The Valentin Series, Book 2: Angel of Vengeance ( Winter Soldier Fanfiction)

Chapter 9: The Cave

Angel sat by an out cold Winter Soldier, her chest heaving and wing joints screaming from having to lift him into the cave after their tussle. She slumped on the cave wall, pressing her wings into the cold stone to help alleviate some of the strain. The Soldier moved.

“Shit,” Angel muttered as she quickly stood and had her blades ready. He shifted some more and opened his eyes, squinting at her through the flames.

“Angel?” he asked, bewildered, and Angel sat back down with a relieved breath, “What happened?” he asked again, sitting up and touching his temple, where blood was dripping.

“Well, handsome, if you must know,” Angel began, “you attacked me, brought me down into the glade over there, and tried to kill me, again. I didn’t have a tranq gun with me, it might have fallen out, so I had to knock you out,” she gestured to the wound on his head, “Sorry about that. Then I flew you back up here.”

“Oh,” his eyes widened at the realization of what he did, “Was that… me?” he asked gesturing to Angel’s neck which was beginning to look blue.

“Oh, this pretty thing?” she grinned kindly at him, “yeah, this was your metal arm.”

“I am so sorry,” he said as he stood and walked towards her. He saw her grip her sword a little tighter, “I really am.”

“You had me pinned down on the ground, and you were leaning on your metal arm, which was across my throat,” she shrugged, like it happened on a daily basis, “You really didn’t know it was me, huh?”

James just shook his head, he felt embarrassed and frustrated, and angry with himself. His father taught him never to hit women. Wait… his father?

“It’s fine, James,” Angel smiled at him, “I’ll be fine. Maybe a little hoarse, but fine.” She laid her hand softly on his cheek; a vicious frown had taken over his face.

“I remembered something,” he whispered.

“Oh?” Angel asked, surprised, “What did you remember?”

“My father taught me never to hit women,” he looked at her with tears in his eyes, “I had a father?”

“I… I don’t know, James,” she whispered back, what answer was there?

“I’m sorry, I’m extremely sorry, ma’am,” he begged, the tears falling from his eyes, and it tugged at her. He was lost, and being exploited, and here she was, going to bring him back.

“It’s alright, it will heal,” Angel said softly, pushing his hair out his face, “I’ll just… bring an extra tranquilizer gun next time.”

“You can’t come back and get me next time, you can’t,” he told her, “it’s not safe.”

“It’s my job, James,” she countered, “at least I can buy you a few days before you have to go back, it’s the least I could do.”

“Least you could do for what?” he asked, looking her straight in the eyes. There was no more blind violence in his eyes, no more hatred, and no more anger; just confusion and conscience. This was the man behind the soldier.

“I bring you back to them,” she told him, pulling James into a hug, “I  bring you back to all of that, all of this, and all I want to do is spirit you away to wherever they won’t find us.”

She felt his arms wrap around her and felt him drag in a ragged breath, “I have to take you back, I’m sorry.”

“That’s not your fault, ma’am,” he muttered into her hair, still not letting go, “I just wish I could remember you next time.”

She pulled away, “My brother used to… well, let’s say he had a temper,” she looked him in the eyes, “Every time he’d lose himself there was always one word I’d say to calm him down, to make him remember I was there.”

“A safe word,” he supplied, understanding what she meant.

“Exactly,” she nodded with a smile, and traced his jaw, “but it had to be something he’d remember me with. It had to be a word that was associated with me only.”

“What was it?” James asked.

“Toffee,” Angel grinned, “See, I used to call him Toffee before I could say his full name. So what do you remember me by, soldier?” she asked.

“You said something to me last time, we talked,” he told her, racking his brain, “I can’t… you called me something.”

“James?” she supplied, “Well that obviously didn’t work, did it?”

“No, something else, when you were stitching me up,” he remembered this, it had been playing in his mind since the last time they met, what was it?

“Love?” she tried, and James perked up.

“Yes!” he smiled at her, “that. It’s been in my head since the last time we saw each other.”

Angel shrugged, “It’s worth a try,” then she leaned back on the cave wall, sighing as her shoulders and wing joints touched the cool stone.

“I am sorry,” James said again, not looking at her.

She smiled and touched his shoulder, “I said it was alright, didn’t I?” she pulled on a lock of his matted hair, “Lie down, you big dummy, let me look at that wound.”

He acquiesced, laying on her lap, “Tell me a story?” he asked as she wove her hands through his hair trying to find the gash, he was sure it had healed by now, it was one of the things he never understood about his body.

“About what, love?” she asked softly, and he closed his eyes at the word “love”, trying to commit it to memory.

“About you?” he answered.

“Where to begin?” she smiled at him.

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this is short, i know, i know, i am sorry. been working on a few other stories aside from this, non-winter soldier related, though. ANYWAY.. i shall update again soon. til then,

love love love

~A2V~