Lost Memories

Chapter 5

After talking more with Steve, Tony, and Bruce, they come up with a plan. Bruce is going to do some tests and scans and try to figure out what that pinkish purple substance was that the doc used on me. The tests were uncomfortable, but the scientist in me was intrigued about the machines, the analysis and even the program that they call Friday. Tony has created some sort of artificial intelligent. When I asked, they told me what happened few years ago with Ultron. It sounded impossible, but after everything that happened in the fortress, is anything impossible anymore? I just had breakfast with the god of thunder and two men that are over hundred years old but look younger and way more attractive than most of the guys I used to date. I leave Tony and Bruce go through the test results and start to wander around the compound. I end up to the gym and see Bucky and Steve fighting. Nat is working out and I see Sam studying Steve's and Bucky's moves. I can't believe that it is still about 9 am and these guys are already kicking each other's butts.

I know they are training, but it looks like they are trying to kill each other. They are kicking each other, throwing punches to each other. I notice Steve has a huge shield in his back. Bucky jumps up and tries to hit Steve with his metal arm. Quickly Steve pulls the shield out and manages to get it between him and Bucky. There is a loud bang that startled me and Sam notice that I am standing at the gym door. He yells at me, "Are you ok?". I just nod and continue to look at Steve and Bucky. They also saw me. Steve waved his hand at me, and Bucky smirked and nodded. I look around me and suddenly notice something near the roof. It's Clint, the pilot from the plane. He looks at me and jumps. A gasp and in my mind, I am sure that he is going to get hurt. He the shoots an arrow, that has a wire attached to it, to the roof and uses it to land next to me. "Hi, I hope you are feeling better. Didn't really have a chance to officially introduce myself. I am Hawkeye, but people call me Barton also.", he says while holding his hand in front of me. I shake his hand, and he smiles. "After every mission, I usually go to see the family. I just got back." He has a family. For some reason I thought that no one in here has any other life than this. "It's great to meet you, Barton. Nat already told me about you, but she never mentioned that you have a family outside all of this.", I said to him. He smiles and tells that for many years, he kept his family as a secret. They were safe when no one knew about them. "That's smart.", I was thinking out loud. If I wanted to keep someone safe, I would not tell anyone that they exist.

While talking to Barton, Bucky and Sam have started to train together. Nat and Steve joined me and Barton, and Nat encourage me to feel free to use the gym. She also hints that maybe we should train together soon. I have done yoga before, but that was only to calm my nerves during the studies at university. I tell them that I don't think I can keep up with them. Nat insists that we go for a run. Steve joins us. I borrowed Nat's gym clothes and head outside. While running, I realize why Nat told me before we left, that Steve is going to be annoying running partner. We are running tracks. Well, I am jogging with Nat, and Steve is running at least seven times faster than us. I get competitive. In my mind I know that I can't compete with him, but I decided to try. When he runs from behind us in few seconds, I spurt and try to keep up with him. Something sifted in my body, and I am actually running as fast as Steve. Nat stops, takes out her phone and films the race between me and Steve. We run for three laps and decide to stop. Steve is baffled, Nat is laughing and sending the video to other avengers. I sit down and lay down on my back. I try to catch my breath. Nat throws me a water bottle and tells me that no one has been able to keep up with Steve. Steve says that Bucky could, but he is not into running. Steve and Nat laugh, and I am smiling, while still laying on my back on the ground.

After we get back to the compound, I go to take a shower. Nat told me where the showers are, so I take my towel and toiletry bag, that I got earlier, with me. I open the door to the dressing area and from the shower appears Bucky. Naked and water dripping on his body. For a second, I freeze. I knew he looked amazing, but I now realize that I had no idea. He's body is muscular and even with a quick look, I could see the definitions of his abs. The water was dripping on his body and making it look even more stunning. His right arm is huge. I wonder how many hours he had to spend in the gym to achieve this look. I feel like this second, that I have spent staring at his body, lasted for hours. During that time, I had million thoughts in my brain, and I don't think any of them were decent enough to say out loud. Suddenly, I realize that he has no towel on him. I quickly lift my eyes and look at his face. He is not embarrassed or trying to cover himself. He is staring back at me. He quickly licks his bottom lip, bites it and smirks at me.

"The door was not locked. I didn't know that someone was here. I am sorry for...", I start to explain, but Bucky interrupts me, "I wish you would have stumbled here little bit earlier. I could have used a back wash.". He is still smirking at me, and I feel the fire starting inside of me. Apparently, I am not the only one that notices the flames. His expression changed from smirk to curiosity. I look to the mirror right next to me and see that my hair is red again and my eyes have changed to bright red with flames that have orange and yellow hues. He steps closer to me, pushes me against the wall and stares into my eyes. He takes my face between his hands. I can feel the coldness of his metal hand on my right cheek and the warmth of his other hand on my left cheek. The whole time, he has not yet broken the connection between our eyes. He gently strokes my bottom lip with his right thumb, and I can feel the heat building up inside of me. He comes closer and I can feel his lips close to mine. Before he has the chance, I kiss him. He kisses me back and at the same time pushes his body against mine. I can feel his whole body. I feel water dripping from his hair to my face. I put my hands on his body and feel his muscular arms. I slowly move my hands to his chest without letting go of him. I felt like the kiss was going to continue forever. He pulls his lips away from mine and looks into my eyes. The fire is still in there and it is getting stronger. He smiles at me. "I think we both could use a cold shower right about now. We don't want to set the whole place on fire, do we.", he says with a familiar smirk on his face. I realize that the fire is no longer just showing from my eyes. I am covered in reddish glow and little flames. Somehow the flames are not burning him. I step away and look at him. "Did that just happened?", I think to myself. With my clothes still on, I step into the shower. When I get back to the dressing room, after extinguishing myself with cold water, my whole body is wet, and the water is dripping to the floor from my again brown hair. He is standing in the dressing room, with a smile on his face. And still, without a towel.