Ten Words- Bucky Barnes x Reader

Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Later that night, unknown to all the HYDRA crew, Bucky sat on top of a tall building with a pair of binoculars, inspecting the camp site. He hadn't seen Ali specifically, but was almost certain that she was there. "Strucker wouldn't miss a perfectly good opportunity to punish Ali, strictly for existing" he thought. "Send her on a mission she cares about, and rip out her feelings along the way".

A pang of sadness and guilt hit Bucky straight in the gut. The girl had never really known her parents, though they died in a house fire. Had she really been there, seen the scene, how would she have reacted? How would she have treated him?

Bucky's thoughts were interrupted by the opening and closing of the roof entrance behind him. "Did you find what you were looking for?" questioned a deep voice. Bucky grunted in reply, still focused on the camp through his binoculars. "Sam, let him be. He will find her when she finds her." This voice was a voice much more well known to Bucky. He and Steve had been friends forever, and Bucky was grateful that he had stepped in and helped him to escape from Zemo, and avoid too much damage in the process.

Bucky gave one final sweep with the binoculars, settling on a scarred man sitting outside of a tent, along with several other armed men "Rumlow", Bucky growling through his teeth. "That rat is in charge of their mission I'm sure." Sam crouched down next to Bucky, "They trying to bring you in?" He turned a thoughtful gaze to the man next to him. "More likely put a bullet in my head", Bucky replied gruffly, "They know I'm a powerful soldier, and the last thing they want is for me to be aiding the enemy."

"Don't worry, we'll protect you", Steve stepped in, ever the heroic figure. "Well Captain America", Bucky started pulling the binoculars away from his face and walking with the other two back to the hatch, "Maybe it's not me I'm worried about." He gave a fleeting glance back to the camp, thinking of the young girl with dark hair and a smile he had become so fond of.

Steve smirked at Bucky as the trio descended the stairs into the building "In all our many years, Buck, never would I have thought you found a girl you want to fight for." Bucky felt his face flush and the knot in his stomach returned. Never had he told Steve what happened, and never did he intend to. Too many blind missions he had completed, where innocent lives were lost, all at his hands. It was not something to be proud of.

Steve was right. Bucky never had someone to fight for, he was always fighting for himself. But Ali was different. The regret of his past pushed him to connect with her, in an almost apology for something that was always on his conscience. "And the sick thing is that she trusts me", the very thought made Bucky sick.

"Well..." Bucky said, realizing that he had left a lengthy pause following Steve's remark. He didn't want to lie to Steve, but he wasn't quite ready to say the full truth. "Karma is a cruel being, and I'd like to clear some of that up while I can." "Spoken like a true philosopher" remarked Sam, "So, you gonna tell us about this girl or not?" Bucky shook his head, the sweaty locks of hair swishing into his eyes. He hadn't slept fully or cleaned up since he last was at the HYDRA base with Ali, and that had certainly been a time.

He needed to figure out a plan to see her, and somehow communicate with Ali, to let her know he was okay, and was coming for her. Thoughts of plans were running through his head as the three men laid down on the floor of the abandoned building. He knew he couldn't sleep, not with the current situation. So he waited. Time ticked by, and eventually Bucky was aware of the smooth breathing of the two other men. Ali was out there, and she could be in danger for all he knew. Silently, Bucky rolled to his feet, grabbed his jacket, and headed for the stairs.