§ Painkillers § Bucky Barnes

Gone?

Steve's P.O.V.

I was walking back to the rest of the group, right as I got to the left doorway I heard a thud, it was coming from upstairs. I ran to the elevator "FRIDAY! Third floor ASAP!" I demanded. The elevator began to shoot up, it was very unexpected I even stumbled back a little. Before I knew it the doors were opening, and as soon as they were open enough I twisted my torso to get my shoulders through the doors. I ran towards the room that I left Bucky and Alex in.

I turned the corner to see the Alex dragging a knocked out Bucky by the leg. "What happened?!" I exclaimed. "I'm fine, thanks for asking," Alex said annoyed. "He is fine he just needs to rest." Alex started. "Now if you don't mind. I'm trying to move over 200 pounds of raw assassin." She said obviously referring to Bucky. With a sigh, I put my arms underneath his arms and started to drag his feet. "Where are you taking him?" Alex asked. "Your cell," I said. I thought I was doing a good job at hiding how upset I was about it, but I guess not.

"What?! Why?!" Alex said clearly pissed. "Because as much as I trust you and Bucky, I don't trust the Winter Soldier. He'll be in your cell, so we will say you got out on good behavior." I said.

Alexandra's P.O.V.

'Good behavior? What the f-' I interrupted my own thoughts. "That makes no sense. I am a lot of things, but well behaved is not one of them." I inquired. That's when Bucky started to stir. "Uh oh." Steve breathed "Run Steve." I commanded. Steve just looked at me and kept walking the pace he was. "Steve." I started "Get your ass in gear and run!" Then Steve ran. 'Finally' I thought. I kept my pace as Steve ran ahead. "Ha. I'm not doing cardio." I mumbled sarcastically.

By the time I made it down to the cell room Bucky was almost fully awake. "Who am I talking to? Bucky or Winter?" I asked. "Bucky." He replied flatly. "Is it really Bucky?" Steve asked. "Am I really gonna have to bring up the thing about the newspapers, Steve?" Bucky questioned, clearly agitated. "Wait. What about newspapers? I asked "Well Steve would-" "Stop" Steve cut Bucky off. I started to snicker 'I'll ask Bucky later.' I thought.

After we confirmed that Bucky was actually Bucky, Steve let him out of my cage. I was ready for the time to come where I would have to go back in there, but it never came. "Steve..." Bucky spoke up. I was expecting him to say something like 'We should talk' or 'Did I hurt anyone' or 'How long was I out', but instead he said, "Could you give us a minute?" 'Uh oh...' was my first thought. "Yeah, Uh, sure," Steve replied shocked, thank goodness I wasn't the only one. Then Steve left just like he was asked to.

"Do you remember anythi-" I was smothered in a hug. I stiffened up a little, but then seeing as he wasn't going to let go until I reciprocated it, I relaxed and hugged him back. "What's this for?" I asked, my voice muffled by the v-neck he was wearing. There was a pause. "I feel like I have to." He replied after the silence. "Why?" I questioned. "I remember." He stated plainly. I knew exactly what he meant. While he was the Winter Soldier. "...but how?" I asked astonished. He finally let go. I felt like I could take my first real breath since he hugged me. "Ya see... while I was with HYDRA I was, for lack of a better term, brainwashed, a lot." A shaky sigh escaped my lips. 'Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.' I thought to myself. "That's What would cause me to forget." I knew the feeling all too well. It's like knowing stories constantly being told to you and you think 'Yeah that sounds right' but not actually remembering the event or feeling, which, for lack of a better word, blows. "I know the feeling. I mean not exactly because obviously, I don't. I'm sorry." I stammered. His face immediately fell. "Thank you, but honestly there is no reason to be apologizing right now. It's not your fault." He reasoned. "I know. But is there anything I can do to help?" I asked. I really want to help, because if I don't help I feel useless. "No, not reall-" it seems as though he cut himself off.

Bucky's P.O.V.

There was something she could do. She could make the nightmares go away. She had that capability, quite literally, in the palm of her hand. But is that rude to ask of her? To make the night terrors go away? I am the only person as can see in color, so if I ask her to take that away does that make me a terrible person? "Sorry. No there's not really anything you can do, but be there for me and be willing to listen." I didn't like lying to her, but I felt like I had to.

Meanwhile...

Steve's P.O.V.

As I made it up to the group Nat started to give me a weird look. "What?" I asked with slight agitation in my voice. "Does it not bother you, or even make you wonder, that they're spending so much time together... alone?" Natasha questions.

'Can't Nat just trust me on this?' I asked myself.

"No actually. It doesn't. Because I know Bucky and he is not up to anything, I promise." I say shutting down any more assumptions she might have had. "Remember a few years back, when Ultron came?" 'Ok, what are you getting at?' I thought. "Tony told me that you told him that 'the guy who wanted a family and a house with said family went in the ice while another person..." she said gesturing to me. "Came out of it.' Maybe Bucky Barnes, ladies man, and protector of scrawny Steve went down while another guy came up." I opened my mouth to interfere but Nat shut me up quickly. "Now I'm not saying that is the Winter Soldier. But I am saying he has changed." She had a point.

Maybe the old 'jerk' that I knew truly was gone...