Book Two, Thirteen Reasons To Forget You (Chose Your Own Adventure.)

Page 8

It took Maddie a long time to calm down, but finally she pulled herself together. She whipped her tears away, and her hand fell back to her side. Now, she just felt numb. Numb and exhausted. She was awake, and didn't feel tiered in the least. Mentally, she was shot.

Bucky could see this from where he was perched. The girl was curled up on the floor in middle of the destruction. The Winter soldier knew better then to introduce his presence to the girl when she had been that distraught, but now the storm had passed and blown itself away. Maddie needed him. 

Maddie flinched as she saw Bucky. The Ex HYDRA agent stepped past the broken glass, and Maddie felt too exhausted to fight. He wore a black hoodie,  cargo pants, and his boots and gloves. His metal hand gleamed in the light from above. 

Maddie looked worse. She wore a dirty black sweater that hung lose on her muscled frame. Her pant's where ragged and dirty and her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. Her blond hair was messy and snarled. Her face was raw and pink. And her chilling wounds were healing. The scars seemed to turn her lips downward. Bucky felt hot anger rise inside him. This is what Maddie had been reduced too.

"Why are you here?" Maddie asked, voice rough and hoarse from crying. She was still curled up on the floor, head on her arms. Bucky swallowed as he stepped past the broken glass. It crunched underfoot as he walked. He crouched next to the girl, who flinched away from him.

"I wanted to make sure you were ok." He told her, his rough voice uncommonly soft and gentle. Maddie flinched at his words and she wouldn't look at him, shame burning deep in her eyes. Bucky gave her a small, comforting smile. 

"Come on, survivor." He told her, gently pulling the teen onto his lap. Bucky wasn't one for kindness, but Maddie held a special place in his heart, and he wanted to help ease the girl's pain. It angered him that Sam had broken her like this. He knew that killing him had made it all the worse for Maddie. It troubled him that the girl didn't even protest at the physical touch. She just curled up against him.

"It's going to be ok." He told her, knowing that Maddie would get over Sam. His voice was low, almost a croon as he spoke. No one had ever seen the bloody assassin like this, and no one but Maddie ever would. 

Maddie hadn't ever been held like this, not by Sam, no one. Tears pricked her cheeks, and she didn't have the willpower to stop them. Bucky glanced down, startled to see the assassin breaking down in his arms. It was about time. He thought darkly. She needed to get over him.

"Wh...what about the other Avengers? I don't want to go back." She blurted suddenly. Bucky sighed, knowing that the girl had left for a reason. He rubbed soothing circles in her back as he answered her, telling the truth.

"Furry dispatched me on a mission. I only found you by chance. Everyone is shaken, they want you back." He told her calmly. Maddie had to resist the urge to snuggle into his chest. He was the comfort she needed, and a sudden peace flowed into her. 

"I don't want to be anyone's pawn again." She told him, and the cold certainty in her voice told Bucky that she would die before she went back to S.H.I.E.L.D. His stomach twisted as a chilling realization swept over him. He pushed the thought aside. Later. he told himself. Right now, he was going to help Maddie. Speaking of the girl, he could see her drifting off.

"Sleep." He told her gently. "I have your back." Maddie smiled tiredly.

"Forever?" She asked, exhaustion in her voice.

"Always." He murmured, pulling her closer. Those where the last words Maddie heard before she drifted off to sleep.