Soul Reader

Part 10

Warnings: Mentions of torture, Nightmare, Swearing?

 Two nights later everything changes. You wake up with a start and rub at your sleepy eyes as you see the midnight line wavering like crazy. You feel a tugging in your chest and you instantly know Bucky is having a particularly bad nightmare. 

You get out of bed quickly, wanting to beat Steve to Bucky's room. You pad down the hall, the cool tiles causing goosebumps to rise along your legs and disappear into your pyjama shorts. It's not long before you're standing outside his door. You can hear muffled screaming and it only increases when you open the door a crack. 

You quickly slip inside and close the door behind you. You walk cautiously towards Bucky's thrashing body, calling his name hoping he would wake up like that. He doesn't even pause in his flailing or screaming, even when you try to shake him awake. You look at his chest then, the wall blocking the midnight line only one brick high now and you get an idea. Instincts taking over, you walk to the other side of the bed and gingerly get in. You slide closer to him until you're on your side, your face hovering over his flush and sweaty one. You lay your hand over his racing heart and close your eyes.

You feel like you got transported down the midnight line as you stand outside the brick wall. You look at the line of bricks and a few scattered around. You square your shoulders and step over the brick and you're faced with a white door. 

You can hear Bucky screaming behind it and that's all the encouragement you need as you grab the handle and twist the door open. You step inside to a dark room, people milling around, in what can only be described as a creepy lab, in army uniforms and white coats. You don't pay them much attention as you spot Bucky sitting in a black chair. 

He was dressed all in black and leather, his face covered by large black arms of machinery. You could see the sparks of electricity between the machine and Bucky's face as he lets out another heart wrenching scream. You make your way over to him as more details come into focus. 

The sweat plastered on his face and the eye that you can see wide and terrified. His chest rising rapidly and his arms tensing, ending in fists with knuckles turning white. You will the black arms to stop and you watch as they detach from his face, his body slumping in the chair as his breathing comes in ragged gasps. You will the clamps on his arms to retract and they do. 

You watch Bucky's face intensely, waiting for him to gather himself slightly. You walk closer, standing at his feet. You watch him closely as he glances in your direction, his body seems to seize up as he recognises you. 

He jumps out of the chair and grips your upper arms tightly; his eyes look deathly afraid and you can feel your heart squeeze painfully in your chest. He looks at you and then his eyes are darting all over the place, his voice comes out hoarse and strangled as he says, "what are you doing here Y/N?! You need to run, get out of here. I won't let them take you too". 

You bring your hand up and push some of his hair behind his ear, before sliding it back down to cup his cheek. You see him close his eyes and lean into your touch like he's been starved of contact. You take his hand, interlocking your fingers with his tightly as you tug him, motioning for him to follow you. He starts to resist, fear spread over his features, but you whisper comforting words until he's putting one step in front of the other. You approach another white door and you don't hesitate in opening it and pulling Bucky with you.

You step into a hall, a laminate dance-floor underneath your feet and a stage further up framed by red curtains. Its dimly lit with a warm glow, the dance-floor adorning red, blue, and white balloons on its edges. You pull him into the middle of the dance-floor and watch as he takes it all in with wonder.