James Buchanan Barnes: The Chronicles (Complete)

The Faith of James Buchanan Barnes

"Ugh!" Jane wakes up, gasping for air and sweating. She had a horrible nightmare.

"Jane!" Bucky quickly wakes to hear her in the bathroom, he can hear her crying and sobbing. "Jane, are you alright? Please let me in there, let me help you, Jane." Bucky is trying to keep his voice soothing, even though he is more worried about her now than ever.

The door creaks open and he finds this shaking brunette on the floor near the bath tub sobbing. "Bucky..." She can't think straight to form a full sentence.

Bucky knows this fear, he's had this happen to him before. He also saw Steve go through this back in Brooklyn. 'It's a panic attack.' Bucky knelt down on the floor next to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Jane dear, it's going to be alright. Come here." Bucky holds this small woman in his arms.

"Bucky...I'm so..." She was gasping as if gasping for air. "...Broken." She sat there crying into his arms. "I saw the faces...so many faces..." Bucky listened closely to her as she was trying to explain her nightmare. "H-Hydra...handlers...Heiress." Bucky stroked her back with his metal arm and pulled her in closer and entangled his legs around Jane who was now totally encompassed by his affection.

"You're not with them anymore, Jane. You're with me, I have you. I will protect you, Jane." He kisses her head multiple times trying to comfort her.

"They are still out there, Bucky." Jane sat up and looked at Bucky, her eyes swollen from crying. "They...can kill you...and I can't..." Jane starts to cry again; she wraps her arms around herself tightly as if trying to squeeze the pain away. "I can't...help you...I'll get you hurt..."

"No Jane, no you won't." Bucky wraps his arms around her and pulls her into his chest. "Jane, Hydra can't hurt us, we're together, we're the Avengers."

Jane busts out of his arms and stands over him, "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Jane explodes, "I saw what they can do to the Avengers, Bucky. I saw what they did to you, and what they will do to all of you, the whole team!" Jane walks to the bed with her hands on her head trying to cope with the brokenness. "And it was because of me...I'm useless...I can't help you...I'll hurt you." Jane plops on the bed and cries more.

Bucky slowly approaches her and climbs onto the bed next to her, he places his hand on her head and kisses her. "Jane, that was a lie. What they showed you, they were lies. They use fear to cripple people, I know. I've been there. Trust me." Bucky laid down next to her and put his arm over her waist and stroked her body, gently.

"How..."

"How, what Jane?" Bucky kisses her head.

"How did you overcome the fear?" Jane finally stopped sobbing enough to speak.

"Well, I was like this for a while." He scooped her up and cradled her in his arms and gave her lots of kisses. "But then I saw Steve again. And then I met you. I learned that I have people who love me. But more importantly, when I couldn't be with you guys, I prayed." Jane looked up at him and walked her fingers on his neck and cheek. "God helped me overcome the fear, I understand that it wasn't my fault. I know I did those terrible things, but I never wanted to, and that was key. I was afraid of being the Winter Soldier, but God gave me an identity, and it's Bucky Barnes, not a soviet assassin."

Jane looked up and smiled at him, she brought his lips to hers. "You're right. But my fear is that I'm useless and I can't protect you like I promised." She started to frown again. "I'm afraid of getting in the way of you and the Avengers. You guys are heroes, and I'm your weakness."

"Don't say that Jane, they lied to you, manipulated your mind. You already have protected me, and I believe in your ability to always be there when I need you." Bucky rubbed his nose against hers. "I know you are much stronger than you think, I know you can overcome this fear." He reached over to his dresser and pulled out a small Bible and handed it to her. "Here, keep this with you and I know you'll be fine, Jane." Jane takes the Bible from Bucky opens it to her favorite book, Luke. Bucky kisses her on the head and squeezes her tightly to his chest.