Shattered Thoughts : Book Two (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier)

Chapter 8

  When Bucky woke, Willow was starting to wake up. 

"Willow, how are you feeling?"

 She opened her eyes, they were ice blue for a split second, then she blinked and they went back to their usual green. "My head hurts."

  Bucky crushed Willow in a hug, letting his head rest on top of hers. Her hair smelled like mint, just like it always did. However, something was obviously wrong with Willow, Bucky could practically feel the waves of worry radiating off her. 

  "Bucky, whatever was in Loki's mind, it tried to take control of mine. I can still feel it in the back of my mind, I've got control, but I don't know if I can keep it that way," Willow said, her tone hollow.

 Coulson walked in, and began speaking, "Willow whatever was in Loki's mind transferred over to yours."

 "We've established that,"Willow retorted.

 "We need to put you in containment," Coulsoun said, his tone indicating that he'd rather not be doing this. 

"You need to what?" Bucky snapped angrily. 

 "I'm with Bucky, we don't lock up our friends," Steve said quietly from his position on the other side of the lab. 

 "Guys, we don't have a choice, if it controlled Loki, it might control her too," Natasha said, agreeing with Coulson.

 "Friends, I too am hesitant to lock up an innocent. But if Loki could not withstand this creature, how could a mere mortal female?" Thor boomed.

"I'm a telepath, I'm used to having voices in my mind," Willow offered.

"We are not putting Willow in a cage," Bucky shouted.

 The team continue to bicker until Willow sent a glass flying into a wall. It shattered loudly, and they all turned to look at her. She cleared her throat, "Coulson's right. I need to be put in containment, I won't run the risk of losing control and hurting someone. At least until I can get this thing out of my mind, I need to be locked up."

 "No. No way, I'm not going to let them put you in a cell," Bucky said, clenching his fist.

"Bucky, this is my choice. Do you honestly think that if I didn't want to go that there is a force on earth that could put me in that cell?" Willow said calmly. "It's going to be fine."

 Bucky started to protest again, but this time Steve spoke, "Buck, Willow made her choice."

  Willow followed Coulson out of the lab and down toward the cells, Coulson explaining to her exactly what was going to happen. Bucky felt horrible, like he'd failed Willow. Willow didn't deserve to be put in a cage, and he'd let it happen.