Avengers High School - Winter Soldier

49 - Barely Surviving

A/N - here's a long (pretty jumbled and random) chapter!

A cold hand squeezed at her throat. Dirty nails teared as she tried to scratch at the metal.

There was nothing human in the soldier's eyes. He was a complete machine. Ordered to kill. Her. Kill her. That was HYDRA's plan all along-

CRASH

Natasha woke up with a start, gasping for air. Her eyes darted around the cell as she got her bearings until - she paused.

"Sh*t."

Bucky must have been taken away and she didn't wake up, because now he was back, lying limply on his side. If it weren't for the heaving of his chest, she'd have thought he was dead. And his back... it looked like someone had scribbled over it with red pen in long slashes. It was making her sick just looking at it.

She moved around to see his face. He was staring unblinkingly, eyelids half closed, pupils dilated. His hair was sticking to his head and his skin was pale, hot, feverish. They had drugged him.

Bucky finally noticed Natasha and tilted his head to look at her, until his eyes rolled back. Natasha caught his head before it hit the concrete. He was a deadweight. And so hot. His skin burned to touch.

Natasha tried to unstick his hair from his clammy skin. He had completely stilled now. She tapped his cheek desperately.

"Bucky? Bucky! Barnes!"

No response.

His whole body was trembling now and clammy and pale. Panic seized Natasha's heart.

"Help!" the girl screamed, despair drowning her words out. "Please help! He's dying!"

She left him on the ground and ran for the cell door, rattling it with all her might. "Help! He needs help!"

Boots echoed down the hallway with the clicking of heels. Natasha didn't care who was coming though, at least it was someone.

Karpov, Madame Hydra and the doctor from yesterday arrived, impatience and anger clear. The doctor, however, seemed excited.

"What is it?" Karpov barked.

Natasha went back to Bucky, tears running down her face. The adults peered closer, scrutinising them from above.

"He's unresponsive and burning up, he's-"

"Fine," the doctor said simply. "This is an expected side effect. The Asset has super soldier serum, it can survive a simple fever."

Karpov shot the man a glare. Madame Hydra rolled her eyes.

"He's right, Karpov. The soldier is strong enough to survive. Let's sit him up."

Karpov and the doctor heaved him up by the arms against the wall.

Natasha tried to stop them. "No, his back, you can't-"

"Good job, Vasily," Madame Hydra said, gesturing to Bucky's slashed back. "The Asset needed that."

Madame Hydra patted Bucky on the cheek. His eyes opened slightly.

"You boys go, I'll join you in a moment."

Natasha watched Karpov and the doctor leave as the Madame crouched down in front of Bucky. He peered at her with half-closed hazy eyes.

The Madame put a hand on his shoulder and used the other to move his hair off of his face. Taking advantage of Bucky's state, she even wrapped her arms around him in a hug. Natasha could only watch in fear and, to her dismay, Bucky managed to lift his arms and returned the hug.