Soldier in Winter (A Bucky Barnes FanFiction)

Again

After some time, when Ellie could no longer cry, she stood and left the room. She heard Steve and Bucky talking. Apparently, Sam had left to make a few calls to people they could trust to come help them with everything.

It had gotten dark out, so Ellie was very cold in her t-shirt and leggings. She wandered into where the guys were, crossing her arms in front of her. Both Bucky and Steve stopped talking and looked up when she came in. Bucky was perched on a boarded-up windowsill, with Steve leaning on the wall next to him. Steve noticed that she was cold and handed her his jacket. She had accepted it readily, absorbing the warmth quickly. Her eyes were still red and puffy from crying and her stomach rumbled at the sight of some granola bars on the ledge.

Granola bars had seemed to become her sole source of sustenance.

Bucky went to grab one for her, but he stopped when she grabbed one herself. She wasn't ready to speak with him.

"Is there a bathroom?" She asked quietly, looking around. Steve nodded and pointed down the hall. She munched on her granola bar as she headed down towards the bathroom. Once she arrived, she went about her business and then exited.

She headed back to where the guys were only to listen in to Bucky and Steve talking.

"Bucky, it's not your fault. You weren't the one who hurt her. That was from before," Steve said.

"She has every right to hate me. To be scared of me," Bucky muttered. "I've done a lot of bad things in my life, and this just happens to be another one of them, I guess," he sounded defeated.

"You really care for her that much, don't you?" Steve said. There was no answer. Steve sighed. "When did you figure that out?"

"I think I always knew, but I didn't want her to know. I didn't want to scare her away, but right when things were finally working, this happens," Bucky replied. Ellie sighed. She shouldn't care as much as she did. She wanted to hold him, but she was scared as to what would happen if she did.

She entered into the room quietly, feeling both men's eyes on her.

"So, do we have a plan?" She asked.

It turned out that they were meeting the woman from the CIA, Sharon to get all of the gear back then getting some extra help to go stop the doctor.

"What exactly is my role in all of this?" Ellie asked.

"You're just going to have to come along for the ride," Steve said.

"You remember a few of those defensive moves I taught you?" Bucky asked.

Ellie's face went scarlet red. She had remembered everything he had done for her. He had taught her Romanian, he had helped her learn how to cook a few things, how to bargain with people, how to defend herself, and how to analyze people in order to better protect herself.

"Yes, I do," she said.

"They may come in handy," he said. Ellie nodded.

"We have to go meet Sharon soon," Steve said, looking down at his watch. "Then we'll regroup here for the night."

"What about Sam?" Ellie asked. He still hadn't returned from his calls.

"He's almost here," Steve replied. Just as he said that Sam came in the room.

"Come on, we should get going," Sam said.

"I'll stay here," Ellie replied.

Steve shook his head, "You, least of all, should be alone right now."

Ellie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her. She knew that she looked like an insolent teen at that moment, but she was upset.

"Because I can't handle myself on my own?"