DAY: 215
Winter Soldier
Lark sat back against the headboard, her legs pulled tightly up to her chest and her hood pulled over her head. She stared out the window.
I had never seen her so scared or depressed like this before. It unnerved me and made me feel helpless. I stood there in the door way of the room quietly. I knew that she could see me, I wanted her to know that I was there. That I was still looking out for her in one way or another.
Thunder crashed above the house and Lark snapped out of her daze and looked around. She almost seemed lost, like she had no clue where she was or how she got there. Lightning flashed and she flinched, wrapping her arms tight around her waist, leaning her forehead down against her knees.
I wanted to comfort her, to hold her in my arms until she fell asleep but I had to let her be strong on her own for once. I knew that's what she wanted from me. I knew that she wanted to face her own fears for herself, not at the hands of another person. She had so much on her mind, so much to deal with that it was overwhelming and it clouded her mind.
She just wasn't the same anymore. Steve could see it the same as I. He knew that she was changed and that there was no going back for her. Especially now that we had something else to worry about in our lives.
When she told me the news. . . when she told me what was happening to her body I knew that it wasn't my time to back out anymore. I had to be there for her, I always had to be. But seeing her like this, seeing her like she was lost and afraid of everything tore me apart and I couldn't just stand by anymore. I couldn't take it.
The thunder crashed again and I saw her fingers dig into her sides. I walked over to her, quickly climbing onto the bed beside her and pulling her into my arms. She cried, silently, her body shaking and hands gripping onto whatever it was they could find.
"I've got you." I told her. "I've got you, Lark."
"Don't let me go." She said, taking in a deep breath. "Please."
I didn't know what to say to her at first, whether or not I should speak to her. But I nodded and kissed the side of her temple gently.
"I'm not going to. I promise." I told her. "I'm not letting go."
I held Lark until she fell asleep in my arms, she laid with her head upon my chest. I sat there awake, knowing that she'd eventually wake up. from a nightmare or just a dream.
"Bucky. . ." she said. I stroked her hair. Already feeling tired myself, like I had to sleep or rest my eyes.
"Bucky. . ." I heard her say it again, only softer.
"Bucky, wake up." So soft and light.
"Bucky, come on." Familiar and gentle. Why was it familiar? Why was it so comforting to me?
I lifted my head and opened my eyes, sitting back up against the wall. A woman stood there, blonde, fair skin and almost startling blue eyes. She was smiling at me.
"Hello there sleepy head." she said. "Welcome back."
She opened the bars to my cell and slipped inside, shutting them behind her.
"Who are you?" I asked her.
"You don't remember me?" she asked. "Come on, you have to know who I am."
"I'm afraid that I don't. Either tell me or leave me alone." I said. "As you can see, I'm in no mood for this."
"My names Elisa. I'm Jack's cousin." she told me.
"And I'm supposed to know you because. . .?" I rested both my arms up on top of my knees.
"How can you not remember me? Bucky? Come on. You and I used to be lovers." she said. "Before the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. we were."
I scoffed at her, "You really think I'm supposed to believe that?"
"Yes. I really do think you are. Because it's true." she said. She was sounding more desperate now. "Bucky, you and I, we loved each other. Almost desperately too."
"Just stop. It's not working." I stood up from my place on the floor and she stepped back.
"I'm not trying to manipulate you, Bucky. I'm trying to tell you the truth, what happened between us."
"Nothing happened between us because I don't know you. You have no proof that we were together, that you and I even knew each other." I said to her. "And if you haven't been paying attention to Alexander's speeches, I have someone in my life."
"Right, the knocked up daughter of Treadwatter." she said. "Yeah, heard that's going great between you two right now. What is she six months? Due in October right? Well, shoot, you don't have long before you become a daddy. Congrats."
I knew the Elisa was trying to trick me, trying to make me angry. Especially in the way she had on a fake smile and blinked rappidly at times, almost like she was trying to flirt with me.
"Why are you here?" I asked again.
Elisa frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "I came to let you know that injections will begin tomorrow morning. In an hour we'll leave so you can give Lark that antidote or whatever. You'll get to see her."
She turned and walked to the bars of the cell.
"Injections for what?"
"You know what, Bucky. You know what it's for." Elisa opened the bars and slid out quickly.
In that instant I knew exactly what she was talking about. They were going to wipe me. My memory would be gone, replaced with a new set that wasn't exactly mine at all.
Part of my mind was racing to figure out what I could do to stop this, the other was telling me that before all of this even happened I was going to see Lark again. Maybe even hold her. But time would be limited, giving the antidote was probably all that I was allowed to do.
I hated Hydra, I hated S.H.I.E.L.D. and I hated how our world is screwed up and beaten down flat.
When it was time they gave me a uniform. Similar to the one that I wore when I first met Lark on the beach. Maybe it was Hydra's way of signaling the last meeting between us.
They prepared me, gave me everything that I could have needed. Though I knew that I wouldn't need much to get where I was going or to see her. We boarded a jet, Elisa and Jack came with me to keep an eye on me just in case I tried to pull anything stupid or use an escape plan. I had none up my sleeves.
"We're five miles out, we'll land at four and you can walk the rest." Jack said to me, his hood covering most of his darkened face. Jack didn't look like himself anymore, he looked like a monster. It scared me to think that maybe Lark would end up that same way if Jack had gotten a hold of her somehow.
The jet landed quickly and I jumped, Jack followed me off, telling Elisa to stay behind with the others. We were surrounded in thick forest, it was foggy and fairly quiet since it was early morning.
"Three miles East of here." Jack said, pointing ahead of the both of us. "When we get close I'll fall behind and you go on and do your thing."
"Right." I muttered to myself.
"Remember, Bucky. We've got all eyes and ears on you right now. You'll have only two hours, say a few hello's or whatever and then you'll be extracted." Elisa said. I almost wanted to just ignore her. "I'll be here waiting with Alexander and a crew in case you forget anything."
She tossed a black box down to me from the jet and walked back up the ramp inside.
I started walking, Jack kept up behind me, giving me my space. No one could have known how badly I wanted to kill Jack in that time. I just wanted to end it with him. I kept thinking that the only reason why he was here was behind he wanted to see Lark, maybe even take her with him behind my back. But then again, he was too dangerous and touching him was probably not the wisest idea in the world.
Eventually I broke into a run when I just couldn't handle myself walking anymore. I felt like I had to get there quickly, like I had to reach Lark before anyone else in the world could. I had a mission. Save her life. Protect her from everything. I had to focus on that.
We came to a line of trees, Jack fell back and I went on ahead. Through the branches I could see a small camp. There were a few people awake already, walking around with guns propped up against their shoulders as they guarded. The one thing that I forgot to ask was where Lark could have been. But instinct told me the medical tent. I spotted one nearby with the large red cross on the top.
"I'll fall back, keep a perimeter around the area." Jack said. "Any moves that cause suspicion I pull you out or I kill you. I have orders to do either."
"From who? Alexander? You and I both know he needs me to finish up his dirty work." I said before I darted towards the tent, taking cover behind a jeep. Jack stayed back, disappearing in the foggy brush and leaves. Only his eyes glowed, which somewhat terrified me.
I kept myself low, quiet and stealthy. Remembering some training I had aquired, important training.
As soon as I got close to the tent I waited a moment, kept my ears wide open, listening over the crickets and early morning cicadas for any voices. I heard nothing. I lifted open the tent flap and slipped inside. It was empty, all except for one cot at the back left side. A woman laid there, her back turned to me, she appeared to be asleep but I couldn't tell from where I stood.
I approached slowly, easily recognizing the crimson red hair and silver arm, hidden beneath a jacket. It was Lark, she was sleeping soundly. But as I approached I felt that I couldn't do what I was supposed to do for her. It was an antidote, granted, but it almost didn't feel right to do it behind her back, while she was sleeping. I almost wanted to wake her up, to hear her shout at me and cry. But mostly, I just wanted to hold her in my arms again.
But I couldn't. I had a mission, a job to do and I had to finish it this time.
I knelt down beside the cot and turned her gently onto her back, pulling out the black box, opening it as quietly as I could, rolled up her sleeve on her arm and gently inject the needle. Lark flinched just slightly, but it was enough to scare me somewhat. I was close to thinking that she was now awake, or waking up.
I injected the bluish green antidote into her arm slowly, carefully holding it still. When it was empty I pulled it from her arm and placed it back inside the box, fumbling to get it closed.
"Bucky." someone said. I flinched and looked up. Lark was looking at me, her eyes were green, different from the comforting dark brown I was so accustomed to on her. It was the Aether, it had finally reached her there.
I tried to keep myself quiet, but I couldn't. "Lark." I let out in a tight breath, an sucked in a sharp one. "I'm sorry."
"Bucky? What did-" Lark started to say. But then suddenly, she looked down at her arm and hand. I noticed that the grey ash was starting to fade, she looked sick to her stomach, her color turned pale and she coughed roughly.
"Lark? What's wrong?" I dropped the box and knelt down closer to her.
She began coughing too frantically and gasping.
"Bucky! We got to go!" I heard Jack shout. Jack rushed into the tent and grabbed me, pulling me up and back from Lark.
"No!" I shouted. But Jack held a gun out and pressed it to my head.
"The antidote was doing what it was designed to do. We have to leave." Jack hissed. "And I know that you don't want to splatter blood all over the tent walls just as much as I do. You've done your job and I've done mine. Move."
I had to do as he said. Without another glance to Lark, I ran out of the tent, Jack followed close behind me. Outside, there was frantic yelling and shouting of orders to one another. I had no clue as to what was going on but Jack gave me the idea that it was somehow his fault.
We both ran into the trees, taking cover in the low hanging fog and tall brush. It didn't take us long to make it back to the jet and board it. Elisa still looked fairly pissed off and I knew Jack was too. As soon as the ramp lifted I grabbed Jack's collar and slammed him up against the wall.
"What was really in that antidote? Tell me or I'll snap you in half." I threatened.
"Like I'm scared of you." Jack said. I switched hands that held his collar with my bionic arm and tightened my grip.
"Scared now?"
Jack's eyes widened as he started gasping for breath. "Now tell me what it was you put in that antidote." I let go of Jack just enough for him to breathe and talk.
"Nothing that will kill her or your son." Jack said to me.
"You should trust him," Elisa said. "Because, for once he's actually telling the truth."
"Why should I believe any of you? Lark reacted to the antidote, in a bad way. You saw her, what did you do to her?"
"That's the primary reaction to the antidote. It's only the first step." Alexander appeared to the side, adjusting the cuff links on his suit and centering his tie. "The second step is a decrease in appitiete, which she will gain back eventually. Her child will not be affected by this at all, only Lark herself. The antidote will take some time to set it, but when it does, it will be painless and almost barely noticeable. The only thing that will change will be the Aether itseslf, the scars and her eyes."
I stood there, thinking over what he told me. How could I trust Alexander? Why would I trust him? I feel like I should have bolted when I had the chance to. Or I should have killed both Jack and Alexander when I had the chance. I could have ended this, gotten rid of both of them. But no. I had to do it for Lark. I had to think of her, and our child, both of their lives. I felt so stupid and weak in that moment.
I let Jack go and he fell to his knees on the floor of the jet. I stepped back and walked up to Alexander.
"What's next for me now? You going to brainwash me and turn me into your powerful weapon of mass destruction again or lock me away in some dark cell with little access to the human world?" I asked him, folding my arms over my chest.
Alexander shook his head with a crooked grin. "You'll see soon enough, Winter Soldier."