The Winter Soldier threw her down to the floor. His breathing was ragged as he looked down at her –the one they called Scarlet Witch-; when had fighting become so hard? He had been trying to kill them, but when he hit her. . .he couldn't muster his full strength. Why? And why wasn't she fighting back? He knew she had abilities, extremely powerful abilities. . .why wasn't she using them!?
He watched as she rolled from her back and staggered onto her hands and knees, coughing from just been choked. He didn't understand. His mind was playing tricks, yeah, that's what it had to be.
She threw her arms around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist so tight he thought she might break in two. "Don't leave me again. Don't forget me again."
He closed his eyes and tilted his head, jaw clenched tight. It was a trick. He didn't know her. His mind was messing up again. Or did he know her, and his mind was trying to lie to him? With an angry shout, he punched the tree closest to him. The tree cracked and splintered, leaving a huge hole in it.
He fell to his knees, still holding her close as he pulled her down too. The tears spilled from his eyes. "Never. I'm never gonna forget you again."
"Why? Why won't you fight back?" He snapped at her.
Wanda didn't look up. She couldn't bear to see those eyes look at her and not know her. . .not again. "I don't want to fight anymore. I know you don't want to hurt me. I know you didn't want to fight Steve or Sam either."
Steve.
Sam.
Those names made him think. He remembered calling them before, laughing them, even shouting them. No. He couldn't know them. He didn't know her. 'You do know her.' He used his human hand to smack his head. No. No. No.
He couldn't trust his own mind. "I remember hugging you, crying with you. . .why?"
"Because you know me, please James," She looked up, her eyes filled with tears as they locked with his. "just remember me!"
His eyes widened as a flood of memories came rushing back to him. . .and something hard hit him in the back of the head.
"Buck, this is Wanda, she's on our side." Steve introduced the Scarlet Witch to his friend. They were in the car park in the airport, waiting to go to the hanger for the ship.
Bucky knew his friend wanted him to feel comfortable –if that was even possible- with the rest of his team, the ones that had sided with him over the Sokovia Accords at least. . .and over proving he was innocent, of the recent killings at least. He looked as the girl standing close to Steve. . .she was only young, probably around twenty-one, and her eyes were watching him closely, so closely he felt like she was looking into his soul-no, she was trying to look into his mind. . .but she was quickly shut out. Not by him, something Hydra had made sure to do was make it almost impossible for telepaths to read their secrets. . .and it also stopped them from helping him remember who he truly was.
He watched her eyes narrow slightly as she was pushed out. But then she smiled, softly. She was beautiful. "Hey," He said acting more confidently than he actually felt as she watched him. How could someone so young make him so nervous?
"Hello, I have heard a lot about you." She said and gave him a little wave.
He huffed, smiling self-loathingly. "Nothing good then."
"On the contrary, most of it is good. The bad is not your fault." She stepped closer to him - both she and Bucky noticed the curious look on Steve's face-, staring straight into his eyes. "Although it is hard, you should not blame yourself. What happened to you was not your fault."
Bucky opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
XXXXXX
The Black Panther had him by the throat, his other arm arched back with the claws out ready for his final attack. He couldn't get free. Shit. It couldn't end like this, not after everything. Just as the Panther launched his arm forward the crimson swirls appeared and the Black Panther was thrown away.
"Are you alright?"
He turned to see Wanda stood close by, her face showed how concerned she was. . .he wondered why. He nodded, unable to speak again.
"Good, I am glad." She said and her fingers twitched, sending the crimson powers to fling a car at someone
–he didn't notice who it was and for the moment he didn't care, he was too busy watching her. From the way her fingers moved, to her stance, to her hair swaying with her movement, to the way her head tilted as she flung something else at someone.
"We should hurry, they could use our help."
"Yeah."
XXXXXX
"Erm, Sam said you were looking for me."
Bucky's head shot up at the sound of the Witch's voice. He had been avoiding her since Steve had rescued his team from their prison. He had wanted to see her, check she was okay after hearing how badly she had been treated there. . .but he didn't know why he cared so much. He barely knew her, but he was worried for her. He had even wanted to help get her out, but his friend had refused. . .and with one arm he wouldn't have been much help anyway.
He turned to look at Steve, frowning lightly at him. His friend knew he'd been avoiding the girl, he hadn't told him but the Captain knew anyway. He felt like they were kids again back home in Brooklyn when he used to make Steve confront his 'fear' of speaking to girls. . .only their roles were reversed. He let a small smile take over his lips at the memory of their childhood.
"Yeah, come in Wanda." Steve waved her in. "I know you've been wanting to see Bucky,"
Bucky looked from his friend to the girl, a surprised expression on his face. "Hey," He said quietly, noticing how her arms were wrapped around her waist and the dark under her eyes and the haunted look in them. He also noticed the cuts on her face were slowly healing. Someone had really hurt her. . .that made his blood boil.
"Hello," She said, her eyes skittering from the Winter Soldier's to the Captain's and back again.
"Right, I'll leave you two kids alone." Steve told them, chuckling at the irritated look Bucky gave him.
"I'm sorry you're hurt."
Wanda shrugged her shoulders. "It is not the first time."
His human hand clenched into a fist against his leg. Why did he care? "Right."
"Erm, why have you been avoiding me?"
"I haven't," He tried to lie but even he could hear the falter in his voice. "sorry, I. . .I don't know. I guess. . .I wanted to help you, doll, and I couldn't."
XXXXXX
They had been 'hiding out' in Wakanda for almost a year now; the King –T'Challa- was a good man, he had no problem letting them stay and pretty much live their lives however they wanted.
Bucky opted for a quiet a life. It was strange been able to do as he pleased. It was nice. . .but it was weird. He looked in the fridge about to grab a bottle of water. . .but stopped and spun quickly, ready to attack who had sneaked up on him. He relaxed instantly. "Sorry,"
"It was my fault, I should have let you know I was here." Wanda said slowly making her way over to the kitchen's island. "Though you should relax a little." She smiled.
He smiled back at her. "I didn't know you were back yet, doll, otherwise I would have been relaxed." He watched as her eyes narrowed with a hint of a smirk. He'd said too much. Again.
The past year he had spent most of his time with Steve and Wanda, so he was comfortable around the Witch now. . .though he still found it hard not to worry about what he said now and then. He pushed his hair back and moved over to the island, standing on the opposite side of her. "How was Barton?"
"He's good, still hidden away with his family. Little Nate isn't so little anymore." She beamed.
Bucky couldn't help but smile, when she talked about the youngest Barton she was always so happy. It was hard for her to see Hawkeye and his family but they were family to her now, so the extra effort had been made for her to be able to go. No one knew where the family were hold up apart from the King. He knew Wanda was flown to where they lived but even she had no idea where it was. It was a complicated predicament, but she needed to see them. And he was glad she was able to, even if it was only going to be once a year. . .and that meant he had to spend a week not knowing where she was. "That's good right, means he's okay."
"Yeah, the bug he had has completely gone. He's all better."
"Good." He said and everything went quiet. "I, erm," He let out a huffed laugh.
"I missed you too, James."
XXXXXX
"No!" He thrashed against the hold on him.
"Calm down man,"
He didn't recognise the voice. He didn't know where he was. He threw his head back, making it collide with the guy's face. He heard the pained shout and took advantage by freeing himself from the hold before spinning around, his leg kicking out and hitting the guy's legs out from under him.
"What is going on in here?" Wanda asked hurrying into the training room.
"Wanda, get out! Go get Steve," Sam yelled as he struggled to his feet. He tried to tackle Bucky but wasn't quick enough. The Winter Soldier punched him in the face, making him stumble to the floor.
Wanda. Steve. He recognised those names. He stared at the girl standing in the doorway. She looked upset. Confused. Scared. He started towards her, his speed picking up.
Wanda rushed at him -remembering something she had learnt from Natasha before everything had gone wrong- and dodged his punch, ducking and swinging her leg out to knock him over. She was surprised it worked.
He hit the ground with a thud and before he had the chance to go for her again she was sitting on his chest, her crimson power swirling around her hands keeping him pinned to the ground.
"James, calm down," She told him, using her power to keep him pinned beneath her. "it is us, your friends. Do you remember me?"
He blinked a few times, shaking his head. What the hell? What was going on? He looked around. . .the punching stand had been snapped in two, Sam was clambering to his feet and Wanda was sitting on him. Shit. "What did I do?"
"You know who I am?" She relaxed when he nodded and stopped her powers. "It's alright, nothing too serious."
"Hey, this is serious! How am I gonna get a girl looking like this!" Sam said pointing to his face.
"You will be alright. And they don't like you anyway." She told Sam and looked back down to Bucky. He looked so. . .defeated. She bent forward, wrapping her arms around his neck awkwardly. "Do not retreat. Do not pull away from us, from me, not over this."
XXXXXX
"Hey doll, you in here?" Bucky asked poking his head around her door.
"What is it?"
He frowned at the tone of her voice. "I'm coming in." He shut the door behind him and wandered around her room. She had photos stuck up on the wall. There were a few of the Barton kids, one of her and Barton with a proud look on his face –it reminded him of a father and daughter-, a few of them were of himself, Steve and Sam training and fooling around and then a couple of them smiling at the camera. There were a few that stood out more than the others: one of the Avengers all together where they were all smiling and standing in front of the new building, one of her and the Synthozoid Vision, and above them all was an old photo, it was easy to see it had been folded but treasured over the years. . .a little Scarlet Witch stood next to a smiling boy with two adults behind them. He smiled sadly, Wanda looked just like her mother.
Then his eyes fell to the one on her desk. . .it was him. And he was smiling.
That made him smile.
"Hello,"
"Hey," He said as he turned to face her, her hair was wet and oh. She was wearing a towel. "shit sorry, just wanted to check you were okay."
Wanda frowned in confusion and looked down at herself. "Oh it's alright, I am wearing a towel." She moved over to her desk, grabbing the little towel from over the chair. She noticed he was looking at the photos on her wall. She started to dry her hair.
"You like the camera then, huh."
"Yes, I love it. I'm making sure I take a lot, I only have one of my family. . .so I want to make sure I have a lot of my second family."
He nodded and looked at the old photo again, looking at the little boy. Pietro. He had been told about him from Steve and Barton. He heard her take a deep breath.
"It is almost three years since my brother died."
"I'm sorry, I've been told he was a good kid."
Wanda laughed. "He was a little shit. But he was good. I loved him, and I miss him so much."
He just watched her for a moment; he could see the tears in her eyes. He didn't know what to do, he hadn't dealt with a crying girl in. . .well, decades. "I'm sure he's proud of you." He hadn't even thought about it, he just said it. . .and pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they both looked at the old photo.
"I hope so." She cried as she turned her head into him.
"How could he not be." He told her before kissing her head.
XXXXXX
Bucky nodded at Steve as he came into the kitchen. He was listening to Wanda talk in her native tongue. Although Russian and Solkovian were different languages, they were close enough to have a conversation. And it was nice just speak to her privately, even though it wasn't often they spoke about private or important things. "Idti legko nan ego." He smirked at her as she started to leave.
"I'll try." She smiled back as she left the living room.
"What was that about?" Steve asked.
"Just telling her to go easy on Sam, she's off to the training room." He smiled when his friend laughed. "I thought you were off to meet with the King."
"Got an hour or so yet." Steve told him.
Bucky watched his friend; he could tell there was something bugging him. "What's wrong Steve?"
The Captain sighed. "I'm just wondering when you're going to tell Wanda how you feel."
"And how do I feel man?"
"C'mon Buck, I've known you my whole life. . .you've never looked at anyone the way you look at her."
He smirked. He should have known Steve would know. . .and he supposed, as time went on he wasn't hiding his feelings as much as he was in the beginning. Maybe he should have kept hiding them. Of course Steve would notice, he knew him better than anyone. . .probably even himself. "You mad?"
"What? Why would I be mad?" Steve asked, clearly confused.
"Come on man, I'm not exactly the best person for her. The last time I switched I could have killed her." He told him. "I'm not. . .I'm not good enough for her. I don't want to hurt her."
"Don't you think she deserves the chance to decide?" Steve clapped his hand on his friends shoulder, smiling at him. "I've seen how she looks at you too."
He stayed on the sofa thinking.
XXXXXX
He looked at Wanda. He couldn't believe it had happened again. When was he going to be free. All the work Wanda and T'challa had been doing to help make the switching stop. . .just gone like that. Again. None of them knew what was switching him, the words weren't been spoken so they didn't know what else was triggering it, or what was switching him back. "I'm sorry."
She ran at him, and she hoped it was to attack him. But he knew she wouldn't. She threw her arms around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist so tight he thought she might break in two. "Don't leave me again. Don't forget me again."
He knew he should tell her to get off him, that he didn't care about her. . .but he couldn't. He cared more for her than he could ever say. He fell to his knees, still holding her close as he pulled her down too. The tears spilled from his eyes. "Never. I'm never gonna forget you again." He squeezed her tighter and buried his face into her neck. "Ya lyublyu tebya."
"I love you too."
XXXXXX
Steve watched as his friend started to stir. "Bucky?" He stood from his chair and moved closer to the hospital bed. "Can you hear me?"
"Y-yeah," Bucky groaned. "what did I do?"
"Don't worry about it yet, we'll sort it later."
"No, Steve, what did I do?"
"Really, it'll wait. T'Challa thinks they've found a way to stop you from switching-,"
"I don't care right now," He snapped and started pushing himself up. "did I hurt anyone?"
"No, everyone's fine. A few cuts and bruises, but we're all okay."
"Did I-," He paused and let out a shaky breath. "did I hurt her?"
"I am fine." Wanda said from the doorway.
As soon as he looked over at her he could see the marks on her neck. Panic shot through him. How much had he hurt her? The marks were bright red and purple. He must have had a grip on it for a while. Shit. He had to leave. He should turn himself over to Stark and spend the rest of his life in whatever prison he had made for him.
He pulled at the needles stuck in his human arm, ripping them out.
"Bucky!"
"I'm leaving." He clambered out of the bed, he felt weak. He realised the hit he had felt before blacking out must have been from Steve, probably his shield.
"No way," Steve hurried towards the end of the bed but stopped when Wanda took a step further into the room, planting herself in front of his friend. He watched as the Soldier and the Witch stared at each other. He could see how much his friend hated himself for hurting her.
"Get back into the bed." She told him.
"I have to leave."
"I was not asking." She said, and her eyes flickered with crimson sparks. She didn't use her powers but she was angry, not that he had hurt her. . .but that he was trying to leave. "Get back in the bed. We may have a way to help you, for good this time."
"I don't care!" Bucky shouted, his bionic hand pointing to her neck. "Look what I did to you! And don't think I didn't see the way you were holding your side Steve." He looked back at Wanda, a pleading look in his eyes. "You should have stopped me. We all know you can."
Now she was really angry. But she didn't lose control. Instead she opted to slap him. "Do not make me force you into the bed, please James,"
"I'm too dangerous,"
"I don't care." She watched as he went back to the bed and sat on the edge. She noticed how Steve clapped his hand on his shoulder before smiling softly at her and making his way to the door saying,
"I'll go let the doctors know you're up."
"I shouldn't be here." Bucky told her. He didn't know why, she wasn't going to listen to him. "I can't. . .I can't stay here, doll, not after hurting you. It's bad enough when I attack Steve. . .I can't. . .what if I go too far? What the hell am I supposed to do if I kill you!?" He said with each word getting harder and harder to say. He hadn't realised she had moved until she was standing in-between his legs.
She took hold of his face, lifting it to look at her. "I don't care. I would rather have you a risk here. . .then somewhere else away from us. From me."
"And I can't bear to hurt you." He told her.
She could see how lost and defeated he felt. Slowly she leaned forward and pressed her forehead to his, her eyes closed. "We have a way to help, please, just let us try. You promised not to leave me again, do you remember?"
He fisted his hands in the back of her dress. "Yeah."
"Then let us try."
". . .Okay." He said and pulled her closer, holding her tight. "Ya lyublyu tebya."
"I love you too."
Thanks for reading!
I hope the Russian is right -probably not though- I just used the translate on google : /
Can't wait to go see civil war for a third time this week :)