Damaged Goods

Part 9

This chapter reveals a LOT about Vanessa's past. It's about to get intense, so here we go!                                                    And thank you for all the support on the story!                                                                                                                                              -Author

My eyes shoot open at the feeling of something covering my mouth. I see a dark figure standing over me, holding a cloth that tasted like chemicals to my mouth and nose. I struggle and kick the person off of me. I jump out of my bed and attack the person, sending them into the wall.

They come back at me, but I put them into a chokehold and use my mind to try and see who sent them.

I get flashes of a facility I am far too familiar with. HYDRA. In the seconds I spent in their mind I didn't notice someone else come up behind me. As I come out of the trance I feel a strong hand put another bad-tasting cloth to my face. Before I can struggle anymore I pass out and everything goes black.

My eyes open to a plain concrete ceiling. As I look around more I know exactly where I am. My old cell. No, no, no!

I run over to the solid door and desperately bang on the tiny window at the top. That's when I notice electric cuffs on both my wrists. Suddenly the small window opens and a guard is glaring back at me.

"What?!" he demands.

"Let me out!" I demand, fuming. The guard just shuts the window in my face. I continue to make noise and bothering him until I hear footsteps coming.

The heavy door suddenly opens. I instantly feel a large shock go throughout my body, cousin me to scream and fall back onto the cot to steady myself.

"Take care of it." I hear the guard order before I hear the cell door slam shut.

My vision slowly focuses again and I look at the tall g=figure standing in front of me. I pan his body, when I look at his face it all clicks.

"Bucky?" I gasp. How is this possible? No, it's not, I'm dreaming or they are playing some sort of mind game. It's not possible.

"Who's Bucky?" he answers. Before I can say anything more he grabs me by the throat and pins me against the wall.

"Bu-bucky...please...le-t m-me go," I beg, gasping for air. I reach my hands to his metal arm as it holds me firmly. I look him in the eyes, searching desperately for the Bucky I know. 

My vision starts to go blurry right as his hand leaves my throat. I gasp for air, kneeling on the ground, before looking up at his still cold expression.

I stumble onto my feet and steady myself against the wall. I look into his eyes again. As I see the coldness clouding his eyes, I know they brainwashed him.

"Oh god...Bucky, what did they do to you?" I ask, about to burst into tears. I place my hand on his cheek as we lock eyes. Bucky's expression changes to one of confusion. I know what to do, hopefully, he will let me do it.

I place my other hand on his other cheek and pull him towards me. Before he can protest I gently but passionately brush my lips with his.

I pull back slowly, waiting to see if it worked. I search his eyes, they still seem confused. Bucky slowly moves his gaze to me and his eyes widen. 

I inhale as his metal arm holds me by the waist and his human hand holds my face. He doesn't say anything, he just kisses me with so much longing, passion, and desperation that if it weren't for his hold on me I would have fallen over.

As we both pull away, we look at each other with disbelief.

"I-I thought you were dead?" I say, my heart racing.

"I thought you were dead too..." Bucky answers, even more, confused than me.

"Is...is the baby?" He starts to ask.

"No. No that was real." I cut him off. I can feel my eyes filling with tears as a lump forms in my throat. I've tried so hard to forget all of this.

"Wha-what happened?" He asks, his voice shaky. I shake my head slowly as I feel a tear trickle down my face.

"All I know is after the accident..." I take a deep shaky breath, as I try to contain my sobs, "...we were separated to be treated for our injuries, I went into surgery and when I woke up they told me that the baby didn't make it...and-and that you were dead." I look up at Bucky, tears now streaming down my face. I can't stop myself from wrapping my arms around him as my tears dampen his shirt.

His hands hold onto my shoulders and push me back so he can look at me.

"They told me about the miscarriage. But they told me you were dead too." Bucky explains, confused as his eyes well with tears. My heart breaks when I realize.

"I woke up before you. I waited hours for news on you, but you were still in surgery. After a bit they told me you didn't make it. I couldn't stand being there without you so I escaped soon after that. But why would they tell me you were dead...if you weren't?" I question. Bucky looks at me, just as confused.

"I...I don't know." He answers. Bucky pulls me back into his embrace.

"Wha-what do we do?" I ask. I feel Bucky's chest rise and lower, heavily.

"We get out of here." I look up at him.

"How do we do that?" I ask.

"I don't know. But we will get out of here. Whatever it takes." I hold onto Bucky tighter and just stay like that for a bit.

As I lay in his embrace I can't help but think about everything we had.

And everything we lost...

Even though we were stuck at HYDRA, we were happy together. We loved each other.

I remember how after a while into our relationship, HYDRA had the idea to make a supersoldier that was born already enhanced. They intended to use me and Bucky to do so. After months of trial and error, I ended up getting pregnant. Bucky and I were ecstatic but also worried about what was in store for our future child. I was in love with the fact of having a family with Bucky, but I knew we wouldn't be a real family as long as we lived under HYDRA's command.

Bucky and I formed a plan to escape before the child was born, and live a normal life.

But before we could, we had to go on a simple mission for HYDRA. It was all routine. But on the way back the truck we were in got flipped. Bucky tried to protect me and the baby as the truck rolled and hit multiple objects. He protected me pretty well, I came out better than he did. Bucky got the brunt of the impact, getting several injuries along his back, and cuts on his face. But even with Bucky protecting me and the baby, I got trapped under some bent metal from the truck. I was unable to move due to a piece sticking through the side of my abdomen.

Next thing I knew we were getting rushed into the HYDRA facility on stretchers. Agents were yelling orders and I went into a separate room than Bucky.

I woke up from surgery only to receive the gut-wrenching news that we had lost the baby. I remember the earth-shattering words as they pierced through my whole body. The pain of my injuries was nothing compared to the pain of losing the child. All I remember is sobbing and asking about Bucky.

The doctor came in with a plain expression on his face. After he told me Bucky didn't make it...everything else he said became muffled. I couldn't even muster a scream, I was in shock. I just sat on the hospital bed as tears flowed down my face and sobs were muffled by my hands. The pain was too unbearable. I couldn't stand to stay here after I had lost everything and everyone I loved.

Even with the pain of my injury and the even worse pain of who I had lost I somehow mustered enough strength to escape through the vents that night.

Ever since then I have never looked back. I couldn't think about it. The constraint nightmares were reminders enough.

I thought after years on the run and keeping hidden, that this would all be behind me. But here it is again. All resurfacing.