Chapter 2: Crossed Paths of the Soldier & the Fox

Anya…That was one thought that wouldn't leave the Winter Soldier's mind, even in stasis in-between missions. For some odd reason, even though 'Winter' could care less for Anya, he couldn't seem to get her out of his head. It was almost as if he were being coaxed into seeing her again, even though he knew his master or his men wouldn't approve and even though Winter tried to fight all ideas of going to see the red-haired girl. Every time he saw her, it was in a dream and she was always more beautiful than when they first met. No wonder the man couldn't stop thinking about her! He knew he'd have to see her, but he would have to do so carefully unless he wanted to feel the full wrath of his master.

After three days of traveling and crimes of mass murder and great blood-shed, Winter and his men began to head back to the headquarters, but Winter decided to stay behind. He had to, he must, see Anya again. It had been too long, and he felt as though he wanted, no needed, her company. He held back and was left behind when one of his subordinates approached him and replied, "Winter Soldier!"

Winter snapped at his comrade as he huffed, "What?!" The Winter Soldier gave his comrade a mean look with bulging silver-blue eyes as the younger comrade began to actually stutter, despite being a hardened agent and killer, as he stumbled over his words, "Umm…Well-"

"'Umm' is not an answer! What the heck do you want?!" The Winter Soldier snarled at his comrade as the younger agent replied, "…You're falling behind, Sir. Is there something wrong?"

"No, but…I can hear something, an intruder I think…I'll check it out."

"I'll go with you-"

"NO!" Winter snapped as the subordinate shut his mouth quickly, holding his breath so he wouldn't anger The Winter Soldier anymore than he already was. The Winter Soldier was not someone you wanted to make angry or confused; this agent knew that better than anyone. But as soon as his anger came, it ceased as Winter calmed down momentarily, "Head back to the base with the men and don't follow me or I'll put a bullet in your head. If I'm not back within twenty-four hours, DON'T look for me, got it?"

"Y-Y-Yes, Sir."

"Good, now scram!…What are you still doing here?! Shoo!" Winter snarled as he 'swatted' his subordinate away, which made the poor man run away to walk back to base with the other agents. Then, Winter turned his back to his men as he took a deep breath and returned to a calm state. When he was around his comrades, the Winter Soldier was not a very nice guy and he treated his subordinates like trash; that was evident in the way he just treated his comrade minutes ago. He thought they were a waste of his time and if they didn't have anything meaningful to say or if they got in his way, he'd handle them and make it look like an accident. But now, he tried to appear as gentle as possible once again, for Anya, despite the fact that he was toting around a gun and looked a tad bit haggard.

Winter patrolled the snowy woods like a wolf on the hunt as he thought to himself, 'What's that rhyme you told me, Anya? Roses…Voice…You…Think, Winter! Think!…Oh, here I go using the nickname she gave me. Joy…" Winter rolled his eyes outwardly and even inwardly after using his childish yet remarkably cute 'nickname' before he kept patrolling the forest. He continued walking until he caught a whiff of a soothing smell in the frigid air, causing him to whisper, "Roses…Now I remember! When you stop to smell the roses and hear a voice in your ear, that's when you'll know that I am truly here…"

Winter followed the sweet scent until he arrived at the lake where the two first met. He smelled the scent, stronger now than ever before, as he smirked, "You can come out now. I know you're here." A childish laugh was heard as a sweet voice that could've sounded seductive called out to Winter, "I'm glad you came back. Were you on a mission?"

"Yes."

"Was it successful?"

"Very…I can't get you out of my head. That's why I came back here."

"I seem to have that effect on people…I couldn't get you out of my head either. I missed you."

"Same here…Where are you?"

"Closer than you think." Anya replied as she and Vixie came out from behind a tree, revealing themselves to the Winter Soldier as a gentle gaze and faint smile creeped upon his face from under his muzzle mask. Anya was more beautiful than ever to Winter, just as she was in his dreams, as she ran to him. In all honesty, she looked Anna from Frozen with her red hair, blue eyes, and winter clothing draped over her approximately five foot nine, one hundred twenty-one pound slightly muscular body (which was quite small compared to the Winter Soldier, who was approximately five foot eleven and one hundred seventy-one pounds of muscle plus the recently-added metal arm). Anya didn't see the Winter Soldier as a monster now but more or less like an acquaintance from days past as she embraced him tightly, causing him to swing her around in the air as he inhaled her rose-scented hair and skin. Then, he stroked his fingers through her silky hair and the smooth skin on her petite body. How he missed her scent and touch as he clutched to her, afraid she's leave him again!

The couple embraced while Vixie nuzzled their legs before the two broke apart. Anya was the first to speak as she replied, "It's been too long, Winter. How are you?"

"I'm fine. And you?"

"Hmm, can't complain…So, how did you get away from your men if you were on a mission?"

"I told them that I heard an intruder and that if they followed me, I'd kill them."

"Why do you have to be so violent?"

"I don't know. Why do you have to be so stubborn?"

"Touché," Anya replied before she shivered from a slight cold chill, even though she was used to the cold, and suggested, "Hey, would you like to go to somewhere warm? My cottage is just down the path and it's really warm."

"Are you sure I'm welcome?"

"Why not, I should like to know? You've been on a long mission and you must be tired and cold."

"If I am, I keep that to myself."

"Stop being such a grouch. Come on, let's go. It's not that far." Anya replied playfully as she tugged Winter towards her cottage, Vixie swerving around behind the couple. It seemed strange, but Anya knew that Winter only acted out of fear when they first met and since then, he knew better. She had now given him her complete trust.

Usually, Winter was dragging someone before he shot them but to have the tables turned was a little awkward yet comical for him. He really couldn't remember the last time he truly cared for someone or something other than bloodshed and 'country cleansing,' well, until he met Anya, of course. Technically, he couldn't remember anything except his master finding him so he could become the Winter Soldier. However, Anya made him feel calm, at peace, and she made him feel welcome, almost like he belonged somewhere other than to his master.

After a few minutes of walking, Winter and Anya made it to her cottage, and Winter was amazed at the craftsmanship of the structure. It looked hand-made from scratch by using old techniques and dark wood from the forest. The whole structure looked like something out of a Russian fairy tale, minus the magic or ugly witches with the evil cackles, dark spells, and tendencies to eat children. Anya giggled at Winter's expression of awe at her house as she dug through her satchel and pulled out a key to open the door, looking over her shoulder both ways cautiously as she unlocked the wooden door. This reaction to opening a door was very perplexing to Winter because it seemed as though Anya feared about getting 'caught' by someone. Winter decided to confront her about it once they got inside. After Anya opened the door, she let Vixie and Winter inside before she looked outside again and locked her door tightly. Anya stripped off her jacket, gloves, and scarf and placed them on a coat hanger nearby while Vixie curled up in an armchair in the living room and Winter explored the house. As he gazed at the simple furnishings of Anya's house, he noticed many blankets sprawled around, so he stroked the silky fabric as Anya asked, "Like the blankets? It's not much, but it's all I have."

"Did you make these blankets?"

"No, but my mother did. She was a very good clothing and blanket maker. Made them by hand from scratch…She always told me, 'It's not how much material you put into an item but how much effort you put into it.' One of the best pieces of advice she could've given me as a child; she was right."

Winter listened to Anya's story until he noticed a photograph of a brunette, brown-eyed man, woman, and small red-haired girl, no older than two, and another photograph of an older Anya with an older brunette woman with brown eyes hugging cheek-to-cheek upon the mantelpiece that was sitting on the fireplace. In both photos, everyone was smiling, and this warmed Winter's icy heart a little to see such love, even though he was taught to never show emotion or mercy for both were signs of weakness.

Winter gingerly took one of the photographs off the mantlepiece and gazed at the 'frozen memory' while Anya placed a kettle of water on a stove and let it boil. Once she arrived in the room, she leaned against the armrest of her couch as Winter explained, "I have so many questions to ask you, questions that I need answered."

"I'll be glad to answer them as long as they're not too personal…Which picture is that?"

"Is this you?" Winter questioned as he handed the photograph to Anya, causing her to smile tenderly as she nodded, "Yep, that's me. I was only two in this one…This is a fond memory of my parents and I, but it was many years ago."

"How long ago?"

"At least twenty-some years ago."

"Wait, how old are you?!"

"Twenty-seven…And you?"

"About the same. Twenty-nine, I guess, but I can't really remember…So, where are your parents?" Winter asked as Anya stepped past the soldier and placed the photograph back on the mantelpiece. She stared up at the mantelpiece in deep thought. She thought very hard about her reply to such an 'obvious' question as she answered, "Oh, t-they…They're away on business."

"And you didn't go with them?"

"No, I'm too adventurous and jumpy to sit through a boring lecture or speech…I would get in trouble."

"Oh, I can see why…"

"Yeah, I-Hey!" Anya replied as she playfully punched Winter in the arm with a laugh, causing Winter to giggle a little too. It had been a while since Winter laughed. No, he never laughed nor showed emotion since becoming the Winter Soldier. However, when he was with Anya, he felt that he could be anything he wanted to be and do anything he wanted to do. Furthermore, their visits always brought up new questions that needed to be answered, questions that needed to be answered right now.

After the kettle screamed, Anya filled up two mugs with water and made hot chocolate with cocoa powder from a can before handing one mug to Winter. The couple settled on the couch as Winter thanked Anya for the beverage while she smiled, "You're welcome…Hey, I've never seen your face because of that muzzle mask. Why don't you take it off? Careful, that drink is hot. Wouldn't want to burn yourself, right?" Winter silently nodded to this request as he took off his mask to reveal a handsome masculine face that matched his handsome body. Anya tried to hide in her feminine blush as Winter turned back to her and asked, "So, let's begin the interrogation…"

"Yes, sir."

"What's your real name?"

"I go by Anya, but my real name is Anneliese Rose Jablonsky…" Anya answered truthfully with a grin. Winter played that name back in his head over and over again as he thought to himself, 'Anneliese…That's a beautiful name.' He then moved onto the next question as he interrogated the red-head, "When and where were you born?"

"Moscow, Russia on December 20, 1918. My mother gave birth at our house. She didn't really like hospitals because they made her feel uncomfortable and now that I'm older, I can understand why. They're so plain, light-colored, and quiet that you can hear a pin drop."

"I see…You have any skills that I should know about? What about your parents? Who are they? Any other family members that I should know about?"

"I'm a good cook-"

"That 's evident-"

"I can shoot long distance, fight man-to-man-"

"Yep, you can and my jaw had to pay for it."

"Let me finish, won't you?"

"Yes, Mother," Winter rolled his eyes as Anneliese scoffed and punched Winter playfully in the arm again, "I'm also a good healer too. Now, to answer your second and third question, I'll say this: My father, I don't know much about him since we were never close, but I know a lot about my mother. She was a very creative woman; I just wish I inherited as much creativity as she had. She used to make the most beautiful clothing and blankets in all of Russia, all hand-made from scratch…That's about all I can tell you."

"…I have one more question I wanna ask you."

"What is it?"

"Why do you always look behind you before entering your house? It's almost as if you're afraid of getting caught by someone." Winter replied as Anya looked around, worried that a terrible secret was going to be revealed as Winter questioned the fox vixen, "What's wrong? Is someone after you? If so, I'll kill them before they hurt you."

"I have a question for you: Why do you care about what happens to me now?"

"I thought I really didn't care about you until after I met you. Never judge a book by its cover, as many say…"

"Well, thanks and I feel the same…To tell you the truth, a man is after me and he always sends his men outside to follow me. That's why I stay here in the cottage when my parents are away. They told me that I'll be safe as long as I don't leave the house and keep all the windows and doors locked."

"I think I see now…Well, now I have a new mission, other than the ones Master gives me."

"Does he treat you well? Your master, I mean."

"He saved my life when I was close to death. I fell into an icy river and almost drowned, and I would have drowned if Master wouldn't have found me and took me into his organization. I had amnesia after my 'accident,' but Master helped me."

"Well, that's nice to know…So, what about you? Who are you really? Where and when were you born?"

"I don't know."

"Stop playing around!" Anya joked as Winter shook his head solemnly, "I'm not playing around. I really can't remember anything before my accident, so I really can't help you. Sorry…"

"No, it's okay. It's not your fault. I was being a real jerk and an idiot…So, you really don't know who you really are?"

"That's right. I don't know…" Winter sighed as Anya put a comforting hand on the assassin's shoulder to offer him solace as she tried to place a mask of hope on her face, "Don't worry, Winter. I'm sure you'll find out who you are; have faith, and your answers will come…It's a little late, maybe you should get back to your master."

"I guess…Thanks for your kindness, Anya. It means a lot in these hard times."

"Anytime, Winter. If you ever need my help, you can always find me in the woods. Remember the rhyme…"

"I will, and if those men go after you again and you need MY help, call my name and I'll come to you. No one will harm you as long as I still breathe."

"Oh, you do care."

"Hmm. Maybe…I mean, you did risk your life to save mine, so it's only fair in return that I do everything to protect yours…"

"That's so sweet…Thank you and take care, Winter."

"You too, Anya…See you later." Winter replied as he hugged Anya one last time, placed his mask back on his beautiful face, and left the simple cottage as Anya smiled and locked her door. Both knew that they'd see each other again, and when they did, their relationship could grow stronger…

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