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The first thing he noticed was the beeping. It was steady and high pitched.
*Beep*
1..2..
*Beep*
1..2..
*Beep*
Once Bucky realized he was conscious, his eye lids slowly slid open. The first thing he saw was a bright light over top of him. His eyes adjusted and he saw that he was laying on an operating table.
No.No.No.No, he thought. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't happening. He tried to reassure himself it was a dream but he could feel the cold table on his back and knew it wasn't. This was real.
Almost instantly, Bucky started to spiral into a complete panick. When did he get back here? When did Hydra take him back?
It didn't matter. He wasn't going to let them use him to hurt people. He wouldn't hurt people, not again.
He quickly went from afraid to angry as the adreleline started to do its job. After everything he had already been through, why the hell couldn't they just leave him alone?
His eyes shot open and he saw three people wearing surgeon outfits. He swiftly stood to his feet, making him dizzy from the blood rushing to his brain and sending a sharp pain to his stomach. He steadied himself and noticed the huge scar on the outside of his stomach.
"What did you do to me?!" He barked at them.
"Mr. Barnes we-" the first surgeon made the mistake of trying to take a step closer to Bucky, throwing him further into a frenzy.
"Stay away from me!" He shouted, "Don't come near me."
"Sir, we need you to calm down." The second surgeon said trying to sound relaxed but failing as their voice cracked.
"No! I won't let you- I'm not going to hurt anybody! I don't do that anymore!" He screamed.
"We know you won't. Just please take a deep breath for us." The second surgeon said putting their arm out and pulling the first one closer to themselves, trying to show Bucky they weren't trying to harm him.
"Steve said this might be a problem." The third surgeon mentioned to the other two.
Steve.
"Steve?! What did you do to Steve!?" Bucky asked this time stomping a few feet closer to them.
"Nothing. Steve is safe and so are you." The second surgeon tried desperately but it wasn't working. They looked to the third and nodded at them saying, "Go get him."
The third one walked out of the door behind them and left Bucky and the other two surgeons by themselves.
Bucky started heaving in deep breaths. He felt his lungs closing in and everything seemed so scary. He grabbed his hair with his fists and let out a scream that left his throat hoarse. He fell onto his knees, with too much adrenaline for his body to deal with.
"I can't breathe! What did you do to me?!" He gasped.
"You can breathe. You're having a panick attack. Please take a deep brea-"
"If you tell me to breathe one more fucking time." Bucky threatened even though he was still on the ground.
Then the door that the surgeon had ran out of a few minutes ago burst open, and Steve bolted in. He fell to the ground next to Bucky, and grabbed his face in between both his hands.
"Bucky!" He called trying to get his attention, "Bucky, can you hear me?"
"Steve! Steve, I can't breathe!" Bucky said shaking in Steve's grasp.
"Alright. You're ok. Take a deep breath with me." Steve instructed about to take in a large gulp of air.
"No! No! I can't!" Bucky screamed terrified, "Steve!"
"You can. You can, baby, I know you can. I'm right here. Just in..."he breathed in through his nose holding Bucky's eyes with his own, "out...." He released the air through his mouth.
It was a few minutes of Steve breathing and Bucky desperately mimicking him until Steve finally knew Bucky had gotten through it. Steve pulled Bucky's face in closer, putting there foreheads together.
"Buck, you were in a car accident. Something broke through the window and stabbed you in the stomach. Surgery was the only thing that could save you," Steve explained gently knowing Bucky was confused and scared.
"I- I saw the light and thought- I thought-" Bucky tried but he couldn't finish because he had started crying.
"I know what you thought, Buck. I promise you're safe." Steve assured wiping a tear off Bucky's cheek, "I'm right here, promise."
"Can we go home?" Bucky asked choking on a sob.
"Not yet, the doctors need to run some tests but then I'll take you home and you can sleep." Steve said softly. Bucky nodded a little but Steve could tell he was disappointed. "We'll make it through this, together." He added.
"Just don't leave me." Bucky said sounding more scared than Steve would like to admit. He hated this for Bucky. He didn't want Bucky to be hurting, aching, and scared.
"I won't, baby. I promise I won't." Steve said quietly, pulling the two of them to their feet.
It was a few hours before Bucky was released to go back home, with strict instruction to be in bed for a few weeks. Steve helped him into their bedroom, on arm under Bucky's armpit the other pulling Bucky's arm around his shoulders to let him lean his weight.
He lowered Bucky into the bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. Bucky reached out quickly and held onto Steve's wrist, causing him to look down. Steve saw the worry in Bucky's eyes and it felt like his heart fell out and shattered.
"I'm not going anywhere." He flicked off the lights and pulled himself into the bed as well. He put an arm around Bucky, pulling the two close enough to feel the other breathing. "Never going anywhere." Steve said quietly before the two drifted off to sleep.