

They boarded the plane and made their way back to camp.

A doctor arrived and went to take Mattie away to give her medical care, but Bucky wasn't about to let her out of his sight.

"Sergeant Barnes, please," the doctor said. "I need to treat her."

"Then I'm coming with you," Bucky decided.

"I can't allow that."

"You listen to me. I'm going to be there with her. If you think I'm letting her out of my sight, even for a short while, you're wrong."

The doctor sighed. "Very well. At least let me take her."

"No."

Bucky walked into the medical tent and laid Mattie, who'd since woken up again, on the bed. He stroked her hair and said softly, "I'll be with you the whole time, okay? The doctor's gonna check you out."

Mattie nodded slowly and grabbed Bucky's hand to ease her growing fears.

Once she'd been checked out and deemed okay, she hung close to Bucky as she didn't want to leave his sight lest she be captured again.

Bucky hugged her tightly as he said softly, "I'm so sorry, Mattie. You should never been taken. You're safe now, doll. You're safe."

Mattie sniffled and nodded, trying to blur out what she had been forced to endure.

"Can we get a drink?" she asked softly.

Bucky nodded. "That sounds like a great idea."

He helped her off the bed and the two made their way to a bar Steve had mentioned gathering at.