Marlena stood in her room at the compound, the one in which Tony had been generous enough to allow her to claim as hers whenever she stayed or assisted the team on missions. The living quarters of the compound were strictly reserved for members of the team, and although Marlena was not officially, Tony considered her a key part of the team.

The bedroom was decorated to conform to Marlena's preferences, though Marlena had originally had nothing to do with it. Tony had insisted, claiming that Marlena was like a daughter to him—a daughter he wanted nothing more than to spoil. He'd spent quite a bit of time and money making sure the room was ideal for her, and although at first Marlena had been fairly adamant in allowing him to do so, she was grateful that he was willing to go to such lengths just to please her.

Marlena stared down at her queen-sized bed where her outfit choices for tomorrow's mission were spread out. The undercover mission required them to wear regular civilian clothes, though Marlena would have preferred wearing her super-suit.

The brunette should have been asleep, actually. It was nearing two in the morning, and the team was departing at seven in the morning to head to Nigeria. She couldn't sleep, however, as she was too consumed in trying to pick a proper outfit to wear so she didn't have to waste time doing it in the morning when she woke up.

Marlena let out a breath as she gave the articles of clothing one final look. She gathered up her dark wash skinny jeans, a flowy white shirt, her charcoal grey cargo jacket, her tan ankle booties, and her black baseball cap and sat them to the side for her to reach when she woke up in a few hours. She grabbed her phone off of her bedside table and hopped into bed, switching her room's main light off as she did so. The moment she pulled up Bucky's contact name she began typing, wasting not a single second in sending the message when she was done.

Marlena
Are you awake, baby? I love you.

She was hardly able to set her phone back down before she received a response.

James Buchanan 💘
Yeah, I'm awake. It's hard to sleep
when memories of your past threaten
to consume you and you have no one
there to help keep them away. By the
way, if it wasn't obvious already,
considering the fact that I cried before
you left, I love you just as much, maybe
even a bit more. I just wish you were
here with me instead of 200 miles away.

Marlena frowned as she read over his words, her fingers moving quickly across her keyboard.

Marlena
Is that why you didn't want me
to go? Why didn't you tell me, Buck?

James Buchanan 💘
Because you're stubborn.

Marlena
Maybe if you would've told me
what was going on I would've
actually reconsidered.

Marlena ran a hand through her hair and rolled onto her back. Now that she had a sense of why Bucky had reacted the way he had done so earlier she wanted to get up and go home so she could be with him, but she knew it was too late to turn back now, no mater how much she wanted to. She would make it her goal, however, to get back to him as soon as possible.

James Buchanan 💘
Hahahaha, now you know how
it feels being on the opposite end
of keeping things from people.

Marlena
Asshole.

James Buchanan 💘
😂😛😏😎😇

Marlena rolled her eyes at the text, more or less wishing she had never taught Bucky how to use emojis.

Marlena
Go to sleep, kid.

James Buchanan 💘
I'm 99 years old, shithead.
Fight me 👊🏼

Marlena couldn't help but laugh at his playfulness, despite the fact he didn't exactly seem to be in the mood. Talking to Bucky made her feel better, and she could only hope that talking to her made him feel better as well. She didn't want him feeling the way he did; it pained her, and she was willing to do whatever it took to take that feeling away.

Marlena
You don't want this, James 💁🏻😏

James Buchanan 💘
I do, and I have since I saw your
dumb ass fall off of your bed the
day after we met.

Marlena
I'm flattered. How's Mason doing?

James Buchanan 💘
He's good. He's asleep.

Marlena didn't have the time to respond before another text came through.

James Buchanan 💘
JK. I'm pretty sure he's having a
nightmare. BRB.

Marlena let out a sigh and locked her phone, placing it beside her on the mattress. She lay staring at the ceiling for several moments before the door to her bedroom creaked open. She looked over to see Wanda making her way through the door; her hair was tied into a messy bun, and she wore her pajamas, though she showed no signs of sleeping. She did look exhausted, but Marlena deemed it as emotional exhaustion rather than physical.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Marlena grumbled as she turned on her side to avoid looking at Wanda. Given the incident that had taken place back at Greyson's house earlier, Marlena was just a bit agitated, as well as hurt. Wanda's words regarding Pietro had cut Marlena deep, and since then she had been trying to avoid her at all costs.

"I could say the same to you," Wanda said, her voice slightly strained.

Marlena looked over at her that time, a frown falling onto her face as she noticed the tears in Wanda's eyes. She sat up in bed, while Wanda stood by it, her arms crossed and her gaze now fixed on the carpeted floor.

"Why are you crying?" Marlena questioned her.

"Because I don't enjoy fighting with the ones I love," she sniffed, wiping the tears from her face.

Marlena let out a sigh and patted the spot beside her. Wanda sat down, and Marlena pulled her into a hug. Wanda tightened her grip around her older cousin and began crying, which surprised Marlena in the slightest. It had been quite a while since she had seen Wanda in such a state of brokenness, and although she was still a bit angry with her, she couldn't help but be upset because of it. Wanda was like a little sister to Marlena, and just as Marlena hated seeing Mason upset, she hated seeing Wanda upset just as much.

"I'm s-sorry for what I said to you back home," Wanda apologized. "I know I can't take it back, but just know that I regret saying it more than anything—please believe that. You are among the few left that I love, and it scares me when you are angry with me. I don't want to lose anyone else—I don't want to lose you."

Marlena rubbed Wanda's arms in a comforting manner; if she didn't stop crying, Marlena would start without a doubt. "You're not gonna lose me, Wanda, especially not to something as petty as an argument. Sisters fight, y'know?"

"I just—I know how much not being able to save Pietro affected you," Wanda sighed, "And I'm sorry for bringing it up, especially in front of Bucky; I know he wasn't informed about that incident."

Marlena pulled away from Wanda, a sad smile on her face. "It's–it's okay, Wan, I accept your apology. Now, stop crying before I start."

"And about Nigeria," Wanda started. "I was just afraid. Rumlow was the one who took you in the first place; what if we couldn't eliminate him and he took you again? I've made a statement before that losing you scares me, but losing you to him. . .that absolutely terrifies me, Marlena."

"He won't," Marlena gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "You and I. . .we will defeat him."

"But how?"

"Together."

Wanda smiled and wiped the tears from her face, but before she could say anything in response, Marlena's phone buzzed. Marlena plucked the device from her mattress and unlocked it, reading over the message from Bucky with furrowed brows.

James Buchanan 💘
Turns out that it wasn't a nightmare.
He fell off his bed, and I laughed until
I realized he had broken one of his fingers. What is with you Claires and falling off
of beds, though? I just don't get it.

Marlena let out a groan and ran a hand through her hair; his message was not at all what she had been expecting to read.

"What is it?" Wanda said, grabbing the phone from her hand and reading over the message.

"I left my brother with an idiot," she grumbled as Wanda handed her back her phone.

"Maybe so, but at least Greyson is a doctor."

Marlena
What the hell, Bucky?! Is he okay?!

James Buchanan 💘
Yes. He's making me fix him a pizza
because I laughed at him, though.
Who eats pizza at two in the morning?
Well. . .besides you and Fatsimoff.

Marlena laughed loudly at the nickname and shoved the phone into Wanda's hand. Wanda read over the text message Bucky had sent Marlena, and a glare fell upon her face as she read over the nickname Bucky had given her. She moved her fingers quickly across the keyboard, not at all caring about the profanity that littered the message.

Marlena (Wanda)
Let's get one thing straight, you
recycled piece of tin shit. I am not
fat, okay? Do not test me, Barnes.
I am not afraid to open up this 130
pound can of kickass and use it on you.

James Buchanan 💘
Love you, too, Wan. Give me back my
Marlena now, please.

Wanda rolled her eyes and handed the phone back to Marlena, who began typing away almost instantly.

Marlena
Go to sleep, Bucky. . .please.

James Buchanan 💘
I already told you why I can't go to
sleep. Can you not read?

Marlena
Screw you, Bucky.

James Buchanan 💘
If you were here in bed with me
instead of in your fancy compound
bed in New York, I'd gladly consider
letting you. God knows how much
I need ya.

Marlena
Okay, I'm done with you tonight.
I'm going to sleep. I love you lots.

James Buchanan 💘
Hahaha. I love you, babygirl.

Marlena smiled and locked her phone before placing it on her bedside table. She looked over at Wanda, who was playing with her hands, and laid down, pulling the comforter over her head.

"If you're staying, I suggest you turn out the light," Marlena muttered.

Wanda simply chuckled and reached over to switch off Marlena's bedside table lamp before laying down. She was much too lazy to head back down the hall to her room, so she decided to accept Marlena's indirect offer to stay with her. She pulled the comforter over her body and relaxed into the plush mattress, allowing the exhaustion in her body to finally consume her.