CHAPTER THREE.
( saving barnes. )

▹

  Gem thought about calling it in, handing him over to her former superiors— it was a very long and stressful thought.

Ultimately, she decided she couldn't. There was no one she trusted enough to handle this. Not after the downfall of HYDRA and SHIELD. It was too risky.

If anyone found out he was here, it would implicate one or both of them. They would figure she was a traitor and it would only confirm their mistrust in her, or that the Winter Soldier had failed in an assassination attempt against her. After all, she was one of the few responsible for exposing HYDRA. They would take any chance they could to get even with her now that she was under no protection.

Gem had to figure something out. A second option; one that suited them both. It made her nervous to know that she didn't have very long. There was less than twenty four hours before the jet was ready. If anyone assumed anything suspicious, the consequences would be severe.

But, what more did she have to lose?

Gem buried her face in her hands, leaning back against her seat. She was in the basement, sitting across from the would-be assassin. It didn't take him long to wake after she finished securing him to the chair. He didn't seem very appreciative of her efforts to make him comfortable either.

Rather, he was furious. His glare was cold, but not cruel. Gem harboured no grudge towards him, but she had no reason to trust him either. He would remain tied until she could figure out a way to put them on even ground.

If that was even possible.

"So," Gem found herself saying, "What was the plan after I got you out of the country?" She didn't expect to find a solution in his response, but it wouldn't hurt to know.

However, he didn't seem to have one— that, or his stubborn silence meant he didn't plan on sharing.

Gem frowned. "If you want my help, you need to earn my trust. You won't get that trust without a little information."

He pinned her with a hard look. She figured it was well deserved. There was no point in bringing up trust, when he equally had no reason to place his in her. After all, Gem had been betraying peoples trust for months now.

She decided to play a different card. "I won't hand you in," she told him, not bothering to watch his reaction. "I don't doubt that the government would just devise some excuse to bury me with you, given the role I played as a double agent."

She smiled bitterly. "I'd rather get you off my hands as quickly as possible. I'll take you where you need to go, but on my own terms. Once the trip is over, I'll leave, as long as you promise to never tell another soul."

"Why?" Was all he asked.

Gem shrugged. She couldn't exactly say she had empathy for his situation. There was no person on earth who could lend their support to this man and say they understood what he had suffered. His past was riddled with a graveyard of skeletons. There was no comfort for that; no understanding it.

Gem simply felt pity, for the glimpses of herself that she saw in him. "You didn't kill me when you had the opportunity. I guess you could say I feel like I owe you."

His gaze narrowed. "Owe me?" He sneered and Gem heard the flex of his metal arm. Her eyes widened. "You think I need your help?" He demanded, getting to his feet as the ropes snapped on the upper half of his body.

Gem reacted too late. She rose, but was knocked back as she was kicked in the stomach. She landed against the chair, tipping it over as her body went flying to the ground. She cried out as her ankle twisted itself.

She struggled to summon the electricity. The lights flickered and then the basement went dark as she cut the lights. Gem curled into herself, sucking in a breath and holding it as she crawled slowly towards the stairs.

She was stupid to think that she could've held him hostage. That the rope would be enough to hold him down. His training was more extensive than hers, of course he would break free.

Gem felt her cheeks flush with anger. She kept her focus on the wiring in the wall. The closest source to draw her power from. Her body hummed with a careful control of the electricity.

  She was underneath the stairs now. She reached out carefully, pressing her fingers to the wood and letting it guide her as she tried to walk around to the bottom steps. Gem reached out and felt her fingers touch fabric.

  The body that tensed underneath that fabric was her only warning before she was slammed against the wall. Gem felt the air flee her lungs. The pain was excruciating. She tried to fight, but she was weak. She struggled against his arm as it pressed against her neck. Panic left control and her thoughts scattered.

  Gem did the only thing she could think to do; she kneed him in the crotch.

  The soldier grunted and the weight lightened against her neck only slightly. It would have to be enough. She used her free hand and with the bottom of her open palm, she struck at his nose. The small crack that immediately sounded left her stomach turning.

He cursed and the pain seemed to do the opposite of Gem's intention. His strength came reeling back as he shoved harder. Gem choked, eyes wide and bulging. Her strength faded as her eyesight went blurry.

In the dim light provided by the basement door, Gem saw his face. His expression was horrified and strained, with blood pouring from his nose. There was no struggle in pinning her to the wall, but a part of himself was at war with his instincts.

"Please," Gem choked out, the sound of her voice disturbing as she begged.

That was enough to send him over the edge. He threw himself back, stumbling in the dark as he realized what he was doing. Gem sank to the floor, almost weeping with relief.

Her entire body hurt. She wanted to cry and be furious. She wanted to terrify him the same way he had terrified her— but she couldn't. There was no winning against him and she didn't want to die trying.

  There was a crash and Gem felt her body jolt in shock. The man groaned, but it didn't sound like he was pained. He sounded more... panicked. There was rustling and more crashing.

  Gem got up slowly. She had to lean against the wall for support. Her body was still shaking, but she wanted to be braced and ready if he attacked again. She called on the electricity, letting it light the room and rest on her skin.

The Winter Soldier was on the floor when the room flooded with light. His hand clutched at his chest. His breaths were coming fast and he was struggling with what Gem quickly realized was anxiety. She'd triggered a full-blown panic attack.

  There was definitely a part of him still aware of who he was— or who he used to be.

  Getting closer made her terrified, but Gem fought through it. She had to take the chance to potentially build on a mutual trust. It was pure insanity with his hostility, but she had to try.

  She grimaced as she walked on her twisted ankle. He didn't seem concerned by her movement, too wrapped up in his panic. The speed of his unravelling was alarming, given his reputation. Gem picked up the chair the soldier had tossed aside. She set the chair upright and sat, nursing her ankle.

She had no delusions about escape or fighting him again. She wasn't aiming for casual in her demeanour or to convince him she was there to help. Gem simply wanted to survive this encounter and be rid of him for the rest of her life.

The soldier noticed her then, his gaze alarmed by her proximity. His chest rose and fell fast. Gem figured that the tight, bulletproof suit he wore did nothing to help his case.

"You need to control your breathing," she rasped out. Her throat still felt raw with the pain of being choked. "Slow and deep breaths will slow down your heart rate. I know it feels like you can't breathe, but you can."

She didn't look at him, but she could hear him following her instructions. His breathing slowed, but she could tell that it wasn't deep enough. His suit might have provided protection, but it was restrictive too.

"Take off your shirt," she said.

He watched her carefully as he undid the straps at his side, loosening the upper half of his suit. He didn't take it off. He realized her intent was to allow his diaphragm more room to expand and his relief was apparent.

Silence followed, lasting for a long while as both of them nursed different wounds. Gem was still angry and seething. Still terrified by what he could do.

She hated the idea of someone else being too strong for her to hold her own against. It was infuriating enough on its own. But, the fear? The fear was the worst part. It made her angry with herself. She didn't want to allow someone that power over her.

Something slid across the floor. Gem found herself staring down at a gun as it stopped near her foot. She looked back up at the soldier. Gem didn't want to ask where it came from, or why she hadn't found it during her brief pat-down of his body.

"You should shoot me while you have the chance," he told her. Gem found herself horrified by the suggestion— and his acceptance with it.

"I want to," she said, surprising herself with the admittance. It made her blood run cold.

He terrified her. Killing him would be the easiest means to get rid of him. To absolve herself of this fear.

It also made her disgusted with herself.

Gem would not harm him, she knew that much. She didn't have the strength to take his life and determine his fate by mistakes he wasn't entirely responsible for. Beyond the anger blinding her, it made her feel sick to imagine it.

Still, Gem picked up the gun.

A moment passed and her hands shook with the weight of it. The brief power it gave her over him confused her rationality. She pursed her lip.

"Do it."

He was looking at her as he said it. He was still on the floor, gripping his side where the straps were. His back was against the wall now, propping him up.

  "What's your name?" She asked.

  He furrowed his brow. There was a brief flicker of confusion in his gaze. His reply came slow. Unsure. "James. My name is James."

  "James," she said, testing it out. "You're going to have to find someone else to kill you."

The soldier closed his eyes. He didn't seem entirely relieved by her verdict and she didn't think the notion was entirely gone from his mind either. Death always did feel like an easy solution.

  Gem sighed, leaning back into her broken chair. "I'm never letting you borrow my stuff again."

"Where will you take me?" James asked, ignoring the comment.

She looked back at him. "Wherever you want to go," she replied. "As long as it's far away from here."

He had an odd expression on his face. It looked a lot like bitter amusement. "Understood."

They fell asleep in the basement like that. With Gem on her chair and James on the floor. They weren't entirely trusting of each other; not enough to head upstairs and into the comfort of a bed or a couch.

That was fine by Gem, who found herself too exhausted to complain. Their cooperation would be brief and required nothing of trust. When morning came, they would be gone and Gem would be another step closer to never having to think about him again.

▹