He walked away; from the job, from the weapons, from the life-from the unconscious body of Captain America. Days had passed or maybe it was months- he could not really remember. His hair grew long, facial hair came in until, little by little, he bore only a slight resemblance to the man known as "winter solider"- if you can count a metal arm as "slight". That was one part of his past that would not go way any time soon.
He still did not fully know who "James "Bucky" Barnes" was, but he would walk until he did.
When he was hungry he ate when he was tired he slept; but his body still required very little of either. At the current time he was still a 90 year old man chemically frozen in time as an assassin in his 30's.
Without the help of Hydra's scientists he knew he would start to age now- would it be rapid and painful? Or slow like a normal human? At least he would know what it meant to be human.
His mind was flooded with such thoughts, to the point where he could not sleep for more than a few minutes before getting awoken by random panic attacks. He had walked for 24 hours straight following a highway to god only knows where. The snow had started to fall, and he had no clue what his next move would be.
If he died out there; in the middle of the road, perhaps it would be karma for all that he had done in the past.
That was when he was hit by an out of control semi.
He awoke shivering and in what looked like a hospital bed- in someone's house.
The door slowly opened and a pretty blonde appeared;"hi... wow you're finally awake." she said without even knocking, as if she had been checking on him for several hours or even days.
"My names' Layla... and I know stuff." she said with a smirk. She was not traditionally pretty; she had the look of a soldier. But her hair was wild/natural, as if she let it grow out on a whim.
"Pepsi?" she said offering him a can of soda. She looked about 25 maybe 26 years old. What could someone like her know?
She wore an odd coat dress; orange and black, as if it was a uniform, but it flowed as if it didn't really fit her. Then he noticed her face was marred by a tattoo or scar in the shape of am M- over her eye of all places. Did this hint to her true intentions?
"Why am I here?" he asked through labored breaths. His ribs were broken, and he could barely lift his head. He looked down to see bandages covering his chest. The pain got worse the more conscious he became."
"Why? Not -where? Wow you really are winter solider." she laughed.
"Ok- then -where? Where are we." he said, almost praying he pain would knock him out. Was this the result of being free? As a solider of Hydra he had been shot dozens of times, suffered broken bones, bruised organs- but he had no memory of even being in this much pain.
"Janesville, Wisconsin- at a safe house for X-Factor." she said in a sweet, professional manner. "Open". She touched two fingers to his lips. He opened his mouth and she placed a few pain pills that he gratefully swallowed.
"Is that a sub division of x-men?" he asked, he had at least heard of x-men.
"Something like that; we get invited to parties-like the 'let's all flee to the giant bubble in the San Francisco bay' party."
"What...?" he said, in a confused voice- if she was trying to make a joke it was falling on deaf ears.
"Nothing- I just meant..."
"You do your own thing." he cracked a smile. She was beautiful; and something about her seemed trust worthy.
"yeah." she pulled up a chair next to him. She stroked her hand over his. "Yeah. We do what we want- that's how I found you."
She went on to explain how X-Factor was on a mission in Virginia- 1 month after the incident at SHIELD- the incident the incident that crashed 3 weapons of mass destruction and left Captain America in the hospital.
"There were warrants out for you; deep, detailed descriptions about a man with a metal arm."
"And you wanted a reward, or something?" he asking jokingly. No, there was clearly more to her then that.
"What?! No, I wanted to meet you. I tracked you to until I knew you would be open to meeting me. You are destined for greatness. In my future you are a hero who forges an army against-well- that's a story for another day."
Layla was not sure if she should go in to her own history; after all the idea of a time traveler from an apocalyptic future was even more unbelievable then an assassin -super solider kept alive for over half a century.
"Let's just say- I know who broke your human arm; and I learned it from books written by all the people you inspired."
"Where is your team now?" he asked, laying back down; for some reason his head was pounding. Odd since he assumed the pills she just gave him were for pain.
"Illinois- something about a daemon or a thief with super powers- either way it's a paycheck to fund our real cause."
"Which is?" he asked just for the sake of conversation.
"The future" she said lacing her fingers through his.
Had she touched him further he might have resisted, or even found her to be a liar who was trying to seduce him- but her touch was so sweet and pure; it opened emotions that he had not felt in over 40 years.
He needed to know more about her intentions.
"Tell me more of what you know about me!" he asked in one painful breath. "who was I before!"
With this question she pulled back her hand.
"please..." he squeezed her hand as if to beg her not to leave.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. What's important is that you remember you- that's how history says it will work. For now get some sleep." she kissed his forehead like his mother. Then she stroked her hand over his throat, down his shoulder, arm, to his stomach muscles, stopping on his thigh muscle before looking him in the eyes and making her exit.
He looked down at his body; he was not restrained in anyway. He tried to flex his foot ; other then being a little bruised and cut front he accident his legs were not disabled. His cloths were on a chair. He was welcome to leave whenever he felt ready.
Layla's point was "believe me or don't- it's completely to you."