You Must Remember This (WIP)

Chapter 36 - ... the Twelfth...

Brooklyn, November 12, 1941

People often they say they can't feel a certain body part, when in reality, it's the only thing they feel. The shooting pain at the slightest movement reminds them they are human and alive. That's the first thing that Bucky became aware of when he opened his eyes. The agonizing ache screaming through every inch of his body, letting him know he was still very much alive. 
Bucky raised his hand to his face. It felt so heavy. And wet. Water? Or blood? He couldn't tell. It was too dark to make out. Whatever it was, it smirched his cheek as he tried to brush the dust away. Carefully, he turned his head, hoping to see something. Where was he? How did he get here? What the hell happened? 

Then something caught Bucky's attention. He shook his head to clear the lingering haze. His eyes were adjusting to the darkness surrounding him, but everything was still so hard to perceive. He looked again and saw... fingers. A hand. An arm. The wrist was slender. A child? No, it wasn't small enough to be a child's. A woman? Wait, that couldn't be. He'd been at work and there were no women on the docks. Not when it wasn't market day for the fishermen. Was it market day? No, he didn't think so. But then who...? Wait... Evelyn.
Bucky's mind raced through the scattered memories, trying to tie them all together. Evelyn came to administer the smallpox vaccine today. They met outside afterward for... He went back to work and then... the explosion. Fire... Heat, so much heat. He went to look for her but found... not Evelyn. Then she appeared out of nowhere but wouldn't leave. Son of a bitch, why didn't she leave? The ceiling fell. The floor sank. Another explosion. TNT... There was TNT at the docks. Why? 

Groaning, Bucky forced his body to cooperate and turned around. He hissed when his knee touched the ground. Was he hurt there? Probably. It didn't matter right now, though. He had to get to the woman. To Evelyn. The ground beneath him shifted as he dragged himself closer to the hand. What was he lying on? A metal plate? Bricks? 
Bucky pushed the rubble out of the way until he felt firm ground underneath him. He reached out to touch Evelyn's fingers. She didn't respond. Fearing the worst, Bucky inched closer. Her arm lay under broken pieces of wood. He removed them, gingerly feeling his way up her arm to her shoulder and head. Evelyn's face was turned to him. Were her eyes closed? He couldn't tell for sure. 

"Ev-lyn." Bucky croaked and coughed. "Evelyn."

He gripped her fingers with one hand while cupping her face with the other. She felt so cold. 

"Evelyn?" He tried again. "Blondie, can you hear me? Come on, wake up."

Nothing.

"Evelyn, please, wake up."

Still nothing. Bucky put his ear to her breast. He sighed in relief when he heard a heartbeat. She was alive, thank God. He moved back up and caressed her jawline with his thumb, whispering against her lips. 

"I'm here, doll. I'm right here with you. Open your eyes for me, come on."

Evelyn's fingers closed around Bucky's hand. She uttered a strained groan.

"Bucky?"

"Hey." His voice broke as he tried to hold down a sob. "Hey, I'm here."

"W-Where are we? Why is it so dark?"

"The latch to the underground storage gave way, and we fell through. There was another explosion and what remained of the warehouse landed on top of us, sealing off the opening." 

"Wh-What? So... we're trapped?" Evelyn's voice held a panicked edge. "No, we... I have to get out of here. I-I can't be stuck here when people are hurt. T-They need me."

"There's nothing you can do for them right now."

"No!" She pushed him away with such force that Bucky nearly fell backwards. "I need to get out of here! They need me! Simon, and Jonesy, a-and Lucas, and... Steve! Steve needs me! I can't die here! I can't leave my brother!"