Merlyn

Winter

The Winter Soldier looked through the scope at the woman he had fallen in love with. Surrounded by people she knew before, she looked to be happy. But he knew her better than that. No matter how happy she truly was, she was also uncomfortable. Rarely was she around so many people while working with him or the Red Room.

His eyes narrowed at the dark haired man that kept his arm around her and would occasionally whisper in her ear. The man made her smile like he would do before he was wiped. For the first time in a very long time, the Winter Soldier was jealous. Pulling away from the scope, the Winter Soldier dug into his pocket for the ring he had kept safe for years now.

Emma's ring. The only thing that remained with her after the shipwreck. And the one thing he never forgot. It had become his totem of remembering her over the years.

~•~•~•~

Emma felt uncomfortable around so many people. It had been Oliver's idea to have a party with so many people. Five years ago, this would have been her ideal scene, but now all she wanted to do was run away. "Are you okay?" Tommy asked noticing that Emma was zoning out.

"There's just so many people around here," Emma replied playing with her glass.

"Want to go outside for a bit? Get away from all this?" He asked her. Emma smiled and nodded at him. She needed a breathe of fresh air desperately and god knows where Oliver had disappeared off to. The two walked out of the warehouse and into the alley. As soon as they stepped into the alley, a tranquilizer lodged itself into Tommy's chest.

"Tommy?" Emma questioned worried as he fell to the ground.

"Ghost," the husky voice of her lover and trainer rang in her ears. Emma tore her gaze away from Tommy and to the man who had shot him.

"Winter?" Emma questioned relieved that it was just him. Without another thought, she was standing and running into his arms for a hug. His flesh arm and metal arm wrapped around her tightly. He had missed the feeling of her so close to him. "I thought you were..." she trailed off. It had been months, almost a year, since she had last been able to see him.

"They woke me up once you escaped," Winter said softly pulling away only slightly, but keeping his arms around her.

"You remember me?" She asked.

"I had your ring," he told her truthfully. "Their wiping isn't working as well anymore either," he added. "Who is he?" He asked looking at the unconscious man.

"Tommy. We were dating before the shipwreck," Emma told him. "They sent you to bring me back, didn't they?" She asked him with a sigh. Emma didn't want to go back to them and kill people. Winter didn't say anything. He just leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss.

"я люблю тебя так сильно." (I love you so much.) Winter whispered against her lips.

"Я тоже тебя люблю." (I love you too.) Emma whispered pulling away from his lips. With his flesh hand, Winter wiped away the tear that had escaped from her eye.

"Hit me," he ordered her.

"What?" Emma asked confused.

"Injury me a lot so I can say you overpowered me and escaped," Winter clarified.

"Winter, I can't," Emma said not wanting to hurt him. He had been her rock for the past five years, she couldn't hurt him. "If I do, then they'll hurt you more," she said knowing exactly how they worked.

"At least you'll be safe from them," Winter said. "That's all that matters," he added. His safety meant nothing to him if she wasn't safe.

An arrow flew into Winter's flesh shoulder as Oliver came into the alley. He had another arrow lodged in his bow and pointed at Winter. "Oliver don't!" Emma yelled moving so she was in front of Oliver's bow and not Winter. "He's a friend," Emma said.

"It's okay, дорогой," (darling) Winter said trying not to groan in pain. "Let him hurt me. It'll be more believable if I'm wounded severely when I return," he said. "Stay safe," he whispered leaning down and kissing her again. He lodged a tranquilizer into her side, knocking her unconscious. Ever so softly, Winter laid her down on the ground near Tommy. He took in every feature of her face before turning back to a confused Oliver Queen.

"Protect her," Winter said.

"I will," Oliver said realizing that the metal armed assassin had a close relationship with his sister. Winter pulled the arrow out of his shoulder without a wince.

"Punch me and beat me up. It's the only way I'll be able to protect her," Winter said. Oliver nodded with a heavy heart. Thoughts of what his twin had gotten up to in the past five years ran through his head as he beat up her lover. Or was he a former lover now?