«Chapter 27»

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Bucky put the last of his few belongings in place in the cupboards of the kitchen before closing the doors. He stepped back. "What do you think?" he asked. 

I tilted my head slightly. We had spent our entire morning at the store, trying to find things to make the place look nicer because when I had lived here on my own, it looked very bleak and empty. Now, there were fresh flowers on the table, we had bought new chairs, and an old picture of me, Bucky, and my brother stood on the counter. We had also found a set of candles that we placed on the windowsill. We'd light them at night, we had agreed. 

"I like it," I said, nodding. 

"Anna?" Bucky asked and I turned to look at him. "Can I see it?" he asked quietly. "Your arm, I mean..." 

I swallowed before nodding softly. My hand trembled heavily as I took the sleeve of my jacket and pulled it down, revealing the silver metal of my arm and the red star on my shoulder. I dropped the jacket on the couch and goosebumps formed on my skin as Bucky moved closer. He raised his hand and traced his fingers over the attachment of metal to the skin of my shoulder. "How could they do this to you?" he whispered. 

I lowered my head, closing my eyes. I focused solely on the feeling of his fingers grazing the metal that had replaced my left arm. The arm I had used many times to kill men and women. The arm that made me the Winter Warrior. The arm that was something I had to carry with me every second of the day, reminding me of the horrid things I had done in the past.  

But I had escaped. HYDRA was no longer part of my life. I was free and I had finally, after all these years, found someone I could trust. Bucky Barnes had proven himself worthy of my trust and I knew he wouldn't break that trust. Not when he had spent weeks earning it.

I trusted Bucky. 

I opened my eyes and took Bucky's hand from my arm, intertwining his fingers with mine. "Thank you," I said quietly. 

"For what?" he asked. 

"Being here. Not giving up on me," I answered, keeping my eyes on our intertwined hands in front of me. 

"I will never give up on you. Do you hear me? Never," he said, trying to find my gaze. 

I glanced up, smiling lightly, but that smile fell. "Can I tell you something?" 

"Of course," Bucky said, his eyes softening and I noticed how close we were. I stepped back and lowered myself on the couch. He sat down across from me.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek as I looked for the right words. "When I was with HYDRA, they made me kill all these people. And I want you to know that I remember all of them. I remember killing them. I remember strangling men, beating women to death. Stabbing, shooting, kicking, slicing. I've taken people's lives in the most gruesome ways imaginable," I told him, my eyes feeling misty. 

"Okay..." Bucky said slowly. "Why are you telling me this?" 

"Because I need you to realise how dangerous I am," I said. "What if, someday, I snap? And I hurt you. Or worse. I don't know if I could ever forgive myself if I did." 

"You won't hurt me," he said softly, reaching for my hand. He rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb. The soft feeling slightly calmed my racing mind and I took a deep breath. "You won't hurt me," he repeated. "You know why?" I shook my head. "Because I trust you. You're my friend and I've known you forever, so I'll be fine. And so will you." 

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I pulled up my knees to my chest. "I had a friend while I was with HYDRA. He was the only one who cared about me. He was there for me after they put me in cryo freeze. He talked to me like an equal." I smiled at the memory and my tears watered. "They killed him before he could get out." 

"What was his name?" Bucky asked. 

"James," I answered. "James Duran." 

A tear slid from my eye and I wiped it away before rising to my feet, my hand slipping from Bucky's. I walked to the window and placed my palms on the sill, staring outside. The sun had set and it had become dark outside. I felt Bucky's presence behind me and I closed my eyes, resting my forehead against the chilly glass. 

"We should probably get some sleep. I think we're both pretty tired after today," Bucky said, quietly as if he was afraid to startle me. I nodded, wiping at my eyes once more before running my hands through my hair and turning around, facing Bucky with a tight smile. 

"Do you have a blanket or something for me?" he asked and I frowned. He motioned to the couch. 

"Oh, right, sorry. I never thought of that," I rambled, scurrying to the closet near the front door. I took the dusty brown blanket from the top drawer and plucked a pillow from my bed. I handed them to him. "Are you sure you're okay with sleeping on the couch? I can take it and you can take the bed-" 

"Not a chance you're sleeping on that couch. You need a good night of sleep more than I do. I slept for 70 years, remember?" he joked. 

"You sure?" I asked again. 

He chuckled. "I'm sure." 

"Okay," I agreed. "But I'm sleeping on the couch tomorrow." 

"No, you're not." 

"Yes, I am," I stated before turning around and walking to the lumpy mattress in the corner before plopping down on it. 

"Goodnight, Anna," Bucky whispered, turning off the lights.

"Goodnight, Bucky," I replied, equally quiet.

I tried to sleep, but I spent my night twisting and turning in the cold sheets while my mind replayed memories of me and Bucky back in the forties. I sat up, running my hands through my tangled hair. 

I got out of bed and sat down next to the couch where Bucky was sleeping. I studied his face.

His hair was longer than I remembered. His face looked the same though. He had grown a slight stubble that felt prickly as I traced my finger over it. He looked peaceful as he slept and with his head so close to mine, I listened to his breathing as I was slowly lulled to sleep.

The Winter Warrior // Captain AmericaWhere stories live. Discover now