Little Winter

Chapter 10

Harper woke to be surrounded by a fluffy material which engulfed her body. However it was not its softness that woke her, it was the noise. At first she thought it was in her head but after listening more carefully, it was real. Panic set in as she thought HYDRA had found where they were hiding. Quietly slipping out from under the covers she placed her bare feet on the cold ground. She nearly bit her tongue when a pain came from her leg, she forgot about the wound. Using the bed as a support she hobbled carefully to the door and leant against the frame. She could hear someone talking but couldn't tell how, they weren't speaking English also.
"нет, нет , я не могу" the male voice said.
"я не буду отвечать" he added. Harper's breathing quickened. She needed to see who it was so she took a deep breath and peaked around the corner. On the sofa, lay the muscled up body of Winter. He was talking in his sleep.
"стереть его" he whispered. Sweat covered his body. He was shirtless and Harper got a good look at his bionic arm and the way it connected to his skin, it looked painful.
"Hey, Winter wake up" she said, hoping to wake him up. He continued to toss and turn as the nightmare riddled his brain.
"Winter wake up you idiot" this time she yelled, to no effect.
After months on the streets of DC, she knew well not to approach him. If he was having a nightmare he might take it out on her, she want gonna let that happen. She needed to wake him, but from a distance and yelling wasn't doing the trick. She needed an object, hard enough to wake him but not hard enough to hurt him. Scanning the area she saw a collection of books a few metres away. Although it was a short distance, her leg made walking impossible.
"Okay then" she said as she lowered herself to the ground and shuffled over, keeping all weight off her bad leg. She kept an eye on Winter as she didn't know if he could sense her or whatever. She noticed the gun on the table beside him. She contemplated taking it but would he sense it and lash out.
"Fuck it" she decided and carefully shuffled over to the table, gently picking up the weapon and moving back to her original position. She kept it on her lap and moved to the books case, grabbing a few book and returning to the door so she could stand behind it on one leg.
"I'm sorry Winter" she said, turning her head and aiming her sights she fired the book at his torso. He mumbled but it had little effect, the book basically bounced of him.
"How hard are your abs Winter" she whispered firing another book in the same place. Coming to the conclusion that the torso was useless she aimed at his head. Focused and ready she swung her arm and released the book. It hit Winter dead on the forehead causing him to lash out his arms and he fell of the sofa. Harper burst out laughing as he hit the floor with a thump.
"That's was hilario....oh shit" she said her mood changing instantly. For a moment her eyes glanced out the window and she could see shadows, human shadows. She leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. Winter thankfully was gaining consciousness and look around dazed. His eyes met with a terrified Harper and she mouthed.
"HYDRA"
His expression turned serious and he stared out the windows, also seeing the shadows. His attention turned to the table where he expected to find his gun, but it was missing. Snapping his head in multiple directions looking for the valuable weapon.
"Psssstt" Harper whispered gaining his attention. She pushed the gun along the floor and it landed at his feet. He nodded in appreciation at her and noted to himself to ask her how she got it later on. He had a plan A through to Z planned out already, curtesy of HYDRA. He counted maybe twenty soldier, all heavily armed with rifles and body armour. Simple for him to defeat but he needed to move Harper. He looked at her. Her back glued against the wall, her knuckles white from pushing herself against it. The terrified look hadn't left her eyes, it had intensified. The bathroom was the only room without Windows, one way in one way out. He needed to get her there. Moving swiftly he scuttled over to her.
"I'm going move you to the bathroom, they won't get you there, do not come out until I get you, okay" he whispered belong her up and moving all at the same time.
"What if it's not you who comes knocking?" She asked.
"Don't worry, it will be me" he reassured her.
"How can you be so sure?" She said the pain of her leg beginning to show.
"I'm trained to take out double the amount here without a weapon, il be fine I promise"
They reached the bathroom and Winter helped her in.
"We need a code, so I know it's you who knocks" she said sincerely, holding her leg.
"Okay it needs to be personnel, something only you know " he said eyes searching the room.
"Okay um, my middle name is Niamh, it's Irish, I gave myself it for good luck" she replied.
"Okay, Niamh yeah that's good, well let's hope it brings luck" Winter said.
They took one last look before he closed the door, Harper locking it after. Shots could be heard from outside the door. She needed to arm herself in case Winter didn't return. Scrambling to the cuborad she opened it. Moving bottles of cleaners out the way looking for something useful.
"The luck of the Irish..." She whispered as a hammer lay in the back. She reached for it and held it in her hand. It could do harm if needs be. She went and placed herself behind the corner so no one would see he immediately.
After what seemed like forever, the gun fire seized and all that could be heard where footsteps. As they got louder, her grip on the hammer got tighter.
The knocking on the door caused her to jump but she didn't say anything in case it was someone else.
"Niamh" She heard Winter say. She let out the breath she had been holding in for too long, causing her to cough. She hopped to the door and unlocked it, letting Winter in. 
"Are they all gone?" She asked.
"Yes" he replied. Harper noticed he wasn't making eye contact.
"What's the matter" she asked curiously.
"I know who's after you" lifting his head and looking at her in pity.
"Who?" She asked fearing the worst.
He let out a long sigh, nerves building in Harper's stomach.
"Who?" She said slightly nice aggressively.
"Your parents Harper" he finally said. Harper's heart stopped beating for what seemed like forever. She couldn't speak.
"Harper look at me" she heard Winter say but she wasn't listening. She remembered their faces. How could she not? She knew every line and feature on their faces. Her father, she remembered his horrible smirk he used to make when they tortured her. Her mother, that sadistic laugh she made when Harper screamed. She has thought they had died when she bet them up and torched the house, but they hadn't. At the back of her mind, she had a feeling that they might of survived. They were the kind of people who would. They were coming for her, she ruined their lives like they ruined hers. They wanted revenge and they knew exactly what Harper's worst nightmare was.
Her past.
"Harper!" Winter shouted griping her by the shoulders. She lifted her eyes of the spot on the floor and met his.
"They'll get me" she whispered, barely audible.
"No they won't I swear to god I won't let them lay a finger on you" he replied.
"You don't understand, the pain the torture all of it, they will get to me Winter one way or another" she said staring deep into his eyes.
Winter knew Harper didn't know about his past but it wasn't the time.
"I don't care if they send every HYDRA soldier out to get us, I will protect you" he replied sincerely
"Why do you care Winter, why? Why waste all you effort watching over someone like me? I'm just a teenager who doesn't belong on this earth! I don't belong anywhere!" She screamed tears falling of her cheeks.
"You don't know it Harper but we are so similar" he said calmly lowering his head. Harper looked at him in confusion not understanding what he meant.
"What?" She stuttered.
"How do you think I became the 'Winter Soldier'? I too was tortured beyond belief and kept in a freezer for 70 years, brainwashed so I can't remember anything" he half yelled back, taking her by surprise.
"Wait when we first met I said Bucky and you reacted? Wait, are you... Bucky Barnes?" She questioned puzzled.
"Yeah I think so" he admitted.
"See we are similar Harper and that's not all. I can take down your parents" he added.
"No wait" Harper said.
"What?" He asked.
Raising her head she looked deep into his blue eyes she said
"We can".
"Your in no fit state to help me" he announced.
"We don't attack now, give it a while let my leg heal, you can teach me the basics of hand to hand combat" she pushed.
Winter seriously did consider this. It would be handy to have an accomplice but a 16 year old girl?
"I don't know your too very young and.." He was cut short by Harper
"It's already decided Winter. My parents somehow survived and I am not about to stand on the sidelines while you take them down, that's not gonna happen" she said.
"Okay, I will train you but under my instructions and not until your leg is better" he gave in.
"Yeah that's fine" she replied.
"Are you sure about this Harper? This won't easy and there is a high risk of us not making it?" He asked.
"I've never had much of a life, this is the most horrible and exciting thing I've ever done. I've never been more sure of anything in my life" she said.
"I believe you, now we have to get out of here, there will be more on the way" winter said.
"Where will we go?" Harper asked.
"Not sure yet, we will use the motorcycle in the back, can you walk?"
Harper tried putting weight on the leg, gritting her teeth with the pain. She shook her head and leaned against winters shoulder for support.
"I need to get some antibiotics for the leg, It could be infected" He said.
"Oh dear, is that bad?" She asked.
"If not treated, then very" he bluntly replied.
Winter walked and got the bag of supplies from the shops And returned to Harper.
"Here, you will need to change your clothes, can you do that?" He asked.
"Yeah I can dress myself thanks Winter" she said smirking at him, causing him to blush. 
Winter left and let her change. He found his gun and gathered some of the HYDRA weapons and ammo. He guessed they had maybe an hour before reinforcements turned up. They would be long gone by them. He wondered how they found them so quickly. They must have had some undercover when we went into town. This was a careless move by Winter and he scolded himself for it. Harper had affected him, slightly. He wasn't going to forget his training, but he was getting a bit...clumsy.
"Winter" he heard Harper say through the door.
"Can I open ?" He asked.
She mumbled a reply and he opened it.
"My leg feels better in sweatpants than it did in jeans" Harper said. That was why he bought looser clothes.
She demonstrated how she could slightly walk on it, he wasn't happy with the wound but he couldn't do anything now.
"Good now we need to go" he went over and supported her as they headed to the door.
"Guns?" She said as she saw a pile of them on the ground by the door.
"I only have one?" He smirked , making her giggle. Leaving her against the door he found a bad and stuffed the guns into it.
They walked outside and went around back. Winter removed a tarpaulin that revealed a sleek black motorcycle.
"Okay now that's cool!" Harper said excitedly.
"Hop on" winter said as he started the engine. Harper hobbled over to it and jumped on. Winter gave her a helmet and she placed the uncomfortable thing over her head. The engine revved and purred. Winter released the brake and they started moving forward. A small road led away from the cabin.
When they were about 200 metres from the cabin, winter slowed the bike to a stop.
"Why did you stop?" Harper mumbled through the helmet.
Winter handed her a phone.
"Go into contacts and call the number, there's only one" he said.
She did what he said
"Now what?" She said.
Winter turned towards her and nodded behind her. She turned her head the same way. Suddenly the wooden cabin exploded into millions of little sparks.
"Whhooooo" Harper shouted at the sight of the explosions. They had to cover their tracks, winter had planted these when Harper slept.
"That was awesome" she added.
Winter nodded and accelerated down the road. The wind swept Winters hair against the visor of Harper's helmet. She turned her head and looked at the remaining remnants of the place she nearly died in.  This wasn't the end of a story but the beginning of a new one. The new story would begin with two victims on a journey to almost certain death. But if they succeeded they would make history and eliminated the monsters that had haunted their thoughts for s very long time.

Okay guys that's the end, if you got this far then thank you so much for reading.
I am prepared to continue Winters and Harper's story if I get enough views and votes but that's up to you guys!!
Oh don't you just love Winter ❤️
Until next time people
N x