Bucky woke up around ten that evening as he stared into the darkness. He tried to allow his eyes to adjust to the darkness, but there was very minimal light coming into the room. A bit of light came through the curtains on the window and the other bit was coming from the bottom crack in the bedroom door. He had had a bit of a weird dream and was hoping to talk to Steve about it, after all, he was sure that Steve wouldn't mind being woken up by him to hear about the dream. As he pushed himself out of bed, he heard something coming from the living room. He moved over to the door and opened it just enough to peek out and see Zeryn and Steve practicing some martial arts, only…it seemed that Steve was really backing down as if he wanted Zeryn to win. He knew exactly what Steve was doing because he had done it himself at the hotel. No matter how much Zeryn might have told him to give her everything he'd got, his 'old school' self just couldn't bare to do it. Steve was the same way.
Zeryn was quick to block Steve's foot when he went to kick her, "Try moving your feet a bit more when you fight. And, kicking me doesn't count."
"I have been. I'm just getting tired." Steve blocked a few of her punches.
"Inside of the arms. Good for blocking. Come on, mein freund. I know you can do more than that. And, I'm pretty sure you're not tired." She went to kick him, but was quickly blocked by his arms.
"Had a long day."
"Mm-hm. Steve, seriously, give me all you've got. You know I can go at this for at least twenty minutes. Now, with Logan, I can go much longer. Work off your dinner."
"I…can't. I just can't." Steve walked over to the couch, which they had moved up against the wall, and sat down on it, "I can't bring myself to fight you."
"I'm a teacher. You know I would never harm you." She walked over to the couch, then sat down on the floor, "Just like to train, that's all. And, learn a few moves from you, so I can trick Logan."
"I always have a hard time fighting with you, even though I know that our skill levels are pretty even with each other. I just…can't bring myself to fight with a woman."
"Besides me, I can think of two other women who'd probably knock you around for saying that. Natasha and Peggy."
Steve smiled slightly, "Yeah, I could see Peggy knocking me around a bit for that. Natasha…she'd throw me through a window for not listening to her."
"You're lucky I'm not like Natasha, though, I could have some Peggy in me…I just don't do guns." She shivered slightly, "But, the point is, women are strong and you should never be afraid to fight one of us when we tell you to give us your all. Besides reading, training helps me to relax and I find it fun. Other people might see it as hell, depending who they're fighting against, but some see it as a good escape from reality while learning to defend themselves once they go back to reality."
"But, you don't use the martial arts for defense. You use it for vengeance as well. I don't understand how you can do that."
"First, I don't always use martial arts. I pick up moves from the others around me, and most of them aren't even using defense moves. Second, I always fight as if this were a real life situation. All defense classes should be treated as such. And, third, using defense as vengeance is difficult to learn and do. A lot of focus must go into it and you have drain all your emotions. Emotions can drive you to do something stupid while fighting and that stupidity can cause you to become wounded…or even killed."
"Drain your emotions?" Steve gave her a bit of a confused look, "How?"
Bucky listened as well.
"It's not easy, but meditation helps, too. Twice a month, the class turns into a meditation session, which the professor leads. Not only is it relaxing, but it helps to clear your mind and be rid of any emotions you might have. The trick to this is making sure to drain them in a timely manner. Yes, I know that in a lot of situations, you don't have the time to prepare, so you'll have to do it while you fight. You'll notice your fighting style will change drastically during the fight. All you have to do is allow the emotions to drain from both your heart and your mind at the same time."
"That seems really hard."
"Sadly, your emotions come from both places. Depending on the situation depends on where the emotions come from. If you're defending someone or something that you care most about, it's going to come from here." She pointed to her heart, "But, if you're upset or angry at someone for doing some kind of harm to you, it's going to come from here." She pointed to her head, "But, they both can drag you down when you least expect it. Drain both and you have the power to kick someone to the moon and back. Drain yourself, and you'll be more deadly than any gun, bomb or tank that's ever been created. The human body is the first and only deadly weapon in this world, if you can learn to control what is hidden inside."
She stood up, "When you drain your emotions, they'll affect certain parts of your body." She held up her hands, "The emotions from your brain should drain straight to your hands. These are more deadly than your feet. Your brain is a deadly weapon itself. It holds all your worst emotions and holds you back." She began to do some moves, "Your heart tells you the right thing to do. Your brain counter attacks it. Your heart says to do something, your brain gives you a million reasons why you shouldn't, what could go wrong if you do, what you'd be missing out on if you do it, who you'll leave behind. No matter how much your heart pushes you, your brain will always fight back."
She stopped, then shook it off, "The emotions from your heart should go straight to your feet. You'll notice that a lot of people don't use their feet that much when they fight. The heart holds your true and most personal emotions. The more softer, 'weaker' emotions. When people fight, they mostly stand in the same spot, forgetting to move their feet, which makes it all the more easier to knock them down. Always, always move your feet. Don't allow your opponent to move you backwards. Instead, move them backwards. I was able to move both you and Bucky backwards, which I shouldn't have to. It should go back and forth like in class when Logan and I fight. Stand your ground and never back down. Do mediation, learn to control your emotions and learn to drain them, and you are sure to be the most deadly weapon S.H.I.E.L.D. has ever had."
"That…sounds really hard and complicated." Steve said while rubbing his head as if to say that his brain was finding it hard to process all that information.
"It is hard, but, with practice, you'll get the hang of it." She smiled at him, "It took me time, now Logan and I can kick each others butts without so much as a second thought. Plus, it feels so good when all your emotions have gone away. It's like starting over again. Its so…peaceful. You're at ease with yourself and everything around you. Best part is, no drugs required."
"You know, for a girl who's lost her memory, you sure do know a lot."
"I read too much. Plus, I guess some of my past intelligence is coming back to me. Just kind of wish I still knew my French and German. Kurt's helping me with the German. Remy…only knows Cajun and Canadian French…not too helpful, but it works I suppose." She let out a yawn, "Well…my body's telling me to go to sleep."
"I'll help you move the furniture back into the place and help pull out the fold out bed." Steve stood up and walked over to the side of the couch.
"That would be most helpful, thank you." She went to the other side and pushed the couch back to where it was.
They moved the chair back, but left the coffee table to the side. Steve pulled out the fold out bed and Zeryn made the bed once it was set up.
"Thank you for the help. You can leave the music on, I don't mind. It helps me sleep." Zeryn said as she stood on the bed.
"No problem and I'll try and keep quiet when I leave to go for my morning run. And, thanks for all that information…even if it was a bit too much to take in this late at night." Steve replied to her.
"It's no trouble at all. You and Bucky are welcome to come to the mansion and join in one of the classes. If anyone objects, I'll throw them out a window…unless the professor stops me, which I know he will. But, the next time we train together, don't back down and give me your all, or I'll tell Natasha and she'll whip your butt around."
"Fair enough for me." Steve hugged her, "Have a good night."
"Same to you, mon ami." Zeryn hugged him back, then laid down and got herself comfortable.
"Are you sure you're…"
Zeryn pointed towards his bedroom door, "Good night, mon ami."
"Alright, I get it. Sleep well." Steve walked past Bucky's room, unaware that Bucky was watching, and went into his room, closing the door behind him.
Bucky waited for several long moments until he knew that it was safe to exit his room and go visit with Steve. He crept past Zeryn, who had passed out within minutes of laying down, and to Steve's room. He silently opened up the door and went inside. He cracked the door open slightly, then walked over to Steve's bed. He was able to get a look around his room, with what light he had coming from the slightly open curtains covering the window.
Hanging up on the walls where pictures and old newspaper articles. Most of the pictures were of him and Bucky, but they were mostly older pictures of the two of them growing up together. The newspaper articles were war related with all the deeds that he and Bucky accomplished together.
Bucky glanced around at the frames as memories flowed back into him. He turned slightly to see that Steve was awake and watching him.
"How long have you been up?" Steve asked with a slight yawn as he pushed himself up, "Nightmare?"
"I've…been up for a bit. And, no, no nightmare. Just…kind of a weird dream. I don't know how to describe it, but it was weird." Bucky replied as he walked over to Steve, then sat down on the bed next to him, "But, it was better than the dreams I've been having the past several nights."
"Bad nightmares?"
Bucky nodded slightly, "Very bad. It's hard to go back to sleep knowing that another one is lurking somewhere within. Though, I did have a good dream last night. Much better than the dreams I've been having."
"What was it about? Do you remember?"
"I'm don't remember all that much, but I was coming home from the war and you were at the train depot to meet me. You were standing there with some kind of dog. I thought you had picked up a stray while I was gone. Then, you took me over to a cab that drove past the place we were staying at to this nicer looking house. While I was away, an older couple had taken you in. They took me in as well."
"Wow. That sounds like a really great dream! I'd kill to have that!"
"One of the only good dreams I've had. All the others were just nightmares." Bucky looked through the darkness and over to one of the pictures on the wall across the way, "Though, I'm not going to lie, I do miss the little guy from Brooklyn, who was too dumb not to run away from a fight." He turned his head to face Steve.
A slight smile came over Steve's face, "And, I miss the guy who'd always stand up for me."
Bucky put his arm around Steve's neck, then pulled him over to him, "Hey! Someone's got to look after your ass. Could get yourself beat up pretty good. Gotta learn to stop picking fights with the guys who can knock you around so easily."
"I have you now, so I can pick fights with whoever I'd like because you'll be there to back me up."
Bucky grinned to himself. He was well aware that Steve could easily stand up for himself, but he enjoyed the notion of knowing that, deep down, he was still that little guy who never backed down from a fight, "Of course I will. I'll throw those guys to the curb. Heck, I'd throw them through a building if they ever broke a bone in your fragile body."
"I'm sure you would." Steve was able to get out of Bucky's grasp and sit up straight. His back had begun to hurt him slightly from being bent over like that, "So, tell me. What was the dog in your dream like? What was the house like? What were the couple like?"
Bucky turned on the bed slightly, enjoying Steve's enthusiasm about the dream. He could tell that Steve had just turned into a little boy, the same boy he had told stories to when he was sick. A slight smile came to his face as he brushed a bit of hair behind his ear, ready to tell Steve all he could remember about the dream.
Outside in the living room, Zeryn was listening to the two of them with a smile on her own face. She was happy that she was able to reunite the two of them back together again. She allowed her eyes to close as she listened to a mix of Bucky's voice and the music playing near her. Slowly, the two sounds faded as she drifted back to sleep.
Bucky walked out of his room dead tired. His hair was a mess and in front of his face. He looked like he had just had a fight with some kind of animal. He had no idea why he was like this or what happened. He moved himself towards the fold out bed, where Zeryn was sitting up looking at a menu, then collapsed on it.
Zeryn glanced over at him. She had just gotten up several minutes ago and had a headband on holding her hair back, "Um…what happened to you?"
"I don't even know myself." Bucky managed to pull himself all the way onto the fold out bed, "I feel like I didn't sleep at all last night…or something attacked me. I need coffee!"
"I don't drink coffee, so I don't know how to make it. You'll have to wait till Steve gets back from his run." She looked back down at the menu, but quickly saw that Bucky had placed his head on her lap and was looking up at her, "Bad dream again? Or, just couldn't sleep?"
Bucky shrugged as he moved some hair away from his face, "I'm not sure. I felt like I didn't sleep, but I could have sworn I was dreaming."
"I know what you mean. I've had nights like that before. It's common. Though, I normally feel wide awake and well rested after nights like that, for some reason. Maybe they affect others differently. Were you up late talking with Steve?"
"You knew?"
"I woke up slightly during the night and heard you all talking. I didn't hear much. I passed out not too long after."
Bucky nodded slightly, "We were up for awhile. I don't even know how long. Maybe that's why I'm dead tired."
"It happens. I've caught myself staying up too late as well. Mainly reading, though."
Bucky stayed silent for a moment before sitting up. If he didn't, he was sure he'd pass out right then and there. He forced himself to get up and went over to the kitchen, "Know where he keeps the glasses around here?"
Zeryn turned around and looked over the back of the couch, "No clue on that one."
Bucky began to go through the cabinets.
"If it helps any, try drinking some iced water. It'll help wake you up." She said while watching him.
Once Bucky found a glass, he walked over to the refrigerator and looked at it. Out of all the devices in Steve's apartment, this one looked a bit complex. There was something on the outside of the freezer that could dispense ice and water.
Zeryn jumped over the back of the couch, then walked over to him, "Going through some culture shock?" She asked while removing the glass from his hand and showing him how to get ice and water from the dispenser.
"We…never had anything like this."
"Times have changed." Zeryn handed the glass to him, "While you were brainwashed and being kept in that tub, you were unaware of the changes that were happening in this world. You'd be surprised what's different between now and the thirties and forties. But, don't worry. Steve will help you out…even though he's still learning a few things himself. Who knows what new and interesting things you'll discover together." She gave him a reassuring smile before going back over to the foldout bed and sitting down on it.
Bucky looked down at the glass for a moment before walking after her. He sat down next to her, not really sure what to say. But, soon, something came to mind, "What power does your boyfriend have?"
"Kinetic energy." She replied, "It's a very difficult thing to control. It can destroy anything with a slight touch. The bigger the object, the bigger the explosion. The trick is keeping it under control. Whenever he passes the power to me, I have to remember not to let it control me. I have to control it. I allow it to flow through me, but it will always come out of my fingers and onto the object that will be used as my weapon. Cards are what he uses and I do the same. He doesn't like to kill people. He knows that he can, but he can't bare to live with himself if he does. Cards do less damage to the person. Sure, they might put you through a wall or send you out a window, depending on how many he uses, but they won't kill. My power and his combined within me…can be most deadly."
"If the power can blow up anything, how come it doesn't do that to you?"
"The first time he put some of his power within me, he made it so it wouldn't bring harm to me. He controlled it…even in the state that he was in at the time." She closed her eyes for a moment as she allowed that though to quickly pass through. She opened them again, "Since then, I've learned to control it on my own. I only have what's in the necklace. Once it's used up, then it's gone until he puts more of his power back into it. I only have that for emergencies. Other than that, I have no use for the power. I'm fine with my claws."
"Do mutants live for along time?" He asked before taking a sip of the water. He felt a shiver go down his spin. Yes, he was defiantly awake now.
"I really can't answer that question. I would say it depends on the powers. But, it would suck to live forever. Seeing all the people you love die before you and going on without them. I can't even imagine. I would hate to be alone forever."
Bucky looked down at his glass. Steve had been alone for a while…well, at least he assumed it had been that long…trying to figure out this new world without him…without anyone that he knew and loved around him. It really must have been hard on Steve. But, now, he wasn't alone. They had each other. He was still trying to adjust to this new world around him, but he was sure that Steve would help him out…help him to not feel so scared and lonely.
"Where would you go?"
"That, I don't even know myself. I don't want to think about it, really. I try not to think about what'll happen in the future. I just want to think about now. And, you should do the same." She smiled lightly at him, "Take it one day at a time."
Bucky looked at her, "How do you go from saying something depressing, but change it around to something more…happy?"
"Because there is always light in the darkness. You just have to know where to find it." She smiled at him, then turned her head when she heard the door open up and saw Steve walking in.
"What a run!" Steve closed the door behind him, "Ran twenty miles in twenty minutes! I'd say that's a good accomplishment for the day! You should join me next time." He walked into the kitchen.
"Who might you be talking to?" Zeryn asked as Bucky drank some more of the cold water.
"Both of you." Steve pulled out a bottle of water from the refrigerator, then walked over to them, "Running's good for you! Can I just say that it's a great stress reliever!"
"You can take him with, but I'm not going."
"Oh, come on. It's good for you." Steve opened up the bottle of water, then took a sip from it.
"Mein freund, I don't run. I power walk, but don't run."
"Haven't you ever tired running before?"
"I've been chased before and have chased. That's enough running for me." She leaned back against Bucky's arm, "Why run if you're not being chased or chasing anything?"
"So you'll be ready to run when you're being chased or need to chase." Steve smiled.
"I'll just stick to power walking." She reached over and grabbed the menu, "Now, what are we going to have for breakfast?"
"I already know what to order for all of us." Steve took the menu from her, then walked over to his phone, which was still a landline, "I'll be paying and you can't talk me out of that."
"Alright, alright. I'll keep out of that part. Make sure there's hash browns, please." She turned her glance to Bucky as she listened to what Steve was ordering, "I hope your hungry because we're going to be eating…a lot."
"Oh don't worry. I'm plenty ready for it." Bucky grinned slightly before taking another sip of the water.
After breakfast, Zeryn cleaned herself up, helped Steve put the living room back together, then got her things together. She was ready to head back to the mansion, even though she wanted to stick around for a little while longer, but she had a martial arts class to teach and she knew that the students enjoyed it when she was teaching, even if they liked it when the professor would take over from time to time. But, after having to deal with Logan while she was away, she felt it was best to take over. She stood by the door with Steve and Bucky.
"Do you really have to leave now?" Steve asked, "Can't you stay just a little bit longer?"
"I have a class to teach in a few hours, so I better get back and get myself prepared. But, I would love to stay much longer, if I could." Zeryn replied to him.
"Then stick around…just for another hour or so."
"You know where I'm at. You can come visit. Plus, the nice, fresh forest air would do wonders for you."
"Will your professor allow us to come?"
"He let Bucky stay the night. Plus, the students were really nice to him. You're among friends. I'm sure he'd be honored to have you two stay."
Steve nodded slightly before giving her a hug, "Have a safe trip."
Zeryn smiled and hugged him back, "You don't need to worry about me. I'll be just fine."
"Will you come back and visit?" Bucky asked.
"As long as you're still in the area, then of course I will. But, you are always welcome to come visit me. If you don't feel comfortable coming back to the mansion, just head to the town about ten minutes away from the mansion. We can meet up there and hang out."
Bucky walked over to her, then hugged her, "Thank you, for your help."
Zeryn hugged him back, "Always remember that you were never a bad person." She looked at him, "Someone hurt you, used you. You were never bad. Dreams might still linger, and the things that you've done cannot be washed away. But, they do not define who you are, which is a good soldier and a great man. Steve saw it. He knew it. Somewhere inside was the man that he knew, screaming for help. He didn't give up on you, he never did. He will always be there for you. And, so will I." She leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "Now, I believe you guys have a lot of catching up to do. And, I have a class to teach soon. Aloha Oe! Until we meet again, mein freunds!"
"Be careful and have fun in class!" Steve said as he watched her open up the door.
"Believe me, I won't be the only one having fun." Zeryn smiled to them, "I'm sure the students will be glad that Logan's not around to kick their butts around."
"Can we come to one of your classes?" Bucky asked.
"You are more than welcome to! Have a good day. I'll see you two later." She smiled before walking off down the hall and towards the elevator. After taking the elevator to the main lobby and then another to the garage, she walked over to her Hummer, then saw that Steve had left her a fake rose on the windshield. This one was black with fake blood on the peddles. She saw a note with it and read it. It was short and simple, but put a smile on her face.
'Zeryn,
Thank you for all your help. Now, I finally have my best friend back!
Steve'
"You are so sweet and such a gentleman, my friend! Never change." She whispered as she opened up the Hummer and put her bag inside before getting in and putting the rose and note on the passenger seat. After getting herself buckled in, she started up the Hummer, then drove off.