Wanted

Through blurry, tear stung eyes, Anna watched the dark world fly by past as she hugged herself, shivering in the passenger seat. She wiped her wet face with the back of her sleeve, her sudden movement catching the attention of the driver.
Without a second to spare he had the barrel of his pistol pushed hard against her temple, Anna letting out a cry and raising her hands in surrender as she jerked away from him, pressing herself into the car door. He glared at her, his expression aggressive and dangerous, full of warning. There was no trace of the friendly guy who'd come to her aid barely an hour prior, no trace of the charming, flirty guy who'd made her smile... She felt utterly idiotic knowing she'd fallen for the oldest trick in the book - she should have run for it. The second he flashed her those pearly whites.

If she wasn't so terrified, Anna would have been impressed at Bucky's ability to control the speeding car through the snow while holding someone at gunpoint. Clearly he knew what he was doing, and going by his calm demeanor it probably wasn't his first rodeo... She swallowed hard, putting the pieces back together that this guy clearly worked for Alexander, and she was in serious trouble.

He lowered the gun, putting his foot down, the car roaring off even faster. Anna had lost track of where they were going, her head pounding with a migraine from the stress. Despite everything, he hadn't hit her which she was both surprised by, and thankful for. After hearing the sickening whack from when his fist had made impact with her drunk attackers' cheek earlier, she knew this big guy packed a fair punch. She also knew he was fast and knew how to handle a weapon. The way he carried himself suggested he wasn't someone to be questioned or underestimated, and his very expression screamed at her to obey him or suffer the consequences.

"Put your seat-belt on" He said, his voice rough and gravelly.

Huh!? The guy shoves me into a car, holds a gun to my head and now he's concerned for my safety?

The gun was pointed at her again, and along with it that dangerous expression. Anna's heart raced again, her body frozen in terror and unable to move as the tears kept falling.
"NOW!" He barked at her, making her jump. She nodded as she obediently pulled the belt across her body and clicked it into place with fumbling, trembling hands. She dared look up and make eye contact with him for a moment, his eyes darting to her chattering teeth. He let out a sigh as he lowered the gun, reaching forward to put the heater on and open the vent in front of her.

WHAT THE ACTUAL F-

The heat came as a welcome relief to her, Anna not sure whether to thank him or not. Do you thank a kidnapper for doing something nice? Even if they just threatened you with a gun to your head?

Jesus Christ... This is all sorts of fucked up...

Anna decided to keep quiet - if she was right, he was taking her back to the very people she'd been running from. She was a lamb being led to slaughter, and she wasn't about to start gushing with appreciation to her captor. If she'd had the guts she would have defiantly reached over and turned the heater off again, despite herself. She would have shown him she wasn't interested in kindness from him, preferring to suffer.

The car ride was long and quiet, Anna's eyes stung from the tears but she didn't dare wipe them. The skin on her cheeks felt tight from where the salty droplets had dried, and her head was still pounding and her throat sore. She risked the odd peripheral glance at him, noting no change in his expression or demeanour. He looked determined, a man on a mission with a certain energy about him - both completely competent and relaxed, but reactive and on the edge of a knife at the same time. She gasped when he turned his head, catching her watching him. His expression didn't change and he was quick to put his focus back on the road.
Anna took it as a warning. He was always watching. Don't underestimate this guy...



Anna woke, startled and annoyed at herself for falling asleep. She was in the car alone, freezing cold and it was pitch black outside. Her stomach churned and her chest tightened at the thought of what fate may be awaiting her. She tested the door handle, feeling somewhat stupid for thinking the door would have been left unlocked.
She squinted when a bright light lit up in front of her, using her forearm to shield her tired eyes. The silhouette of a tall, bulky figure lumbered towards her, making her heart race and her breath hitch in her throat. The crunch of snow could be heard outside under heavy boots as he stopped outside her door, unlocking it and yanking it open.
"Get out" Came his rough, gritty voice - telling, not asking.

She reached for the seat belt buckle obediently, her cold hands betraying her as she fumbled with the release button, hearing a sigh come from the man outside that sounded more like a growl.
Her stomach knotted and she held her breath as he reached into the car, leaning over her and holding her still while he undid it himself. He gripped her arm high up and pulled her out of the car, the wintry air hitting her lungs like a punch in the chest. The car door was slammed shut behind her, making her jump. He pulled her towards himself and dragging her roughly by her arm, they headed towards what had materialized in front of her as an old looking house.
That's when panic hit Anna hard. She glanced over at his face, his callous expression not changing until she pulled against him and somehow managed to pull her arm from his grip. Her mouth fell open with shock as she turned to run, making it almost all the way back to the car when a shuddering impact in the back knocked her face first into the snow. She rolled over, looking up at him from the flat of her back, his face becoming clear when his body blocked the light out... He wasn't impressed...

She feebly pushed with her feet to try and get away from him, Bucky frowning at her as he reached down and yanked her to her feet with both hands by the front of her coat. Anna's hands locked around his wrists, gasping when she realized one wasn't flesh and bone. She looked up into his eyes, the shock and fear reading loud and clear on her face which he acknowledged.
"Yeah... That's right..." He said threateningly, as if to warn her not to try anything else.

Before she had the chance to answer him, Bucky threw her over his shoulder and made his way over to the house, his body swaying with every rhythmic stride he took, Anna too tired to fight him.
He set her down in a bright room, holding her close to him by her wrists until she was stable on her feet. Much to her surprise he let her go, stepping away from her towards the door, maintaining eye contact.
"Towels are under the sink, soap is in the drawer"  He said, Anna arching a brow in confusion at yet another show of kindness amidst all the kidnapping, threats, orders and shoving onto the ground...

"Wait... What!?" She said, not meaning for the word to come out aloud.
"TOWELS. They're under the-"
"-I heard what you said"
"Well then what's the problem? Do you want a hot shower or not?"
"Of course..."
"Then I suggest you get on with it" He snapped, "There's a change of clothes in the plastic bag, dress warm, we'll be here a while." He added, nodding towards the floor.

Anna shut her mouth quickly and nodded, deciding to take his offer before he changed his mind. She turned the lock on the door handle to ensure her privacy, and pulled the blind down over the window. She shrugged her wet jacket off, peering around the room for any sign of holes in the walls, cameras or anything creepy, relieved when nothing was found. The plastic shopping bag on the floor caught her attention, Anna picking it up and peering into it.  There was an assortment of fitted shirts, socks, underwear, tank tops, and a couple of pairs of jeans and sweatpants. It wasn't anything spectacular, but she was grateful for clean, dry clothes. She pulled one of the bras out, a basic black t-shirt bra and found the tag on it. She pursed her lips, not knowing whether to be impressed or completely creeped out that he'd known her size...

Definitely leaning towards creeped out...

The receipt was in the bottom of the bag, the date on it revealing that he'd shopped a few days prior.

Okay, DEFINITELY creeped out...

Anna pulled her boots off one by one and turned the shower on, looking over her shoulder for any evidence of him being about to burst through the door. She turned the shower on, testing the heat of the water against the back of her hand before nervously peeling off her wet clothes. The soap, shampoo and conditioner was easy to find, Anna taking it with her into the shower and putting a towel on the closed seat of the toilet so she could grab it quickly.

The hot water against her skin was a welcome relief, even if she did feel like she was being watched... She tried to ignore the feeling, constantly thinking of all the smiles and flirty comments he'd made to her, all the while having a bag of clothes ready and waiting to snatch her away... He'd protected her from the scary drunk guy, yet he'd kidnapped her? He'd held a gun to her temple, yet he'd been concerned whether she was warm enough or not... He'd shoved her to the ground, yet offered her a hot goddamned shower!?
Anna's head was still pounding, making her feel sick and faint all over again as she tried her best to quickly wash. The nice smelling shampoo wasn't enough to distract her from her plight as she found a comb, checking it was clean before she worked the knots out of her hair.

She got out, quickly drying herself off and pulled the packet of underwear open, fishing a pair out. She yanked the tags off a pair of jeans and tank top before dressing herself and rubbed her hair dry, pulling it back into a quick French braid.

A loud knocking at the door made her jump, hand on her chest as her heart took off racing. She gasped and stood frozen, mouth open as the door knob jiggled, Bucky realizing that it was locked.

"You done?" Came his voice through the other side of the door, rough as always.

Anna's mouth dropped open, panic rising up in her at the very sound of his voice. The doorknob jiggled again after a few moments, everything inside her screaming out to answer him, but no sound coming out when she tried.

He's going to get mad again... So mad... This is not good...

She backed away, afraid to approach it now, looking over her shoulder as the thought of going out through the window crossed her mind.

"Annabelle!?" He called, making her jump with fright again.

She watched as the doorknob turned, the locking mechanism breaking with a loud crunch, the doorknob falling to the floor as the door was pushed open.
Bucky stood, looking her up and down, a frown on his face. Anna's hands were raised, palms facing him as if pleading for him to keep his distance.

"You couldn't have just answered me?" He asked, letting out an annoyed breath, shaking his head.

So many times he'd looked into fearful eyes, people who knew damn well he was too strong for them. So many times he'd looked down into desperate faces as they pleaded for their lives, and here he was again - but this time with someone who was supposed to feel safe with him.
He regretted having to be forceful with her, if only she knew that he'd taken her for her own safety, she might actually be appreciative, rather than terrified. Bucky ran a hand through his hair, the thought of putting that gun to her head entering his mind, and suddenly he wanted to apologize. He wished he could explain the rules of taking somebody - either you made them trust you and they went of their own violation... OR you rendered them helpless by drugging, restraint or just plain knocking them out.
Bucky figured he'd done her a favor by getting her here without hurting her after the whole 'becoming her friend and gaining her trust' thing didn't work out.
Maybe he wasn't good at making friends anymore? Back in the day, he'd been great at talking the ladies into going home with him, but obviously being who he was for the past 70 years had changed him? Granted, he might not be the warmest guy ever - after everything with Hydra, and then more recently things with Tony after the revealed footage of his parents and a certain 'car accident'... Well, one could forgive him for being a bit detached.
After getting out of Cryo and going through the treatment to get those trigger words out of his brain, he'd been taken back to Avengers H.Q and the integration process had begun.
Understandably, Tony hadn't even come close to forgiving him, sabotaging Bucky at every possible opportunity and always along with a cutting comment. Bucky couldn't really blame him though, if someone had have killed HIS parents, he probably wouldn't be friendly with them either. Tony had been gracious enough to replace his arm after blowing it off, perhaps out of sheer obligation, but Bucky had been thankful all the same.

"Are you okay?" Bucky asked, looking down at the frightened, trembling girl in front of him. She frowned with confusion, arching a brow as she found the courage to speak.
"You're asking me if I'm okay?" She sneered, her voice quiet and hoarse.
"Did I stutter?" Bucky snapped back, straightening up, watching the confidence drain straight back out of her. She shook her head and looked away shyly, Bucky letting out a breath, bored and not sure how to approach her. He gave a shrug and backed out of the door, giving Anna a moment to pull her socks on and gather her things.

She made her way out of the bathroom, peeking around the corner towards the noise in the kitchen, the sound of dishes clinking together and plastic wrapping.
"You hungry?" Bucky called, knowing she was watching him without looking up, making her gasp and duck back behind the door. "Help yourself to anything, if you're done in the bathroom I'll have a shower."

She heard footsteps coming up the hallway towards her and was quick to step back, giving him room. He slowed down and peered around the door, a friendly look on his face when he locked eyes with her.
"Hey..." He said with a concerned expression, Anna hugging herself defensively, "You're cold..."

She looked away from him, wishing he'd go back to being 'scary Bucky' full time - at least then he'd know what to expect from him. He let out a sigh, frustrated, and repeated himself.
"Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot" He said, stepping over to her. Anna shivered and recoiled away from him, her eyes darting around the room looking for where escape might lie.
"I just want you to know that you're safe here, and I'm not gonna hurt you..."
"You kidnapped me, and put a gun to my head..."
"Well... When you put it like that..." He said, ducking his head to try and make eye contact with her, fishing for a smile that never came. "Annabelle, I'm sorry. Just know that I had no choice but to treat you how I did, and you're here for a reason. Okay?"

He took another step towards her, Anna's shoulders coming up coming up against the wall. Her eyes darted up to meet his as her breath picked up pace along with her heart rate. Her body began to tremble as he stopped in front of her, Anna realizing only now how tall and built he actually was.
Knowing she wouldn't stand a chance against him, she looked away and scrunched her eyes shut, waiting for some kind of death blow that never came. She opened one eye, followed by the other, defensively looking up into his eyes. If she didn't know better she'd guess he looked almost offended at her fear.

Whatever - you're not here to worry about his feelings...

Bucky sighed, shaking his head at her as he raised his hands in surrender and stepped back. She clearly wasn't going to decide to trust him any time soon. After offering her food, a shower, clothes and the promise of his protection, he wasn't sure what more he could do. If he wanted to kill her, he'd had plenty of opportunities. Surely she could see that?

"Wait in the kitchen for me" He said, nodding at her boots and clothes as if to tell her to gather them up. She did as she was told and went and sat at the table in front of a plate of toasted sandwiches which she didn't touch. As soon as the bathroom door closed she pulled her boots on, followed by the long sleeve flannel shirt that was hanging over the back of his chair. It was still warm from his body, and as much as it repulsed her to be able to smell his cologne, at least it was warm and fairly clean. She listened for the shower to turn on and the second it did, she got to her feet and looked around for the car keys.
After eventually deciding they must have been with him, she decided to make a run for it on foot. The elements were easier to handle than a kidnapper with a split personality. She twisted the door handle, expecting it to be locked, and to her complete shock it was open.

Holy shit... HOLY SHIT... RUN!

She slipped out, the wind catching the door and slamming it shut, much to her horror. Anna gasped, hearing the water shut off abruptly followed by frantic thumping in the house. Her stomach knotted and before she could think twice, she ran like hell.
The area they were in was heavily wooded, so she'd have plenty of places to hide if she could bound and leap her way through what turned out to be knee deep snow. Freezing, she suddenly regretted not picking his coat up off the table as she flew past the car and ducked through a wire fence, heading towards the trees as fast as she could go.
Her lungs burned like crazy, the cold air not doing her any favours, but she had to keep going. She'd seen how fast this guy was, and having a head start was going to be her only chance. The sound of the front door slamming spurred her on as she ran through the first few trees, ducking and weaving as the ends of the branches whipped at her face.
The overhead cover made a huge difference to the amount of snow underfoot which Anna appreciated as she hopped over logs, being as careful as possible not to trip.
"ANNABELLE!!" Roared Bucky's voice, the sound echoing all around her. She stayed silent, hoping he couldn't hear her footsteps as she ran, it now becoming apparent that they were up in the mountains, which may work to her advantage. She changed direction, her eyes adjusting enough in the dark for her to find somewhere to hide. She already knew there was no outrunning this guy, the best she could do now was to hide and wait him out. She skidded to a stop and ducked behind a particularly thick pine tree, lowering herself down where she could rest and be quiet.

She heard his footsteps slowing... He was nearby. She pulled her sleeves down over her hands and used the extra length to cover her mouth, trying to buffer the sound of her heavy breathing as she looked around, trying to find her next move.
"ANNA!" Came his voice again, her heart racing off once more at the sound of it. Her brows furrowed as she tried in vain to fight off tears as he got closer and closer, Anna suddenly regretting her decision to make a run for it. Surely things were going to be ten times worse for her now that she'd pissed him off.

"Anna, I know you're nearby... You don't need to be scared" He called out, his voice sounding close. More tears spilled down her cheeks as she stayed, trembling behind her tree.
"Someone's after you, Anna... You're safe as long as you're with me..."

BULLSHIT! ...MANIPULATOR!

"I know you're behind that tree, I can see your footprints... I won't hurt you, okay?"

Fuck, fuck, fuck!!! Don't trust him!!!

Anna didn't waste another second, taking off on foot again. He may be faster and stronger, but there was no way she was going to sit there and wait for him take her. Not after all she'd been through with Alexander and his men over the years... She heard footsteps behind her, despite Bucky's vow to not chase her.

"Anna, STOP!" He called out, urgency in his voice, making her risk a glance over her shoulder to see him a few feet behind her and quickly gaining.
Without warning the ground dropped out from under her, and to her horror, she was falling. She'd run right off the ledge of a very steep embankment. She gasped as she hit the ground hard with an 'oof', her body bouncing as she rolled over and over through the snow, further and further down the hill. With one last bounce she felt herself in free-fall again, landing flat and hard with a loud thud, knocking the wind out of her.

She desperately dragged in a breath, her hand going straight to her ribs where she'd landed as she let out a whimper. She opened her eyes from the flat of her back for the second time that night, seeing him leaning over the ledge several feet above her.
"Jesus Christ, Anna... Are you okay!?" Came Bucky's worried voice. A dazed frown formed on her face as she tried to work out which one of the three of him to focus on, the world starting to spin. She shifted her weight, wincing with pain as she did with a groan escaping her. Another tear rolled down her already wet cheeks, knowing that all Bucky had to do was scoop her up, and she was his... There was no way she was fighting him off in this condition.

This is it... You're dead...

Anna looked back up at him, having a 'light bulb' moment amidst her confused state which brought her a little comfort...
"You can't get to me... You're too heavy for the ice..." She whispered half to him and half to herself, as she managed to finally prop herself up on her elbows.
"Don't move or you'll go through, too. It's thinner in the middle"
"You're just saying that so you can get to me... At least I can die knowing I tried to get away. I tried my best..."
"Well, your best sucks... -STOP MOVING!" He ordered her, watching a crack forming as he looked around for a branch or something to hold out to her.
"The whole idea of me keeping you safe is so I can deliver you to your Dad in one piece"

Anna's face lit up, her mouth open in shock with a gasp.
"I fucking KNEW IT" She said, now trying to stand herself up, Bucky stripping his jacket off in preparation to go in the water after her, should he have to.
"I've been running from that asshole for EIGHT. FUCKING. YEARS while he sent his men after me, shot at me and tried to run me down..." She cried, hysterical now, "and now they've sent you!"
"What!? Tony wouldn't do that-"
"Who the hell is Tony?!"
"Your Father! Anna, stay STILL or you'll go through" Bucky warned again, trying to work out how he was going to get her off the ice as she struggled to her feet, backing away slowly.
"You've obviously got the wrong girl-"
"-Annabelle Pierce. Only daughter of Caroline Pierce, formerly Caroline Marie Portman who was married to Alexander Pierce - who's now deceased." He said with some urgency, cutting her off, "I haven't got the wrong girl. There's a bounty on your head - I got to you first"
"Who's paying you?"
"Anna, will you SHUT THE HELL UP AND STAY STILL!" He roared aggressively at her, impatient now, "We can talk about all this when you're not standing on a sheet of ice!"

There was a loud crack, snapping both of them back into reality as it gave way beneath her feet. Anna barely had time to scream as her body dropped, plunging into the freezing water.

"ANNA!"

Bucky jumped straight in after her, searching desperately for her underwater as her body drifted under the ice. He looked around in every direction, his heart racing as he caught sight of her trying to break through the surface unsuccessfully. The dark of night made things difficult, not to mention the bitter, relentless cold that was now taking them both over quickly.
Bucky powered along, swimming as fast as he could towards her as she blew out a flurry of bubbles, her breath running out. His flesh arm wrapped around her waist as he punched through the ice with his metal fist, pulling them both to the surface. They both desperately dragged in a gasp of breath, Bucky wasting no time swimming them to the embankment.

He climbed out of the water, scooping her up into his arms and holding her against his chest as he wandered over to where he'd dropped his jacket, picking it up. He looked down her, relieved that she was breathing and awake albeit quiet and not really 'with it' so to speak.
"You okay?" He asked softly when her eyes found his.
A small groan escaped from her in response, Bucky wrapping her in the jacket and letting out an exasperated breath as he looked down at her.

Fragile little thing...

She shivered like crazy in his arms, snuggling into his chest for warmth despite herself. Bucky looked up, turning to head towards the house, freezing cold and soaked to the bone. He thought about what the next few hours would have in store for him - he'd have to lock the house up to keep her contained, dry them both off, get them both warm, and somewhere amongst all that he'd need to sleep... He'd also have to either tie her up or keep her guarded so she didn't try to sneak out. If she got away from him and Hydra captured her, things were bound to get real complicated, real quick.

The pretty ones are always a pain in the ass...