Sriracha

Stepping through this door was strange. The family had left the brightly lit, clean, white hallway for a grimy, dark asphalt street filled with vendor tents and tables. Each vendor was selling a variety of somewhat fresh harvested fruits and vegetables. A few vendors' tables away from the family stood the one person they have been watching. Lily was dressed a little more casually in dark blue skinny jeans, sneakers, and a light-colored tank top under a baggy black, zipper hoodie. Her hair was loosely braided with fly-aways everywhere mostly hidden under a dark gray beanie. Standing next to her was Bucky with a bag in his hand picking out some plums. Lily had a couple of Oranges, Papayas, Kiwis, and red Grapes in a few bags and a small container of strawberries.

Continuing to watch the couple as they shopped for a few more things before leaving the Farmer's Market in Brooklyn. Freya had a smile on her face, "If we didn't know better, it would look like a lovely couple having a day out." The group stopped and glared at Freya, one red-faced hybrid in particular, but Freya just shrugged her shoulders and kept walking. They followed the both of them a few blocks to an older-looking apartment building.

During their walk, the men noticed Bucky would maneuver Lily away from the street side of the sidewalk in an unconscious effort to protect her from passing cars. The apartment was a little rundown but seemed cozy. Before reaching the top of the stairs to the second-floor unit, both Lily and Bucky paused. They could sense something was off. Lily scoured the neighborhood for anything out of place while unholstering her handgun from her back. Bucky had already pulled out his handgun and was slowly ascending the last few steps. He quickly opened the door and went inside, keeping his handgun aimed ahead of him as he checked for anyone inside the apartment.

Lily had followed him inside and closed the door and locked it then set her bags of fruit onto the kitchen counter. At first, it looks like there's nothing out of place then Bucky notices a single piece of paper sitting on the small kitchen table. He scans the room once again, making sure he didn't miss any areas before picking up the note. Bucky allowed himself to smile a bit. Lily still had her gun aimed at the door, "What are you smiling at?" He turned to Lily and showed her the note, she smiled a little bit too. The note had two crudely drawn people bearing a resemblance to them with these words above them, "Found you, Bucky."

But then the direness of the situation hit them. Bucky stuffed the note in his coat pocket, "We need to go. If Steve found us then the others are not far behind." Lily holstered her gun to grab her backpack. She let out a small whine, "Man, I really wanted a fruit salad." The family chuckled at her. Elijah noticed Hope was typing on her phone, "Are you taking notes?" Hope answered her uncle like that was the dumbest question ever, "Uh, yeah. How else am I going to remember that my sister likes fruit salads?" She made sure to note all the fruits that Lily bought.

As Bucky and Lily are scrambling to pack the essentials, the windows in the apartment shatter from all the bullets being shot at them. Lily puts on her backpack and grabs Bucky's bag as he is lifting the kitchen table to use a shield. In seconds the table was useless from all the bullet holes. Bucky tossed the table through what is left of the door and the two of them ran and jumped to the ground then continued to run away from the gunmen.

Bucky makes sure to keep a tight grip on Lily's hand. He noticed she was losing momentum so Bucky took a chance to glance at Lily. He could see her breathing had become erratic and her light-colored tank top turning red, "Shit!"

Bucky pulled her closer to him without stopping and picked her up bridal style and continued to run. They had made it a few blocks before a black SUV pulled into their path. The passenger window rolled down to reveal Steve Rogers, "Bucky!"

Steve reaches over and opens the door for them. "Hey, Punk," is all Bucky says as he jumps into the passenger seat with Lily in his lap. He rips her top open to see where she is shot. Bucky removes Lily's hoodie and places it on the gunshot wound on the right side of her chest.

Driving as fast as he could, Steve heads toward the Avengers Tower. He pulls his phone out and makes a call, "Nat, I'm on my way to the Tower. I have a couple of runaways with me in need of medical attention." "I'll alert the doc. What's your ETA?" Natasha responds. Steve looks around the area, "Uh, fifteen minutes at most." Natasha's running feet could be heard, "I'm heading to Medbay now. See you soon." "Thanks, Nat," Steve hung up and concentrated on driving through the city.

Not a moment too soon, the SUV pulls into the Tower's parking garage where Natasha is waiting with Bruce Banner and a gurney. At first, Bucky was reluctant to let Lily go, but Steve reassured him they will be going with her. They all board the elevator to the Medbay floor. Natasha used her comms device to alert the medical team, "Eighteen-year-old female, GSW to the right side of the chest." She and Bruce carefully turn Lilly over so Nat could examine her back, "No exit wound."

The elevator dings, the doors slide open and the gurney is wheeled out with everyone else following close behind. The Mikaelsons' have been observing everything. Hope is gripping her father's hand, not wanting to let go. Klaus wants nothing more than to grab onto Lily with his free hand and not go of either of his daughters. Klaus speaks to himself out loud but they all hear him, "When we find her, she is never leaving the Abattoir." Hope leans closer to her father, "Might as well change her name to Rapunzel and keep her locked in a tower surrounded by a blanket of bubble wrap." Klaus nods his head, not denying the thought.

The scenery changes to a recovery room. Lily is asleep and will fully recover quickly. There is a sleeping body in an uncomfortable chair next to the bed. Bucky hasn't left Lily's side since they arrived. Raised voices could be heard coming down the hall outside the door. Bucky sits up and listens to what is being said, "I saw the footage, Rogers. He is responsible for killing my parents and I want him out!" Steve is trying to calm an enraged Tony Stark down, "I saw it too, Tony. And I'm telling you...What you saw was the Winter Soldier following orders, not Bucky."

Bucky checks to see if Lily is asleep before opening the door to confront Tony and Winter's past. "Steve is right. For over 70 years I was used as a weapon for Hydra. In Between missions, they would wipe my mind and place me back in cryo. I had no idea who I was until running into Steve. When we fought and he saw my face, he called me Bucky. The name didn't register so we continued to fight until he knocked me upside the head. Then I ran...from everybody." Bucky has not looked away from Tony this whole time, "You may never be able to forgive me for what I've done. Just know that Bucky Barnes was not mentally present during those 70 years, only the Winter Soldier."

Tony is angry, "What about her? What's her story?" Tony had taken a step closer to the door but Bucky stepped into his path, "I may be trying to sincerely apologize and atone for my actions, but you take one more step towards my wife and I'll rip your head off." Both Kol and Marcel commented their approval, "I like him." A voice filled with anger and sadness, "Did he say, 'wife'?" Klaus glared at Bucky for marrying his daughter without her father present or his permission. The rest of the family rolled their eyes.

Steve moves to stand between his best friend and new friend, "Let's not fight in the hallway. If we want to take down those responsible, we're going to have to work together." Bucky crosses his arms but keeps his position in front of Lily's door. Tony scoffs, turns around, and heads to the lounge on the 89th floor for a drink.

The scene changes again, showing a kitchen with a dining area lined with tables. At one table sat a healed and healthier-looking Lily and Bucky eating the recently prepped meal. At another table sat Sam Wilson. He had joined the Avengers a while back as a friend and contact of Steve's. He was finishing up his meal when he heard Bucky and Lily speaking to each other in a foreign language.

The Mikaelsons had sat down around the room wondering what exactly they were witnessing. Klaus has not stopped glaring at Bucky and has planned his death several times in different ways. They watch Lily and Bucky speak to each other in Russian, as well as side-eye Sam. Which gave the guy serious feelings of hostility. It was Elijah, Kol, Marcel, and Rebekah who paid attention to what they were saying and couldn't help but laugh. It was definitely shocking to see Elijah laugh so openly.

Soon Natasha had entered the dining hall and sat with Bucky and Lily. She, too, joined in the conversation. Sam was glad he was done eating since he felt like the three dangerous assassins were planning something, possibly his death. He didn't understand a word they were saying because if he did, he would have laughed knowing they were talking about the benefits of Sriracha.

(Inspired by a post on Tumblr.  Pretend it's Lily instead of Natasha.)