I ran through the forest clearing, I was very fast, like a blur, the tree's parted, some almost splitting as I ran past them, branches and leaves broke and collapsed behind me as I made my escape through the forests surrounding the compound. The journey was thrilling, exhilarating. I could feel the wind push past my face, every inch tingled against the sensation of the cool blowing of the wind, I could hear it whistling through the trees, behind me. I could see every insect flying in the air. I could see every speck of dust, glistening in the small parting's of sun light shining through the trees. For the first time in a long time, I knew what freedom felt like.

It's like when Albert Camus said "The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion." I was that right now, every part of being human was so unfree, with jobs and taxes and bills. Now I was free, I was rebelling to human kind, I was enhanced, and I accepted it. He also said 'Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better.' And I would be better, I would make sure of it. I would not be a monster, like the ones I had been told about, like HYDRA. I wanted to be lost out here forever, I wanted to always be free.

"Over here." Steve called. I ran back, towards his voice. He was followed by Bucky and Nat, both out of breath from running. Sam was standing by a shallow stream, the water was crystal blue, Nat walked to his side. He was excited for some reason, I could tell, maybe the big grin on his face, gave him away.

"Can I just stay here a while?" I ask. As Steve comes towards me. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Anna. What happened?" He asked. Bucky interrupted before I could tell him.

"She just, vanished. Like smoke into the air. She caught me watching her. I think that's what triggered it." His blue eyes searched mine, and I felt a ripple run through my body like I was going to go invisible again. What was it, that had him trigger me? I had learnt to control it around everyone else, bar him. He still impaled me with his stare, his eyes were soft as they took in every feature on my face. I watched as his adams apple bobbed when he swallowed, his nostrils flared. I thought I saw something behind his eyes, a flicker of something, but it was gone as quickly as it came. He moved his stare away from me, and focused on Steve.

I stood in silence as he confessed to his spying. His voice was soft, soothing.

"Okay." Steve said at last. "Bucky will stay with you." Bucky scoffed but did as his friend asked. It was the least he could do. He needed to make sure everything was alright, that I was alright. He shouldn't have spied. Should've behaved like a normal person and talked to me. Why did he not talk to me? Why was he always so... distant.

Sam still looked happy, his grin spread wider across his face, reaching his eyes. Something was up. They left Bucky and I alone. I could hear faint whispers as they walked away. They were talking about Bucky and I. A quick glance in his direction showed me all I needed to see, he was nervous.

I stood for a while, playing with a twig I had picked up from the ground. Bucky stood analysing me of course. He sighed to himself as he sat underneath a nearby tree. I walked to the stream noticing a deer on the other side of the bank. It stood silently eating the grass, unaware of my presence. Bucky watched from under the tree, as I silently fade in and out of focus. The deer suddenly bolted, I could hear him behind me, he would have been silent to any other person, but I heard his approach. Bucky came to stand beside me. Tentatively he placed his hands on my shoulders, I stopped vibrating at his touch. It's like he grounded me, I became solid once again. I felt uneasy under his stare and as soon as he removed his hands from me I felt light again, my body threatening to disappear. He held his hand out then, his flesh one, palm up. He looked from it to me, coaxing me to place my hand in his. I stood rooted to the spot as I moved my hand forward, placing it carefully on top if his. His hand was warm and soft. I could feel the vibration of anxiety leave me as our fingers pressed lightly together. He smiled then. I don't think after all these months, I have truly seen him smile. He smiles when he talks to Steve but those smiles were lies, I could see they were fake when he would look away. Sadness overtaking his perfect features. My features relaxed under his touch, I hadn't realised how tense I had become and a grin spread across Bucky's face as his eyes searched mine, they had grown dark. Tearing my eyes from his, I heard a familiar low buzz in the distance, knowing that Sam had deployed Red Wing to spy for him.

"We're being watched." I whisper as I remove my hand from Bucky's. His face falters not quite understanding. I nod in the direction of a big oak tree, Red Wing perched on a low branch. A mischievous smile plays on his lips. He beckons me to follow him. We walk towards the oak, as I grasp what Bucky is up to. Closing my eyes and concentrating I urge my body to go incognito. Opening my eyes I see Bucky looking around him, I know he can't see me. Taking my chance I reach up into the low branch grabbing onto Red Wing and disabling him. Sam will be furious, but it will be worth it. Bucky chuckles as I come back into view, Red Wing hanging limply at my side. I throw him to Bucky who discards him on the ground a little too harshly.

We walked back to the stream, and sat at the water's edge. I felt a sense of ease around Bucky that I hadn't before. We sat side by side in a comfortable silence, or legs touching. Suddenly, Sam came charging through a clearing. He looked furious. 

"It was me. Before you say anything." I said boldy, standing between Sam and Bucky. Bucky grinned behind me, angering Sam more. 

"Tony wants to see you." Sam spat, grabbing Red Wing from the ground at my feet.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Bucky says, touching my shoulder lightly, his gaze found mine and it was warm, he smiled at me again, sending a warmth through my body that I hadn't felt before.

"No, let her do this by herself, Tony wants to see her progress, how her abilities work." Sam says, stomping back off to the compound.

"I can handle myself." I say in regards to Sam, as Bucky watches for a reaction. Sam didn't scare me, it served him right for spying. As for Tony, I was worried what might be in store in the lab, Bruce would be gentle, but Tony would push me to my limits. Bucky could detect my discomfort as my thoughts strayed to Tony testing my abilities in one of his machines. They made me feel claustrophobic, like I was locked up again.

Bucky walked with me to the lab. Uncharacteristically he took my hand in his before I entered the room, squeezing it lightly.

"I'll just be outside the door." He says only to me. I smile at him as I close it carefully behind me. I hear Sam in the hall with Bucky.

"Change of heart Barnes." He says, with sarcasm, trying to get a rise out of Bucky.

"Bruce show her how its done, then come straight back here." Tony says a little harshly, instructing Bruce to show me where to stand in the chamber. He did not say it like that, because he did not want to help me, he said it because it needed to be this way. I needed to do this on my own, and they, we all, needed to know about my abilities. Tony was in that mind set where nothing else mattered until he got an answer.
Bruce lifted the corner of his mouth into a delicate smile, comforting me as he strapped me in. Bruce returned to Tony, they whispered behind the glass. Sam had delivered them Red Wing and they were fawning over the footage of me going unnoticed by the deer. Bruce was mesmerised by it all watching intently at the screen in front of him. A sudden wave of sadness and guilt washed over me, as if I had done something wrong. Tony didn't react to anything until my monitors starting beeping. Bucky could hear everything from the hall, he fought with his instincts to kick down the door and step in. I screamed in pain as my body wanted to hide itself, Tony's machines stopped the process from happening and it hurt, like I was being ripped apart. He hadn't done this before.
Bruce suddenly turned off the machine and unstrapped me, I slumped into his arms, completely drained of energy. Tony was pleased with himself, and Bruce looked at him with disapproval.

I walked slowly from the room. As promised, Bucky was stood outside waiting for me.

"Hey. Are you okay?" He says, as I slump into his arms. My eyes roll into the back of my head and I feel like I was burning up. 

"Bruce! Tony!" Bucky yells. Bruce comes rushing out as my head lols back and my eyes threaten to close.

"What did you do to her?" Bucky yells at Tony, just as Steve comes round the corner, ready to take the situation under control. He pulls Bucky back who's ready to blow, his metal arm whirring.

"Hey Buck. Bucky. Calm down." Steve says, before rounding on Tony.

"What happened? I thought it was a routine test?" 

"We need to get her to the sick bay." Bruce says, his voice attempting calmness. Bucky picked me up, cradling me in his cool arm, he brushes hair from my forehead with his flesh hand.

"She's burning up." He says. Steve nods, as he and Bruce lead the way to the sick bay. Tony stays put, suddenly overwhelmed with guilt. What had he done. Sam came running up the hall at the commotion, demanding an explanation. He too felt a sudden wave of guilt at the way he had spoken to me. My eyes go black as Bucky places me down on a bed in the sick bay.

When I came round, Bucky was by my bedside. He tried to reassure me that everything was okay, but there was no explanation for what had happened to me earlier, Tony swore black and blue he had done nothing different to his previous research attempts, other than getting the machine to assess the composition of my body.

I started to hyperventilate in my bed, the machines started to buzz as my heart rate increased. Something was going on in my mind. Bucky tried to calm me, placing his cool metal hand on my arm, but I think I freaked out more, I understood his request to calm down but it wasn't sinking in. Changing tact he holds my hand in his flesh one, rubbing circles against the skin, I don't know why, but it worked as he spoke softly to me. My breathing evened out, I overpowered my emotions and calmed down.

Again Bucky reassured me that everything was going to be okay. I pushed my bad thoughts and feelings aside, putting them into a small room in the back of my mind and padlocking the door, Tony was not going to experiment on me anymore. I was happy that the man beside me had finally accepted me as an equal. I closed my eyes, finding comfort in the way Bucky held my hand in his, and drifted off to sleep. Later on Steve told me that Bucky had stayed by my bedside all night. 

It shocked me at first, but I grasped my emotions tightly. I was feeling something for Bucky Barnes. He gave my hand a little squeeze as he slept. I didn't have the heart to pull my hand away. Hazy pictures bounced around my mind of Bucky and I at the stream. I could only just make the pictures out, I closed my eyes and concentrated a little harder, this seemed to help, and the pictures became stronger. Bucky in my mind smiled. I smiled back, a big grin on my face. I'm sure if I could flush, my skin would have done just that, instead I felt a warm tingle take over my body as Bucky in my mind leaned down to kiss my lips delicately. 

I suddenly woke, sucking in a deep breath. Bucky was nowhere to be seen.