HYDRA base - Siberia, November 7, 1945

Evelyn tapped her foot impatiently. She threw Nikolai a nasty glare as he glanced up at her from behind the Soldier's seat. She liked him and considered him a good friend by now, but God help him for taking his sweet time for a simple check-up!
After her own awkward and much-revealing examination, Zola cleared Evelyn for the trial, giving her full privileges and authorization to handle the Winter Soldier together with Nikolai. All other scientists were benched. Some were relieved at this, since it meant their heads wouldn't roll if there was another misstep. But there were others, those whose God-complex was too much for even their own ego to handle, who were infuriated. They couldn't believe a mere nurse — one with an American attitude at that — was now responsible for one of the biggest projects within HYDRA. They couldn't wait to see Eva Roth fail. But to Evelyn Rogers, failure was not an option.

"Сколько ещё?" Evelyn clicked her tongue as she addressed Nikolai.
(How much longer?)

"Пуля задела его руку," answered Nikolai. "Просто проверяю, что ничего серьёзного. 
(The bullet grazed his arm. Just making sure it's nothing serious.)

"Ты думаешь он почувствовал?" reacted Evelyn, in a voice dripping with sarcasm. One of the guards at the door snorted at her comment. She shot him a vicious scowl over her shoulder. "Что-то смешное?"
(What, you think he felt it? Something funny?)

The guard quickly cast his eyes down. Evelyn narrowed her eyes at the rookie. He carried that rifle all bravely, but she was certain he had never fired it. He had probably never even been to the war front, either. 
At least he had enough brains to know he shouldn't mess with her. Most people around the base, thankfully, had figured that out. Rumors about what 'Eva' had done to get into HYDRA and her taking over Zola's special trial spread like wildfire. She'd earned herself a reputation for being ruthless and cold, which worked out perfectly in her favor. If people feared her, they'd be less inclined to stick around too long. She could figure out how to get to James without anybody looking over her shoulder.

But first things first — Evelyn had to make sure James was still... well, James. Until then, she had resolved herself to not even acknowledge him as such. She'd been reading up on the Winter Soldier project, his files, and the reprogramming they did after every mission could be a problem. He'd given no hint of recognizing her so far. If his memories really were suppressed — or, worst-case scenario, completely gone — Evelyn had to retrieve those first. Helping James escape was futile if it meant bringing the Winter Soldier into the heart of the SSR. It would only end in a slaughter.

"Готово," announced Nikolai then. "Лишь небольшие повержедения руки. Мы починим позже, когда отсоединим руку. Готовь к перепрошивке."
(Done. Just some minor damage to the arm. We'll fix it later when we disconnect it. Prepare for reprogramming.)

"Стой!" Evelyn held her hand up. "Сначала надо его дообследовать. Разряд мог дать неправильные результаты его показателей. Мы можем подождать с перепрошивкой." 
(Wait! We need to do an examination first. The electric discharge could give us the wrong reading on his vitals. We can wait with the reprogramming.)

Nikolai frowned at her and looked at Zola. The chief scientist stood in the shadows, going over the latest mission report to find any anomalies, and had only briefly raised his eyes when Evelyn put the guard in his place. She hoped Nikolai wouldn't pull rank on this one. Yes, he'd been here longer than she, and yes, technically, he was kind of her supervisor, but Zola put her in charge, not him. And they both had to see the logic in what she said.
She exhaled gratefully when Zola finally nodded his consent. The machines behind the Winter Soldier were pulled back. Evelyn wished she had an actual examination table, but since the Winter Soldier's seat reclined, it was better than nothing. She could feel his eyes on her as she moved toward him — James' eyes.

No, they're not his. His eyes were kind. Warm and... mischievous when he smiled. God, that smile... Bucky...

Evelyn dispelled the image quickly. She couldn't let anything distract her. She wasn't Evelyn Rogers, midwife from Brooklyn and twin sister to Captain America, but Eva Roth, nurse and trial leader in HYDRA. Time to put up her game face.

" Как только помещение освободят – мы продолжим обследование," she said.
(As soon as the room is cleared, we will start the examination.)

Before Nikolai could react, Evelyn heard Zola's snooty voice behind her. "Помещение не освободят, Медсестра Рот. Можете начинать."
(The room will not be cleared, Nurse Roth. You may begin.)

Evelyn turned to him, her jaw clenched, her brow pinched. That weasel did not just tell her what she thought he told her. Secret project or not, everyone was entitled to privacy, even the Winter Soldier. HYDRA had already objectified James, turning him into a weapon, into something they could control. Stripping him of even this tiny shred of human decency boiled Evelyn's blood. She licked her lips, ready to eviscerate Zola. 

"Am I to understand then, Dr. Zola, you would like all examinations to be performed publicly from now on? If so, I would ask you to allow me a few minutes to perform another more urgent examination first. I had a guard come in with early signs of syphilis yesterday, and I would very much like to make sure it is just an isolated incident and not an epidemic. It would save all medical personnel a lot of time if I could check everyone present here, so could you please order them to drop their pants right now? I'm sure the order will be followed without fail when directly given by you. Oh, and you shall, of course, lead by example, no?"

Zola's glasses nearly slid off his short, stubby nose. He pushed them back just in time. Both he and his assistant stared at Evelyn, eyes bulging out of their sockets and mouths open in shock. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Nikolai had a similar reaction. The others in the room shuffled awkwardly. Clearly, something had been said that had bewildered the three most important men in the room, but since no one else spoke a decent word of English, they could only guess.
Evelyn glanced at the Winter Soldier. His gaze had intensified. Had her words triggered something? Or perhaps it had been the way she'd spoken? In English, his native tongue — could he even still understand or speak it? — and in that mocking but direct tone she always used when people dared to make absurd notions.

"Well?" insisted Evelyn.

Zola cleared his throat. "Весь не основной персонал может уйти. Два вооружённых охранника остануться внутри, двое снаружи."
(All non-essential personnel can leave. Two armed guards stay inside, two outside.)

They all exchanged nervous, uncomfortable glances upon hearing the slight tremor in Zola's voice, but cleared the room as he ordered. In mere seconds, the two guards at the door — the worthless rookie and one with a face that looked like he'd been dropped too many times as a baby — were the only ones left in the room with Evelyn, Nikolai, and the Winter Soldier.
Zola lingered for a moment, and Evelyn defiantly met his squinting, calculating gaze. It wasn't the first time she'd pulled a stunt like this, and she doubted it would be the last time. There were just times when asking nicely didn't cut it. Especially not when idiot men insisted on running things.

When Zola finally left, the guards closed the door behind him and stood at the ready, rifles in hand. Then and only then did Nikolai turn to Evelyn. "Have you completely lost your mind? What were you thinking?"

"Don't overreact, Nik," she said, waving his abhorrence away with a flick of her hand. "You know I was right."

"Of course you were! But that doesn't mean you get to say such things! Especially here and in the presence of the most powerful man on the base!"

"Well, I didn't see you jumping in to help! You open your own damn mouth next time!"

He grunted and dragged a hand down his face. In that one singular moment, he couldn't have looked more like James. Nikolai just oozed the same frustration he had whenever they fought. It perturbed Evelyn, because she'd since learned why James had argued with her on everything she did. She prayed Nikolai wouldn't turn out to be the same.

"Tell me at least you didn't lie about the syphilis case," Nikolai demanded then.

And with that comment, Evelyn was pulled out of her musing. She rolled her eyes and said, "Obviously, I didn't. You would've known that if you had checked my reports. You are my 'supervisor,' after all."

He huffed indignantly and crossed his arms, giving her a scolding look. Just like James used to do... Goddammit all. 

"Oh, for the love of," Evelyn threw her hands up in defeat, "okay, fine, I'm sorry. Happy now?"

"No," said Nikolai. "You're being too American again."

She pouted and mocked, "Naw, and here I thought you liked my American side?"

Nikolai's cheeks flushed a different type of red then. Evelyn smirked at his blush. He really was making it very easy for her to handle him. But he was right, though — her fake accent had slipped. She needed to be more careful. 

"How about we get started?" she asked, getting back down to business.

"Yes, please." Nikolai sighed. "The sooner we are done, the better. I feel very uncomfortable being here alone with..."

He eyed the Winter Soldier cautiously. But he was just sitting — calmly yet with clenched fists — in his chair. Evelyn didn't get the impression he had been following the conversation. If he had, he didn't reveal it.
Those appraising eyes were still on her and her alone. They weren't looking at her in any threatening way, though. They were just cold and strangely... curious. The eyes of a hunter assessing the possibilities of how to ensnare its next prey. 
James had an intense gaze like that as well. Two, actually. One was when he was angry or fighting, which could perhaps be described as intimidating. And then there was the one gaze he had when... when...

"Солдат, вставай."
(Soldier, stand up.)

Nikolai's voice made Evelyn jump. She cursed herself for thinking about those moments with James again. Now was not the time. It would never be the time.
Not having much choice since Zola's last direct order had been to adhere to his caretakers, the Winter Soldier stood, a tall, ominous presence looming over both of them. Evelyn quickly glanced at Nikolai when he drew back a little. Clearly, she had to be the one to take command here. But considering the Winter Soldier's fixation on her, that may work to their advantage. She stepped forward and said, "Ты пройдёшь полное обследование. Снимй одежду."
(You will comply with a full examination. Take off your clothes.)

The Winter Soldier's glare darkened. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. Nikolai, and the guards at the door, too, no doubt, had probably seen that look before. The look of someone who didn't just take orders from anyone and who could snap a person's head off in a flash. Luckily, growing up in Brooklyn and doing what she did had prepared Evelyn for every nasty expression she'd ever gotten for having 'overstepped'. 
She stared him down, keeping herself from blinking. Their eyes locked, and she could tell by the brief widening of the Winter Soldier's, nobody had ever stared right at him the way Evelyn did. Her body language exuded confidence, power, even, and after another few seconds, the Winter Soldier finally undressed. 

Evelyn stepped back to allow him some space. Her heart rate went up a few notches with every piece of clothing that came off. His skin appeared impossibly smooth, like marble. Then she noticed the scars. Lacerations and bullet grazes marring the imperfect canvas of his upper body. She recognized them all as war injuries. The one on his side came from a knife wound she herself fixed up when she and James met in Italy. 

Interesting. The super-soldier serum is supposed to heal him of everything, but it doesn't look like Zola's version is as advanced as Erskine's. All the scars Steve had before becoming Captain America healed; he showed me himself. Maybe there are other things this version fails to do.

When the last piece of clothing came off, Evelyn fought every instinct to look away for privacy's sake. Even if the man himself didn't remember, this was still her brother's best friend, someone she grew up with. To see him now, up close, and just all of him so... exposed.
Evelyn shrugged the nonsensical feeling away. She was a nurse, and he was her patient. She was allowed to look at him; she had to even! But it still didn't feel right. Because it was him. And because of...

Evelyn turned to Nikolai to discuss the next steps, but her tongue tied at his observant gaze on her. Observant... and jealous. She stiffened. A jealous man could be dangerous. She had faced them almost all her life. Guys who got jealous when another was also giving Evelyn — often unwanted — attention during a night out with her girlfriends. Fellow students in school, even doctors at the clinic, who were envious that 'a mere woman' outmatched them at every turn.
Nikolai would never leave her alone with the Winter Soldier; that much was certain. Be it out of concern or because he wanted some of the glory and success, it didn't matter. He was an obstacle. Whatever feelings Nikolai might have for Evelyn — and he clearly had some — could jeopardize the entire mission. She liked him well enough, but she couldn't let Nikolai keep her from freeing James from HYDRA. If he forced her hand... she wouldn't hesitate.

"How do you want to proceed?" Nikolai asked. "Shall I —?"

"Yes." Evelyn decided it was the best course of action for now. "Yes, go ahead. I'll take notes."

She took the clipboard in her hands and kept her eyes fixed on the paper, ready to write what Nikolai dictated. But even with her colleague back in the lead and her standing at some distance, Evelyn still sensed the Winter Soldier's eyes on her. He made her feel like she was the one naked before them and not him. Those eyes...
Evelyn recalled that night in November four years ago. She saw him. She felt him. He had made her give in to him. He had made her his.
How Evelyn hated him for that.

***

Wakanda, August 6, 2016

𝙸'𝚕𝚕 𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝙽𝚒𝚔𝚘𝚕𝚊𝚒 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖 𝚘𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚕. 𝙱𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚎; 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝙷𝚈𝙳𝚁𝙰'𝚜 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚖. 𝙸'𝚖 𝚜𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝, 𝙱𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚢. 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚗𝚘 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎... 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍. 𝙸 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍.
𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚞𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚉𝚘𝚕𝚊 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚕𝚎𝚏𝚝 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚐𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚞𝚜 — 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝙸 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚘𝚏𝚏 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚢 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚗𝚝, 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝙸 𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚕𝚕 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜... 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝. 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚔 𝙴𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝙽𝚒𝚔𝚘𝚕𝚊𝚒 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚞𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚢 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚟𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚎. 𝙸𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚞𝚋𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜, 𝙸 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚎... 𝙸 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚝.
𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜. 𝙰𝚜 𝙸 𝚜𝚊𝚒𝚍, 𝙸 𝚔𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚘𝚗 𝚙𝚊𝚙𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝. 𝙸 𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚞𝚙 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚞𝚜. 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚉𝚘𝚕𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚏𝚏 𝚝𝚘 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚏𝚢 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙽𝚒𝚔𝚘𝚕𝚊𝚒 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚎, 𝚜𝚘 𝙸, 𝚞𝚗𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚞𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢, 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚞𝚙 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚕. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚎𝚍. 𝙸 𝚋𝚎𝚐𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎; 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜, 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔, 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚙... 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚉𝚘𝚕𝚊'𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔. 𝙸 𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖, 𝚖𝚞𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚙𝚘𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚢

Evelyn's journal fell on the floor. The sudden seizure made Bucky's body jolt. He grabbed the side of his head, and his eyes opened wide when he felt his chest tighten. He gasped for breath. Everything hurt so much, like he went twenty rounds with a wrecking ball. 
Bucky's vision blurred. The room darkened. It took him a moment to realize someone had turned all the lights off. It made the pain less fierce but only by a little. A woman's shape came up to him. The beeping next to him that had slowly but surely increased while reading suddenly stopped. An ice-cold wet cloth touched his brow, then his chest.

"Keep breathing, Barnes. Bite the pain away, come on."

Bucky peered at the woman's face, trying to make out who she was. She was so close to him. Was it her? Was it...?

"E... Ev—lyn." Bucky tried to reach for her.

"Tell me about her," said the woman insistingly. "Come on, Barnes, tell me about this girl. She was a swell dame, wasn't she? Bet she made you crazy, right?"

"C-Crazy."

The cloth touched his lips. It was so refreshing.

"Full sentences, Barnes. Think of her. Think of when she made you crazy. Evelyn is your pain, but she's also your cure. Focus on her and her alone. Think about Brooklyn. Think about the days you were together. Pick a memory and hold on to it."

Brooklyn... Days together... Pick a memory.

... if you remember that day, at least.

What day had she meant? What day could be like the stunt she — of course! She'd been talking about...