To The Bitter End (Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier x reader)

Chapter seven

1971

If you stand for nothing

What'll you fall for?

"KARPOV!" You slammed the files down on the desk in front of the general with a resounding bang.

"General-" One of the guards started but was silenced by a murderous glare from Bucky, who'd entered the room right behind you.

"Care to explain these?" You demanded, glaring at Karpov, who looked unimpressed.

"They look like American Army files from twenty years ago." He said evasively.

"You know what I mean," Your voice lowered threateningly. "Who are we?"

"Why you are Hydra's greatest assets," Karpov said matter-of-factly.

"But that's not true, is it?" Your voice dripped acid as you glowered at your superior.

The guard who'd spoken before raised his gun at you, but Bucky was faster and fired a warning shot that just missed the man's head. "Back off." He growled darkly, clicking another bullet into place.

The two guards in the room exchanged a glance and lowered their weapons.

"Who. Are. We." You repeated your previous question.

The general stood up and you took a step back.

"Oh, Y/n," He said, with fake regret in his voice. "Dear Y/n, you were always a hard flame to put out."

He took another step forward and Bucky snapped.

"Stay away from her!" he snarled, stepping between you and Karpov with murder in his eyes.

The general took a hurried step back, raising his hands slightly. "Now, now, no need to get defensive."

"We're done being your tools," You spat, stepping up to stand beside Bucky, who was still glaring darkly at Karpov.

"We saved your lives!" Karpov shouted, outraged. "You were half dead on the battlefield when we decided to spare you. And you," he turned to Bucky, who's finger tightened on the trigger of his gun. "You wouldn't have lived another hour if we hadn't found you. You both owe us your lives! You belong to Hydra!"

"We belong to no one," You seethed. "And we'd sooner die than follow your orders again."

Twelve more guards poured into the room without warning, all with guns aimed at you and Bucky, who pushed you protectively behind him.

"You're lucky we need you alive, soldier," Karpov said in a world-weary voice, waving his hand.

Then the bullets began to fly.

About an hour later, General Karpov strode towards his office.

There was a tight bandage on his left arm, just above the elbow, where a bullet had caught him.

Blasted Americans. He fumed. If he got his way, he'd have them both dead.

But Barnes was the only man to survive the Winter Soldier program, he was too valuable to lose. His little friend, though, she was a different story.

They'd tried everything they could to make Barnes forget her, but no matter what they did, he still remembered her. If she died, they would have no way of controlling him.

Karpov barged into the room but stopped before closing the door. If nothing he did worked, there was only one person who could help.

Turning to one of the men positioned outside the door, he spoke. "Get me Zola."

The doctor would know what to do, second only to Doctor Erskine, Zola was Hydra's best scientist.

Karpov slammed the door shut behind him and collapsed into a chair. He would have his Winter Soldier, no matter what it cost him.

Tears welled in your eyes as you buried your face in your hands.

The pain from the bullet wound had ceased to matter, it had stopped bleeding a long time ago.

You didn't want to think about what they might be doing to Bucky. Had you gotten him killed?

You should just have kept your mouth shut.

Why did I ever think running away would be a good idea?

Why

Why

Why

The one question that can never be answered

In three seconds, the room went from a tense standoff to a horror show.

Bullets flew, knives flashed, blood splattered the ground and walls.

Shouts and gunshots were all you could hear.

Until one awfully familiar scream reached your ears.

You woke up with a strangled cry and curled yourself into a tighter ball.

Three days, he'd been gone for three days.

What if he never came back?

You rushed to his side, tears already stinging your eyes.

The room had gone deathly silent, dead bodies littered the ground, eight in all. The other four men, and Karpov, watched from the edge of the room. All six of them were bleeding from various wounds, whether from knives or bullets you couldn't tell through the tears clouding your vision.

"I'm sorry... Y/n," He wheezed, bringing his right hand to your face while his left took most of his weight.

His hand shook as he wiped a tear from your cheek.

A rough hand grabbed your arm and dragged you, still sobbing uncontrollably, from the room.

"Will he be alright?" Was all you managed to choke out as your body hit the floor of your cell.

The loud thuds of receding footsteps rang in your ears, then someone shouted back. "You'll know about it if he isn't!"