» healer // b. barnes

» thirteen. her

1987. Washington, d.c., USA

After another month of rigorous training, Winter was awaken and we were released on an actual mission. Karpov had instructed me to keep my newly made assignment to myself; not even trusting the other agents in the field.

Winter had been giving me some very confusing and strange looks for the entire duration of the plane ride. I chose to play my part and act like a scared little girl. When the plane landed, he left without a word.

I was instructed to stay on the plane for my 'safety'. Little do these assholes know that I can take care of myself.

I sat alone with my arms crossed in the plane. Occasionally, my hand would check if the gun hidden in the waist band of my pants was still there. It was every time.

           To pass time along, I would try and close my eyes, but whenever I did those words flooded my vision, and they flew open. I glanced at the clock. Only a minute had passed.

           Another fifteen minutes had passed when footsteps were heard outside of the plane. I slid my hand down and hovered it over the gun in case of emergency. My eyes never looked away from the door; the only way in or out.

         A Hydra agent nearly fell through the door, landing on the ground. He kicked the door closed and looked around, a wild feral look in his eyes. They landed on me.

          "H-help me. They found me." He sputtered out in English, blood tripping from the corner of his mouth. I stood with my feet planted firmly on the ground, unwilling to move. "God damnit! Fine then."

            It all happened so fast before I could even blink. I didn't react quick enough. He pulled a gun from his jacket and shot me right in the stomach. I gasped out in a mixture of pain and shock while my hands moved to cover the wound.

             I fell to my knees and watched as the man cocked the gun again and put it against his throat, aiming upwards. He looked me directly in the eyes and released a phrase that would repeat in my head as I faded into darkness. "You brought this on yourself, Leigh Dubois. You shouldn't have killed my son."

With that, he pulled the trigger. Ending his life. Most likely ending mine along with it.

And that's when the darkness came.

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         "How did this happen?" I was brought back to consciousness by angry yelling. I saw bright lights about me and a heard a roaring engine. Still in the plane. I couldn't tell who was screaming. Their voice almost sounded as if it was underwater.

         What was a dull ache in my stomach soon turned into a blaring fire all over my abdomen.

           "Soldier, I need to put her on the floor." The voices were starting to become clearer and more coherent. I still couldn't tell who was speaking, though.

             "Don't you dare touch her. I'll do it myself." A rough voice was heard over top of me.

              "You better watch your tone-"

              "Stop. Its not worth it." A third voice chimed in. All of these voices were making my head swirl.

        I felt a gloved hand slip under my back and a cool hand supporting my head. Suddenly, I was brought into the air and I screamed out in pain. The burning all over my abdomen turned into a directed stab in my stomach. But with a knife dipped in acid.

I was laid down on the metal flooring on the plane. I welcomed the coolness of the floors. It seemed to soothe the burning I felt all over.

I felt the set of hands leaving my back and neck and I tired to whine at the loss of contact. It ended up sounding like a cry in pain. I heard the shuffling of boots and my head was gently raised into the lap of an unknown person.

"I need to take the bullet out. Try and keep her calm." A voice from earlier came.

"Yeah, like that's going to be easy."

"Fine. Just keep her still as possible."

"Stop your bickering. I'll keep her calm, you keep her still." The voice above me said angrily. Nothing else was said and I felt a cool hand on my forehead.

Cold, metal hand. It was Winter whose lap my head was residing. On any other occasion, I would be thrashing to get out of his grip, but right now his touch was comforting. It was intoxicatingly comforting and I involuntary leaned into it.

"One... Two... Theee." The worse pain came yet and darkness surrounded my vision as screams left my throat.

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"Shot...... Internal injuries....... Long term....Poison.......Assassination." Broken pieces of a conversation were heard as I regained consciousness.

I opened my eyes and took in my surrounding. Another cement wall and ceiling. Back at Hydra I presume. I tried to sit up, but was stopped by two pairs of hands. Three flesh hands and one metal.

"Oh, no, no, no. I wouldn't recommend that."

I turned my head to see Winter standing protectively at my head and a man in a lab coat at my waist, pushing my shoulders down. Winter watched his every move without a sound.

            The man lifted up my shirt and I craned my head to see white bandaged wrapped thickly around my torso, specks of blood seeping through.

             "Wh-what happened to me?"

              "Why, you don't remember?" I shook my head, confused. He continued, "what is the last thing you remember?"

              I was drawing a blank. Literally, everything was gone. I didn't remember anything. My breathing became ragged as I tried harder to remember. "I-I don't know. Sir, I don't know. I just remember Winter."

         Tears were leaking from my eyes now. Winter stood next to me, looking helpless in this situation.

             "It's okay, it's okay. Calm down. Breath in. Breath out." I followed his directions. "In and out. Good." I repeated the breathing pattern for a few minutes until my breathing was leveled again.

              I started feeling tired as sleep made my eyelids heavier. They involuntarily closed. I slumped against the uncomfortable bedding.

             "She's fine. Let her rest. She needs and deserves it."

             I felt something warm and a bit wet touch my forehead and then coldness replaced it.

             "Sleep well, моя луна."

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Translations:
моя луна → my moon

Authors Note:
little bit of a shorter chapter, but i have a lot planned.
thank you for reading yet another installment of healer! please, give me some feedback on what you think so far!