Bucky Barnes' Daughter

Chapter Fifty-Five

Jason's POV:

Screams woke me up in the middle of the night.  Dad wanted to watch Serenity overnight while her parents worked out what they were going to do next.  Ryan warned me Serenity wouldn't be the same after she was tortured but I didn't realize how bad everything would be until I heard her screams.

"You're safe."  Ryan kept whispering the words into her hair as she sobbed into his shoulder.  In the pale moonlight, I could see the wounds covering her body.  The story they were telling was horrific as i studied each and every one of her scars and fresh wounds. 

I didn't understand what Serenity said next.  I've been trying to learn russian but I can't keep up with her.  

Ryan looked pained by her words making me wonder what she had just told him.  Ryan picks her up in his arms and moves so he's comforting her on the bed. Dima stood guard making sure no one came any closer to his distressed owner.

"Please don't let me go."  I wanted to be the one comforting her right now but Ryan seemed to know everything to say without her having to communicate her fears.

"I wouldn't dream of it, tsarina."  He whispers as he strokes her hair gently.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Shouldn't you be in bed?"  Ryan stands above me as I slowly wake up.  I was slouched against the wall outside my dad's study.  Serenity was still passed out in the bed and i wondered why Ryan had left her alone again.

"You said you wouldn't leave her."  I accuse as I quickly stand up.

"Keep your voice down. " Ryan's harsh whisper made me realize that more was going on right now.  "I'll be back before she wakes up."  Ryan walks swiftly into the kitchen where he grabs a couple bottles of water.  He tosses one to me and takes one for himself.  The other remains unopened, probably for Serenity when she finally wakes up.

"What did she tell you?"  I ask wanting to know what had happened to the girl I love. 

"She wouldn't want me to tell you."  Ryan raises his hand for me to remain silent as he listens for something.  "Shit!"  He quickly makes his way back to the study where Serenity was starting to wake up again.  "I'm here."  He assures her before she can start panicking again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Serenity's POV:

Ryan pulled me close as I felt my heart racing in my chest.  I didn't want to start remembering what had happened to me.  Instead, I wanted to forget everything.  But now bits and pieces are coming back to me.

He eventually got me to fall asleep again but it took him a few hours.  I felt guilty for keeping him up most of the night. 

However, the next morning when I finally came out, he was busy making breakfast.

"I'm sorry about last night."  I offer as I take my place at their breakfast bar.  

"When I got back from Iraq, I had night terrors every night.  I lost a close buddy of mine while I was over there." Ryan hands me a cup of tea.  "It gets better kid."  He promises as Jason comes downstairs.  He looked as exhausted as I felt.

"I'm heading back home."  I get up ready to head back to my house.   Robert still hasn't cleared me yet so I knew I wouldn't be able to join the team on their run this morning.

"You're not going anywhere."  Jason tells me as he pulls me back to the breakfast bar.  "Ryan said he had plans for you today."  He explains as his brother studies us.  I was trying to keep my emotions in check but the second Jason put a hand on me, I grimaced.  Thankfully, he didn't see my reaction.

"What were you planning?"  I ask worriedly.

"A gym opened up in the next town over.  A buddy of mine is running the place and your parents thought it would be a good idea for you to start training again."

"My body's still healing."  I argue not wanting to do anything too strenuous until everything was fully healed.

"Kid, I'll make sure nothing happens.  You need to get back on the horse so to speak even if you don't want to."  Ryan seemed concerned about me and I bite my lip not wanting to say anything stupid out of fear of getting hurt again.

"I'm scared."  I finally tell the two brothers.

"I know."  Ryan comes over to our side and hugs me tightly.  I let his hug relax me.  I knew Jason was watching but he didn't understand what had happened to me.  Instead, he was hoping I could be okay again.  I'm not so sure it will ever go back to normal.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jason's POV:

"I want to come."  I catch Ryan in his room before he rejoins Serenity downstairs.

"Jason, this isn't about you right now.  Serenity is working through a lot of things right now and needs space to work through all of this.  She'll come to you when she's ready for you to be there for her."  Ryan tries to move past me but I knew this would happen.

"Tell me what happened to her."  I demand.  I know she was tortured but there's something else she's not telling me.

"That's her story to tell."  He counters.

"Was she raped?"  I didn't  need him to answer because I already had a feeling it was true.  He doesn't respond and instead pushes past me to rejoin Serenity downstairs.

I stood there for a few minutes as I worked through my own emotions about this fact.  The girl I loved so much was hurting because some other man had taken advantage of her.  Her reaction to all of this made sense now but it still hurt to know that I couldn't be the one to help her through this.