Previously:

As the car rolled away, Valeriy gave a final wave. Wearing that smiling mask before turning to the other car.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. Climbing onto the seats to stare out of the rear windows. Through the dark fabric.

For a moment. For a just a moment before she was swallowed up by the trees, her feigned confidence broke. Shoulders sagging. Looking so defeated.

"Would you like an update on Hydra's movements?"

"…."

"…From what we've gathered, they've been fanning out from the States searching for you after the other night. They seem to be banking on you heading to Europe some time. They have more men there."

"…."

"Either way, it should be smooth sailings until we reach the Genevan H.Q. and then we'll be adapting the shinobi's way until we reach Cupcakes."

"…."

"You should have piloting experience, right? I'll let you fly my jet when we're over the ocean… if you want…?"

"…."

"Or I can shut up and do my job…."

Better this way. Better the further she was away. Safer that way. Safe from Hydra…. From me….

Less chance of me hurting her if she wasn't in reach. Less chance of me killing her if we weren't in the same country.

Better this way….

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Chapter 17: Valeriy Ayers - Fluffy Fluffy Toast

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" – broken her spine! Her spine! Amber hasn't figured out how to fix the last one you broke! You would have snapped in half too! What the fuck am I supposed – "

Five layers of thick fluffy blankets was what were needed to make the banshee screeching come to a volume that didn't cause my ears to ring.

"Very mature, you little shit! I can easily switch to the car speakers!"

'…Ah shit….'

"Why don't you announce it to the whole bloody woods where the fuck I am?"

"…I wish things weren't like this."

Running my hands through my hair, I relished the almost cool rush washing over my scalp from having the tight braids undone. But as it were, my hair no longer was its usual somewhat wavy self, far from it, and the texture only served to tickle my sensitive neck. I could already feel the bout of giggles kicking their way up my chest.

"That I can communicate with you more openly. That there wouldn't be any misunderstandings between us. Things like this should have been easily avoided."

"Don't we both…."

Took a few attempts to get the unruly hair in a bun with the little elastics. Most of them broke with a snap against my skin, flying off to be some choking hazard to the wildlife. I only managed to find three of the ten among the leaves. Hopefully some of them shot into the car.

"I've managed to set up a couple of things in that hour of freedom. I hope it's enough…."

"Eh. I should be alright. All I have to do is lay low and ride through this."

"And if they find you?"

I shrugged. "Figure that out when it comes to it. At least you solved my biggest problem of getting to my resources and you got me one of those nifty thingies."

"…The cuttlefish octopus skin based mask?"

"Yeah, that thingy. When did they make this? I'm guessing it's an Amber and Gramps' brainchild with you as the renderer?"

"A lot happened in the five years you've walked away… and Amber got sick of the silicone masks and approached Father about this project…. Do you honestly think I'd pick Sparks over you, Val?"

"Is there a reason not to? Sparks is damn perfect and you don't have to manipulate the shit out of her."

"Val…."

"All we ever do anymore is bitch and fight. Hurt each other. I get that we don't have a replacement for the one thing I'm good for yet, so you need me for the time be – "

"Valeriy! That's not – !"

"I do love you, Eve. You're the closest thing to what I think a parent might be…. I'm not going to put you in a situation where you have to pick between your children…. Don't need you hesitating and we both wind up dead."

"…."

"I'll be alright, Eve. I'm not dumb enough to assume you'll always have a loophole to jump through to help me. I've planned accordingly…. Anybody around?"

"…Not that I can see."

Taking a moment to double check the trees myself, I shrugged and stripped out of the uncomfortable dress in favour of my own clothing.

A satisfied sigh escaped me and I fell into the driver's seat to adjust everything. I could barely toe the brakes… while sitting on the edge of the seat. Whoever last drove this was almost as tall as Bucky, which meant it wasn't Sparks. Eve sure pulled on a lot of her resources for this plan.

With all the little distractions gone, I couldn't help but feel the weight crushing down on me. My nerves lit to the point that I could barely keep my good hand steady. I wanted to scream out all the ugly frustrations pent up inside, but that served no purpose. It wouldn't solve a thing.

'Keep it together, you fucking idiot. You can do this.'

Even though it's only been a few minutes, but I already miss it. I missed the feeling of some feigned safety.

I wanted to run after the car. Or drive. Driving would be wise when chasing after a car. But the responsible part of me knew better than to beg them to let me go along with them.

Better this way….

"…I was hoping you'd go with them."

'…What fucked up timing…' I thought, fiddling with the bracelet. I doubt the chemical levels in my body would tell her what I was thinking, just that I'm stressed.

I stretched out, trying to get rid of a growing lump of unease at the center of my chest. Didn't work. Nor did massaging it.

"There had to be some way to do that without making a mess."

"Not worth the risk. We both had our try on it… and better to keep my distance from all of it. I'll be fine."

With a sigh, I started the car and threw it into drive.

"Va – !"

I couldn't hear the rest of what Eve was saying. Way too busy screaming my head off. I barely had the reflexes to slam on the breaks. My heart pounded against my ribs. I couldn't get enough oxygen. My head felt light as the world spun away from me.

Curling around the steering wheel, I couldn't pry my right hand from its tight grip, even if pain signals were firing off in my brain. I could use it to ground myself and pull my focus back… to those wild blue eyes.

"Bucky!?"

He was the last person I expected to pop out of nowhere. He should be safely headed to Gramps and the fortress he was holed up in.

'How the hell did he even get in front of my car!?'

He must have ran. With how harshly he was breathing, he must have been in a full sprint, and with his hands splayed on the hood of the car, I doubt the car was going anywhere if he had a say.

The door could not open any slower. Might have had something to do with my shaking hand being blind to where the handle was. It opened the window instead, and clambering out of it seemed to be the faster idea.

"Did I hit you!? Are you hurt!?" spewed from my lips.

Scrambling onto my feet, I tried to hop to him, but in a matter of a blink, he was in my face. A yelp escaped me before I could swallowed it down. Before I could even take the surprise stumble backwards, his hands grabbed my arms, tightly. Tight enough to be on the border of pain.

I don't think my heart could take much more of these jump scares.

Bucky… he looked completely wild.

His hair a mess, pieces pointing every which way. His breathing came out in huffs, chest heaving for each of them. Twigs and leaves were tangled up all over him. One was even tucked under his collar somehow. Another knotted with his hair. His shirt sported tears and that clean shaven face of his had an irritated red patch of skin.

'He's alright….'

A quick check over his body told me as much. There was no blood. None that I could see or smell. His limbs weren't at odd angles. I could only feel the slightest tremor in his hold.

'Yeah. 'Kay. He's not hurt.'

But then a horrid thought made my gut flop.

"Bucky, what happened? Is Sparks okay?"

His shirt finding its way between my fingers as I desperately clutched onto it. I could feel his heart pounding away at an insane pace under my clenched fists.

"Where is she? Bucky…? Say something. Please."

Instead of words, his hands loosened to something I was more familiar with. A hold I could easily slip out of if I wanted to. Those wide eyes only screamed that he was terrified of something, and with his scruff gone, he looked even more like a scared child.

I couldn't pick up on anything in our surroundings. Not a single movement to my eyes and not a rustle to my ears. Nothing.

Reaching up, I found myself pausing at his flinch. I had to fight the image of him standing there expecting pain. Between the fact that when he'd forgotten himself, his arm, he had seemed to enjoy it and my inability to stop myself, I, as gently as I could, weaved my fingers through his hair.

It was something he responded to, even if I had no idea how he felt about it. Still, my hand moved to cup the side of his neck, my thumb moving across his smooth cheek.

I needed to calm him enough to tell me what happened. Why he was here of all places.

"Talk to me, Bucky…. Please?"

He mumbled something under his breath, his eyes falling shut. The slightest weight leaned against my hand, but I couldn't be sure. It could have been just my imagination.

"Hmmm?"

His lips moved but before his voice could push through, the sound of an engine caused both of us to almost jump.

It was Sparks, gunning straight for us.

'Oh shit. She's pissed.'

Another flinch from Bucky had my hand retreating in an instant, as he backed away from me. Or maybe it was the speeding car.

"Don't want to go," he said so softly I doubt it could be counted as a whisper.

Quickly, my hand found his, before he could go sprinting into the woods. Though there was no possible way for me to stop him from running off.

'…So maybe they weren't attacked…? The fuck is going on…?'

As brakes screeched through the air, I turned to face Eve's top Puppet.

"That was dangerous!" Sparks yelled, getting out of her car and slamming the door shut with a temper that's rare for her.

I guess I wasn't the only one he scared the shit out of….

My hand shifted and I knew Bucky was half hiding behind me. No way in hell could my frame completely hide his massive bulk or his height. Still, I sidestepped the bit to stand completely between the two of them.

"Sparks, calm the fuck down. Let me talk to him," I told her.

"Fine." The modelesque beauty crossed her arms with a sharp huff, blowing a short lock of hair out of her face. She leaned back onto her car.

Bucky shook his head when I faced him. I squeezed down on his fingers, rubbing my thumb across his knuckles. He shook his head again, practically curling in on himself. Smaller and less intimidating, or that was what he was attempting for.

"This forest is safe for only so long. You need to keep moving until you get to Gramps. If you don't want to interact with him, I can probably convince him to give you a bunch of space. Sparks can be trusted, Bucky. There's nothing I can do for you in person. Please go with her. It's safer."

He still insistently shook his head.

"Why don't you want to go?"

Those haunted eyes boring into mine through the thick silence.

"Don't leave."

His voice was so small. Childlike in its pleading tone. He tugged on my fingers.

"Eve will have an easier time moving you around if I'm not there. You don't need this mess on your plate. You have way too much to deal with already. Plus it'll be easier to hide you without the threat of my father pawning you off to the highest bidder…. I don't know if I can do anything in time if he found about you before Gramps…."

The frown on his face grew with each word that passed through my lips. "What about you? You're not safe here."

"I'll be okay," I assured.

His head shook again, brows furrowing together. "They're here, Valeriy. They're looking for you here."

"I know."

"You knew?"

"Yeah…. They know me well enough to be all over Canada. But I blend in best here. Even better with the octopus skin mask thing."

"You're not safe here."

"I'll be okay." Eventually.

"Not with that leg. Not alone. And you know it."

Damn him and his ability to read whatever the fuck my face gave away.

As a tired laugh found its way out of me, my forehead dropped onto his chest. This time, it was my turn to shake my head. But the hands clutching onto his shirt couldn't bring themselves to push him away.

I could barely find it in myself to resist. The ease I felt with him here. I wanted so desperately to cling to that feeling. To feel that little bit safer. To feel… to feel not….

"I'll be okay somehow…" I repeated. Maybe trying to convince myself more than him.

"Stop lying to yourself."

"…I've clawed my way out of shittier situations…" I insisted.

The tips of his fingers barely ghosted over the side of my forehead as they curled a piece of hair that escaped the bun behind my ear. They lingered for a couple of seconds as if asking me to look up, but I refused to. My resolve would likely shatter.

"You said that you're safest with me around…. You'd be alone and that scares you. You said that I'm free to do what I want…. Let me help you, Valeriy."

I knew I couldn't look up. The moment I see that shaved face of his my resolve would crumble. Not all too sure if I'd give into what he's asking or just bundle him up in a cocoon of blankets and send him off.

"If you stay with me… it'll take far longer to get anywhere with healing whatever the fuck Hydra did to you. You can't – "

"That can… that can wait…."

'Shit.'

My head snapped up on its own accord and all the need to convince him to go with Sparks came crashing back. He needed to be safe. He needed all the help he could get, and that wasn't running about with me.

He most definitely needed to grow his scruff back….

"…You need to get your priorities straight, Bucky. Dealing with a little spoiled brat should not even be a concern. Let alone over healing. And who in their right mind would pick being on the run over the pampered setup with Gramps? You can have everything, Bucky. Live that dream life Sparks is. Without all of Eve's weird ass missions. She owes you more than she can pay."

'Mostly importantly, you'd be safe there."

His worried expression softened, eyes darting to the beauty leaning on the car for a split second. "I'm not in my right mind…."

"…Then you should be going with Sparks, shouldn't you?"

Again his head shook. "Are we not friends…?"

My jaw glue shut at the mixed feelings tumbling about inside me. The word yes balanced precariously on the tip of my tongue. It's the truth. But the manipulative part of me was beating the shit out of the honest kid part. Say no to get him to go with Sparks. Say no to get him somewhere safe. Say no to get him the help he needs.

All I had to do was say no.

Simple.

"…Yes. Yes, we're friends, Bucky."

But it wasn't….

The nervous gnawing of his bottom lip said as much. As if the word no would have torn him to pieces.

"Friends…" he repeated softly.

A ghost of a smile almost playing in those blue eyes. His posture completely changing with the slightest sway, relaxing. Even the air around him was easier to breathe.

"…And friends have each other's backs?"

I did not like where this was headed.

Not one bit.

And he could easily read it on my face going by the giant sigh he heaved.

"If this was reversed, Valeriy, knowing everything you do. If I was in your position, would you run off?"

I damn well wouldn't leave him floundering about. I wouldn't be able to leave him alone, scared, and whatever the fuck else clawing around inside me that made me want to hurl on the spot. I knew how dark the days ahead were for me. I just had to ride this through. Somehow.

Maybe….

Maybe it didn't have to be alone.

With a pout, I took a step away from him. He tugged on my arm to fight my step, panic seeping into his eyes. I wasn't going to win this. I was fighting this stubborn man… and myself.

"Get in the car."

The dread on his face screamed that he misunderstood until my head nodded to the S.U.V. next to me and not the one Sparks leaned against.

"I do still have to fix that arm of – No. Passenger side," I said, laughing at his pointed look.

"Your ankle," he tried, still not letting go of the door handle.

"It's my left leg, and you need sleep. You didn't sleep last night and I highly doubt you did the night before that. No way in hell are you driving on zero sleep."

He frowned but quickly scurried over to the passenger side anyways. Before he turned away, I caught a glimpse of relief on his face. This might have been more than just my safety for him. I guess I'd forgotten that most people don't blindly trust Eve and her ways.

I grinned at Sparks who sported a brow raised. "I'm taking him with me."

She glanced behind her. "…Do you want all the bags?"

"Yeah. That'd be great."

"Do you have any idea what's in one of them?" she questioned, grabbing the various bags in the trunk including one that wasn't at the motel.

With a laugh, I nodded. I knew what was in the extra bag she added too. An assortment of weaponry the Puppets were prone to using. Weapons that Eve could deactivate whenever she wished, for the most part.

The more weapons the merrier, I guess…?

Probably an attempt to convince Bucky to switch his weapons over. But going by how he used the revolver earlier, Eve had no hope in stopping him from using them as melee weapons.

As she stuffed the bags under the trunk, Sparks glanced over her shoulder at me. The expression on those sharp features was all she needed to say about how she felt. She didn't agree with all this. She was still unsure about Bucky.

Whatever Eve was whispering into her ear had Sparks frozen in place for a good two seconds. She then pulled something out from the side pocket of the bag she added and started walking up to the passenger door, knocking on the window.

'The hell is she doing?' My legs moved on their own, limping their way over.

"Mind rolling down the window, Barnes?" she asked, holding out a few stacks of cash instead of some gun I thought she pulled from the bag. Each bill was brown. Canadian hundreds. "Eve says that she converted a tenth of the payment…. Most of it is still in the bag…."

"Payment?" Bucky repeated in confusion behind a still closed window.

"You beat D'amour in the security assessments. Every hole you point out, you get ten thousand ounces of gold. It's up for grabs to anyone with clearance to the plans…. I've just never seen someone find more than two…. I've poured over those plans for years and only managed to find one."

'…There shouldn't even be any to be found. One is already far too many….'

Sparks bounced the stack, motioning for Bucky to take it when he rolled down the window. Though he just stared at it. "Umm…?"

"It smells sweet," Bucky stated, still just staring.

"…What?" Rare for her to break her cool demeanour, but in the span of a few hours, she has four times now. And now she's sniffing at a stack of cash. "…Val! The rumours are… it's not maple syrup, but it's a bit sweet!"

I couldn't help but laugh at her holding out the stack towards me. I hobbled the rest of the way, and tried my hand at finding the sweetness. There was a hint of it. Not the unique smell of maple syrup though. Bit hard to tell through the smell of perfume on it.

"The fifties don't smell much different from cash. Huh…. The two of you should get moving. Here." Sparks tossed the stacks of hundreds through Bucky's window and when she passed me by, she whispered in my ear, "Watch yourself, Val. I don't want to find myself standing at a street corner for three days waiting for you to save yourself again."

I shrugged her off. "I'll be fine. I just need you to shut your mouth about us."

"Heard you the first time! Eve says she wants you to wear the earbud."

What would be the point? Bucky could hear her talking in my ear anyways.

"…I want to keep my hearing…."

Sparks flipped me the bird while walking away and turned her head just enough for me to see her stick out her tongue. I'm rather sure she's turning thirty this year…. "Deal with it."

With that, we got into our respective cars. Sparks gunned it out of there while I took a moment to settle down my nerves. And maybe take a moment to process the relief in my system.

"…Bucky? Thank you."

He grunted in response. Arms crossed tightly across his chest. Eyes dead set out the windshield and a pouty frown on his face.

"I won't make you go or stay anymore. I'll leave it up to you."

He relaxed a tad, sinking a bit into his seat. "Get me to stay if you know you're still in danger."

I laughed. "There's no way I would be able to stop you if you wanted to go. I'd probably have better luck stopping a reaper drone…. Yeah, I probably most definitely stand a better chance stopping a reaper drone without Eve than stopping you."

"Use your voice," he offered. "Order me to stay. My head's not all here… but I want to help."

I sighed heavily. I didn't like it. Let alone ordering him around. When it came to his freedom, even less. But he had a point. What good would it do if he raced off in a panic?

"Oh I'm a shittier human being than I thought."

"Valeriy, this is something I want to do… but there are times wh… where…."

'Resist the urge to pluck that damn lip out.' From between his teeth as he gnawed on it like there's not tomorrow. Terrible for his lip.

"…times where I…. I don't want to go back… to them…" he said so softly, that I almost couldn't hear the words. He curled into himself, backing into the seat as if some force was pushing him and he had to fight it.

"Are you sure you want don't want to go with Sparks? It's safer with Gramps, Bucky. They're far more likely to get to you if you're around me…" I said, trying not to irritate my ribs as I twisted in my seat to be able to use my left hand. Not all too sure he'd like the metal of my right.

But he flinched anyways, before I could even lay a hand on his knee. His eyes squeezed shut, his head shaking. "It's not that," he forced through his clenched teeth, grinding down on them when he tried to continue.

"I can't promise or guarantee anything… but I'll be doing whatever I can to keep them away, Bucky."

It's not nearly as much as what could be done if he was on the jet with Sparks and on his way to Gramps. I need a lot more information on Hydra to even start.

"Valeriy…" he called out, head tilting my way. Those blue eyes were so expressive, screaming out what terrified him to say.

But I couldn't find words to what they said.

"You're not alone," I found myself saying, reaching out to him. The skin on his cheek still so soft. Well worth the sting of twisting my torso too much.

Especially when his body sagged with an almost placated sigh.

"…Some… sometimes the only thought in my head is… i-is that… that I need to go back…."

'Oh shit…. He had mentioned… something about that before….'

Weeks ago.

When I backed away, his hand snapped up, wrapping around my left. His calloused thumb glided over each of my knuckles. His eyes followed the movement. As if my hand would suddenly crumble to dust, he cautiously manipulated my fingers around, tangling his with mine.

"You've stopped me before…. Before I ran back…. Please don't… please don't let me go back to them…."

The tears in those haunted eyes didn't escape. As if a dam made of sheer force of will held everything back.

"I'll do my best," I assured.

"Thank – What are you – Why are you – How many blankets are back there?"

"They're good for hidings things. Like crutches. Last thing I need people finding out is that I can't run properly, and sometimes I don't like sitting on leather."

"This is more than enough," he stated, folding a blanket only to have me wrap him up in it again when he moved onto another. "Valeriy."

"You need some rest and to grow back some of that scruff before I drown you with blankets…. That and I'm going to be blasting the A.C."

"I'd rather have a gun of some sort than all these blankets."

I popped open the glove compartment and motioned him to have at it with either of the dart revolvers there. Each loaded with knock out darts for emergencies.

"Are you sure I should…?"

"Go ahead."

"What if I… I…."

"Shoot me? It's harmless. I'd just sleep. You've got the reflexes to deal with the car if it's moving at that time. If it makes you feel better, take them. Would put me at ease to know I got a sharp shooter carrying, asleep or not. I'm not the best of shots, as you've seen. It's a win all around."

As he checked both over, I threw the car in drive once again, knowing well I didn't have a chance of running over Bucky since he was sitting right next to me. The bumps were not agreeing with my ribs. They were very unhappy with any bounce to the car.

"I… I don't want to… to sleep," Bucky muttered into the blankets.

"You'll pass out eventually, whether you like it or not," I pointed out. I learned that… when I slept through most of my physics final…. Or when I started micro sleeping… behind the wheel.

The young man next me merely stared down at the revolver cradled in his hands. A massive frown on his face.

"Is it the nightmares?" Those things tended to keep people up.

"A little…. If I close my eyes for too long… I don't want to wake up and find myself with them…. What if I wake up and attack the first person I see? You're the only one in the car. What if – what if I… don't recognise you?"

'That's a shit load to juggle….'

But he really needed sleep. Preferably not passing out while we're running from something.

"The blankets are warming up, yeah?" I asked.

His head dipped in a nod, more of his face disappearing into the bundle of blankets.

"When you wake up, it'll be all warm and soft. Probably be super toasty with your body heat. In all likelihood you might feel the warmth in your dreams. Should be the first thing you notice when you wake up, then the soft, fluffy, fluffy blankets, and that'll tell you, you're here with me. All bundled up with blankets."

"…And if I don't recognise you?"

"Hmmm…. My voice? Worked… last… time…?"

He responded with a huge sigh, his head tilting as he eyed me. His face the embodiment of exasperated.

"Well, it worked, didn't it?"

Nervously, he pulled at his left sleeve. Something he did far too often. Probably just to be sure that nothing of his cybernetic arm showed.

"Feeling a bit better about sleeping?"

My periphery caught the smallest of nods from him. Even saw him tuck the gun under his thigh.

"Oh, and if you're feeling cold, you can turn on the heated seat thing. Three levels on that."

There was an almost huffing laugh from him. A soft sigh. He shifted a little, and it was almost immediate, his head dropping into sleep. It even lolled to the side when I turned onto the main road.

'Yup. He's going to have a sore neck when he wakes up.'

No way in hell he wouldn't.

I slipped an earbud into my ear. "Eve?" I called out in a whisper, eying Bucky for any signs of being disturbed from sleep.

"A little busy with a situation. What do you want?"

The irritation poured into her voice.

"Need D'amour? I can pull over."

"No. I have a handle on this."

"I'm sorry."

"…I'm doing what I can, Val. Just… just don't break again…."

I had no witty reply to that. There was nothing I could say that would be true, and there was no point lying to Eve. I was barely holding it together as it was. At least I had Bucky. When everything else was practically falling apart.

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