Still have no idea what I'm doing. I think just getting this out of my head helps. Yay for my first review who happened to be a guest. Even then, thanks homie, whoever and wherever you are! Spoken Sokovian, Sokovian spoken mentally. Now onward!
Keeping Jamie distracted was a complex task. It depended on whether she allowed herself to be distracted, and even then it was because she was humoring the person. She knew something was wrong, had seen and heard the others arguing with each other. She'd stayed quiet when Wanda had taken her back to their room. The young mother could feel her daughter's gaze on her back while Wanda had paced or wiped the mascara that had run from her tears.
Wanda had only been in her room for an hour when she realized she really needed to talk to Steve. She needed to know how long she had before they came to the compound looking for her. She needed time to plan. Wanda had scooped Jamie up and tracked down the Captain but had hesitated when feeling the waves of sorrow coming off their leader.
She'd knocked on the door of his room, keeping to the hallway in case he hadn't wanted company but he'd quickly ushered her in, wiping away traces of the tears that had trailed down his face. But he hadn't fooled Wanda. Or Jamie.
The little girl had squirmed in her arms asking to be let down, which was granted, and then she'd ran straight for Steve, wrapping her arms around his legs. They'd spoke back and forth in French, ending with Jamie saying something that made Steve smile and bend down to give her a hug. Wanda had asked what'd happened, only to be told that he had gotten notification that Peggy had died and her funeral was in three days.
It was a few months after Wanda and her family had joined the others in the US that Steve and herself started to talk about their pasts. She told him about living with her parents and Pietro. About living at the orphanage until they had ran away and lived on the streets for years. In turn Steve told her about growing up sick and skinny in Brooklyn with his friend James or Bucky as Steve called him. How he'd wanted to join the war along side his best friend only to be rejected over and over again. How he was given a chance to help and fight. All the good he'd done with Bucky and the Howling Commandos. And he talked about Peggy. Wanda could tell Steve had loved Peggy just by the tone of his voice.
And recently, just a few months back, Wanda had taken Jamie to the exhibit in Washington to show the toddler their Captain and his friends. She'd asked Steve if it was okay and he'd told her it was fine, with a smile on his face.
She'd pointed out each of the Commandos by name and showed her daughter pictures of Bucky, the best friend from the stories Uncle Steve told the child about. The video of Steve and Bucky smiling and laughing together had gotten a big response. Jamie had stared at the video, steel blue eyes intent. Her lips had widened into a joyous smile and she'd laughed, throwing herself toward the screen with open arms. Only Wanda's firm grip kept the child upright. The young Sokovian mother had taken a video with her phone so Jamie could re-watch it as much as she wanted.
The video of Peggy was incredible. Seeing such a powerful, confident woman let Wanda believe in herself. That she could do something for this world other than the destruction Hydra had wanted her to cause. She could also see why Steve loved such a woman. She'd returned to the compound invigorated.
Now, months later, and she was falling apart. Today was Peggy's funeral, the event underway a couple of hours ago. It was also the day the UN would ratify the Accords. Before she'd decided anything, she'd wanted to talk to Steve but with everything going on, she might not have much of a choice. If she could wait until Steve got back, it would help but really her fate was decided when that…man walked into her home.
Jamie and herself were in their room, Wanda relaxing on her bed while Jamie was seated at her child size table, three hundred piece puzzle scattered in front of her. They were gonna have to go up in count again. Jamie was strategic in her approach. She'd immediately assembled the edges and was now working her way inward.
Pietro's words from a few days ago echoed in her head as she watched her daughter. Jamie held up a piece, barely glancing at it before immediately snapping it into its proper place. There was no denying it. Jamie was enhanced. But of course that was the point of her existence.
Hydra had been starting to worry about having adult weapons, with strong wills. Children had been their next step. But snatching a child from their family was too open, which would no doubt cause law enforcement to keep a closer eye on everything. Grabbing an orphaned child off the streets could be just as problematic as an adult. They were too jaded to listen to grown ups, too much fight. Growing your own weapon, however, had shown promise. The fact that they had their own enhanced female only urged them on. They were curious if synthetic or, in Wanda's case, alien-made enhancements could be passed onto offspring.
Wanda shook her head to dispel the memories.
"Wanda, come quickly."
The urgency in Pietro's tone of thought had the young mother up and grabbing her daughter, hurrying from her room toward the conference room they had all sat in days before.
Vision and Pietro were both there, one of the very rare times she'd seen Pietro willingly in the android's presence outside of a mission, the pair of them looking at the large TV screen.
"Oh my God." A building had been torn apart, law enforcement and medics scurrying about. The memory from the months prior tried come forward but Wanda pushed it back. The news anchor was saying how a bomb had gone off at the UN, killing several people, including King T'Chaka. It was his country that had lost a few people in Nigeria last month. "What happened? Has someone checked in with the others? Natasha?"
"Although she was close to the blast, Miss Romanoff only sustained minor injuries. Mister Stark and Colonel Rhodes are on their way there now. Both Misters Wilson and Rogers are aware of the situation." Wanda nodded at Vision's words, eyes not leaving the screen.
"Wanda, this is not good. They will take this as an attack on the Accords. We don't have much time."
Wanda gave a small nod. "I know. I will pack a bag later." Her brother had already made up his mind and so had Wanda. Her child came first.
"When do you want to leave? In a few hours? In the dead of night?
Wanda glanced over at Pietro who only arched an eyebrow at her in question. "In a few days, when everyone gets back."
"A few days? We may not have that much time. We need to leave as soon as possible. Call Clint, we can stay with him for a bit."
Please Pietro? They deserve our goodbyes."
He was quiet before he muttered in her mind. "Fine."
"This just in: The CIA have released this video of the bomber. Suspect James Buchanan Barnes…"
The words faded away as Wanda stared, her hands tightening around Jamie as footage of a man dress in black crossed the screen. The background seemed to be in some kind of parking garage, the man's expression calm and cool as he stared at the camera. The Winter Soldier. Bucky, Steve's best friend since they were children. James.
"Wanda?
Something was wrong. The news replayed the video.
"Wanda. Are you listening to me?"
James. James would not do this. The video showed again, calm stare into the camera. Wrong. It was all wrong. The video again. James.
"Wanda?!"
Pietro's mental yell broke the spell and she jolted. Both men were staring at her but she only spared them a glance before looking to the TV but the video was gone now, only showing a still picture of the only other man out of time besides Steve. This was wrong. All wrong.
"I need to go." She ignored Vision's polite yet concerned curiosity and Pietro's more demanding thoughts being yelled at her. She couldn't stay. She needed to call Steve. She made it back to her room, locking the door behind her. Pietro would not come in if the door was locked and Vision knew the rules regarding privacy.
"Mama?"
Wanda had blocked Jamie's hearing and turned her away from the TV just moments ago, to keep her from seeing Bucky as someone bad. According to Uncle Steve Bucky was an amazing, kind, and invincible man. Wanda was not going to ruin that image for her child. She placed Jamie back in her chair. "Mama's going to call Uncle Steve about something really important. Can you do your earmuffs?"
Jamie, confused and concerned, hesitated for a few seconds but did as she was told, covering her ears and starting to sing to herself.
Wanda stood and grabbed the cell phone from the side table. "F.R.I.D.A.Y?"
"Yes, Wanda?"
"Initiate Ear Muff Protocol."
"Yes Wanda."
The Sokovian female waited a few seconds before checking. "F.R.I.D.A.Y?"
The room was silent.
Finding Steve's contact information in her cell, Wanda started to pace again as she waited for the call to connect.
"Wanda?"
"Steve! He didn't do it. James. Bucky. He didn't do it, he wouldn't." Wanda hoped he believed her.
"How can you be sure?"
Wanda started waving her hand about, emphasizing as she spoke. "Hydra trained him to be covert, yes? To be in the shadows, never seen. But that video that's suppose to be him? No, it is wrong. You and Sam have looked for him for two years and couldn't find him. But this? Letting yourself be captured on film, looking right at camera. It's wrong. That is not him. Think about it, please."
Steve sighed. "Don't worry Wanda. I knew it wasn't him from the beginning."
Wanda sat heavily on the bed, her movement catching Jamie's attention but the little girl kept singing. "So what happens now? How many people are after him?"
"Right now there's about seven billion people looking for Buck. I gotta get to him first."
"Do you know where to start?"
"Sam and me got a general idea where to look so we're on our way there now. Has Jamie seen the news?"
Wanda could hear how unsure and somewhat scared Steve sounded. He didn't want Jamie to hate or fear Bucky for his unwilling past as the Winter Soldier. "No. I haven't let her see or hear anything."
Another sigh from the other end. "Thanks Wanda."
"It's okay. I understand. Good luck."
"Thanks, I'll be in touch."
The line disconnected and Wanda let herself fall back onto her mattress. She took in a deep breath before looking over at Jamie. Her curly haired daughter was still singing, hands pressing on her ears but steel blue eyes watched her carefully. Wanda tapped her own ears and Jamie dropped her arms. The toddler immediately got up from her chair and climbed onto the bed, curling herself against Wanda's side.
"Is Uncle Steve okay?"
Wanda turned on her side, pulling her small daughter closer, her nose buried in the girl's hair, breathing in the scent of baby shampoo and something entirely just Jamie. "I hope so."
Yep, not sure how this is gonna go. But I did drop several clues in this chapter. Things will become more apparent as we go. Let me know what you think. Peace out homies. -Mez