Wanted

It was light outside when Anna's eyes creaked open again, either late afternoon or early morning going by the orange glow reflecting off the white walls. She propped herself up slowly, gritting her teeth through the pain in her back and sides as she did, reaching for the now warm water bottle on her bedside table.

She took a long sip, followed by another to try and quench her insatiable thirst, putting her thumping headache down to dehydration... She blew out a breath, slowly swinging her legs off the bed to head over to the bathroom - wherever that was, feeling like she hadn't used her legs in months.

Come on legs... You can do it

"Woohoo" She cheered herself, her voice barely above a whisper as she managed to stand, her toes curling appreciatively into the grey shaggy rug under her. She peered around the room, only now taking in how modern and impressive it really was; ultra modern low line furniture on a polished wooden floor, and everything matching in black, white and grey - right down to the feature wall behind her oversized bedhead.
She lifted the charcoal covers back up, feeling obliged to leave it neatly - even arranging the white pillows before she dared step away. There were shiny red cushions on the floor beside them which she bent down and picked up with much effort, her eyes catching the IV stand as she stood back up.
"Hmm" She mused, peering at the inside of her elbow, noticing that the cannula had been removed, and any needle hole that should have been left had healed.

Anna swallowed hard...

How long was I out for?

First things first - bathroom...

Her eyes followed the floor to ceiling windows around, Anna realizing there was a room behind the wall her bed was against... Impressed, she peeked around the corner, greeted with a space age looking white and grey bathroom with all the bells and whistles. She didn't dare look in the mirror as she made her way to the toilet - afraid to see how she looked for the moment.
The shower looked like you could just about park a car in there, walls tiled with an almost black matte with soft hidden lighting coming from a false ceiling...
The twin sinks and enormous bowl-shaped tub were a brilliant white, all taps and fittings a bright, shiny chrome, Anna feeling like she'd stepped into the future.
She was relieved the soap dispenser was the same kind she was used to - the only other thing tripping her up being the automatic basin tap which took a few moments to figure out. She reached for the fluffy red towel to her right, setting it down on the counter top as she splashed her face and dried it, finally daring to look up into the mirror.

Sweet Jesus...

She cringed at her appearance - pale, tired and almost gaunt looking... Still, her wounds didn't look too bad.

Wait - they're not covered...

"What the hell?" She mumbled to herself, feeling strange again...

"Good morning Miss Pierce" Came the female voice of the A.I, Anna letting out a frightened squeal as she jumped back, covering her mouth with her hands.
"Is there anything I can assist you with?" The voice said again.

"Can you see me?" Anna asked, taking the white robe off the hook beside the towels and covering herself up.
"I can sense your location, but your privacy is safe"

Anna nodded, ordering herself to calm down.

"So there aren't cameras or people behind the mirrors or anything, right?"
"No, you have complete privacy. Is there anything I can assist you with?"

"No, I might just take a shower..."
"Certainly" Came the voice, Anna sucking in a breath when the water turned on, followed by a quiet fan as the room filled with steam, "Would you like some music on while you bathe?"

Anna's breath picked up as she reached for her towel, backing towards the glass shower screen.
"No thank you..." She said, removing her robe.
"There are fresh clothes in your wardrobe, you can change the water temperature or pressure via the panel inside the shower. Would you like coffee and breakfast when you're finished, Miss Pierce?"
"So it's morning?"
"Yes, the time is 6.47am"
"And what day is it?"
"Thursday February 2nd"

What the hell?

"So I was out for-"
"Three days"

Anna shook her head as she screwed her face up, confused and angry.

"What can I get your for breakfast, Miss Pierce? We have-"
"-I think I'm gonna be sick..."



Anna let out a breath, giving herself a nod of approval in the mirror after she'd dressed herself, opting for the usual skinny jeans and a fitted long sleeve top. She'd applied enough makeup to look slightly healthier, but kept it comfortable and low key at the same time, her damp hair still out.
"Socks.... I need socks..." She said to herself, opening several drawers before Friday's voice spoke up and told her where to look, "any chance of a hair tie or clip, Friday?" she asked as she pulled a warm black pair on.
"Certainly"

A knock at the main door interrupted her before she could reach for shoes or jacket, Anna's heart taking off at a million miles per hour.
She sucked in a breath, hurrying over to the front door, peering into the hidden screen to see who was on the other side of it. Her hands hovered over the locks, it suddenly occurring to her that she had no idea how to open them, Anna cursing out loud, frustrated.
"Friday, unlock the door please"
"That directive is not available..."
"What?" Anna frowned again, reaching for the handle, turning it every which way and giving it a good yank to no avail, "Friday, unlock the door"
"That directive is not available..." Came the voice again, Anna's heart taking off at a million miles per hour, "Permission to open the door please, Miss Pierce"
"What!? I JUST asked you that..."
"Permission to-"
"Yes! Jesus, yes... Permission granted..."

The door unlatched, Anna letting out a breath as she stepped back, a covered silver trolley coming through the door smelling of bacon and eggs.
"We weren't sure what to bring you, so there's a bit of everything there" the smiling blonde lady said, Anna still frowning with confusion.
"Thank you..." She said, not forgetting her manners as the woman backed away, "actually I was just stepping out to go find my Dad" she added, the woman blocking her with the trolley. Anna swallowed hard, looking up at her quizzically when she realised she wasn't being let out.
"Have a nice day Miss Pierce"
"Wait!"

Oh my god... Oh my god...

Anna paced, completely stressed and about to unravel when she made a beeline for her phone, flipping through the contacts to find the only two numbers stored were Tony's, Dr Cho's, and one marked in as 'food service'...
"Shit..." She muttered under her breath, an idea coming to her.

"Friday?"
"Yes Miss Pierce"
"Call Bucky Barnes for me please..."
"That directive is not available..."

What the hell!?

"Call Tony to my room please"
"Right away, Miss Pierce"

Anna's hand rested on her chest as she did her best to calm herself down, her heart racing and her chest heaving like she'd run a marathon. She ordered herself to appear cool and calm, not sure what would happen when Tony arrived. She barely had time to formulate a plan as a knock at the door rang out, Anna quickly reaching for the nearest TV remote and pressing the AV button to make the screen appear blank.

Calm down... Calm down...

She made her way to the door, rattling the handle before calling out.
"Can you open it from your side, I left my card in the other room" She lied, keeping her voice upbeat.

A second later it opened, Anna giving him a beaming smile which he returned as she pulled the door open for him.
"You said I could call if I needed anything?"
"Of course, what do you need?" He answered kindly.
"Teach me how to use that damned TV so I don't have to ask Friday every five seconds?"
"Sure" He smiled, a chuckle escaping him as he stepped into the room.

Anna's chest tightened in a 'now or never' moment as she successfully slipped past him and darted out the door. She heard him calling out after her as she ran down the hallway, hearing footsteps looming up behind her.

Don't stop, don't stop...

She rounded a corner, jogging down a flight of stairs as fast as she could, not having a clue where she was or which direction she was headed in. The elevator door at the bottom of the stairs opened, Tony looking up and darting out when he saw her, Anna cursing her slippery choice of footwear as she slid to a stop and changed direction. Anna's chest burned as she ran down the hallway for all she was worth, hearing her name being called from every direction, unsure now where escape might lie.
She rounded another corner, looking over her shoulder to see Tony running, flanked by uniformed staff, Anna turning back around in time to collide with someone with an 'oof' before she could stop herself.
If her chest and ribs didn't hurt so much she was sure she would have screamed out as he steadied her, holding onto her arms below the shoulder as she tried to get away.

The footsteps behind her slowed, Anna trembling like crazy as she fearfully looked up into the blue eyes of Steve Rogers, knowing that she had no hope of getting away from him.
A glance to his right offered her a little comfort as she made eye contact with Bucky, the two super soldiers just as confused as each other as they took the scene in and tried to make sense of it.
Bucky reached out, taking her from Steve's grip, offering her solace as he put his arm around her. Anna found herself cowering into his side despite herself, her fists gripping his shirt.

"What's going on?" Steve demanded, glancing over at Anna before looking up at Tony again, Tony letting out a breath with a helpless look on his face.
"Anna, honey... I was just trying to keep you safe" He reasoned, desperation in his voice as her fists tightened, Bucky's metal hand now protectively on her back.
"What happened!?" Steve demanded, stepping in front of her as Tony tried to close the gap, much to his obvious annoyance.
"You know what, I think everyone just needs to settle down - there's obviously been a huge misunderstanding"
"-You drugged me" Anna stammered, Steve and Bucky both looking up at Tony accusingly.
"So you could recover quicker - you had the best medical-"
"And locked me in my room..."

"Okay, I've heard enough" Steve said, putting his hands up, "Take her, and make sure she's okay" He said to Bucky, asking Anna if that was alright, Anna nodding meekly.
"We need to talk" He said, looking over at Tony.



The walk to Bucky's room was a short one, including a quick elevator ride up to the next floor. He swiped a card and opened the door, ushering Anna through it before closing it after her.
"A.I lockout, Friday, code black" He said, his hand still on the small of Anna's back.
"As you wish, Sergeant Barnes" came the reply, followed by a faint beep.

He led Anna to a big grey sofa where he sat her down, making his way to the kitchen and taking a coke from the fridge, bringing it back over.
He pulled the tab to open the can, passing it down and encouraging her to drink, which she did, Bucky telling her to hold onto it and keep sipping.

She peered around the room, most of it looking like hers with the exception of a few decorative things - and of course the weapons on the coffee table.
"Sorry about those... I wasn't expecting guests" He apologized, gathering them up quickly and putting them away before coming back over.

"What happened?" He asked, pulling the ottoman over so he could sit opposite her, ducking his head till he got eye contact, "I thought you weren't talking to me anymore" He added, giving her a soft smile which made her relax a little. She peered up at the ceiling before being able to speak, checking the room for cameras which Bucky picked up on.
"Nobody but me can hear you... I've locked her out." He said reassuringly, "It's just us, I promise"

Anna let out a breath, nodding as she gathered herself up...
"I've been out... The last thing I remember is getting into bed, after they gave me painkillers for my headache..." She started, wiping her wet cheeks, Bucky handing her a tissue which she thanked him for, "next thing I knew it was three days later" She said, ordering herself not to cry again now that she'd cleaned herself up.

Bucky clenched his jaw, clearly annoyed but nodding to prompt her to go on...
"I didn't know what to do, so I got dressed, and the food lady came - and Friday wouldn't open the door for me. And then when she did, the lady wouldn't let me out... So I just..." She paused, swallowing hard as she gave herself a moment of composure, "freaked out, I guess..."
"You should have called me..." He said after a pause, "I would have knocked the door down if I had've known"
"I tried to... But when I asked to contact you she said the 'directive wasn't available'" She said, shaking her head again, Bucky feeling his heart pick up pace as he suppressed the urge to flip out.
"So he had you knocked out, locked in your room, and blocked from any communication?" He asked after giving himself a moment to calm down, getting his head around the facts...
"The only numbers in my phone were his, Dr Cho and the kitchen..."

Bucky nodded, furious but keeping himself composed for Anna's sake. He looked her over, the goosebumps on her arms catching his attention, along with her damp hair. She stared down at the can in her hands, concentrating on steadying them which had worked a little. Bucky stood and made his way over to the thermostat, turning the heat up before heading over towards his bedroom, Anna looking up to watch him. He came back with a knit sweater and handed it to her, along with a hair tie which she smiled at gratefully.
"Have you had something to eat?" He asked as she tied her hair up, Anna shaking her head, "Okay, I'll order us something"
"No it's fine, I'm good" She said, pulling the sweater on, Bucky frowning at her.
"You're having something to eat, Anna" He repeated, worry crossing her face.
"What if he comes back or sends someone to-"
"Nobody's gonna come here, and you're not going anywhere unless you want to" Bucky said, Anna nodding with relief, "Unless they want to fight it out, and I promise you they won't win... Now what do you feel like?"



Bucky smiled over at Anna who was obediently still on the sofa where he'd ordered her to stay. He'd set her up with the television, shown her how to use the remote after a somewhat heated discussion and quite a bit of laughter, and let her choose a movie to watch. He finished up in the kitchen, handing Anna a couple of plates and a handful of cutlery, which she divided up and laid out on the coffee table. A knock at the door caught their attention, Bucky giving Anna a quick wink as he strode across the room to answer it.
He was more polite than Anna thought he'd be, leaving the young kitchen staffer with a smile on his face as he handed the hooded tray over, Bucky thanking him closing the door when he left.

He set the tray down in front of them, reaching over to open his water bottle, handing one to Anna before he lifted the lid from the tray.
"I didn't know what you liked, so I got everything - ham, cheese and tomato, there's avocado, chicken and cheese, and a few fancy ones..." He said pointing everything out, "I like em toasted, so I hope that's okay, and they're cut up so you can have a few different kinds if you want-" He added, an air of endearing nervousness to him.
"Perfect!" She smiled, Bucky looking relieved that he'd made the right choice, "thank you so much"

The mood was a relaxed one, the two of them enjoying their foccacias, Anna doing her best to eat what she could despite still feeling a little off.
Bucky put the rest away in the fridge and told her to just help herself if she felt hungry again. He cleared the plates - ignoring Anna's offers to help, and ordering her to stay seated. She smiled, the feeling of being looked after quite foreign to her...

"Need anything else?" Bucky asked, lowering himself down beside her.
"No, you've done more than enough... I should be the one waiting on you hand and foot for giving me somewhere to hang..." She said, Bucky giving an amused smirk, "Speaking of which..." She added, her voice taking on an awkward tone,
"I know what you're gonna say" he cut her off, "and the answer is 'as long as it takes'..."

Anna let out a chuckle under her breath before continuing on,
"This is your room, Buck... " She started, Bucky rolling his eyes and turning to hear her out, humoring her, "I'm planning on getting out of your hair as soon as I can"
"Sick of me already?"
"No..." She said with a blush, much to Bucky's amusement, "Of course not... I'm just sure you have a life outside of babysitting me every five minutes" She said with an awkward chuckle.
"Yeah... I suppose you're right" He said with a shrug and a wink, his grin giving him away.
"Are you making fun of me?" She asked cocking her head
"I would never make fun of you" He said, breaking into laughter, Anna picking up the nearest cushion and whacking him with it, Bucky feigning helplessness.
"You're hilarious" She sassed, still smiling
"I know..."

Anna sighed, enjoying the moment for what it was - a light hearted distraction...
"So how do you think it's all going... Steve talking to Tony?" She said, clearing her throat as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Steve's got a way with words... Even to stubborn people like your Dad" Bucky started, his tone reassuring, "Tony won't listen to him - or he'll pretend not to, and then later on he'll probably think it over with a glass of something strong in hand... Deep down he'll know he did the wrong thing..."
"You think so?"
"I know so..."

Anna nodded, giving him a thankful smile with Bucky returned.
"Thanks Buck... For everything"
"...Don't mention it"


A knock on the door made her jump, sucking in a breath as she wheeled around. She looked down to see Bucky's hand already resting on her forearm as he'd sat himself up.
"It's Steve" came the voice from the other side.

Bucky let a breath out, standing up to go open the door, Steve Rogers - Captain America himself stepping into the room. Anna Swallowed hard, not sure if she should stand, salute, or perhaps start apologizing profusely for crashing into him earlier.
Steve beat her to it, putting his hand up as if to tell her to relax and stay put, sitting down beside her on the sofa, leaving a respectful distance between them.
"Steve Rogers" He said, putting a hand out to her to shake, flashing his perfect 'all American' smile.
"Anna..." She answered politely, shaking his hand, "Annabelle Pierce... Anna"
"Don't be nervous, everything's fine" he assured her, Anna giving Bucky a very anxious sideways glance, "How are you feeling?" He asked, his expression genuine, Anna suddenly feeling too dazed to answer.
"I'm fine" She managed to get out, "And I'm so sorry about before, I wasn't watching where I was going, and I felt like such an idiot-"
"It's fine, it's fine" He assured her, a chuckle escaping him as he put his hands up.

Anna let out a breath, suddenly feeling a bit better now that she'd gotten that out of the way. Bucky pulled the ottoman back over and sat by her, offering the unspoken support and reassurance that she didn't realise she needed.
"It's great to finally meet you" Steve said, offering another ice breaker, "I've heard enough about you" He joked, nodding over to Bucky who was completely mortified.

Steve chuckled again, Anna joining in despite herself as she glanced at Bucky again.
"Don't believe a word he says" She said, Steve giving a dramatic shrug, raising his hands.
"It was all good, I swear"
"You said nice things about me?" She asked innocently, turning to Bucky who's face was now buried in his hands as he shook his head.
"Kill me... Kill me right now" He moaned, Anna reaching over to rub his shoulder affectionately "Don't you dare paint me as the 'nice guy', Steve" He said, looking back up again, "I have a reputation to uphold"

The three of them laughed, Anna enjoying watching Steve pick on Bucky, the long brotherly friendship shining through in each of them.

"So..." Steve started, sounding a little more serious, "I spoke to your Dad..."

Anna swallowed hard, tensing as though she was waiting to rip a band aid off...

"He's actually devastated..." Steve said, surprising her, "and he wants to talk to you when you're ready. In your own time, and on your own terms..."
"I was afraid of that..."
"Don't be... He actually made a lot of sense when I spoke to him, and everything he did was, well in his eyes, for your own good..."
"You agree with him?" She asked, feeling nervous again, her body shifting closer to Bucky involuntarily.
"No, not at all" Steve said with his hands up, "I rarely agree with Tony's actions - let me just put that out there... But his motives? Yeah, I get those"

"What did he say?" Bucky asked, feeling Anna tense up beside him.
"Dr Cho recommended that they sedate her to help her heal... Cho's not really a 'people' person, but as far as physical science, she's the best... Tony gave the 'okay' so long as it was the absolute best thing, all he wanted was to get Anna back on her feet as fast as humanly possible" Steve explained, Anna nodding as she took it in, "There was no malice in it, it was just him trying to fix things, and do it in the shortest amount of time. It's what he does best, and all he knows..."
"I suppose that makes sense..." Anna said slowly.
"He probably should have talked to you about it, but I guess hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it?" He added with a shrug, "He did say that Cho saw to you the whole time, your vitals got better and better, and the drug she had you on would virtually halve your healing time..."
"He still pumped her full of drugs without her permission - in some states that's called-" Bucky started
"-I know, and I completely agree with you - I'm just relaying what he told me..." Steve started, "It doesn't make this any better, but he did say your bruising was almost gone, your head wound had pretty much healed, and your ribs wouldn't be much longer if you kept resting..."
Anna and Steve exchanged glances, Steve clearly not enjoying being the messenger.

"And the door?" Bucky asked, Steve letting out a breath.
"She wasn't allowed to move around a whole lot. Tony was hoping to be there when she woke up, but duty called and he didn't get back in time. He was barely in the door when Friday said Anna had called for him. He practically ran down there, and before he could say a word, you'd given him the slip" He said, nodding to Anna.
"He did look puffed out when he came in the door..."
"Well that explains that..."

"And why couldn't she call me?" Bucky asked, him and Anna looking over at Steve who was obviously trying to choose his words carefully...

"Well Buck... You and him, well..."
"Okay, okay I get it..." Bucky stopped him, rolling his eyes.

"It's not how I would have gone about things, but yeah... At the end of the day, it was Tony doing the best he knew. There's a roof over your head, food, medical care, clothing, entertainment... Protection - even though it might seem more like imprisonment" Steve said after a pause, his expression kind as he tried to lighten the mood.

Anna nodded, trying her best to understand, all the while Bucky sat like a 'pissed off statue' beside her, that in itself bringing her a little amusement.
"...So what now?" She asked, glancing between the two guys with a look of uncertainty on her face.

Steve reached into his pocket and pulled a phone out, holding it up in front of her.
"This is yours and it's been unlocked... My number is in there, so is Bucky's - something I had to negotiate, so be grateful" He said, flashing a smile again, Bucky rolling his eyes.

"Your door has been unlocked, and you have full freedom to go anywhere, talk to anyone, and make all your own decisions"
"Great, so... Basic human rights?" She said, a melancholy chuckle escaping her as she shook her head.
"Hey, I worked hard for those" Steve said, ducking his head to make eye contact with her, Anna apologizing in case she sounded bratty.

"It's fine, I get where you're coming from..." Steve smiled, "You still can't leave the base for now, but you're safe while you're here. I'll keep Tony in check and you can call me any time" 
"Thanks Steve... I appreciate it..." She said with a smile, turning to Bucky who still had that bored and annoyed expression plastered onto his face.

"You too, Buck... You've been amazing, and I seriously can't thank you enough" She added, watching him soften before her eyes, his hand finding her forearm, giving it a light squeeze as he offered a smile.

Anna let out a breath when the moment had passed, looking up at Steve again as he relaxed into the sofa beside her.

"You look tired" He said, Anna nodding back at him.
"I'm exhausted" She admitted, giving him a polite smile, "I suppose I should go back to my room to give you your privacy" She added, looking over at Bucky.

"You can stay as long as you like" He said, gently, "or if you'd rather go back to your own room I can walk you,"
"I'd like that"

The walk back to her room was a quiet one, Bucky and Anna chatting among themselves about the last 24 hours, Steve, and of course what would unfold when she eventually spoke to Tony again.
"I suppose it'd be better to just... Get it over with, huh?" She said, Bucky nodding.
"Probably... The longer you leave things, the worse they get"

He asked Friday to open her door, neither of them having a key-card to get in, and he stayed, accepting her offer for a coffee while she got settled in.
"Here" She smiled, coming out of her bedroom handing him his sweater, neatly folded, "thanks for lending it to me"
"Oh... Thanks" He smiled, "You could've hung onto it for me, I wouldn't have minded"
"Save it for next time I try to escape" She chuckled, setting it down on the counter as she pulled her hair out.
"You can keep that" He said, nodding at the hair tie in her hand as she shook her hair out.
"Worried I've got germs?"
"We've shared a bed... And clothes" He said, cocking his head, "Officially the most intimate relationship I've had in a while"
"Oh I refuse to believe that, 'Mr long hair and muscles'" She teased him, taking a sip of her coffee.
"Definitely the longest" he added, thoughtfully, Anna getting out an amused chuckle, shaking her head in disbelief, "girls like long hair and muscles?"
"Some do" She said, "the blonde in the hallway was checking you out"
"Lord help me" He laughed, letting out a breath when the moment passed.



"Can I ask a favor, Buck?" Anna started, "I know you've done a lot for me, and I'd totally understand if you said no..."
"Name it and we'll see" He said, intrigued.
"Will you hold onto this for me?" She asked, casually pulling one of her key cards from her pocket and holding it up, shyly, "If Tony locks me in again, at least someone I trust has a key..."
"Wow" He said, shocked, Anna quickly shoving it back into her pocket, apologizing, "No, I'll do it - I was just..."
"No, it's fine, It's a huge ask, and I get it, it's cool.
"Hand it over, Pierce... Seriously" He chuckled, Anna staring at him wide eyed as he repeated himself, "I'm being serious, if you want me to hang onto that for you, I'd be happy to. More than happy... Relieved, even"
"You sure?" She asked, pulling it from her pocket, Bucky taking it from her.
"Of course... I was just a bit taken aback because, well, people don't usually trust me"
"That's comforting" She joked,
"You can take it back if you like, no skin off my nose..." He said with a shrug, Anna trying to stifle a grin.

"I trust you" She said confidently, tucking her hair behind her ears, giving him a nod.

Bucky smiled, absolutely relishing the feeling of being needed and trusted... Depended on... Feeling like for the first time someone other than Steve wanted to know him.
He bit his lip, suddenly feeling a brazen little rush of adrenaline, a bit like he would have felt back in the forties in a dance hall looking at a young lady twirling in a red dress. He cocked his head, trying to read Anna's expression, impossible as always.


"I suppose I'd better get your digits then"