The Falcon's Saviour

Chapter Eight

Sam sits outside of Katherine's hospital room. He rubs his hand into his thigh, his leg aching. There's been no news on Poppy. Nothing he can tell her to make all of this better for her. And he wants to. To make up for what he's done to her and her family. Natasha takes the seat beside him.

"How is she?" Natasha asks Sam who shakes his head back in answer. Katie's shut down, lays there waiting for news, only answers questions when asked and only in short answers. He's worried about her. Because she's going to get worse the longer Poppy is from her.

"What about you?" Sam asks. "Any news on the kid?"

"Tony and Clint are going though the surveillance cameras from the school" She answers. "But he was smart"

"Should have killed him in her apartment" he grumbles.

"I don't think it was him" Natasha argues. "Poppy was taken at thirteen hundred hours, we arrived at Katie's apartment half an hour later....it's an hours drive to the school with traffic, and that day it was bad, it would have taken at least an hour and a half...."

"So two bad guys" Sam whispers.

"Or a team" Natasha adds, Sam groans and throws his head back against the wall behind him.

"That's just great" he grumbles.

................

Sam worries his bottom lip as he sits beside Katie, she's sleeping, the doctors have her on some heavy sedatives to keep her calm and relaxed, to stop her from ripping open the stitches in her side. Sam scrubs his hands over his face. It's been days. Days since he had to tell her that her daughter was gone. Taken. And she's barely spoken to them, to him. He lowers his hands and sets one over her hand, debates touching her. He lets out a breath and shakes his head pulling his hand away from her then Sam leaves her alone to sleep.

..................

Bucky's sitting waiting for him, Sam clears his throat, aware that he looks like shit. He hasn't left since they brought Katie in, he can't bring himself to leave her.

"How's the leg?" Bucky asks, Sam nods a little sitting at his side.

"Yeah, fine, the doctor looked at it, said I was stupid to walk on it so early but lucky that I didn't do more damage"

"Yeah, dumbass" Bucky mumbles, Sam shoots him a look. "How's Katherine?" Sam shrugs a little.

"Sleeping" Sam answers and leans on his knees. "I wouldn't blame her if she never spoke to me again after this" Sam admits sadly staring at the hospital room.

"You really like her, don't you?" Bucky whispers, Sam nods.

"Yep," he vocalizes. "And I almost got her killed...."

"That wasn't your fault" Bucky argues. "Sam, it wasn't, come on, man, it was shit luck but it wasn't your fault"

"I kept pushing" Sam states. "Pushing her on those powers..." Sam buries his face in his hands and lets out a shaky breath.

"You're tired and hungry" Bucky offers. "You need to rest" Sam shakes his head. "Sam" Bucky scolds.

"I need to be here" Sam whispers. "I need to make sure she's safe" Bucky touches his shoulder.

"I'll stay" Bucky promises him. "Just take a few hours, get some food" Sam looks to him. Bucky can see how tired he is. Sam looks back to Katie's room before nodding. He can trust Bucky to watch over her for a little while. Just so he can get some sleep.

"Okay," Sam whispers and then walks away without another word. Bucky watches him go worried, they may not be the best of friends but Bucky does care.

................

Sam lays in his bed, Denny curled up into his side, Sam's fingers threading through his fur. He can't sleep. How can he? His shoulders the blame for all of this. For what happened to Katie. To Poppy. If he'd just left them alone. He'll do that now. When this is over. When they find Poppy. He'll leave them alone. He pulls the dog closer to him. This is fine. This is not fine.

.........

Katie wakes with a start, her hands lashing out knowing there is someone in her room, a flesh hand grabs one of hers to try and calm her down.

"Easy," Bucky tells her. "It's just me" she looks to him, this time recognition flickers, she relaxes and lets out a breath.

"Bucky?" she asks him flopping back onto the bed.

"Yeah" he assures. "Yeah" he repeats softer.

"Where's Sam?" she asks him.

"I sent him home to rest" he admits leaning on the bed rail to look at her. She does look better with a few days rest, but she still looks exhausted, he knows it's because of her daughter.

"What about...?" she starts looking to him, he shakes his head.

"Nothing yet" he answers. "As soon we know anything so will you" he promises.

"She could be dead" she whispers sadly getting upset. "She could be dead" she repeats, Bucky takes her hand and shakes his head.

"Hey, now" he coos. "Let's not go down that rabbit hole, okay?" he asks her. She holds onto his hand and nods a little. "It's going to be okay" he whispers placing his metal hand over their joint ones. She takes a shaky breath wanting to believe him. But she can't. She can't till she sees Poppy. She needs her daughter. She needs to hold her and make sure that she's in one piece with her own two eyes.