Merlyn

The Past

Emma woke up with a gasp. The brunette sitting up in confusion. She had not been expecting the comfort of her bed when she woke up. "Winter?" Emma asked Oliver with furrowed brows.

"He left," Oliver said sitting by her bedside. "Tommy is at home sleeping," Oliver added. After the Winter Soldier left, Oliver had taken Tommy home before bringing Emma back to their house.

"You probably have a lot of questions," Emma said bringing her knees up. Oliver simply nodded, not knowing what to say. "Winter, or the Winter Soldier as everyone knows him, was the reason I stayed sane in that place. At first I hated him, but eventually he weaseled his way in," Emma said, a small smile forming on her lips as she thought of him.

"You love him," Oliver said.

"I never thought I'd come home. So I made the most of my situation and that included falling in love with him," Emma said shrugging. "The people that trained me and his handlers weren't exactly fond of our relationship, but it did come in use for them. If one of us misbehaved, the other would be harmed," Emma continued holding back the tears. "But that wasn't all. Winter, his handlers have a special way of dealing with him. They erase his memories and put him in cryo for years. When we worked together, they would would often wipe his memories so he wouldn't remember me, but he always ended up remembering what we had," she said.

"Why didn't he leave with you?" Oliver questioned.

"When I escaped, Winter had been in cryo for a little over a year. He would've hated me if I lost the opportunity to escape them because I wanted to be with him," Emma answered, a sad smile forming on her lips at the thought of her lover. The stars were never truly aligned for them. "They're gonna hurt him when he gets back. They'll torture him for not being able to capture me, wipe his mind, and put him into cryo for god knows how long," she said.

"I don't know him, but I don't think he'd want you to be worrying yourself over him," Oliver said softly.

"He also loved that I didn't always listen to what he wanted," Emma retorted. "I doubt I'll see him anytime soon again. Perhaps never if we're being completely honest," she said.

"You never know," Oliver told her. "Stranger things have happened," he said making her smile.

"Tommy probably has a thousand questions on who tranq'd him," Emma said not saying anything about Oliver's statement.

"I told him some kids were messing around with a tranq gun they found in the dumpster," Oliver said. With the condition of the glades, it was an easy enough lie to believe. And Tommy had no reason to think his best friend would be lying to him. "He wanted to come with and stay until you woke up, but I thought it was best he wasn't here," he continued.

"Yeah," Emma agreed. "I want to sleep," she said.

"I'll see you in the morning," Oliver said kissing her forehead before leaving her alone in the room. He closed the door behind him.

Three years ago

Emma wiped the blood away from Winter's cuts. Her eyes remained focused on his wounds, while he stared at her in confusion. "Why?" Winter asked. His voice was rough and raspy, perhaps from not talking to anyone for a long time.

"Why what?" Emma questioned discarding the cloth she had used to clean his cuts and taking the bandages.

"Why are you helping me?" Winter asked clarifying what he had meant. "I hurt you," he said looking at her bruised arm.

"Well you're the only one I like in this godforsaken place, Winter," Emma replied finally looking up and meeting his questioning eyes. She could tell he hadn't felt anyone be this gentle towards him for years now.

"Almost makes me think you care about me," Winter said. "You shouldn't care about me, Ghost. It'll only get you harmed by them," he warned her.

"You're the only one who treats me like I'm human and not a weapon to be used as they please," Emma said softly. She looked around the stone room and saw that there were no cameras. She leaned up and kissed him. "I'm always going to care for you, Winter," she whispered pulling away just slightly.

"And I for you," Winter replied caressing her face with his metal hand. "Which is why I need you to promise me something," he said.

"Anything," Emma replied.

"If you get the chance, you're going to take it and run for the hills. Don't wait for me. They'll never let both of us go," Winter said.

"We'll figure something out," Emma said not wanting to leave him with the monsters that controlled him.

"Please, Emma," he said using her actual name. "If you have the chance, take it. Don't worry about me," he said. Emma took the ring she hid in her suit and placed it in his hand.

"A memento of me then," Emma said. "If we're apart, I'll always be with you," she said.

"It's the only reminder of your life before," Winter said reluctant to take the one thing she had left of who she used to be.

"And if I do escape, it'll give you reason to escape as well later on and return it to me," Emma said. Winter took the ring and hid it one of the pockets on his suit.