I woke up in darkness. Silence. Looking around, I gasped in shock. I was back in my cell. "How was your nap?" Pierce's voice taunted me.

"What?" I asked quietly. "No, no, no."

It had all been a dream. The escape. The hospital. A tear slipped down my cheek. Hopelessness filled my chest, weighing me down. I felt like I was about to puke.

I was never getting out of here. More tears fell. I hated that I was crying. Pierce would use any emotion I showed against me.

"What's wrong, Magpie?" He hissed. I wasn't sure why the name made me flinch. He continued to speak. "Twenty, delta, foxtrot, chaos–" My head started to pound. Fear filled my chest. But then, my mind started to clear. Emptiness filled me where hopelessness just stood. "No!" I screamed, realizing what was happening. "Stop, please!"

"Aoife!" Bucky's voice interrupted Pierce. My eyes snapped open and I shot up. I gasped in pain as my ribs protested my sudden movement. Bucky pulled me into him, holding me up while I sobbed.

"I thought I was… Pierce was…" My throat constricted making it impossible to talk.

"Shhhh, I'm here. He can't hurt you anymore."

He didn't say anything else as my crying continued. Just his presence was comfort enough as I told myself I was safe. Pierce was dead. I had nothing to be scared of.

"Bucky," I whispered after I'd calmed down. "I think… I remember my activation code." Goosebumps covered my arms and I shivered.

"What?" He asked, rubbing my arm where the goosebumps appeared. "How do you remember the code?"

"I don't know. I mean you remember yours."

"Yeah, I knew when I was being activated… after years."

Ignoring the pain in my ribs, I leaned over and grabbed my phone from its charging dock. I opened a new note and started typing. Bucky watched me silently. Then I handed it to him with shaking hands.

He took the phone and glanced at it. His eyes narrowed. "Aoife," The warning in his tone was clear.

I lay back down, still shivering. Bucky dropped the phone and pulled me close. "You're freezing." He stated, wrapping me up in the blanket.

"I'm okay," I said. My dream whirled in my head. The feelings of helplessness, just sitting there listening to Pierce activate me, crying… this wasn't me. I wasn't going to be the damsel. I pulled myself out of bed and ignored the crutches.

"What are you doing?" Bucky asked in a guarded tone. He watched me silently as I wavered where I stood. I looked back at him, knowing my eyes were glowing red, but I didn't care. He put his hands up carefully in a peaceful gesture.

"I'm not going to sit here doing nothing. I'm going to figure out what exactly Hydra did to me."

"How are you going to do that?"

"I'm going to find that bastard and force him to tell me" I growled. My wings were out and Bucky quickly walked over to me.

He put his hand on my face and looked at me carefully. "Aoife, how are you going to do that? You can barely fly and we have no idea where the other bases are."

I scowled, pushing him away.

"Aoife, don't make me stop you."

"I'm not making you do anything," I replied. "In fact, stay here. Do nothing."

I turned to walk away but my leg gave out. Bucky caught me.

"Stop doing that!" I hollered. "Stop saving me!"

"Why are you so angry?" Bucky asked.

"You know why! It's the reason you're always angry too," I replied, the words burning their way out.

"Why is that?" He asked softly.

"Why do you want me to tell you?"

"Please, just answer me Aoife."

I shook from head to toe. "Because I don't know myself anymore! I've been me for a thousand years! I know what I am, what I can do. I've taken care of myself! Pierce… Hydra… they took that from me, they looked at me under a microscope and changed me! I had to be rescued, I'm in a cast, and I'm..." I stopped not wanting to say the next part out loud.

"You're what?"

"I'm mortal," the words came out quietly.

Bucky nodded. "I'm guessing that's hard to get used to. C'mon, I figured out how to play a movie on your TV. We can ignore reality for at least one night."

I smiled sadly through the tears that had streaked out during my rampage. The anger wasn't completely abated but my outburst had made me feel foolish.

"That sounds good," I admitted.

I looked at the couch he'd already made into a bed. "Were you going to sleep?" I asked. The sun had set and I wondered how long I'd napped.

"No, I don't sleep much. TV helps me forget myself sometimes though."

I nodded. "What movie did you set up?"

"I forgot the name of it. Steve recommended it. Says the group watches it sometimes on movie night."

"Ghostbusters," I answered, sighing. For some reason, Steve had become fond of the movie. The group always groaned and complained when he insisted on watching it. But we enjoyed it all the same. It had become part of our routine. A way to unwind.

"We can watch a different one-"

"No, it's fine."

I climbed onto the pullout bed and lay against a pillow. Bucky lay on the other side, keeping a careful distance between us.

When I woke up I didn't open my eyes. I could tell Bucky was still there but the way he was breathing told me he was awake.

Something I hadn't felt in a long time started building in my chest. I can't, I told myself. I can't fall for him.

I opened my eyes slowly to see him lying on his side facing me. His head rested in the crook of his elbow, his expression full of concern.

His features softened when my eyes met his. "Good morning, are you feeling better?" His chest rumbled with his voice and my stomach tightened.

"When did I fall asleep?" I asked.

He shrugged and started sitting up. I tried to do the same but my leg and ribs protested loudly. I gasped lightly and he turned toward me at the noise.

"What's wrong?"

I lay there for a moment trying not to breathe deeply. "I'm feeling my injuries," I said quietly.

He nodded and grabbed my crutches for me. I glared at them.

"Aoife…" he started. I held up a hand.

"I know, just let me be frustrated for a moment."

He nodded and I was suddenly angry at the understanding in his eyes. Why did he have to agree with everything I said? It added to his perfectness which made my head spin with emotions I didn't want to deal with.

My phone started ringing and I grabbed it. "Hello?".

Nat's voice answered quietly. "Hey, you guys okay? We just got in and you weren't here."

"You're back already? We're at my apartment."

"Turns out the coordinates were abandoned a long time ago. Not sure what was there, but it's empty now."

"Damn it," I sighed. "I wanted answers."

"I know, we'll find them. I promise."

"Well, thanks for trying. I know you weren't doing it solely for me but…"

"You're welcome. And if you don't want rumors flying around, I suggest you get over here quickly."

I groaned. "Whatever. See you later."

"See ya."

I tossed the phone on the table. Bucky walked into the kitchen, grabbed a cup, and filled it with water. "Bad news I take it." He sipped the water.

"Yes, nothing but an abandoned base."

"Shit."

"Yeah. They're back at the tower, we'll need to get going."

Bucky grimaced after finishing his water. "Please tell me you have better transportation ready."

I rolled my eyes. "There's nothing wrong with flying. You're just not used to it." I laughed at his expression. "I've got a car in the garage."

He relaxed. "I'm driving."

"Fine."