Longing •Bucky Barnes•

48. Bounty

I woke to my head pounding and my body was a cold as ice. My eyes slowly opened to see I was in a bed. My memories of what had happened slowly came back to me. I was probably in Sharon's place in High Town. I had no idea who she was but they had known her and she new Steve. She had mentioned something about helping him, but nothing more than I can remember, either way I felt safe.

I turned to head to see Zemo looking at a book shelf across the room. My anger instantly bested me. I was so upset with him and what he had gotten us into. There was no scenario where anything would have worked tonight. There was no situation that we would just walk out without a fight. He had sent us in there on a suicide mission.

I saw my knife on my nightstand next to me. I silently grabbed it and got out of bed. I was in a pair of sleep shorts and an long shirt that fell to my mid-thigh. I crept up behind him and I let out a loud groan as I rose my arm to stab with him my knife, but my arm was much stiffer than I expected. He caught my arm and I nearly collapsed onto him and my limbs gave out. He caught me and the knife clattered to the ground. I whimpered as I felt lightheaded.

"Still angry I see." He said calmly as I was nearly limp I his arms.

"You almost got us killed." I said weakly.

"That was not my intention." He said softly.

The other three burst into the room. They clearly looked shocked by the scene and Bucky pushed forwards grabbing me from my arms.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Bucky yelled.

"She tried to stab me. I simply caught her when she nearly collapsed." He said defensively pointing to the knife on the ground.

"You tried to stab him?" Sam asked.

"Does no one else want to?" I asked angrily hardly able to keep my head up.

"Oh I like her." Sharon said crossing her arms. "Listen as much as I would love to entertain this idea I have clients. Make yourself comfortable here just don't get blood on the furniture, I'll see what I can do about Nagel. Try not to kill each other."

She left the room and I knew there was tension among us. I heard Bucky sigh and Sam look away for a moment.

"Zemo come on." Sam said walking back out of the door. "Give them some space."

A moment passed and the door shut and I felt Bucky exhale again. He carried me over to the bed as I was nearly a rag doll in his arms. He laid me upright in bed and I kept my head low.

"Don't say it." I said exhaling.

"If you're going to kill him, can we please just get what we need to first? A lot of people want to see him dead, but we need him." Bucky said and I just shrugged. "After that he's disposable."

"Whatever." I said because I was so tired and weak I didn't care. "Am I going to die?"

"No you're not going to die." Bucky said rubbing my thigh. "Sharon had the antidote, you're just going to feel like shit for a night or two."

"We don't have a night or two, we need to find Nagel." I said as firmly as I could.

"Valerie, stop it. You almost died. Sharon is going to look into it as we recoup here tonight. We're all staying put, especially you." He said adamantly.

"Bucky I'm fine." I said knowing I was whining.

"Oh yeah? Drop kick me." He said and I just tilted my head to look at him.

"You're a dick." I said in annoyance knowing he was just proving a point.

"Listen, I didn't want to ask them because I don't want anyone to worry especially Sam. What happened before Selby tonight?" He asked me and I furrowed my eyebrows.