Chapter 6

They traveled for a little over two weeks. Crossing jungles, mountains, streams and rivers. The road had been exhausting for Robin. She did her best to not complain but Bucky unknowledged it immediately when it took her longer to get up when she fell down because of rocks or potholes. He decided to give her more time to sleep in the mornings, letting the sunlight wake her up instead of doing it while it was still dark outside and taking longer lunch breaks, eating slower so she could relax.

She couldn't wait to get out of the jungle and knew they had to be close to civilization even though it wouldn't be New York. Just the fact of being out of the jungle was a huge step in their run.

That morning, they packed everything up like always. They walked for hours before stopping for lunch, barely had any food left, they ate a handful of nuts and dried fruits and drank plenty of water, then went back on their way.

The air was hot and heavy, they were both sweating from every pores on their bodies. Nobody was talking, keeping all their strengh for walking. Bucky was in the lead, making his way through leaves and branches in the trail which opened on a small river when Robin heard screams. She stopped in her tracks, listening carefully with both her ears and mind. More screams, child voices. Something was wrong. Bucky notices she wasn't following him anymore.

"What's wrong?"He asked when he saw Robin's expression.

She could see the image of children playing in the same river but further down. She saw one child being pushed by the courant and floating in between rocks before plunging down the waterfall. That's when the screams became louder and Bucky spotted it.

"They're in trouble..." She replied running down the bankside towards the screams.

They didn't have to run far, less than two minutes later they spotted the first kids standing so close to the waterfall Robin was scared they would fall in also. She grabbed them by the collar and pulled them further away from the waterfall. Bucky arrived behind her and helped. The kids were screaming in a language Robin couldn't understand but Bucky heard every words.

"A kid fell down the fall, they haven't seen him come back up." He let her know but she already was aware.

She could feel the fear of the child underwater. She could hear his thoughts. She could feel the child's shirt strangling the poor boy as his shirt was stuck on an underwater branch. She didn't loose a second and dropped her bag. Bucky realized what she was preparing to do and tried to grab her by the shirt but she slipped through his fingers and ran towards to edge of the waterfall. Her feet left the ground and she fell fifty feet into a pool of water.

Bucky screamed her name and watched her fall. He stood on the edge, looking down, trying to find her in the moving waters.

Robin hit the water and lost some air in the process. She stood under water, searching all around in the disturbed water for the missing child. She opened her mind and caught a glimpse of the last thoughts of the child before he lost consciousness. She knew she had no time to lose. She swam towards the location of the child and finally caught up to him. It was time for her to come back up, her lungs were burning for air but the lifeless body of the kid slowed her down. She felt her strengh disappear, she tried to grab on a rock to help her emmerge from the water when a metal hand appeared and grabbed the child by the arm, lifting him out of the waters. Robin could give one last push and her head floated out of the water. She gasped for air, filling her lungs with as much air as they could bare.

She could hear the other kids screaming what seemed to be the name of the boy she helped. Bucky leaned his hand towards her to help her out of the pool of water. He looked angry and scared at the same time. He tried to say something but Robin ignored him, approaching the child. He wasn't breathing, his body was livid. She started the compressions.

"We have to take him to his family, Robin."

"I'm not letting him die. He was alive when I got to the water. I can save him." She said loudly to cover the screamings. "What are they yelling?"

"They are saying they have to get his parents. They are not far from here. They say there's a doctor that can help him."

"He can't bring him back, he's too far away." She opened the boy's mouth and  gave him two rescue breaths and returned to compressions. "Go get that doctor. Go with them, he's going to need care that I can't provide. GO NOW!"

He wasn't sure if he wanted to leave her alone but the set of eyes she gave him told him she was going to be ok. He said a few words to the others kids and they ran off in some trails.

"I'll come back, I promise." He said loudly enough for her to hear him.

"You better..." She let out in a breath while doing her compressions.

She was shaking inside. The adrenaline was starting to wear off but she couldn't let the boy die. She couldn't hear the children's voice anymore, all she could hear was the waterfall and some birds chipping. She kept on going for what seemed like hours, praying to God to give the boy another chance.

After five minutes of continued compressions, she returned for the rescues breath when she heard a sound coming from his mouth. He started coughing, spitting out all the water his lungs had took in. She rapidly turned him on his side to help him catch his breath. She listened to his breathing and realized he was breathing fine. He was still unconscious but at least he was alive.

Multiple thoughts came up in her mind. How long would it take Bucky to get back to them? What if she brought him back towards his village? It would take them less time to meet with them...

She grabbed her bag that was still sitting near her and took the child in her arms. He was heavy but she could manage. Her legs were shaking but she felt her breathing calm down, she feared she wouldn't be able to go far with all her energy gone but she couldn't let that stop her.

The more you do, the better, Robin.

She started walking in the same direction she saw them run. She walked for half an hour, she started to have a white veil appearing before her eyes. Her body consumed all the energy she had left. She was falling over small rocks and roots she couldn't see. Her knees were scrached and bleeding but she kept on going. And then, she heard trucks close by. She knew she was near the end of the trail. She heard people screaming and yelling what seemed to be orders. It took her about thirty seconds before she spotted a silhouette running in between the branches followed by multiple other silhouettes.

Bucky jumped out of the trucks the second they stopped at the entrance of the trail. He ran in and the men from the boys family followed him in. He ran faster than them and it didn't took him long before he ran into Robin, loosing feet once more over a small pothole in the ground. She held on to the boy, Bucky had difficulties take him from her, her arms were locked around his small body.

"It's ok Robin. I got him. Let go."

"He's alive..." She breathed out, letting go of the boy.

Bucky turned around and the father ran to him, taking his boy from Bucky. He was crying but when Bucky told him he was alive, he saw the relief in his eyes. The man hugged his child tightly, making the boy wimp. The other family members arrived behind them and the father told them the good news. Everyone was cheering and hugging.

Meanwhile, Bucky turned to Robin, she was still kneeling down, barely hold on. He kneeled next to her and grabbed her into his arms.

"You did a great job Robin... Now, I got you."

Robin felt herself being lifted in the air. Bucky brought her to the trucks and sat in the back of one of them. He kept her close to his chest and felt her getting heavier. He knew she fell asleep. The men drove back to their village and gave Bucky a bed to lay Robin down.

It was dark out when Robin woke up in a small bed. Her knees had been mended and she was wearing dried clothes. She heard laughes and music outside the little shed she was in. She walked out and saw a big fire in the middle of the small village and people were standing next to it. She could smell food and her stomach took control of her mind. She walked carefully towards the crowd, trying to find Bucky in the middle of all those people.

"Robin?" Bucky appeared on her right. "How are you doing?"

"Is the boy..."

"He's fine. He's actually coming to see you..." He pointed behind her with a smirk.

Robin turned and the little boy arrived next to her, his arms behind his back. He said something she didn't understand, took out of hiding a handful of wild flowers and smiled shyly. Robin turned to Bucky for help. He laughed and answered.

"He said thank you for saving him."

"How do you say welcome?" She asked him, looking stressed out.

Bucky gave her the words and she turned back to the boy, lowered herself to his height and repeated what Bucky told her. The boy laughed and ran off to play with his friends, but the mother and other members of the family came to her and all wanted to thank her personally. They either shook her hand or hugged her. Robin didn't know what they were saying but she tried to keep a smile and repeat the words she was taught by Bucky.

Bucky smiled and leaned on the wall of a house, arms crossed in front of his chest, waiting for the end of the thanking. At the end of it, Robin looked exhausted again. Bucky grabbed her a plate of food and brought her a chair to sit and eat.

"They offered to give us shelter and food for what you did. I said I appreciated but I needed to verify with you. And then, the doctor told me you didn't look that good. He asked to give you some time to rest. And by time he said days."

"Days? But we have to keep going..."

"Yes, but we have been on the run for three weeks now. And the last two were harder on you..."

"No! No. I'm fine. I swear..." Robin interrompted him, afraid he would leave her behind again.

"Robin, you're exhausted. And I saw it for myself. We ran for long enough now. We can stay put a little. I think I would accept their offer so you can get some rest. I can help them while you rest, to pay back for their kindness. What do you think?"

He knew by Robin's reaction that it was a yes. He shouted something to the boy's father and everyone was cheering.

"I'll be on my feet in a day or two, I promise."

"We'll stay as long as you need. And the doctor will let us know when. Now eat."

They spent a part of the night with their new friends. Robin fell asleep in her chair after running away from young man trying to flirt with her as Bucky had to live the same thing on his side when     almost all women were clinging on to him. Bucky took her in his arms and brought her back to their shed. He layed her in bed and pulled the blanket over her shoulders. He installed himself on the make shift couch and fell asleep listening to Robin's breathing.