Fractured
Three long years had passed since Lila and Bucky were taken captive by Zemo, and the world outside had faded into a distant memory. Lila, now seven, had an insane amount of resilience a strength she got from her mother, but each day spent in the cold, sterile confines of their cell chipped away at her spirit. The relentless training sessions designed to break them felt like a never-ending cycle of torment. With every passing moment of separation from Bucky, dread coiled tightly around his heart. He knew the depths of Zemo's cruelty and the extent to which he sought to exploit Lila’s abilities.
One afternoon, the heavy metal door creaked open, and a guard stepped inside, his expression devoid of emotion as he reached for Lila. “Get up,” he commanded, grabbing her by the arm with a grip like iron. This was unusual; they were always brought in together.
“BUCKY!” Lila’s voice sliced through the tension, panic lacing her words.
“Lila!!” Bucky shouted, straining against the two guards who held him back. Fear gripped him, turning his stomach as he watched the agent drag her away.
“Let her go!” he yelled, but his voice was drowned out by the echoes of the corridor. Lila fought fiercely, her small frame pulling against the agent, but he was too strong.
“BUCKY!” she cried again, eyes wide with terror.
Bucky felt helpless, shackled not by chains but by the overwhelming force of the guards restraining him. He struggled against their hold, desperation flooding his veins. He wanted to reach out, to protect her from whatever horror awaited.
As Lila was pulled down the corridor, he felt a surge of anger and helplessness. “What are you doing to her?” he demanded, voice hoarse and trembling.
The guard smirked, a cruel twist of his lips. “We need to know every aspect of her powers to prepare for your assignments. And how her body works with the altered DNA.”
Bucky’s heart plummeted. The reality of their situation hit him like a physical blow—Zemo intended to use Lila, to dissect her like an insect and mold her into a weapon. Anger coursed through him, fueling his struggle against the guards, but they responded with swift, brutal blows that sent him crashing to the floor.
“Stay down,” one guard hissed, his grip tightening on Bucky's shoulder. Pain radiated through his body, but it paled in comparison to the thought of Lila enduring whatever torment awaited her.
Then came the first scream—a sound so raw and filled with anguish that it pierced the very core of Bucky’s being. It was Lila’s voice, unmistakable and filled with terror. His heart raced, each cry reverberating in his mind, a painful reminder of his helplessness.
“Stop it! Let me go!” Bucky yelled, but the guards held him fast, their hands like iron shackles on his arms. He could feel his strength waning as Lila’s cries echoed in the hall, each one cutting deeper than the last.
The guards continued to beat him into submission, but all he could think about was Lila—alone and scared. The sound of her screams gnawed at him, driving him to desperation. He fought against the pain, against the guards who held him back, but their blows were unrelenting.
And then, after hours of screaming and crying, abruptly, silence fell. Lila’s screams ceased, leaving an unsettling void that echoed through the cold, concrete walls. Bucky’s heart raced with dread. What had happened? The silence stretched, an agonizing anticipation that threatened to consume him.
The door creaked open, and an agent appeared, shoving Lila’s limp form into the cell like a discarded doll. Bucky's breath caught in his throat at the sight of her—pale, bruised, and broken. Panic surged through him as he scrambled to her side, kneeling beside her.
“Lila…” he breathed, fear twisting in his gut.
She lay there, her body littered with wounds—raw marks where she had been restrained, her skin marred by cruel incisions. Bucky’s heart shattered at the sight, and he gently gathered her into his arms, cradling her against his chest.
“Please, take me home,” she moaned, her voice barely a whisper, and Bucky felt a fresh wave of despair wash over him.
“I know, doll. I’m so sorry.” He held her tightly, feeling the warmth of her small body against him, but it was overshadowed by the cold dread of her injuries.
Her eyes fluttered shut, and he brushed a thumb over her cheek, willing her to stay with him. “Lila, please… look at me.”
Her eyelids barely opened, revealing pain etched into her delicate features. “Hurts,” she murmured, and his heart clenched painfully in response.
“I know, I know it does. I’m so sorry…” He cradled her closer, rubbing small circles on her back, desperately trying to offer her comfort.
With trembling hands, he pulled her shirt up slightly, revealing the wounds that marred her skin. Each incision was a cruel reminder of the horror she had endured, a testament to Zemo's depravity. Bucky's anger flared within him, a fierce protectiveness igniting as he absorbed the extent of her suffering.
“You shouldn’t even have to experience this…” he murmured, brushing her hair back gently.
“It’s okay. I’m strong, ‘member?” Her voice was faint but filled with a defiant spirit that made his heart ache even more.
“I know you’re strong, doll,” he replied softly, but a fire ignited in his chest. “But you shouldn’t have to be. Not here.”
Lila leaned against him, her small frame growing limp as exhaustion enveloped her. Bucky felt a pang of anguish as he realized how worn out she was, a mere child forced to endure horrors beyond comprehension.
Hours passed, the silence of the cell punctuated only by her soft, labored breaths. Then she stirred, her small body shifting against him. “Ow,” she whimpered, and he instinctively tightened his embrace.
“Shh, I’m here,” he soothed, caressing her shoulder gently.
“Bones… so much blood…” Lila murmured, her eyes fluttering open with a haze of confusion and fear.
Bucky’s heart sank at her words. “What do you mean?”
“I was awake… I- I saw my bones,” she said, her voice breaking, and Bucky felt a knot form in his stomach. The implications were horrifying; the thought of them probing her body, of hurting her, made his blood boil.
“I’m so sorry…” he whispered, the anger bubbling beneath the surface.
“I’m not gonna die,” she said with a fragile confidence, and he held her closer, feeling her heart beat against him.
“I know, doll,” he murmured. “We’re going to get out of here.” The resolve in his voice was fierce, though doubt lingered at the edges of his mind.
Lila coughed, a rough sound that sent tremors through her small body. Bucky rubbed her back gently, trying to soothe her. “I know it hurts,” he said, his voice steady despite the fear clawing at him.
“Zemo… he’s not my dad. He never will be.” Her voice was filled with a quiet strength that surprised him, but he could see the shadows of Zemo’s influence lurking in her words.
“No, he’s not,” Bucky said fiercely, the anger swelling within him. “He doesn’t deserve to be.”
Exhaustion overtook her again, and she leaned against him, her body relaxing as she drifted back to sleep. “You’re my dad,” she whispered, and a rush of warmth filled his heart.
Bucky pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, cradling her as though she were the most precious thing in the world. “I’m gonna take care of you always”
As she succumbed to sleep, he felt an overwhelming surge of protectiveness and a deep-seated urge to escape this place—a place that had stolen her innocence and forced her into darkness. He held her tighter, vowing silently that he would do whatever it took to free her from Zemo’s grasp.
The hours stretched on, and Bucky's resolve only hardened as he listened to Lila’s gentle breaths against his chest. Each slow rise and fall of her body reminded him of the horrors they faced, and the darkness that lay ahead. He could feel the anxiety gnawing at him, the fear of what tomorrow would bring.
But in that moment, with Lila nestled against him, he found a flicker of hope. They would escape this nightmare. Together, they would find their way back to the light. And he would make sure that Zemo and his twisted plans would never touch her again.