Saving Grace

Chapter LII

Steve borrowed one of Tony's least flashy cars and drove to a little diner that gave Grace a sense of de-ja-vu. A waitress in a black and white uniform seated them at a red upholstered booth. Steve and Bucky quickly ordered for them all, asking for "burgers, fries, and Cokes" for everyone. the waitress wrote something on a little notepad and headed back into the kitchen.

Minutes later, four men entered wearing large leather jackets and talking and laughing loudly.
Of course, this was the time Mother Nature began calling Grace's immediate attention.

"Steve, where's the...the ladies' room?"

"Back left corner," he answered, pointing. "You want me to show you?" he asked, his eyes wandered the raucous group at the counter that she would have to pass to get the restrooms.

"No, I'll be alright," Grace replied, determined to show her brother that she was okay. Rising, she headed straight for the restrooms without looking at anything or anyone on the way. However, she could feel several pairs of eyes on her as she passed by the counter.

As she returned from the restroom, one of the leather-jacketed men at the counter slid from his stool and blocked her path. He had black, greasy hair, a day-and-a-half old beard, cold dark eyes, and a leering little smirk. "Hey there; what's a babe like you doing in a place like this?" he grinned "charmingly" down at her. His eyes glinted predatorily as they flickered up and down her body.
"Having lunch with brother and our best friend," she answered quickly, sounding a bit more confidently that she felt.
"Bet they're a couple of losers," he commented dismissively, "How 'bout lunch with some read men," he reached out to direct her toward his companions who had been watching the exchange with their own greedy smirks.
Suddenly, unbidden images of of the guard shift changes in a HYDRA facility flashed through Grace mind. She closed her eyes, willing it all to be over.

There was nothing she could do. They would punish her if she resisted. The more she tried to put them off, the worst it would be......

"Grace."

She heard her name. She knew that voice. It had once told her fight. To never stop fighting...
Something deep inside her snapped. Her eyes flew open. She grabbed the hand of the man touching her. After that, it was all a blur for the next minute and a half.

The next thing she knew, Bucky carefully caught her fist as she threw a right hook. "Grace! Babydoll! it's okay!" he quickly soothed.

"Gracie!" Steve practically barreled over tables to get to her. "You okay? What happened?"

Grace's eyes fell on the limping, crumpled figures of the men from the counter as they shuffled towards the door, shouting curses, vulgarities, and shooting angry looks her direction. Looking down at her hands, she found blood all over her left knuckles. Her gaze flashed back to the retreating men by the door. One clearly had a broken nose. Another probably had a broken leg. A third definitely had something wrong with his right hand and wrist. The leader sported a split lip, a dislocated shoulder, and limp in his left leg.

Steve nodded to Bucky, silently telling him to look after Grace. He turned toward the door and began herding the gang out.

"Wha....What h-happened, Bucky?" Grace looked up at him, fear shining from her face. "What....What did I do?"

"Nothing wrong," he immediately answered in a soft voice, gently enfolding her in a hug. "They were being jerks and you fended them off."

She nodded into his chest, hiding her face there.

Thirty minutes later in the Tower:

Clint had Grace bundled up against his side, wrapped her favorite Snow White quilt. (It had mysteriously just showed up at the Tower in a box addressed to "Miss Grace Rogers" right after Grace's encounter the Mayor's office. Tony suspect JARVIS somehow had something to do with it.) Nat sat in a nearby chair listening to Grace recount the event at the diner.

"...I don't know what happened. the next thing I remember was the men picking themselves off the floor, bloodied and bruised, and hobbling for the door."

"And you don't remember anything else?" Nat asked softly.

Grace shook her head.

"Well, it sounds like they got what was coming to them," Clint commented. Nat sent him a "not helping" glare when Grace shivered. "Hey," he defended. "It's true, Nat; you know it. I just wish I had been there to see Cinders kick some jerk butt."

"Still not helping, Bird-braid." Nat sweetly ground out as Grace pulled her blanket closer.

"I......I'm just scared of what might have happened if Sarge hadn't stepped in," Grace whispered.

"Grace?" Clint looked at her with concern.

"He stopped me," she answered quietly. "I-I don't know if I would have..."

Nat reached over and took her hand. "But you did. You may have had help, but you did."

Meanwhile, Steve and Bucky stood on the other side of the room.

"Bucky....What happened to her?" She asked lowly.

Bucky sighed heavily. "HYDRA," she said wearily. "the Der Schatten programming was triggered to a degree, I think."

"But she snapped out of it who you approached her." Steve countered. "You never came out of so easily."

"The Shadow was conditioned to answer to and respond to the Winter Soldier," Bucky replied. "The Shadow in her still might recognize me as the Soldier."

"At least you could get through to her." Steve ducked his head, swallowing thickly. "Seeing her like that-"

"-Was horrible." Bucky finished. His and Steve's met and a silent agreement passed between them. They would do everything in their power to fee Grace from HYDRA's lingering grip.