Eyes of Winter

The next few days were miserable for them both. The tension was palpable and every word spoken had a sharp edge to it. Not that anyone was actually talking.

Annie had refused to say anything more than three or four word sentences since their argument.

Bucky felt bad about what he'd said, at least the first night. He'd grown used to her constant complaining, but the silent treatment he was currently being subjected to was quickly grating on his nerves.

The day was gloomy and overcast. Annie sat in the window seat, wrapped in a quilt. A game show was on the television, creating background noise.

Bucky sat at the table, meticulously cleaning each gun and reassembling them. He laid each one out, taking a mental inventory.

Sighing, Annie stood, dropping the quilt on the bed.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"I'm going to Edna's. I'm going to kill myself if I don't get out of here."

Bucky didn't like it, but if they'd been HYDRA agents, he and Annie would have already been dead. No way he'd admit that to her. "Be careful." He said.

"Why? Wouldn't it be easier if the damn car just hit me?" She snapped as she slammed the door.

OoOoOo

Edna was just coming out of her house when Annie rounded the corner.

"April dear, how are you?"

Annie forced a smile. "Honestly? I think I'm getting cabin fever."

"Where is James?"

Annie crossed her arms and glanced down at the gravel in the driveway. "He's in one of his moods. I just needed to get out for a bit."

"Well John's upstairs napping and I was just on my way to town to do some shopping. You're more than welcome to join me. I'd love to show you around town."

Annie smiled and shook her head, briefly fearing what Bucky would say.. "Oh I don't want to impose-"

"Nonsense! I'd love the company." Edna unlocked her car and opened the door.

"Ok then." Annie said, getting in the passenger's side.

OoOoOo

The sun was setting by the time the two women pulled up to the house.

"Do you want to see if James wants to come over? I can whip up something quick." Edna asked.

Annie gathered her bags from the trunk. "Thanks Edna, but I'm going to go to bed early."

Edna smiled as they walked to the porch. "Alright. I had fun! I'll see you tomorrow. Tell James I hope he's feeling better."

Annie smiled. "I will. Have a good night." She rounded the corner of the house. She inserted her key into the door, but before she could twist the knob, the door jerked open.

Bucky grabbed her arm and pulled her in, slamming the door behind her.

"Bucky what the hell?"

"Where in the hell have you been?" He asked. Bucky's nose flared angrily as he fought to control his anger.

She jerked her arm free. "I was with Edna! She took me shopping because the thought of staying holed up in here with you for another second made me want to kill myself!" She screamed, throwing her bags on the floor. Then she burst into tears, collapsing dramatically on the bed.

Bucky pinched the bridge of his nose and after a moment, sat down next to her. He didn't miss when she stiffened next to him. After a few minutes of listening to her cry, he sighed.

"Annie, I'm sorry. It's me. It's only ever been me."

When she didn't respond immediately, he stood and headed to the door. She only turned around when she heard the door close.

OoOoOo

When Bucky returned, it was well past midnight. He opened the door quietly, choosing to ignore the fact that she hadn't bothered to lock it.

He could see her on the bed, curled up with her back to him. A pang of regret surged through him as he remembered the cruel things he'd said. It caused his head to ache as he remembered the way his handlers had treated him. Spoiled brat or no, she didn't deserve to be spoken to that way. They were in it together.

He pressed his palm into his eye, trying to ease the pain and with some luck, block the memories that were trying desperately to flood his brain.

It was never full memories, only bits and pieces, like a radio station that had interference. Faces flashed behind his closed eyelids. Men, women, some children. They all wore the same expression: the shock of their eminent death.

Bucky collapsed in the chair by the fireplace as the pain intensified. Screams and cries of the victims grew louder, as if they were in the room with him.

His breaths were coming in shallow gasps as he tried to overcome the ghostly symptoms.

"Bucky..."

He jerked violently at the gentle touch of a hand on his shoulder. The sensation snapped him out of it and he looked up, peering between the gloved fingers of his metal hand.

Annie, quilt wrapped around her shoulders, looked down at him, keeping a safe distance. "Are you ok?" She noticed him shaking slightly.

He stared at her for a moment, trying to steady his mind. "I'm fine." He replied, grabbing his notebook from inside the desk drawer. He immediately began to write.

She walked to the small refrigerator by the desk and returned with a glass of amber colored liquid. "Here."

He stared at the cup in her hand. "What-"

"It's not poison. It's whiskey. When I was little and my dad had rough day, he'd pour a glass of whiskey. Said it helped him relax."

Bucky kept his eyes on her as he took the glass. "Thank you." He took a sip of the whiskey, closing his eyes as it warmed his chest. "I'm sorry." He said quietly.

Annie sat on the small loveseat in front of him, crossing her legs like a child. "I'm the one who should be sorry."

He opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "I really am. I know I haven't been the easiest person to deal with. And I know that you didn't have to do any of the things you've done to help me. So, I got you some stuff..." She held out a large white bag.

Bucky took the bag, unsure of what to say. "What is it?" He asked, giving her a questioning glance.

"Open it!" She said, smiling.

His brow furrowed as he reached into the bag and pulled out a burgundy long sleeved shirt. He held it up, looking it over. It wasn't bad.

"There's more. I got you one in dark blue and white. And I got you a pair of gloves...You know, so you can worry just a little less..."

He dumped the bags out on the coffee table. "Jesus Annie."

"I got you enough for at least two weeks. Your clothes were starting to stink."

Bucky wasn't aware of any foul odors, but he lifted the blue shirt up as if inspecting it and gave himself a quick sniff. She wasn't entirely wrong.

"How did you know what size to get?" He asked.

"I looked while you were in the shower." She replied. "Oh crap!" She leaned over the back of the couch and pulled a box out from under the bed. "New boots."

"Annie...this is..." He tried to find the words as he literally could not remember how to react.

"I figured if we were going to be on the run, we may as well try to blend in. Edna used to be a hair dresser and she said she'd be happy to cut your hair. John doesn't really like it. He says you look like a hippie." She looked at him. "You are pretty inconspicuous."

"I talked to John. They're going to rent the cabin to us." Bucky said.

Her mouth hung open slightly. "We're staying?"

Bucky pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded. "At least for now. I think if we keep a low profile, we can wait this thing out."

"Oh God thank you! I'm so tired of running."

"But we have to be smart. We trust no one. For all we know, everyone is an enemy." He replied.

Annie's shoulders slumped slightly. "You've really got to lighten up."

"Pretty sure I don't know how to."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nope."

"But it really could help. I might not understand some of it-"

Bucky shook his head. "You wouldn't understand any of it."

"I could if you'd tell me." She replied.

He looked at her. "Annie, let it go." He said firmly.

She held her hands up. "Ok. Sorry."

He stood. "Let's get some sleep. John's going to take us to the cabin in the morning."

OoOoOo

The cabin was nicer than Annie had expected, though it was obvious that no one had stayed in it in years.

It was high up in the woods, a mile away from the two lane road that led to town, and two miles from Edna and John's home.

John unlocked the door and pushed, but the door only opened enough for him to get his fingers through. He pushed again with no luck.

Annie nudged Bucky with her elbow. He nudged her back. "Help him." She mouthed silently.

Bucky gripped the doorknob with his right hand and gave it a push with his gloved left hand. It opened with a creak, but easily.

The living room was large with three large windows. Several large pieces of furniture were grouped in the center of the room and covered with sheets.

"Like I said, it needs a few repairs, but nothing major." John took his hat off and scratched his head. "Power is still on, just need to flip the breaker."

"What about water?" Annie asked.

"We did a few upgrades a couple of years back. The wood stove heats up most of the cabin but both of the rooms have a fireplace. Nothing fancy. The shade from the trees and the mountains on either side funnel in the breeze in the summer enough that we didn't put in any a/c. Just open the windows and turn on the fans." John put his ball cap back on and he and Bucky began to talk.

Edna led Annie to the kitchen. "We renovated the kitchen too!" She whispered excitedly. The stove was gas with four large grates over each burner. There was a large island with the pots and pans hanging from a rack on the ceiling. The sink was copper with an arched window that looked out into the backyard.

Annie smiled. "It's very quaint."

"We wanted to keep the rustic feel, but modern." Edna replied.

"She gets sucked into those do it yourself shows on tv!" John called from the living room.

"And I did it all myself too!" She snapped. "He's just doesn't want to admit that I have an eye for design."

"Thank you for this, Edna."

"Oh sweetheart don't mention it. I'm just glad someone appreciates my hard work." She shouted the last sentence over her shoulder. The lights overhead flickered on, showering them in light.

Bucky and John entered the kitchen. "Lights work." Bucky said, stopping next to Annie.

"Well, here are the keys. Rent's due the first of the month. We'll call you when the bills are due." John replied, handing two sets of keys to Annie.

Edna swatted John's arm. "Fine, fine. I'll be right back." John shuffled out to his truck, and returned shortly with a large box. Several trips later, there were four large boxes on the island.

Edna smiled. "We got you both some stuff. It's basic stuff. Cleaning supplies. Groceries. Toiletries."

"Edna, you didn't have to do that." Annie said, touched by their kindness.

"Consider it a wedding present! We're glad you're here." She enveloped Annie into a hig, rubbing her back. "Call us if you need anything."

"Alright Edna, we're just a few miles down the road. We're going to be late." John said.

Edna shot him a look before smiling again. "Call us." She repeated as John led her to the door.

Annie waved. "Thanks again guys!" She looked at Bucky once they'd left. "This is nice."

"I'll be back." He said.

"Where are you going?"

"To get our stuff. We're not far from where we left it."

"Aren't you going to help me clean?" She asked.

He pulled the door open. "A clean house isn't going to stop an intruder." He replied. "Lock this door behind me and don't go anywhere until I've set up a perimeter."

She rolled her eyes and gave him a weak army salute. "Whatever you say boss."

OoOoOo

Annie wasted no time in cleaning. Once Bucky had left and she'd locked the door, she found her small speaker and iPod in her purse. Neither had been damaged save for a few scuffs and scratches.

Bucky walked in several hours later to loud music coming from the kitchen. Walking around, he didn't see Annie. He entered the first bedroom. It had been cleaned almost meticulously. The oak dresser had been dusted and it's large mirror cleaned of all smudges. What few toiletries she had were arranged neatly on its top.

The bed was a queen sized with an intricately carved wooden headboard. The sheets and pillowcases had been stripped.

He went down the hallway towards what he assumed was his room and stopped. The room had two large windows that faced the mountain. The bed was a large king size with a white and black striped comforter that looked like it was incredibly soft. The headboard was metal with vines twisting and turning throughout. A large mirror hung just over a dark mahogany dresser.

He walked down to the bathroom and stopped, leaning against the doorway. Annie was on her hands and knees furiously scrubbing the porcelain bathtub, singing along with the music as she did so.

"I've got a thick skin and an elastic heart

But your blade it might be too sharp

I'm like a rubber band until you pull too hard-" she sang.

Her hair was pulled up high on her head, small wisps coming loose as she cleaned. Her shirt sleeves were rolled up to her shoulders.

He felt the corner of his mouth twitch upward in a bemused smirk. "What are you doing?" He asked.

Annie turned quickly with a yelp. "Jeez Bucky! You scared me to death!" She stood up, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. "Everything ok? It took you long enough."

"Everything's fine." He crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame. "Didn't know you could sing."

She rolled her eyes as she slipped past him. "I told you I was classically trained."

"I thought that was just with the violin." He replied.

She turned the music off. "And the cello, ballet, and singing." She leaned against the small kitchen table.

"House looks good." Bucky said.

She smiled. "Thanks. But I've still got a long way to go. I have everything but the living room done."

"I must admit, I'm impressed."

She rested her hands on her hips and blew a strand of hair out of her face. "Amazing what you will do when you're a wanted fugitive with nowhere to go. I'm going to make some lunch."

OoOoOo

A week later....

"Absolutely not! It's too risky." Bucky said.

Annie stood in the kitchen, looking into the nearly bare refrigerator. "We don't have anything to eat, Bucky! Look for yourself."

"Ask Edna to go."

Annie scoffed. "I'm not asking a seventy eight year old woman to go grocery shopping for us! You don't think that will raise a few eyebrows?"

"Then I suggest you start a vegetable garden." He walked out, slamming the door behind him.

Annie screamed in frustration, slamming the refrigerator door.

OoOoOo

Later that afternoon, Annie sat at the kitchen table, munching on some saltine crackers as she watched some stupid talk show about who was the father of some promiscuous woman's child.

"Unbelievable..." Annie said to herself. She was about to change the channel when the back door burst open.

She screamed, nearly tumbling out of her chair as Bucky pushed through the door with a dead dear around his shoulders. He dropped it on the kitchen island.

"BUCKY WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!" She cried, covering her nose with her shirt.

"It's dinner. For the next week if you cut it properly."

"Are you insane?!"

"No, I'm solving our problem."

"What am I supposed to do with that?" She asked.

"Slice it and freeze it." She stared at him with a mix of disgust and horror. He sighed. "Look princess, I've done all the hard work for you." He lifted open the rib flap, showing an empty cavity.

She gagged, pressing her hands to her mouth. "Please don't do that again."

He opened the flap once more. "There's nothing in here, it's cleaned out." He rolled his eyes as Annie ran down the hallway, slamming the bathroom door shut.

OoOoOo

Three months after they'd arrived Annie was out in the back yard, hanging clothes on the clothesline when Bucky came around the corner. He walked to the small lounge chair and sat down.

Annie peeked over a sheet she'd just hung. "Did you get any sleep?"

"I got enough." He'd been scouring the perimeter of the property day and night for any signs of trouble.

"That makes one of us." She mumbled. "Were you out all night?"

"Most of it." When he wasn't securing the property, he was scanning the news for any signs that the government or hydra were on to them.

"I made breakfast. It's on the stove, if you want some." She replied, pinning a shirt on the line.

"I'm going to go take a shower." He said.

Not having anything else to really talk about, she continued hanging the clothes. "Edna and John want us to come over for dinner tonight."

She came to the other side of the clothesline and stopped. Bucky sat in the chair with his eyes closed, his head tilted back slightly as he snored quietly.

Once she'd finished hanging the clothes, she walked over to him and shook him gently. "Bucky..."

His mouth closed and he opened his right eye slightly. Annie smiled and nodded towards the house. "Why don't you go inside to sleep? I just put clean sheets on the bed."

"Yea." He replied, standing up. "Thanks." He opened the back door leading into the kitchen. She followed him with the basket and watched as he grabbed a handful of bacon, munching on it as he trudged to his room.

Annie quietly snuck into his room to put away his clothes. He had collapsed on his stomach haphazardly, snoring quietly into the pillows he'd bunched under his arms. She closed the drawers and shut the door quietly.

OoOoOo

Sometime that night, Bucky woke with a start. He glanced at the clock on the wall and cursed. He'd slept all day. The sky was dark and he could see the sliver of the moon high above.

Pushing himself off the bed, he stretched and stepped out into the hall. It was almost midnight and the house was nearly silent save for the barely audible sniffling coming from Annie's room.

The door was cracked slightly, so he peered in silently. She sat with her her back against the headboard, clutching a pillow to her chest. The lamp on the bedside table illuminated the tears that trailed her cheeks.

Resisting the urge to comfort her, he stepped away quickly, making a beeline for the back door. Once outside, he took a deep breath and began his nightly rounds.

OoOoOo

Bucky walked into the kitchen after his shower with the towel hanging around his neck.

Annie sat with her back to him on the freshly cleaned couch. Some black and white movie was on t.v.

He looked in the oven for the source of the smell. It was lasagne. Immediately his stomach was growling. The cheese was lightly browned and the sauce bubbled angrily around the edges.

"Should I take this out?" He asked. She said nothing. "Annie?"

He walked over to her and paused. She was curled up on the couch asleep. He leaned down to nudge her but the movie caught his eye.

"Come on Bucky! It's supposed to be really romantic!" The red head said, tugging on his arm.

"Sure thing doll. Whatever you want." Bucky smiled and looked back at the small guy beside him, rolling his eyes. "She wants what she wants, what can I say?"

"And you'll give in every time, Buck." The guy smiled. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "It's ok. I'm going to walk the boardwalk. I'll catch ya later."

"Probably shouldn't wait up." Bucky said with a lopsided grin, allowing himself to be pulled into the theatre.

"Bucky?" He felt a pair of hands on his arm. He shook his head, blinking rapidly. Annie looked up at him. "Are you ok?" She fought to keep her eyes from running over his bare chest.

"Yeah I'm...fine." He replied, staring at the movie.

"Oh God! The food!" She cried, scrambling to get up. He watched as she scurried into the kitchen and pulled the dish out of the oven. She set it down quickly with a curse, shaking her hand.

"Are you sure you're ok?" She asked. He was still watching the movie. "Did you remember something?"

He turned to her. "What?"

She placed a large slice of lasagne on two plates. "You get this far away look in your eyes when you remember something."

He said nothing, watching as she licked some sauce off her thumb and carried the plates to the table, setting them down.

She smoothed her hair out and smiled. "Hope you're hungry...I called Edna and rescheduled dinner to next week."

Suddenly he was unsure of what to do. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a hot meal, much less one that someone had cooked for him.

Annie's smile faded. "Is something wrong?"

He blinked, realizing he'd been staring at her. "No sorry. I can't remember the last time anyone cooked for me."

"Well I hope you like lasagne."

OoOoOo

The nighttime air was frigid, but it was nothing he wasn't used to.

He watched through night vision binoculars from his perch atop the roof as the large metal gate opened, allowing the black stretch BMW pass, making its way up the winding driveway.

"Target approaching, 340 meters." The voice in his earpiece stated in Russian.

He secured his mask and slid quietly from the roof, landing cat-like on the balcony of the third floor bedroom. Just as he suspected, the balcony doors were unlocked. He slipped in quietly, his footsteps silent as he crossed the wooden floor. "In position." He said quietly in Russian.

He heard the click of a door opening and then closing. A woman's laughter echoed throughout the halls. He took his place in the shadows of a tall bookcase beside the entrance of the bedroom, becoming one with the shadows.

High heels and dress shoes clicked loudly on the marble staircase leading to the upper levels.

"Darling, you really should! I think it would be better for your health." The woman said.

"Yes yes of course. I'll see to it first thing tomorrow, Cecilia." The man entered the room and began to undo his bowtie. "Did you see who Charles Cavendish brought with him tonight?"

The shadow pulled out a blade from the holster attached to his leg. Flipping it silently between his fingers, he snuck up behind the man. He pulled his head back and before he could cry out, slid the blade deeply across his throat, severing the windpipe. The man crumpled to the floor, twitching, trying desperately to hold pressure to his wounds. He let out a gurgling sigh before moving no more. The shadow returned to his hiding spot.

"I did! Maria DeLacour. Quite the scandal, wouldn't you agree?" Cecilia replied, entering the room. "Henry?"

He heard the click of a switch and the room was instantly flooded in light.

"Henry?!" The woman shrieked.

He watched as she collapsed to the floor beside her dead husband. "HENRY!" She sobbed, gathering him into her arms. His blood soaked her white evening gown.

He stepped out of the shadows once more, towering over the woman. She turned around with a scream as he plunged the knife into her back. She scrambled away, screaming as she did so. He caught her by the chin and cut her throat effortlessly, easing her down to the ground next to her husband.

It was as he cleaned the blade on his way to the balcony that he caught the rounded curve of the woman's pregnant belly.

"Target neutralized." He said into the com.

Annie woke to the sounds of groaning. She opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling as she tried to adjust her vision. She blinked several times, believing it to be a dream. She closed her eyes again, trying to fall asleep again when she heard a yell followed by a metallic clang.

She sat up quickly, her heart pounding against her ribs as she jumped out of bed. Opening the door a crack, she peeked out into the hall. "Bucky?"

She heard the groaning again and cautiously made her way to Bucky's room. The door was open slightly and she paused before looking in. "Bucky?"

She could hear the rustling of the sheets as he tossed and turned. She entered cautiously, pausing at his side when he flipped over, facing the ceiling.

His eyes were closed, brows furrowed and he was muttering in what she could only assume was Russian. A thin sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead.

"Нет! Не девочка!" He yelled, fighting off an unseen opponent.

"Bucky!" Annie placed her hands on his face gently. "Bucky wake up!" She demanded.

He threw his right arm back and would have hit her, but she dodged the strike and threw her entire weight on it. "Bucky wake up!"

He opened his eyes and looked at her, blinking away the haze. His eyes were damp with tears. "Annie?" His voice was thick with sleep. He exhaled through his nose and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. "Why are you sitting on my arm?"

She rolled off of his arm, settling on the edge of the mattress with one leg folded under the other. "You were having a nightmare."

He was silent as he stared up at the ceiling fan as it cast slowly spinning shadows across the ceiling. A few moments passed.

"Wanna talk about it-"

"Nope." He wouldn't look at her.

She watched his Adam's apple move as he swallowed. His chest rose up and down with each breath. She looked away when she realized he had no shirt on.

"What time is it?" He asked quietly.

"Sometime after three a.m." she replied, standing. "I'm...going to go back to sleep." She slid off the bed and shuffled sleepily towards the door.

"Annie..."

She turned, pulling the door open. "Hm?"

He turned his head slightly to look at her. "Thank you."