Author's Note:

I'm always trying to improve my ability to pull a person into a character's headspace or feel their emotions, and your feedback will help me know if what I'm trying for is working or not. Even an emoticon or button smashing tells me something useful and can influence what I write more or less of.

I respond to all comments and it's always fun to hear your thoughts ^^

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Previously:

As the car rolled away, Valeriy gave a final wave. Wearing that smiling mask before turning to the other car.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. Climbing onto the seats to stare out of the rear windows. Through the dark fabric.

For a moment. For a just a moment before she was swallowed up by the trees, her feigned confidence broke. Shoulders sagging. Looking so defeated.

"Would you like an update on Hydra's movements?"

"...."

"...From what we've gathered, they've been fanning out from the States searching for you after the other night. They seem to be banking on you heading to Europe some time. They have more men there."

"...."

"Either way, it should be smooth sailings until we reach the Genevan H.Q. and then we'll be adapting the shinobi's way until we reach Cupcakes."

"...."

"You should have piloting experience, right? I'll let you fly my jet when we're over the ocean... if you want...?"

"...."

"Or I can shut up and do my job...."

Better this way. Better the further she was away. Safer that way. Safe from Hydra.... From me....

Less chance of me hurting her if she wasn't in reach. Less chance of me killing her if we weren't in the same country.

Better this way....

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. ** .

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"– broken her spine! Her spine!!! Amber hasn't figured out how to fix the last one you broke! You would have snapped in half too!!! Your bones are already compromised from the last –"

Five layers of thick fluffy blankets were what was needed to make the banshee screeching come to a volume that didn't cause my ears to bleed.

"Very mature, you little shit!!! I can easily switch to the car speakers!!!"

'...Ah shit.'

"Why don't you announce it to the whole bloody woods where the fuck I am?"

"...I wish things weren't like this."

Running my hands through my hair, I relished the almost cool rush washing over my scalp from having the tight braids undone. But as it were, my hair no longer was its usual somewhat wavy self, far from it, and the texture only served to tickle my sensitive neck. I could already feel the bout of giggles kicking their way up my chest.

"That I could communicate with you more openly. That there wouldn't be any misunderstandings between us. This should have never happened."

"Don't we both...."

Took a few attempts to get the unruly hair in a bun with the little elastics. Most of them broke with a snap against my skin, flying off to be some choking hazard to the wildlife. I only managed to find three of the ten among the leaves. Hopefully, most of them shot into the car.

"I've managed to set up a couple of things in that hour of freedom you bought me. I hope it's enough...."

"Eh. I should be alright. All I have to do is lay low and ride through this."

"And if they find you?"

I shrugged. "Figure that out when it comes to it. At least you solved my biggest problem of getting to my resources, and you got me one of those nifty face thingies."

"...Cuttlefish octopus skin based mask."

"Yeah, that thingy, which needs a shorter name. When did they make this? I'm guessing it's an Amber and Gramps' brainchild with you as the renderer?"

"A lot happened in the five years you've walked away... and Amber got sick of the silicone masks and approached Father about this project."

"I'm guessing you guys have been making good use of it."

Explained how Bucky took so long to clock Sparks. It was only her appearance that ever stopped her from disappearing into someone's memories. That and a few habits Eve hadn't managed to pull out of her. Knowing how well Bucky could read me, it was probably those little bits that gave her away.

"...Do you honestly think I'd pick Sparks over you, Val?"

"Is there a reason not to? Sparks is damn perfect, and you don't have to manipulate the shit out of her."

"Val...."

"All we ever do anymore is bitch and fight. Hurt each other. I get that we don't have a replacement for the one thing I'm good for yet, so you need me for the time be –"

"Valeriy! That's not –!"

"I do love you, Eve. You're the closest thing to what I think a parent might be.... I'm not going to put you in a situation where you have to pick between your children.... Don't need you hesitating and we both wind up dead."

"...."

"I'll be alright, Eve. I'm not dumb enough to assume you'll always have a loophole to jump through to help me. I've planned accordingly.... Anybody around?"

"...Not that I can see."

Taking a moment to double check the trees myself, I shrugged and stripped out of the uncomfortable dress in favour of my own clothing.

A satisfied sigh escaped me, and I fell into the driver's seat to adjust everything. I could barely toe the brakes. Whoever last drove this was almost as tall as Bucky, which meant it wasn't Sparks. Eve sure pulled on a lot of her resources for this plan.

With all the little distractions gone, I couldn't help but feel the weight crushing down on me. My nerves lit to the point that I could barely keep my good hand steady. I wanted to scream out all the ugly frustrations pent up inside, but that served no purpose. It wouldn't solve a thing. Would probably just serve to irritate my ribs.

'Keep it together, you fucking idiot. You can do this.'

Even though it's only been a few minutes, but I already miss it. I missed the bright eyed wonder when he discovers a new tech. I even missed that adorable pout of his.

I missed... how his presence sometimes infected the air with a warm calm.

I wanted to run after the car. Or drive. Driving would be wise when chasing after a car. But the responsible part of me knew better than to beg them to let me go along with them.

Better this way....

"...I was hoping you'd go with them."

'...What fucked up timing...' I thought, fiddling with the bracelet. The chemical levels in my body wouldn't tell her what I was thinking, just that I was stressed.

I stretched out, trying to get rid of a growing lump of unease at the center of my chest. Didn't work. All I felt were the needles holding my bones my head tugging on my flesh. It hurt.

"There had to be some way to do that without making a mess."

"Not worth the risk. We both had our try on it... and better to keep my distance from all of them. I'll be fine."

With a sigh, I started the car and threw it into drive.

"We may have a problem on our hands. Va –!"

I couldn't hear the rest of what Eve was saying. Way too busy screaming my head off.

I barely had the reflexes to slam on the breaks.

My heart pounded against my fractured ribs. I couldn't get enough oxygen. Pain stabbed my lungs at my every breath as the world spun away from me.

I couldn't pry my right hand from its tight grip on the steering wheel, even if pain signals were firing off in my brain. I could use it to ground myself and pull my focus back... to those wild blue eyes.

"Bucky!?!"

He was the last person I expected to pop out of nowhere. He should be safely headed to Gramps and the fortress he was holed up in.

'How the hell did he even get in front of my car!?!'

He must have run. With how harshly he was breathing, he must have been in a full sprint. With his hands splayed on the hood of the car, I doubt the car was going anywhere if he had a say.

The door could not open any slower. Might have had something to do with my shaking hand being blind to where the handle was. It opened the window instead and clambering out of it seemed to be a faster idea.

"Did I hit you!?! Are you hurt!?" spewed from my lips.

Scrambling onto my feet, I tried to hop to him. In a matter of a blink, he was in my face.

A yelp escaped me before I could swallow it down.

Before I could even take a surprise stumble back, his hands grabbed my arms, tightly. Tight enough to be on the border of pain.

I doubt my heart could take much more of these jump scares.

Bucky... he looked completely wild.

His hair was a mess, pieces pointing every which way. His breathing came out in huffs, chest heaving for each of them. Twigs and leaves were tangled up all over him. One was even tucked under his collar somehow. Another knotted with his hair. His shirt sported tears, and that clean shaven face of his had an irritated, red patch of skin.

'He's alright....'

A quick check over his body told me as much. There was no blood. None that I could see or smell. His limbs weren't at odd angles. I could only feel the slightest tremor in his hold.

'Yeah. 'Kay. He's not hurt.'

But then a horrid thought made my gut flop.

"Wh-where is Sparks?Bucky, what happened?"

His shirt found its way between my fingers as I desperately clutched onto it. His heart pounded away at an insane pace under my clenched fists.

"Where is she? Bucky...? Say something. Please."

Instead of words, his hands loosened to something I was more familiar with. A hold I could easily slip out of if I wanted to.

Those wide eyes only screamed that he was terrified of something. With his scruff gone, he looked even more like a scared child.

Quickly scanning our surroundings, I couldn't pick up on anything. Not a single movement to my eyes. Not a rustle to my ears.

Nothing.

Reaching up, I found myself pausing at his flinch. I had to fight the image of him standing there expecting pain. Between the fact that when he'd forgotten himself, his arm, he had seemed to enjoy it and my inability to stop myself, I, as gently as I could, weaved my fingers through his hair.

It was something he responded to, even if I had no idea how he felt about it. Still, my hand moved to cup the side of his neck, my thumb sliding across his smooth cheek.

I needed to calm him enough to tell me what happened. Why he was here of all places.

"Talk to me, Bucky.... Please?"

He mumbled something under his breath, his eyes falling shut. The slightest weight leaned against my hand, but I couldn't be sure. It could have been just my imagination.

"Hmmm?"

His lips parted, but before his voice could push through, the sound of an engine caused both of us to almost jump.

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Author's Note:

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