A/N: I am ecstatic that y'all enjoyed the last chapter as much as you did. I love, love, love hearing your feedback! This chapter is shorter and deals more with setting the stage for later events.

"A whole month? A whole month? You've got to be kiddin' me?" I exclaimed in disbelief.

Barton gave me a smile, hands gripping the rail of my hospital bed. He looked like he was enjoying this.

"Yep, cricket a whole month. And PT for probably 3 months. You're lucky though that the bullet just grazed you. You could've been looking at 6 months of healing if it hadn't been a through and through. And let me promise you that when you're done with all that, then I will be on you like white on rice. Training every damn day." His voice rang sincere as I cringed. He was clearly still butt hurt about the whole thing.

We had all begun to refer to it as 'the graduation incident.' A constant reminder of my stupidity. Tony still didn't have talking privileges.

"Fine, lay it on me Barton. I wouldn't mind being a pain in your ass," I winked trying to alleviate the tension. He crossed his arms and huffed, "You've always been a pain in my ass, Gus."

"But you love my ass! If it wasn't for all this extra padding, that bullet could've hit my hip bone. I've never been so thankful for my curves until now," I joked giving him a genuine smile. He still wasn't biting. I sighed and pushed my still bruised hand through my hair.

"Look… I know that I messed up. And I know that I… I scared you Clint. I am really, genuinely sorry." I leveled with him. He finally plopped down in the chair next to my bed side, his hands grabbing the edges of the blanket that was covering me. He sat in silence pulling at a loose thread.

He sighed deeply then said, "Gus, I- seeing you in that strait jacket, seeing you now, it's hard for me. I don't want to ever be in a situation again where you have to… have to take a bullet for me. You're practically family and I can't- I can't…." He trailed off. My hand reached for his. He didn't need to speak. I knew before my fingertips touched his skin how he was feeling. I felt the same way when I saw Rumlow grab the gun. I couldn't lose him.

The door opened to my room and both Barton and I looked up. Bucky stomped in, Steve trailing behind him.

"Buck, you gotta knock first. She could've been indecent," Steve pointed out patting his friends back in good humor.

"I've already seen her naked feet," he winked in my direction and my stomach flipped like a gymnast performing for an audience. Steve looked lost, but seemed to be unbothered.

"Good news, August! They are going to release you today," He was pleased, but I grumbled not looking forward to taking a whole month to truly heal up.

"Well that's about as useful as tits on a bull. I'll be doing the same damn thing there that I am doing here." I crossed my arms like a petulant child, bottom lip sticking out. Clint gave me a distasteful look and stood.

"No ma'am. No complaining. The graduation incident was your fault. Now suck it up. I am going to go grab you some of that apple sauce you like. When I get back, I better not hear one more negative word out of that sweet southern mouth of yours," He fixed me with a look as he exited my room. As soon as he was gone, I pulled the blankets off me and turned my body so I was sitting up, legs dangling over the edge of the bed. I was wearing light blue fuzzy socks with pink kittens on them. I beamed up at Bucky, remembering Natasha saying that he had snagged them for me, and the corner of his almost permanent frowned flicked upwards. I reached my hands out toward Steve like a toddler reaching for their parent.

"Help me down. Nurse says I need to try and walk around every other hour. I reckon it'll help me heal faster!" Steve helped me stand up. He remained hunched over, my arm slung over his shoulder for support. My feet shuffled in baby steps as he walked along side me. Bucky watched with a critical gaze probably looking for signs of pain. Thankfully, the pain was manageable. Steve settled me in the plush chair near the window.

I looked out at the parking lot, seeing huge black clouds overhead. I loved a good rainstorm. Curling up in a fluffy blanket in sweat pants, a baggy t-shirt, and no bra, sipping on a cup of sleepy-time tea, watching a storm roll in was comparable to lazy afternoon sex. It was satisfying, comforting, pleasurable, and languid. Hearing Steve clear his throat, I jolted out of my thoughts. Turning my head towards him in question, I waited to see what he was going to say.

Steve had been the only one who hadn't given me a thorough tongue lashing about the graduation incident. Well, technically Bucky hadn't either, but his threat was clear enough. I wouldn't mind if he gave me a thorough tongue lashing.

A light blush rolled to my cheeks as I tried to calm my dirty thoughts. Steve had an uncertain look on his face and he was wringing his hands together. It dawned on me that he was anxious. I turned my body towards him with a wince of pain. Bucky's face twitched.

"August. I have something I want to ask you about. And uh- if you feel uncomfortable at any time, just let me know...I can get Natasha," Now he had my full attention. Bucky tensed like a tight coil. My eyebrows were knit together in concern as I waited for him to finish, "When I first arrived on the bridge, I encountered Rumlow before anyone else. While we were fighting, he said some things. I… I wasn't sure if he was just trying to rattle me up or if what he was saying was true. I want to make sure… I want to make sure that you're okay, that you can talk to someone about anything that happened to you…" His voice trailed off.

"What did he say?" I spat. I didn't mean to sound so angry or abrupt, but just hearing that man's name made me scared which in turn pissed me off. I didn't like feeling weak.

Steve cleared his throat again and looked me straight in the eyes.

"He said that he… he enjoyed having his hands all over you… that facing all of us was worth it because he got to touch you-" I gulped, mouth suddenly dry. Bucky's hands were clinched and there was fire in his eyes, "I haven't told anyone else what he said, I wanted to.. to give you a voice, hear your side. What happened, August?"

Flashes of Chadwick throwing me under his body, his hands running up my sides, of Rumlow's nasty, gloved hands running over my chest squeezing, touching my bare legs, the inside of my thighs, skirted across my thoughts. I swallowed again.

"I… they didn't rape me… if that's what you're asking," I tried to sound dismissive. I had a weird shame running through my body. I knew that I wasn't to blame, that when someone touches you or does something without your permission that they should be held responsible, but part of me did blame myself even though I knew that was unfair. No wonder girls have such a hard time coming forward about things of this nature; I felt dirty and I was concerned about being judged and I hadn't even been raped. I chewed on my bottom lip in thought.

Bucky came over and kneeled in front of me. His hands reaching out to the arms of my chair. He didn't get all in my space though, he gave me room to breath, to think, to escape if I needed to. He didn't touch my skin; He was giving me a choice. He was giving me power over the situation.

"August, did these men touch you?"

"Um… yes… but he didn't get very far. He just- he and Chadwick just felt me up- I- I am okay though. I… it could've been a lot worse," I said in honesty chewing on my bottom lip. I'll give Bucky and Steve some credit, they stayed calm and supportive waiting on me to finish speaking.

"Gus, I am sorry that happened to you. I know that must have been scary, but we did catch Rumlow and Chadwick didn't survive his injuries- I guess falling out a car window will do that to you-" Learning this news, I interrupted Steve.

"He didn't fall."

"What?"

"He didn't fall. I kicked him out the window. It wasn't an accident," I said kind of proud of myself. They both looked at me with a look of shock and mild amusement. I felt a rush of pride knowing that I wasn't completely useless when it came to fighting and that in the end I got my revenge.

"I don't remember teaching you that ma'am," Steve joked.

"Well when you don't have any arms, you make do. I was going to throw a hissy fit at first, but I remembered what you said about saving your energy until an opportunity opens up. So that's what I did," I said bashfully, subconsciously rubbing my neck.

"Did they do that to you too?" Steve nodded towards my neck. My eyes automatically flicked to Bucky who kept a straight face; however, his eyes read guilt.

"Yeah, Chadwick got frustrated with my insults." It was half true, but Steve looked skeptical. Damn, Steve was observant. He was glancing over at Bucky.

"But it's okay, I got my revenge in the end. I am glad that Rumlow will be brought to justice… I- he said something though that has been bothering me… He um insinuated that we had meet before. You think, he was just planning mind games with me?" I questioned wanting to see their response.

Steve stood up straighter and his eyes moved away from Bucky. Bucky was clenching and unclenching his fists. Weird. Neither made an effort to speak. I stood on shaky legs. These guys know something. I reached my fingertips towards Bucky's bare hand. He didn't recoil, his eyes locked on my fingers. Before I could make contact, the door flew open with a bang.

"APPLESAUCE!" Clint yelled in triumph, "I had to fight an old lady with dentures, but I got the last one. Only the best for- Everything okay?" He interrupted himself taking in the tension in the room. I pulled my hand away and flashed him a bright smile.

"Just peachy! I bet that was an epic battle, Barton. Steal from the old and give to the poor- you're practically Robin Hood," I joked slowly shuffling on my own back to my bed, "Give me a boost, will ya?" As Barton helped me back in, I replayed Steve and Bucky's reactions over and over. My nightmare from earlier that week came to my thoughts.

Something was fishy. And I was determined to figure it out.