Chapter Eighteen

Vacation's Over

*Bucky's POV*

When I wake up Akilina is once again splayed across me like a starfish. I suck in my bottom lip and run my teeth over it to keep myself from chuckling. Gently as possible, I burrito her up in the comforter and leave her to sleep for a little longer. I go straight to the Morse code machine and start messaging. Even though I'm confident I did a good job with Liya's wounds, I'd much rather have her looked at by someone more qualified. When she gets up I'll change her bandages, that should stave off any infection for a while. I continue typing in code until finally I get a response. If I had to guess who it is, I'd say Natasha. Quickly, I grab a pen and paper and write down the message, then send my own. To avoid being found by the wrong people, I tell her to look for Russia on Mount Olympus. After moving to another cabin, I'll put out something red. That signifies Russia. Nat'll know to look for us in the mountains with a bright red something out front.

"Jame?" I hear Akilina call and my head jerks up, just finishing the message to Nat. Liya is standing in the doorway of the bedroom, rubbing one eye. Her hair is a wild mess and she says my name incompletely because of her drowsiness, but she still looks absolutely breathtaking. And it isn't like in the poems and stories where the girl is just beautiful all the time, that's bullshit. She's beautiful because I know her hair is messed up from laying on my chest and her eyes are crusty from the good night's sleep she just had. She's beautiful because I love her. I grin at her, until I notice the hand on her side and the frown on her face.

"Morning sonnyy." I call her affectionately and her lips twitch a little. "Are you okay?" I ask, standing up as she walks over to me. Instantly, my hands gently rest on her hips to steady her. She nods reflexively.

"I'm fine, just time to change the bandages. Which I can do by myself, by the way." She reminds me stubbornly. Sighing, I shake my head at her.

"Do you not realize that I may actually enjoy caring for you?" I ask, looking into her still sleepy blue eyes. She blinks a couple times, still trying to wake up.

"Does it occur to you that I like doing things on my own?" She asks and I chuckle.

"That, I already knew. Now, please just let me do it." I plead. After a moment, she nods. I kiss her head and guide her back over to the small breakfast table, noticing how she puts more of her weight on me than before. After she's sitting, I grab the first aid kit from beside the door and quickly come back to her. "Shirt?" I question. She smiles softly and lifts up the edge to rest just under her breasts.

"No bra, so this is as far up as we go." She sighs, her face wincing as she does. My lips lift slightly at her words, but I'm worried. Gingerly, I start undoing the wrappings around her ribs.

"This is fine. I finally got a message through to the team, by the way." Her eyes brighten at that while her knuckles tighten as she grips the table hard. I throw away the bandages and grab the trashcan, dragging it over to us.

"And?" She questions, her voice less vibrant than yesterday. Anxiety eats at me as I crouch down beside her and remove the final bandage.

"And they know where to find us. We should move further into the mountains, then hunker down and wait for the team to show up." I explain as I stare at the bullet graze, trying not to punch something. I grab another bandage and the wrappings and start resealing it, feeling her eyes on me the whole time.

"That's good." She breathes, careful not to move too much. "James," She says my name quietly, but I focus on my job. I can't look at her. "I know it's infected." My hands pause before continuing, then I rip it and gently press it to her uninjured side so it sticks. I look up at her eyes and sigh, nodding. "I've gotten enough wounds to know when they're healing right and when they aren't." Her expression is pained and worried, although I expect not for herself. She releases the shirt and it flutters back down in folds to her hips. Without me having to ask, she slips her arm out of the sleeve and through the head hole, so I can wrap her shoulder. I wait though. Reaching up, I run my knuckles across her jaw, then let my thumb ghost across her lips.

"You'll be fine." I tell her simply. Her lips twitch and she shakes her head at me, making the red stained strands of hair fall over her shoulder. She pulls it back over her other shoulder as she fights a smile.

"Of course. I have my own personal, portable nurse." She sasses, but her tone is genuine. I grin and lean forward and just kiss her. I lay my hands on the table, not wanting to hurt her by touching her. Akilina, however, doesn't give a damn and crumples my shirt in her fists as she tugs me closer. My hands fly to her thighs and slowly creep under the boxers she has on. Instinctively, my hands slide under her legs to squeeze and rub them. She moans into my mouth and releases my shirt, gently pressing her hands flat against my chest. Reluctantly, I back off, but I keep my hands where they are. "We should probably be more mindful..." She reminds me, face red. Chuckling, I give her thighs one more affectionate squeeze, then go back to work.

"Well, I think you should be a little less tempting." I tease and she laughs lightly. After unwrapping this wound I grit my teeth to keep from growling. Infected as well, damn shooter must've coated the bullets in something. What I know, is that Akilina needs a hospital. Soon. I'll be damned if I see her waste away because of me, if I'm not already.

"Funny. You're funny." She tells me quietly, making my lips twitch. I finish and help her put her arm back in the sleeve. After a quick kiss on her head I go into the kitchen and start reloading the truck with the groceries. Liya doesn't say anything, she just walks into the kitchen and sits there to watch me. Her skin is paler than normal, not counting the swelling, red skin around her wounds. The very fact she's not making herself do something is worrying. Energy is already being sucked from her and fear is devouring me, not to mention the guilt. On my last trip out, I grab the small Morse code machine and put it in the back of the truck. I head back inside to get Akilina and find she's no longer at the table.

"Akilina?" I call out to her hesitantly, going towards the back bedroom to look for her.

"I'm fine, James. Just cleaning up." I relax when I hear her calm voice from in the room. I head in and see her grabbing her bloodied clothes from the floor using her feet. The bed is made and looks pristine. There's no sign that we've been here at all. She smiles at me as I gently wrap my arm around her to help her walk. After grabbing the gun, we head outside and I lift Liya up into the car. As I walk to the driver's side I rip off the license plates. I start driving and keep going for a while, deeper and deeper into the woods and the mountains. Liya instantly scoots over and lays on my shoulder, seemingly asleep for most of the ride. "Tell me something." She murmurs sleepily. The corners of my lips turn up at the sound.

"Something." I say, just to make her mad. She slaps my thigh and I chuckle.

"Don't be a smart ass." Liya scolds me playfully. "Tell me the stuff that's interesting, but no one says unless asked. Favorite color, food, that shit." She continues, her blue eyes closed. My brain starts whirring, looking for the answers to the questions she asked.

"Uh, blue is my favorite color. You know-"

"The color of my eyes, not Steve's." She finishes for me, smiling cutely. "I remember that one from the day we met. God, feels like years ago." She remarks and I hum in agreement, although I remember my life clearly before her. The dark depravity and wickedness that haunted my steps for so long is far too easy to push aside when I'm with Akilina. Guilt nips at my heels for not feeling guiltier, which is stupid as hell. Steve would scold me if he was here. "You okay, babe?" Liya asks, picking her head up off my shoulder to look at my face for a moment. I nod.

"Fine. I'd say my favorite food is pancakes. Uh, I like dogs more than cats, prefer motorcycles to cars, actually, anything better than this hunk of junk would make me happy." She laughs weakly and I glance over at her. Her eyes are still closed, but instead of looking peaceful it makes me nervous. She looks so sick.

"Keep going." She murmurs and I instantly obey.

"Right, winter is my least favorite season while summer is my favorite. I like basically every kind of meat on my pizza which was frustrating as hell when Steve and I lived together because he loved just cheese." I shake my head, still a bit bitter.

"Steve's right." Liya whispers and I groan. Her fingers tap on my thigh in amusement just before her side of the car caves in on itself. My foot goes to the brake and I turn towards her, holding out my metal arm to stop any more intrusion from the other car.

"Stay here." I hand her the gun after both cars skid to a stop and get out of the car. My eyes are on the black SUV as I crouch behind the shield of the truck, waiting to see movement. The hood of the car is crinkled from the accident, if that's what it was. Smoke slowly billows from under the hood of the truck and I start thinking I might have to make the first move. Abruptly, at least five men file out of the car, all sporting heavy guns. "Akilina, down!" I shout and drop, rolling underneath the car as shots ring out. I grab onto the ankle of the man who stepped out of the driver's side and squeeze. A loud snap sounds as the bone breaks. I jump to my feet and duck out of range of the guns on the other side of the car, punching the gut of the man I just broke. Stepping forward, I kick the door onto the other man hiding behind it and he collapses. After deflecting a couple bullets from the man crouching behind the hood of the SUV, I lift a leg and kick the whole car. It slides and I hear the various grunts from the men on the other side. All except one. A man lying on the ground under the car lifts his gun to me and I barely have time to tilt my head back to prevent a bullet from being buried into it. I turn back to punch him, but find he's staring at me silently. His eyes bug out of his head as he gasps for breath, dropping the gun and grabbing his throat. Hearing labored breathing from someone else, I look over to the truck and see Akilina, looking like some sort of goddess of death, holding her hands out through the broken window to choke this man. Before she makes herself go unconscious I punch the man under his chin, effectively knocking him out. I'm at Akilina's side in an instant after ripping off the truck door. The bench seat is slick with her blood, but thankfully it doesn't look like she's been shot. However, pieces of glass are embedded into her thigh. Unfortunately, there's no way to tell how deep they are.

"Okay, okay. You're going to be okay." I tell her, only realizing she's unconscious and she can't hear me after the words slip out. After a deep breath I gingerly slide her to me and scoop her up in my arms, careful to avoid the glass. I put her into the SUV and climb into the driver's seat. The truck is too damaged to drive, so this is the only option. Luckily, I know Hydra doesn't put trackers in their cars. We're off in a second, my eyes barely looking at the road, instead watching a pale Liya in the back.

As soon as we pass another house I stop and ditch the SUV, stealing a disgusting green van instead. Liya is limp in my arms as we switch cars, boosting my panic levels. I make the car go as fast as it can, but it doesn't seem fast enough. Eventually, I find an interstate and follow the signs to the nearest hospital. I leave the car running and sprint into the hospital, Liya cradled in my arms. A gurney is close to the door, so I lay her on it gingerly. When someone in a white coat passes me, I grab their arm and speak to them urgently. "She needs help. Two infected bullet grazes and a thigh filled with glass. She needs a doctor. Now." The thin blonde man glances at Liya in concern before nodding.

"Of course, one moment sir." He begins to walk away, but my grip on him just tightens.

"No. Now." I growl and release him, hoping I've instilled some fear in him that will make him hurry.

"James." I recognize Liya's croaky voice and spin around to face her. Her eyes are only half open and seem to have trouble seeing me.

"I'm here." I say instantly. My hand goes to hers and to her shoulder, rubbing up and down to comfort her.

"I...I don't think I'm doing real well." She chuckles, her hand leaving mine to put pressure on her side because of the pain.

"You think?" I sigh. Her lips twitch, but instead of smiling she grimaces. "We're in a hospital, sweetheart. You're going to be fine." I assure her, not knowing if that's true. Weakly, she waves a hand at me.

"I'm a soldier, baby. This is just another warfront. Just another...injury. You make sure you're safe. That's..." She winces when she moves her leg, then continues. "that's what really matters to me." I nod and give her a quick kiss on her cheek before nurses finally come and wheel her away. I'm by her side for as long as they let me, but when we get to the room they banish me from it. After five minutes of pacing and brushing my hands through my short hair, I go in search of a phone. At least now I can contact the team directly. Turns out, I don't have to. As I'm about to harass a nurse to let me use their phone, I see a flash of red, white, and blue from around the corner. My eyes are drawn to the man out of habit and I feel a weight lift off me at the sight of Steve.

"Buck." Steve's voice is just as relieved as I feel and I sigh seeing him and Sam safe and sound.

"Steve, Akilina. She's...injured." I tell him instantly, accepting his hug.

"We know, Buck. Nat's been monitoring all the cameras in the area. She told us where you were." I nod at him. I should have guessed. Sam steps around Steve and we also hug briefly.

"We're here for you, man. Where's Liya?" He asks. I nod down the hall and start walking.

"So where is everyone else? Safe?" I ask, still worried. Steve nods.

"Everyone is safe. When you and Liya didn't come back, Victoria wrangled up Natasha, Tony, and Grant to search for you. We all saw the grocery store footage, but lost you in the mountains. That's where they are now, hunting down any other agents of Hydra. Clint and his family are safe, but we won't be seeing him for a while so things stay that way. T'Challa left after hearing we've all been cleared and Scott went home before all this happened. He's eager to see his kid." He explains before we get to Liya, although we still can't see her. A young woman is standing at the big window near Liya's room and I almost smile at seeing Victoria.

"Hey, Ria." I call out to her and she looks up, anxiety all over her face.

"Damn it, Bucky. You can't go to the grocery store without being shot at?" She immediately starts to scold me and gets a half-smile out of me. She walks over to me and hugs me tighter and longer than the guys, and I'm grateful for it. When we pull away from one another she makes sure to stay close to me, ducking under my arm and rubbing my back to comfort me. "No news yet from the team or about Liya." She reports. I nod, swallowing nervously. I kiss her head and disentangle myself from her to move closer to where Akilina is. Sam speaks behind me.

"I'm going to get some coffee. Walk with me, Queen?" Ria hums and I hear their quiet footsteps as they walk away. Steve steps up to my side and sighs his signature sigh.

"Where's your mind at, Buck?" He asks, eyebrows knitting together in concern.

"You already know the answer to that." I watch through the window as people circle around Akilina, poking and prodding her with various tools.

"I know you're blaming yourself and you shouldn't be." He says quietly. Huffing, I cross my arms and lean a shoulder on the window so I can turn and see Steve's face. His expression is pensive and concerned.

"Really? I shouldn't be? Last time I checked, no one was trying to shoot her until they saw she was with me." I say emphatically. Steve shakes his head.

"I saw the footage, Buck. She took those bullets willingly to save your life. She made a choice. Don't disregard that choice and cheapen it by feeling guilty." Steve deals out his usual amount of wisdom, but this time it doesn't reach me. Not this time. All I see are white coats and gloves stained with her blood and all I can think is that her blood is on my hands. Finally, a doctor emerges from the room. Steve and I instantly snap to attention as he sighs, tired.

"Are either of you kin to the young lady?" He asks. Steve and I look at one another, debating how to lie.

"I'm her sister." Victoria says with a cup of coffee in her hands. Her chocolate brown hair takes on a more golden color as she passes under one of the fluorescent lights, but a stranger wouldn't notice the change. Before the doctor turns to her, her jaw turns sharper and her eyes turn the same shade of blue as Liya's. The doctor turns towards her and doesn't question anything.

"Well, your sister has two infected bullet grazes as well as multiple wounds due to the glass in her right thigh. Now, the glass didn't go deep enough to sever any important arteries, so those will heal quickly. The bullet wounds however, are much worse." My heart seizes at his words and I take a step towards him, to do what I have no clue, but Steve's hand on my shoulder stops me. "But, after a couple days of fluids and antibiotics, she should be able to walk out of here a healthy woman. She's lucky. The wounds were days away from becoming septic. Now, have you filled out the papers for her?" I breathe a sigh of relief and turn away from the doc, back to Liya's window. She's gone. Spinning around, I grab the doctor's arm and squeeze.

"Where is she?" I snap. The doctor's eyes widen as he turns to me, surprise filling the iris's.

"She's being moved to a more comfortable room." I release him as he tugs on his arm.

"Which?" I snap again. Victoria gently rests a hand on the doctor's shoulder and he turns to her.

"I apologize for him. He saw everything happen and is very worried about her. I'll calm him down of course." She explains my behavior easily and the tension leaks out of the man's shoulders.

"I understand. She'll be in room 201. She's most likely still asleep from the medicine we gave her, but you all can go see her. I'll have someone bring you the papers to fill out as well." He says and with one nasty glance at me, he leaves.

"Bucky, I get you're upset but don't be an asshole." Sam says, surprising me when I realize he's been behind Steve this whole time. Rolling my eyes, I start heading down the hallway to where the numbers slowly get higher. What I need is to see Akilina. Maybe then I'll be able to do what has to be done.