Broken But Strong (Bucky Barnes fanfic)

16. The biggest fear

Using shadows as an advantage Alice had taken down few more guards and many HYDRA soldiers. She was so focused on her job that didn't fell the coldness anymore.
"They're gonna blow up this place," Bucky told and a bullet whizzed past Alice and hit another man in the chest.
"Thanks. Where is it?" girl breathed out.
"I don't know," brunet answered.
"Heating main goes pretty much through all property," Tony said.
"Okay, I'm going to the boiler room. Can anyone cover me?" Alice hid behind a statue avoiding bullets.
"I'm on my way," Marco responded.
"Guys, I need backup on the east wing," Natasha told.
"Copy that," Sam answered.
Alice waited for the moment when soldier is reloading and shot him twice. There was a footfall behind her and girl spun around ready to shoot.
"It's me," Marco hid behind a tree.
"Not the best time to sneak up," she rolled her eyes and motioned for him to open the window while she took a smoke grenade.
Man nodded and opened the small window, and Alice immediately threw in the grenade. Agents put on their masks and girl was te first one to jump in. She shot three guards and Marco joined her.
"Clear. We're in," Alice went to the main system and found the bomb.
"Shit. I haven't seen anything like that before," man furrowed his brows and went to protect the door.
"HYDRA," Alice sighed.
"What is it?" Tony asked.
"It has a timer obviously and there are more wires than I can count. The micro chip is soldered with some more shit," girl had carefully taken off the main panel.
"I'm on my way," genius retorted.
"No, just tell me what to do," girl scolded.
"Okay, is there a green wire?" Tony sighed.
"No, all are black."
"Fuck."
"Hurry up, they have heard us," Marco yelled shooting.
"Is there a wire connecting timer with a micro chip?"
"A few of them."
"I need to see that to understand what to do."
"I'll just cut the one that goes to the core," Alice rolled her eyes and took tongs from one of the many pockets on the vest.
She took a deep breath and cut it.
"Fuck, the timer switched to one 30 seconds," girl started to hyperventilate.
Her hands were shaking, heartbeat was rapid. Beads of cold sweat rolled down her back.
"Get out!" Bucky yelled.
"I can't," she stood there shaking her head.
Marco ran to her and grabber a splinter bomb and ran back, and threw it in the corridor.
20 seconds left.
"Alice, we have to go now," man tried to drag her along.
"No, I have to try again," she pushed him away and picked up the tongs.
"Alice, get out!" Tony and Steve yelled in unison.
15 seconds left.
"Whatever guys. It was a pleasure to know you," Alice picked a random wire that connected timer and micro chip.
"Ali," Bucky whispered.
He had just got her back. He had just kissed her. He hadn't even asked her out on a date. Losing Alice again was his new biggest fear.
She closed her eyes and cut it. Everyone's breath got stuck in their throats. Nothing happened.
Alice opened one eye and looked at the timer. It had stopped. The screen was black.
"I stopped it," she uttered falling to her knees.
"Let's kick their asses," Natasha said and the battle sounds weren't so quiet anymore.
"Right," she wipped her moist cheeks and stood up.
"Good job," Bucky told and girl knew he was smiling.
"I'm gonna go up," Alice stated taking off the mask.
"I'm joining you," Bucky said.
"We're fine," girl rolled her eyes.
"I'm going and that's it," brunet scolded.
He wasn't going to let Alice to go in there alone. The bomb had made him realise how much he actually cared about her.
"Fine, notify us on your status," girl gave in and went in the corridor.
"Be careful, Buck," Steve said.
"Roger that, Rogers," brunet smirked and ran down the ladder and outside.
It was still raining and every now and then would strike lightning. His long, brown hair got stick to his face and he quickly gathered it in a man bun. On the way shot few more HYDRA's soldiers.
"Im at the back door," Bucky said.
"Good, come in," Alice answered and he did as was told.
He saw both Agents hiding from more HYDRA's soldiers in the corridor and one tall, muscly man in an army's combat suit. Bucky quietly slipped in and went to Alice. He tightly hugged her for a brief moment inhaling her scent. Man pressed a gentle kiss on her temple, the stubble on his chin tickling her. Marco looked at them with jealousy and revolted turning his attention to the corridor.
"Do you have any splinter bomb or something?" Bucky released her and quietly asked.
"Yeah, two more. And one smoke granade," girl nodded.
"I have only one," Marco reloaded his gun.
"You clear this corridor. Caro is on her way here too. We will head to the office," brunet looked at both Agents and took one splinter bomb from Alice and put it in his utility belt.
Alice nodded and they went out of the small hall; Marco to one side and Bucky with Alice to other. As they had taken the soldiers by surprise, it was easy to take them all down. But Emilio was an execption - girl had shot him, but he managed to run away.
"We will get him later," Bucky said observing the corridor and rooms.
"This way," Alice motioned with her gun and man followed her.
"So what exactly happened last night? Tony and Natasha seemed really worried about you," man raised one eyebrow but not losing his focus.
"Nothing too bad," girl evasively answered.
She didn't want to make Bucky worried about her. Also she didn't like to lie to anyone.
"You're lying," he wispered.
"Oh, c'mon," she rolled her eyes.
Suddenly Bucky covered her mouth with his blood and flesh hand and pulled her in the nearest room. No matter how cliche it was, but it was a closet full with coats and other outerwear. Man pushed her in the furthest corner, on the way damaging the lightbulb and stilled the moving coats. They were so close that Alice thought that if they hadn't been wearing combat suits and bulletproof vests, she would hear Bucky's heartbeat. Man pushed her even more in the corner with his body shielding her from any possible threats, removing his hand from her mouth, and they both held their breaths and girl gripped her gun tighter. A footfall stopped by the closet and slowly moved in.
Emilio stopped in the doorway and tried to turn on the lights, but they didn't work. He frowned and thought that it's because of the action what's going on. He shook his head and pressed the bandage tighter to his upper arm, through which had gone a bullet. Wincing Emilio went out of the closet to guard Antonio.
Even after man's footfall wasn't audible anymore Alice and Bucky stood there just to be sure he has really left. Brunet's right hand rested on the side of Alice's neck as he leaned his forehead against her's. His hot breath was caressing her lips.
"I missed you," Bucky whispered.
It was dark there, but Alice knew that his eyes were closed, a small smile was on his lips anyway. Girl reached with her free hand to the back of his neck and pulled him down a bit, and their lips melted together. Their kiss was desparate, full of longing yet full of love. Her hand moved to cup his face, thumb was caressing his cheek.
"What's your status, Barnes?" Marco asked making Alice and Bucky part.
"On our way," he answered in a low voice that was more like a growl.
"Hurry up. Spec ops are already on the way," Tony informed everybody.
"Roger that," Alice quietly answered and pecked Bucky's soft lips.
"Let's go," man adjusted his gun and both of them went out of the closet.
The rubber soles of their combat boots didn't make any sound. They moved in a perfect sync and had reached the hall.
"Here," Alice motioned with her gun and they turned in another corridor.
It was a huge surprise for them to find Antonio's office empty. The safe was open and empty, laptop wasn't on his desk anymore.
"Fuck. Nothing's here," Alice told.
"What do you mean?" Steve sounded angry.
"The bedroom," girl started to run apstairs to the third floor.
Guards started to shoot and she saw Emilio going in the room.
"I got this," Alice said to Bucky and threw a splinter bomb.
"I'm not gonna leave you!" Bucky yelled over the loud sound of shooting.
Ha started to shoot at the lower levels and called for a backup. Alice turned around just in time to Emilio throwing a knife at her. She dodged but still got cut in her upper arm. As it was Tony's desing, then the cut fabric got sealed by itself.
"You bitch," man hissed lounging forwards.
Girl dodged his hit and kneed him in the stomach. As he was wearing a bulletproof vest too, that didn't really influence him. Actually he got more angry. He elbowed Alice in the solar plexus and used the second of shock as his advantage to pick her up against the wall by her throat.
"You traitress. We trusted you," he growled.
It was hard for her to breathe, but she struggled. She gathered her strenght to bring up her knees and kick Emilio away. That worked and she stood up, but man kicked out her feet and she ended up on the floor. Alice saw her gun and tried to get it, but man kicked it away.
"I'm gonna look in your eyes while you're dying," an evil smirk appeared on Emilio's lips as he was about to choke her.
But a bullet went through his shoulder. Man got angry hit Alice's head with a force at the wall turned around to meet Bucky's gaze, which was a mix of anger and desperation. Without hesitation he made leathal shot and ran to Alice.
"We only caught Christian," Natasha said.
"Alice, please wake up," with shaking fingers Bucky gently brushed stray strands of hair out of her face.
"Where is everyone else?" Steve shouted.
"I need medical assistance. Alice is injured," man said picking her up and walking down the stairs.
"How badly?" Tony asked.
"She's unconscious," brunet answered.
"Emergency services are on the way and spec ops as well. She's gonna be fine," genius said, but it sounded like he said that more to himself.
There was some more yelling in the comm link which Bucky ingnored. He just wanted Alice to be fine. As he was outside, he saw Tony frantically talking with a man who probably was spec ops' commander.
"He knows every fucking detail. Just let us arrest him and SHIELD will negotiate later. Now all I ask is to take an Avenger to the hospital," billionaire had stepped out of his suit.
"Fine," man nodded and yelled some short instructions in his comm link.
Everything seemed in a blur for Bucky. He didn't want to think about the possible scenarios about Alice. In a robotic motions he placed her on stretcher and went forward and in the helicopter where Steve was pushing him. He didn't even hear what he was saying. He was just blankly staring with an unfocused gaze trying not to think about the worst. Losing Alice was how his biggest fear.