Hope and Dream

15.

Katie and Bucky walked along the deserted New York City streets in a comfortable silence. Katie bit her bottom lip and gave a laugh.

"What?" Bucky asked, breaking the silence.
"Nothing..." Katie started.
Bucky gave a sarcastic laugh and rolled his eyes.
"Sure, Doc..." Bucky chuckled.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her into him, so she was flush against his body. Her hand smacked against his hard chest, and she couldn't help it as a moan came from her lungs as his other hand landed on the small of her back. Katie smiled and looked into his eyes.

They were so blue and deep like an ocean.

Bucky gave her that sideways smirk and searched her face for answers.
"What's on your mind?" Bucky asked.
"I, uh..." Katie started, incredibly flustered.
She cleared her throat and regained her composure.
"I have a question." She stated.

Bucky nodded and gave her forehead a kiss. Her heart fluttered in her chest, and she could feel the blush rise to her cheeks.

"Shoot." Bucky said.
"Why do you act so...cold?" Katie asked.
Bucky's face fell as his grip around her loosened.
"What?" Bucky asked.
She placed a hand on his cheek and gave a warm smile. Katie gave small smile and brushed her hand against his face.
"You wear this mask..." She whispered. "You want people to perceive you as a monster..."

Bucky took a deep breath and looked away.
"Katie...you don't understand..." He started.

Katie placed her other hand on the other side of his face and forced him to look at her.

"James..." She said, almost whispered his name so only he could hear it.

She forced his forehead against hers as she was almost willing him to understand the words she was speaking. Bucky closed his eyes and Katie could feel a tear fall as he gripped her wrists and took her hands away.

"I remember everyone." Bucky said. "I can still see their pained faces. How scared they were..."

"That wasn't..." She exhaled, before taking a deep breath. "You didn't have a choice."

Bucky looked at her and just furrowed his eyebrows.

"I still did them." James said.

Katie took a deep breath and just wrapped her arms around his neck and held him to her, like her life depended on it. She gave a sigh of relief as she felt him wraps his around her waist and hold her to his own body, like an anchor.

"So, how do you know the brothers?" Bucky asked.

She gave a laugh and slightly pulled away to look at him, her arms still around his neck.

"Seriously?" She asked.
"We need to lighten the mood..." Bucky smirked.
Katie gave a smirk and smacked his well-defined chest.

**********
She had no idea where she was. All she knew was that she was free of that HELL and away from it all...and that she was in PAIN! Her bare feet were bleeding, and her arms were bruised as she leaned against the brick wall of the building. Rain had started to fall as she wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm...the thin cotton shorts and tank providing no comfort. The back door came flying open and Katie gave a flinch. Two gentlemen walked out, and Katie kept to the shadows.

"Me and Jimmy went downtown with goodness in our hearts to work out a deal." He said.

"Is that right?" The other asked, with an intensity, but almost regret. "Kevin..."

"Look..." Kevin started. "Louis starts threatening me, so...what was I supposed to do?!"

"Everybody knows who did this." He said. "You kidnap somebody, they're not supposed to know who you are!"