THIEF | BUCKY BARNES

NINETEEN

MEMORIES
❝I could never forget you.❞

Pierce walked into the room that the girl was currently being kept in, last night Bucky had returned from his mission with the vague memories of Steve. The doctors were currently fixing his bionic arm and Bucky hadn't uttered a word.

"Can I see him?" Odessa questioned, knowing that Bucky was back, she had seen him be escorted past but the doctors and guards didn't give her a chance to say hello.

"Not just yet." Pierce took a seat opposite the girl. "James had some complications at the base. These complications lead to him being more violent. Something that we take very seriously."

"What do you mean?" Odessa didn't quite understand what Pierce was saying.

"James had to be restrained for a few days, his memory has began to deteriorate." Pierce paused, watching as the girl anxiously chewed her bottom lip. "Miss Kingsley, if James doesn't remember you, we have no further use for you here at HYDRA."

Rumlow had informed Pierce that the girl had lied to them about her family. She still had siblings. The only reason that they didn't find them was because they were adopted and had their name changed. They needed to eliminate Odessa as soon as possible. HYDRA had managed to convince the world that Odessa was dead. An overdose on illegal substances and alcohol.

Odessa's breath hitched slightly. She didn't say anything, she thought it would be best if she stayed quiet.

"Do you understand what I'm saying, Odessa?" The brunette slowly nodded. "Let's see if he remembers you." He paused. "For your sake, I really hope he does." He lied.

Pierce lead the brunette to where Bucky was currently being kept. Odessa had only been in that part of HYDRA once, that was when they first found her.

"Sir, he's unstable. Erratic." The doctor warned Pierce, who just dismissed him. Rumlow was following the pair closely behind.

Odessa's eyes flickered to Bucky, who sat on a chair in the centre of the room, all the guards had their guns aimed at him, fingers on the trigger. Pierce motioned for them to stand down, which they did almost instantly.

"Mission report." Pierce demanded, as Rumlow stood in front of Odessa, hiding her from Bucky's view. Bucky remained silent. "Mission report now."

Pierce stepped forward, annoyed by the fact that Bucky wasn't answering him, he slapped the man across the cheek. Odessa let out a small gasp and covered her mouth. She went to rush forward to help Bucky, but Rumlow grabbed her biceps and pulled her back.

"The man on the bridge." Bucky spoke up, he still hadn't seen the girl. "Who was he?"

"You met him earlier this week on another assignment." Pierce informed the man.

"I knew him." Bucky muttered. Rumlow hid the girl behind him once again, so that Bucky didn't get distracted by her.

"Your work has been a gift to mankind." Pierce spoke up as he sat in front of Bucky. "You shaped the century. And I need you to do it one more time. Society's at a tipping point between order and chaos. And tomorrow morning, we're gonna give it a push. But, if you don't do your part, I can't do mine."

Odessa furrowed her brows, wondering what Pierce was talking about.

"And HYDRA can't give the world the freedom it deserves."

"But I knew him." Bucky dismissed everything that Pierce had said.

"Prep him." Pierce instructed.

"He's been out of cryo freeze too long." The doctor responded.

"Then wipe him and start over." Pierce shrugged.

"What are you doing to him?" Odessa questioned, pulling herself away from Rumlow and making herself seen to Bucky.

Bucky allowed a small smile to appear on his face once he saw the girl, he was glad she was okay. He tried to stand up as restraints wrapped around his arms, pinning him down.

He knew better than to fight it, the last time he tried, he only ended up getting hurt more. Odessa's eyes began to fill with tears, terrified at what they were doing to the man.

"Answer me." Her voice quivered slightly as she watched them but the mouth guard in his mouth and his breathing increase.

The girls eyes widened as she watched the memory suppressing machine began to shock him and erase his memories.

"What are you doing to him?" Odessa couldn't help but sob once she heard his screams. "Stop it." She cried, falling to the floor. "Please." She begged.

Once it was over Bucky slowly sat up and looked around the room. His eyes landed on the girl, he felt so weak and hopeless.

"James?" Odessa rushed over to the man, she cupped his cheeks and made him look up at her.

Bucky looked up to the girl with furrowed brows. She seemed so familiar, but he couldn't place it.

"Who is she, James?" Pierce questioned as he noticed that Bucky didn't immediately say anything to her.

"Please, remember me." She whispered softly. Bucky tried, but he couldn't place her. "They'll kill me. They're going to kill me." She needed him to remember her. "Cherry." She whispered to him, hoping it would help him to remember her.

Bucky slowly nodded his head and leant up, connecting their lips. Odessa let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding as their lips connected and she tangled her fingers through Bucky's hair.

His large hands gripped her waist and pulled her closer. He was remembering everything. Them playing cards, the meal that he made the guards set up with him and the training as well as everything else.

"God I missed you." He whispered as she pulled away.

"James, who is she?" Pierce repeated but stronger.

"She's Odessa Ro Kingsley. She's my Cherry." Bucky responded as he looked up at the girl. From the corner of his eye, he watched as a few guards and Pierce walked out.

"I thought you forgot me." Odessa whispered, her voice cracking slightly.

"I could never forget you." Bucky pulled her into his lap and watched as she curled up into a tightly ball, her head resting against his chest. "Not now, not ever."