Some Things Never Sleep

Chapter Fourteen

Sam Wilson tried to maintain his breathing as he ran laps around the city. It might've been a little too long since he last ran but to be fair his running partner had been pretty busy with life lately. Finding your long lost granddaughter tended to do that to a person. Sam was just glad that his friend found some connection to his past life. Steve had been so troubled before Emma came into the picture so when they found Emma it just made Sam happy that Steve had found someone who was connected to both Steve's past and future. It would prove to be very healthy for the super soldier.

"On your left." Sam heard from his left side as he jogged. He glared as he watched the figure of Steve pass him with little to no effort. It was only about ten seconds later when he heard someone else come up from behind him. He huffed and puffed as he struggled to keep up and not let this person pass him but he really wasn't a match.

"Don't you dare say it, kid." Sam managed to say as he tried to maintain his breathing.

"On your left!" Emma Rogers sang as she gracefully passed Sam, following her grandfather. Sam let out a growl of frustration as the young girl managed to easily keep with Steve. He pretended to be frustrated with the two but he really couldn't act that mad. It wasn't that long ago when there was no one that could keep with Steve but that seemed to change when Emma came into the picture. It would be good for him, Sam determined. Emma would be good for all of them actually.

"Shhhh...don't scream, princess. Everything will be fine." Emma could feel warm hands grabbing her, the hands sweaty and hot against her skin.

"Stop...stop it, please. Please don't...please...don't." Her voice pleaded with the person. The desperation in her voice was humiliating.

"Just shut up and do as I say. If anything happens to me your  precious Winter Soldier will pay the price." Emma could feel warm tears stream down her face as she began to give up.

"You're so beautiful...just like your mother." The voice whispered directly into her ear.

Emma woke up screaming from her nightmare. It was a much different reaction to her nightmares than she was used to having. Usually Emma was able to keep herself under control but the nightmare she had that night was too vivid and terrifying for Emma to keep calm. It was like she was back in that Hydra base all over again. It almost felt like he was in the room with her and she struggled to search for him in the darkness of the room.

Her eyes wildly scanned the room from wall to wall but she couldn't spot anything. Emma struggled to keep her breathing under control as she tried to calm herself down but it wasn't working. Her bedroom door suddenly opened and Emma immediately grabbed one of her sketching pencils from her nightstand, holding it up defensively as she looked at the intruder. The lights suddenly turned on, revealing the intruder to actually be Steve.

Steve had been woken up from his sleep by loud screaming. He was a bit of a light sleeper given his enhanced hearing so it didn't take much to wake him up. The first thought that entered his mind when he woke up was Emma. It didn't take long for Steve get out of bed, grabbing his shield along the way as he ran to Emma's bedroom.

That was what caused him to be standing in her doorway as he scanned her room for any intruders whilst holding his shield out in front of him defensively. It was why he was taken by surprise when he didn't see any signs of any sort of threat but instead a terrified looking Emma who was holding a pencil in her hand like it was a weapon. If he was being honest then he was sure that Emma could probably make that pencil into a weapon if the occasion called for it. Steve, however, was more concerned with the wild look in her eyes as well as her breathing which sounded labored.