Melody and Clint showered together. She could feel the stinging in her bruises and cuts as Clint ran his hands down her arm, filling her that that fleeting feeling of safety. In that moment, she didn't have to think. She didn't want to think. It was all too hard. This Winter Soldier had killed her whole family, and it was something she just didn't want to think about. Mostly because she was afraid of what dark thoughts would take hold of her mind.

Clint felt the water running through his hair, washing out all the dirt and ash. Melody kissed his neck as the drops of water landed on them, filling him with comfort. He also didn't want to think. He didn't want to think about what Zola said. It was all too much. Melody was dying. He knew that now, but he didn't know if this right here was going to be their last bit of time together. Just them.

Earlier, Melody felt like all emotions had been violently ripped out of her body and then forcefully shoved back in all at once. Clint was the one thing that hadn't changed. He was the only thing that felt safe to her. The one thing that was never going to change. Her feelings would always remain the same and that's what she felt safest in.

Clint felt useless. It was a common feeling with Clint, but it just kept creeping back to him in the past few days. The one person that never made him feel useless was doing the exact opposite. He had almost gotten her killed. She hated him for days. And now, she was dying and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't come up with some diagnoses and work on a cure for her. He wasn't that smart. It was the way that she kissed his body that reminded him he wasn't as useless as he thought.

They didn't want to get out, but they knew both Steve and Natasha were waiting for a shower. Clint was the one who initiated it, shutting off the water, leaving Melody shivering as the water dripped from her hair. Clint looked to her, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear as he stared into those pretty blue eyes. She was crying, but she wasn't sure if Clint could distinguish the difference between the shower drops and the tear drops. He could. "I'm sorry." She muttered.

Clint moved his hand to her face, catching a tear before it even had a chance to fall. "Don't be." Melody shook her head at how loving he looked. She didn't get it. None of it made sense to her.

"I was so rude to you for lying to me and I – "

"I don't care." Clint whispered right back. "I care about getting you better." Melody looked to him incredulously. She didn't deserve him. With her, he was always so trusting and kind. "That's the only thing I care about."

Melody felt her tears pouring down as gasps took over her body. "I love you."

Clint couldn't fight his tears this time, either. "I love you."

The two shared a tearful embrace, scared for what was going to happen to them. Melody could keel over at any possible moment and that's what Clint was scared of most. Melody was scared for Clint's safety with the Winter Soldier. He could kill her all he wanted, but not Clint. Oh, God, not Clint.

Melody looked through Sam's fridge, pulling out the eggs, bread and milk. "Really, you don't have to do this." Sam laughed out while standing behind her. She was just as stubborn and determined as he had heard.

"It's the least I can do." Melody told him while shutting the fridge and putting her hands on her hips. "Now, where's your spices?"

Sam opened his mouth, about to protest with her again when Clint decided to interject. "Just let her do it. She's going to do what she wants no matter what you say, it's easier to just let it happen."

Melody gave him a bit of a smile as Sam turned back to her. He laughed, finally throwing his hands up like none of it mattered anymore. "Shelf above the stove."

"Thank you." She muttered before turning around and going to the shelf he had instructed.

Sam laughed again while going around the bar to sit with Clint, the pot of coffee now sitting between the two. "She always like this?"

"God yes." Clint practically whispered, almost like he was scared to say it out loud before taking a long drink of coffee. They then both looked to Melody who was reaching for the cinnamon, finding it just out of her reach. They both weren't looking to the cinnamon, though. They were looking at Melody's insanely fit and curvy backside. Clint turned to Sam, about to say something when he noticed where his eyes were. "Hey." Clint spoke while lightly slapping Sam on the arm, bringing him back. "Watch yourself."

"Sorry." He apologized, his eyes going down, Melody turning around just in time to realize what had happened, a tight smile playing at her lips before pulling out two pans.

Clint finally stopped staring at Sam to grab the coffee pot and refill his mug. He got the last bit of coffee before looking down at his mug. Just before taking a sip, though, he told Sam, "You're gonna make me another pot of coffee."

"Right." Sam spoke before standing up instantly and hurrying to the other side of the kitchen. Melody gave Clint a disapproving glance, but couldn't help this smile. Clint simply gave her a wink before taking a big swing of coffee. Melody found herself throwing one of the towels at him.

They all sat at the bar and table in the kitchen while eating their breakfast. "So, the question is," Natasha spoke while standing up from her plate. "Who at SHIELD could launch a domestic missile strike?"

Melody shook her head, hatred flowing through her before pulling her mug to her lips. "Pierce."

"Who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world." Clint spoke through an eye roll. Clint wanted to jam an arrow in his eye socket. Melody put a hand on his shoulder, massaging him slightly, hoping to calm him a little bit.

"But he's not working alone." Steve stressed, everyone looking back to him. "Zola's algorithm was on the Lemurian Star."

"So was Jasper Sitwell." Melody spoke in an almost dazed voice. God, they had to handpick who was SHILED and who was HYDRA and it was probably going to be some people she thought she could trust. Like Sitwell.

Steve looked to her, the realization hitting him too. "So, the real question is, how do the four most wanted people in Washington kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight?"

Sam came back into the kitchen with a file in his hand while walking straight toward Steve. "The answer is, you don't." He dropped the file on the table in front of him, Steve slightly glancing at the file before looking back to Sam.

"What's this?"

Sam gave him a little smirk. "Call it a resume."

The three slowly moved to the file, Natasha being the one to finally pick it up. "Is this Bakhmala?"

"The Khalid Khandil mission," Clint spoke with a nod before looking to Sam. "That was you?"

"You didn't say he was a Pararescue." Melody spoke while looking over to Steve, impressed so far.

Natasha handed the file over to Steve, looking at one of the pictures, remembering back on their talk at the VA. "Is this Riley?"

"Yeah." Sam looked down a little at that, Melody knowing that look all too well. He lost him.

"I heard they couldn't bring in the choppers because of the RPGs." Sam nodding in confirmation to what Natasha had said. "What did you use? A stealth chute?"

Sam laughed a little. You couldn't go to three of the best superheroes in the world and without a super suit. "No. These."

When he flipped the page over, everyone's eyes got wide. Steve looked up at him with a smile. "I thought you said you were a pilot."

"I never said pilot." Sam chuckled out.

Steve's face then got serious. "I can't ask you to do this, Sam. You got out for a good reason."

"Dude, Captain America needs my help. There's no better reason to get back in." His face kept serious through the whole sentence, Steve shrugging, knowing they could use someone else to trust.

"Dude," Clint began, pulling the picture to look at it. "Where can I get one of these?" Melody threw her hand in the air, her stare fixated on no point in particular, knowing no matter what they were all going through, Clint was going to continue to be Clint.

"There's two at Fort Meade." Clint grabbed his jacket quickly before hurrying to the door, Melody just shaking her head at him this time. "Behind three guarded gates and a twelve-inch steel wall." Sam spoke that last part louder so Clint would be able to hear it.

The three Avengers looked to each other, Natasha shrugging like they could do it, Steve looking at Sam to tell him their consensus. "Shouldn't be a problem."

While stealing the pair of wings, Melody was able to make it out with something she really needed at the moment. A blood lab kit. Melody and Clint were in one of the bathrooms while waiting on Sam to get Sitwell to talk to them. Melody tied a tourniquet to the top of her arm while pulling it with her teeth before slapping her arm. "What?" Clint laughed out. "Are we doing meth?"

"Well, you're too much of a pussy to do this for me." She growled out before inserting the syringe. "And you shoot up heroine."

"How do you know that?" Clint's lip went up in disgust, looking back to her arm before turning around. "Yeah, you're right. I am a pussy."

Melody pulled up the syringe, drawing up enough blood to fill it before pulling it out and immediately putting cotton gauze to the wound. "What are you going to do with that?" Clint asked, turning around once he knew it was safe.

Melody looked to him as she leaned forward, hand still pressed to her wound while pulling out a test tube and switching so her elbow was holding the wound for her. "What else do you do with a blood sample?"

She began to put the blood into a test tube as Clint rolled his eyes. "Obviously you're going to test it, but what for?"

Melody looked at the blood in the tube studying it intensely before swirling it around a little bit, the thick liquid slightly moving. "I have a theory, but I'm going to need Steve's blood too to find out if my theory is correct."

"Well, let's get his blood." Clint spoke enthusiastically before turning to the door of the bathroom.

"Clint," she spoke, stopping him. "Even if this theory comes out right, I have to also come up with an antidote from the base infection which could take years."

"Well, you're going to do it." Clint urged.

Melody shook her head while laughing. "Clint."

"Melody," He spoke urgently, not taking his eyes off of her, while Melody's face got serious too. "I know you're trying to prepare me for the worst, but don't."

"Clint," Melody laughed out again, but her laugh was way more dark. "My dad died from this in a matter of weeks."

"You saw the video," Clint spoke excitedly. "You know he would have had more time if it wasn't for the Winter Soldier. You don't know how long you can survive with this. It could be years."

"Clint, you can't fight fate."

Clint moved closer to her, looking her right in the eye. "Yeah, well, fuck fate." Melody blinked, never seeing him this determined before. "You're going to be fine."

Clint pushed the bathroom door open angrily as Melody just stood there, shocked. She really didn't think about how much this would affect Clint. How selfish, Melody thought to herself. Now, she had to find an antidote and cure herself. She was going to do it for Clint. And she was going to get Steve's blood sample.

Melody threw Jasper Sitwell through the door to get onto the roof, Steve and Natasha following her. "Tell me about Zola's algorithm." She demanded.

Sitwell began to fix his glasses while staggering back from the three. "Never heard of it." He demanded.

"What were you doing on the Lemurian Star?" Steve asked, stepping in front of Melody as they backed him into the ledge of the building.

"I was throwing up. I get seasick."

Before he fell off, Steve grabbed him by the collar of the shirt, pulling him close to intimidate him. "Is this little display meant to insinuate you're going to throw me off the roof?" A smile flashed across his face. "Because that's really not your style, Rogers."

"You're right." Steve spoke, letting go of his collar before smoothing out his suit jacket. "It's not." He then stepped back. "It's hers."

Natasha went forward, kicking him in the chest and sending him flying off the building while screaming out desperately. They stood there for a moment until Natasha got an idea. "Oh, wait, what about that girl from accounting?"

"Oh!" Melody exclaimed, agreeing with it. "Laura?" Natasha and Steve both shook their head, knowing it was close, but not right. "Lisa?"

"Lillian." Steve spoke, snapping at the memory of the name.

"Yes!" Natasha and Melody agreed in unison.

"Lip piercing, right?"

"Yeah," Natasha agreed with a smile. "She's cute."

"Yeah." Steve scoffed while shaking his head. There was no doubt that she was beautiful, but that lip piercing. "I'm not ready for that."

That's when Sam and Clint brought Jasper back on the roof while throwing him around a little in the air. If he was seasick before, Melody didn't even want to imagine what he was feeling now. The three then moved to Sitwell while Clint and Sam blocked the door to get to the stairs of the building. "Zola's algorithm is a program!" He screamed out quickly, afraid for what else they were going to do to him. "For choosing Insight's targets."

Melody went rigid at the sound of her creations before stepping forward in demand to know more. "What targets?!"

"You!" He screamed. Melody then turned around to look back at Steve, not sure what that meant. "Tony Stark, a TV anchor in Cairo, the Secretary of Defense, a high school valedictorian in Iowa City, Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to HYDRA now or in the future."

"The future?" Steve spoke, mulling it over before looking at Sitwell. "How could it know?"

He began to laugh, Melody wanting to punch him in the face. "How could it not?" Melody looked to Clint across from her, playing with her necklace in thought. "The 21st century is a digital book. Zola taught HYDRA how to read it."

Sitwell looked around at all of them, finding they weren't understanding. "Your bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, emails, phone calls," he then turned to look directly at Melody, "your damn SAT scores." Melody looked down, wondering if that's what alerted HYDRA to her in the first place or if she always had a target on her back from her family. "Zola's algorithm evaluates people's past to predict their future."

"And what then?" Melody whispered.

"Oh, my God." Sitwell began to cry out. "Pierce is gonna kill me."

"What then?!" Steve demanded, Sam placing his hand on his shoulder to make sure he wasn't going anywhere.

"Then the Insight helicarriers scratch people off the list." Melody looked to Steve, panic all over her face. "A few million at a time." They all shared looks of fear, knowing they had to destroy those ships.

The back seat of the car was cramped. It was Natasha, Clint, Melody and Sitwell, Melody trying to test her and Steve's blood as they drove down the highway. Melody was closest to the left side window while Sitwell was sandwiched in between Natasha and Clint. "HYDRA doesn't like leaks." Sitwell spoke, Melody not even paying attention, she was too busy running through tests and it was a lot harder to do without any advanced medical equipment besides a blood lab kit. It was all the basics. No technology what so ever.

"Yeah," Sam scoffed while looking at him through the rearview mirror. "Then stick a cork in it."

"Insight's launching in sixteen hours." Natasha informed, making everyone have to move over so she could stick her head by Steve, jostling the blood around a little bit. "We're cutting it a little bit close here."

"Natasha, sit down!" Melody yelled like a mom that had been putting up with her troublesome kids all day. With a huff, Natasha did as she said. "We're going to use him to bypass the DNA scans and access the helicarriers directly."

"What?!" Sitwell screamed.

Melody couldn't even hear him, though. She was focusing on what was in her hand. She had pulled something out of Steve's blood. She knew what it was…and she had just pulled the exact same thing out of her blood. "Oh my god."

That's when an arm reached through the window Melody was by, knocking the samples out of her hand, the blood flying on both her and the back of the driver's seat of the car as Sitwell was pulled out. "NO!"

Shots then went through the car, Melody, Natasha and Clint having to hurry to the front seat to avoid them. Natasha was on Steve's lap while Clint was on Sam's and Melody sat in the middle console, shifting the gear into park. The man went flying off the car from its stop, his metal hand skidding on the road with his knee up and his other leg straight out to stop him from sliding. Once he was stopped, he flipped his hair back out of his face.

Melody's eyebrows began to furrow. That was the exact move she did the other day. How long had he been watching her? "Go!" Melody suddenly shouted out, making everyone jump as she put the car in drive again. "Run him over!"

Sam did as she said, slamming on the gas, going straight for him, but they were hit in the back of the car, the Winter Soldier jumping up on their car and pulling the steering wheel right out of Sam's hands. "Shit!" Clint cursed since he was closest to it as Natasha began to shoot at him.

The group got about a few feet away from the Humvee, but it slammed into the car again, sending them up the median wall. They weren't going to hang on for much longer so Steve got Natasha and Melody before slamming his shield to the passenger door. "Hang on!" Steve yelled as Melody grabbed onto Clint and Clint grabbed onto Sam.

Melody, Natasha and Steve were on the actual door of the car while Clint and Sam were on top of them. The door broke off as the car flipped in the air. The car door hit the street hard as it skidded, Sam and Clint rolling off the car door, Melody looking back in panic. "Clint!"

Once the door stopped skidding and they stood up, Melody almost took off towards Clint, but the Winter Soldier had a gun, aiming for Steve, Melody and Natasha. Steve got a chance to push Natasha away on his left, but if he would have pushed Melody, she would have fallen off the bridge. So Steve grabbed her by the waist before pushing out his shield, the shot hit and the two went flying.

They slammed through the windshield of a bus, the driver becoming distracted before an eighteen wheeler crashed right into the bus, sending it on its side.

Up on the bridge, Natasha, Clint and Sam each ran for cover, hiding behind different cars, Sam and Natasha shooting their guns and Clint, his arrows from the car wreckage. The group of HYDRA agents just kept coming. Clint shot off an arrow that would have landed in the Winter Soldier's chest, but he just caught it before snapping it. "Shit." Clint muttered before running away from the firing squad.

Natasha used a grappling hook to flip off the bridge, the Winter Solider following her, but Natasha was too quick for him, sending a bullet right into his goggles before running off. With a coldness, the man ripped off his goggles before anger took over his body. He stood straight up, his gun right over the bridge, shooting wildly in hopes to put a bullet in her. She hurried down the street, looking back at him to give him a tiny smirk.

The Winter Soldier was going to play with her, now determined to kill her himself. He didn't even look back at the firing squad when saying, "I have her. Find the blondes."

Without care for his body's wellbeing, he jumped off the bridge, slamming on top of a car before going after her, that swagger returning to his walk.

Melody slowly pushed herself up, shocked that she was actually still alive. She looked all around, taking in everything that had just happened. She went flying through a bus. She hit a car on the way down. How the hell was she still alive? She wasn't just alive, though, she felt like at worst, she had been punched. She imagined flying through a bus would have the worst possible feel to it; yet, here she was.

There was screaming all around her, Melody knowing she could worry about all of this later. Right now, she had to do her job. She began helping people off the bus along with Steve. When they got the last person off the bus, shots immediately began to go into the vehicle rapidly. Her and Steve weaved through them carefully before busting out the back of the window to Steve's shield. Steve put it up in front of them, but they could still feel the hits pounding against the metal. "What the hell do we do?" Melody practically screamed. Steve had no earthly idea.

Clint and Sam were the only remaining two on the bridge. Clint moved up to one of the men while Sam went to the other, both of them taking them down before taking their guns and taking out the men who were shooting at Steve and Melody.

Steve and Melody were still behind the shield when Melody thought of something. "Run!"

"What?" Steve yelled over the shots.

"Run!" Melody spoke louder. "The pressure's gonna suck, but that's the only way we're getting out of this."

He did as she said, and she was right. The pressure felt awful as they ran forward, especially with the sound ringing in both of their ears. Right when they got to the man, Steve flipped over, taking the man down with a flip as Melody jumped up on the car and slammed her fist into his throat.

Melody grabbed the man's gun before ducking down. When she looked up, Clint was shooting at the other HYDRA agents. "Clint." She whispered above her.

"Go!" He yelled while waving a hand at her before switching from gun to bow. "We got this!" He called out before hitting one of the men perfectly in the chest.

"Come on." Steve urged her while helping her up.

The Winter Solider walked down the street, shooting anything that came in his path. That's when he heard Natasha's voice next to a parked car. He armed one of the concealable grenades before rolling it to where he heard her voice. The second it exploded, he was satisfied, but he didn't know that was just a recording and Natasha was coming right for him.

She kicked the gun out of his hand before climbing on his shoulders, wrapping her legs around his neck and pulling a string around it. His hand came out just in time before she could tighten it, him walking them into the back of a car before flipping Natasha off of his back.

He picked up his gun, aiming it right at her, but she threw a device at his arm, locking it right up. She then sprinted off, leaving the man steaming in his anger. He ripped the thing from his arm before rolling his arm angrily and running after her, shooting her perfectly in the shoulder.

Natasha fell to the ground, automatically putting her hand to the wound as she backed up to lean against a car. The Winter Soldier then jumped up on a car diagonal from her, ready to finish the job, but Melody showed up, ripping the gun from his hands. He turned to punch her with his metal arm, but Melody ducked as Steve pushed his shield into his fist, a sound from the clash echoing through the air.

Melody grabbed his ankle, pulling him down, thinking about her dad. He would probably be alive if it wasn't for this monstrosity. She pulled out her knife, trying to jab him in the chest, but he caught her arm, squeezing her wrist tight. She screamed before slamming her foot into the man's chest.

The man kicked Steve off the car before getting his gun back. Melody grabbed his human arm, stopping him. Their strength was about the same. He then grabbed her by the neck with such strength, Melody immediately began choking. He threw her into a nearby van when Steve got up, but the Winter Soldier shot at him.

Steve hid behind his shield until he ran out of bullets. Steve took this chance to run and distract him from Melody, but the man pulled another gun out of his holster. Melody got up from the van, climbing on top of him as he continued to shoot at Steve. Melody slammed her elbow into his shoulder, distracting him for a moment, trying to shoot her, but the bullet missed her by just a centimeter.

She used his body to throw herself off of him, giving him a moment to pull out another gun. She caught his metal arm, elbowing him in the head, punching him and kicking him in the chest in a fast rhythm. He staggered back just a little bit until Steve caught up with him. He immediately began to shoot, but Steve had his shield.

Steve punched him in the face before trying to send his shield into him. The Winter Soldier caught the shield, punching Steve in the chest before flipping him over, but Steve got up right again. He now had the shield, Steve blocking every one of his blows before he got one in, making Steve stagger back as the Winter Soldier held onto the shield tight.

When Steve got up, him and Melody were side by side, the man trying to throw the shield at them, but they both ducked. The man then pulled out a knife, Melody knowing this was her specialty. She pulled out one of her daggers, her and the Winter Soldier meeting in a clash of metal.

He hit her arm, almost making her drop her dagger and he tried to stab her but she jumped out of the way. Steve jumped at the man, but he simply threw him. This became clear to them all that this battle was between Melody and the Winter Soldier. The knives continued to clash as Melody roundhouse kicked the man in the chest, sending him back into another car.

Steve then ran at him once he dropped his knife, sending his knees into his chest. The man then grabbed Steve by the back of the head before punching him in the face with his human arm. It still hurt as it would with the metal one. Steve got in a good hit, but the man flipped him over and grabbed him by the neck like he had done with Melody.

When the man threw Steve over a few cars, Melody went in to attack him again with her daggers, the Winter Soldier still having his. They kicked and punched at each other, before he threw her into the same van he had thrown the shield into. He then slammed his knife into the van. If Melody wouldn't have moved, it would have gone straight through her skull.

He pushed the knife down the van, trying to get to Melody's head, but she moved with him. Melody pushed herself off of him, but he got in front of her, trying to fall on top of her, but Melody dodged that too. The Winter Soldier slammed into the ground as Melody went to grab Steve's shield.

That's when Steve got up from where he was thrown, watching the two fight. The man went to hit her, but the shield blocked it for her. He then went to stab her, but she used the shield again. He then went under the shield, punching her, making her fall back again. He kicked at her, but Melody blocked it, going under the shield to punch him in the chest. She was sure that hurt her more than it hurt him.

He tried to go at her again, but she jammed the shield into his metal arm, distracting him long enough to slam the shield into his face. That's when she grabbed him by the mask, flipping him over. Steve ran to her side once the man rolled across the street.

Melody looked to the mask that had come off his face before dropping it to the ground. He stood up and Melody ran at him to fight him again with Steve following, but when he turned around, they both stopped dead in their tracks, eyes wide and mouths dropped.

It was like the world had stopped. That couldn't be right. He was dead. It had to be someone that looked just like him. Like how Melody looked just like Maria. But then again, Steve should be dead too. They never recovered a body. They both knew that much. But the more Steve looked at him, the more he was sure, it was him. He had the exact same moles on the exact same spots on his face.

"Bucky?"

When the name came across Steve's lips, there was some sort of recognition there. He moved forward a little bit, his eyebrows knitted in confusion. "Who the hell is Bucky?"

Melody looked down at that. Her and her grandfather just tried to kill each other. That's when Bucky brought his gun straight up. That's when Sam and Clint flew over with the wings, Clint being the one to knock him down.

When Bucky got up again, he looked to the two instantly. Melody and Steve both twitching with distress. That recognition passed over his face again, causing him to look down, but he had a job to do. He brought his gun up again, but Natasha took care of him this time. She hit the car next to him with an RPG, but once the smoke cleared, Bucky was nowhere to be found.

Melody and Steve just kept looking at where they had last saw him, though. That's when all the HYDRA cars pulled up. Brock Rumlow was leading them, running straight up to Melody and Steve with guns while others went for Natasha, Clint and Sam.

Brock forced them both down on their knees, but they were still left with such shock. "Don't move." Brock commanded them. That's when Rollins moved directly behind Steve with a gun against his head. For a moment, Steve wanted it to happen, but then he thought of Melody right next to him.

That gun against Steve's head was enough to break her out of her trance. "Get the fuck off of him!" She commanded, turning around to push Rollins off.

Rollins immediately then put the gun to Melody's head. "Stop!" Steve yelled, even more distressed than before.

"Do it." Melody commanded, fixing the gun so it was resting perfectly between the eyes and would instantly kill her if he were to pull the trigger.

"Don't!" Steve yelled, trying to stand up, but Brock just kicked him in the gut, sending him down.

"I want you to." Melody dared, her face never being more determined.

"Not here." Brock whispered to him. Rollins cocked back the gun, wanting to show her he would. "Not here!" Brock yelled, pushing his gun away from Melody's head as more news helicopters gathered around.

Rollins moved to cuff her, but she kept her glare with him. As Rumlow was cuffing Steve, all he could do was look down, Bucky's face still all he could think about.

I'm so happy we finally got to Bucky! Remember to vote for my poll on my blog about a new story! Thanks again for reading and all the reviews I got in the last chapter. You guys are the best! Remember to review!