The end of the line [Bucky Barnes]

Too Young

TW: death, violence, blood

**********

The sound of the wheels screeching on the asphalt fills the air. The car stops abruptly in front of the humvee at the end of the bridge.
The bodies of two soldiers lay on the ground in a pool of blood.
Bucky sighs and drives past them, ignoring Helen's concern.
"We can't leave them there!" she squirms in her seat, looking back.
"There's nothing we can do. We can't stop." He seethes, trying to keep his mind straight, but it gets harder each second that passes by.
How did Hydra bypass SHIELD security without anyone noticing it?
"They could still be alive!" Helen argues, unable to wrap her head around so much death.
"They have bullets in their head, Helen! They're dead." He shouts, looking at her.
Helen petrifies at Bucky's tone, struggling to recognize him within all that gloom in his eyes.
He notices her body tense up, and he sighs, "I'm sorry, Helen." He whispers, and his glance softens a little.

Snapping at her is not something he does, not when it's just Helen being Helen, always trying to take care of everyone and everything.
Helen looks down, dropping her hands in her lap.
They stay silent for the rest of the drive until they get to Bryant Park.
He can hear sirens in the distance, and a chopper is passing over the city.
He gets out of the car and walks toward a tech store, forcing the glass doors.
"What are you doing?" Helen peeps behind his back.
Bucky walks in the store, looking around, "Borrowing some things. Phones are useless, but we need to keep in touch somehow."
He mutters behind the register, "and the guy who owns this place has what I need." He crouches behind the counter and sees a safe.

"What are you looking for?" She asks, peeping her head over the counter.
Bucky uses his metal arm to break it open and takes out two phones.
He turns it on and starts pressing the buttons quickly.
"Give me your phone." He instructs, and Helen hands him her phone.
He removes the sim and turns it off, handing her another phone.
"This is a satellite phone, and you're going to use it only for emergency." He says, showing her how to use it. He moves to the laptop on the counter. He starts digiting on it and making sure both phones are covered and works.
"Don't use your phone," he starts, "They can track you with it." He does the same thing with the other one and checks his phone.
"Who are they?" Helen asks, and Bucky looks up at her, clenching his jaw.
"Hydra." He discloses, as Helen looks at him, worried.

Bucky and Helen are back in the car, and they're waiting for Steve to answer the call.
"Who's this?" Steve asks, panting.
"Steve, it's Bucky. Where are you?" they wait, hearing a groan on the other side.
"Between the 6th avenue and the 47th street, where are you? A couple of more hands could really help." Steve scoffs while running.
"I've Helen, but there's a problem," Bucky says, glancing at Helen.
"Oh please, what else?" He huffs, stopping to breathe.
"I'm pretty sure Hydra is to blame for the explosions," Bucky confesses, hearing Steve curse.
"How do you know?" Steve inquires.
"A car was following us. When I stopped, they started shooting. One of them said Hail Hydra, before killing himself." Bucky recalls what happened, unable to understand what is going on.
"We need to fill in the others, reunite and work out a plan," Steve speaks again.
"I am coming there," Bucky says, ending the call.

"Where are we going?" Helen inquires as the car moves again.
"To meet the rest of the team. Is not ideal, but it's better than leaving you alone." He mutters, turning two lefts and stopping in the middle of Times Square.
"It's about time, Barnes." Tony scoffs, walking past them.
"How's the situation?" Helen asks, looking around and seeing the paramedics rushing to every corner.
"It's slightly better than an hour ago, but there's still a building full of people to evacuate." He informs, nodding to a skyscraper.
The east side is on fire, and the firefighters are trying to save the people stuck inside.

They hear screaming and see a man who jumped out, and it's in freefall.
Sam grabs him by his arm just a few seconds before he smashes to the ground saving him.
"Holy..." Helen whispers, shocked.
"Stay here, and keep that," Bucky gives her his gun, "you know how to use it." He jests, and Helen looks at him with a scowl.
"Be careful, please." She coos, giving him a quick hug.
He smirks, "Yes, ma'am." He runs to help the others.

Helen looks around, feeling useless.
She looks at people rushing and risking their lives while all she can do is stay there.
A few people rescued from the building on fire get left to the paramedics, who are overwhelmed.
A young woman walks out of a building covered in ashes and blood and walks towards Helen.
Her feet move quickly to help the woman, who falls on the ground.

"Hey, hey," Helen kneels next to her, holding her head up.
"Can you hear me?" she asks, moving her hair off of her face.
The woman is struggling to stay awake, and her breath is heavy.
"Someone help!" she screams, looking around, but no one comes.
"You're going to be ok. Stay awake." Helen shudders, holding her hand.
"What's your name?" she asks, trying to keep her awake.
"Jade," she whimpers, squeezing her hand, "I don't wanna die." she cries out, and Helen's stomach sinks.
Blood is covering her hand behind Jade's head, and she is slowly losing consciousness.
Her eyes roll back, and the grip on her hand gets loose, "No, no, Jade!"
Helen squeaks, shaking her shoulders.
She tries to feel her pulse, but she can't.
Helen lays her down and tilts her head back to check if she's still breathing.
Jade isn't breathing. She clasps her hands together on top of her chest and starts compressing, counting under her breath.
Two paramedics finally arrive, "Ma'am, move. We will take care of her."
Helen crawls on the other side as they open her shirt and put AED pads on her chest.
Electricity runs in her body, making it jolt.

Times slows down like they're into a bubble while the rest keep running past them.
Helen watches Jade's body jolt once again before resting still, forever.
The medics put away their gear, ready to pass to the next person.
"Why did you stop?" Helen snaps, looking at them.
"There's nothing we can do. I'm sorry." One of them says, sliding a scoop stretcher under the body.
Helen shakes her head and gets back to her side, "You can't let her die! She's too young to die!" she sniffs, putting her hands back on her chest.
"Ma'am, you have to let her go," they try to drag her away, but Helen shakes them off.
She keeps trying, praying for the first time in her life.
Two hands grab her by her shoulders and drag her away, letting the paramedic take Jade's body.

Helen tries to fight back, "No!" she whimpers, tears filling her eyes.
"Helen, Helen, calm down." Bucky murmurs while squatting down, holding her to his chest, "It's over, it's over." He keeps her close as she chokes on her sobs.
She gives in, melting in his arms.
"You did all you could," he sighs, "is not your fault." he croaks, caressing her back, trying to calm her.
Nat notices Bucky and Helen on the ground and rushes to them, "are you ok?" she urges, kneeling next to them.
Bucky nods to the ambulance across the street, and Nat furrows, "I'm so sorry, malishka." She croons, brushing her hair.
Helen recognizes Natasha's voice and the little pet name she uses with her.
She pops her head up and looks at her, sniffing.
"Bucky, why don't you take her somewhere where she can rest?" Nat suggests, "We are done here, and Tony wants us to stay at the tower. We will figure out our next move from there." She explains, getting up and brushing the dirt off her pants.
Bucky nods and helps Helen to get up.
"Bucky," Nat calls before they go "нам нужно поговорить [We need to talk]." She says in Russian, avoiding making Helen worry even more.
Bucky sighs and walks away, hoping she won't make him do anything he will regret.