I awoke to the mumble of a voice, it was still pitch black, did Bucky decide to call someone in the middle of the night? A quick glance over at my alarm clock on the side told me it was 03:27, you have got to be shitting me. I bobbed my head over the bed to see Bucky on the floor, tossing and turning whilst incoherently mumbling to himself. I watched him to ensure he settled but it only got worse to the point he was shouting.

"NO! I can't go back" he growled as I quickly got out of bed and crouched beside him.

"Buck, wake up. It's just a bad dream" I whispered as I placed a hand on his exposed shoulder,

"No... No... Please, I beg! Not again, I can't do it again!" he cried as I shook him lightly to try wake him. He shot up in a state of panic,

"Shhh, buck it's just me. It was a bad dream that's all" I soothed as he looked at me, I could just make out his facial features that were illuminated by the moonlight,

"Elle, did I wake you? Gosh I'm so sorry. I-I-I-" he began to say, I noticed he was sweating. A LOT.

"Hey, don't be sorry. It's OK" I hushed as he brought his arm to his forehead and wiped the sweat from it. "Do you want to go take a quick shower and I'll grab you some clothes?" I asked as he nodded, "Wait here" I whispered as I walked into my bathroom and switched the light on, I turned the shower on and placed a clean towel on the side for him. When I entered my bedroom Bucky was still sat in the same position, I approached him and held a hand out, "Come on sweet cheeks" I muttered as he looked at my hand as if it was foreign before looking back up to me, "It's OK" I assured, he took my hand and I led him to the bathroom, "The body wash is there and there's a fresh towel for you, I'll go grab you some clean clothes, just throw yours in the hamper here" I gestured to my laundry basket and looked at him once more, he was stood looking at the wall. I cautiously placed a hand on his shoulder and felt im tense up and first before relaxing slightly, "I'm here... It's OK Buck" 

"T-Thanks" he whispered before turning to face me,

"I'll go grab your clothes" I said as I entered my bedroom. I snuck out into the hallway and walked the short distance to Bucky's room, entering it silently and switching the light on. OK pyjamas were would you be? Probably a drawer. I looked at his chest of drawers and stalked over to them opening the first to see his boxers and sock organised neatly, I didn't peg him for a neat kind of guy, I presumed men just threw their clothes wherever they fit. I grabbed him a pair of boxers and closed the drawer before opening the net one down, result! I grabbed him some joggers and a top and closed the drawer before leaving the room and turning the light off. Again, it wasn't long before I was in my room once more and I placed the clothes on my bed before stripping his duvet from the cover I threw the cover towards the wall as the basket was in the bathroom and  wasn't going in there whilst he was showering. I didn't have a spare cover as everything else was either left behind at my apartment or in the wash, he'd just have to share the bed with me. 

"Did you get me some clothes?" my head shot up in the direction of Bucky's voice and he was stood in the doorway, bare torso with a towel wrapped around his waist, holy mother of Mary. I... Well... Wow... Now THAT is a sight for sore eyes. "Elle?" I snapped my eyes back up to his face much to my dismay and nodded, grabbing his clothes from next to me and passing them to him. "Thank you" he muttered before turning around and closing the bathroom door once more. My mind kept replaying him shirtless in front of me, this body was just... Wow. Cut it out Arielle, you're not a school girl, you shouldn't be behaving like this. I sat on the bed for a couple of minutes as Bucky entered the room once more, this time fully clothed. "Thanks" he mumbled as the loitered in the doorway,

"There's no need to thank me Bucky. Come on, you're sheets were drenched so you can share the bed with me" I whispered as he smiled and sat down next to me, "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked as he nodded, I was kind of surprised he did. I'd not spoken much about anything but here he was opening up to me.

"I've had these nightmares since I got back. It just keeps replaying and replaying of me in that chair and HYDRA saying those words where I turn back into their little puppet. I see all the innocent people I've killed and I..." his voice broke and I pulled him into a hug, he wrapped his arms around me and I gently ran my hands up and down his back. "I don't want to be a monster" he said into my neck, I pulled away and brushed his long hair behind his ear.

"You're not a monster Buck, you're a good man. What happened with those people wasn't your fault. It wasn't even you that did it" I assured as he looked down at his hands in his lap, "You're one of the nicest people I've met Buck... Granted you can be a little cocky at times" I joked as he let out a little laugh, "But you're you. You're the guy who doesn't take shit from me, the guy who comforts me, who looks after me, the one who sorts me out when I'm having a panic attack. If you were a monster you wouldn't give me a second glance but you do" I smiled as he looked up at me.

"I told you... That's because I'm too busy with the first glance" he chuckled as I smiled at him and wiped a tear that had fallen down his cheek. "I just wish there was someone like me. Someone who had it all figured out so they could tell me how they do it, how they keep going." Do I tell Bucky about my nightmares? Do I open up to him? What if he tells Nat? What if he puts me in a mental place? "Darling?" I snapped out of my trance and looked at him again, "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I mean I don't have my shit together but I do know what you're going through" I explained as he cocked his head slightly, "I've told you I grew up like Nat and obviously the file gave away that I had therapy during my stay at the academy. Well the therapy was... it was..." my breath caught in my throat and Bucky placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey it's OK, you don't have to tell me" I shook my head and looked up at him,

"I want to tell you. I want someone else to know... The therapy wasn't therapy, it was torture. They were trying to get me to shut up and not talk as much so I was a robot assassin but it didn't work, they did electroshock therapy. They'd come in and beat me until I couldn't stand, they'd break bones, they'd pull me around by my hair, they even tried to brand me" I explained, a small tear threatening to fall from my eye but I blinked it back, "The reason I was up last night was because I couldn't sleep so I took a shower and ended up having a flashback all because of a stupid scar" I added and Bucky looked at me intrusively,

"C-Can I see it?" he asked, my body froze, no one had ever seen the scar before, not even Nat, I made sure it was covered all the time. I lifted my body away from him and stood up in front of him, he looked at me confused before I nodded. I slowly brought my hands up to the drawstring of his joggers I was still wearing and pulled it so it undid. I swallowed the lump in my throat and pulled my pants down, revealing the scars on the outside of my top right thigh. Bucky looked up at me and I couldn't bare to watch him observe this weak side of me so I looked straight forward at the wall. I was stood half naked in front of this man showing the very thing I was most insecure about, I couldn't handle the judgement. 

My heart was pounding and I felt my face heating up, I was most certainly going a deep red shade, just then I felt the cold touch of his metal arm feel the scars on my thigh and I tensed up at the feel and squeezed my eyes shut. His touch lingered on the branding and what happened next shocked me even more, Bucky placed a soft kiss on the scars on my thigh before standing up from the bed and pulling me into a hug. I sob escaped my lips and I realised that I was in fact crying for the first time since it happened, I'd kept all these emotions bottled up about it and never given my chance to just cry because I was too proud to do so.

"I think you look beautiful" he whispered to me as he held me tighter, I sniffled and tried to stop more tears from falling but evidently failed. I felt like we'd been stood there hours but it was only a matter of minutes before Bucky released me. It was then I realised I had been stood in nothing but a top and my underwear in front of Bucky. I sheepishly pulled my pants up and Bucky ran a hand through his hair. "Elle, I would never have guessed... Does Nat know about is?" he asked as I shook my head, 

"Then it is our little secret up until you decide to tell anyone else" I sent him a small smile as I climbed into my bed once more, Bucky quickly followed suit and I jumped slightly at the foreign touch when he placed his arm over my waist and rested his hand on my stomach. He then proceeded to pull me closer into him and I closed my eyes, the warmth from his body radiating onto me, I placed my hand on his and gave it a squeeze.

"Thank you Buck" I whispered as I closed my eyes,

"Anytime darling"

***

I looked around the room at everyone, Fury came over today after he was informed we'd cracked the file and wanted to discuss what our next move was going to be. Thankfully he'd asked everyone to be sparse apart from Nat and Steve and I'd requested Bucky be with us also incase I had another episode like I did yesterday.

"So what I want to do is a bit of a sting operation. We know that they're trying to get you, I want to stage this date Rogers bought with you and see if they take the opportunity. We'll have the whole team around to protect you to ensure they don't get their hands on you but I think it could be a good thing, we may even see who's behind this or capture a HYDRA agent to get information from them." Fury explained,

"Like hell! So you want to put her in danger? Can't we just fake an outing for her?" Nat growled as Fury shook his head,

"These people already know more than we do, there is nothing to say they won't know it's a fake. Plus with the background of Arielle she doesn't publically do things, it'd seem out of the blue to announce she's going on a date with Steve" he argued, I suppose that's true. I don't really dabble with social media.

"So how are these guys are going to find out when and where we are?" I asked as all heads in the room shot towards me,

"You can't be serious Elle, you're considering doing this?" Bucky exclaimed as I nodded, "It's a suicide mission!"

"We'd tip off a Captain America fan girl, it won't take long before it's trending and people are taking photos of the two of you. That's why we need it to be you" I want to catch the bastards who planned this. I want to be free of cameras around my apartment, I want to go back to my normal little life.

"Arielle... Are you sure you want to do this?" Steve asked as I looked at him and flickered my eyes between Nat, Bucky and Fury before nodding my head.

"We can't protect you until someone makes a move. This is dangerous" Nat informed me, she looked into my eyes and I could tell she was worried. Heck I was worried but I'm not one to walk away from a little bit of trouble, and I'm certainly not going to let some Nazi's keep me locked up in this compound.

"I can handle myself pretty well and Steve will be there if anything kicks off. You guys won't be far away I imagine, this is the only way I'm going to be free. I can't live in fear of them anymore" I said as I looked between Nat and Bucky. Nat sent me a sympathetic smiled whilst Bucky's face didn't move, instead he got up and stormed out of the room leaving us all in silence. 

"I'll go check on him" Steve said as he got up and walked out of the room,

"Right Fury.. What's the plan?" I asked as I turned to him, he handed me a file and I opened it, it gave a briefing of what was to go down, "OK I can deal with this..." The pla was to start out in very public places walk in the park, then for a meal and then go somewhere private, I'd say I know a short cut down an alley and boom, hopefully that's where they should emerge and try get me. 

"Can we at least wait a week or so before we go ahead with this? Give me and a few others a chance to scope out places to hide?" Nat asked as Fury looked at her and then back to me,

"It's your call" he informed me as I nodded and looked at Nat,

"We'll wait. Action it on Tuesday next week. I want to be able to get the timings down to a T. If we can get someone undercover and working wherever we go to get food that'd be great, someone in the park too. I also want to carry a weapon of some sort, just to be on the safe side cause Steve won't have his shield" I explained as Fury nodded,

"I'll get a more in depth mission structure written up myself, I want to avoid anyone bar the avengers knowing about this just in case there's a leech so I'll personally get this written up myself" he assured as he grabbed the file from me, "For now you keep training, we'll need you as fit as possible in case things go south" he added as he left the room. i looked over at Nat who was filled with worry.

"Hey" I said as her head shot up towards me, "It's going to be OK" I reassured her as she nodded,

"Yeah... it'll be fine, we can do some recon, you'll be carrying.. It'll be fine" I think she was trying to convince herself more than me, 

"Besides, I can't get kidnapped, they'll bring me back after I start talking" I chuckled as she let out a small laugh and pushed me slightly, "Come on, let's grab some grub" I got up, left the room and headed towards the kitchen, Nat following closely behind me. Sam, Wanda and Vision were all sat in there talking.

"Look who's here" Sam smiled as Nat and I approached them,

"It's your worst nightmare" I chuckled as I took a seat on one of the breakfast bar stools,

"Hey guys, how'd the meeting go?" Wanda asked as Nat looked at me,

"It went OK, we're going to stage a stig, use Steve and I's date to try lure some HYDRA agents out, see if they make a move on me" I explained as Wanda raised and eyebrow at me,

"Won't that be incredibly dangerous if they do catch you Arielle?" Vision asked as he looked towards me and I shook my head,

"They won't get the chance, I'll be with Steve and have some of the best superheros around to ensure they get nowhere near me" I smiled at them all and Sam placed his hand on mine and I looked up at him,

"We've got your back. I can't let anything happen to my favourite little sassy pants" he chuckled as I smiled at him, 

"Visions made chicken casserole, do you want some?" Wanda asked as I nodded, "So do you think you have abilities? Where would they have come from?" she asked as she began to dish out the casserole. 

"I have no idea, my guess would be they'd come from my Mum, they didn't seem to know who my Mum was... Surely they must have some idea of who she is though otherwise they wouldn't have these theories" I explained as Vision grabbed some cutlery and handed them out to everyone. "Anyway enough about all that, what've you guys got up to recently?"

"We've not really done much, just watched films all day. Vision has been kept up to date on the Harry Potter films" Wanda smiled as she placed a plate in front of me, "What've you been doing?" she asked as I tucked into the casserole dish.

"Nothing really, I've not really done much, played Guess who with Bucky and listened to some music" I told her as Nat and Sam sent a smirk my way, "What?" I laughed,

"You and Bucky have gotten close" Sam wiggled his eyebrows at me as I shook my head and took another mouthful of food.

"Nothing like that you weirdo, we just share similar life experiences you know" I told them as Nat laughed,

"Is that why he stormed out when you agreed to the mission?" Nat sassed as I rolled my eyes at her. I refused to sink to her level, getting all defensive would make her believe that we liked each other and we don't need her try to force our friendship into anything cause it'd just ruin it. I changed the topic of conversation and before I knew it we were talking about Sam's training and how it was going and no one suspected a thing. As I finished and washed my dishes Steve and Bucky entered the kitchen, Steve sent a small smile my way and Bucky refused to meet my gaze. 

Deciding I didn't need a moody Bucky on my hands I made my way to my room to change so I could train for a little, Bucky had taken his things to his room this morning so I had no worry of him coming back. I get it's dangerous what we're going to do but it had to be done and I'm really not his problem. Eventually making it to my room I slipped my clothes off and pulled on some shorts that covered my scar, a sports bra and a loose fitting top. I pulled on my running shoes incase I decided to go for a run after and headed down the stairs to the ground floor of the compound where the training room was. Sheepishly entering and realising there was no one there I made my way over to the punching bag on the west side of the room.

I began jabbing the punching bag lightly before getting more and more forceful, then changing up my punches and alternating between jabs and hooks, occasionally throwing in the occasional kick or so towards the bag. Eventually slowing down I then walked to the otherside of the room where my throwing stars were alongside a few other swords, time for some target practise. I grabbed around five throwing stars and looked towards the targets at the end of the room, throwing kicks and punches to the air I'd throw a star at the target when I had a spare moment, never failing to hit the black silhouette directly in the head. 

After all five were thrown I went to retrieve them and place them back where they were, I picked up the bow and a few arrows, hopefully I could sort of still do this. Clint had been helping me whenever I went to his but I wasn't really skilled using these. I stood still and drew and arrow, taking in a deep breath and aiming for the targets head, I let out an exhale and released the arrow, it went straight past the targets head and into the back wall, shit. I drew another and followed the same process, this time the arrow merely skimmed the targets body, I just wish I could hit it! After around 7 more arrows I was finally hitting the target, granted I wasn't getting it's head but an arrow to someone's body would still hurt and even better, slow them down. 

Unfortunately there was no gun practise inside, something about Tony not wanting anything going wrong and someone being shot inside his compound so I couldn't do target practise with a gun but that's fine, I did try to avoid using them anyway. I looked at the time, I'd been here an hour already, I'll finish it off with some more combat, I headed over to the punching bag and got to work once more, this time starting exactly where I had finished off from my warm up this morning. I landed punch after punch after punch and began to work up quite a sweat, allowing my hits to release some pent up anger and frustration about today that I didn't realise I was holding in. 

"What did that bag ever do to you?" My headshot round and I saw Steve leaning against the wall with his arm crossed over his chest as I let out a heavy breath, "You OK?" he asked as I nodded,

"Just peachy. How can I not be OK when I've found out someone's trying to adult-nap me and I'm now on house arrest until the sting in case anything happens whilst I'm out?" I asked as he walked towards me,

"I know it sucks but soon it'll all be over" he assured as I scoffed, "Arielle... Your hands" he said as I looked down at my fists, blood was trickling from them due to the weight I'd put behind my punches. I ran a finger over the blood and looked at it, "Here. Let me help" he offered as he pulled a first aid box from the shelf and sat down on the bench. "Come on... I don't bite" he chuckled as he patted the space beside him. I sat down next to him and he grabbed my hand, lightly dabbing it with a cotton bud soaked in some form of rubbing alcohol I think. "Doesn't this hurt?" he asked as I shook my head, I suppose normal people wince at this kind of thing, but I'm far from normal. "How're you holding up?" What is this 21 questions?

"I'm fine" I told him as he stopped cleaning the cuts and looked at me,

"Arielle if there is anything I've learnt in this time it's that when a woman says she's 'fine' she most definitely is not" he laughed as I shook my head,

"Honestly everything is OK. I just hate not being able to go out you know" I said as he continued tending to my knuckles, "Since I left the academy you know I've been independent, now I'm staying here where I'm not earning money to pay towards the place, I'm practically under lock and key and it just doesn't feel right" I explained as his head shot up to me,

"Arielle, this place is owned by a billionaire, you don't need to worry about paying anything, plus Tony has really taken to you. Even if we are paying money towards this place I don't think Tony would ask anything from you, if anything he'd probably just increase everyone else's rent" he chuckled as I let out a small laugh, "As for being under lock and key I can see if I can speak with Fury so you can go out undercover or something, even if it's just to the shops with Nat" I smiled at him lightly as his eyes met mine,

"Thanks Steve" the right corner of his mouth twitched up into a smile as he began to bandage my knuckles,

"There's nothing to thank me for. I can't imagine how I'd feel being restricted to the same four walls. I'd go crazy" he moved onto my other hand and I watched him carefully, maybe I'd got the wrong impression of him. I thought he'd be this big, clumsy mess who was completely by the book but here he was, tending to my slightly injured knuckled, being gentle and doing his best to help me. "All done" he smiled as he taped the last bandage in place.

"Is Bucky OK?" I asked as he looked at me confused, "He sort of stormed out during that meeting" I added as Steve nodded at me,

"Think it's just this whole HYDRA thing coming up again. Obviously Bucky did a lot to forget about them and now for them to pipe up again and be after someone else it just got to him" Wait, Steve thinks Bucky has forgotten about HYDRA, did he not know about the nightmares? Surely he had too, maybe he was testing to see if I knew? I couldn't give it away though, just in case. "What're you doing for the rest of the day?" he asked as I shrugged,

"Probably just going to stay in my room, mope about and read a book" I laughed as he shook his head,

"I have a list of films I need to catch up on with this time and I'm going to start with Rocky if you would like to join me?" he invited, "Can be classed as the date I paid for considering the one we're meant to go on is going to be a sting operation" he chuckled as I nodded,

"Sure. Why not?" I answered as he smiled, "I should probably go and shower first though"

"Well I'll swing by with some extra blankets and snack at around 7"

***

It was 7 on the dot when Steve knocked on my bedroom door, I opened it to see him dressed in his pyjamas, I'd never had a date where I'd been in my pyjamas but I had to say, I was kind of loving it.

"Come in" I smiled as he walked into my room and I closed the door behind us, "I've gotten Netflix on and Rocky waiting" I chuckled as he placed blankets on my bed and started gathering all of my pillows, "What're you doing?" I asked as I gave him a look of confusion.

"Well we're obviously going to build a pillow fort or a den so we can watch the film from in there" he said as if it was oh so obvious. I laughed and helped him, it didn't take long before the fort had been built, blankets hanging above us and the pillows underneath on the floor, facing the TV. "I think this may be my proudest achievement" he chuckled as I rolled my eyes,

"So it wasn't saving the world over and over?" I laughed as he shook his head and admired our handy work. I did have to say, this pillow fort shat on all other pillow forts ever built by anyone ever. 

"Nope" he laughed as he motioned for me to enter our fort, "After you ma lady" he smirked as I climbed in and got comfy, he quickly followed suit and settled down next to me. We began to play the film and soon enough (I say soon enough, about two hours later) the film ends. "So he just lost after all that? I don't understand"

"He was just some small town guy who managed to keep up with a big time boxer! He did what no one thought was possible, he survived all fifteen rounds and didn't give up!" I exclaimed as he shrugged, "The film isn't about winning, it's about the strength that Rocky showed throughout it all. He also found his love in Adrian!" I argued as Steve just shrugged once more, "What is someone finding love not good enough for you?"

"It just seems very anticlimactic, Rocky should've won! It'd have made the film so much better" he declared as I shook my head

"The film would've been predictable if he won. This film taught so many people that you need to stay up when hits keep coming in, in the end you may not win but that doesn't matter because winning isn't everything" I claimed, he looked at me and smiled,

"I suppose you're right" he laughed as I chuckled, "Would you like to watch another film? Maybe not Rocky, but something of your choice" he offered as I grabbed some crisps and ate a few whilst thinking about what I wanted to watch

"Ooh how about we watch my favourite film based on a book!" I smiled as I found 'Me Before You' "Usually I'd recommend reading the book before watching the film but we don't have time for that so here we go." Almost an hour into the film I have tears streaming down my face and I look over at Steve to see he has a tear rolling down his own also, soon enough the film ends and I'm in hysterics. "I'm so sorry you have to see me like this, I usually wouldn't watch a sad film around someone but it's such a good film" I sobbed as Steve chuckled and wiped my tears away.

"Don't worry about it at all Arielle" he assured as I smiled at him, "The film was great and I've had an amazing time... But I do need to get going to my own bed" he admitted as I nodded, "I'll help you dismantle the fort before I go if you'd like?" he asked as I shook my head.

"I'm sleeping in here silly!" I exclaimed as he chuckled and got out, holding a hand for me to take. I got up and walked him to the door, "I'd offer to walk you home but it's about two minutes away and I'm kind of tired" I joked as a yawn escaped my mouth,

"Don't worry about it" he smiled as I opened the door and he walked out into the hallway, "I really have had an amazing time Arielle. To say you're not a people person, you're great company"

"Goodnight Steve" I smiled as he began to walk and waved at me,

"Goodnight Arielle"