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Eyes of Winter

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The Eyes of Winter by TheSorceressCirce
Movies » Captain America Rated: T, English, Romance & Adventure, Steve R./Capt. America, Bucky B./Winter Soldier, OC, B. Rumlow/Crossbones, Words: 30k+, Favs: 31, Follows: 51, Published: Apr 16 Updated: 8h ago
14 Chapter 9
He instructed her to make her way calmly into the museum, and meet up at the back end of the building. They went separately so as to not draw attention. He had reversed his black shirt which had it's left arm cut out, so that the sleeve fit snugly over the bionic arm. To have both arms covered would have been ideal, but he had to use what he had available, which wasn't much.

In the chaos of people trying to find out about the situation at the triskelion, Bucky grabbed a jacket off of a bicycle being pushed by a homeless man. He rounded the corner, snatching a book bag from the bench where a few teenagers sat huddled around a cell phone, watching the news.

He dumped the contents of the bag into the trash, saving only a plaid button up shirt and dark blue baseball cap. Slipping into a port-a-john, he removed his black shirt put on the blue plaid shirt with the tan denim coat on over it. He raked his fingers through his hair, slicking it back and holding it in place with the hat. He threw the book bag over his shoulder and headed for the museum.

With all the mayhem, he was able to enter the without issue. He decided to make his way to the back of the building, weaving carefully past people, keeping his metal hand in his pocket. As he walked, his eyes constantly scanned the area for potential threats, but mainly for Annie. For the first time in a long time, he was unsure about everything.

He looked around for somewhere to wait where he could be sure no one would bother him, deciding on a darkened area further back from the display. As he walked, he began to notice the decor. Flags. Photographs of soldiers. Photographs of Captain America. Then, he froze.

"Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both schoolyard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of his country." He felt his stomach flip as he came face to face with himself, only more clean cut. His eyes darted to the large plaque engraved with several paragraphs.

Annie found him staring at a video of himself and Steve after their escape from the HYDRA factory. "Bucky?"

"I knew him." He said quietly.

"Why did we come here?" She asked, placing a hand on his arm.

He snapped out of his daze. "We need to move." Her grabbed her hand.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"To find a way out of here." They made their way past people, towards the exit. Bucky threw his arm around her shoulder, tucking the metal hand in his pocket. He leaned into her ear as if to kiss her cheek. "Act completely natural..." He whispered.

A chill went down her spine and she forced a giggle as they passed the security guard.

OoOoOo

By the grace of God, they'd managed to escape, taking up shelter in one of the cars in the garage of the museum.

Annie sat with her arms crossed, head leaned back on the seat as exhaustion caught up with her.

She felt like she was in a dream. And not a good one. All the events of the last few weeks and especially the last 48 hours. More than half of which she couldn't believe.

But nothing was more disturbing than the revelations about her father. How could he have managed all of this right under her nose? Pretending to be a fighter for peace when in reality, he was the very thing he was supposed to be protecting people from.

Annie was snapped out of her thoughts as she received a quick nudge to the arm. "Hey, wake up."

She opened her eyes. "As if I could sleep in this car. And ow." She replied, rubbing her arm. "What's wrong?"

"I've been watching the bridge for incoming and outgoing traffic. They're checking every car that comes through." He said, handing her the binoculars.

She peered through them, managing to only see blurred and colorful shapes. "Ok. That's doesn't sound good. How are we supposed to get around that?"

"We become cops." He replied.

She dropped the binoculars and looked at him with one raised eyebrow. "What are you suggesting?"

"They're only waving through cops. Find a cop away from the group, we steal his car."

"Ok, because we've not broken enough laws already. What's one more?" She snapped. "How do you propose we catch a cop?"

"Trust me, you're better off leaving the details to me. The less you, know the better. Sit tight, I'll be back." He opened the car door and slid out.

She exhaled in one large breath and put the binoculars back up to her eyes, keeping her mind off of whatever he had planned.

OoOoOo

It was nearly an hour later that a car pulled up with its high beams on, blinding her in the mirror. She shielded her eyes, turning to look out the rear window.

To her horror, a police officer got out of the car, flashlight in hand.

His light went to the broken window of the back door, then back to her face.

"Ma'am, step out of the car and keep your hands where I can see them, please." He said.

She felt the sudden, salty taste of bile in the back of her mouth. With a shaky hand, she opened the car door and got out, keeping both hands in the air.

"Walk backwards towards me."

She did as he asked, trying to keep her legs from shaking.

"That's far enough." The officer came up behind her and placed her in handcuffs. "Negative, abandoned vehicle. No signs of suspects." He said into his walkie talkie. "Do you have any weapons on you?"

She shook her head. "No...sir.." She replied quietly.

He began to pat her down. He walked around and began to pat her down again when she caught a glimpse of gold on his collar. A gold skull with six tentacles swirling under it. The seal of Hydra.

She must have given a visible start because the cop looked up at her from where he kneeled in front of her.

"Something wrong?"

Her eyes flickered to the pin on his collar and he grinned. "Oh that?"

She turned to run, making it only as far as the trunk before he grabbed her by her hair, slamming her into the trunk. She cried out as the breath was knocked out of her.

He brought his face down to her ear. "There're a lot of people out looking for you missy." He said.

"Let her go."

The cop pulled her against his chest, using her as a shield. He pulled his gun out and aimed at Bucky. "They want her, didn't say nothing about you."

There was a single gunshot. She heard a hissing noise as something whizzed past her ear. Blood splattered across the side of her face and neck as the cop slumped to the ground.

Annie fell away from the body with a scream, bringing her cuffed hands to her throat. "Oh my God...Oh my God..." She squeaked. "You killed him..."

Bucky squatted next to the body and began removing the uniform. "Would you rather I let him take you?" Once he'd stripped the body of the uniform, he began to strip out of his own clothes. He removed his vest and pulled his shirt over his head.

Annie quickly turned her back to him, feeling her face flush.

"Here." She jumped as he appeared in front of her, donning the officers uniform. It was slightly tight around his biceps. He unlocked the cuffs.

"You could have killed me..." She said.

He lifted the body with his metallic arm, dragging it to the abandoned car they'd hidden in previously. He ripped open the trunk and dumped him inside. "Only if I'd wanted to."

She wiped at her face. "What now?"

He pulled his hair out of his face, tucking it under the police hat. Lifting the trunk lid of the police cruiser, he looked at her. "Now you get in."

She shook her head quickly. "I can't!"

"You can and you will." He said.

"No I really can't. I'm claustrophobic!" She said, feeling her anxiety level suddenly sky rocket.

"You don't have a choice princess. This is our only shot at getting out. So either get in, or stay here."

She brushed her hair back nervously.

"NOW SWEETHEART!" He snapped, causing her to jump. She stepped into the trunk, glaring at him. "Tuck yourself in at the back." He said.

Taking a steadying breath, she did as he told her, pulling her knees to her chest as she laid on her side. He placed three large duffle bags in front and on top of her.

"You have to stay calm or we die."

She said nothing as he closed the trunk, leaving her in darkness.

OoOoOo

Bucky pulled the cruiser out of the garage, heading for the Theodore Roosevelt bridge. It had begun to rain, causing the street lights to reflect off the wet streets. This was good. The fact that it was raining would no doubt make the guards want to waste no time checking fellow officers.

This proved true as, after nearly twenty minutes in bumper to bumper traffic, they finally neared the checkpoint. Officers on either sides of the road, shone flashlights in each window.

An officer with a K-9 walked the dog around each vehicle while a fourth officer opened the trunk and rifled through the contents briefly.

"Shit." He said to himself. Very slowly, he armed the pistol on his side, preparing to escape one way or another.

The car in front of him was cleared and waved through. Exhaling through his nose, he pulled the cruiser forward, stopping when he received the signal to do so. An officer wearing a raincoat peered into the cruiser.

"Busy night?"

Bucky nodded. "Just got called out to an abandoned vehicle. Didn't turn up anything."

The officer smiled and nodded. "They've got us out here chasing shadows. One more hour of this shit, then we can go home. Stay safe." He waved him through.

Bucky nodded. "You too."

He didn't exhale until the checkpoint was no longer visible in the rearview mirror. When he was certain he wasn't being followed, he continued to drive until the pounding and muffled yells coming from the trunk prompted him to pull over at a rundown gas station.

Pulling under the nearly dilapidated shelter, he put the car in park. Getting out, he opened the back door and pulled the latch to fold down the backseat.

Annie took a deep breath of air and looked up at him.

"Your fits are going to get us caught."

She crawled out, collapsing against the car. "Where are we?" She asked, raking her fingers through her hair.

"About 15 miles out of D.C." He said. "We need to put as much distance between us and them as we can. That's going to mean ditching this car."

"How are we going to get away then?"

"Let me worry about that. Get back in."

"I'm not getting back in the trunk!" She huffed.

"Then get in the backseat, stay down and be quiet."

OoOoOo

"What's your plan?" She asked, watching the streetlights illuminate the roof of the car as they passed by them. She lay across the back seat, arms crossed under her head.

"I already told you."

"Yea, you said to put as much distance between us and them as possible. But that's pretty blase."

"Because right now, that's my main concern. The rest I'll deal with later." Bucky replied.

"Where are you going to find another car?"

"Remember a few miles back when I told you to stay down and be quiet?"

"You're not the only one whose being affected here! My life has been turned upside down in less than 72 hours!" She yelled.

Bucky rolled his eyes as she continued.

"And I have to be insane to even be here right now! I don't know you! How do I know you aren't one of the bad guys? I should have just stayed at my house-" she was thrown into the floor of the backseat as Bucky slammed on the brakes.

He spun around, glaring at her. "If you had stayed there you would have been killed! Your father was the one who ordered Brock to attack you. The outcome was supposed to have been completely different. Your dad tried to have you killed! Twice! And for some stupid reason, I couldn't let that happen. So a little bit of gratitude would be nice, princess!" He snapped.

Bucky almost immediately regretted his words as soon as they were out of his mouth. Annie looked suddenly very pale, and her eyes glazed over with realization. Rather than apologize, he turned back around and pulled back onto the highway, taking the first exit they came to.

After driving for another hour, he pulled into a small bar, taking care to park at the very back of the gravel parking lot. The steady rain had turned into a torrential downpour.

He turned and looked at her. She lay staring at the backseat, eyes rimmed red. "Stay here."

Annie was silent, feeling the car shift as he got out. She closed her eyes and listened to the pounding rain on the car as exhaustion attempted to take over, wanting nothing more than to give into the darkness. Just as she felt herself drifting off, the back door opened, causing her to jerk awake.

"Let's go." Bucky said, holding his hand out.

She didn't take his hand as she climbed out. Looking around, her eyes fell on the black suv with its driver side door open. She glanced at him, crossing her arms.

He opened the back door, resisting the urge to bow facetiously. "After you princess."

She got in, noting the interior was fairly new, but smelled faintly of cigarettes. Bucky closed the door, but didn't get in right away.

Annie watched as he poured the contents of several bottles into the cop car before lighting a cloth that hung out of another bottle with a lighter. Once the cloth was burning, he tossed the bottle into the car, turning his back just as it erupted into flames. He shut the door and quickly got into the suv.

"Buckle up." He looked in the rearview mirror. Annie was asleep, her head resting on her arm in the backseat.

OoOoOo

Annie wasn't sure how long she'd slept, but when she woke up, it was to Bucky shaking her, his metal hand cool on her knee.

"Get up." He said.

The sky was a pale purple as the sun prepared to rise. They had pulled into a run down motel that she would have thought was closed down if not for the creepy red neon VACANCY light flickering in the window.

"Where are we?" She asked, yawning.

"Middle Falls." He replied.

"What state?" She snapped.

He looked at her in the rear view mirror. "Upstate New York."

"Why have we stopped here?"

"Because, regardless of what you may have been led to believe, I need sleep. And you have to go get a room."

She frowned. "Fine." She grabbed her bag and got out, slamming the door behind her.

The bell above the door jingled loudly, causing Annie's head to throb. Several fans were set up around the room, oscillating back and forth, spreading the smell of cigarettes and some tropical air freshener.

"Hello?" Annie strained her neck to see behind the desk. She stepped up to the teal and brown painted desk and rang the bell.

"Can I help you?" Came a voice from the back office.

Hesitant to speak, Annie looked around for the voice. "I need a room for the night please."

"I don't rent to college students."

"I'm not a college student." Annie replied. "I'm a music teacher."

"How many of you?"

The question caught her off guard. "I-um...myself and my...fiancee.."

There was a grunt and a short, overweight middle-aged woman appeared, cigarette in hand. Her name badge read: DORIS. "I don't see a ring on your finger." Doris observed, peering over a smudged pair of bifocals.

Reflexively, Annie covered her left hand with her right and the exhaustion that had been building up peaked. "Come on lady, I have been driving since last night! I'm tired, I haven't had a hot shower in three days, and I'm pretty sure I'm about to have a nervous breakdown! So can I please have a room?!" She snapped, ripping some cash from her bag.

The woman appeared unimpressed and continued to stare at her as though she were bored. After a rage-building staring contest, the woman finally sighed and began typing on the ancient desktop computer. Each click of her bright red, too-long acrylic nails on the keyboard pushed Annie close and closer to physical violence.

Just as she was about to yell at her, the woman pursed her lips. "Only thing we have is a king suite."

The thought of a bed was almost too much. "I'll take it." Annie said quickly.

"That'll be one nineteen twenty two."

Annie's mouth dropped open and her eye began to twitch. "A hundred and twenty dollars? For this?!"

"For this and more. The king suite has a mini fridge and a Jacuzzi tub. Cash or credit?" Doris replied sarcastically.

Annie's mouth hung open in shock. She shook her head, as if to clear her mind and slammed six twenty dollar bills on the table. She held her hand out for the key, which Doris blatantly ignored, setting the key on the countertop just beside her elbow.

"Room 201 is in the third building closest to the back on the second floor. Check out is tomorrow at eleven."

Annie snatched the key up. "Keep the change, Doris." She snapped, pushing past the glass door.

OoOoOo

Annie pulled the door open and got in the front seat of the suv. She could feel Bucky's eyes on her as she stared ahead. "It's in that building at the back, second floor."

He drove to the building she pointed at and backed the suv into a spot close to the stairs. They looked up at the poorly kept building. It was painted teal with rusty stains running down each window from the a/c units.

"Did you get an exterior room?"

"How should I know? The woman was a jerk. She didn't want to rent me the room." She snapped.

"Want me to kill her?"

Annie narrowed her eyes. "I really hope you're joking."

Bucky shrugged, scanning the surroundings.

They both got out and climbed the stairs. Room 201 was the first one they came to. She unlocked the door and pushed it open, but it wouldn't budge, only opening enough for her to get her fingers through. She pushed on the door with her shoulder, her irritation growing with each try.

Bucky rolled his eyes and gave the door a shove with his left arm, opening it with ease. He pushed past her into the room, leaving her in the doorway.

"After you." She mumbled, entering and closing the door behind her.

"What the hell is this?" Bucky asked.

Annie's mouth dropped open and she felt her face flush. "Oh my God."

The room was dark save for the sparse light creeping through the blinds, but that didn't hide the gigantic mirror on the ceiling, directly over the bed.

Bucky walked around the room, feeling every crevice and every piece of furniture. Annie, feeling the call of the king sized bed, collapsed on the edge. She was shocked at its softness. The mattress was plush, relieving the pressure from her aching body. With a yawn, she fell back onto the bed, closing her eyes.

She felt the mattress sink down with additional weight and opened her eyes. Bucky sat on the other side of the bed, unlacing his boots.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

He laid back on the bed, folding his arms behind his head. "Going to sleep."

Annie exhaled loudly, rolling into her side away from him. She scanned the room for a couch, but could only see the gaudy hot tub in the corner.

"Relax princess, you're not my type." He snapped.

Annie angrily bit her lip to keep quiet. She curled into a ball and closed her eyes once more.

OoOoOo

He lay waiting in the snowy drift, watching patiently through the scope of his rifle. The target got out of his limo. He wore a ushanka of black fur and a thick fur coat to match.

"Target located." He said in Russian.

"Take your shot." The handler replied over the com.

The soldier cursed as the target lifted a child into his arms. Two women joined him, one standing to his left, the other behind him.

"Negative, I don't have a clear shot."

"What is he doing?" The soldier next to him asked. "Are those his kids?"

The soldier with the metal arm exhaled sharply through his nose. "No. He's a coward. He's using them as a shield."

The voice on the other end of his ear piece was talking. "You have your target now take the shot."

The soldier licked his lips, watching through the scope as the target began to walk towards the posh estate.

"Take the shot! That is an order!"

The target paused and the soldier pulled the trigger. He watched through the scope as the two women screamed, wailing over the two lifeless bodies of the child and target.

The soldier closed his eyes and stood. "Target neutralized." He said after a moment.


OoOoOo

Annie woke with a violent jerk, feeling as though she were suddenly falling. It took a moment for her to remember where she was. She closed her eyes, trying to go back to sleep.

A low groan came from the body sleeping next to her. She tried to ignore it, but it continued for about ten minutes. Then the mattress shifted.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw that Bucky was sitting with his back to her, staring at the window.

"What are you doing?" She asked quietly.

He said nothing, but she could see he was trembling slightly. She pushed herself up on her elbows. "Bucky."

He was talking to himself in Russian. Annie sat up. "Bucky?" She got out of the bed and walked to where he sat. Sweat glistened on his forehead and he stared straight ahead, his eyes blank.

"Are you alright?" She asked. She waved her hand in front of his face but he didn't blink. He continued muttering incoherently in Russian. She shook him gently.

"Bucky! Snap out-" his arm shot out, grabbing her by her neck. The cool metal fingers were squeezing her throat, cutting of her air supply. Annie struggled in his grasp, trying desperately to get free. She tried clawing at his arm but there was only metal under her fingertips.

"P-please-" with one last try, she struck him across the face. He blinked, his eyes meeting her own frantic gaze.

Immediately, he released her. Her hands went to her throat and she fell against the wall trying to catch her breath.

"Annie!" He stood quickly. "Are you alright?"

She held her hand out to stop him. "I'm ok..." She replied.

He stepped back, looking distraught for the briefest of moments. He felt he should say something, but in that moment, his mind couldn't comprehend a single word in the English language that explained how he suddenly felt.

Annie stood, taking a deep breath. She didn't know what to say, so she rushed to the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

Bucky sat back on the edge of the bed and stared down at his hands. The water in the shower turned on and he could hear her sobbing. He clenched his fists angrily. Throwing on his boots, he grabbed his notebook from the bedside table and stormed out of the room.

OoOoOo

Nearly two hours passed before Bucky returned. It was close to four in the afternoon. He walked in, locking the door behind him.

Annie was asleep, sprawled out in the middle of the bed. He quietly walked to her and stopped. Her hair was damp, the blood had been scrubbed from her face, and she still wore the same clothes from the night he'd saved her from the assassination attempt on the highway.

Her chest rose slowly with each breath she took and her hand twitched slightly. His eyes lingered on her throat where five finger-shaped bruises were taking form. His stomach dropped and he looked down at his hand. He would have killed her if she hadn't managed to hit him.

The thought upset him more than it should have. Running a hand through his hair, he sighed and walked to the bathroom. He needed a shower.

Turning the water as hot as it would get, he stepped in. He pressed his hands against the wall, letting the hot water run down his back. Closing his eyes, he let the feel of the burning water clear his mind as he tried to figure a way out of this mess. He leaned his head back, soaking his hair.

The bathroom door opened and he immediately jerked the shower curtain back, prepared to fight.

"Oh my God!" Annie's face turned several shades of scarlet and she quickly turned away from him.

Cursing in Russian, he ripped a towel from the wall to cover himself. "Do you mind?!"

"I'm sorry! I just wanted to see if you were alright!" She replied.

"Don't worry about me, princess." He stepped out of the shower and secured the towel around his waist.

Annie rushed out of the bathroom and he followed, pulling his shirt over his head.

"How's your throat?" He asked, pulling his pants on.

She sat on the bed with her back to him. "It hurts...But not bad. Were you dreaming?" She asked.

He paused as he put his boots on. "I wouldn't call it that. You can turn around now."

She glanced over her shoulder to be sure before turning to gave him completely. "I've heard of things like this happening before, with soldiers who'd been to war. It's called PTSD."

He smirked as he laced his boots. "I know what it's called." He looked up at her, his damp hair falling in his eyes. "I'm sorry for hurting you."

She touched her throat gingerly. "It's ok..."

They stared at one another for a moment before they heard a distant thundering. Bucky perked up like a dog sensing an intruder.

"What is that?" She asked.

"Nothing good. We need to go." He said, pulling her to her feet. She grabbed her bag as he pulled her out the door.

They were half way down the stairs when a cloud of dust signaled someone driving down the dirt road towards them. Two large black armored trucks, and they were moving too fast.

"How did they find us?" Annie cried.

"Don't know, but we need to move!" He lifted her over his shoulder and leapt over the rail, landing in the grass next to their suv. She winced as the air was knocked out of her.

"Shit!" He hissed as the engine roared to life. "Get in the back seat and buckle up! Sit behind me so they don't shoot you!"

Annie scrambled into the back seat and buckle up, covering her head with her arms. "Bucky what are you going to do?!"

"Something stupid. Stay down!" He pressed the gas pedal to the floor and headed straight for the trucks headed towards them.

"I need you to try not to tense up."

"Why?!" She cried.

"This is the only weapon we have. I'm going to use it to disable the first truck and you'll need to be ready to get in. You got it?"

Their eyes met in the rear view mirror and she nodded. He pulled his gun and opened fire, shattering the windshield. With his bionic arm, he reached out and pulled the windshield free.

She covered her face as their suv collided head on with the armored truck. Everything happened so quickly and yet it played out in slow motion.

Bucky leapt through the opened windshield and in one move had ripped through the passenger side window of the armored truck. She watched in a daze as he fired his gun three times, killing the three men that occupied the first truck. He plucked their weapons from their bodies

"Annie! Let's go!"

She unbuckled the seatbelt and scrambled through the shattered windshield. He pulled her into the passenger seat after kicking the body of the agent out.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

There was a very distinct ringing in her ears, but she nodded.

He shoved a gun into her hands. "Remember what I taught you about firing a gun?" She nodded. "Now's the time to use it. Point it and aim for the head or chest. Don't hesitate or you're dead."

He pressed the gas pedal, pushing their wrecked suv aside. "I need you to get in the back and look for anything else we can use."

Annie crawled in the back and started digging through compartments. "Like what?" She asked.

"Anything! Hold on!" Bucky yelled, jerking the wheel. She grabbed the head of his seat to stop from tumbling backwards. Looking down, she noticed two big black cases similar to the cases she used for musical instruments. Bracing herself with one hand she unlocked one case and her eyes widened. "Like this?" She pulled up a large cannon-like tube.

Bucky looked up in the mirror and nodded. "That'll work. Is there anything else with it?"

Annie pulled the sponge packing aside, revealing four large cylinders. "They look like baby bombs, like the kind that were dropped from planes in world war two."

He jerked the wheel again. "They're RPGs."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you'll have to take the wheel. It's a rocket launcher. This is what's going to save us."

She slipped into the front seat and grabbed the wheel just as he dove into the back. "Bucky! There's no glass up here! What if they start shooting?!"

"I've got it covered! Stay straight and only let off the gas when I say so!" He crawled back into the front, rocket launcher in hand. "Keep her steady!"

Annie watched in horror as he climbed through the broken windshield and knelt on the hood. She gripped the wheel with both hands and focused on the armored truck heading straight for them.

There was a loud hissing noise as Bucky fired the weapon. Annie ducked her head when the armored truck exploded.

Bucky pounded on the hood of the car for her to stop. She watched as he leapt off the hood and walked to the wreckage. There was nothing left but a twisted, burning heap of metal where the truck had been. He pulled out his gun and fired into the burning bodies of the HYDRA agents.

Annie laid her head against the steering wheel and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop the drumming noise inside her head.

"We're not through yet!" Bucky yelled, jumping into the front seat. "Drive!"

Annie slammed on the gas and pulled out onto the highway. "What's happening?" She asked.

Her question was answered as military helicopter armed with guns on either side flew overhead and turned to face them head on.

"Hold her steady!" Bucky crawled once more onto the hood of the truck and aimed the RPG, but the helicopter made the first move, firing its own directly at them.

With a cry of fear, Annie jerked the wheel, causing Bucky to lose his balance. The missile flew past the truck, missing it by mere inches. She felt the ground quake with the explosion behind them. Bucky regained his footing and fired the RPG, but the helicopter swerved, avoiding it. The pilot opened fire. Annie was certain they were dead as the bullets ricocheted all around them.

"Ублюдок!" Bucky snarled as a bullet pierced his shoulder and flesh arm. She watched as Bucky fired the last RPG and held her breath as it found its target.

The chopper burst into flames and began it's dizzying spiral to the earth. Annie brought the truck to an abrupt halt as Bucky climbed back inside and collapsed against seat.

"Oh my God you're hit!"

"We need to get to a hospital." He said. "Turn the truck around and go northeast. There's a hospital about eight miles from here."

They sped into town, and Annie, jumping the curb, parked the car directly in front of the emergency room doors.

She ran around to help Bucky, but he was already out and dragging her inside.

There were several hospital personal standing around talking when they entered. "Can I help you?" A short, round faced nurse asked. Her face was one of concern as she looked them both up and down.

"Your supply room. Where is it?" He asked.

"He's been shot!" Annie blurted out. He shot her an angry glare.

"Sir, you're bleeding. Can I get some help over here! GSW to the upper right extremity and abdomen!" She called over her shoulder.

Bucky pulled his gun out and aimed it at her.

"Are you crazy?!" Annie shrieked.

"Your supply closet and key. Now!" He demanded, ignoring Annie. The other nurses froze where they stood.

The nurse handed over her key card with a shaking hand. "Down this hall, the third door on your right."

"What's the code to your drug dispenser?" He asked, shoving the key into Annie's hand.

"Scan my key and enter the code 6689." She replied.

"All of you, into the office." Bucky said. He pulled out a second gun from his belt and aimed it at a male nurse who had picked up the phone. "It'll be the last thing you do. Put it down!"

The group moved into the office and Bucky shoved a chair under the handle, preventing them from leaving.

"What are you doing?!" Annie asked as he led her down the hall.

"We need supplies." He replied. They came to the third door on the right. Annie swiped the card through the reader and it blinked green. Bucky pushed past her and pulled her inside. He grabbed a nearby plastic bag and handed it to her. "Hold this open."

She held the bag as he went down the aisle, grabbing an array of medical supplies. He grabbed a second bag and began filling it once the first one was full. The third bag, he filled with blankets and sheets. He walked to a large, gray machine with a scanner and keypad attached to it.

Annie swiped the key and entered the pin number. The door clicked and unlocked. She pulled the door open, revealing a dozen smaller doors and shelves.

"Get the antibiotics and the pain medication."

"I don't know which is which, Bucky." She snapped.

He reached in and grabbed four trays, dumping the contents into another bag. Annie grabbed two other trays and dumped them into the bag. "Are you going to tell me why we just held up a hospital at gun point?"

"Not right now." He dumped a tray of glass vials into the bag and tied it. "Come on." He pushed her out the door and down the hallway.

They turned down a second hallway and pushed through a set of doors labeled HOSPITAL STAFF ONLY. The first room was an operating room. Bucky locked the door, set the bags down and began removing his shirt.

"What are you doing?" Annie asked.

"There's a tracking device in my neck. We've got to destroy it." He said. "It's metallic with an internal antenna. That's how they found us. And that's how they'll find us again if we don't destroy it."

She'd seen something like that on the show The Blacklist and visibly shuddered. "How are we supposed to do that?"

He rolled a cart with a manual defibrillator next to the gurney. "Not we. You." He flipped the power switch and a small screen lit up.

"Uh uh. No way! I can't do this." She cried.

"Its either this or you cut it out with a scalpel."

"Why can't you just force one of the nurses to do it?" She asked.

"Because I can't trust they won't kill me." He laid on the bed.

"And you trust I won't?" She asked.

He smirked. "You need me too much to kill me."

Annie chewed on her bottom lip before finally walking to the gurney. "What do I need to do?"

"This knob controls the charge. Turn it to 280 joules. You'll have to use this gel on the paddles to conduct the shock. Put one paddle here, and here. And you have to press down hard to make sure it has the right effect." He said, placing one paddle over the upper right side of his chest, and one on the lower left side. "It will beep when it's charged, that's when you press the red button on the handle."

"Is this going to hurt?" She asked.

"Yes. But the jolt will fry the tracker. "

She squeezed gel onto the paddles and rubbed them together to disperse it evenly. She turned the dial to 280 joules and waited for it to beep. "Ok.." She turned to him, feeling extremely uncertain.

"Wait!" He twisted his shirt until it was wound tight and bit down on it. He looked at her and gave her a nod.

She moved to place the paddles on his chest and paused. "I don't want to...What if it kills you?"

He pulled the shirt out of his mouth. "I'll be ok."

The worry must have been written plainly on her face because he pushed himself up on his elbows. "Annie. Look at me. You have to do this. I will be ok. You have to trust me. Do you?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry. Ok."

"You're ok?" He asked.

She nodded and he laid back down, biting down on the shirt once more. Annie placed the paddles on his chest. She pressed her weight down without touching him. "Are you ready?"

They made eye contact and he nodded. She pressed the red trigger and watched with rising anxiety as his body seized on the table with the jolt. The veins in his neck bulged and his back arched as the shock was delivered. The shirt fell out of his mouth and he collapsed against the gurney, eyes closed.

She dropped the paddles. "Bucky?!" She grabbed his face, turning it towards her. "Bucky!" She slapped his face.

His brow furrowed and he looked up at her. "Ow."

Relief washed over her and she smiled. "Did it work?"

He sat up with ease. "We won't know until we leave. If they find us, then we'll know. We need to go." He jumped of the bed. Picking up their bags, he led her into a locker room. "We need a new vehicle."

They opened several lockers before Annie found a lab coat with a set of car keys.

"That'll have to do. Let's go." He grabbed her hand and together they ran towards the exit. Once outside, Bucky scanned the surroundings. "Find the car that belongs to. I've got to get our things."

Annie crossed the driveway of the tiny hospital into the parking lot. She held her hand up, pressing the panic button as she passed the cars. Just as she was about to panic, she heard the welcoming wail of a car alarm. Turning to her left, she ran through rows of cars before finally reaching the source of the alarm. It was a red four door jeep wrangler.

She tossed her bag into the back seat, started the car and drove to the hospital entrance. Bucky opened the back and began loading the supplies into the cargo space. She watched as he pulled four big cases out of the HYDRA truck and loaded them.

Once everything was secure, he opened the driver's side door. Annie shifted to the passenger seat and then they were speeding away, heading north as far as she could tell.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"Somewhere we can lie low for a while." He replied, gripping the wheel.
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