Over My Head

Summary: Bucky is awoken by an unexpected visitor in the middle of the night
Warning(s): Spoilers for Captain America: Winter Soldier; AU; violence; some references to wounds being treated

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The sound of the buzzer pulled Bucky out of a deep sleep, where he’d been dreaming of a past mission he’d undertaken as the Soldier. It wasn’t the first time he’d dreamed of his dark history; more than likely, it wouldn’t be the last.

Forcing his eyes open, Bucky blinked away the particles of sleep that had turned his eyes gritty. He rolled his head to one side and squinted at the clock next to his bed.

It was three in the morning. Far too early for any kind of visitor that was an innocent one. Not even Steve would be coming round to visit Bucky this late at night. Maybe it was someone who’d got themselves locked out of their own apartment? If he rolled over and went back to sleep, maybe whoever it was would give up and try another buzzer.

And it came again, somehow sounding even louder and more obnoxious than the first time.

Groaning loudly, Bucky pushed himself up out of his nice, warm bed. He couldn’t sleep anyway, thoughts and memories swirling around inside his mind and disturbing his rest. It wasn’t like it was the first time he’d struggled with sleep. Normally, on those occasions, he would lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling and replaying the images of all of those he’d killed while a tool for HYDRA.

By the time the buzzer sounded a third time, Bucky was out of bed and moving towards the intercom. He pressed down on the button and spoke into it. “This had better be an emergency.”

“Barnes? It’s Rollins here.” The voice on the other end sounded pained, voice hitching. A nearly soundless gasp escaped on the final word.

Rollins? Bucky’s eyes narrowed at the name. Rollins had been one of those who’d turned against SHIELD. Who’d really been a HYDRA agent. And he’d tracked Bucky down here, to his apartment? This was supposed to be a safe place, where only those who Bucky knew and trusted were allowed to visit.

Rollins’ breath was coming in sharp, harsh pants. The fact he was injured was obvious, at least to Bucky’s ears. Of course, HYDRA had dozens of tricks up their sleeves, if not more. They could have sent Rollins to pretend to be injured. To get Bucky to lower his guard. Perhaps they’d guessed that, on some level, the Soldier had cared for the HYDRA agent. At least as far as it was possible for HYDRA’s tool to care for anyone.

“You need to leave,” Bucky said into the intercom.

“Going…to….” It sounded like Rollins was about to pass out. “Need to…damn it…need to warn you….”

This time, instead of the harsh breathing, a sharp cry sounded through the intercom before being abruptly cut off by the sound of flesh hitting flesh. And the thump of a body hitting the ground.

Rollins was a bad guy. An agent working for HYDRA. And really, anything he suffered was deserved. Then again, Bucky had been an unwilling tool for HYDRA. Maybe there was something more going on that he couldn’t see.

“Damnit,” Bucky muttered under his breath, before he opened the apartment door and charged down the stairs, through the door and into the cold night air on the street outside.

There were five of them, surrounding Rollins’ prone body. Bucky didn’t stop to think or to second guess himself. Instead, he waded into the fray, sending the HYDRA agents flying with his mechanical arm. He didn’t kill any of them, but by the time he’d put the last agent down, he knew they wouldn’t be waking up for a long time.

And then he turned his attention to Rollins.

The man was limp on the ground. Bucky took a few seconds to stare at the man’s still form, until he saw that Rollins was breathing. Then, he walked to the man’s side, leaned down and gathered Rollins into his arms, using the mechanical one to hold the weight of the other man over his shoulder.

The agent didn’t stir as Bucky entered his apartment and pushed the door closed behind him with his foot. He carried Rollins over to the couch and carefully lay the man on his back, taking a step back to survey the condition the other man was in.

Rollins’ face and what could be seen of his body were covered with bruises and cuts. There was a particularly nasty bruise on his chin that Bucky assumed was the cause of him being unconscious.

But if he stayed in that condition for too long, it could be a really bad sign.

Bucky retrieved his medical kit and took out some salve.

Rollins startled awake when Bucky began carefully treating his injuries, eyes darting frantically around before they settled on Bucky’s face. Immediately, he began trying to push himself up. “I came…to warn you….”

Bucky pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes. “They followed you here. Did you know? Did you lead them here?”

“No.” Rollins flinched visibly, his body tense and on guard; but his eyes were fixed on Bucky’s, not darting around as if he had something to hide. “No,” he repeated. “I didn’t lead them here. I wouldn’t lead them here.”

“Then what are you and they doing here?” Bucky asked. “You mentioned needing to warn me. About what? You’re an agent for HYDRA.”

“I’m not a HYDRA agent.”

Bucky sat back on his heels and stared at Rollins’ face, looking for the lie he was sure was there. That he was sure had to be there. Finally, he asked, “If you’re not HYDRA, whose side are you on?”

“SHIELD’s. I’ve been a, I was, a triple agent. Working with my partner, Brock Rumlow.” Rollins took a deep breath. Let it out slowly. “He was badly injured during the fighting. Take by HYDRA. Now they know that I’m a triple agent.”

“Then Rumlow is dead?” Bucky asked carefully.

Rollins started to shake his head, then winced as the movement seemed to pain him. “I don’t know. We had plans in place. In case either of us was compromised. Contacts to reach through certain channels.”

“And I’m one of these channels to get in touch with someone else?” Bucky grasped Rollins’ chin and turned his head to one side, beginning to treat the bruise on his jaw.

Rollins winced visibly, whispering, “You were never part of a plan.” He slanted a little towards Bucky’s fingers when the salve was put in place. Tears filled his eyes before he closed them.

“Am I hurting you?” Bucky asked, voice filled with concern.

Rollins shook his head, the movement slow as if he didn’t want to dislodge Bucky’s hand. “Can’t remember the last time someone touched me as gently as you are right now,” he whispered hoarsely. “They want to get you back. Started making plans to brainwash you again. That’s all I was able to find out before I was caught and had to run.” He opened his eyes and started to push himself up off the couch. “I’ll leave. Lay a false trail or something. Maybe you won’t have to leave here for long.”

Bucky put down the salve and placed his hands on Rollins’ shoulders, pushing him down onto the couch. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Rollins swallowed visibly. “I don’t have anymore answers for you,” he admitted quietly. “The longer I stay here, the more danger I put you in.”

“If you leave here, they’ll kill you.”

“Maybe,” Rollins allowed. “But at least more of them will be after me rather than you.”

Bucky sat down on the couch next to Rollins, still keeping his hand on the other man’s shoulder. “I’m not going to let you leave,” he said seriously. “If you’re telling me the truth, you’re in nearly as much danger as I am. And you’re less able to handle it than I am.”

“I’m a trained agent.”

“But you’re not an enhanced agent,” Bucky replied. “You came to me to warn me. I’m going to help you in return.”

“Why?” Rollins whispered. “I’m just an agent. I lost my partner. I’m not even sure SHIELD still exists any longer.” He raked his hands through his hair, continuing in an almost shaky tone. “I don’t have a job any longer. And as far as anyone is concerned, I’m still one of the bad guys. I didn’t come here for help or protection. I just came here to warn you and then to leave again.”

“And suffer the same fate as Rumlow?” Bucky shook his head and spoke with narrowed eyes. “I won’t let that happen. There’s no reason for you to leave here. There’s no reason for you to go back into danger.” He rested his hand on Rollins’ shoulder, squeezing gently. “I know you’re in this over your head. Maybe it’s not possible for either us to be safe from HYDRA. Maybe we’re going to be looking over our shoulders for a while. But that’s all the more reason to pool our resources. To work together. And I’m not going to let you get hurt again,” he added.

Rollins glanced at the hand on his shoulder and then leaned forward, putting his head in his hands. His shoulders began shaking as he whispered, “I do need help. I…I don’t have anyone on my side. In my corner.” His voice grew more hoarse and even quieter as he added, “I know they’ll want me dead. If Rumlow isn’t already, he will be.”

“I won’t let them get you,” Bucky promised. He gently squeezed Rollins’ shoulder as he added, “We’ve both got someone in our corner now.”

The End