-PAST-
He could see her shivering. There wasn't much wood and the fire was going out. He searched the cabin and found some old blankets. He laid them out near the stove.
"Sleep here." he said to her. She laid down and wrapped herself in the blanket. She couldn't stop shivering. He laid down next to her and gently placed an arm around her.
"I'll lay next to you to keep you warm." he said. She turned to face him. She looked up at his face.
"Thank you." she said cuddling up close to him.
"No need for thanks." he said. She put her head close to his chest. She relaxed into his warmth. He wasn't sure where they would go. She seemed to have no memory of who she was and he was not sure exactly what they had done to her. He knew there was something familiar about her when she spoke to him. It wasn't until they picked up the guns that he remembered. A fragmented memory but a memory of the two of them in a ballroom. He walked up to her and whispered into her ear. She took his arm and they walked from the building. As they got into their car and drove off, explosives detonated leaving the building in rubble. Their mission was to eliminate a top British intelligence official. The mission was complete along with many other innocent casualties. He wished he could remember the words. When he spoke them she seemed to know exactly what to do and who he was. So they did know each other in some capacity. If he could remember the words maybe she would know him? The problem is, he didn't really know her outside of the familiar feeling. She stirred in his arms. He brushed the hair from her face before laying his own head down to rest.
They awoke to the door busted in and three men surrounding them. Bucky jumped to his feet and met the three men head on. Ella watched as he easily fought the men and knocked them unconscious.
"We need to go." he said to her. She sat frozen. A distant emptiness in her eyes.
"wir sind nicht unsere eigenen (we are not our own)." she spoke to him.
"Ich bin dein, du bist mein (I am yours, you are mine.)." he responded without thought or hesitation.
Her eyes softened. His words triggered something in her. She stood and walked to him. She grabbed his arm and kissed his cheek. "Bucky, I've missed you."
He remembered. That night in the ballroom. She had spoken the German to him and he had responded. She took his arm and kissed his cheek saying those same words as they left. He knew her and she knew him. At least for the moment.
The two grabbed the guns from the unconscious men and headed out.
-PRESENT-
"I think we need to talk to the doctor. Going into hiding won't give us answers." said Ella pleading her case to Tony.
"Yeah, well the plane leaves in an hour." he said ignoring her idea.
"Tony, I'm serious." she said.
Tony hit a few buttons on his computer and brought up the doctor's picture. "He's a general practioner in Greenwich Village. You might have a case of mistaken identity. " said Tony. "No history of being anywhere except his practice day in and day out. I hate to say this but you both have had your heads messed with and-"
Ella stopped him, "You really don't need to finish that statement." She said clearly upset. She resented the fact he didn't trust their perception based on their past.
"Something going on here?" asked Steve walking into Tony's office.
"Nothing except Tony being Tony." Ella said storming out.
"What was that?" asked Steve.
"Ella thinks they know that doctor but I found out he is just a GP in Greenwich Village. I suggested their minds may not be in the best state to be identifying who they think they saw." said Tony showing him the information.
"Well, that explains why she is upset." said Steve.
"What? Too soon?" said Tony.
Ella hurried into her room and slammed the door.
"Woah, what is going on?" asked Bucky. Ella jumped.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked calming herself down.
"I wanted to talk to you and I think you wanted to talk to me." he said.
"Ok, but you stay on your side of the couch." she said sitting down.
"I think we should talk to the doctor." he said.
She stared at him. "Me too. I just talked to Tony about it and he disagrees."
"I think we can convince him." He said.
She looked at him and smiled.
"Now, what did we need to discuss." He said.
She hesitated. "We can't." she stopped herself. "The flirting."
"It's not flirting." Said Bucky.
"Whatever you call it, it has to stop. We can't. I told you we can't and then you almost kissed me." She said trying to get him to see her point.
"But I didn't." he said.
"You didn't because Steve was walking in." she said.
"No. That's not why." He said.
Ella was getting frustrated that he was countering her at every statement. "Enlighten me then?" she challenged.
Bucky wrestled with telling her what he did remember about her. That he did remember her. He wasn't sure it would change anything. That it would help her. All he wanted to do was protect her. He didn't want to push her away. "I remember you."
"I know. You said you did but refuse to tell me details, so care to tell me how that constitutes not flirting?" she said.
"Ella, what Kruetz said was somewhat correct. I have fragments of us during missions."
"And?" she questioned.
Bucky wrestled with what to say next, "You just have to trust me."
"I do." She said. "I just don't understand? Were we lovers? I mean what is the constant draw to each other?"
He looked at her, "Each other?"
She felt the blush across her cheeks, "Are you avoiding the question?" she asked diverting his scruitiny of her answer.
He gave a quick smile. Her answer seemed to acknowledge that she felt drawn to him. He took note of her blushing cheeks also, "I think it's important for you to remember the details, but the relationship was more than missions. I'm not really sure the true nature of us. It's fragments."
"Ok, well, let's keep it check. We play by my rules. No flirting" She said. "We know what we need to do now and we need to say focused. The deal, ok?"
He shook his head, "The deal."
They both went to talk to Tony. They convinced him to allow Ella to make an appointment with the doctor. Steve and Bucky would go along with her. Tony dropped them off and would return in an hour.
"I still don't agree with this." said Tony.
"I know." said Ella. "See you in an hour so I can say I told you so."
"I'm not really sure that's what I want to hear in an hour." he said.
"She'll be fine." said Bucky. "I promise."
Tony nodded as they shut the door and he drove off. Ella looked at Bucky. He knew she didn't like when he played the overprotective card but she would just have to live with it. They all walked in to the lobby. Ella checked in with the receptionist then sat between Bucky and Steve in the waiting room.
"You guys want a magazine or something?" she asked trying to keep her mind off the gravity of the situation. They were throwing themselves back into the fire if this was the doctor and they were bringing Steve with them.
"I'd rather keep alert." said Steve.
"Ella MaCoy." called the receptionist. Ella stood and was escorted back to the exam room. The doctor walked in.
"Hello, Ms. MaCoy. How can I help you?" he asked looking at her and smiling.
She watched his reaction. "I'm having some memory problems." She said.
"How long have you had this problem?" he asked. "Did you hurt your head?"
She stared at him but saw nothing to make her think he recognized her.
"Do you recognize me?" she asked.
He looked at her, "No, I'm sorry. Have you been here before?"
"Ella MaCoy? You don't remember me?" she asked again.
"No." he said.
"Now, have you had any recent brain trauma?" he asked.
"No, you helped me with my gunshot wound in my arm and side." She said.
He looked at her confused, "I don't normally handle those injuries here." he moved to the door and summoned the nurse. The door opened and in walked Rumlow. Ella jumped from the table.
"Ms. MaCoy, your fine. This is our intern." Said the doctor motioning to Rumlow. Rumlow leaned to the doctor and whispered in her ear. The doctor seemed as if he changed states and when looking at Ella had recognition. "Ella?" he looked at Rumlow and then his surroundings.
"Ms. MaCoy, you have a choice. It is completely yours." Rumlow said.
Ella stood ready to fight.
"We're offering you the chance to return to your work with our group in exchange for Mr. Barnes complete freedom." Said Rumlow.
Ella looked at them both, "You lie."
"This is not a lie. If you agree, we will clear his name with all international and federal, state, local agencies by tonight. We will allow you to return with Barnes and Rogers to ensure he receives the news. Once you hear he receives the news you will call us, excuse yourself explaining they no longer need you, and leave. We will then pick you up to return to your research with us." Said Rumlow.
Ella stared at them.
"If he is not cleared then you don't come, easy as that." Said Rumlow. "You just saw how the doctor had no memory of you until I whispered the trigger word in his ear. Then he became our doctor again. It's allows us to have an army ready. They can live their normal life until needed. We use them for the mission and then they can return to life as normal. If questioned, they have no memory of being anywhere but their normal life."
Ella looked at the two men. Bucky would be free.
"They won't let me go with you even if I agree." She said.
"Once you call us you will be given a word. This word will return you to who you once were." Said Rumlow.
"Why not just say it now and we're done? Why all this chasing me down if it's that simple?" she asked.
"We needed him to know you were alive." Said Rumlow.
"Who?" she asked.
"Barnes." Said Rumlow.
"Why?" she asked. She wasn't sure what to do. She wanted to help Bucky, but she couldn't trust these me. Could she? "Why would you do anything that remotely resembled helping us? Barnes can take you down right now if I let him know you are here."
"And then he will constantly be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life." Argued Rumlow. "Your choice."
"Of course, because why would he ever have a choice. You and your sick organization robbed him of that."
"And you can give it back to him. Your life for his?" said Rumlow.
Ella looked at the doctor. "You seem awfully quiet. Care to chime in on any of this?"
He just stood quietly. He turned to look at Rumlow. "You can speak."
"We need you to continue your research. Whether you accept this offer or not they won't stop coming for you. You will never be with Barnes or anyone. If you want to protect him, this is what you need to do." He said.
Rumlow looked at him approvingly.
Ella felt a sickness in her gut. Her instinct told her this was it. "So once he is free and I make the call to you, you are going to say a word that will make me forget myself and become someone else?"
"It is a unique world, yes. You chose it yourself. You perfected it." Said the doctor.
"Then how do I know you don't come after Barnes once I become whatever this word produces?" she asked.
"I give you my word." Said the doctor.
"Nice try, but your brain is not your own." She said. At her own words an image flashed in her mind. It was her and Bucky in a small cabin in the cold. They were speaking German to one another. A knock at the door shook her from the memory. A nurse entered.
"Ms. MaCoy's friends are wondering if everything is ok." She asked.
The doctor addressed the nurse, "Yes, please let them know we are running a bit behind."
Ella looked at the phone they had given her.
"I should go." She said.
"We will look for your call." Said Rumlow as she walked out the door.
Ella walked from the room down the hall to the waiting room. The two men stood.
"Are you ok?" asked Steve. Bucky could tell something was off.
"Fine." She said. "It wasn't him." She said walking past them out the door into the sidewalk. The two chased after her.
"Ella, that's quite a fast pace for everything being fine." Said Bucky. As she hurried across the street the two kept pace. As they got to the opposite sidewalk a shot rang out hitting the cement by their feet. Bucky grabbed Ella and pulled her behind the nearest car as Steve followed.
"Fine?" asked Bucky looking at her.
Ella looked at him irritated. "The shooter is on the third floor of the doctor's building. He's waiting for us. Waiting till I'm out of range." She said tapping into the shooter's thoughts.
Steve looked at Bucky. "Her abilities have physical limitations so he's waiting for her to be out of the range so she can't anticipate his shot."
"I'm sorry, I didn't see this one. A few things on my mind." She said.
"Yeah, we'll discuss those." Said Bucky looking her in such a way she knew it would be sooner than later. "Steve, take her and get her safe. I'm going to run the opposite direction to draw their fire on 3." He said.
"No!" shouted Ella. "We all go together." Bucky looked at Steve who nodded. Bucky let Ella go as Steve grabbed her in his arms.
"No, put me down." she said looking at Steve. Bucky looked at Steve. They exchanged a look. Ella hated their unspoken bond at this moment.
"1, 2, 3!" yelled Bucky as he headed right. Steve held Ella tightly shielding her against himself and ran left. He cradled her head pressing it firmly to his neck.
"He has us in his sights. He's waiting till we are out of range to fire." She said trying to see where they were. He kept her head held firmly.
"How far till we are out of range?" asked Steve sprinting.
"The next alley." She said as they came up to it. "Once we are past the alley." She said knowing the man had her head in his sights. He was planning to shoot through Steve if needed. She wasn't going to share that with him. She pressed against his grip to push her head up into his sight so Steve would not be hit. She wasn't suicidal but if this is how it was going to end she'd rather he not be a casualty. At least not physically.
"Hold on." He said as they ran towards the alley. A shot rang out as Steve quickly switched direction and ran into the road hurdling a car in his path. They made it easily across the street to the opposite alley and out of sights of the shooter. Steve let her down keeping hold of her. Ella was confused. Did Rumlow have it planned? Was this some sort of final message to realize the constant danger? To push her towards the decision to keep Bucky safe? It worked. This was too much.
"We have to find Bucky." She said.
"We have to get back to the tower. He'll meet us there." Said Steve. Even though they hadn't really finished their plan he knew Bucky would want to make sure Steve made good on keeping Ella safe. He trusted Bucky would make it back. He knew he would do everything he could to make it back. When he did, they both had questions for Ella. Whatever they just escaped had something to do with their visit to that doctor.