Never | Steve Rogers x OC

Chapter Fourteen

The pounding in Brianna's head felt as if someone was hitting her with a hammer repeatedly. A low, pained groan escaped her lips and she tried her best to open her eyes. It hurt to do so, though. She wanted to close her eyes and drift back into unconsciousness. She felt as if she rocking which indicated that she was probably on a ship. That and the nausea she was experiencing.

The room was dark that she wasin. There was only one single light swinging with the swaying ocean. The walls and floors were stained with rust. It smelled horribly. Like something rotting. It took her a moment to realize that she had been bound to a chair. Her hands had been restrained behind the chair and her legs had been tied to the legs of the chair. She fought against them for a second, but didn't free herself.

In front of her was a door made of solid metal. There was no markings, no writing, nothing to tell her where the hell she was. Last thing she remembered was something hitting her in the head with a gun. She felt like an idiot for going out alone and thinking she could take three men down. Her thoughts shifted to Sam and Steve. What were thinking? Did they even know she was gone? She didn't even know how long she had been out for.

The door swung open, colliding with the wall doing nothing to help her aching head. A man wearing a mask that resembled a skull head walked in first followed by two men. No one said anything for a second. She tried her best to look as fearless as possible, but she figured she was failing at that.

"What is your name?" The masked man asked with a gruff voice.

"Your men were following me. You're going to tell me that they didn't know who they were following?" She asked.

He stepped forward and his hand hit her cheek. She tried her best not to react. It had hurt, though. She took a deep breath and then looked at the man.

"I was trying to see if you were going to be corporative. I know exactly who you are, Brianna Barton. You're Agent Barton's daughter. You fought against that robot in Sokovia." He spat at her. "I want to know what you're doing here with Steve Rogers."

Silence. 

This time, he punched her in her ribs. She tried not to cry out, but she still managed to hunch over.

"If you don't answer my questions, it'll get worse. I will make your life hell." He said.

She shook her head. "I'm not telling you anything."

"You will. Even if I have to starve you or beat the hell out of you. I'll get the information I need." He said before leaving.

As soon as he left, tears streamed down her face. Her head was worsening and now she was sure she had broken ribs. She didn't know what the guy wanted with Steve. She wasn't going to let him get to Steve though. Even if it cost her her life. She didn't know how long she had been down there since the first assault. She was growing thirsty, hungry. She tried her best to sleep, but sleeping sitting up was difficult.

Brianna tried to listen for anything that would give away where she was. There were times the ship rocked worse and it made her think that were possibly in a storm? She didn't know a thing about sailing though. She figured it was nighttime when the ship got even quieter. She didn't hear voices or footsteps. Just the soft hum of the engine.

The second time Crossbones entered the room she was being kept in, he had his mask off. She could finally see his scarred face. He had dark hair and eyes. At one point he was probably handsome, but not anymore. He walked up to her and crouched in front of her.

"Your friend Steve dropped a damn building on my face." He sneered at her. "Do you have any idea what that felt like? Do you have any idea what it's like to wish you were dead!"

"I'm sorry that it happened to you, but I had nothing to do with that. Rumlow. That was your name, right? My father liked you. Admired your dedication to SHIELD." Her voice was shaking.

He slapped her face. "Don't say my name."

She could taste blood in her mouth and spit it at his face. It had been a mistake on her part. He grabbed her by the arms and slung the chair against the floor. She cried out as her body hit the cold floor. Her ribs and her head felt like they would split open at any second. She heard footsteps as she fought to stay awake.

Rumlow crouched down next to her. "I'm going to make you wish you were dead, Barton."

When she woke up the second time after being knocked out, she emptied the last remaining contents of her stomach. She wasn't sure if it was from the rocking of the ship or the concussion. Someone had sat her up back up at some point. She didn't remember it though.

The third time Rumlow entered the hell hole they kept her in, her body began to shake. She was scared. She wouldn't say it out loud, but she was. She didn't want to be hit or kicked or punched. He had something in his hands, but her vision was blurry. He threw it at her and she realized it was paper. When she looked down she saw Steve and her. It was photos from their date.

"I think Rogers and you are a little closer than you admitted." Rumlow said before turning to one of his men. "Take her photo. Blast it all over the news and internet. They have 24 hours to come here or we kill her."

The shaking in her body grew worse. They were going to lure Steve in and try to kill him. No, she couldn't allow that to happen.

"No!" She yelled. "Just kill me. Please? Kill me! Not him."

"You don't get it. Do you? I don't want you. You're worthless. You're nothing. I do admire your bravery, sweetheart." He said before leaving.

She tried her best to stay awake, but it was growing harder with each passing day or night. She had to have been captive for at least five days. Maybe more. She was beginning to lose hope that she would ever get out of there with her life. She tried to break herself free multiple times. However, anytime the guard on the other side of the door heard even the faintest noise he would check on her.

So she let herself drift off again. The third time she woke up, it was to yelling. It wasn't the normal yelling that occurred. No, it sounded like fear in people's voices. She could hear people running above her. Faster than before. There were more feet too. There was a loud bang on the either side of the door followed by more shouting.

Then silence. The doorknob jiggled and she prepared herself for whoever was on the other side. She saw the hand wrapped around an arrow before she saw her dad's face.

"Dad?" Her voice was so hoarse.

Clint's heart shattered when he saw his daughter tied to the chair. Her face was bloody and bruised. She had multiple cuts on her face. Her hair was a tangled mess. He knelt down in front of her and began to untie her.

"I-It's a trap, dad." She attempted to speak. "They're trying to get to Steve."

She could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness again. "Don't let them...don't let them..."

Clint held his daughter close. "It's okay, Brianna. It's okay. You're okay. I've got you."