CHAPTER 16

Allie woke up with a start, causing Bucky to jolt awake. Ignoring his groans of protest, she quickly got dressed and told him to get up. As she packed their things, Bucky got up and walked over to her. The sun glared at them as they stared at each other. Bucky was exhausted and pale. Allie could only imagine how she looked.

"Did you see her too?" He asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. I think we should go."

Bucky agreed and helped her gather their things before leaving out the door. As they exited, they entered another room that wasn't there before. It was like magic. Bucky opened the door they just came through, but it was just a closet. He and Allie then headed toward the other door in the room, and as they opened it, the same bald woman in there dreams stood before them. She kindly smiled as she entered the room.

"James Buchanan Barnes and Petra Zemo," the woman greeted as she poured them tea. "Or do you prefer Alexandra Pierce?"

Allie gawked at her. "You're real..."

The woman chuckled. "I am... and so are you. Stay at ease, soldier. There is no harm here."

Allie turned to look at Bucky. He had such an intense, dark expression she hadn't seen in a long time. She was sure that he would kill the woman before they got answers. Before Allie could calm Bucky down, the woman walked over to him and placed her palm on his forehead. Instantly he closed his eyes and slumped his shoulders as he drew a long breath. Then, he opened his eyes and smiled. The crooked grin that made her knees weak.

"How did - what?" She babbled.

"I used my chi to calm his mind. It appears HYDRA did a number on your soldier," she explained. "He was forced to kill in the most ruthless ways for nearly ninety years. His mind isn't broken. Only cracked." The woman walked to the coffee table and sat on her knees. She began to pour the rest of the tea into a pot before she prepped more. As she poured hot water into the clay kettle, she told them to sit. "When I was a little girl, I lived in Japan. The people there taught me many things about their culture, but the only thing that I found interesting was the tea ceremonies." She poured the old tea onto the kettle. "There were many different kinds, but they all share one quality - they season the pot with tea." She took out the pot from the tray and poured the remaining tea back into the pot she poured from. "By doing this, the tea stays warm and the pot is polished. When the pot cracks," she paused to pour more tea on the kettle. "All you need to do is polish it up with tea."

Allie and Bucky stared at the woman.

"You're the kettle," she said to Bucky.

"Okay," Allie entertained the idea. "How do I polish him?"

"Your chi and warmth. Love."

"My chi?" Allie repeated.

The woman nodded. "Well, you'll need to learn, but give it a few weeks. I can teach you."

Allie looked back at Bucky. He didn't even have to answer. She knew what he wanted. "How long can we stay?"

May 7, 2016 - Romania

The apartment smelled of bacon and eggs that morning. He forced his eyes open as he stretched in bed. Yes, a bed. It was a mattress without a frame, but it was better than sleeping on a cot or the floor. The best part was that he could snuggle with Allie.

He climbed out of bed to see her cooking in the kitchen. He walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her from behind. He kissed her neck and nuzzled into her ear. "Morning."

"Hey, baby," she smiled and turned to kiss him. "How did you sleep?"

"Good, after last night."

They both laughed and kissed more. Allie cherished this moment. "I love you."

He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Love you too, doll."

They ate their breakfast as Bucky taught her Romanian. He was not only a good teacher but also patient. It reminded her of when he taught her French when she was thirteen. When they finished their breakfast, Bucky cleaned up the dishes and kitchen before he walked her to work. She found a job as a pastry chef in a bakery a few blocks away from home. He didn't want her walking alone, so he would head to work an hour earlier to make sure she got to her job safely, then head toward the opposite direction.

He worked at a meat packaging factory, so he never had to worry about exposing his prosthetic arm. It also made the days go by faster. The sooner he got home, the better.

Ever since the Ancient One taught Allie how to expand her powers, she's been helping him with his PTSD. Unfortunately, there is no magical cure for his trigger. However, there may be a scientific one. The Ancient One wasn't able to tell them where to find that cure, but Allie said it was somewhere in Africa, but she couldn't locate it on a map. She called it 'the hidden city'.

He hoped they would find it one day, but for the time being, they remained hidden from the word in a small village in Romania. For the first time in years, he was happy. And usually, happiness like that doesn't last forever.

Allie was kneading dough when the vision came. She saw Bucky running as someone chased after him. She dropped the dough and ran home. When she got there, she grabbed a few things and posted the Steve Roger picture on the refrigerator as a warning for Bucky.

The Avengers were on their way.