t w e n t y - f o u r / are you going to just stand there?

"Where am I?" Bucky's first, demanding words sent chills down Cara's spine as he sat up in the hospital bed they'd set him on in the infirmary.

"You're in a safe place, Buck," Steve said softly, reaching out for his friend. His hands shook as he hesitantly took his hand, holding it tightly, as if he wanted to make sure Bucky didn't slip away from him. "We're going to take care of you."

He mumbled something that sounded like, "That's what they all say," before jerking his hand away from Steve's, keeping as far away from Cara and Steve as he could without sinking completely into the mattress. It didn't seem like he'd mind it if that happened, though. 

Cara didn't fail to notice how he cradled his metal arm close to his chest, like he was hiding it from them. She tilted her head at the sight of it, it looked oddly real, despite the obvious shimmer of silver that came from it. Bruce had had to rid Bucky of his shirt when they brought him home in order to make sure his levels were still okay, which--thank God--they were. 

Bucky flicked his eyes to hers, and when he noticed what she was looking at, he wrapped his arms tighter around his middle. Then his eyes were filled with a numbness that she couldn't describe. But it broke her heart, just looking at the poor man, laying there, exposed and vulnerable. 

"I've heard a lot about you," Cara tried to say something relatively consoling, "from what I've heard, you're an amazing man."

His head jerked to look at her again, a harsh and severe cloud hanging over his eyes. "Who told you that?" He said roughly. His face betrayed no emotions as he said it, and Cara wondered how he did it.

She glanced at Steve. "He did," she replied, and pointed at her boyfriend. "He's very fond of you."

Bucky swiveled his head to lock eyes with Steve, and it took him a few seconds before he could formulate a sentence. "You're...Steve," he concluded, and watched as the light haired man nodded slowly, a sad smile on his face.

"Yeah," he breathed.

-

The commotion was all but expected. 

When the first gunshot came ringing throughout the Tower, Cara's every limb froze, not unlike Bucky's actions, which were fast and panicked. "What the hell--" he started, but was unable to finish his thought.

Steve's eyes were wide. He looked pointedly at Cara as he said, "I'm going to go upstairs and take care of this. I'll help the others." The emphasis was clear to her: stay here and make sure Bucky doesn't do anything. 

She nodded, and squeezed his hand encouragingly before watching him rush out of the infirmary, heading upstairs to the source of the gunshot, which were now multiplying, as she was sure Nat had begun to fight back. 

As she sat there with Bucky, watching him with wary eyes as he clenched and unclenched his fists and jaw, she tried to wrap her head around what was happening. This is the big fight that Skull was talking about. They were right when they said that they'd be coming. They came, at our most vulnerable time, just when we thought everything would be okay again. 

"You know, everything's going to be okay," she said aloud, partially talking to calm down Bucky, but also herself. "Steve and the others are gonna take care of them, and we'll all be safe again."

"Don't," he hissed, "be quiet."

Frightened for a second, Cara's mouth snapped shut. She stared at the stranger for a few moments, watching him squirm uncomfortably, before saying softly, "You can help us fight them."

His cold, haunted, blue eyes met hers again in a flash. "No I can't," he refused, shaking his head. "I'll kill someone."

Cara felt her heart split again. "Then you'd better trust me to keep you safe when they come down here and find us."

Bucky ducked his head, and when he spoke, she almost couldn't hear him. 

"How can I trust you when I can't even trust myself?"

-

It wasn't long before a Skull agent had found their way down to the infirmary, looking for Bucky. Cara didn't know how he'd found them, but what mattered at that moment was keeping him at bay and making sure Bucky didn't do anything he would regret. 

"Ooh, lookie what I found," the greasy-haired agent sneered, "a winter soldier!"

"It's your lucky day, then," she stood up and blocked Bucky from his view. "You get a look at this guy, and you get a specially delivered ass-kicking from moi."

The man sauntered forward. "Are you absolutely sure about that, darling? You look kind of..." he tapped Cara's shoulder, "delicate," he finished.

Cara was revolted by the thought and feeling of his finger against her shirt. "This delicate princess could take you down in one move if she really wanted to," she crossed her arms and took a step towards him menacingly.

He didn't look affected at all as he grinned maliciously, "Oh, I'd love to see that."

The teenage girl shrugged. "Alright." She could feel the presence of her gun in the waistband of her jeans, but didn't pull it out yet, wanting to save it for the finale. Instead, she curled her fingers into a tight fist and swung it quickly out at his face, connecting with his jaw. Her knuckles tingled with the impact, but it was proven to be worth it, as she heard a crack and pop come from his face.

"Dammit," he cursed, and grabbed her shoulders, twisting them in an attempt to slam her to the ground, but she was ready for him; his movements were slow, and showed his age. She leaned out of his reach, and stuck out a leg to trip him. When he toppled to the ground, she pounced on top of him and tugged her gun out of the waistband of her jeans, pressing the barrel of it to the back of his head.

"Now that wasn't very much fun for either of us," she snarled, "but if any of your other friends decide to join the party, they'll definitely be getting the bigger pieces of the cake."

She pulled the gun away from his head, and turned him over, so she was staring at his face. His nose had begun spraying blood when he hit the floor, and his eyes were barely open because of it. "Please," he sputtered, "let me--"

"No thanks," she snapped, and delivered a hard blow to his nose again. He was knocked out cold.

But she couldn't catch a break, as she stood up, she saw a new wave of Skull agents charging at her. She turned helplessly to Bucky, overwhelmed. "Well, are you going to just sit there, or help me get rid of these assholes?"

He stared at her. "I'll kill someone," he mumbled.

"No you won't," she insisted, "not if you believe that it's true. If you believe in yourself, you can do anything. Now stop making me give you a pep talk, and get up here and kick some ass."

It was as if she'd flicked a switch: Bucky sprang up and within a few seconds, he was punching and squeezing the fight out of people, taking down each Skull agent, one after another.

"So you get the Winter Soldier to do all your dirty work?" A woman smirked at Cara. "Good strategy, that's what we were going to use him for, funnily enough."

"Go to hell," Cara growled, feeling an immense care for Bucky emerge from somewhere down deep in her heart. She lashed out, clawing at the woman's face, and kneed her in the gut when she had her in the position she wanted her in. Kicks were delivered to her side, and even though she'd failed to block a vision-shaking punch, she still pulled out to be the stronger girl, and slapped her across the face, anger blurring her eyesight. The woman fell down to the ground, and Cara finished her off with a devastating stomp on her nose. 

Two down, about a million to go, she thought miserably.

WOOP! How'd you guys like this chapter? Was the action scene good, or should I work on it for future works? PUH-LEASE ANSWER!

xoxo Mae