Book One: Worlds Apart (Loki)

Chapter Twenty Four

Katri sits under one of the small tents looking out over the kind of court yard set up, soldiers that were rescued from the Hydra base are drinking and laughing, relief the main mood for the entire camp despite the rain. Ark and Jack are among them. Smiling. Clapping their comrades on the shoulder as they move through the groups, talking. Bucky sits next to Katri who raises an eyebrow looking to him.

"Can I help you, darling?" she asks him, he shrugs a little.

"It's quiet in here" he answers looking out at the others.

"So you're here to steal my hiding spot?" she asks him, he smirks a little and shakes his head.

"No, I wouldn't dream of it" he offers tugging his jacket closer to himself. She watches him a moment. He looks exhausted.

"You don't want to celebrate with the others?" she asks, he shakes his head.

"Not really feeling it" he admits, she raises an eyebrow. "You don't want to hear about my problems, doll"

"Indulge me" she comments. "I'm a nurse, Sarge" she reminds him. "I'm here to help if I can" he takes a few breathes, calming himself, steeling himself to admitting this to her, he looks to her and then nods to himself.

"I can't sleep" he finally admits. "Every time I close my eyes..." he stops and looks down. "Every time I close my eyes I am back there....strapped down" he stops voice breaking.

"Here" she whispers scooting closer to him, turning his face to hers. "I'mma do something for you" she adds as he watches her. "But you gotta promise not to tell anyone I was nice" he smiles a little. "Back home the Mikaelsons, well we have a bit of a reputation" he nods.

"It'll be our little secret" he assures her. She nods and then glances out the tent, making sure there are no eyes on them before she looks back to Bucky.

"You'll remember what happened to you" she compels him. "But they'll be secured behind a window, you can see them, you can watch them but you won't be scared of those memories, they cannot hurt you" she takes a breath. "You will go to your tent, lay down in your cot.....and fall into a dreamless sleep" she compels. "And you will forget this moment" she pulls back and he goes back to looking down, as he had before she compelled him. He pulls his sleeves down his arm.

"I tried to talk to Steve but he's just so...." he pauses and shakes his head, picking up the conversation where he left it. "I dunno" he looks to her. "Still feel like I gotta look out for him, ya' know? No matter how big he gets. He doesn't need to worry about me"

"Pretty sure that no matter what you tell him, he's still going to worry about you" she comments. He looks to her. "Blood or not you're brothers" she offers. "And I was so worried about Derek I joined up as a nurse..." he smiles softly. "You and Steve, you're going to be the two 100 years old still watching each other's backs" he chuckles a little. "He'd understand if you talked to him, it might even help you sleep to get it off your chest" she touches his arm and nods a little.

"Thanks, doll" he whispers. "You're one hell of a nurse" he stands and leaves her alone. She looks back down to her book and then sighs feeling someone lingering.

"Was that Katri Mikaelson being nice?" Ark teases poking his head into the tent, she takes his offered hand and lets him help her up.

"Tell anyone" she warns. "And you are no longer my son" she hisses walking away, he chuckles following her.

"Hey, I have a question" Ark starts hurrying to her side. "Where the hell is Jack?" he asks her, she looks to him. "The monkey" he elaborates.

"Oh....with Carlisle and his family" she answers. "I thought that even for me bringing a magical immortal monkey to the front lines was, you know, a bit strange" Ark throws his arm over her shoulder and laughs.

......................

Katri finds another quiet spot to read her book, a letter from Carlisle open at her side along with her written reply ready to be sent back, she's worried about Jack, the monkey of course. A shadow looms over her and she tries not to show her annoyance at being disturbed, yet again.

"I wanted to thank you" Steve tells her, she raises an eyebrow.

"Thank me?" she asks looking up at Steve, he nods.

"Bucky said you talked to him" he answers, she motions to her nurses uniform.

"I am here to help" she offers setting her book aside. "Although I did tell him not to tell anyone I was nice" Steve smiles a little. "But I'll forgive him" she leans back in her seat slightly. "Just this once" she motions with her finger. He nods and takes the seat beside her as she picks up her book again. Steve fidgets slightly rubbing his hands on his trousers and then sighing, Katri's eye twitches with every single one.

"Is it any good?" Steve asks, Katri glances up from her book, he motions to it, she closes the book again then holds it out to Steve.

"Read it" she offers.

"No, I couldn't take it from you" he argues.

"Consider it a thank you" she argues back motioning with the book. "For saving Derek and Jack" he looks to her, sees the emotion in her eyes, he nods and takes the book. "Captain America" she teases a little, he snorts and looks down at the book.

"That's a big....title" he admits, she touches his arm and he lifts his eyes to her. "Burden" he admits.

"Maybe" she offers. "But you're not alone. Bucky....." he nods in agreement.

"Yes, I will always have Bucky" he tells her.

"And them" she motions around the camp. "I mean you pulled them out of the fire....that feeling of" she pauses slightly for the right word. "Obligation" she settles on. "It creates a....companionship" he watches her slightly. "A bond that's....bound by war, it's something that never passes" she stands and collects her letters. "I should be checking on my patients" she tells him.

"You're very wise" he tells her. "For someone so....young" her lips twitch into a smile, almost a smile. She nods.

"Experience" she offers walking away, clasping her hands behind her back as she goes.