Her suit hugged her body closely, blending in with the shadows of the room as the sun had yet to rise, serving as the perfect camouflage for their attack. She set her hair in a tight bun so as to keep it out of her face and then, one by one, she started sliding her weapons into the seaths of her uniform. She put her two guns in each section of the belt around her waist, slid her poisoned knives in her boots before straightening up once more as she heard footsteps coming closer. They were heavy yet quiet and she raised her head as the door opened behind her and she spied the figure of her companion through the mirror.

Bucky was dressed in the armour Fury's agents wore, and Aiyla could see the outline of his weapons as he stood beside the open door, light coming in the room through the living room where she could hear Sam moving around. She didn't look away from him but a small smile formed on her lips as she realised his hair was set in a bun much like her own. There was a grave expression on his face as he looked down at her, and Aiyla slowly turned around, her eyebrows furrowing as she took a step closer.

"What is it?"

He let out a small sigh as he brushed his arm against hers. "Are you sure you can fight?"

"I told you before, Bucky, I've healed almost completely," she assured him softly, "I've no problem fighting. I can go with you. I can help you."

"Don't push yourself too much."

She sent him a look. "Bucky-"

She was cut off as he placed his lips on hers, kissing her slowly, deeply, and she couldn't help but close her eyes as she kissed him back, relishing in the taste of his lips against hers, enjoying the second time they had the chance to be so intimate with each other. He pulled back soon after and she was breathless as he pressed his forehead against hers before straightening up once more, serious as he usually was.

"I need you to be careful, Aiyla," he murmured as he took a step back. "Ask for help if you need to."

"I'll be alright," she assured him with a small smile. "You take care too."

It was then they heard footsteps coming their way and Bucky took a step back as Sam came in the room, unaware of what had just happened between his two companions. He too was dressed in his gear, the machine with the wings strapped on his back as he looked between them with his lips pursed, holding a huge gun he had insisted to take with him.

"Ready to go?"

Aiyla nodded at once and Bucky nodded a while later. Sam didn't seem convinced as he kept talking.

"It won't be the hardest mission we've ever been to. There will be plenty of agents so we'll have back-up. We can do this."

"We know we can, Sam," Aiyla smiled as she walked past him. "Don't worry about it."

Bucky and Sam followed her to the living room just as the alarm started blurring. She turned the television on, watching the footage of the cameras as she noticed a black jeep driving through the forest and she briefly noticed Maria Hill driving before she turned to her companions. "It's time to go."

They wordlessly left the house and headed out of the house. A few minutes later, Maria Hill reached them and pulled over just in front of them. She rolled the window down as they got close and sent them a smile.

"We've got three hours until we reach their base."

"Couldn't have we gotten a jet?" Sam asked in a humouring manner as he opened the front door and sat on the passenger's seat as Aiyla and Bucky sat in the backseat. Hill didn't pay any mind to his quip.

"We'll reach the facility an hour after dawn."

"We'd reach quicker if Aiyla drove." Sam looked back at Aiyla with a wide smile as she smiled, exchanging a look with Bucky who shrugged in response.

"Don't tempt me, Wilson."

Hill's warning had Bucky's eyes widening as she started the car and drove off. Most of the car drive was spent in silence but neither of them minded much. It was still awfully early and they had almost reached the location of the facility when the first rays of sun made an appearance. Hill led the car to a small forest and parked it in between the trees before leaving. Aiyla, Bucky and Sam did the same and Aiyla couldn't help but stretch as she finally got out of the car.

"Our men are stationed not too far from here," Hill spoke quietly as she walked away and they wordlessly followed after her. "The plan is simple. Infiltrate the building and take down everyone inside. It'd be best if you didn't kill them but let them be taken for trial."

"That's not going to happen, Maria," Aiyla spoke up as she exchanged a look with Bucky. "We'll shoot to kill and my attacks are fatal. The poison guarantees their death."

"Don't kill their leader, then," she spoke over her shoulder as she briefly sent a look at her. "Let Anton Balakin be held responsible for his actions."

Aiyla didn't say another word as she followed after Hill deeper in the forest. A few minutes later, they came across some kind of camp, and she was relieved to see the number of officers around. She recognised most of them and smiled as they sent her nods and smiles. It had been quite some time since she had last seen them.

"We asked Scarlet Witch and Hawkeye to help us but they both couldn't make it," Hill spoke simply as they stopped in the end of the camp. She got in a tent and they all followed after her.

"It's better they didn't come," Aiyla mumbled as she looked around the tent. "Clint has a family."

"Wanda has seen enough fights," Sam pursed his lips and Aiyla nodded over at him once as Bucky cleared his throat.

"What are we going to do?"

"Get in through the back door," Hill replied simply. "The front door is always guarded. Our agents have been here for days and they've spied them. The security at the front door is hard to get past but the back door has one security guard for hours and in an hour from now, the guard leaves for a break and a substitute comes. We'll attack then. From then on, we'll split into five groups and subdue everyone on our way."

"I'm staying with Aiyla."

Aiyla couldn't help but smile at Bucky's statement as Sam scoffed. "Thanks, man."

"You can stay with Aiyla," Hill nodded as she briefly turned to Sam. "You can go with them if you want."

"I do."

"That's solved then," she muttered as she looked between the three of them. "Do you know how the building is?"

They nodded at once. In the five days that had passed ever since Maria Hill and Nick Fury had left the small safehouse they now stayed at, the three companions had studied the map of the building for hours every day and then for the rest of the day they'd train to make sure they were in their best shape. Aiyla hadn't had the chance to train because of her injury but she still felt confident in her abilities. She wasn't afraid.

"It's a relief to know you remember how the building is," she admitted as she loaded a gun. "You'll take the bottom floor."

Aiyla blinked. "Is that all?"

"Yes," she nodded, "you may go. In an hour, we'll attack. When you see everyone gathering here, come over."

Bucky left the tent without a word and Aiyla followed after him with a nod, Sam right behind her. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as Bucky walked away, and she turned to Sam, but he had no answer to give her other than a shrug.

"You can go after him if you want. I'll mingle around."

Aiyla smiled, already starting to move away. "Thank you, Sam."

She followed after Bucky to the edge of the camp as he stopped beside a tree. He didn't speak at all at first and neither did she, instead choosing to gaze at the forest in front of her like he did. They stayed in silence for a while until he spoke up.

"How are you feeling?"

"It's just a battle, Bucky," she murmured as she looked up at him. "I've been to plenty of those."

"Have you ever prepared to fight someone you once trusted?"

She blinked. "That's what I was trained to do, Bucky."

The corner of his lips twitched as he turned to face her. "Seems like I forgot. It comes with old age."

She smiled, "Glad to see you've come to terms with it, Mr Barnes-"

"Bucky."

Her smile widened. "Can't I tease you a bit, Bucky?"

He shook his head as she moved a bit closer, reaching down and grabbing his hand. He didn't move away as he spoke up. "You've no hesitation to fight Anton?"

"He tried to kill us, Bucky. Maybe he didn't do it in person but he still attempted to kill us. I've no sympathy for such a man. I'll do whatever it takes so we'll be safe again."

"Safe," he mused, and she thought his hold around her hand tightened. "All of this is going to be over in a while. Do you expect me to keep up with my life as if nothing happened?"

"I hope that's what you'll do," she admitted as she met his gaze. "You'll have to find a new job, I'm afraid. But your house will be intact. You'll have to start from the beginning. Maybe if you go to the coffee shop you worked at they'll take you back."

"I doubt they will," he sighed as he looked down, "there's hardly anyone who likes to be around me."

"The same can be said for me and they don't know a thing I've done."

"I doubt it."

She smiled, "Thank you."

He briefly looked up to send her a smile and this time, she was sure his hold around her hand had tightened. "When we get back home, I'll take you out for dinner."

"If you cut the hair and trim your beard a bit I might just agree."

"Aiyla," he murmured as he turned to face her, "you'd keep me waiting?"

"You say it as if I haven't done it in the past."

"That was before we got into this situation."

"Your point is?"

Aiyla chuckled as he sighed, and he squeezed her hand once more before letting go and stepping away from her. "Let's go to Sam."

"Got tired of me already?"

"No," he stole a look at her as he walked away and she instantly followed after him. "I just don't want him to start complaining and claiming we left him alone."

"But we did."

"I thought you were on my side."

It didn't take long for them to find Sam but Aiyla half wished they hadn't actually seen him. She wanted to smack him, growing tired of his teasing remarks and wiggling of his eyebrows every time Bucky looked away. It was safe to say he had noticed them holding hands, but neither Aiyla nor Bucky had said anything. Sam stopped his teasing at some point and they spent a few final minutes in silence until most agents started moving to Hill's tent and they did the same.

Maria Hill got out a while later, a gun at hand as she looked over at the agents and with a short nod, gestured to them to follow her. Aiyla, Bucky and Sam followed the rest of the agents through the forest, keeping quiet and having their eyes open for any distraction as they walked to a lower part of the forest. Aiyla noticed a small concrete door close by, a guard just in front of it. She shared a look with Bucky.

The fight had just began.

And I'm back with a chapter that's not all that violent, only concerning Bucky and Aiyla and their relationship. Next chapter will be the "big" fight.

What did you think of this chapter?

I'll see you all in three days.
Lots of love,
Olga.