Beauty and the Beast

Death in his hands

You could hear him screaming, smashing things. You couldn't live with yourself if you didn't help him, just let him to his pain. Slowly, you moved through the house, holding out your arms to make sure the walls were there. You were coming closer to James, knowing that he hadn't seen you as he was still shouting and throwing things around.

"James?" you called out softly and the noises died out instantly, leaving you slightly relieved. That often meant that he was calming down but today it seemed like it wasn't. A cry of horror and confusion let your throat as a cold hand pressed around your neck, slamming you up against the wall. Gasping for air, you put your hands on his. It was the metal one. He almost never dared to touch you with it, not unless you had reassured him everything would be okay, that he wouldn't get a throwback.

"James!" you tried to say his name, make him loosen the grip but you were answered by a husky, angry Russian voice. Burden. That's what he said. Even if he had told you specifically no, you had learned some Russian to be able to know what he was screaming about during terrible nightmares.
Your mouth fell open at what he called you. You hands reached out for his face but your arms were to short and your struggling made more air escape you. James, no a beast, before you showed no mercy. He pulled his arm back and slammed you once again against the wall. He was going to kill you. As he pulled you towards him once again you used the last of your strength to place your hands on his cheeks.

"Bucky." you whispered and suddenly you fell to the floor. You coughed as gasped, throat soar and bruised. The sound of somebody stumbling away from you told you were your attacker was. Bucky, you called out again but was shocked as you heard somebody slam the door open and the car take off. He left you. You were confused, hurt and filled with sorrow. So, he thought that he could just pick you up from the streets, kidnap you, make you somehow have feelings for him and then just leave when he wanted to. Your view of your kidnapper changed greatly as you laid crying on the floor, and it would take a lot to change it for the future.

*

You had waited for him for weeks but he had not returned. The food had run out yesterday, even if you had rationed it to only one meal a day, but you had stayed one night more just to make sure you wouldn't miss if he came back. To be honest, you didn't really believe he would. So, now you had backed necessary all your things in a backpack and was walking down a road. No one had passed you since you had walked out the house with a stick you found useful as a cane. It was cold and you had no idea for how long you had walked. But it was at least more than five hours by now. And if you would be forced to walk five more hours to come to anywhere populated you would. And so you did, and even more. When you first sign of any life around you appeared you were already dragging your feet behind you and your breath was ragged and harsh.You could hear the sound of a man talking and the further you went, more voices joined in. You thanked your lucky star.

"Miss?" somebody called out and you continued walking. You didn't know if the person was talking to you or somebody else.

"Excuse me, miss! What ever you doing here? This is private property!" the person continued. Yup, they were talking to you. You stood up straight, feeling the last of your strength disappearing.

"Help." it was the last thing you said before falling forward, making everyone scream and panic.

*

You could hear the sound of steady beeping, the sound being familiar to your ears. It was a heart monitor, and you knew it since you could remember every torturous day after that bomb had gone off so many years ago. So, you were in some kind of hospital and you were warm. You were hungry as hell but you could go through it. You had for so many weeks. You could hear someone flip between papers and decided to speak.

"Who are you?" you asked them, making them jump slightly. A female cleared her throat and walked up to your sickbed.

"My name is Helen Cho. I'm a doctor so there is nothing you have to worry about." the woman answered and you chuckled lightly. Alright then, where am I, you asked her and you could hear a breath of hesitation escape her.

"In the Avengers Tower." a more familiar voice answered you and you sighed. Steve. Doctor Cho left the room, probably due to the captain's orders and you felt a weight at your feet.

"You need to tell me were Bucky is." the captain said, cutting the crap and going straight to the point. He needed to know where his best friend was and you were the last person he had seen Bucky with. I don't know where he is, you answered him truthfully, biting your lip gently after you finished the sentence.

"Don't lie to me." Steve said in a low, angry voice, his fists gripping the blanket above you.

"I'm not lying. I just don't know where he is. The last time I ever knew where he was he had his hand around my throat." you answered and gently titled your head, stroking your fingers up to your jaw were a scar had formed from where Bucky's metal fingers had pressed through your skin. Steve took a deep breath through his nose and stared, a frown evident on his face. And if only you could have seen how damaged he was you maybe wouldn't have continued with your next sentence.

"He tried to kill me."