Broken Together

Chapter 11

Bucky's POV

    I stand outside the door the entire night. Steve would come by occasionally and keep me company, but then he would drift off to sleep. I helped him into his room, but never going far from my post by the door. I sit on the ground in front of her door and think of what I am getting myself into.

    I hear someone coming down the hallway, but I don't really look to see who it is. I just figured Steve was waking up and coming to check on me again. I hear the steps come closer, and turn quickly when I hear Nat's voice coming from behind me, "You doing okay, Bucky?"

    "Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing to worry about now. Then again, it is only night one." I smile and motion for her to come sit next to me.

    She sits down and sighs heavily. "You like her don't you?"

    I stop and give her a quizzical look. I don't know what she means. She looks back at me and gives me a confused look in response to my expression. "You like Cassie, don't you? Do you know what I mean?" I shake my head and look back at her. She sighs again, "You told me yesterday that you couldn't get her out of your head. You kept thinking about her and felt like you needed to protect her. Since she woke up, you have done nothing else but devote your life to protecting her. You were willing to leave because you found yourself a threat, and wanted to take all threats away from her."

    "I just figured I am being nice. I want to be good and I figured this was it. I still don't know what you mean?"

    "I keep forgetting, you aren't from this time. In a way you would probably think, you fancy her. Do you think of her as a dreamboat? Is she a cute cookie?" I laughed at Natasha's attempts to communicate with me.

    "She is pretty nice. I don't know what I am feeling really. I can't get her out of my mind, but she wouldn't feel the same way towards a guy like me. I'm not even completely human. I'm built like a monster and the only thing I can do is try as hard as I can to channel all my anger into doing good. I need to protect her,and I would distance myself from her, but I would always be watching her because of HYDRA. She can learn to take care of herself and move on, but I wouldn't want her to have to fight them." I look to the floor and stare. I want to know what I am feeling, but I can't; I'm still mostly a monster.

    "Bucky, I see the way you look at her. You may not notice this, but once she found out it was you that saved her twice, and you that chose to stay by her side no matter what, her perspective started to change. She asked you to come in the room because she wanted to know if it was true. She wants to trust you. The way she looks at you shows how much she wants to trust you. It'll grow stronger everyday, unless you hurt her. Honestly, I don't think you could hurt her on purpose. You don't have it in you. But hurting those that pose a threat to her; I believe you would go all Winter Soldier again, yes. But it would be for her, not HYDRA, not SHIELD, for no one else but her." She placed her hand on my arm and I can hear the emotion in her voice. She wants to believe in me too, but it's just too hard for me to believe that I can be seen as good now.

    "Thanks Nat," I whisper softly. I still don't believe what she is saying.

~

    "Good morning," Cassie walked the door and greeted me with a smile. Did you really stand out here all night?"

    "Yes I did. Although, it wasn't the whole night. I walked away for a bit, because Steve was falling asleep while trying to keep me awake. The I sat down on the ground and Natasha came to keep me company. So I didn't stand the entire night, but I was here." I saw a slight twitch in her smile as I spoke, but she never stopped smiling completely. "How are you this morning? Are you doing better?"