Picking Up The Pieces

11. Nightmares Never End

   Ice skating with Peter was one of the most interesting and fun things I had ever done. Afterwords, we went out to a small cafe by his apartment building, spending our time talking and laughing until the sun set. It was already dark when we began to walk back.

"You know, I had fun," I told Peter as we rode up the elevator. "I don't think I've ever gone ice skating before."

"Could've fooled me," Peter grinned, twirling his apartment key around his finger. The doors opened, and we carefully walked down the hallway without making too much noise. "In the last thirty minutes you were skating like a pro!"

Peter handed me the apartment keys since I was in front, and I quietly opened the door. We basically tip-toes to his room. "All because I had a good teacher," I winked as I stepped into his room. Thank goodness Peter had a bunk bed, or I would have felt super sorry about me taking his space. I had bottom bunk, he had the higher one. I tossed Peter his keys, and he caught them without glancing at me. "Show off," I scoffed.

"You okay taking the first shower?" Peter asked me. "I'll be a out for a few more minutes on Spider-Man business."

"No problem," I nodded, bending over to grab my metal arm out of the shopping bag and setting it on my bunk. "Just be-" I had turned around to speak to Peter, but he had vanished, the only clue to where he had gone being the open window. I shook my head in amusement, a smile on my face. "...safe," I finished, and I shut the window closed.

Humming to myself, I made my way to the apartment's bathroom, a towel over my shoulder and pair of under my arm. May really outdid herself on buying me clothes. When I'd get the chance, I'll pay her back.

The cold water rained down on me, making my hair heavy. I could feel the droplets stop on my scars for a few seconds before making their way down my back. As I scrubbed my hair, I looked down at my left shoulder. A small red lining was already becoming visible from where Bucky's arm would sometimes cut into my skin. I bit my lip in a twinge of sadness. He lived his life after HYDRA in fear of himself and of what he could do. I remembered how his voice broke slightly when he saw me emerge from the shadows after he thought I was dead.

I sighed and closed my eyes, trying desperately to remember something Bucky had done with me. Memories just would come and go, and that was only during my sleep.

With that thought in mind, I made my way back to Peter's room. After making sure the window was unlocked for him, I tapped the metal arm's star twice, pulled it on, and found my way into the bed. It didn't take long for sleep to come and find me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My younger self sat by the Winter Soldier, or Bucky, depending on what state he was in. She twirled a knife between her fingers, and the Soldier would occasionally look out an open window beside them. I guess we were on a mission, a mission that would ruin someone's life forever. Isabel was starting to fall asleep, and the Soldier pulled her in with his metal arm. Slowly, he began to sing quietly. His voice had a slight rasp to it, but it was still mesmerizing.

"Тили-тили-бом

Закрой глаза скорее,

Кто-то ходит за окном,

И стучится в двери."

Little Isabel joined in, and her small voice carried along right with his. It was a beautiful and haunting thing to hear.

"Тили-тили-бом.

Кричит ночная птица.

Он уже пробрался в дом.