Hello darling readers!

I am so sorry for the extreme delay in this chapter getting posted. My life semi-imploded after posting the last chapter but I think I have everything back on track now. I'm so sorry, but I hope you enjoy this new chapter.

XOXO, Presephone

Five Days Later
Azzano, Italy

"Who are you?" Rumlow's voice was cold and unforgiving.

Emmaliene spits blood onto the concrete floor as she pulled herself back to her hands and knees. Her breathing was ragged, and she began trembling when she felt his fingers lace into her hair again. In an instant, she was pulled back onto her feet. She clawed at his hand as his grip tightened, and he pressed his chest against her back. She sobbed quietly as she felt his hot breath against her ear as he asked again, "Who are you?"

She sucked in an uneven breath, "E-Emmaliene."

She felt the growl in his chest as his grip tightened in her hair, "Wrong answer."

The next moment she was thrown across the room, managing to brace herself before crashing into the concrete pillar in the center of the room. She turned around just in time to catch Rumlow's fist as it flew towards her face. She pulled his fist toward her chest while thrusting her knee forward into his stomach. The air rushed from his lungs as Emmaliene took a step backward, delivering another swift kick to the center of his chest.

Rumlow was tossed backward and slammed into the metal door. Emmaliene strode forward but faltered in her step as the sinking feeling started to wash over her. Then, in the blink of an eye, she felt her face connect with the cold floor again before falling unconscious.

Rumlow took several deep breaths as he straightened back up at the sound of the metal door opening.

Pierce took purposeful steps into the room, his gaze fixed on Emmaliene as he towered over her, "Осторожно. Потому что я бесстрашный и поэтому сильный. (Beware. For I am fearless, therefore I am powerful.)

A tense silence filled the room for a moment. Then, with slow and calculated movements, Emmaliene quietly rose to her feet and leveled her gaze to Pierce. He held her gaze and took another step forward, "солдат (Soldier)?"

"я готов отвечать. (Ready to comply)"

A smirk crept across Pierce's face as his head tilted to glance at Rumlow, "Take her to the gun range while she's compliant. Let's see what the Asset may have taught her."

Pierce took a deep breath as Rumlow came to stand at his side, "кто ты (Who are you)?"

Lifeless green eyes stared back, "Athena."

The sounds of the final bullet echoed around the room.

"Nice shootin'."

Bucky snapped the new magazine in place and quickly spun around. Not many people were able to sneak up behind him, even if he had been firing his weapon. He gave a sharp exhale as the silhouette of Nick Fury walked closer to him, letting the door close behind him once again. He shoved his arms back into his pockets as he stopped to watch Bucky disassemble his gun, "All 9 rounds within the same bullet hole. Impressive."

The super soldier glanced over his shoulder as he closed the small gun case, "I don't miss."

"Yeah," Bucky turned back around just as Nick absent-mindedly rubbed a spot on his chest, "I remember."

Bucky's jaw tightened as both men thought back to the same moment when one of them had shot the other through an apartment wall. "If it's worth anything," Bucky spoke softer, keeping his eyes trained on the ground, "I'm sorry."

"An apology always goes a long way, Sergeant," the two men fell in step next to each other as they left the shooting range, "Particularly when it's sincere. I'm glad I was able to find you."

"Are we getting ready to move out?"

"Not yet. Stark and Rogers are getting the last bit of information from Rollins."

Bucky's voice took on a darker tone, "I could've had that information days ago."

"Probably," Nick agreed, "but, by your own admission, You didn't want to question him. Because you knew that you'd lose control."

"Maybe I should have," Bucky tightened his fist around the handle of the gun case, "We could've had her back by now."

There was a cracking sound, followed by a thump; both men looking down between them. Bucky sighed heavily as he opened his fist to release the remnants of the gun case handle. Nick gave a dry chuckle, "Better not let Stark see that. He's gonna start running a tab for all the shit you've been breaking around here."

"A small price to pay," Bucky mused as he abruptly changed the subject, "Why were you looking for me?"

"Ah, right," Nick nodded, and the men continued walking again, "After we get Emmy back and all of this is behind us, what do you plan on doing?"

"I hadn't really thought about it," Bucky shrugged.

"What would you say about coming and working for me?"

Bucksy stopped mid-stride as his head lifted in Fury's direction as they continued to walk. His expression hadn't changed. Bucky took a moment to gather his thoughts before he responded, "I— I tried to kill you."

"And you've come the closest," Fury agreed with a half-smile, "It's detestable what was done to you, Sergeant Barnes. Truly deplorable. But what I'm offering is a chance to take what they forced you to become and turn it into something you willingly use against them and others like them."

"To make recompense," Bucky mused, more to himself than to Fury.

Fury shrugged, "That's one way to look at it, but know that you'll have the final say in all the missions. If you don't want to do something, then that's the final word."

The pair stopped just outside the compound door that led into the kitchen area. Bucky took a deep breath, "Thank you for the offer, Director," Bucky looked at him again, "Is it alright if I think about it?"

"I would accept nothing less."

Suddenly the door next to where they stood was pulled inward, and Steve was right there. "Oh," he stepped back, not expecting them to be so close, "I was just coming to find you."

Bucky tensed, "What happened?"

Steve shoved his hands into his pockets, "Rollins finally gave us the access codes to the building."

Nick nodded in understanding, "How's Gerry?"

"He's…" Steve's face slightly dropped, "Cleaning up."

Nick looked between the two super-soldiers, "Let me know when we're leaving."

Nick walked past Steve as the Captain turned around and called out as the former Director kept walking, "You're coming with us, sir?"

Nick turned around to meet both their stares, "Pierce tried to kill me. I almost killed him. The way I see it, we need a tie-breaker. Secondly, I doubt even the Hulk, himself, could stop Gerry from rescuing his little girl."

The water circled the drain as the color darkened to a crimson red. Each spot on the hands was scrubbed until the skin was pruned and raw. After the last specks of blood were gone, Gerry cupped his hands and splashed cold water on his face.

He gripped the edge of the sink as he stared back at his reflection. "Get it together, Millegan," he muttered. For the first time, he was truly beginning to feel his age. The hard lines around his eyes seemed to deepen the longer he stared. Finally, he took a deep breath and dried his face with the hand towel, "You did it to get her back."

Gerry put on a clean shirt and left his bathroom, slowly making his way into the small kitchenette and grabbed the bottle from the cabinet. As he sat down in an empty armchair, he stared at the tattered label on the bottle and sighed heavily, "24 December 1993," He began, "I was supposed ta come over fer dinner with Everett, Katya, and lil Emmy. But... As I had every night before fer as long as I can remember, I drank myself until I didn't know my own name anymore. Then I blacked out in front of the fireplace. If I hadn't been drinkin'... If I had been there when my friends needed me the most, then maybe I coulda—" Gerry retook a deep breath and closed his weary eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, he met a sympathetic gaze, "Yer not the only one ta regret who ya used ta be, Sergeant Barnes. I drank ta forget tha thinks that I did fer SHIELD. But tha difference between the two of us is you weren't given a choice. The horrors I did ta others, I did of my own accord. That's somethin' I'll have to live with fer the rest of my life. But when I—," Gerry took a shuddered breath as the tears began, "When I looked into that little girl's eyes on Christmas mornin' while Alex told me what had happened… I vowed ta never touch this bottle again."

Bucky kept his voice even as he continued holding Gerry's gaze, "How did you get the access codes?"

"Don't matter none," Gerry twisted the lid off the bottle, letting it drop to the floor, "I've irrevocably damaged our young Mr. Rollins."

Gerry lowered his head and closed his eyes tight, praying that he could stop the tears. As he lifted the bottle to his mouth, he heard a metallic clink, and the bottle stilled. He opened his eyes and looked up at Bucky standing over him.

"You don't have to start back at day one," Bucky shook his head as he pulled the bottle from the old man's trembling hand, " When we get her back, and I promise you, Gerry, we will get her back... Do you really want her to smell alcohol on your breath when you hug her?"

"Apologies for interrupting, Mr. Millegan," JARVIS' soothing voice interrupted the tense silence, "Mr. Stark has asked that I inform you and Sergeant Barnes that everyone is gathering in the warehouse to prepare to leave."

"Thank you, computer man," Gerry stood up and placed a hand on Bucky's shoulder, "Let's go get our girl back."

She jolted awake as a cold shiver ran down her back, her hand shooting to her chest as she felt the cold sweat running along her hairline. She winced as pain shot through her head, and she brought her palms to her temple. As she continued to massage her head, she felt the far end of the mattress dip down, and she slowly turned her gaze to meet concerned eyes.

"Take this," Alex extended a small cup with a single white pill inside, "It'll help." She eyed the pill with suspicion as Alex set a water bottle on the bed next to her. "Come on," he sighed, "it's just a pain reliever."

Begrudgingly she took the small cup and placed the pill in her mouth, swallowing several gulps of the cool water from the bottle. Alex rested his forearms on his knees as he leaned forward, "It won't be like this forever."

She kept her eyes trained on the wall across the room, tracing the outline of a crack with her gaze. The crack hadn't been there yesterday; it had happened earlier this morning when Rumlow had thrown her into the wall when she tried to stab him. Then he used the damn button again.

She felt Alex grab her hand, "I promise; when this is over, Lienie—"

Alex was cut off by an alarm beginning to sound, and all the lights in the room turned an ominous red.

The door from the hallway opened, and Rumlow stormed in, covered in weapons, "We have about ten minutes before they make it to the building," he stopped short of where the pair were sitting, "The Avengers are coming for her."

Alex stood up, straightening the sleeves under his jacket, all business again. He glanced down at her again as the lines of his mouth hardened, "Get her in the chair."