❝Whatever happens, I will never stop loving you.❞
. . .in which they are broken and battered, but their love for one another is what keeps them from completely falling apart.
[BOOK TWO]
[Highest ranking: #9 in fanfiction as of 5/26/18]
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★ ★ ★
Marlena sat quietly in her seat beside Sam, chewing on her nails as she normally did when she was anxious or nervous. Steve and Sharon were present in the room as well, though Marlena's attention was anywhere else but them. She was worried, to say the least, as Sharon had informed them several minutes ago they would be beginning Bucky's evaluation shortly. Marlena could see Bucky on a monitor outside of the room where Tony and Natasha were currently stationed, though she couldn't hear anything going on.
She was scared for Bucky; she was scared of what these people would do to him. She and Steve had yet to sign the accords, meaning Tony's offer regarding Bucky being transferred to a psych ward in the United States was moot as of now.
Bucky didn't belong in a prison, however, and Marlena didn't care what argument anyone had to make in order to prove her wrong. He was a victim—he was a victim of brainwash, mutilation, and abuse. Whatever he had done wasn't his fault and it never would be. Marlena wished she was able to talk some sense into the government; she wished she was able to make them feel what he felt as Hydra stripped him of his life so they would understand and leave him to live the life he wanted.
Marlena fixed her gaze on the monitor outside of the room, wishing more than anything she could hear what was going on. She let out a soft sigh and removed her finger from her mouth, looking down at the table in front of her. Sharon noticed her change in demeanor and moved to switch on the monitor in the room, not at all worried about the trouble she could get into doing so. Marlena's head snapped up the moment she heard the monitor beep, as did Steve's. Marlena gave Sharon a thankful smile before turning her attention to the screen, where the camera was currently focused on Bucky.
"Do you know where you are, James?" Marlena heard an accented voice off camera ask him.
Bucky didn't answer, eliciting another string of words from the man off camera.
"I can't help you if you don't talk to me, James."
"My name is Bucky."
Marlena could feel her heart skip a beat as she listened to him speak. She hadn't heard his voice in over a month, though to her it felt like years. Marlena didn't miss the brokenness that lingered in his tone, however, and she wanted nothing more than to hold him and take that brokenness away. If she could do so without getting into trouble, or if she could do so without being seen, she would find her way down to him and do just that. Marlena hated that their lives had taken such a drastic turn, and she hated that there seemed to be no chance in their lives ever going back to normal after this was all said and done.
"Why would the task force release these photos to begin with?" Steve's voice sounded.
Marlena looked away from the screen and at him to see him holding the pictures of Bucky from Vienna in his hands.
