Chapter Nine

They continued driving for another two days, stopping to set up camp at night. Alessia thought that Sam was just trying to get them as far off the grid as possible, but on the third day they started seeing more gas stations and other cars on the road. Then some chain restaurants and larger grocery stores. Before long they had actually entered a city .

"Shouldn't we be laying low?" Bucky asked Sam.

"We need to check in, see if there's anything on the news." Sam replied.

The friction between the two men was driving Alessia nuts. They couldn't seem to talk to each other without snapping, and it meant that Alessia hadn't participated in a real conversation in days. She was, if anything, glad when Sam revealed that he had plastic and checked them into a motel. Although he made Alessia and Bucky stay in the car while got the key, and tried to keep them out of sight as much as possible as they walked to the room. It was the sort of motel where the doors were on the outside of the building, and they had to walk up a flight of cement stairs to the room Sam had checked out.

Sam unlocked the door with a key card and the three of them stepped in with their backpacks. "Ah, a bed!" Alessia sighed, falling onto the closest one, tossing her backpack to the side. After sleeping in sleeping bags on the ground or cramped up in the back seat of the car, the box-spring motel bed felt like Heaven. Neither Bucky nor Sam seemed to feel the same way, and both dropped their bags and began inspecting the room.

The room was a typical two-bed-and-a-mini-fridge deal, with a large T.V that boasted three movie channels. A small glossy folded paper sign on one of the bedside tables promised free wifi with the password "HOSPITALITY." Not that Alessia could use the wifi, since she didn't have a phone or computer.

Sam plopped down at the foot of the empty bed and flicked on the television. He surfed through a few channels before settling on a major news network. Alessia didn't want to listen to it. They were talking about a several buildings that had been burned down in the past four days. The trending theory after the third incident, which took out five residential homes, was that there was a serial arsonist on the loose. The story was making Alessia feel sick, especially when the reporter announced that "The cumulative death toll of all four incidents is thirty-seven victims, eighteen of which children and young adults. "

"Ugh, I don't want to hear this," Alessia said, sitting up. "I'm going to get some air."

Sam grunted in response. Bucky, arms crossed leaning against the wall in the corner gave her a sidelong glance before returning his gaze to the TV. Alessia walked as slowly as possible to the door, hoping that either Bucky or Sam would offer to keep her company, but she made it outside before one of them did.

The narrow walkway outside was open air, and the view from over the hand railing was mostly undeveloped forest. She leaned her arms on this and stared into the greenery, corrupted only by a telephone line peeking from behind the trees, and the motel parking lot in the foreground. A light drizzle was descending from the gray overcast sky, and a brisk breeze was in the air. At least, to Alessia it felt brisk, cool and nice. She was aware that it was, in fact, rather cold out, and her powers were the only thing that made her comfortable in just a short-sleeved tee shirt.

Of course, the cold wasn't the only temperature Alessia had a natural immunity to. No matter how hot it got, and even if she was tired and hungry and sad, the heat never got to her. It did make sense, considering her abilities. But with this thought on her mind, Alessia gripped the handrailing and considered the dozens of people who died in fires.

Not just the ones on the news tonight, or the ones that she was responsible for, but just that it was a thing. That fire, an energy that poured out of her as naturally as tears or sweat, was a deadly and destructive force, capable of leveling a neighborhood with little assistance. It sent a shudder down her spine, and tiny voice inside herself said: You're a monster.

Alessia had only ever hurt someone who had tried to hurt her first. She told herself this again and again, but there were still times that her dreams were haunted by Dylan's mother, the way she looked crying at his funeral. He was her only child. He was the star of the football team. He was the high school heart throb who all the girls liked. He was, inexplicably, was the first boy who asked Alessia Haddock on a date. He was an eighteen year old with an alcohol problem, that she witnessed, when he drank an entire forty in under five minutes. He was a drunk teenager who wouldn't take no for an answer. And she had killed him.

There was a loud crash on the ground some ways to her left. Startled out of her thoughts, Alessia ran over to the corner of the walkway closest to where the sound came from. There was a pile of wooden crates that looked like it had recently been disturbed. She glanced back at the door of the motel room, and turned back look at the pile of crates. A faint whimpering sound escaped the pile of wood. Without a second thought, Alessia took off down the stairs. She dashed around the building to the outside corner where the pile of crates sat. She slowed to a walk as she started to approach the crates. She bent her knees lower as she walked, searching for the source of the whine she had heard. A small movement in the shadows confirmed that it was either a small dog or a very large cat. Alessia clicked her tongue softly, and cooed "Here, sweetie. Come heeeeere sweeeeetiiee."

A tiny pale-yellow, black-nosed face peeked out from under the nearest crate for half a second before retreating back. A puppy, at least part golden retriever, by the looks of it. Alessia dropped to her knees and whistled softly, patting her thighs with her hands. The tiny puppy face reappeared, and this time the rest of the puppy timidly followed. The dog was disgustingly dirty, very skinny, and without a collar. Alessia wished she had a treat or something to offer the stray, but a quick pat of her pockets reminded her that all of the food was in the backpacks.

Instead, Alessia reached her hand out slowly to the dog, allowing the anxious puppy to sniff her fingertips before stepping slightly closer. She turned her hand over, open and palm up, and was delighted when the puppy continued to sniff her, burying its damn snout in her hand. Alessia gently moved her hand to the dogs ears, barely touching as she pet the animal. The dog had sat itself down on its hind legs in front of Alessia, and started panting with sweet grin on it's face.

"Hey there sweetie," Alessia said, barely above a whisper. "You wanna come get cleaned up? Hmm? Get you some food, love? Hmm?" The puppy's gaze, which had been fixed on Alessia face, shifted to slightly behind her, its grin dissolving and it's ears perking up. Alessia followed the dog's gaze over her shoulder.

"Jesus Christ you're sneaky." Alessia said, her heart missing a beat when she realized Bucky was only about six feet away from her.

"You shouldn't go wondering off." He said.

"But… it's a puppy."Alessia crooned, turning her attention back to the dog. "Come here love, I'll take you inside." She said, gently lifting the dog off of it's feet. The animal resisted slightly, kicking it's tiny legs a little as Alessia shifted the dog so that it's feet were supported in the crook of her arm. It was even lighter than it looked, and shivering too. Alessia hugged the dog, trying to channel just a tiny bit of warmth to her arms. She stood and turned to face Bucky, only to see that he had disappeared. Damn that boy is quiet… She thought, beginning the trip back to the room slowly so that the movement wouldn't jostle the dog too much.

When she got back to the room, Sam was already waiting for her at the door.

"No," He said.

"Tell this poor sweet baby that," She said, turning her body so that the dog's face was pointed at Sam. As if on cue, the puppy turned its big simpering eyes right at Sam and cocked its head just ever so slightly, lifting one of its ears a bit.

"Goddamnit.." Alessia heard Sam say as she slipped past him. Bucky wasn't in the room when she walked in, but the bathroom door was open, the light was on, and Alessia could hear water running from inside. She peered through, timidly, hoping the door being open meant that Bucky wasn't in the shower.

Bucky was kneeling at the base of the bathtub, the faucet on full blast filling the bath. He was running his right hand in the water, and when Alessia peered in the doorway he nodded his head back to invite her in. She stepped in the small bathroom, and Bucky outstretched his arms, gently taking the dog out of her grasp and moving it to the tub.

The puppy's fur immediately left murky swirls in the tub, but dog sat with it's nose in the air and eyes closed in what looked like complete bliss as Bucky scooped handfuls of water up and let them trickle gently over the dog's body and face.

Alessia grabbed the tiny shampoo bottle from the counter and lathered some of it's contents between her hands. She started at the puppy's head, carefully avoiding the face with the shampoo, working the lather into the golden fur of the dog's neck and upper body. Bucky kept scooping up water, letting it rinse the shampoo and dirt off the dog's body as Alessia rubbed the dog's fur with suds.

When the puppy's small body had been cleaned, Bucky grabbed one of the hotel towels and draped it between his arms so that when Alessia took the dog out of the water she was able to place it on his lap and he could wrap the puppy in the towel.

Alessia pulled the plug on the bath and followed Bucky out of the bathroom. Sam was still sulking about the puppy, a grumpy look on his face while he pointedly ignored the other two, eyes glued to the news on TV. Bucky sat on the bed Sam wasn't in, puppy bundle in his arms, and Alessia unzipped her bag, pulling out the other half of the disgusting bagged burrito that she hadn't been able to finish the night before. The puppy didn't seem to think it was disgusting at all- in fact Alessia had to pull the burrito away from the dog because the puppy was eating it so fast Alessia was afraid it would choke. Bucky ran his hands over the little animal's body, gently scratching it behind the ears, and stroking its back. Alessia, sitting cross legged on the bed next to him, fed it smaller scraps of food so the dog wouldn't get sick eating too quick.

Soon the burrito was gone, and Bucky pulled a can of Vienna sausages out of his backpack. Alessia contorted her face in disgust. Did he actually PICK Vienna sausages? To EAT? Bucky laughed at her reaction, peeling back the top of the can. A smile, a real smile was still on his lips. The first smile she had seen so far. It lit up his face and made him look so friendly and handsome.

Bucky picked a sausage out of the can, offering it to the dog, who eagerly accepted it. While the puppy munched away, Bucky pulled another sausage out of the can and, making painful, intense eye contact with Alessia, popped it into his mouth.

Alessia gagged. Bucky snorted again. Sam groaned in exasperation from the other bed. This sent Alessia into a fit of giggles, and this had the strange effect of getting a laugh out of Bucky. Just one. And then, as the puppy clamoured for another sausage, another chuckle, and then the dog had somehow managed to spill the sausage juice and a few sausages on the bedspread. Alessia let out a squeal, avoiding the logs of canned meat that the excited puppy was not chasing after in blankets, while Bucky watched the whole scene gasping for breath between laughs.

In the background, Alessia was just barely aware of the fact that Sam was turning the TV off and going outside. Instead she was more amused by the dog lapping the sausage juice of off Bucky's fingers while he laughed and tried to keep the rest of the can from spilling.

After a moment, the inevitable last rounds of the laughter turned into sighs as they both calmed down. Alessia glanced back to see that Sam's figure was silhouetted in the curtain from the streetlight outside that had just come on.

"Looks like we drove him away." She remarked. This sent Bucky into a new wave of laughter that infected Alessia as well. "Oops," He said with a snort, gathering the rouge sausages from the bed while the puppy followed eagerly, trying to get them first.

They didn't stay at the motel for much longer. The next morning they were back on the road, and Alessia insisted they brought the dog with them. She got the impression that Sam wouldn't have let her, but that Bucky's silent scowling stare was what got her her way.

Bucky, who had informed Alessia the dog was definitely a girl, was calling her Buttercup in the softest of voices. Alessia wanted to argue that since she had found the dog, she should name it, but it became clear very quickly that Bucky had a soft spot for the animal and Alessia let it slide. How was she supposed to argue with him anyway, when Buttercup had turned him from an intimidating and sarcastic asshole into the biggest cinnamon roll she'd ever seen in her life.

The fact that Bucky refused to let Buttercup ride anywhere besides his lap also won Alessia the front seat for the first time since they'd got the car. Sam didn't want a dog in the front seat. Even though Buttercup was very well behaved and very small, Alessia mentioned neither of these and climbed in shotgun.

"I think we're due for another grocery run," Sam said as he started the engine. In the back, Buttercup whimpered at the noise of the car. "And I think we could use a phone." He pulled out of the motel parking lot. "I asked the guy at the desk and he said that there's a mall a few miles away. Alessia, would you be okay going by yourself to get a cell phone?"

"By myself?" Alessia asked, surprised at the suggestion. "How come?"

"There's a lot more security at malls, because they sell jewelry and electronics and stuff like that, which means you're more likely to get caught on camera."

"Riiight. So, um,"

"So, you aren't considered wanted or missing by the police or government. The only info they have on you is that you exist. Assuming you didn't tell Pepper your full name that is, nobody should have photos of you go on, and you can probably pass unnoticed."

"Are you sure?" She asked nervously. Alessia was trying to remember if she ever did tell Pepper and Jane her full name. And, though she was pretty sure she didn't, The name Alessia was pretty uncommon, and there was a limited number of girls with her name who lived close enough to Clint for the search to be pretty narrow. Alessia pictured Tony Stark stumbling onto her facebook page. There were still pictures of her on there from when she was in the Devil Town Dolls. Oh god, and what if he googled her? She'd attempted it only once, and the top result was a routine from six years ago, to the song "you're the one that I want" from Grease. IronMan is going to know how much of a loser I am. Alessia thought.

"I think you'll be fine," Sam said, bringing her back to the present. "I'm more concerned that we'll be recognized when we're together than on our own. Just be cool and don't act like you're hiding from anyone, and no one will think you are."

Fifteen minutes later, Sam dropped Alessia off at the mall, promising to be back in less than an hour to get her.

"What if you're not here?" Alessia asked, peering at Sam through the passenger window as she dawdled on the sidewalk by the mall entrance. She really didn't want to go anywhere by herself. She was all too aware of the fact that, though her powers were pretty useful in a fight, it would really only take three or four trained fighters with the right weapons to take her out. Maybe less. Her confidence was falling along with her body temperature as Sam said:

"Don't worry, we'll be here." He smiled to reassure her. "We're just going to go get some more food and supplies."

"Don't forget dog food!"Alessia said, this time addressing Bucky. "She needs the one specifically for puppies."

Bucky smiled at her, still petting Buttercup mechanically, and still seated in the back. "Sure thing." He said.

"Alright, see you in an hour!" Sam said, giving Alessia a confident smile before he pulled away. Alessia was left standing on the sidewalk, nervously fingering the bundle of cash in her pocket as she set out off.

The mall was a maze of carpeted hallways and flashy storefronts. Alessia had lost count of what day of the week it was, but judging by the crowds of teenagers, it was probably a Saturday or Sunday.

Sam had only given her $120 to get a phone and enough minutes to last them "a few weeks." Even so, she was able to get an off-brand smart phone and two months of service and still have $15 left over. And forty-five minutes to wait.

She considered buying herself something, but spending money on the sort of girly stuff she'd normally be tempted to buy at the mall seemed inappropriate considering the circumstances. Instead she settled in one of the cushioned benches between a pretzel stand and a department store and decided to figure out the new phone.

After a brief glance at the apps the phone came with, and checking to see what the texting format was, she hit the browser icon. There were a couple things she really wanted to search. She was about to type in "Winter soldier"- the words Clint had said before they'd split up, but she stopped before she searched it. Anything she searched on the phone would be visible in it's history, but more importantly, it could show up in the mall's wifi network. Anything too suspicious could set off a signal. So instead, she opened a private browser, and searched "Tony Stark."

Iron Man's wikipedia page was full with scientific lingo and stock information about Stark industries. A remarkably dull read, she switched to "Steve Rogers/Captain America," as soon as she saw the link. Steve's page was almost as boring as Tony Stark's. Someone had cataloged every battle he appeared in during world war two, with meticulous dates and locations. She was going to skip towards the end where the heading "Affiliation with Avengers" promised more current information, when a picture caught her eye. Was that Bucky?

The date beneath the picture said it was from 1944, but that had to be wrong. That was definitely Bucky standing next to Steve in the picture. His hair was shorter, and he was wearing clothes that definitely looked like they were from the 40's, but.. It was him. There were a few other men standing around Steve, framing him so that he was the middle of the group. Alessia read the description beneath the photo. With his howling commandos, pictured here: Dum Dum Dugan, Jim Morita, Gabe Jones, James "Bucky" Barnes,

"Well that doesn't make any sense." Alessia muttered. She tried to enlarge the picture as much as possible. The Bucky in the photo was carrying a gun in both hands, some sort of rifle. It must have been old too, because the guns Clint had gotten her to practice with were much sleeker. But Alessia wasn't trying to look at the gun. The picture was very poor quality, so no matter how much she increased it the detail of Bucky's left hand stayed vague and indiscernible. She remembered how Sam said that the story of how Bucky lost his arm was messed up. It looked like, in this picture dated 1944, that he still had it.

Her eyes flitted up to the time in the corner of the phone. Shit, Sam will be here soon, she thought, quickly exiting all the windows she had open. She stuffed the phone into the pocket of her jeans and walked briskly to the end of the mall where Sam and Bucky were going to meet her.

Maybe it's a family name. Alessia thought, walking through the automatic doors to the sidewalk to wait. He could just be one of those people who looks exactly like their dad. Grandad? It happens I guess.

But Steve had acted like he was meeting his long lost friend. He wouldn't be that way if it was just his friend's grandson, would he? And besides, Bucky wouldn't be the only person who lived through seventy years without aging.

But Captain America only survived all that time because he's a supersoldier, and because he was frozen. A normal person wouldn't be able to survive being frozen like that.

Alessia was tempted to open the wikipedia page again. Maybe looking at the picture again would convince her it wasn't really Bucky. It was a very grainy picture after all. Alessia glanced up and down the parking lot, looking for the car Sam was driving. He'd promised they'd be back in an hour… Alessia took the phone out and checked the time. He was late, by almost fifteen minutes. Alessia walked a little along the sidewalk trying to see if Sam had parked the car to wait for her. Nothing. She reflexively swiped the phone unlocked and opened up the dial pad before she remembered that Sam and Bucky didn't have a phone to call.

Alessia was getting nervous. She fingered her necklace and shifted her weight from foot to foot. Every time she glanced a car moving out of the corner of her eye, she'd perk up, stepping forward hopefully, only to be disappointed. She checked the phone again. It had been an hour and a half since she was dropped off, and Sam had made it seem like they wouldn't even be gone the full hour.

Another car pulled up. Not Sam. Half a dozen boys around Alessia's age were piled in the back. She was painfully aware that several of them were looking at her as the car drove slowly past where she stood..

"Hey hon, you waitin' for someone? We can give you a ride." one of the boy's shouted. Alessia pretended she couldn't hear, staring intently at her phone.

"You look lonely," it was a different voice, from the same car. "Want some company?"

Alessia wondered what would happen if she did ask them for a ride. Yes, I need a ride to a grocery store, I'm looking for two guys and a dog..

"C'mon doll, don't ignore us,"

Alessia glanced up one last time, doing her best to avoid looking at the van full of cat-callers. No Sam. She turned around.

"Where you going babe?"

"Don't be scared, we just wanna show you a good time!"

"Aww, hun don't be like that,"

Alessia wanted to turn around and tell them that she wasn't scared, but it wasn't worth it. Standing around being harassed wasn't fun, and turning it into a fight wouldn't do any good. She could wait inside for Sam and Bucky. If she came back outside and they'd had to wait on her… well, it served them right for being so late.

She was starting to get a cold, prickly feeling that something was very wrong, though. She walked back through the mall, with no destination in mind, just moving her legs so that her nerves wouldn't get the best of her. Sam hadn't told her what to do if he didn't come back. Why hadn't he or Bucky told her something she should do? Why had Clint had never given her a strategy for something like this? When did she need to start freaking out? What if Sam and Bucky just got stuck in traffic? What if they were in trouble? What if the plan all along was to ditch her?

Suddenly, Alessia was yanked backwards sharply, away from the brightly lit mall thoroughfare and into a dark hallway. She tried to pull away, but before she could even let out a yelp of surprise, her captor pulled her tight, one arm pinning her arms to her sides, the other hand covering her mouth.

"Be quiet," a voice said in her ear, "You're not safe here."