Saving Grace

Chapter XLVII

Steve and Bucky waited in the garage level for Pepper and Grace return. Steve stood with arms crossed and a deep frown. The expression was mirrored on Bucky's face. However, while Steve stood still, Bucky worriedly paced, his hands clenching and unclenching repeatedly at his sides.

"Relax, Buck," Steve soothed. "They'll be here any minute."

"But--"

"Grace isn't alone; Pepper and Happy are there to help, and we will be here when they arrive."

"What if--"

"It doesn't matter, " Steve shook his head firmly. "Whatever is wrong, we will handle it together."

The moment Happy pulled into the limo's spot in the garage, Grace sprung from the car, making a mad dash for the elevator and taking everyone by surprise.

As soon as the elevator opened on her brother's floor, Grace practically ran to Steve's room, went in, and quickly locked the door behind her.

A few minutes later, Steve and Bucky made it up via the back stairwell but found the bedroom door firmly locked. Both were definitely capable of knocking the door down to get in if they wanted, but they knew that would not be a good idea at the moment.

"JARVIS, what's Grace doing? Is she okay?" Bucky asked urgently.

"She is in the far corner of the room, huddled with her knees to the chest. Heart rate and respirations are elevated. She seems to be repeating something in German. I believe she is having some type of panic attack."

"German, you say?"

"Yes, Sergeant Barnes; shall I translate it for you?"

"Yes, please," Steve piped up.

Grace's voice sounded over hidden speakers, in German at first but then digitally shifted into English.

"They found me...They found me...They'll take me back...They've found me...They'll come for me..." She chanted it over and over like a mantra.

"Who found her?" Steve asked the room at large as Pepper finally got up there by the elevator.

"HYDRA," Bucky answered darkly. "She must think HYDRA found her."

"Pepper, what happened?" Steve asked, turning to the ginger. "What brought this on?"

"Some guy in the lobby as we were leaving," she replied. "She froze when she saw him."

"Who was it?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I had never seen him before. Grace just said that he looked just like someone, then said she needed to get out of there."

"What did he look like?"

Pepper thought for a moment. "Tall, thin, platinum hair - slicked back - and light blue eyes."

Bucky gulped. "Zola."

"Zola?" Steve shook his head. "He's dead, Buck. Nat and I took care of him for good."

"Not this Zola," Bucky argued. "You're thinking of Arnim Zola. This is Adolf Zola, head of the experimentation for the Shadow project."

"Grace," Steve breathed.

Bucky nodded sadly. "He was the one who was responsible for overseeing all of her 'treatments' and training."

"So when she saw someone who looks like him......."Pepper ventured.

"All of her training and experiences with HYDRA probably came rushing to the front of her mind."