Never forgotten ~ Bucky Barnes

TWENTY NINE

And it all comes crashing down

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When consciousness was coming back to me, I heard grunts and metal clashing together. My eyes felt heavy but fluttered open anyways and the sight before me made my body spring into action. Before me Captain America and The Winter Soldier was fighting each other. Both faces bloody though the Captains face was worse due to Winter's metal fist.

I groaned as I tried to roll myself over, my ribs killed and my head was spinning. Bruising was forming along my flesh fist. To add to the mixture, as I started to get up, pain shot up my right arm making it more difficult to move my arm about. I couldn't dwell on it too long as I needed to help. Ignoring the pain all over my body, I pushed myself up (all the while holding my ribs) and picked up my gun that was to the side of me.

Once I got up, I checked the magazine to see how many bullets I had left. Inside there was seven bullets so I re-attached the magazine to the gun and cocked it, ready to shoot. I looked back up and focused once more where the two men were and saw that they were almost back to the top, where the control panel was.

The Captain was fighting in pain, in his left leg had a bullet hole and blood seeping through. His face was getting swollen and bruised, his fists were bloody. On Winter his face had a cut was just above the eyebrow, red liquid trickling down but a smear was visible from him wiping it away. His cheek was also slightly cut up, a small gash on his cheek bone (probably from where the shield hit him at some point) and a minuscule graze on his chin that he got from along the way.

I was getting closer to the two men fighting. Stomps could be heard as they place their feet on the metal grate walkway, it looked like a dance of sorts but with no rhythm to it. Grunts escaped their mouths as they got hit and growls erupted from Winter when he didn't land a punch or kick.

I was a floor below them now and neither had noticed I had come back to my senses and woke up. I was taking my time, letting my body rest for as long as possible before I threw myself into the battle. My footsteps were as quiet as I could make them. My breathing was slow and controlled, getting through each step of pain. My ribs felt like they were rattling, my heart thumping against them with anxiousness within it.

My mind blanked for a moment, murderous thoughts gone for a split second. Familiarity flew in my mind but soon left just as quick.

I got to a set of steps that lead up to the platform above me. The stairwell was in a cylinder shape, making the stairs spiral up. In no time I was up the stairs and in the open doorway watching the fight for a far. Sucking in a deep breath and letting it go I unclench my ribs and prepare myself to what's to come. I start walking forward with a newfound passion deep in me. A scowl was etched on my face as my gaze feel upon the Captain.

When close enough, I pull my fist back and punch the Targets back, sending him falling forward. Both men seemed alarmed as they clearly wasn't expecting me there, though Winter looked relieved to see me back on my feet. I sent him a small smile to tell him I'm okay and we turned back to see the Captain look at us, he held a distant look in his eyes before coming back from where he was.

All three of us stood at a standstill, waiting for the other to make a move and to catch our breathes. The Mission took a step forward and soon charged at us, slipping through Winter before he had to go through me. I glared at him though it wasn't as tense as it was earlier, something had changed in me and I didn't like it.

He came at me with his shield outstretched but I pushed it away and sidestepped him, pushing him forward. He stubbled but caught himself and was now closer to the panel then before. I cringed internally at my move but my brain was slightly happy that he was. Only slightly.

Winter came up beside me and spoke to me "well done, dipshit", his tone sarcastic and not at all serious.

"Shut up, will you?? We have shit to do", I said in response while rolling my eyes. Our little bit of fun put us in a better yet more determined mood.

Winter takes a few steps forward before running at the Captain. Both his flesh and vibrainium fists clenched in balls as he swung catching the face of the target. The target falling down right in front of the panel, his left hand on it to keep himself from falling all the way.

As his left hand was keeping him steady, his right one went into his pocket and grabbed the chip. Winter and I both knew what was happening but wasn't quick enough. The captain had already done it. He took out the chip that was in there originally and replaced it with the one that could destroy Hydra. As he placed it in, it clicked and turned green signalling that the deed was done.

Now on his knees, he pressed his ear and spoke to it telling the people on the other side that it was done. To start it and leave him behind. Pain shot through my head and heart as an image emerged in my brain, of the Captain shouting at both Winter and I to get out of somewhere without him.

I couldn't think long on it as I was propelled over the balcony once more by the hands of both Winter and the target. They give me a quick glance before they too threw each other off.

Shots from each of the aircrafts that we were on were being fired at one another. Glass breaking and falling into the pit of water hundreds if not thousands of feet below us. Winter was on top of the Captain strangling him. The helmet from the Captain was now off and I was dragging myself to them. When I'm close enough I hear the voice of the blonde haired man.

"You know me.." sorrow in his voice.

"No, I don't!" Winter yells back before punching him in the face.

" Bucky, You've known me your whole life both you and Betty.", he doesn't fight back anymore.

"Your name is James Buchanan Barnes. And yours.", he turns his head to me " yours is Betty Rachel Rogers.", his face almost completely swollen.

Getting frustrated at myself for feeling confused I rush forward to punch him in the face, "shut up!"

The helmet he held in his hand is dropped out of gapping hole of the Helicarrier. "I'm not going to fight either of you. You're my friends." He claims out of breath.

"You're our mission.", Winter states as I hold him down. Winter mercilessly punches the captain repeatedly across the face.

"You. Are. Our mission!", I yell.

"Then finish it.", he says with a pleading look in his eye. Winter hesitates, holding up his fist.

"Cause I'm with you. Till the end of the line." The captain states exhausted.

Winter and I look at each other with wide eyes and back to the Captain. Small but almost painful images flash through my mind, not many and only snippets but all containing him and/or Winter. Though I don't call them that, I called them Steve and Bucky. It was like there were walls in my mind crumbling down, opening up what I was being kept from. My mind felt woozy and drained.

I felt scared. I felt like an open book. Like everyone could read me just by looking. My disfigured mind was vulnerable and raw, still trying to process what the fuck was going on. Confusion outlined almost everything. Who the hell was I? What did this mean? Who could I trust? I couldn't even trust myself and my thoughts, let alone anyone else with my terrible judgement. I had questions that urgently need answers. But I couldn't give them, I had none.  I wanted to know why the fuck I would trust someone like Hydra.

So many rushing thoughts go through my mind as I grab 'Bucky's' arm. Just as I do that the bottom of the Helicarrier gives out and falls, sending 'Steve' down into the river below. Both of us looking, watching him with lost and disoriented feelings deep inside us.