Winter (A Bucky Barnes recovery story)

22. Found

Bucky wanted to scream and get away from him, from that stare but he had no chance of escape.

"How do you feel?" He asks.

"Pierce, the trucks ready outside." The second man says, watching Bucky.

"Good. Load him into the truck." Pierce replies.

The pieces slowly snap into place and Bucky stutters "Youwere, dead." his words are slurred and Pierce watches him in amusement.

"Ah. Cut off one head, two more shall take it's place." Pierce replies, "Ward, get him into the truck."

The second man, Ward moves towards Bucky and grabs his right arm. "Come on Winter." He drags Bucky up by his arm and leads him into the street. As he opens the doors Bucky makes a run for it, but Ward catches up easily. He knees Bucky and then when Bucky falls with a yelp and is sprawled out on the ground Ward kicks him. Again and again until Bucky is dry heaving and struggling to breathe.

"Stand, Winter." Ward instructs, kicking his legs.

Bucky doesn't move, he can't think straight and he has no clue what's happening. Ward grabs him by the collar of his shirt and throws him back down. His face takes the brunt of the blow and his nose begins to bleed, staining the snow red. He is nearly unconscious.

"Did you hear that?" Steve asks Sam, and Sam nods. They run the corner to find the source of the sound. When they see Bucky on the ground Sam tears out his phone and calls Natasha.

Steve fights back Ward, moving him away from Bucky.

Sam kneels next to Bucky and tries to get his attention. "Bucky. Bucky, oh come on. Bucky!" He shouts and snaps in front of his face.

Natasha and Clint arrive and Nat races to Bucky's side, while Clint helps Steve.

Ward stumbles back then runs at Bucky, Nat and Sam are caught off guard as he grabs Bucky and throws him roughly into the truck, before jumping in and shutting the doors. The tires squeals as they turn the corner.

The group races after the truck. One of Clint's arrows hits the tire. With that tire popped, Natasha pops another, the truck slides across the road, flips over, and lands in a ditch. When they reach the ditch Ward is already gone.

Steve races to the back of the truck and together they all pull the doors open. Bucky is in the furthest corner from them and there's a guard trying to drag him out through the window to the cabin.

The guard fires multiple shots and then is shot by Nat.

Bucky falls from his grip and lands on a metal chest. Steve races forward and several shots are fired.

"We gotta get outa here!" Sam shouts as more shots are fired. Steve picks up Bucky and nods to the rest of the group. Natasha and Clint lead the way, wiping out multiple guards, Sam follows and does what he can, his job mostly covering Steve. As they get further away Nat is shot in the shoulder, then Steve in the leg, and a bullet grazes Sam's leg.

They run and don't stop until they can longer see the Hydra men and they are no longer being fired at. They hail a taxi and they all load in, Clint sitting in the front. They race to the elevator and into Steve's apartment. Setting Bucky down on the couch Steve stands there unsure of how to proceed.

"Go sit." Sam instructs, pulling off Bucky's shirt. Bucky's chest is covered in bruises and he has scrapes and cuts all over his body. Sam presses on his ribs trying to judge wether any were broken, Bucky moans but remains still.

"Is he okay." Nat asks, holding her shoulder to stem the bleeding.

"Nothing's broken, the bruises should take a day or two to disappear but other than that... being out in the cold. It all depends on wether he got anything well he was gone. I mean, four days out in this weather it's a miracle he doesn't have hypothermia... or at least I don't think so." Sam replies.

"We need to get him to hospital. They can take care of him and make sure he doesn't have anything serious and then you guys, they can remove any bullets." Clint says pulling out his phone. No one objects. They cover Bucky in blankets and then when the ambulance pulls up Nat are and Steve are lead down to the ambulance while Bucky is transported on a stretcher.

Sam and Clint take a cab to the hospital, while Nat an Steve ride in the ambulance with Bucky. When they reach the hospital everyone is separated. Bucky is pushed down a hall and disappears, Nat and Steve are herded down a different hall and into neighboring rooms.

"I'm part of the group that just came in the ambulance." Sam says to the lady at the front desk, tapping his fingers nervously.

"Both of you?" She asks cheerfully, looking at the pair of them.

"Yes. Can you please hurry." Clint says annoyed, her chirpy voice was giving him a headache.

"Well, I can't let you in yet. Until I get the okay from the doctor I can't let anyone in." She replies, "but you can sit over there until then."

Clint sighs but takes a seat. "You should get your leg checked out."

"Yeah I should, shouldn't I." Sam replies, limping up to the front desk then being led away.

Nat and Steve were patched up and sitting in a room when a doctor came in.

"Is he okay?" Natasha blurts before he can say anything.

"He's fine, he has frostbite in several places. He has a cold but other than the bruises there's nothing else." The doctor replies.

"Can we see him?" Steve asks.

"No. No visitors until he wakes and only during visiting hours." The doctor says sternly. Nat frowns at him then looks at the floor. Steve sighs and leans back. The doctor leaves.

"Night Steve." Nat says walking out.

"Night Nat." He replies, leaning back and closing his eyes.