The Soldier's Girl

Awakening

I woke up to an annoying beeping sound in my ear. The sound was retching and it made me groan. As if I wasn't in enough pain already, that thing was sounding in my ear.

I groaned again however, when my pupils hit the bright light of the hospital. I swear, why do they always look so white?
I blink furiously until my senses become heightened once more. I gaze around the room until I see a chair pulled up close next to me and a sleeping Super Soldier curled up in it.

His face was placed on my bed and his hand clutched mine. More importantly, his pinkie was wrapped around mine making me smile at his childlike behaviour. He looked badly beaten up too but at least I knew he was ok and could move around alright.
I looked down at myself and realised my left thigh was bandaged and stitched where the bullet once was. My right hand was in a cast. My abdomen was heavily wrapped and I had tape on a large gash on my forehead closing it up.

I sighed and looked back towards Steve. I stroked up and down his cheek until he stirred awake. I smiled brightly at him, ignoring the thumping pain in my head.
"Hey Stevie." I whisper making his eyes snap open.
He rushes into a stand and takes my face in his hands inspecting every inch of me.
I giggle slightly making him smile small.
"I'm ok Steve." I tell him.
"You have no idea how much you scared me. There was water in your lungs, you got rushed in here blue. I thought you-I thought you were..." Steve trailed off getting choked up.

I held his hands that covered my face in mine and stroked up and down them in comfort.
"Steve I'm here. I'm ok." I whisper.
"I know I just. I thought I lost you." He cried making me reach for his neck and pull him down to kiss him.

Our kiss was kind of agresssive but it held passion and love. I thought I would loose Steve at one point on that mission too. I never wanted to feel that feeling ever again but it  always found it's way back to me.

We kissed until I was out of breath again and had to pull away.
"I love you." I whisper to him.
"I love you so much. I'm so happy you're ok." He smiles at me.

"I'm not going anywhere Rogers. Not without you."

A week later I was finally discharged from the hospital. I was so glad. I mean I got to rest up on all my much needed sleep however, I don't like hospitals so I wanted out and to go back to the comfort of my own home.

A few days after, Steve and I were meeting Sam and Nick at the cemetery. We are gazing at Fury's grave surrounded by colourful flowers. Everyone but us thought he was dead and that's the way it should stay for now.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Nick walking up to us. He's wearing sunglasses and a hoodie to try and blend in better. I had only seen him a couple of times without his leather uniform and I have to say it's always strange.

"So, you've experienced this sort of thing before?" Nick asks walking up to us.
"You get used to it." Steve smiled.
"No, you definitely don't." I replied.

"We've been data-mining HYDRA's files. Looks like a lot of rats didn't go down with the ship. I'm headed to Europe tonight, wanted to ask if you'd come." Nick asked all of us.
"There's something I gotta do first." Steve spoke.

Nick then turned to me.
"You know I will Nick. I just need time. A little time to think and breath but I'll be there." I smile at my friend, he gladly returns one.
"How about you, Wilson? Could use a man with your abilities." Nick asks Sam standing next to me.
"I'm more of a soldier than a spy." Sam offers. I don't blame him. He got out for a reason, came back in for another one but he was done.

"Alright then. Anybody asks for me, tell them they can find me right here." Fury looks to his gravestone before shaking the boys hand and turning to give me a big hug before he walks away.

"You should be honored, that's about as close as he gets to saying thank you." Nat spoke out. I turn around with a smile to see she joined us.

She came over and wrapped her arms tightly around me.
"I'm so glad you're ok." She whispered.
"Better than ever." I giggle slightly.
"Not going with him?" Steve asked the red head as we pull away from each other.
"No." Nat smiled.
"Not staying here?" I offer her.
"I blew all my covers, I gotta go figure out a new one." Nat told us.
"Us too." I assure her.
"That might take a while." Steve said.
"I'm counting on it. That thing you asked for, I called in a few favors from Kiev." Nat told us as she hands Steve a file titled "дело No 17". I knew it was Bucky's.

Steve told me he already started the search for our old friend when I was still asleep in hospital following my injuries. I agreed but I also believed that when Bucky was ready he would come back to us.
"Will you do me a favor? Stay out of trouble. Maybe get that dog you were talking about?" Nat asked us.
"We always stay out of trouble." Steve smirked.
"Yeah I'm not so sure." Nat argued jokingly.
"We will. I promise." I tell her.
"I love you. Be careful you two. You might not want to pull on that string." Nat said sincerely as she pulled me in for one last hug and kissed Steve on the cheek sweetly before turning and also walking away.

I take the file from Steve and open it up. Inside, it is immediately filled with information about  Bucky and the Winter Soldier transformation. It's all in Russian but I can translate it, as I quickly scan the paper.

"You're going after him?" Sam asks us.
"You don't have to come with me." Steve starts.
"I know. When do we start?" Sam states with a smile.

I smile over my shoulder and turn to face Sam fully.
"Not anytime soon. I mean I'll keep tabs, get some contacts and follow any leads but I don't know about you guys but I need a rest. It's well earned and we all deserve it. I have no idea how that all happened in just over a week." I rant making the two boys chuckle deeply in front of me.

"You're right. Let's go home Al." Steve smiles, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

We bid farewell to Sam before hopping back onto our bike and starting a new chapter of our life.