Take Me back to the Start | B. Barnes

65. Triggered

"Five!"

"I fight against them and you try to sneak away, alright? You- you can't hear the trigger words, not now, I just got you back." I whisper shout at him as I quickly text the Avengers an SOS. Bucky shakes his head, staring at me in disbelief. "We don't have much time, no discussion!"

"Four!"

"I'm not leaving you behind." His words surprise me as my eyes are attached to him, a bittersweet pain spreading through my chest. After all these years, he still wants to protect me, even without memories. I force myself to forget my emotions and focus on the threat to survive this.

"Three!"

"I'll be right behind you." I promise him and shove him away, forcing him to leave behind all those gravestones. I stand up and just thinking of his hesitant face to leave me strengthens me and gives me hope. Leaving the grave, I walk towards the Hydra agent. "Leave him alone, Rumlow."

"Well, well, well. If it isn't America's little bird." He greets me and points the gun at me. "You and Rogers always annoyed the crap out of me."

"And who made you the boss of a Nazi organization?" I ask him provokingly to provide Bucky more time to escape. "Honestly, I thought you were dead. The last time I saw your body, you didn't look very well."

Beneath his armor, his whole body tenses up in anger and he pulls the trigger. I shoot the weapon out of his hand with electricity and run towards him, aiming a voltage at his chest. My eyes widen though when he shows no reaction, only a maniac laugh escapes his lips. How is that possible? "I don't work like that no more."

Still paralyzed in shock, he takes the opportunity to throw his armored fist against my head, leading to a nasty crack that makes me lose the balance. My head is pounding and aching like hell as a dizziness spreads through my mind, I groan in pain. I didn't remember him being that strong. Squinting my eyes, I try to focus, but darkness dances in front of my view.

"Find him and use the trigger words. I'll take care of her." He orders and his team goes looking for Bucky. No. Stand up. Stand up! If I won't stand up, Bucky is going to... "I've been waiting for this!"

He forcefully kicks me against the stomach and a pained noise slips through my lips, my breath becomes unsteady as I pant. Every breath is sharp and stabs my lungs, my mouth starts filling with blood but I swallow it down. "You think he'll ever remember you?! He belongs to Hydra! And he couldn't care less about your worthless life! So I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I finally kill you!"

A long knife extends out of his gauntlets and I still fight against the unconsciousness, trying to stand up. Rumlow aims the dagger at my face but before he manages to stab me, he suddenly gets thrown away. I gasp in shock and stare at my savior.

"I told you to leave!" I yell at him, concern running through my voice as Bucky grabs my hand and pulls me up. He shouldn't be risking his life for me again.

"Not without you." He insists and helps me to walk away before the team manages to find us. A mixture of worries and relief overcome me as I let out a sigh, a nauseous feeling settling down in my stomach.

"Желание."

Bucky suddenly tenses up and pulls a pained expression, his eyes squinted as he lets go of me. I turn around, seeing how Rumlow's mask has dropped from the attack and reveals his burned face. His flesh is red and swollen, bitten by the fire, it makes him look like a monster.