You Must Remember This

Chapter 48 - A soldier's promise

HYDRA base, Siberia, September 3, 1946

"Tell me."

"No."

"Come on, tell me."

"Christ, woman, you are relentless."

"Don't pretend like you don't like that about me."

"Eh, sometimes. Ow! Hey, no punching!"

Evelyn giggled at Bucky's pretend pout as he rubbed his chest where she hit him. As if her fist could have done any damage to those perfect, rock-hard pecs. Still, Evelyn leaned in to kiss the 'pain' away.

"Better?" she asked.

"Hm, not really." Bucky shot her a playful smile. "I think you might need to go a little higher."

"Here?" Evelyn kissed his clavicle.

"Higher."

Another kiss, on the side of his neck this time.

"Higher."

His jawline.

"Almost."

"Then how about... here?"

The moment Evelyn captured her lover's lips, everything faded away. They weren't sitting on blankets in a dingy medical room on the lower levels of a remote enemy base in Siberia, but dancing to their song in the Poppy Lounge, kissing underneath a single spotlight meant only for them. There were no evil scientists using them. No second personality biding his time until she was subjected to him again. No war, and no loss. Just them. Just love.

"All healed," said Bucky with a content hum. "You're a miracle worker, Nurse Roger."

"Happy to oblige, Sarge."

Evelyn settled against Bucky, resting her head on his shoulder. He gingerly caressed her hair. The soft strokes almost lulled her into a slumber, but she remained ever vigilant, listening for the ring that would carry Nikolai's voice on the other side of the line. 
Neither of them had ever suspected they'd be able to be with each other until they got back home. Until they escaped and could finally start their lives together. But somehow, whatever God was dealing the deck had given them a good hand these last two months.

Evelyn had mulled it over so many times. Had they been careless and had someone discovered them? If so, why on earth would they enable them to grasp these precious moments? To increase the changes of Zola's breeding project succeeding? It couldn't be anything else.
First, there was that mystery disease that killed twenty-seven people in two days. Then, it was the intruder alert, and now, it was an inexplicable fire near the turbines. And every time, Evelyn had been left alone with Bucky, with the guards either taken ill or called up in all urgency to join and aid the others before they shut down the elevator for yet another lockdown.

If only we could escape this wretched place, she pondered, drawing circles on Bucky's collarbone with her fingertip. But we can't get out from this level, and I can't very well walk out the front door with HYDRA's greatest asset. Our only chance is an invasion by the SSR, but that'll end up in a massacre, with or without the Winter Soldier joining the fray. And I can't risk him being away on another mission. Zola doesn't even schedule them anymore and just sends him out whenever he feels like it. We need a stroke of luck. Anything at all to —

"Doll, you okay?"

"Hm?" Evelyn blinked at the concerned tone in Bucky's voice. "Oh, sorry, I was just... thinking of Brooklyn. Never thought I'd miss the old neighborhood this much."

"Me neither," said Bucky wistfully. "I'd give anything to see home again. Pops and Becca. The Poppy Lounge, the docks, the clinic... God, I even wanna go to Coney Island and ride the roller-coaster. I hate the roller-coaster."