Better Love || A Bucky Barnes Fanfiction

- Red -

"How are you holding up?" Steve asked as soon as the door closed behind Everett Ross. Standing by the entry Elena sighed, making her way past the watchful Sam and towards Steve, rubbing at her free wrists. For a moment she didn't answer,  eyes focused intently on the screens outside the office. She clenched her fists tightly, pushing away the urge to lift a hand up as though she could trace the shape of him on the glass in front of her and conjure him here. The thought of him made her swallow, eyebrows furrowed.

"I just want to get him out of here," she murmured. Steve frowned, looking at her with curiousity.

"You two are close, then?" He asked. Only then did it occur to Elena that the pair hadn't actually been formaly aquainted. Doesn't feel that way, she thought to herself, looking up at the man. While she still felt vaguely intimidated by him - this was a man she had learnt about in history classes back in high school - she was not frightened of him. In fact, she trusted him. The history he shared with Bucky was one of those reasons why she felt that way, but there was a gentleness to him that she also picked up on. She smiled sadly.

"We are," she replied as the door opened. Looking over her shoulder a blonde woman - the same one who had been standing with Everett when they had arrived - had entered.

"The receipt for your gear," she announced, handing a slip of paper to Sam. As Elena turned her attention back towards the screens outside she heard Sam mumble grumpily.

"Bird costume, come on."

"I didn't write it," the woman replied. For a moment it was silent. All there was to do was watch the screens and wonder what was being said. That didn't last too long though. With a flash of light the screen in the office came to life and a man's voice filled the space.

"I'm not here to judge you," he was saying, Elena stepping back so she could look up at the screen properly. "I just want to ask you a few questions. Do you know where you are, James? I can't help you if you don't talk to me, James."

"My name is Bucky." Elena didn't think that the sound of his voice would make her inhale sharply, but it did. He sounded so tired and Elena couldn't help but start asking questions in her head. Have they fed you? Have they let you sleep? Did they leave you in a room all by yourself this entire time?  You're still wearing the same clothes from last time. They let me change, why didn't they let you? And your nightmares, baby, your nightmares. Mine have been terrible.

"Bucky..." Elena whispered underneath her breath. Vaguely, she heard Steve's voice.

"...get seven billion people looking for the Winter Soldier."

"Are you saying someone framed him to find him?" The woman's voice was louder, clearer, and at the suggestion of a framing taking place Elena turned away from the screen, eyes wide. 

"Framing?" she repeated, making the woman nod. "Of course. That's what I told that Everett man. We weren't there, it wasn't us." Beside her Steve nodded, although Elena could see that the wheels were still turning in his head as he thought. From the table Sam spoke.

"Steve, we looked for the guy for two years and found nothing."

"We didn't bomb the UN," Steve answered. "That turns a lot of heads."

"Yeah, but that doesn't guarantee that whoever framed him would get a guarantee that we would," the woman replied, before a look of realization passed across her face. The same one passed over Steve's as he looked back at the screen, Elena following suit.

"Yeah..."

On the screen, Bucky continued to sit in silence as the man spoke.

"Tell me, Bucky. You've seen a great deal, haven't you?"