He Needs Saving Too

Part 8

You kept your eyes peeled for the girl who had taken out almost half of the team already. You sensed somebody behind you and immediately turned around. She waved her hand and everything began to crumble around you as you changed scenes changed scenes. You recognized the room as your training room back at HYDRA. You shriveled back into the corner as horrible memories began to flood your thoughts. Your hands were on your head and your body was nearly folded in half. Your body shook uncontrollably with the fear that you were sent back and there was no escaping them this time.

"Not again." you thought to yourself. "I can't do it again." You breathing became rapid as well as your heart beat. Fear was now in control.

You heard the heavy metal door start to open and you lifted your head to see who it might be. The familiar metal arm appeared from behind the door.

"No." you breathed.

You watched as Bucky closed the door and began to march toward you. You weren't sure what to do. You didn't want to fight him, but you also didn't want to die by his hands. You quickly scanned him over trying to get some kind of information on what state he was in. His metal fist was clenched as though he was ready to throw a punch, and you were the only target. Things seemed to go into slow motion, something that you were accustomed to, but hadn't experienced in a few years. He pulled us arm back and you ducked out of the way. His fist dug itself into the wall that was just behind your head not one second ago. You moved out from under him and began to back away slowly.

"Bucky, please." you started.

But he only continued to follow you. His eyes were cold and emotionless. That light that you had seen in his eyes only a year ago was gone and had been replaced by the blood-thirsty look of an assassin.

Without knowing it, you had trapped yourself into another corner on the other side of the room. Before you had the chance to do anything, Bucky had wrapped his metal hand around your throat. He pushed you up against the wall. You could feel him lift you higher as your feet began to leave the ground. You tried to reach it with your toes, but it was no use, it was gone. You grabbed at his wrist even though you knew it wouldn't help you at all.

"You should've saved me when you had the chance, y/n." he said. It sounded just like him. Like Bucky, not the Winter Soldier. But he didn't look like Bucky. Somewhere deep inside of you knew that something about this wasn't right.

"I know." you choked. "I'm- sorry- Bucky. Please-" you gasped.

"I'm like this because of you. You didn't come after me when you should have." he continued.

"I-" you tried to reply, but you were starting to loose consciousness. Blackness consumed your vision.

The next thing you knew, you were lying on a set of stairs where Steve was sitting at your feet, gazing off into space. It was all a dream. But it felt so real. You fought through the confusion to try to help Steve. You stood to your feet and you could feel your head pounding in your ears. You closed your eyes for a moment and brought yourself to Steve. You sat down next to him to find that his eyes were a strange shade of red and he had traces of a smile on his lips.

"Steve." you said to him. But he didn't respond. "Steve, please." you pleaded. But still nothing. You stood and walked around in front of him with both of your hands on his shoulders. "Steve." you tried again.

He began to blink quickly and the red left his eyes. You smiled as he looked up at you.

"Are you okay?" you asked softly.

He looked around for a minute before responding. "Um- yea. Yea, I'm okay."

"Good. Come on. We need to get back to the jet and make sure that everyone else is okay too." you suggested and you helped your team mate to his feet before beginning your trek back to the jet.