Terra stared at the television blankly, holding her coffee. Her mouth agape. S.H.I.E.L.D was gone; just gone.
Demolished.
Somehow, Terra felt like she'd been stripped bare. The world's protection was gone, and people such as HYDRA were ready to strike. Those people were ready to tear apart any shred of S.H.I.E.L.D they could find and make them out to be the bad guys. Terra knew the truth, but she somehow found doubt within the authorities. What if they were controlled by HYDRA?
What if the CIA or FBI had been infiltrated, too?
Who would know? She wouldn't, that Terra knew, and now she felt vulnerable.
Terra pushed her thoughts aside briskly and put on her shoes to go to her new internship. As it turns out being honest with Tony Stark can get you somewhere after all! She'd been offered the internship after the Battle of New York. Sadly, she'd not been privileged enough to be on the mysterious clean-up crew of New York, but it was better than nothing.
Tony paid her rent and a pretty good pay-check for helping out Pepper Potts' assistant. An assistant of an assistant - that always made her laugh.
The shrill ringing of her cell phone interrupted her thoughts as she scurried to see who was calling her. It was Pepper's new assistant, Marianne. Otherwise known as her boss.
"I need you to come into work and file some interviews for some new employees," her boss said quickly, as if she was in a rush, "In light of recent events, you can go home straight after."
"Alright, Marrie, I'll be there," Terra promised before she tried her hardest to look elegant as she rushed out of the door.
After locking it, she drove away in her car. Unaware of the eyes which burned ever so intently into her car's behind. She was being watched, that was obvious.
Parking her car, Terra speed-walked into the building.
"Hey Happy!" Terra greeted, scanning her ID as she passed. This way she'd be let into all the higher floors within the large, and ever wonderful, Stark Tower.
Heels clacking, Terra spoke quickly to JARVIS.
"Say Jay?"
"Yes, Ms Harper?" the AI answered. A smooth British monotone cutting through her heel's clicks and clacks.
"Could you bring up the files Marrie wanted me to have?" Terra requested. JARVIS took a moment before replying that he would and Terra merely responded to him with a witty statement along the lines of him being a girl's best friend.
As Terra got to her desk, she brought up the files on her computer and sorted them manually. She curiously searched for the likely candidates who were most likely going to succeed in the positions that were in desperate need of filling.
Strangely, it came down to a man named John Hatti and a woman named Maria Hill; both ex-S.H.I.E.L.D field agents.
Collecting the data, she printed off the interview information and organized them into folders before dropping them off at Marianne's desk, asking JARVIS to inform her on them. Terra noticed that it was late and made the quick decision on going to her favorite café before going home. Treating herself after a job well done was always worth it.
However, that was not the only treat Terra seemed to be receiving that night.
When she opened her door to her apartment, Terra didn't exactly expect the surprise visit from a stranger. Sat at her kitchen table, Terra went to grab her tazer from her back. The stranger moved quickly, oddly, and grabbed her hand in a tight grasp. He was a man, now Terra could tell.
She writhed in his grip, trying to pry his hand from hers but it wouldn't budge.
"What do you want from me?" Terra exclaimed, clearly distraught and in the undertone of her voice there was the tint of fear.
The grip loosened on her arm and the man paused to examine her.
"Food," was the whisper that Terra could only barely hear over the hum of her boiler next door.
Terra, herself, paused and thought for a moment. If she made this man some food then maybe he would leave. Considering the looks of him, she could tell that he was a dangerous man and it wasn't the dark hair or broad shoulders that gave it away. His eyes seemed dead. Face a complex mask of dull emotion. She could see his knives, so he could kill her, but he may have more weapons.
"Alright?" Terra responded meekly, "What would you like?"
The once unreadable mask of a face contorted to confusion as if he didn't understand or know the names of any foods.
"I don't know."
Terra frowned, brow creasing.
"How about grilled cheese?"
He shrugged.
Terra took a deep breath before going into the kitchen, preparing some food for him.
"Shouldn't I at least know your name?" she asked.
The man returned to his seat at her table. Silence was thick between them which made Terra think she should have never asked.
"James." She almost missed him say that, his voice betrayed his structure.
Finishing her cooking, Terra slid a white plate with some grilled cheese on it towards him.
"Okay James, do you need anything else?"
"Do you have paint remover?" James asked, seeming desperate in a way, "And silver paint?"
"Yes...?" Her voice trailed off. She was getting no closer to kicking him out or even the small suggestion of getting away from him. She went to her sink and pulled out two containers from under it.
His eyes seemed to harden to a menacing gaze. His frame seemed to grow.
"If you tell anyone about this I will not hesitate to kill you." He growled, "I know where you live."
Vigorously nodding, a boot pushed out a chair across from him.
"Sit down."
Terra obeyed the simple command, feeling pressured. Her life was in the balance.
Literally.
The man undressed slightly. Jacket, gloves and shirt taken off and tossed aside like garbage to a street corner.
He was the Winter Soldier.
Great. As if my life wasn't already on the line. Terra found herself thinking as she stared at the metal arm.
"Take off the red star and paint it silver." He stated. His face returning back to its complex and emotionless state.
Obediently, Terra took a rag and brush from a drawer nearby and began removing the red star from his arm. She painted the vacant place silver delicately.
"I've been brainwashed so many times, I don't even remember the time when someone was so kind to me."
Terra glanced up.
"Is it because they fear you?"
Because I can't say I blame them, since you broke into my home! Terra's subconscious screamed to her.
"I don't know anymore..." James mumbled.
Delving into a deep conversation until the paint dried, Terra soon found that James wasn't as menacing as he'd first appeared to be. In fact, he seemed just vulnerable.
"James..." Terra said as she opened the door for him, "You need to find your stars."
James looked at her confused.
"Find people who can shape you better, help you shape and discover your future." Terra clarified, "Find people who won't leave you behind. Find those special people. Those sort of stars."
James seemed to find some guidance in those words and nodded to her as he walked out. She nodded back.
As the Winter Soldier walked down the sidewalk to complete his next mission, he found that Terra's words had struck a nerve inside him. A positive nerve. He now knew his next mission but only one person he knew could help him.
Steve Rogers.
Edited by J. [-undertaker_] (Wattpad)