Endless Winter (Bucky Barnes)

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen: Somebody I used to know

-

"Hello, Jacklyn. Miss me?" Albert called maniacally. "If you take one more step I'll do to your arms what I did to your legs," Jacklyn yelled out, her voice quivering. Albert laughed. "Still just a naive little girl," He said, Peggy stepped forward to make her presence known, pointing the gun that she whipped out at him. "I suggest you leave her alone," Peggy ordered

"How interesting, she's defending you when that gun should be pointed at you, tell me child, have you told the SSR the evils you committed while you were under our care?" Albert asked, stepping forward intimidatingly, Peggy cocked the gun. "Don't even think about getting any closer." Peggy snarled. "Care? You tortured me for years, you only fed me to keep me alive. You treated me like an animal," Jacklyn said shakily.

Peggy felt a pang of sympathy for the girl, but didn't let Albert out of her sight of the barrel.

"If you're so sure we're the ones in the wrong, you wouldn't care if I would enlighten your friend about what you did over the past fifteen years? Why I have no legs-" "Shut up," Jacklyn snapped.

"I find it hard to believe that such a monster feels guilt," Albert said blandly. He took an eerie step forward. "Just like her insolent mother," "I SAID SHUT UP!" She roared, she slung her shoulder forward, reaching both her palms out at the same time. Her senses heightened, Albert flew off his robotic feet and onto his back into a tree, Jacklyn let out a shaky sob as she fell to her knees.

"Oh my god," Jacklyn rasped, burying her face in her hands. Peggy tucked the gun in her waistband, striding over to the unconscious Albert. She pressed two fingers to his neck, she was silent for a moment, then removed her hand. Jacklyn stared at her intently. "He's still alive, help me get him to the isolation cell." Peggy said, regarding Albert disappointingly.

Jack intwined her hand in her hair. "I didn't mean to hurt him, I swear-" Peggy strode over and put her hand on Jacklyn's shoulder. "It's okay, he got what was coming to him." Peggy said with a smirk. Jacklyn nodded, wiping her eyes.

She walked over and slung Albert over her shoulder, her strength startled Peggy but it didn't surprise her. "Lead the way,"

-

"So this is the bastard who was responsible for your punishment?" Bucky demanded, looking at Albert, all he was hearing was Jacklyn screaming that night in the Hydra base. His prosthetic legs had been taken away, he was just propped up in a chair and strapped down. "If you would have known why she was in that chair you would have strapped her in yourself." Albert said with a slightly humored scowl on his face.

Bucky gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. "Stand down, soldier," Peggy said but not bothering to hide the disgust Albert brought in her.

Jacklyn couldn't stand to look at him, he reminded her too much of the painful memories she had. He was the reason she had a long snaking scar up her neck, he was the reason she had been in Hydra, he was in the reason her parents were dead, he was the reason she endured hours in that retched chair, he was the reason for Bucky's torture.

She bites her lip and stares at the floor because the mere sight of Albert made her want to collapse into herself like a dying star. "Why won't you look at me, Jackie?" Albert demanded, Jacklyn closed her eyes. "Don't call me that," She rasped, her voice shaking. "Look at me," He said more demandingly. "She doesn't have to do anything you say," Bucky growled.

Albert laughed, it ringed in Jack's ears, repeated over and over again, reminded her to much of the operating table she laid on, the chair she sat on, the gun that she held. She wanted to be strong, to stare him in the eyes and tell him that he doesn't scare her anymore, but she couldn't do that, deep down she and Albert both knew that she could never lie to him.

"If you knew what she did, what she was capable of, oh my boy you would hate her with every fiber of your being," Albert said, tugging at the metal cuffs with wild and bloodshot eyes. Bucky wanted so badly to hit this guy into next august, he would enjoy nothing more than breaking Albert's nose.

"I don't care what she's capable of you insolent moron, so shut the hell up," Bucky spat, he turned to Jacklyn to comfort her because he could see her shaking. "You don't have to be in here, we can leave, Jack." He said quietly, she looked up at Bucky and was about to reply when Albert cut her off.

"If you don't care, then you won't care that your girlfriend takes joy in snapping people's legs. That she has no problem with carrying out murders to save her own skin." Jacklyn was trying not to cry, she didn't want Bucky to know any of that, she didn't want him to know the things she had to do. "That she's such a monster -" Bucky lost it at that moment, he turned around and slung his fist right into Albert's nose. There was a sickening crack and Albert grunted, tugging at the restraints that bound his arms to the chair. "Next time when someone tells you to shut up, I strongly encourage you to oblige," Bucky snapped, he intwined his fingers with Jacklyn's and led her out of the door quickly.

They closed the door behind them and Jacklyn turned away from him, cradling her elbows in her palms. She clamped her eyes shut and refused to look at him, refused to let him see that Albert was right about her. She didn't want to see the realization in Bucky's eyes that she had done so many bad things under Hydra. "Hey, Jack, you know he's just lying-" "But he's not, Buck," She said, breathing in a shaking breath.

"I did horrible things while I was in Hydra, they twisted my mind, made me think it was the right thing. Something deep down always told me that it was wrong but I was naive and I never listened to ration," She admitted, Bucky reached out and grabbed her hand, turned her around and made her look at him. "We've all done things we're not proud of, and those things you did, that isn't on your hands. Those crimes were nothing short of Hydra, it wasn't your fault." Bucky said, swiping her hair out of her face.

She leaned against his chest. "But I held the gun, I was the one who pulled the trigger, don't you hate me for that?" She asked quietly, Bucky put his hands on each side of her head and tilted her head up. "I could never hate you, Jack." Bucky said. "I don't care what you've done, what matters is who you are now, and who you are not is the kindest person I know." Bucky said, Jacklyn looked up at Bucky because he had a few inches on her.

"Thank you, Buck," She said, she stood on her tip toes and pecked his lips, he wrapped her in his arms and pulled her into a much needed hug.

He separated away from her for a split second so he could meet her eyes. "If you ever want to, I don't know, talk about it or anything. I'm here." Bucky said, he held her hand and he pulled it to his chest, kissing her fingers tenderly. She smiled, trying to suppress her rising anxiety.

"I know, Buck."