Chapter Text
When you open your eyes, the first thing you notice is how bright the room is. It smells faintly like antiseptic. The next thing you notice are the restraints binding your wrists and ankles. They aren't the usual metal chains though, these restraints are much softer, made of velcro. Also, there isn't one around your neck. There's an IV in your arm. You look around, taking in the unfamiliar room. Movement catches your attention. Seeing his large, foreboding form move towards you, you immediately look down, whispering "ready to comply."
The Winter Soldier stops when he reaches the side of your bed. "Y/n, it's okay. You're safe here." You hold your breath, waiting for him to lash out at you. The door opens and you duck your head down, repeating 'I will comply, ready to comply.'
"She's awake?" It's the red haired woman from yesterday, the one who you followed outside the hydra base. You hesitantly look up at her. She smiles down at you before turning to the Winter Soldier, "I'll get Bruce" She says, leaving you alone with him once more. He gently reaches for your hand and though you try to flinch away, the restraints keep your arm immobilized. He wraps his hand around yours carefully, as though he was trying not to hurt you. The door opens again and you feel him tighten his grip slightly, as though trying to reassure you of your safety here.
"I'm glad you're awake, y/n. My name is Bruce. How are you feeling today?" Panicked, you look up at the Winter Soldier, silently asking permission to speak. He nods down at you.
"It's okay y/n, you can talk here. You're safe here, no one is going to hurt you" he promises.
You whisper "I'm okay, ready to comply"
Bruce nods, his hands gently probing the stitches on the side of your head. "You're healing nicely, y/n. I'm going to untie your wrist now to check on your broken arm. Can you stay really still for me?"
"Yes sir, ya podcinius"
Once your arm is free, he slowly moves it around, extending it and bending it. "Does any of this hurt?" He asks
You shake your head 'no.' He reaches for the restraint and you panic, jerking your arm out of his grasp. “Please don’t, I’ll be good I promise” you plead.
Bruce looks at Bucky apologetically, “Tony said-”
“Blame me.” Natasha interrupts him, reaching over and freeing your other arm. You sit up as soon as your arms are free, worriedly glancing at the people around your bed, waiting with bated breath for one of them to start laughing and pin you down again. After a minute of silence, you reach down and undo the restraints on your ankles and pull your knees into your chest, shielding yourself.
“I still need to run more tests. I need some blood samples.” Bruce says. Bucky looks down at you sadly.
“Can you hold out your arm please, y/n?” Natasha asks. You nod, wanting to trust her. Bruce picks up a needle and you screw your eyes shut. You knew it. They were going to run more tests. Of course they were, you are nothing more than an experiment, a lab rat. Not daring to open your eyes, you hold out your arm, not wanting to risk a beating for daring to disobey orders. You feel the weight on the bed shift and then warm arms are wrapped around your shoulders. Gasping, you open your eyes to see Natasha sitting next to you, hugging your trembling body. You glance between Bucky and Natasha in surprise.
“She isn’t hurting me. You aren’t hurting me. W-why?” You whisper, addressing Bucky.
“No one is going to hurt you anymore. You’re safe here, you’re safe with me.” Natasha murmurs. Bucky just stares at you, unable to speak. Bruce takes the blood samples he needs and leaves, promising to come back and check on you later. Staring down at the bed, you swallow hard, gathering up all of your courage to start talking. “Th-this isn’t hydra?” You ask meekly.
“No, this isn’t hydra. You never have to go back there.” Natasha promises you.
“Where am I? Who are you?” You ask Natasha. Turning to the Winter Soldier, you ask, “why aren’t you hurting me? Aren’t you here to punish me for leaving? I’m so sorry.”
Natasha gently pulls your face up towards hers. “Look at me, myshka. We are at the Avenger’s compound in New York. My name is Natasha and that’s Bucky. He is not the winter Soldier anymore, and he will not hurt you, I promise.”
You look into her eyes, testing her. If this is hydra, she will certainly hit you for daring to make eye contact. She doesn’t hit you though. Instead, she smiles.
The door opens again and you tense up. The boy from the plane is standing there. “Mr. Bucky? Mr. Stark needs your help with the files we got from the base.” Bucky looks at you, clearly worried about leaving you here. Natasha senses his hesitation and says “Go on, Bucky. I’ll stay with her.” Bucky nods in appreciation and follows the boy out.
“That was Peter. He’s so young.” You say sadly.
“Yes, Peter is only 18. How old are you?” Natasha asks.
“I don’t know. I was at hydra for my whole life.”
“That’s okay, myshka. Maybe Bucky knows more about your past.”
“He’s really not the Winter Soldier? He’s really not here to hurt me?” You ask meekly.
Natasha hugs you a little tighter before answering. “He’s definitely not the Winter Soldier anymore. He will not hurt you. You’re safe here, I promise.” You close your eyes again and take a deep breath, leaning into her gentle embrace. You feel safe here, you feel safe with this woman, and it is a completely new feeling. It's unlike anything you have ever experienced before. Maybe you really are safe here, safe with her.