Bounty - Winter Soldier Fanfic

9

He was gone.

I had a bad feeling about this, why did he leave?

I ran out of the hotel room and down the hall to the back entrance. Nothing.

He would be home or headed there no doubt.

I hopped in the first taxi I saw and asked the driver to get me there fast.

Once we reached I threw him some money and jumped out.

I ran up the stairs and to the door.

I knocked.  No answer.

"James!"

Nothing.

I looked around before deciding to swiftly pick the lock.

After I was in I saw Bucky climbing out the window.

"Hey!" I ran over.
He noticed me and began moving faster.

"James stop!"

I grabbed onto his hood.

"I know you don't want people to see you. I will scream for my life if you try to leave. Don't make me do it."

He thought for a moment as he weighed his options.

He sighed defeatedly.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Stephanie. I told you yesterday."

He shook his head. "You called me Bucky. Back at the hotel, you called me Bucky. How did you know that was my name?"

Shit.

I was getting sloppy. Damn nightmare screwed me up.

"I found your journal."

His eyes widened. "It's not what it looks like. I'm not a bad guy."

I shook my head,"I could barely read any of it.
Most of it was a foreign language and the rest was gibberish."

He breathed a relieved sigh.

"I know who you are Bucky. You're the winter soldier."

He nodded sadly.

"Why haven't you called the police?" He asked.

I shrugged,"Do I need to?"

"I'm a murderer."

"You've been nothing but nice to me James. You're different from those reports.. right?"

He nodded again."They've got it all wrong. They don't know the whole story."

"So what is the whole story?"

He shrugged,"What difference will it make if I told you?"

"I don't know. Maybe I can help you. I...Captain America saved my life once. I know he's your friend. We can try to find him. He can help you."

"Why would he want to?"

"He's your friend. I just know that he'll want to help you."

"I appreciate your optimism but I don't think so Stephanie."

"Don't you want to stop running? You can't hide your whole life Bucky."

Pep talking wasn't my thing but it was when I was trying to get criminals where they belonged.

"I'll adjust."

I shook my head,"This," I gestured around to the shoddy apartment,"..is no way to live."

"I know." He mumbled.

I looked at him.

There was such a deep pain in his eyes.

A pain that made his life a living hell.

He wanted to be free from it.

I could help him with that.

All he had to do was confess to his crimes and pay the price.

No more running.

No more hiding.

I smiled,"We can do this."

"Why are you helping me?" He asked with a confused look.

"I..I don't know really. I can see that this is really hurting you and no one should have to feel this way. Besides you said they don't know the whole story. Maybe they're missing something. You shouldn't have to pay for that."

I stepped back enough for him to come back into the apartment.

"Hey, look. Let's go back to the hotel, we can get some food and talk about it. What do you say?"

"I don't know."

My brows furrowed, "why not?"

"You've been really nice to me, I don't want anyone wrapped up in all this. It probably won't end well for me. Or you. You shouldn't pay for my sins."

It was becoming harder and harder to hate this guy.

"Bucky. I won't take no for an answer."

"It's the only answer I want to give."

I shook my head,"But you know you need this so it's not the answer you'll give. Come on James. We've got nothing to lose."

"You've got your life."

I shrugged but stayed silent.

I wasn't the best person.
Maybe the world would be better without me.

I walked over grabbed his backpack and came back and handed it to him.

"Let's go Barnes."