Alchemy Jones → Bucky Barnes [1]

05|SIDE BY SIDE

War. It was Ally's first time truly seeing the war up close. Most of Dr. Abraham Erskine team of research scientists and doctors made it to see another day as they trudged through enemy territory. Although everything went according to plan, she still saw death. She remained safe but some of her companions did not. She remained untouched but she watched as half of her unit was blown up in a minefield. She stayed alive while others weren't able to return to their families. That was going to haunt her forever.

The file Ally's captain gave to her a few months back had contained information regarding Dr. Abraham Erskine's super serum. The goal of the mission was to get the doctor to his old research facility so he could collect the remaining data needed to complete the serum. Ruthie Murray, Ivan Farland, Evelyn Abbott, Alchemy Jones, Jovian Jones, William Dansworth, Darwin Walsh and Dr. Abraham Erskine himself were the only sole survivor's out of the twenty people in that unit.

Ally had a gun the entire time but she never used it. Did that make her weak or humble? Her sister and brother-in-law killed whoever got in their way, but Ally was never able to shoot another human. In her nightmares, she saw the man who had almost murdered her the night some of her unit was killed in the minefield. In her dazed dreams, she saw the scruffy, skinny and vicious man who aimed a gun at her head. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she could feel his breath on her neck. Yet, she didn't move an inch. If that was her death, she was somehow ready. She was ready because she wasn't going to kill another human for her own sake. Did that make her stupid or heroic?

Then there was the discovery of HYDRA. HYDRA was a criminal organization dedicated to the achievement of world domination through terrorists and Nazi activities on various fronts, resulting in a fascist New World Order. In her current situation, it was HYRDA versus the SSR. Yeah, Ally didn't like them any better than Nazi's.

Now, as she lay fast asleep on her sister's shoulder, she dreamt of that same man. The tip of his gun pressed against her head, cold from the rain that poured above them. Only this time, he shot her and she was dead.

Her hazel eyes shot open. She tried to breathe but the air just wouldn't go in. Her heart raced and she desperately attempted to inhale. At the fourth attempt some air went in, not much, but enough to allow a bigger breath the next time. Fighting to re-inflate her lungs, her sister snapped from her sleep.

"Alchemy?" she questioned worriedly, soon realizing what happened. "Just breathe, it was just a nightmare."

Ally rested her head against the seat. She put a hand through her hair before signing loudly. "Did I wake you?"

Jojo nodded her head. "Don't worry about it. I got a few of those my first mission. Dreams come and go, they pass with time as you slowly become immune to the terror they bring."

"It felt real," her mouth was dry and tasted of metal. "Where is everyone?" Ally had just noticed that everyone in her train cart had suddenly disappeared.

"We'll be back in Brooklyn real soon so everyone went to retrieve their things," Jojo rubbed soothing circles on her little sister's back. "As far as things go, I think your cover hasn't been blown."

Ally shoved her sister. "Shut up."

"HYDRA didn't snap any pictures of you, we made sure of it," Jojo explained, standing up to retrieve her bag. "They don't know who Alchemy Jones is."

"How relieving," Ally rolled her eyes. "What about everyone else? Are their identities secured as well?"

"We can only hope."

Alchemy felt a shiver descend down her spine in the claustrophobic train cart. She waited for the nerves to settle but a small sigh of anxiety leapt out of her mouth. Her eyes flickered to the incoming building of the Brooklyn train station. Now that she was finally home, a hum of excitement and exhilaration returned to her. She knew she could overcome the bitter memory of her unit dying before her eyes but she wasn't sure if she could overcome it any time soon. Of course, a normal doctor would of lost a few patients down the road due to their injuries but she wasn't a normal doctor.