"Cara, run!"

I sprinted through the halls of a unfamiliar building, my gun in hand. Gunfire sounded from somewhere below me, and my feet began moving even faster. They had a mind of their own.

"BUCKY!"

I heard my own voice echo through the building, and I skidded to a stop. Suddenly, a group of men dressed in all black stormed into the hallway, all toting massive guns. I turned my head to the left, and my eyes widened as I saw the familiar glint of a metal arm.

I ran into the room where Bucky stood by a broken window, shattered glass surrounding him, and slammed the door behind me.

"Jump out onto the next building," he yelled. "Run as fast as you can."

"No!" I protested. "Go! I'll hold them off."

"Cara-"

"Bucky, go!"

He rushed over to me and kissed me quickly, leaving my mouth stinging.

"I love you."

The thundering footsteps grew closer and I pushed him back towards the window.

"I love you," I said weakly. "I'll find you, I promise."

"Cara-"

"Go!"

The door flew open suddenly, and Bucky disappeared out the window.

***

"Cara, what are you doing here?"

I shot awake, almost falling out of the chair I sat in. It felt like someone was splitting my skull with an axe, and I groaned quietly.

"Cara?" Steve called out again and I held up my index finger.

The pain passed eventually, and I sat back up so that I could see him.

"Morning," I grimaced.

He furrowed his eyebrows at me. "What are you doing here?"

I glanced at my surroundings, and sighed when I saw the sun rising out the window of the lab. "What time is it?"

"Half past seven," he replied. "Again, what are you doing here?"

I picked up the piece of paper I'd taken from Tony's desk several hours before. I handed it to Steve.

"Did you know about this?" I asked quietly.

He took it from me and read it, his eyes flicking up to mine. "No."

"Didn't think so," I muttered, standing up and plucking the paper from his hands.

"Cara, don't do anything stupid," he said warningly.

"I'm not going to be stupid, I'm going to have a conversation with my dear brother."

I stomped out of the lab and up towards Tony's room. When I reached it, I burst through the door. As I expected, he was still sound asleep in bed, and I approached the side of it with a pillow from the couch in my hand unoccupied with the paper.

I raised the pillow above my head and slammed it onto his body, a loud moan emitting from the lump that was my brother.

"Cara," he groaned, "what the hell?"

"What is this?!" I hissed, shoving the paper in his face as he sat up. "What the fuck is this, Tony?!"

He rubbed his eyes groggily and looked at it. As he realized what it was, his face paled, and I was growing even angrier.

"Cara, I can explain," he said quietly.

"How could you do this?" I snapped. "This was not your decision to make. You do not get to ruin all of our friends's lives!"

"I'm just trying to buy us some time," he retaliated. "If we just ignored it Reid would have just taken everything we had and eventually arrest us all. It's called appeasement."

"You should've told me," I gritted my teeth.

"I was going to take care of it," he grumbled and rolled out of bed. "You didn't need to get involved. I've got it under control."

I put my hands on my hips and shook my head. "God, Tony, you can't just handle everything by yourself. You're just so stubborn sometimes."

"You know we're both stubborn," he called from his closet.

"At least I tell people when I'm doing things that might ruin their lives!"

He poked his head out and narrowed his eyes at me. "Cara, you are just as bad as me. Don't come in here acting like you're all high and mighty when you've done things much worse than this."

I shook my head and started towards the door, pausing with my hand on the doorknob. "You are such a little bitch sometimes."

"So are you!"

I slammed the door behind me and stormed out into the hallway. Part of me understood what he was doing, and was a little less angry. But another part of me was still infuriated. I was so, so frustrated, and felt like I might spontaneously combust at any second. I turned a corner, my mind still racing, and ran right into Bucky.

"Woah!" His eyes widened and he looked surprised to see me. "What's wro-"

He stopped talking as I pressed my mouth against his aggressively, pushing him up against the wall.

"Cara," he mumbled against my lips. "Whasthematte-"

I reached around him and pushed the door to an empty guest room open, shoving him inside. After shutting it quickly, I started kissing him again.

"Cara," Bucky repeated as I moved down to his neck. "What are you doing?"

"I need you," I pleaded, running my hands up and down his chest. "Please, Buck, I need you."

"Babe, you need to calm down," he said, attempting to take my hands in his.

"Please," I repeated, starting to undo his belt. "I need you."

He put his hands on my cheeks and lifted my face up; my hands froze.

"Cara, what's the matter?" He asked quietly.

I stopped and backed away, running my hands through my hair.

"Nothing," I muttered. "If you don't want to whatever. I'm going to take a shower."

"Hey, don't do that," he said, taking my arm as I tried to get past him.

"I'm fine."

"Stop saying that," his voice rose slightly, but he quickly lowered it. "The last time we saw each other we fought, and fifteen seconds ago you were acting like you hadn't slept with me in weeks."

"Well did you ever consider that I'm just ho-"

"My point is," he cut me off, "I know you're not fine because that's not you. You like to talk after fights."

I hesitated, folding my arms over my chest. "I just can't believe he didn't tell me."

"So he had an explanation?"

"A shit one," I grumbled and sat down on the small chaise at the foot of the bed. "As always. Shit explanations for everything."

Bucky came over and planted himself next to me. "He probably just wanted to protect you."

"He doesn't need to protect me, I can take care of myself."

"Tony loves you, Cara. You're his sister, that's why he does what he does."

I didn't respond, and he sighed lightly.

"You know, I have a lot more experience with you than your brother. But, from the experience I do have with him, I know you two are very alike."

I rolled my eyes. "We are not that similar."

"You are."

"Stop saying that," I whined.

"Cara," he smiled softly, "it's not a bad thing. You guys are both extremely intelligent, hard workers, and very talented at what you do."

"That's sweet," I said sarcastically. "Why don't you go sleep in my brother's room tonight?"

"Funny. Anyway, in addition to all those really great things, you are both very, very stubborn. And you'll do anything you to go get what you want done."

I slouched forward and glanced over at him. "You're saying that if I was in his situation I would do the same thing; aren't you?"

He nodded slowly and put his arm around my shoulders. "I'm afraid so."

I sighed yet again and leaned into his side. "Sometimes I feel like you know me better than I know myself."

"Well I don't talk as much as you. I notice more," he smirked.

We sat there silently for a while, and I almost caught myself telling him about the dreams. Thus began the inevitable self argument.

It's not like they're hurting me or anything. I deserve to have things I keep to myself. If I tell him he'll just get worried and protective and watch me sleep to make sure I'm okay and not get any sleep himself which means he'll be grumpy which means I don't get Fun Bucky and I like Fun Bucky a lot more than tired, angry Bucky. There, it's decided. I won't tell him anything until it's a real issue. It'll be fine.

The buzzing of my phone in my pocket disturbed my thoughts. I sighed and pulled it out, glancing down at the screen.

New Message from Clinton:
Meeting in the conference room now. Find Broody Boy and meet us there ASAP. Cap sounds PISSED.

I glanced over at Bucky and showed him the text.

"This can't be good."