"Hey, we've landed," Steve smiled and nudged Bucky when the Quinjet had landed. "Maybe you can say goodnight to the real thing."

Bucky grinned, still looking at the photos of Marley that Natasha had sent him earlier. He'd texted her to see how the training was going without Steve and himself there. He'd been enchanted to see the pictures of her and Wanda having fun with their abilities, to see Marley smiling and unafraid of the fire she could call. When he'd jokingly told Natasha to send all the pictures she wanted, he'd been pleased that she'd sent several pictures of Marley to him. He liked the idea of taking her image with him on missions, just as Steve had always kept the image of Peggy in his pocket watch years ago. It gave him something to focus on besides the dark shadows of his past.

While the mission had been difficult, their injuries had been minor. Well, his, Sam's, and Steve's had been mild. Clint was going to need stitches, but he told them he'd be fine and sent them on. Sam was waiting to meet a technician he'd been flirting with so bid them goodnight at the elevator.

They hadn't even reached their floor when Bucky smelled the smoke. His heart lurched in his chest when the elevator doors opened to Marley's piercing screams. Steve was on his heels as he kicked down her door and followed the sound of her screams into her bedroom.

Bucky found Marley, in the grip of some nightmare, screaming and twisting on her flaming bed.

Bucky reached the bed, snatching Marley up in his arms and running out to the living room sofa with her while she continued to cry. The sound of a fire extinguisher being deployed let him know Steve was taking care of the fire.

Grateful for the Kevlar he wore, because Marley was flaming hot, Bucky used his gloved flesh hand to brush the sweaty strands of her hair back from her face.

"Doll, it's okay," he whispered frantically. "It's me. I've got you. Open your eyes."

Finally, she did, fighting him with everything she had until her eyes focused and she recognized him. "Bucky?"

Her tear-filled eyes tore at him.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm here."

"Where is he?" Marley whispered, looking around frantically. "Where did he go? Did you see him?"

Bucky looked up to Steve who'd just came to stand beside the couch. "No one here, doll. It was just a nightmare. That's all. You're safe."

"I'll do a sweep." And Steve set off to search the apartment around them, just to be sure.

Fighting for breath for a long moment, Marley wrapped herself around Bucky and just sobbed. Her high temperature was dropping, and he was grateful for that. Bucky didn't know what to do but just let her cry it out, to hold her.

His expression heavy with familiar concern, Steve returned to Bucky, patting his shoulder, and made his way out.

Right now, Bucky had to take care of his girl. Normally, it was him that was a mess. Well, he wouldn't let her go through this alone.

Gently as he could, Bucky rose from the sofa with her. "Let's get you out of here tonight. Okay?"

Carrying her to his apartment, he shouted at F.R.I.D.A.Y. to open the door and the AI did so instantly.

Bucky carried her into his own bedroom, setting her on the edge of his bed. He hadn't made it before he'd left and some of his clothes were scattered about on the floor, but he couldn't worry about that right now. Sinking to his knees in front of her, he began to check her for injuries.

The flannel pajamas were different for her. And they were burnt around her legs and arms. Panic gripped him as he checked the flesh in those areas. Looking at her pajamas, you'd think she would have been horribly burned but she had no burns or even reddened skin beneath the charred flannel. She couldn't burn herself with her own fire. Good to know.

Marley sat quietly crying, letting him do as he wanted. When he pulled the collar of her pajama shirt back to check for injuries he saw a large handprint on her shoulder, starting to bruise on her tender white flesh.

"What the hell?" he muttered.

A matching print was on her other shoulder. She trembled as he checked her throat, her face. Strands of her hair were glued to her with sweat.

"Marley, who had their hands on you?" Bucky whispered carefully. It couldn't have happened in training which had been hours before. The spreading discoloration was fresh.

"Loki," she whispered. "I had a bad dream… about Loki. He's here. He came here with Thor. Today."

He knew quite a bit about Loki from Steve and the more he remembered, the more uneasy he became. Bucky traced over the handprint on her left shoulder, the fingers of whoever had left it was longer than his, thinner.

"These didn't happen in no nightmare," he pointed out.

Frantic now, Marley scrambled to try and see her shoulders. When that failed she jumped up and headed for the mirror over his dresser, pulling back her pajama top and wailing at the prints Bucky had found.

"It was real?" Her voice was rising with her fear. "Was he really there?"

Bucky was behind her in an instant, turning her to tuck against him as he wrapped her in his arms.

"I don't know if it was real, Bucky. I don't know!"

His heart went out to her. He, of all people, knew what it was like to doubt one's own mind.

"Marley, can I get Steve? Can I have him look at you?" Bucky asked carefully. "He knows this Loki guy better than we do, okay? He knows what he's capable of."

As crazy as it all sounded, Bucky also knew no one would question Steve.

Still trembling, she nodded.

Gently he pushed her to sit at the edge of his bed and dashed out to Steve's apartment. Her heart raced in terror, almost expecting Loki to materialize any second. Yet it was quiet. All she heard were their deep voices and their footsteps as Bucky led Steve into his room.

Both of them took a knee before her. Bucky gently pulled back the collar of her top to show Steve the bruises that were growing darker.

Steve's face went from a neutral expression to one of shock.

"Marley," Steve spoke carefully, "Was someone in your room?"

"She said she had a nightmare about some guy named Loki," Bucky offered when she struggled with what to say. "Said he showed up today with Thor."

"I don't know if it was a nightmare," she said through her tears. "It seemed real. But when I tried to push him… off, it was like he was really there. But my… my hands went straight through him."

Steve rose to his feet, his expression growing angry.

"I know how crazy that sounds," Marley began but Steve held up a hand to stop her.

"I believe you," he said, just like that.

"You do?" Bucky was stunned.

"He uses magic. He can create clones of himself and project them different places. I've seen him do it," Steve scrubbed a hand down his face.

"What are we going to do here?" Bucky asked, placing his trust in his friend.

What did Loki want with her?

"We'll handle this," Steve told him. "I have a message from Nat that we're meeting with Thor in the morning. This will be addressed."

Glancing around as if he just remembered he wasn't alone in the room, Steve glanced at Marley.

"Stay here with Bucky tonight, okay? He's a light sleeper. We both are. If anything else happens, he'll wake in an instant and he and I will handle it. Try to rest, okay? We'll get to the bottom of this."

Placing a hand on Bucky's shoulder in a comforting gesture, Steve made his way out.

Bucky nodded, turning his attention back to Marley.

"Let's get cleaned up, okay?" Bucky made her look him in the eye. "Can we get you cleaned up? I'm sure I've got something you can sleep in."

Nodding, she sniffled and tried to rise from the bed.

"Nah, I'll give you a ride," he said smiling, scooping her up and carrying her into the shower.

Considering what he should do here, he also needed to shower but didn't want to leave her alone, he set her on the edge of the tub and stripped off. She didn't seem to notice, staring at the floor. He turned on the shower, so it could get warm for her and then gently began to peel off the ruined pajamas she wore. She didn't fight him. He was more than a little afraid she might actually be in shock.

Bucky's worry over her kept him from focusing too much on the delicate body he'd found beneath her nightwear. Her breasts were lovely, just right for her slender frame and the gentle swell of her hips tapered into those graceful, long legs. Even the scars and there were so many of them, littering the skin of her back, legs, arms, and ribs couldn't take anything away from her. Her scars told a story of strength, of courage. They were as beautiful as she was to him.

Pulling her into the shower, he managed to get them both cleaned up quickly. Wrapping her in fluffy towels, he carried her back into this bedroom. He found a favorite t-shirt for her to sleep in, pulling it over her head before carding his hands through her wet hair so it wouldn't be a tangled mess the next morning.

Pulling on sweats to sleep in, he decided to give her his bed and to take the couch. Turning the lights low, he pulled her up into his bed, tucking her in.

Pressing a kiss to her temple, he asked, "Are you warm enough?"

That got her attention. She seemed to snap out of whatever state she was in, her eyes fearful on him. "Don't leave me. Please. Sleep here."

Nodding, he climbed into bed next to her, setting what he thought was a respectable distance between them.

Marley wasn't having it. Wrapping herself around him, she snuggled in close, almost as if she wished she could climb inside him.

"Is this okay?" she whispered.

Wrapping his arms around her, Bucky's eyes slid closed. He knew this was probably a one-time thing. He knew it was only because she'd been scared out of her wits and needed the comfort he offered.

It didn't mean he couldn't burn it into his memory for later. It didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the simple comfort of having her so close and being there because she needed him. Taking care of her, he had to admit, made him feel stronger than he had in some time. She trusted him, and oddly he trusted himself to see to her needs. It was something.

"This is okay, doll. Just try to sleep. You're safe."

Yawning, she tightened her grip on him. "Stay."

"I promise," he whispered.