Amnesia

C35: Life

"STEVEN. NO."

"Whaaaaaat?!" He turned around from the farmers market table we were standing at.

"We are not getting another damn plant." I mumbled under my breath.

"Plants are good." He held a little green pot out to me that held a fern.

"He's right... maybe you need a plant." The girl at the booth smiled. "They help you feel happy. Plus plants are great for helping decrease city air pollution."

"I can be happy..."

"But I want to be happy too." He faked frowned like a child.

"Steve you literally have like three plants in each room."

"But the air..." He whispered.

I sighed and closed my eyes. "Fine."

"He'll do anything I say." I heard him whispered to the girl he handed a twenty to.

"You know I heard that."  I smiled rolling my eyes.

"Here's your change mister, have a nice day."

"Thank you." He smiled kindly as he took the money from her hand she was holding out to him.

We started walking away from that booth, looking down the street at everything else being sold.

"So do you even know what kind of plant that is?" I asked him softly.

"It's a fern. They thrive in low light." He held it out in his hands. "Perfect for your side of the room."

"Shut up." I smiled.

He bumped against my shoulder as we walked, a sign that if he didn't have a plant in his hand, he would be holding mine.

As we made our way through the people crowding each stand, I enjoyed the rare feeling of the sun on my skin. It was warm and bright, and since I hadn't been outside much lately, it was also a comfort.

I could tell Steve was enjoying it as well. He smiled for no reason and held his plant like a child, reminding me of a younger Steve who used to walk around town with the twins in hand as I towed behind Caroline on my arm.

What I wouldn't do to have that back.

His head turned to face mine and smiled. I could see the light in his eyes through his sunglasses as he watched me watch him.

It was a mutual adoration.

Nearby there was a baby crying and two girls laughing as they walked by us. A young boy chased a little girl around their parents legs and their black lab wagged it's tail as it kept a watchful eye on them. Life was so much different down here then it was in the apartment. No one knew who we were or where we had come from, what we had done or who we'd hurt. We were just people, living and breathing amongst other people who could never be anything like us.

"Hey Steve have you ever thought about..."

And then a dog barked. And the world stopped.

My eyes met it immediately. It was a German Sheppard barking at another dog. I saw the teeth and the stance and the way it's head shot back as it growled at the other dog.

The dogs used to do that to me.

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"Again!" He said in a deep Russian accent.

"No. No. Stop." I stared at the cement ground covered in blood.

"Get up soldier!" Another man said, lightly kicking me in the side.

"He said get up!" The first man yelled.

The dog the guard had barked at me with an unholy disdain. I flinched, looking at it barely being restrained from biting at my face.

I pushed myself off the ground.

"Please. No more." I pushed my hand out towards them.

"What was that?"

"No more. I'm done." I stared at the blood on the other soldiers hand. It was mine, I felt it dripping down my face.

"Take him back to the lab. He's acting too much like Barnes." The commander waved his hand at the guards.

"No. No! Please. Not again." I yelled as the took ahold of my shoulders and pushed me towards the cell door.

The dog barked again, nipping right underneath my hand, scaring me forwards.

"Go!"

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"Bucky?" Steve elbowed me. "You kind of stopped in the middle of your sentence there, you okay?"

I blinked and shook my head, still staring in the dogs direction.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"That's not what I asked."

"I'm... I'm uh... fine." I faked smiled. "Don't worry about me."

"I always worry about you."

"That's cute but you don't need to. I'm fine."

I stood there and stared at the dog, my smile fading as it looked over to me with its tongue hanging out.

"Buck?"

It was just standing there looking like a normal dog, but I was terrified.

"Hello?"

I blinked and looked over to him slowly.

"Yeah... what steve?"

"Do you wanna go home and like... I don't know... watch a movie or something?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Like normal people?" I grinned.

"Yes. Like normal people." He rolled his head over towards me.

"I'd be delighted." I smiled back.