It was amazing to feel how fast she was moving while she swam. Flowing. Effortless. Like a small motor was propelling her forward from her mismatched feet. The last time Kim had even been in a pool was months after the car crash, when she was still doing exercises to become acclimated to physical activity on only one leg. And yet, here she was, doing freestyle laps at the therapy center while Stark watched on, his deep voice reaching her ears now and then while he offered her words of encouragement.

While appreciated, it was hardly necessary. She was cutting cleanly through the water like a seal, and the other patients who stood around the pool's border, or performed their own aquatic exercises in the neighboring lanes, watched on with great interest. Though her heart was beating steadily after twelve full laps, she could tell she was far from being winded. Evidently, all the cardio she'd been doing was really paying off. Every so often, she'd turn her head, taking a breath before plunging her face back down on the next stroke. Kim knew Stark was keeping an eye on the readings of her KAM diagnostic while he recorded her progress on his iPhone.

In truth, he hadn't asked her to come in today: Kim had been the one to insist upon it. Things had been relatively quiet at home with Aunt Laura today, but that was exactly why Kim needed to get out for a while. Thankfully, Stark had been willing to accommodate her while he was still in town.

Turning her head yet again, she pulled another breath into her lungs. Water. She'd forgotten how much she loved swimming, loved the feeling of weightlessness she experienced, and how much it actually soothed her, almost cradled her. Scotty had been much the same way, even if he didn't say it in such words, and she remembered how both of them would constantly challenge each other to races like this. If only he could be here to see her now, even if it was just to hear him taunting her for going too slow.

Another gulping breath, and then her thoughts strayed to more current matters. The quiet of the atmosphere back home…it was something she wasn't used to, and something she didn't want to get used to, something she'd had to escape, even if only for part of the day. At the time, she just couldn't take it. Not the sound of her grandmother's harsh, shallow breaths as opposed to her once soothing voice; not her aunt's perpetual indifference towards her ever since waking up that morning; not the fact that there no one else under that roof who cared enough to simply hold her…

…until she'd sought refuge out in the woods once more. Finding momentary solace in the presence of her great-uncle, who'd been forced to reside outside for the second night in a row. It pained her to think of that, especially since her home was technically his home now, but both of them understood the necessity behind it. When she'd gone to Bucky and explained why she needed to get away for a while, he'd listened and simply nodded in understanding. Before she left, though, she'd thrown her arms around him in a firm hug, and he hugged her back just as tightly, the pressure of his bionic arm still causing her breath to catch—

"Watch it, Kim!"

The warning came too late as Kim smacked against the concrete wall of the pool, wincing severely at the pain that suddenly exploded in her head.

"Ow!" Her cry was muffled beneath the water, but she came up instantly, coughing and cradling her forehead in one hand as it continued to throb.

"Crap, kiddo," Stark called out above her, and judging by the proximity of his voice, he was kneeling by the pool's edge. "You okay?"

Clenching her teeth together, Kim waited several seconds for the worst of the pain to subside, hearing a few concerned questions from other patients echo off the walls. "Yeah," she hissed out, and even as she said it, the throb in her head was already fading to a dull ache, allowing her to feel like she could breathe again. "That was dumb."

He huffed out a laugh. "Only if it'd been intentional, but I'm sure you like having all your teeth right where they are," he said, gently bringing his hands to cup her face, pressing his thumb at various points over her skin. She winced again when he came close to the center of her forehead. "Hmm. Not bleeding, but if you'd been going any faster, you might have knocked yourself right out. Gonna have one heck of a bump there, but at least it'll be a great accessory for all your fun new scratches."

She groaned slightly at his banter, accepting the hand he offered to pull her out of the pool.

"I tell you, though, keep practicing like that, and you'll be able to give Michael Phelps a run for his money," he picked up his tablet from the nearby bench.

"Do you know how fast I was going?" She asked, retrieving her towel from the tiled floor and draping it around her shoulders.

Tapping the screen, he gave an approving look. "Top speed was 5.78 miles per hour. Pretty damn good."

"Quite impressive, to say the least," a familiar voice called, and both of them turned to see the elderly Dr. Bishop already crossing the tiled floor to them, a gentle smile on his face. "Perhaps I should take a second look at her, just to be sure she's alright."

Kim offered him a small smile in return. Dr. Reginald Bishop was a renowned orthopedic surgeon from London, and had been a frequent figure in Kim's life ever since joining Iron Wings. In fact, he'd been the one to successfully perform the surgery to insert her implant prior to receiving her REBECCA model.

"Have at, Reg," Stark said, taking a seat on the bench, "then come take a look at these readouts as soon as you get a sec."

"Absolutely."

No surprise there; those two were practically joined at the hip when it came to analyzing her diagnostic readouts. Being devoted to a field that specialized in restoring and improving mobility, Dr. Bishop found any information regarding her work with Stark to be extremely critical for his own medical research. Often times, he would show up to Kim's therapy sessions, constantly taking notes on her triumphs and pitfalls, no matter how mundane they might seem have seemed to her initially. It never occurred to Kim to mind at all; if it helped others in the long run, then she was okay with it.

Her eye twitched when he pressed what must have been the edge of her bump, then the sting worsened when he carefully put pressure in the very center of it. "Oh, sorry, dear," he soothed at her reaction, still examining carefully. His accent was very similar to Emma's, which made her almost certain that they both hailed from the same region of England. "Doesn't seem to be anything to worry about," he reported, his blue eyes bright behind his trademark spectacles. "Though Mr. Stark's assessment about you developing a goose egg right here may be more than a tad accurate."

"Hey, I can deal with a bump," she assured.

"Oh, following your last session, we're all well aware of your resilience, Kim," he grinned. "We'll certainly be interested to see what else you'll surprise us with as time goes on."

At that, she was quiet, but then gave a fleeting half-smile.

"Alright, Reg," Stark stood, and Kim stepped aside as he held out his tablet over for the doctor to see. "Here are the readings from her previous session, and now," he swiped a finger across the screen, "take a look at this little nugget of joy we got as soon as she started kicking…"

She listened quietly as she dried herself off, hearing the two men expound on innovative muscle principles, endurance practices, and a few other points that she didn't quite comprehend. When asked, she would answer their questions, contributing what little she could to the conversation. As much as she tried to focus on the context of their discussion, though, her thoughts inevitably drifted to more pressing matters, and their voices became little more than a distant hum in her ears.

Grandma, her mind whispered, making her frown. There had been little change in her condition since last night, and it was hopeless to think there would be any sign of improvement in the forthcoming days. If days were even a possibility at this point.

She sighed through her nostrils. Back at home, Aunt Laura wasn't any better off. Since her conversation with Stark, she had barely left Rebecca's side. The lithium helped to stabilize her, of course, but it would only subdue her for the time being, not eliminate the grief from her stricken heart. Kim had gone up to check on them earlier that morning, but didn't say a word as she came in to place a bowl of oatmeal on the nightstand for her aunt. Even if she wasn't hungry, Kim knew she at least needed to put something in her stomach. A few bites. Anything. She had to keep her strength up, too. She'd looked at Rebecca for a long time, and then just walked away. It was best to give Aunt Laura all the time she could possibly get with her ailing mother.

Did you even know I was there, Grandma? She thought to herself sadly. Could you tell I was close by?

Could you tell when Bucky was in the room with you?

She huffed out a short breath, then happened to glance down at her arm. At both her arms. The scratches weren't nearly as prominent as they had been the day before, and the same could be said for her left knee, which had been reduced to a dotting of scabs across the skin. She brought a hand to lightly trace over her forearm. Despite how hard she'd hit the ground, they must have been some fairly shallow wounds to have healed so quickly. She had a feeling that would be somewhat of a relief to Bucky…

"Hey, you still with us, kiddo?"

Kim jerked her head up, meeting Stark's brown eyes. Both he and Dr. Bishop were looking at her expectantly, and she could feel a slight flush rise to her cheeks. "Sorry," she shook her head, "a lot on my mind." With so much going on, focus wasn't something that was coming easily at the moment, but she managed to give him a weak smile.

Thankfully, he seemed to understand how overwhelmed she felt at the moment. "Why don't you give me some time with the good doctor here, Kimbo, and go get changed?" Stark suggested, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We can go over the results one-on-one in when you're ready."

She gave him an appreciative look. "Room five?"

"Room five. And for being such a good sport, I'll treat you to some pie later on."

Laughing softly, she shook her head. "So long as you don't tell Pepper; she might get on my case for introducing you to that place if I get you get hooked on pie."

"Get hooked? Far too late for that, kiddo," he grinned.

Damn his addictive smiles, she thought lightly, getting to her feet and wrapping the towel around her shoulders. "I'll be there in a few."

"No rush," Stark commented. "After a knock like that, you need to take things slow and easy."

No argument there, she thought, touching the sore bump on her head once more before making her way back to the locker room.

"Figured you would have wanted a little privacy by now," he said as she closed the door behind her, now having donned her gym clothes.

Kim gave a nod, crossing the room to him. "Thanks, Tony," she automatically took a seat on the exam table, propping her leg up for him to see. Instead of removing it, Stark simply held it up, turning it carefully to examine what effects, if any, the water might have had on it.

"Looks like getting it wet didn't have any adverse side effects," he commented, running a hand over her metal calf. "Diagnostic showed all functions performing normally after your swim, so the grooves don't appear to make it vulnerable to leaks. That's good; won't have to worry about potential corrosion on the internal mechanisms," he lowered her leg, returning to the laptop beside her. "You looked good out there today, kiddo. Gave me enough readouts to keep me busy for at least another week," he tapped a few keys. "You're really coming into your own with this thing after such a short time, you know that? Rebecca would be proud."

At that, Kim fell quiet, her nails discreetly digging into her palms.

That hardly went unnoticed by Stark, who lifted his eyes to hers. "I think any further discussion regarding diagnostics is best left for another time," he said, pulling the lid of his laptop shut. "Anything you want to talk about, kiddo?"

She blew out a slow breath. "Way too much."

"I can only imagine." He leaned against the padded table, propping himself on one elbow. "But if there's anything you need to get off your chest, I'd like to know."

You mean after everything you've already done for me? She thought, letting her gaze drop to her lap. And where the hell should she even start?

"Kim," he said softly, "bottling it up will do you no good."

I know, she replied silently, turning her wrists to hide her scars from view. Seeing how some of her more prominent concerns were about Bucky, though, she hardly felt the need to expound on those worries. "Just…so much that's gone on, and…" She looked up at him. "The house is really going to be mine?"

"Yes. As soon as the paperwork's processed, Justin will be giving you a call."

She blinked, part of her still disbelieving. "I'm not…sure I can do it. I mean, how will I be able to afford it? This is going to be way different from—"

He raised a hand to silence her. "Relax. You're not going to be without a decent salary for the work you'll be doing for me, so trust me when I say you'll be just fine."

She felt her heart clench, but shook her head. "I'm grateful for everything you've done for me, Tony, but…I can't keep relying on you to help me out when I should be figuring out some things on my own. I don't want it to get to a point where I'm nothing but a burden on yo—"

"Stop," he interrupted, lifting that same hand again, and Kim's mouth clamped shut. "First, let me make one thing perfectly clear: you never have been, nor will you ever be a burden on me, Kimbo. Ever. End of story. Second, you think Rebecca and I would make arrangements for you to own that house and not set you up with the proper background first?"

Her brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that I've already taken steps to set you up with a financial advisor. Someone who can help you plan out how to manage and wisely invest your earnings, and this will be the best way to eventually get you on your own two feet. Your grandmother chose the advisor she wanted for you; I took the liberty of setting up a series of appointments on her behalf."

By this point, she was gaping at him. "Why?" Her words came slowly. "Why do you do all this for me?"

"Because I know you'd do the same for anyone else," he said without hesitation, causing her to go quiet once more. He stood, crossing his arms over his chest. "We've been watching you closely over the years, Kim; I've been watching you. For all the shit you've gone through with what's happened to your family, you've achieved level of maturity that has never failed to impress the hell out of me. On top of that, you've continued to demonstrate how fiscally responsible you are, not to mention that you've been extremely self-motivated since day one, and I have no doubt in my mind that whatever you choose to do in life, you're going to be successful at it. And do you know why?"

She shook her head, trying to ignore the sting of tears behind her eyes.

He smiled softly. "Because deep down, you never want to give up, or feel like you've given up on others." He reached out to take one of her wrists, his thumb just resting over the scar there. "Even when you think you should give in, there's something inside you that tells you it's not your true nature. You come from good stock, kiddo; you know better than to disappoint yourself like that."

Damn it, she thought, wiping away the lone tear that had fallen down her cheek. "Sorry. I know it's a bad time to bring something like this up…"

"No, it's being prepared," he said, bringing a hand beneath her chin. "We both know how things are going to end up, and you're doing what needs to be done in order to take care of yourself after the fact. I'm damn proud of you for that, kiddo."

She squeezed her eyes shut as another tear fell, forcing back any potential sobs that were waiting in her throat. All that he was saying, all that was happening for her…she hardly dared to believe how everything just seemed to be falling into place so perfectly. It was hard to say how long such good fortune would last, though, and she promised herself to never forget the people that were there for her during the most trying times. "Um…" She started, but hesitated.

"Go on," he encouraged.

May as well, she told herself with a sigh. "This might be weird timing, but…Bucky's pension," she swallowed, summoning the courage to look at him, "what happens when Grandma's gone? Does that go away?"

"Absolutely not. There are certain protocols that the military follows, but don't you worry: that's already been taken care of for both you and your aunt, but we'll get more in-depth with that after the formal reading of Rebecca's will, okay?"

He had barely finished speaking when Kim felt her phone start to vibrate in her pocket. Stark stepped back as she pulled it out to check the display screen, and Kim's face instantly blanched, her stomach starting to sink. Without a word, she answered the call, bringing the phone to her ear. "Aunt Laura?"

All she could do was listen to her aunt's words, feeling the slow descent of her stomach as it plummeted to the floor, such a contrast to the sudden acceleration of her heartbeat.

Oh, God, her mind whispered. Oh God…

Trembling breaths passed through her parted lips, and her grip started to falter on her iPhone. Catching it with both hands, she looked over at Stark again when her aunt broke off in a fit of sobs, hardly feeling the two tears that fell down her own numb cheeks.

"Rebecca?" He instantly asked, his tone as serious as his face.

She took a couple shuddering breaths, the tears coming faster now, then managed to harshly whisper, "I have to go."

Pulling out his own phone, he tapped an icon and spoke into it. "JARVIS? Take Kim's car home; she'll be getting a ride from me today."

"Certainly, sir," came his reply.

Gathering his laptop into his bag, he told her. "Grab your stuff, kiddo; we're going."

The world passed by in a great blur outside the passenger's side window of Stark's Corvette. Kim hardly remembered the drive home, the shock that had seized her since Aunt Laura's phone call still making her feel numb everywhere. The sadness was so overwhelming that it didn't even occur to her to be concerned about the fact that Stark was speeding down some of the streets just to get her home sooner. JARVIS wouldn't have been so bold; no wonder he'd insisted on driving her home instead.

Kim hadn't said anything since leaving the Candleman Center. She couldn't; if she even tried to speak, she'd lose it, especially with her aunt's words ringing in her ears over and over again.

Her breathing, Kim, she's…she's struggling worse than ever. She's not going to last much longer. You need to come home. Now…

She bit down hard on her lip, but even that wasn't enough to distract her. All the weeks she spent preparing herself for this very moment—all the long nights she'd spent waiting up with her grandmother when her pain was unbearable; all the conversations they tried to squeeze in before the cancer rendered her unable to do so; all the times Kim held onto her hand, even if it was the only form of affection Rebecca could offer anymore—none of it made getting that call any easier. The call she'd been dreading ever since the first stroke. Would she actually have the strength to finally say goodbye? Would her grandmother be able to hold on until she made it back?

Most importantly, would she ever be able to forgive her for what Kim had tried to tell her the night of her second stroke? About the guilt she felt over the deaths of Scotty and her parents?

Scotty's death wasn't your fault.

Her breath caught in her throat when Bucky's words came back rushing back to her.

I'll be damned if I let you blame yourself for that.

She lowered her gaze to her lap. She hadn't told him what she'd been trying to confess to her grandmother that night…but she wouldn't deny that part of her wished that his word could be as good as his sister's.

If only she could let him know what was happening at that very moment.

Her hand gripped the door handle a little tighter as Stark rounded the last corner to her street. Even he'd been quiet the entire drive, and as he pulled into her driveway, he didn't object when Kim jumped out her door before he even came to a full stop. At a dead sprint, Kim ran across the front lawn and burst through the front door, not even pausing to see if Stark was following. She charged up the stairs two at a time, her heart pounding as she came to the doorway of her grandmother's room.

Aunt Laura lifted her head as she entered, her tear-streaked face unusually pale and full of a sorrow only Kim could understand. Kim's shoulders heaved as she tried to steady her breathing, seeing the erratic way Rebecca's chest rose and fell beneath the comforter as she struggled to pull in breaths of her own. It only matched the infrequent beep of the heart monitor, which served to remind them of the frail life that was so close to ending.

God, Grandma, she lamented, her eyes never leaving her, not even when Stark's footsteps approached from behind.

Laura's eyes darted to him, but even she seemed too defeated to object to his presence. "It won't be long," her voice cracked terribly.

"I'm sorry, Laura," Stark said softly, genuinely.

For a moment, she just stared at him, but then blinked as she wiped away tears. "Kim," she stood, wrapping her arms tightly around herself, "I think she's been waiting for you." She stepped away from Rebecca's bedside, bringing a hand to her face as she began to pace around the room.

Kim felt frozen in place for what felt like an eternity, the sight of her grandmother tearing her heart in two. Somehow, though, she managed to channel enough strength to her right leg and push herself forward, stiffly coming to sit in the chair her aunt had vacated, scooting it as close to the bed as possible.

I'm here, Grandma, she tried to silently convey, taking her spindly hand in her own. It unnerved her when she realized how cool her skin was to the touch. Somewhere in the background, Stark and Aunt Laura were speaking quietly, but she heard none of it. Her focus was solely on Rebecca, and looking closely at her ashen face, she felt a hot wave of grief wash over her.

Christ, she closed her eyes, letting her head fall into her other hand as the tears fell of their own volition. Living here the past few years, Kim had become more attuned to the subtle aura surrounding her grandmother whenever it came to expressing certain emotions. Even in a catatonic state, Kim knew she could sense things that her aunt simply couldn't detect, and right now was no exception. Behind the mild strain in the elder woman's features, behind the obvious pain and discomfort…there was fear. Palpable fear. But not fear of dying. No; by the way the thin fingers barely tightened around hers, Kim's heart completely broke when it became clear that she was holding on for one reason, and one reason only: she was afraid of leaving her behind.

I love you, Grandma, she thought woefully, sucking in a sobbing breath. I love you so much. I love you. I love you…

Lifting her eyes once more, Kim took in every detail of Rebecca's contorted face, wishing she could look into her green eyes one last time. Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to her trembling cheek, biting back another sob at the sound of her shallow breaths. Then, closing her eyes, she bent close to whisper in her ear. "It's okay, Grandma: you've fought long enough, and it's time to let go." She nearly choked when she heard the minute change in her breathing, but squeezed her hand to give herself strength. "I won't be alone. I promise I'm going to be okay. I love you, Grandma. It's okay to let go."

The heart monitor chimed with a series of three intermittent beeps in a row, and Kim pulled back with tears streaming down her face. "Aunt Laura," she called over her shoulder, her voice quaking.

No sooner had she spoken than Laura had rushed back to the opposite side of the bed, her face a mask of sorrow as she sat down on the edge of the mattress. Kim's heart ached when her aunt cupped her mother's cheek in her hand, crying as she spoke to her in a hushed voice, telling her what a good mother she'd been, how loved she was, how much she was going to miss her. Kim had never had the chance to tell her own mother goodbye, and part of her was relieved that her aunt wouldn't have to live with that kind of pain. Her hand still grasped her grandmother's, eyes staring raptly as her chest expanded to desperately pull in short gasping breaths.

Grandma, she squeezed her hand, a few tears dripping down to their clasped fingers, it's okay to let go…

It was hard to say how much time passed, but soon enough, Kim saw her chest rise one last time beneath the comforter, then fall as she gave one last wheezing exhale, and then she became still altogether. The heart monitor had stopped beeping, but she didn't have to look to know that it was showing a flat-line.

Kim lowered her eyes, unable to take it when Aunt Laura collapsed upon her mother's chest, bawling relentlessly in the ensuing quiet of the room. She just sat there, still holding Rebecca's hand, feeling the very last traces of life drift from her fingertips until she was gone. Gone. Never to be here with her from this moment on. Rebecca Proctor. Grandma. Her friend; confidante; provider; savior; the one person in the world she tell just about anything to…

Gone.

She's not suffering anymore, she reminded herself, but the notion brought her little comfort. She's free…

Unable to stop her chin from quivering, Kim's eyes squeezed shut as she started to cry. Bending down to place a kiss on the back of her grandmother's hand, she settled her cheek upon it. As she lay there, a gentle warmth crossed her face, and she opened her eyes to see the late afternoon sun filtering in through the window. For the briefest of moments, she marveled at how beautiful a sight it was, but just as quickly as it had come, it disappeared, the light and the warmth fading with the passing of clouds. Closing her eyes yet again, Kim succumbed to the tears, weeping quietly alongside her heartbroken aunt.

She didn't even realize when Stark had left the room, leaving them both to mourn privately.