Loose Ends

Operation Rescue

A/N: ::picks up popcorn:: A lotta violence and the like but mostly I'm just up here to say hi! Hi!

*****

Steve's POV:

I come back to myself in the chair. Well, I don't have to fake the physical pain or exhaustion. I can breathe but barely. I reach up to touch my face and hiss in pain. I touch my hair and clumps of blonde hair come away in my hand soaked in my blood. I look at it stunned and curious. I jump when Not Bucky touches me, I try to look unsure of what was happening but it wasn't hard. I still have my memories, but the skin on the left side of my face, jaw, and temple are seared in pain. The right side only went in a ring around my ear and over my cheekbone. Fuck did that hurt. My left eye is swollen shut a little bit. I try to stand but stumble. I let myself go a little limp as Not Bucky pulls me over his shoulder and helps me walk.

Hughes smiles to himself, satisfaction flowing over him as he looks into my glassy eyes. "What a pleasure to mar your beautiful face Captain." He laughs touching my skin and I can't hold back the grunt of pain as I jerk away. "Take him to an interrogation room." Not Bucky is strong, a little stronger than a normal man of his build but he isn't a super soldier so my awkward bulk is a little difficult for him to carry but he waves away assistance.

He dumps me on the floor, and I lay still for a long moment as he stares at me. He leans down and meets my eyes. I don't know if he sees that I am in here, but I can't help but meet him when I see sadness and recognition there. "You don't deserve what he is gonna do to you." Not Bucky says, and I almost don't process what's about to happen. Not Bucky has a knife and I move without thinking. If you had asked me if I had enough energy to stop the Winter Soldier I would have said no. For just a second I feel the opposite of the pull when Y/N takes my strength. It's like I am being filled up a little bit and my muscles and body more without my instruction to defend my life. Fuck, Oh fuck does that hurt. I twist and pull Not Bucky's knife from his stunned hand as I yank him down and wrestle until I straddle him, pinning him to the wall as I sit over him wallowing in the pain. I hurt everywhere. "So you're not as hurt as you appear." He growls. His mask is gone and I feel the sadness of his face so close to mine leak out of me. I need a second to conserve my energy before trying to volley with him again. He isn't fighting me right at the moment.

I breathe slowly feeling a brush of magic roll against me. Dreamgirl. She's here. I just need to hang on. I need this Bucky to not kill me. "Buck, Please. You don't have to do this."

Bucky chuckles softly. "Stevie. Do you know how many people I've seen him kill?" The Winter Soldier is quiet and soft. He sounds almost like my Bucky, I feel him relax against me. He doesn't want to fight me. "He is gonna do things to you I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I...I don't remember a lot of you." He tries to touch my damaged face and I feel the sticky warm blood on my skin "But I ...I don't think I can watch this happen again."

Fucking A. I get the Bucky who was gonna mercy kill me? "Buck." I touch his skin, his face, and feel his hesitancy. What do I do...what could I possibly say to make him understand he shouldn't kill me. Instead, I wish for just a moment I could do to him what Y/N does to me. That makes me wonder. If she can borrow my power. Could I borrow hers? I did just feel something pull into me instead of pulling away a moment ago. I push against the spot in me that connects to her and I don't try to command, I just ask. I pull backward on the downward feeling I get when she pulls strength from me. I pull the opposite way but it doesn't budge.

Not at first. But I try again, insistent and calm and pleading. It gives just a little and then a little more. I bundle my memories and love for Bucky Barnes into a ball and slide it into the skin of the Winter Solider's face. He looks at me, eyes wide and wild as he grabs at my strong hands at the wrists. He isn't pulling me away just holding on tight and looks overwhelmed. His eyes tear up from the overload, the wet blue orbs shaking and I feel the sense of protection and love echo back from him into me. He feels like my Bucky does. When he is in my mind. But he feels raw and sour. Like he does after a bad nightmare. This Bucky's entire short life has been nothing but a nightmare. He doesn't want to see Hughes torture me, rape me, kill me. Again . I feel it slide across his mind, watching Hughes torture failed Steve clones just for the sick fun of it. He still thinks that the best way is to kill me first. I don't fall into his mind. I can't bring him into mine. The power is small inside me but I hope it is enough.