The Winter Soldier paced back and forth, it wasn't like him to be this antsy but he had a mission to finish and a big bowl of soup to devour afterwards. The faster the mission was complete, the faster he got something warm and good to eat. Besides, these army food rations was killing him. He longed to sit by a fire and have something hot and actually edible. But that was a luxury. And it also wasn't allowed, at least not until he finished his oh-so-important mission.

A shot rang out and he cursed under his breath. If she beat him at his own game, then he wasn't going to be enjoying any fireside meal anytime soon. Turning around The Winter Soldier pointed his gun up at the sky, he was in a little icy mountain passage and he was going to kick her ass. The red-haired girl jumped onto his shoulders and acted like she was riding a bull. When he finally flipped her off, she landed in the snow on her back, laughing, "Great job, Win. Really classy, knocking your darling to the ground." She sat up and sighed, "You weren't paying close enough attention. I rarely win. Why the occasion?"

"No. No reason. I was just thinking."

"That's dangerous. Hopefully it was about how to corner me and attack."

"It wasn't."

"Oh." She noticed something was bothering him and walked over to where he stood, stiffly, "What's wrong Win?"

"I don't like you calling me that."

"You call me Nat and Alia."

"That's your name put together. Silly." He ruffled her hair and she poked him

"Now, ready to head back? I'll say you won this time if you want."

"No. Then we'll both be beaten."

"No matter what, one of us will be beaten. If not always both." They got into the snowmobile and she rested her head upon his shoulder

"I'll just take it. Like always." Win sighed

Driving in silence with Natalia asleep on his lap, Win carefully drove back to the hidden Russian training base, the Red Room. Once they arrived, Win had to give their clearance codes and reluctantly let Nat be taken from his arms and carried to her own room. He hated seeing her go, they rarely spent enough time, as it was, together. Both secretly loved each other but the Red Room was more important. Their training was more important. Way more important, then some silly childish thought of love and life. True, Win would have loved to marry Nat nether less have sex with her but nope. They were assassins and had to be professional, not that the thought hadn't come into his mind during one of their solo training or actual missions.

"Who won this time?" A old-timer asked Win as he walked past, "Did the Widow kick your sorry ass again Soldier?"

Win walked right pass, "Sadly, I kicked hers."

"Not what I heard." A man named Spike mumbled lifting up his cup of coffee, sloshing the liquid over the rim on the ceramic mug

Win turned around and slammed his metal hand against the table, then gruffly said, "I won. Stay out of it. Not all of us are able to kick a girl's ass. Nether less, Widow's."

"Yea yea, whatever Soldier." Spike turned back to the old-timer and they started talking about Stark Industries

Yea you guys act like asses, Win thought, I'll show you... Even though I have no idea what the hell you're talking about or what Stark Industries is....Yet.

Win and Nat weren't in the 'information' phase of their training. Yet. They had just one more assassin attempt to go before they could finally do that. Finally know all about what was going on in the world outside of their little Red Room home. Well, saying the Red Room was little was an understatement. It was huge. So many great assassins had come and gone through the very halls they walked. According to Win's bunkmate, they had the same room as a once famous Nazi Assassin, Fredrik Vonerolf. Or as many more knew him as, the Serpent.

Laney walked past and winked at Win, Disgusting. He thought, The only girl worthy of being here is Nat. The rest are sandalously clad women who were just here so they wouldn't get robbed when supplying their services to men. Well, that part wasn't true, but still. They shouldn't be here. No matter how good or pretty they seem.

Finally, the moment came where one of the many officers walked over to Win and told Win to follow him. Win followed to a conference room where Nat sat with another officer. Taking a seat, they turned to the assassins and spoke quietly, with purpose, "Which of you have succeeded in this exercise?"

Win pointed to Natalia and fought the urge to speak his right, about how the exercises are pointless and a waste of time.

"Ah. I see you have failed us yet again, Soldier"

Win was tempted to yell, That's not my name! Stop calling me that! But he did not.

"You know what that means Soldier." They stood and opened the door for Nat to leave, she looked at him and mouthed the words, Please let me take this. Win shook his head and mouthed, No this is my duty. Not yours. Go eat, enjoy yourself. The door closed and out came the flogger. The pain with no name.

As Nat, sadly, walked away she could hear Win's blood-curling screams and then... Silence.

A silent tear fell down her cheek and a silent tear fell from Win's as the flogger was put away and he was chained several feet above the ground by his wrists.

It was a hard life, but they had to endure it. They had nowhere else to go.