How do you heal?

Chapter 9: A Living Nightmare

A few hours later Annie woke up feeling cold. Bucky was an oven at night and she usually woke before him so the sensation worried her. She opened her eyes and sat up to find him standing in front of the tv screen where a gunfight was playing out. Shit. She called his name softly a few times but he didn't respond, didn't move. She stood slowly and walked around the small coffee table towards him. "Bucky?" She whispered, but as she looked at his face in the glow from the tv she could see his eyes were glossed over. He must be sleep walking. She took another step towards him and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. "Come on Buck, let's get you to bed."

In an instant Annie was on the floor, the right side of her face on fire. She looked up just in time to see Bucky bending over, his fist headed right for her. She rolled and moved to stand heading for her cell phone, charging on the nightstand. Fuck, fuck, fuck! She grabbed her phone and whirled, before she could even unlock the screen cold metal wrapped around her throat, shoving her against the wall. She saw stars as her head hit. Dropping her cellphone, she thought she felt a trickle of something wet slide down the back of her neck. She couldn't breathe and she felt Bucky tightening his grip, his eyes still glazed over. She tried to speak, tried to scream, tried to make any noise to get him to snap out of it as she clawed at his hand uselessly. She was starting to see black spots in her vision as he stepped in close to her pushing harder. She looked toward the door as a desprate stupid idea, that probably wouldn't work, came to her. I'm sorry about this.

Annie brought her knee up as hard as she could between Bucky's legs and in the split second he bent over, letting her go, she ran for the door and screamed in a rasp. "JARVIS, GET HELP!!!" She barely used the A.I. and in her groggy state she hadn't thought to call Jarvis first. She was almost to the door, thinking she might make it, just a few more steps to buy her time. *CRUNCH* She heard more than felt her nose break and blood rush down her face as he slammed her into the wall right by the door. He wrenched her arm around to make her face him and she cried out as white hot lightning shot through her shoulder. Both his hands were around her throat now as he lifted her off the ground bringing her eyes level to his.

After what felt like a lifetime, but could only have been a minute her door flew open, Captain Rogers rushing in followed by Nat. The Captain grabbed Bucky and yanked him back, throwing him so hard he flew across the room and crashed into the couch, shattering it beneath him. As Bucky let go Annie dropped to the ground, unable to stand, as she mumbled, "sleep...sleep walk." Words not fully forming as they left her lips.

"Nat, get her out of here!" The Captain said sternly as he placed himself between Bucky and the door. Nat pulled Annie up by her injured arm, sending another bolt of pain through it, and hurried her out of the room.

"Jarvis, get Banner to the infirmary and call Stark. Let him know what happened." Nat said as she half carried, half dragged Annie to the elevators.