Over the coming months and after a few struggles, Lyla had managed, to her astonishment, to build some friendships within the walls of the compound.

Wanda had become one of her closest allies. She reminded her of her little sister, a caring considerate person.

Her pale lifeless face stuck to the cold concrete that was congealed with her blood. Her vacant eyes staring... soulless. Lyla shook off the memory.

Wanda was a good listener and always offered a solution to any of Lyla's qualms. One evening Lyla was sitting alone in her room with a book she had found propped outside her door, the front cover blue and faded. She was attempting to find some solace within the old crumpled pages, when a light knock came from the other side of her door. "Come in." It was Wanda.

"Hey, Lyla." She said with an accent. She joined her on the bed, it dipped slightly as she sat next to her. Lyla had grown fond of Wanda, she didn't flinch now like she used to when people touched her, and Wanda liked to sit close and touch, it was something she had been forced to get used to quickly.

"Wanda." She smiles and lets out a soft sigh, she really wanted to read this book. The sight of her friend lifted what felt like a heavy weight from her shoulders though, she felt calm in her presence, as she always did.

Wanda could see Lyla was tired and was finding it hard to sleep. The bags under her eyes showed against her pale complexion. "Would you like to show me? Maybe it would also help to talk about your negative thoughts and feelings, "She fell silent for a second. "I can sense you're keeping them bottled up inside you." Wanda was careful with her words.

In the second week after Lyla had arrived, she and Wanda had openly talked about pretty much everything that had happened. They discussed why she had gone on her escapade of vengeance. Wanda understood of course, having done the same thing herself, only she wasn't alone, her brother had aided her.

Lyla sighed in resignation as Wanda took her friends' hands in her own.

"Okay, if you think it will help. I trust you Wanda." Lyla whispered, searching her friend's eyes, hoping she wasn't wrong.

Wanda squeezed her hand, she knew this was a big step for Lyla. Getting close to people again.

Holding Lyla's hands in one of her own she raised her other to Lyla's forehead. A red glow slowly emerged from her palm.

*Screams bouncing off the walls*

A gun goes off. The sound reverberates on the concrete walls.

Lyla's mother screaming at the lifeless body of her youngest child.

Sickening screams and gurgling as Lyla watches her mother's throat slit. Blood dripping onto the floor. *Drip drip*

Retching and gagging.

Lyla vomiting in the corner.

The rattling of metal bars as Lyla tries to rip them from the wall. She needs to get to her Mom and baby sister

*Maniacal laughter in the distance*

Lyla was rigid. Her body jerks slightly as she relives the past and her nightmares. She fought back the screams itching to roll off her tongue.

A tear streams down her face, her eyes flickering as she sees flashes of her mother and sisters dead, lifeless bodies. She can't reach them.

She's gasping for breath, almost doubled over.

"Let me out!!" Lyla screams at the top of her lungs. Grabbing at the cold metal bars of her cell.

Wanda's face is contorted. Sadness. Pity. Horror. Tears leave her eyes as she witnesses Lyla scream out for her family. Her hand gripping tightly onto the now cold clammy ones in her lap.

Enough! Wanda drags herself away, gasping for air.

Watching from a crack in the doorway was Bucky. He was only passing but could hear the light voices of the two. He had noticed Wanda and Lyla growing closer together over the past month. Lyla had come out of her shell slightly, the Sokovian had been helping her come to terms with things. Lyla wasn't the angry hell bent girl from the first night. She was a woman who had gone through pain and heartache and torture; she no longer had the bruises scattered over her body, they had long healed and she had changed. New emotions overtook his body as he watched on.

Bucky's heart was wrenched from his chest as he saw the two women before him. One visibly upset and shocked at what she is seeing. The other in agony at having to relieve the pain of her past. He noticed Lyla's fists were clenched, her nails digging into her palms. This must be painful for her to relive... whatever it was Bucky thought, choosing not to interrupt this personal exchange. He knew from experience it was sometimes good to talk (or in this case show) about the things that were troubling you. However, was it right of Wanda to get Lyla to physically relieve the pain of the past? Talking, and having to relive and rewatch your demons were two very different things. The night Bucky had to watch himself on the CCTV killing Tony's parents was agonising. He hated himself. Lyla must hate herself, he thought. Bucky silently left the doorway, walking back to his own room.

Lyla gasped for air as Wanda pulled herself from her mind. Wanda grabbed the girl in front of her, wrapping her into a tight and sudden embrace. "I'm so sorry." She whispered and sniffled into her friends hair. Lyla held her back leaning into the embrace, where she felt solace.

✧

Nat had been a kind of mentor to Lyla. They would spar together almost daily down in the small but adequate gym.

During their sessions Lyla proved to be quiet, lithe and nimble just like an assassin. She could go unnoticed quite easily. Lyla had gained exceptional fighting skills on par with Nat, something Sam would often tease her about. He got what was coming to him when Nat used her bracelets on him. "Lyla's bite would be much more deadly." She warned him as he lay on the ground at her feet.

Lyla had allowed Nat to touch her hand. Nat had asked her one day, intrigued by what Lyla could do with her powers. "Will you show me? I want to know what it feels like. My bite is sharp. I know, I've felt it, but I imagine you can inflict so much more pain." Nat squinted her eyes.

"Oh. I don't know Nat. I don't want to hurt you. I've inflicted enough pain and suffering." Lyla stuttered, unsure.

"I just want to understand." Nat pushed on, her hand raised with the palm facing upwards, giving Lyla an encouraging look.

Lyla sighed, giving in a bit too easily. The energy she conjured was only a low current, the purple lightning type pattern ran up her arms like before. The sparks licked at her skin.

"Do you feel it?" Nat asked. Lyla shook her head, trying to stay focused. As they touched hands Nat jolted backwards landing flat on her backside into the mats on the training room floor. Lyla rushes forward, alarm evident in her expression as she kneeled down beside her friend.

"Aah, that really stings, doesn't it." Nat says, clenching her teeth together. As she gets back up from the floor, she rubs the spot on her hand. She could see the welt forming on her skin where she had touched Lyla.

"SHIT! I'm so sorry Nat. It was only a little bit-" Lyla had her hands raised, apologetic.

"Do you not feel it when it moves over your skin." Nat questions again, intrigued. She points at Lyla's arm.

"Not much, not anymore. I've been through enough pain, I've learned to channel it. It used to hurt a lot, so much I'd pass out. I'd definitely feel it if I lost control though." Lyla looked down at her clasped hands, her forehead wrinkled. "There's only so much I can lock away." she trailed off.

"Hmm." Nat hums to herself.

"You should really go see Bruce about that." Lyla says, pointing to Nat's hand. She was still rubbing her thumb across the mark on her skin. It stung for sure. "I really am sorry."

Nat also helped Lyla brush up on some of her techniques. She taught her how to correctly shoot a gun. Something Lyla hadn't done before. After a few goes at the shooting range Sam had set up in a forest clearing, everyone was impressed, even Bucky. He would admire her from afar. Lyla was a quick learner.

Sam would often come to assist in these training sessions. The sessions helped in keeping Lyla centred and gave her something to focus on, like a form of therapy.

Sam would always strive to make Lyla laugh. When he sparred with her he would try and put her off by cracking jokes. She admired Sam's wit and quick thinking, he had a good natured sense of humour. Sam would often try and tickle Lyla in a bid to hear and see her laugh. It was a rare sight that she would truly smile but Sam was one of the few that could bring it out of her. She accidentally sparked him this way, when he came at her from behind and brought her to the ground by tickling her one day. He didn't startle her anymore after that day. She apologised profusely afterwards.

Looking past the humour and playfulness between the two, Sam still showed great concern towards Lyla. He was very protective of her mental state.

Bruce had taken over the lab, sleeping in there most nights. He had been running many tests on the blood samples Lyla had provided for him. There was much more he wanted to do, he was intrigued by the power inside her, he didn't want to risk setting Lyla back though. She had come a long way. The two had a mutual respect for one another, especially after Bruce got frustrated one day and she had to witness Nat trying to calm him down before he smashed up the lab. His face had turned green and his voice changed somewhat. It had shocked Lyla seeing him change into another person. She reminded herself not to get on his bad side.

✧

Sam entered the training room one afternoon, Lyla was sparring with Nat again. Bucky had been watching from afar, it had become a normal occurrence. He had never sparred with her. For some reason it was as if they avoided each other. Neither of them knew why. Bucky was hidden from view above, leaning over the balcony watching the scene below. Lyla had managed to kick Nat's legs from underneath her and pinned her to the floor. Sam caught Bucky smiling to himself, his head cocked to the right.

"They're pretty evenly matched aren't they." Sam interrupts Bucky's thoughts, a smirk plastered on his face as he saunters forwards.

Bucky couldn't help but admire Lyla, the way she moved. It was like watching a dance. The way she floated around, moving along to the breath and beat of a song only she could hear. Her body, totally in tune with her surroundings.

Bucky swallows and clears his throat. He sent a sideways glance towards Sam, annoyed at the look on his face. They turn and walk to the stairs leading to the floor below. The two weren't the best of friends, but they held a mutual respect for one another.

"Has she ever hurt you?" Bucky enquiries as they make their descent.

Sam looks at him, his jaw tightens. Aside from the tickling incident, no one had witnessed the time she showed him the true pain she endured whilst being locked up.

"Ah, only the once. Never again. It was... painful." Sam winced at the memory.

He didn't sleep the night Lyla had shown him the pain she had endured, his skin felt like it was on fire, like he'd jumped into a bubbling volcano. Lyla had found Sam in the kitchen, leaning and hunched over the counter top, she eased the pain from him that night, he watched as her face scrunched up and contorted, her body quaking as she took away his pain. Lyla almost collapsed in his arms, her eyes flickering, threatening to shut. Sam had carried her to the small living area. Lyla slept soundlessly on the sofa that night, swaddled in blankets, Sam sitting across keeping an eye on her. She felt guilty the next day and so did Sam. They told no one.

Bucky nods, watching Sam's face as he relived the memory. He pushed the door to the training room open with force letting it swing shut behind them. Lyla would be finished up soon, leaving room for Bucky to finally make use of the equipment.

"So!" Sam exclaims, clapping his hands together as he walks towards the two women, he turns his head round winking quickly at Bucky, time for some payback. "You two should practice together." He points to Bucky and Lyla.

"What?!" Bucky was not amused, he was finding it hard to contain his annoyance. Why would Sam force this, he'd been content watching from afar. Sam had a strange glint in his eye.

Lyla suddenly stopped what she was doing with Nat. She too was reluctant and took a step backwards, shaking her head slightly. She didn't want to hurt him. She knew of his past, who he was. They had all told her stories of the Winter Soldier. It wasn't that she was scared of him, Lyla feared if he got a glimpse of her pain, it would bring back the past he had been so hard trying to forget and forgive himself for. What if she set him back?

The unfamiliarity was likely to set her off too, she had no closeness with Bucky, no trust like she had with the others. He had not extended his hand to her the same way the others had. Lyla was anxious. Her palms had started to sweat and her breathing had deepened as she rubbed her now clammy hands on her sweats.

Sam gestured again to the two. Both reluctant figures stood on the mat in the middle of the floor, arms flung across their chests.

Lyla blinked her eyes a few times and attempted to regulate her breathing, her lips pursed in annoyance. Sam would not let this go.

Bucky's jaw was tense as he moved slowly towards her, unfolding his arms. Lyla took a defensive stance. Feet central and ready to move away from his approach. Adrenaline started to work it's way through Lyla's muscles, her arms shook slightly as she held them up in front of her body.

Bucky raised his right arm, Lyla side stepped quickly feeling the wind from his attack rush past her shoulder. They go at it for a while. Bucky doesn't get any hits, his attacks slower and less calculated, which was unusual. "Why is he holding back?" She thought as she did just that.

Lyla was on the defensive, constantly backing and moving away. She wouldn't let him get close, always keeping a safe distance. Lyla was trying to keep her mind centered and Sam could see how much effort and control she was putting in. She would not use her abilities against him. She was fighting the now familiar sensation, she could feel it building up inside her chest, bubbling to the surface, ready to blow like a volcano again.

Bucky was increasingly becoming frustrated, it was written all over his face. "Why won't she fight me? " He knew he shouldn't push her but he had sat by long enough seeing what she could do. He had been holding back, slowing down his moves, baiting her to engage him.

"Fight back." He grunted. He rarely lost his patience around anyone. He had control over his emotions, so why was he getting so worked up over this... woman.

Nat was on the side lines encouraging Lyla to fight back to get a hit. Lyla shook her head, she was not going to fight him. She could feel the static forming in her hands. "Focus Lyla. Breathe."

Sam's concern was growing. He was ready to step in, maybe he shouldn't have pushed this. Bucky was losing composure and Lyla's energy was growing. Yet on the other hand, he would love to see the former Winter Soldier fall on his ass.

Bucky soon pushed too far, putting full force into a swing, aiming to capture her arms, his abrasiveness brought back memories for Lyla, like a tidal wave.

Tears formed in her eyes; they grew darker, deadly. All hell was going to break loose.

Lyla was seconds from showing Bucky the full pain she had to endure. The sensation building within, distracts her for a second and roots her to a spot on the mat.

When Lyla was cuffed they dampened her powers, her captors would torture her with electric shocks of her own making, they sucked the energy out of her and turned it against her, she couldn't protect herself. Lyla had the scars on her wrists as a constant reminder. Lyla knew Bucky had been electrocuted at some point in his past life but this was worse, she was always close to death, feeling constricted.

Just a seconds hesitation from Lyla had Bucky pinning her to the floor, his metal arm unsheathed and across her neck, the mechanics whirring and vibrating. His face was close enough to hers, she could feel his warm breath against her cheek.

"Fight back." He says again, through clenched teeth, his voice full of emotion, but this time it wasn't anger. His eyes melt into hers, pleading. Blue, glassy orbs stare into her leafy green ones. She feels the change, something else niggles at the back of her mind, but she has no time to assess its meaning.

"Buck-" Sam's about to interrupt.

The sudden impact is like a bomb going off. Bucky is writhing on the floor. Lyla standing above him, her hair whipping round as if it's caught in a breeze as she screams out. She could feel the pain she was inflicting on Bucky, but held her ground. Lyla's body was crackling, as was his, the sound echoed round the room, bouncing off the walls. Lyla was trying, forcing herself to implant a memory into Bucky's mind, he was being electrocuted mentally as well as physically.

Nat and Sam had rushed to try and break them up but couldn't get close enough, both not fancying the chance of being hit by Lyla's force. Sam was yelling at the top of his lungs for her to stop. Bucky's arms were at his head, he was shaking, thrashing about trying to dislodge the hallucination.

"Think....Delilah...stop!" Sam shouts just loud enough for them to hear. This was the first time Bucky heard her full name. Sam's arms were out defensively in front of him, eyes wide open. "Stop." He whispers this time.

Lyla could see the pain in Bucky's eyes, tears came down her face at the realisation. "What have I done?" She stopped immediately letting her body slump. Planting the false memory had exhausted her, almost causing her to pass out.

"I'm so sorry." She retracts, running and stumbling out of the training room, the door swings back on its hinges behind her. Bucky was still twitching slightly as he watched her flee, his eyes full of remorse and shame. If only he hadn't pushed her.

Lyla stumbled and swayed through the corridors finally finding her room, she felt safer there. She wanted to run away. She had to get away, today had been a major step backwards. She slumped on the floor in a heap as the door clicked closed behind her.

"Miss Lovett, is everything okay? I sense you are in distress." It was FRIDAY, the late Tony Stark's artificial intelligence. Luckily a version of her had been installed into the system at some stage in the building's development. Sam had instructed FRIDAY to monitor Lyla's vitals and check in a couple of times a day, Lyla rarely communicated with the system.

"I'll be fine. Oh FRIDAY, what have I done?" Lyla sobbed, mainly to herself.

"Would you like me to alert anyone?" The interface said softly.

"NO! That will be all... thank you."

"Very well."

Lyla contemplated going out the window but it was too high up, not that she wouldn't make it down, she'd sure try. Lyla had been in lock down at the compound, she knew they wouldn't let her leave, she'd get caught if she tried... she would have to go somewhere else.

Nat had gone running after Lyla, leaving Sam with Bucky. Sam attempted to help Bucky to his feet, but he shrugged him off. Sam could see the sadness and remorse in his eyes.

"Hey, wait-" Sam called. Bucky grabbed his discarded hoody off the floor, then gloved his hand. He strode from the room to catch up with Nat, whom he found a little way down the hall.

"Nat. Stop!... Natasha, wait." He's jogging down the hall and comes to a halt behind her as she turns around to face him.

"I need to see her. It's my fault, I shouldn't have pushed her." He says expressing himself with his hands held up, taking all responsibility.

"It's not the right time James." She said blunt finality. He hated it when she, above all people, used that name.

Sam had caught up with the pair down the hall. "Maybe now's not the right time man, don't press her." He said.

"Sam, get Buck to Bruce, he's in the lab, he should be checked over." Nat says, sounding deflated, ignoring Bucky but waving her hand in his direction.

Bucky persisted, he wanted, no, needed to see her. "I'm not going to the lab. I'm fine, I've been through worse. Just a little shook-"

Sam knew he was lying, Bucky had almost passed out. Bucky wouldn't say, but it felt like he was being tortured into turning into him again. The pain was far worse than he'd ever had to endure, a lot of things had come close, but this had been something else.

"Look, give me a few minutes." Nat says politely, finally giving in.

Bucky followed her out and around the compound. Nats patience was wearing thin but she had not seen him so persistent before. Sam had wandered off to get Bruce. Bucky should definitely get checked over.

Nat was getting frustrated, "Look," she turned to face him. "Just wait here at the end of the hall." she sighed, proceeding to tell Bucky the things he didn't yet know about Lyla. Bucky never got to see the whole of Lyla's file. He didn't notice the scars on her wrists. A lot of the time she would wear a longer sleeved shirt or make-up to cover the scars. A constant reminder of being locked up, used and abused.

"Lyla had to endure so much pain and torture Bucky, more than we can both comprehend, and I know that sounds strange given both our pasts," Nat took a breath. "She witnessed her mom and sister get murdered, they used her powers against her. She couldn't do anything, she couldn't help them. She has so much anger inside of her. I'm worried Buck. Truly worried."

Bucky stood in the hall in total silence taking it all in, sounds of the pair breathing the only thing audible. He should have read her file.

"Lyla stayed away from you for a reason buddy, she didn't want to compromise you. She doesn't want to hurt you either. Sam shouldn't have pushed this, I'll deal with him later." Nat said, breaking the silence.

"I want to help her Nat." Bucky said with sorrow.

Bucky doesn't know why he feels so drawn to Lyla. He hasn't felt emotions like this since the war, since coming back.

Nat could see Bucky was determined, there was something flickering in his eyes, a burning. A flame. In her time of knowing him, she had never seen him behave in this way.

Sam arrived, bringing Bruce with him, who made a beeline for Bucky.

"I'm fine." Bucky stated, as Bruce proceeded to take a look at his arm. He moves it away from his grasp.

"Bucky, please. You basically got electrocuted, I need to check you over, especially your arm."

"It feels fine, honestly. I can check in with you later." Bucky says flexing his fingers. In truth it didn't feel right, it needed some work doing to it. But he wasn't going to say anything just yet, if he did Bruce would keep him in the lab all night. He needed to see Lyla.

"Okay, but make sure you do." Bruce exclaims, as he heads back to his lab shaking his head. Giving Sam a pat on the arm and a tight smile as he passed.

Nat knocks on Lyla's door, she pressed her ear to the wooden panel. No answer. She tries the handle and is relieved to see it's unlocked, quickly she shuts it behind her, Sam and Bucky peering over her shoulder, neither heading her word to wait up the hall. Upon entering, she finds Lyla in hysterics, sobbing on the floor. She rushes over to her friend.

"I don't want to hurt anyone anymore!" Lyla manages to get out in between sobs.

Nat tries to comfort her friend. "It's, okay. I'm here for you. We're all here for you." She whispers, placing her arms around Lyla, trying to comfort her like the daughter she would never have. Once Lyla had calmed and her breathing became steady Nat spoke softly.

"He wants to see you."

Lyla looks up at Nat, eyebrows knitted together. She's not sure. What if she hurts him again? Yet, she needed to see him, to apologize.

"Okay." She breathes out after a while. It was almost a whisper. Lyla felt nervous and scared, she bit at her nails anxiously. It was now or never.

Nat moves to leave. "It will be okay." She says, opening the door; silently slipping out.

A few seconds later, the door is pushed open again, this time Bucky enters. He quietly closes the door behind him, glancing into the hall at Sam as he does so, sending a tight smile towards his friend. Nat and Sam stand outside for a few minutes making sure nothing is going to go wrong. Sam's pacing up the hallway concern etched on his face, whilst Nat leans up against the wall, arms crossed.

"FRIDAY, keep us updated if anything happens." Sam instructs after a while. They leave after several minutes, Sam reluctantly.

"Lyla?" Bucky says her nickname softly. He moves cautiously towards her. She's on the floor in the corner, her back against the wall. She looks out of it, her eyes fixed in front of her, they have what looked like a purple haze in them. He waves a hand in front of her face, she doesn't blink. Bucky, sensing Lyla's somewhere else, crouches down beside her, his eyes searching but not leaving hers.

He whispers to her trying to get her back. "Lyla, can you hear me? It's Bucky." His voice is soft and caring, a stark contrast from earlier. She slowly reaches out her hand. Bucky looks down, tenderly yet cautiously he takes her soft hand in his. A sensation flows through him, it's not a bad feeling, just odd. He feels his eyes close unwillingly.

Bucky's eyes open slowly as his vision adjusts, a bright light surrounds him, he's sat next to Lyla on a hilltop. He looks at his surroundings, taking everything in, there are trees around them, it's peaceful, the view is beautiful and the sun is setting. It reminds Bucky of Wakanda. "Lyla should see Wakanda one day." He thought.

"Where are we?" Bucky asks softly, his eyes back on Lyla's. He takes in her face, it looks peaceful and at rest, her cheeks are pink and full of life. She seems happy here. She doesn't reply, right away.

"I've never brought anyone here." She says lightly. "It's all in my mind." Bucky looks around in wonder and confusion at her statement.

"Will you come back? Come back to... me?" He says after a while, unsure of what he just asked, his brows touching as he mulls over his own words. He takes her hand gently into his own. Lyla looks between them, then up at him, her eyes searching his, they are full of raw emotion and sorrow. Within seconds they are back in her bedroom. They sit on the floor together, their hands still entwined. Bucky laces his fingers with hers. It is a strange sensation for both of them.

"I'm sorry." Lyla whispers looking down at their hands, still clasped together. His hands are surprisingly gentle and soft, not rough and coarse as she was expecting. Tears slowly start to fall down her face as she stares at the wooden floorboards underneath her.

"No, I should be sorry. I am sorry. I shouldn't have done that... I should've known better. I pushed you too far." He says apologising.

Bucky tentatively wraps her in his arms and lifts her up, he carries her to her bed.

He sits down next to Lyla, feeling how tense she was. He takes her hands in his again.

"I... I stayed away for a reason."

"I know... Nat explained everything. I'm sorry."

Bucky was feeling all sorts of emotions, but the stand out one was sadness. He felt for the woman sitting beside him. For some reason he was drawn to her, like a magnet.

"Can I ask, "He thought over his words carefully. "What did you show Wanda that day?"

"How did he know?" Lyla was scared and he could see it in her eyes. She wasn't scared showing Wanda, reluctant but not scared. Why was she scared to tell him? She didn't want him to pity her. There was something about him. Something different than anyone else. She didn't want him to see this bad side of her.

"What exactly did Nat tell you?"

"They tortured you, you had to witness your mom and sister-" He couldn't say the word murdered.

"I couldn't save them." She whispered, rubbing her left wrist. The scars etched in her skin shined in the dim light of the room, realisation hit Bucky like a slap round the face. The two sat and talked for a bit longer. About trivial things mostly.

"Where did we go, you know when..." He touches a finger to her temple. A spark of electricity shot through her at his touch. She closes her eyes briefly at the unfamiliar sensation, Bucky had felt it too, it wasn't like the electricity she conjured earlier. It flew down Lyla's jaw, tickled her spine and fluttered finally resting in her stomach.

"I like to go there sometimes... It's just a place in my mind. I don't know where it is exactly." Concentration etched in the wrinkles of her forehead as she tried to explain.

Bucky moves his hands to the collar of his shirt. Lyay wondered what he was doing. He pulls out a chain, attached are some metal tags.

"These were mine, they are mine... from the war." He states openly. He willingly hands them to her, dropping them with a chink into the palm of her hands.

"James." She says as she runs her fingers over the engraved metal. He liked the way she said his birth name. His tongue licked between his lips as she recited the words on the back of his dog tags. His eyes never strayed from hers. The pair started to feel more comfortable around each other and Bucky was feeling suddenly brave. Lyla had relaxed more in his presence too; he could see it in the way her body wasn't as rigid as it was before.

"Why didn't I talk to him before now? I acted without reason or cause". She thought to herself.

"Why didn't I talk to her properly before now. I acted like an idiot." He too thought to himself.

Strangely, Bucky thought, he felt comfortable around her more than anyone else. Steve would be proud of him being able to come undone around another person other than himself.

Bucky carefully traced the scars on her left wrist tentatively. It strangely soothed her, feeling his soft flesh against hers, she watched his movements, her brows creased. Bucky had kept his left hand gloved. He was conscious of it, she realised.

They were a world away from everything a few hours previous and from both their pasts. All was forgiven and finally there was an understanding between the two.