One-shots/Short Stories

Bucky Barnes - Part I

His Mission - Part I

January, 2008

"Good job, Soldier." Alexander Pierce told the Winter Soldier when the man came back after completing a mission. "I now have a new mission for you. And this mission, is the most important one out of all the others."
The soldier said nothing in reply, staring straight ahead while the doctors worked on fixing his metal arm from his mission. Pierce walked towards him, handing him a file. Using one hand, the Winter Soldier went through the file. What confused him was the fact that that file was on a woman. An innocent, beautiful woman. Her green eyes gleamed with innocence and happiness, her blonde hair framing her heart-shaped face. Her smile immediately attracted him, noting it was perfectly straight and gleaming.
"Who is this?" he finally rasped out. A small hint of the old Bucky Barnes showed up. "Why do I need to kill her? She's innocent."
"Oh, now that's where the plot thickens." Pierce chuckled, sitting across from him. "You see, you're not killing her. You're going to be with her."
"Be with her?" He furrowed his eyebrows together in confusion.
"You, Winter Soldier," Pierce stood up, nodding to a guard, thus the guard left to do whatever the man needed him to do, "are going to create a child with her." Everyone froze at his words.
"What?" he growled. Everyone stared at the assassin warily. "What do you mean?"
"Well, when a man and a woman love each other -" he was cut short when the soldier suddenly slammed him against the wall. Guns trained on the assassin, the sound of tasers joining the group. Pierce paid no mind to it, staring at the soldier in the eyes. "You are going to do this," Pierce said lowly, "or else that innocent woman dies."
The old Bucky Barnes came through, the man releasing Pierce and going back to his seat. He didn't want an innocent woman to die.
Pierce fixed up his collar just when the door opened again, revealing the guard that had left earlier with someone at his side. It was her. The woman. Except she didn't look beautiful. She was dirty, and had bruises and scratches on her. Bucky's eyes widened at the sight.
The guard threw her roughly towards him, Bucky immediately catching her. "I am being nice here, and am allowing the two of you to bond together before the baby-making happens." Pierce told them, heading out. "But this better happen soon or else force will be used." When everyone was out of the room except for the two and Pierce, the man sent the two a smirk. "Don't have too much fun."
***
One month later. . .
"Are you sure about this?" Bucky asked her, unsure. "Do you really want to do this -"
"Why else would I still be alive here?" she asked him rhetorically. "HYDRA wants this child soon."
"Why?"
"Because they want to create another Winter Soldier, except starting from the beginning." she revealed, blinking away tears.
"What?" his eyes widened at the news. "They're going to use our child when it arrives?" She nodded, biting her lip nervously. "No, I won't allow it."
"Then they'll just kill me." she said in pain. "They'll kill me and find another person to do it - or might even force me."
"How did they even get you into this?" he asked incredulously.
"I have signs of mutation in my genes." she said hesitantly. "If the child is born, there's a chance it will have a gift. HYDRA saw this and captured me. Besides," she glanced at the calendar in the room, "we need to make the child soon. They want it this year."
"But -"
"Trust me," she gave him a weak smile, "it's for the best. Besides, we love each other. And knowing you, you'll protect your loved ones. You'll find a loop hole in this."
"I love you." he said sadly. She gave a small smile, quickly giving him a kiss.
"I love you too." she said softly.
***
Nine months later. . .
"Congratulations, Soldier." Pierce drawled out, entering the room. Bucky sat up straighter, staring at him intently. "You have a daughter. Which is useless -"
"Don't touch her!" Bucky hissed, signs of the Winter Soldier emerging. "Don't touch them!"
"Relax!" Pierce held his hands up in surrender. "If it wasn't for the fact that she had powers, she would be dead by now." The assassin glared at him in response. "You wanna see them? Lose that attitude or else your mind is being wiped and you're going back into cryo."
They walked inside another cell, the two girls in the centre on a bed; the child being held protectively by the mother. Bucky's heart melted at the sight of his girls. "Ten minutes." Pierce warned him, leaving the room.
Bucky went to them, giving them a kiss on the forehead each. "Thank God you're okay." he breathed out against her forehead. "He said he was going to kill her if it wasn't -"
"Over my dead body." she rasped out weakly. Bucky smiled at her mother bear side, kissing her tenderly. "What's her name going to be?"
"I like the name Grace." Bucky mumbled, staring down at the little infant in her arms. "Our Amazing Grace."
"Grace. . ." the mother smiled, closing her eyes in fatigue and happiness. "I like it. Grace Barnes."
"We'll get through this." Bucky promised her. "I promise you that, Emilia."
***
Years went by, and luckily HYDRA decided to go easy on little Grace, treating her like she was a princess. And that's what the people in HYDRA are calling her: Princess of HYDRA. Because she showed the signs of being a prodigy, and the fact she was handling her power of telekinesis easily at the age of six. When her powers are fully controlled, she could help HYDRA take over the world. Because of how wonderful she's been doing, they decided to let Emilia live and look after her daughter when they were done training her. Very rarely does Bucky get to see them, but despite the rare visits, Grace loved him. Every time Bucky visited, he always assured his girls that they were going to leave, and every time he said that, it assured the girls but still made them feel a small slither of doubt. It wasn't until Captain America came into Bucky's life (again) did their dream come true.

***

2014

A distant noise attracted the two, Emilia moving her daughter behind her form, backing to the farthest wall in the small cell. The noise continued coming closer to them, until it stopped in front of their door. Emilia held on tightly to her daughter's hand, putting on a brave façade on her face. The door was kicked down, Grace whimpering behind her mother. The person walked towards them, the only light source coming from the weak lamp in the far corner. But it was enough for Emilia and Grace to realise who it was.
"Papa!" Grace cried, running towards him. Bucky easily lifted her into his left arm, the flesh arm looking limp - probably dislocated. "Papa, you're here!"
"Come on, girls." Bucky smiled at them weakly. "Let's leave this place."
"Winter -"
"Bucky." he told Emilia, a small look of hesitation on his face. "I remember. . .my name is Bucky."
Emilia smiled at his reply, making her way to the two most important people in her life. "You know," she said quietly, "I hear plums help gain memory back. . ."
"Then lets go somewhere that sells plums." he gave the two a wide smile; glad that he and his family were free from HYDRA. . .for now.

***

2016, Bucharest

Letting Grace help pick the plums, Bucky spoke to the seller, asking how much he had to pay for the plums. Emilia watched in the distance with a small fond smile, watching her husband and daughter spend more quality time together. Her smile fell when she saw what was on a headline for the newspaper.
Making her way to it, her face paled when she saw Bucky on the front page. "Bombing in Vienna?" she murmured, reading it. It wasn't until a couple minutes later did the man at the newspaper stand run away, a tall form towering over her own. Emilia looked up to see Bucky reading the paper over her shoulder, Grace in his arms. Bucky's smile fell when he read it.
"Papa?" Grace called, noticing the sudden mood change. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, darling." he gave her a weak smile, though sent his wife a sad look. "I need you and your mother to do something for me, okay?"
"Okay, what?" Grace asked eagerly, wanting to help her father.
"You know that backpack that we hid near our home?"
"Yeah?"
"I need you to get that, and you and your mother need to take the train somewhere far away."
"But Bucky -" Emilia said sadly.
"I'll catch up." he promised the two. "Just do it, please?"
After a moment of silence, Grace and Emilia nodded reluctantly. "Okay." Grace said sadly. Giving his girls a sad smile, he placed a kiss on their forehead.
"I love you two." he told them quietly.
"We love you too." they replied. Handing Grace over to her mother, Bucky gave Emilia one last kiss on the lips, wiping away that one tear on her face.
"I'll see you soon." he promised her. "Now go, before someone sees us."
Sending one last look to him, Emilia hurried away with Grace in her arms.
When they were gone, Bucky's face of pain faded away, replaced with a blank look and determination. He was going to get rid of the government at their home, and then he was going to catch up to his girls. That was his mission, and nothing was going to stop him from completing his mission.