A/N: If you don't like the plot or pairings, then don't read.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Captain America: The Winter Soldier only my character/s.

WARNINGS: Graphic detail of torture and assault.

WORD COUNT: 1, 871

Chapter 23

Muscle Memory

Strong arms wrapped around her, his body radiating warmth from the glacial chill that froze in her bones.

The violent shuddering slowly came to a halt as she burrowed into his chest, her hands pressing against his muscular front as she reveled in the scent that only he could emit with the scent of old leather, motorcycle fuel, rain and wood burning in a campfire. It was a heady scent that could set Seph on fire despite the abnormal frost that settled inside her.

Soft lips pressed against her chestnut red locks as his arms tightened around her body, his hands rubbing along her body to create friction. "Are you okay, Persephone?" His deep voice rumbled in her ear as he pressed another sweet kiss to her cheek, "You've gotten cold so easily since your powers manifested, but I've never seen you this affected by it before."

Seph sighed gently as the cold started to disappear, her hair slowly turning crimson and her fingertips glowed orange as she expelled the last of the ice. A fire flickering weakly within her, warming her, "I'm starting to feel better, Steve. You shouldn't worry so much about me, babe."

Steve smiled, his straight pearly whites on full display as he slowly leaned down, "I'll always worry for you, doll and I'll always love you."

"I love you more, Captain." Seph whispered, tilting her head up to meet with her love as he chuckled before he started leaning down to meet her halfway:

"I love you most, Se-"

A strong blow to her cracked ribs propelled her back into reality as Seph gasped.

The pain almost too much to bear as she curled inside herself, groaning in agony before her head was sharply pulled back by her long hair.

Grunting in pain, bleary hazel eyes opened to see Farkov's weathered face directly in front of her own, dry lips stretching back to display yellowing teeth in a sadistic smile. One of the HYDRA assassin's hands was fisted in Seph's hair, pulling her neck back so far Seph thought it'd might break and in the other, twirling a syringe filled with blood, blood that frosted the component it was held in.

"Do you know how easy it would be to kill you, right now?" She asked, smile still in place. "It would be too easy. For an Omega level mutant that are supposedly the strongest of the bunch, you have such easy flaws." Lifting the syringe, she ran the needle down the side of Seph's face; who shuddered from the cold contact. "All we needed was a vial of a cryokinetic's blood, your cousin was the perfect choice." Looking over the red liquid with a look of reverence and stomach-wrenching glee, she turned her eyes back to Seph, her lips pale with a blue tint, eyes glassy and skin clammy. "O-negative. Perfect for transfusions which is just a bonus. Full circle, hmm?"

Seph grunted weakly, teeth chattering as she glared at Farkov, powder blue lips pulling back to reveal blood-stained teeth. Her face twisting in a chilling snarl, eyes flickering blue to hazel. "A-as soon as the op-p-portunity presents i-itself- I'm going to s-slow roast you into d-dust, you sadistic bitch."

"I doubt that, mutant." With ferocious intent, Farkov jammed the needle into the carotid artery with expert precision.

The agony was instant.

An anguished howl ripped through her, blue lips parted, eyes rolling back in her skull before shutting them completely as her body tensed instantly- the pain that had already been inflicted upon her was enhanced by the blood of her cousin working its way through her veins, freezing her powers in their tracks.

Seph could hardly feel the savage blows delivered to her as the fresh chill settled within her once more, bones cracking with the force of Farkov's assault on her sides.

She couldn't breathe.

Amidst the cold haze fogging her mind, a deep voice cut through the smoke in Russian:

"Достаточно." His voice was cold, devoid of emotion, Seph curled into herself, hands attempting to create a barrier between Farkov's steel-capped boots and her broken ribs.

"This is none of your business, cолдат." Farkov spat, swiping her hair away from her face, a sheen of sweat glistening against her forehead with her efforts against the pyrokinetic mutant.

"Это стало моим делом, когда вы сделали его личным." Heavy steps resounded in the vault of the abandoned bank, stopping behind Seph who was trying to breathe. Taking in quick, gentle breaths as not to aggravate her injuries further.

Farkov growled, taking her stance, slipping a serrated blade in her dominant hand, "get out of my way, Asset. I'm going to carve the names of my students in her flesh- a fitting punishment for her transgression." The HYDRA operative's voice changed, becoming darker- unhinged.

It made Seph shiver in fear of what her captor was capable of- what she might do if whoever was fighting in her favor lost the battle about to take place.

Forcing her eyes open, her vision blurred momentarily before flickering irises found the tall shadow that stood over her- a dark angel, saving her from the demon that broke her in every way they knew how as the man spoke again.

"Не забывайте, кто обучил вас, Фарков." Her vision cleared for a moment and her eyes widened as Seph finally saw who was protecting her- Bucky. He was glaring at Farkov with cold, steel blue eyes, jaw set and mouth straight- his expression was blank but the fury etched in the lines of his face was evident, "хватит значит хватит."

Farkov growled, taking a menacing step forward but Bucky was unperturbed, his left arm whirred as the plates shifted to a more aggressive formation- allowing him a one punch kill if necessary, her eyes flicked from his arm to his unemotional eyes and back again before whirling to the exit, spitting a harsh expletive in Russian at her former mentor before stomping out of the vault.

With the violent departure of Farkov, Seph relaxed slowly- allowing herself a moment of peace, eyes drifting closed as she relished in the feeling that she was free for the moment from the barrage of verbal and physical assault until she tensed again when she felt arms slide underneath her body- lifting her like she was weightless.

Pain coursed through her body and she grit her teeth to stop from crying out as she opened her eyes and met Bucky's tormented ones while he carried her out of the vault, his metal arm supporting her back as his flesh arm gently curved around her thighs- aware of her injuries and he consciously tried to avoid them with every step he took.

"Why?" She managed to croak, throat raw and vocal cords strained from her screams, "why did you save me?"

"I'm not saving you." His features smoothed into a schooled expression of blankness, "I stopped her from killing you because you serve a greater purpose."

Seph grunted as his metal fingers dug into the bruised space of her ribs and he instantly loosened his grip, breath hitching and he stopped his stride to carefully situate her in a more comfortable position in his arms before continuing yet his eyes remained forward, almost unaware he even did anything out of the ordinary.

Even with her powers stunted by the blood of her cousin- she didn't need her empathic abilities to feel Bucky's worry, his concern almost palpable, though expertly hidden by the defenses he raised over his emotions. 'They wiped him of his memories but he still treats me with care.' Her brows furrowed as she scrutinized him carefully, noticing the very slight dip between his brows, the way his walk changed when she exclaimed in pain- to make it easier on her, 'muscle memory. It's encoded in his body to be careful, to protect someone who seems so small and in so much pain.' Seph rested her head against his shoulder, the cool metal of his arm seeming almost warm to her frozen state, 'he remembers, just not consciously.'

A few moments pass before a silly thought runs through Seph's mind, causing her to chuckle, despite her predicament.

Bucky looked down to stare at her as if she were going insane, "what. . . what are you laughing about?" He asked, thrown off by the severely injured mutant in his arms, giggling like a little schoolgirl.

Seph laughed, the pain shoved to the back of her mind as she wheezed, lifting a trembling hand to her face, wiping the tears away and only said this:

"She never made me beg."

(..)

After sending Joey back to Xavier's school with fervent promises that he'd bring Persephone back safe and sound, they had been planning how to infiltrate SHIELD headquarters without causing a major problem that might completely screw up their plans to take down the helicarriers.

Steve sat on one of the rickety chairs provided, flicking through his wallet at the pictures he had stored behind his driver's license, multiple folded photographs of his life before Captain America, when he was just Steve Rogers with Bucky Barnes, with his family and more recent ones with Seph and Joey. One where they were at Joey's swim tournament where he won gold, Seph was hugging a wet Joey to herself- uncaring as the water seeped into her clothes and Joey looking at Steve to save him who was just laughing beside them.

Another photo was of Joey's doing, they were on a picnic together and Seph and Steve were settled together, feeding grapes to each other. The photo was of Seph stuffing a vine of grapes in Steve's mouth, both of them laughing like idiots as Steve tried to pull away, eyes shut and nose crinkling with his smile.

The last photo was actually a drawing of her, the first picture he ever sketched of Seph when they first met at the bus stop in the middle of the cold Manhattan night.

She was beautiful, absolutely gorgeous in his eyes.

A strong, opinionated modern woman who fought for what she believed in and fought for her family.

The first time he saw her shivering on the bench- his heart tumbled for her and he knew right then and there that he'd fallen head over hills for that young woman trembling at the bus stop and he'd do anything for her.

Anything.

Hey everyone!

I know, I know, I've been gone for a really long time, but I'm back. It's been a crazy long time and I've been super busy with my life- but I do apologise for my absence, life has been hectic for a long long time.