It wasn't until after noon that she began to stir. When she opened her eyes she wasn't sure where she was. Her head was pounding and her eyes felt dry and swollen. She groaned, lifting a hand to her face. Thor shushed her and pulled her hand away, keeping it securely in his.
"Go back to sleep," His voice was so deep and soothing she might have, had her mind not chosen that moment to remind her of what happened.
Nina shot up, Thor barely reacting quick enough to restrain her. Her breath was coming fast and hard, her heart thundering in her chest.
"Bucky," His name passed her lips as a breathless whisper as she struggled.
"Barnes is safe," Nina barely heard him and his words didn't make a difference.
"Let me go!" She cried, pulling hopelessly at his arm. She couldn't even get her hand fully around his wrist.
Thor held her against his chest, hushing her and planting thoughtful kisses along her shoulder. She muffled a cry and bit down hard on the inside of her mouth.
"Relax," He breathed in her ear, feeling her heart rate slow and her body still. He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against her temple. "Barnes is fine," He tried to hold back to venom in his voice, but some ultimately seeped out.
"I need to see him," This time when Nina struggled against him he let her break away. She wobbled on her feet, pressing a hand to the wall to steady herself. She gave Thor a pleading look. He didn't want to take her to him, but the thought of disappointing her was more upsetting.
Thor led Nina down a floor. Everything here was white and there was too much glass. For what it was, the medical wing could easily be destroyed. Once Nina heard voices, she took off ahead of Thor. She sprinted the short distance to an examination room, everyone quietening when she skidded to a halt.
Steve, Bucky, and Dr. Banner were standing around discussing what had happened the previous night. Standing awkwardly by was Nina's father. When he hadn't been able to get a hold of her when he knew the attack was over he went looking for her. They had insisted he not disturb her and told him he was more than welcome to hang around until she woke up.
The second Frank saw his daughter, he took a step forward, opening his mouth to speak. But it became clear very quickly that she wasn't there for him. She froze when she spotted Bucky. Her shoulders fell and for a second she looked like she could have fallen over.
"You're okay," Her voice suddenly seemed to be failing her. She tiptoed across the cold floor to where Bucky was sitting. Her fingers immediately went to the strap of the sling his arm was in. He followed her with his eyes, trying to gauge just how okay she was.
She looked weak and pale. Her light brown hair was sticking out in all directions and her gray eyes were glassy and wet. A frown had settled upon her lips at finding Bucky injured. All she wore was a black long sleeved shirt, which was far too big for her. It was slipping off one shoulder and much of her legs were exposed despite the length of the garment. Her head tilted to the side, her brows drawing together as her fingers ghosted over Bucky's shoulder.
"Can I?" Her voice was barely a whisper. She looked over to meet Bucky's eyes. For a second he just stared at her.
When Bucky nodded she started sliding the sling off his shoulder. Slowly, she slipped it from his arm, careful not to cause him any pain. A pained expression came over her when she settled her palm against his skin. He couldn't keep his eyes off her.
For Nina, preexisting wounds were worse than fresh ones. While the wounds were clean and closed, they were also raw and aching. She could feel the pain deep in her own shoulder. In addition to the two bullet wounds there were numerous cuts and a few new broken ribs. It took longer than usual for her to heal them, but this time she was able to stay out of his psyche.
"Thank you," Bucky's eyes met Nina's again and she smiled softly. Somehow, she looked even more exhausted than before.