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"Sorry," she mumbled into my shoulder. "It's just a stupid nightmare...."

"It's not stupid," I countered. Holding her tighter.

The words that left my own lips felt like a slap to the face. For every time the A.I. ghost woke me from the terrors. For the times I wanted to scream and spill all the horrors. For the times I wanted to be wrapped up in blankets and a hug.

For all the times I've told myself that it was all stupid.

"I shouldn't be – Not after so lo...." She huffed and dropped her head against my shoulder with a thud. "...It's tiring."

My fingers tangled through her hair. Stroking down her head. Combing through the tangles. Trying to imitate what she's done for me.... When she hadn't thought I had eyeballs in my hair.

The metal fingers brought the mug to my lips. I blew at the hot drink. Dodged her hand when she tried to grab it from me again.

"It needs to cool down."

She merely grumbled. Hid her face against my neck. Her hair tickling my nerves.

I stamped down the urge to react. Concentrated on my breathing. Needed to cool down the drink. Took a testing sip.

Sweet. Creamy. Cinnamon.

'This... should be okay?'

Didn't burn my tongue. 42 degrees Celsius.

A bouncy upbeat song.

A twirl of green spotted dress.

A hint of butterscotch in the chocolate.

A smack of a wooden spoon.

"Bucky, no. That's simmering. It'll burn you."

'...Why...? Why can't I remember... your face...?'

No matter how I tried....

I couldn't.

I transferred the mug from the metal fingers over to my hand before placing it in Valeriy's. "Don't gulp it down."

"Okay," she chirped, cautiously tasting the hot chocolate. "Thanks."

A little giggle. A content hum. A thud when she knocked her head against my chin. None too gently. It sort of hurt.

"Sorry," she winced out, giving my chin a pat. Thumb catching on the stumble when it stroked over the spot her head knocked.

My palm ended up on her cheek. My thumb tracing over that apologetic smile. Feeling the tremble in her cheek from the forced expression. A mask covering her nerves.

The smile dropped. A brow rose in question. Her breath shortened. Slowly her skin under my hand warmed up.

Her left hand covered a portion of mine. Fingers slipping between mine. Gently pulled my hand away from her face. I didn't resist it, letting them fall to her knee.

Valeriy cleared her throat. Her eyes drifting off to the left of me. "I – um, I need a distraction...?"

"Tetris?"

"Nah. Are you still alright with me nudging you into darting me?"

If it would distract her, "Yes."

"I could really use the sleep," she shrugged with another smiling mask. "If I start growing eye bags... yeah, not going there. Not fun."

She stretched out, winced and slumped over with a grumbling pout.

"I really fucking miss being able to stretch and feel satisfied.... Not feel all the bloody needles keeping my bones in place...."

"I shouldn't shoot at.... I could stay with you until you fall asleep," I offered.

"Eh that's fine. You should be sleeping soon, right?"

"...Yes."

In 11 minutes.

She pulled on a grin, and while she stood up on the couch, she stepped right onto the fireplace. Not caring for the small pebbles under her feet as she crossed it. Her legs lifted over the charred logs in her way. At least the fire wasn't going.

Her metal wrapped heel tapped twice against the side and a fire flared up behind her, hiding her lower half in flames.

The lack of screaming assured me that she didn't catch on fire.

Another large step later, she weaved between Ixie and Zephyr. She bent down behind the flames.

The Five seveN I left under the cushion, it was in her left hand. Her right easily cocked the gun.

I raced after her. Couldn't go over the fireplace with the massive fire. Before I could run around it, a shot rang through the room.

"Thank god a 5.7x28 mm round doesn't do shit to the windows."

Except it ricocheted and buried itself into –

"What part of custom flooring do you not understand is expensive?"

Ixie and Zephyr perked right up. At the young woman's head tilt, they scrambled away. Bounding to me.

Unholster Yari. Aim between the ribs. Target incapacitated.

I jumped between them. Pushing the dogs to keep them behind me. Away from the gun.

Away from her.

Hurl couch cushion at face. Target incapacitated.

"Huh, I thought it'd have more of a kick? At least there's real bullets in.... I'm not going to shoot at you or the dogs. Don't worry about that," she stated lightly, waving a dismissive hand and the fire beside me went out.

But instead of putting the gun down, she aimed the barrel directly at her right foot. The uninjured one.

I couldn't get to her in time. She could pull the trigger before I could stop her. The dart revolver had found its way into my grip.

That was one of the guns I took from Hydra. Not one of the A.I. ghost's. She couldn't stop this.

Squeeze trigger. Target incapacitated.

Squeeze trigger. Target incapacitated.

A sneeze broke the tension and another shot rang out.

Automatically, I searched for injuries. On her. On the dogs. On my body. For the smell of blood. Anything.

That was her real sneeze. Not the fake one she used on the Hydra agent 27 days ago.

"Could you not have shot the same bloody tile that you ruined?"

"Oops? I missed," she laughed out, lining up the barrel with her foot. Again.

Squeeze trigger. Target incapacitated.

Squeeze trigger. Target incapacitated.

Squeeze trigger. Target incapacitated.

A thud sounded at the body hitting the hardwood floor. The last breath crackling at the bubbles in the blood filling his lungs. The red pool grew, surrounding the body.

A blood soaked yari gleamed from the street light down the alley. A frustrated cry echoed off the brick walls. Running steps splattered in the fresh puddles. A side step. Easy retrieval of the knife from her grasp. Her body fell. Only a matter of time before she ran out of blood.

"Thank you... Bucky," she grinned. Happy.

Her body swayed as she tried to lie down. The gun clattered to the floor before her body followed. Collapsing onto her side. Out cold.

I rushed to her. Taking the Five seveN. Disassembling it. Tossing all the pieces in different directions. Far from her. Far from each other.

I gathered her up, expecting to find a pool of blood growing under her. There wasn't one.

Checked for a pulse. Found one.

Searched for a bullet wound. Had to run my fingers over her right foot to be sure. Couldn't trust my eyes that there wasn't a hole.

There was a little red mark. A burn. On her big toe. Near the top. The bullet barely grazed the skin. Didn't break it. Just grazed it.

Carefully I plucked the now empty dart from her neck. A drop of blood welled up from the tiny hole in her skin.

I should leave.

I shouldn't be here.

She needed to be safe.

But I couldn't let her go.

I held her closer.

Barely remembered not to put pressure on her injuries.

"I'm sorry, Valeriy," I mumbled into the top of her head. "I'm so sorry."

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Author's Note:

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

And a big thank you to TinselA/Bunny Carrot (https://www.fanfiction.net/u/7591081/) and the Anonymous Fifth Beta for Beta-ing this chapter.