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Pulling up into the assigned lot, I parked the motorhome. Nothing of worry on the way in. No familiar faces. The site just as active as the previous one. Another cursory glance later, still nothing. Sixteen people glanced this way, but nothing more.

A quick press of a button and the blackout curtains rolled down.

Pausing for just a moment, I glanced at the bedroom door. Where Valeriy had secluded herself in for the last seven hours and nineteen minutes. She'd been in there since the moment after we left Thunder Bay. Only coming out for a snack.

She'd have to come out eventually. I had no clue as to where we were headed next. Likely continuing westward on the same highway.

I settled down on the couch. Laptop opened to go over the footage outside. A routine now. Making sure there were no familiar faces among the people that surrounded us.

Blindly, I reached into the plastic box on the little table nearby and plucked the last cinnamon bun from its depths. Took my time with it. Savoring each bite. Every morsel. It might have been better when it was piping hot, but still delicious.

71 bodies. 21 men. 14 women. 28 children. 8 dogs. None of them familiar.

Satisfied, I moved onto the tablet. Opening up the internet application and continuing the opened article.

10 Exercises to instantly improve your memory.

It was only a movement of a shadow that caught my eye.

Grab the Benchmade SOCP from between the couch cushions. Throw between the ribs. Target incapacitated.

My head snapped up to find Valeriy making her way over. In her hand, the tablet she had brought back with from the drop. Her usual smile nowhere to be found.

"Val – "

She looked up from the floorboards. Eyes watering slightly. A sniffle to her breathing.

"What's wrong?" I asked, moving the tablet and laptop to the side.

"Could I...?' she managed to get out before digging a palm at her eye. "...Could I have a hug...? Would you mind?"

As silently as I could with the tablet screen, I tapped in three letters into the search bar. My scrambled brain could remember the spelling but not what it was.

"I tried on my own with pillows and blankets. It's not working anymore." Her line of sight fixated on the floor in front of my feet.

Verb. 1. Squeeze (someone) tightly in one's arms, typically to express affection.

"...It's kind of like a... a sleeper hold...? But with less squeeze and maybe not around the neck...? Just for a moment? Please...?"

Noun. 1. An act of holding someone tightly in one's arms, typically to express affection.

"I'm sorry. Just need to feel... to feel like I'm not falling to pieces...."

It's nearly muscle memory once I stood up. My feet took the step needed. Both arms coming up behind her. My own thoughts managed to scream for the metal arm to be dropped. To tug the new tablet from her hand instead as my arm moved on its own. Carefully pulling the small body to mine.

Valeriy fell against me. A sound coming out of her that I haven't heard since the night of the black out. When I picked her up from the shower floor. A broken sound. So soft I could hear the children playing outside better.

Her face buried into the hoodie. Between the zippers. Her breath releasing through the thin material of the shirt I wore. Her arms wrapped around my waist. Squeezing tightly. Palms flat against my back. As if she were the one trying to hold together my own fractured pieces.

I was scared to use any strength. The metal casts might not handle a tight hold. Collapsing it would be bad. So I fought the urge to pull her closer and merely rested my arm lightly on her shoulders.

If only I had two arms....

The weapon hovered awkwardly to the side. There was nowhere else I could put it and it was still holding onto her tablet. I didn't want it to touch her. The thing that had sent her into a wall.

My head tipped forwards. The side of my face resting against her soft hair. My eyes falling shut as everything seemed to fade away. A lightness floated about in my chest. Almost familiar.

Something far more constricting. Too many jumbled emotions suffocating the air. So much fear.

"Bucky! You can't! What if –! Promise me you'll come back!!"

"I-I'll be back before you know it, Bonnie."

She only held me tighter to the point that breathing was difficult. Sobs soaked into my shoulder.

"Take care of everyone for me, will you? I can't ask the others. You're the most responsible amongst us. Dad needs his medication. Don't forget –"

"I won't forget. Every other week, I'll get the money somehow."

"Mom likes Lisianthuses. Once a month, get some for her from me. Diana's –"

"Diana's has the best flowers."

"And Mrs. Murray, if you catch her with groceries, help the old doll out. She's usually back around –"

"Eleven A.M., almost on the dot."

"And go to Joe's –"

"To collect the scraps for the dogs and cats."

"And make sure you keep an eye on Irene. Don't let her volunteer. I'm doing this to keep you girls safe. Keep everybody safe. Before the war can come here. Stay safe, Bonnie. So I have a home to return to.... And once in a while, please check up on Ste –"

The arms slipped from my back. Valeriy let go. Taking a small step away.

Had to fight myself from doing anything other than let my arm drop back to my side.

She gave a little nod before a bright grin pulled across her face. "Thanks, Bucky."

Something felt wrong with the action. Something off about her expression.

"...Do you want to talk about it?" I tried.

"Nope."

The answer immediate. Changing her rather relaxed persona to that of one filled with tension.

"...It's just a lot of things piling...? And Eve has me doing this... thing? An apology for the whole trying to shoot Sparks thing. It's...." Her face twisting as if she smelled sewage.

"I can help." I turned to her tablet, and before I could press the on button, she lunged for it.

Slam side of tablet into temple. Target incapacitated.

I let her wrap herself around the device, watching her almost scramble into the table behind her.

"Valeriy?"

"You're not getting involved with this, Bucky."

"What the hell does she have you doing?"

"Oh damn.... Please. Please don't ask about this anymore.... I really don't want to say more about this. I'm only helping Eve... look for... somebody.... Predict where his... um... services...? Might be.... Urgh. I don't know how to word this. I just have to get this done before we get to Kenora for the drop."

"We're at Kenora...."

"...Damn shit...."

As she turned away for the bedroom, I grabbed onto her wrist.

"It's time sensitive. I'm supposed to be done alrea – 'Kay. 'Kay." Valeriy's shoulders sagged with a sigh. "Let me just find my glasses and how's your... I don't know... Thai? How's your Thai?" she asked, typing away on the tablet and showing me a screen of fancy symbols made of curves and circles. "Can you read this?"

"...No."

But neither should she. English and Dahlia only from what I've heard.

"And I placed your glasses in the top drawer next to where you sleep."

Something for her to see with if we had to make use of the dark.

"Thanks. I'll be right back." With those words, she disappeared into the bedroom again. Tablet still clutched to her.

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Author's Note:

This begins the posting of what I have left. I hope you enjoy it even though it's not edited to my standard, but it has been edited.

If you enjoyed this part, please consider leaving a vote. They're very much appreciated. ^^