Stepping outside into the real world was nerve racking. I asked the cashier directions to the nearest clothes store and he sent me into the town itself. It was a small, run down sort of town with a very small high street. There were three clothing shops, one shoe shop, a hairdressers, a supermarket and a bar. I went into all three clothes stores and bought a variety of clothing for the two off us. I made sure Bucky got long sleeve tops or hoodies and I made sure all the trousers I bought were wide legged and covered up my legs. I bought us boots (and without knowing Bucky's shoe size I bought a variety of shoes in different sizes and hoped for the best). Once I had done that I bought us toiletries and food from the little supermarket. Everything was vastly overpriced but it was all they had. I quickly returned to the room. I knocked three times and whispered 'eu caut intrare'. Bucky opened the door a crack to make sure it really was me. He shut the door and took the chain off. The door was open long enough for me to slip in.

"So I bought us a variety of clothing but at least we have fresh underwear and socks," I said brightly.

I could hear Bucky rolling his eyes at me. I went into the bathroom and scrubbed my teeth until the hurt and bled. Everything was a horrible mess. I pulled on the pyjamas I bought myself and exited to find Bucky going through the bags with a sceptical look.

"I didn't know what you liked," I admitted. "So I just got plain, long sleeve stuff,"

He pulled a face at the pyjamas I had thrown in for him. He went and changed into them without a word though. The two off us awkwardly got into bed and sat up watching the news. It was all going horribly wrong for the Avengers. It was tearing us both apart.

"So where do we go after this?" I asked softly.

"I plan to go to Romania," Bucky said bluntly.

I plan. That stung. But I guess it was a long time coming.

"I'm thinking about the Himalayas personally," I said, trying to sound neutral.

"What's in the Himalayas?" Bucky asked.

"What's in Romania?" I countered.

He grunted in response. As we sat and channel flicked, I could feel myself drifting off to sleep. The last thing I was vaguely aware off was Bucky slipping me down into a more comfortable position.

I dreamt of red skulls and horrible torturous equipment. It wasn't however the nightmare I was having that woke me, it was Bucky's. Something solider smashed into my face, cracking my nose. I woke with a start, instinctively reaching for the knife I kept on my leg at all times (hidden under my clothes). It was only when I bolted up that I realised it was Bucky. He was thrashing around and groaning.

"No, no, please," he begged sleepily. "I don't want too… don't want too,"

His groans began to get louder as he fell further and further into his nightmare. I could feel blood trickling down my face. I reached over him to turn on the only lamp. A few drops of blood splashed onto his face. His eyes flew open and next thing I know, he's sitting up with his metal arm around my neck. I began choking and gasping for breath. I could feel my neck cracking as the hand tightened his grip. He raised my slightly off the bed. I dangled there in a half kneeling position. I gripped his hand in desperation. I could feel my vision going funny.

"It's me!" I gasped. "Bucky- it's- it's Elliot,"

I was close to passing out. Suddenly his face softened, the shadow passed away. He dropped me at once and scrambled out of bed. He backed right into a corner, looking horrified. I rubbed my neck. It was throbbing painfully. That'll probably bruise.

"I'm sorry," He gasped, his voice trembling. "I am so sorry,"

I never expected to see this hardy, tough man to be so vulnerable and scared. I wasn't mad or upset or even scared at how he reacted. I've been through it before, it's difficult sometimes to wake up fully from the nightmare. The poor guy has had it so much worse than me.

"It's okay," I croaked, lowering my neck. "I'm okay,"

I swung my legs over the edge of the bed.

"Hey, it's okay," I said, smiling weakly. "I can understand, I get it,"

I stood up and went to go comfort him. He shied away, looking down at his trembling hands. I stood where I was, feeling helpless.

"You've been through hell and you're fighting you're way out," I began. "It's a difficult road but you are getting there, Bucky, you will make it. I believe in you. Being tortured is one of the worst things to happen to anyone. It isn't even to come back from it. Of course there's going to be an aftermath but that we can handle and we will get you through this,"

He began to calm down after that. He looked at me with wide, frightened eyes.

"You've been tortured, haven't you?" he asked.

"Yes, I have," I said in a serious tone. "Almost a year ago, the Red Skull captured me and attempted to torture the formula for the Super Soldier Serum out of me. That's how I lost my leg. That's how I got stuck in the care of SHIELD before I escaped. That's why I'm being hunted. I wake up most nights screaming and sweating and convinced I'm still in that horrible room, sleeping in a puddle of my own blood and pee. It's horrible, it isn't something you get over easily but it does get better. I have to believe it gets better,"

Without realising it, I had stepped forward as I spoke. Bucky shied away from me a little. I gently reached up and stroked his cheek. He pulled me into a near bone crushing hug. I wrapped my arms around his neck and we stayed there for a moment before we were both calm.

"I can feel him," Bucky muttered into my hair. "He's always there, trying to get out. I don't want to hurt anyone. Not anymore,"

"You can defeat him," I assured him. "And you don't have to hurt anyone anymore. You are Bucky Barnes, not the Winter Soldier,"

He nodded into my neck. I gently pulled away, taking his hand as I did so. I lead him gently across the room and back into bed. I lay down and he curled up next to me. I gently stroked his hair, whispering reassuring things until he drifted back to sleep. As he slept soundly beside me, I lay there with my arm draped over his body, watching him sleep. He looked so peaceful now. I smiled to myself as I allowed myself to drift off.

The next morning I awoke to the delicious smell of fry up. I sat up and stretched. I found Bucky sitting at the table with two plates of food. My stomach grumbled loudly. I scrambled across the bed and sat at the edge. He handed me a plate, looking sheepish. I could feel the blood crusted around my nose.

"It is not Chinese but it's something I've missed," he admitted.

"Seems like a good compromise," I said grinning.

We ate breakfast and discussed our next plan of action. We both agreed getting out of the country was the next step. It then became an argument about how to get there.

"Plane is quicker," I protested.

"But if we sneak on a cargo ship we can get into the next country undetected," Bucky pointed out.

After much arguing I agreed to go on a cargo ship out of America but after that we fly. It was the best either of us would get.