"Yeah." Her voice was rough, but she managed a smile. "Not the worst I've had. First time I've been carried up a fire escape, though."

"First time for everything," Barnes replied. The pain in his back had dulled to a hard throb. "We're safe here for now. Feel up to some food?"

Liz grimaced. "Not yet," she said quietly. "Later." She knew she'd need it later, with the way Extremis was pulling from her reserves.

Barnes nodded, making a mental note to call Natasha. He trusted Nat to be able to get there to bring supplies or anything else they might need without being followed.

Liz ended up napping off and on for a while, trying to conserve energy. She wasn't going to just bounce back on her feet, not from this. She figured it would take a few days.

When she finally actually woke up a little after dark she frowned. "Was supposed to text Hillary," she mumbled, her lips dry and her voice even rougher.

"I texted Steve," Bucky said, already on his feet and bringing her some water. He hadn't slept at all; instead, he'd kept watch.

"Good." Liz took the water carefully and took a few sips before she attempted to sit up. And that was not a good idea, that was a very not good idea.

"Easy," Bucky said as he helped her when she froze up. "Lay back down. You're not healed enough to try to sit up yet."

"'Parently not," Liz agreed, settling down again cautiously. "Been a while since I got shot. Last time was easier."

"I doubt last time was two near kill shots," Bucky pointed out.

In the meantime, while Bucky was taking care of Liz, Hillary was waiting in the apartment for Steve to show up.

"Nah. Last time was just through the thigh, went clean through." Liz sighed. "Guess I should be feeling lucky that he missed rather than bitching that he hit."

Steve jogged up the steps and knocked on the door. He knew what had happened, since he'd paused to talk to a few people and look at the scene. But he hadn't heard from Bucky yet, which he was guessing was a good thing. Now he just had to make sure Hillary stayed safe.

"Just let me know when you want something to eat," Bucky said. "I'm sure you'll need something soon, otherwise I'm betting your healing is going to slow down."

Cautiously, Hillary went over to the door and peeked through the peephole. When she saw it was Steve, she sighed a bit in relief and unlocked the door.

"It's open," she called to him. "Lock it behind you." Then she made her way back to the couch, grumbling a bit as some loose shedskin caught on the floor.

"Way down," Liz agreed. "Already ran through my reserves, don't have much left." She quirked a bit of a grin. "It's fine, I'll be fine for half an hour while you go find something for us to eat."

Steve let himself in and locked the door. He did blink when he saw Hillary, though. This was his first time seeing her like this, after all.

"Wow," he murmured. "You weren't kidding about shedding, no wonder I've been itchy."

Bucky just walked over and put a pizza box on the coffee table next to the couch.

"I contacted Natasha while you were asleep," he said. "I'm not going anywhere."

Hillary hunkered down a bit and picked at her shedding scales.

"Well, now you see it," she said. Her tail was coiled up a bit, looping over itself once or twice. The old scales were dull, but bright ones peeked through the skin in places. She glanced at him, still half-afraid he would be disgusted.

"Efficient of you." Liz didn't reach for the pizza yet, though, making sure her stomach would be fine with that. She was still feeling all off-kilter from being shot, which was just so not fair.

Steve wasn't disgusted. He walked over, looking her over, already thinking of sketching her like this sometime.

"I know you're still worried, but you don't need to be."

"I'm not leaving you alone," Bucky said, sitting on the arm of the couch, next to her. "We're safe enough here for now, so just work on healing."

"Sorry," Hillary said quietly. "I'm just not used to anyone besides Liz seeing me like this." She rubbed at a patch of old skin and it peeled away, revealing copper banded with black underneath.

"I know." Liz grimaced a little. "Should only take another day, hopefully." She got herself a piece of pizza and ate slowly.

"It's okay." Steve smiled. "Is this the only time you keep this form? When you have to shed?"

Once Bucky was satisfied that she was eating, he went to check the door and windows again. He had been checking them periodically while Liz was resting, just to be safe.

"Recently," Hillary admitted. "I keep it more often in the summer, when it's warmer."

Liz watched him, tracking him from where she sat, although she didn't move. She could see he still had some of the Soldier in his step, which was interesting.

"Makes sense, I mean, snakes like heat, right?" Steve blushed and backpedaled. "Not that that's a bad thing, I mean, heat is great, and all."

Hillary nodded, turning faintly pink.

"That's why I appreciate the fact that you run warmer than I do," she admitted. "It's nice."

Steve relaxed again and grinned. "Well, any time you need some extra heat, let me know," he said.

"I will," Hillary said. She settled on the couch. "You're welcome to join me," she said. She paused. "I mean, as long as you're okay with the scales, I'd never make you if you don't want to..."

Steve chuckled but moved over next to her. "Sometime, after you're done shedding, I'd like to draw you like this," he said, a little shyly.

Hillary blushed a bit.

"Really?" she asked. She picked at some of her shedding scales. "I should be done in a couple more days."

"Really." Steve smiled. "In a few days, then, we'll see what's going on." He settled a little more comfortably on the couch.