Chapter. IV

"We've been working on him for some time now," T'Challa explained as he led Cassidy through the labs. "But, I am unable to dedicate all of my time to helping the Captain's friend."

The two stopped at a fingerprint locked door. T'Challa ran a finger across the finger swipe docked to the side. He took a step back as the door unlocked with a small click. "With even the aide of my scientists, it is proving longer than expected," he continued without missing a beat.

"And I'm here to help….?"

"The Director of Shield, as I'm told, spoke highly of you." He led her through the door after it opened with a click. The man didn't offer much after that. Cassidy nodded, only half listening to everything was he saying. She tuned him out completely as her eyes fell on a very familiar looking arm.

"Is that?"

"It's just one of the many prototypes we have," T'Challa replied with a small wave at it. Cassidy turned to see T'Challa staring down at her. There was no malice in his eyes, but maybe a hint of- distrust?

"Let me show you."

Cassidy's mind was running a thousand miles a minute as he led he rover to the capsule. She felt a chill run down her spine as she took a step foreword.

There he was.

Cassidy stepped up to the capsule holding the assassin in cryo. "He looks," she paused looking for the right words. "Peaceful."

"As peaceful as he can be not knowing the next time he'll be let out," a voice opted in. Both T'Challa and Cassidy turned to see Steve approaching them.

"I just meant- I, uh, mean." She couldn't help but feel like she had said something stupid, silly. Of course the man couldn't be peaceful.

"I know," he said with a slight nod. "But, I think he'd be a lot more peaceful if he wasn't stuck in some tank."

"And you know that for sure?" Cassidy questioned before she could stop herself.

"No, but, I like to think I do."

She turned back to the frozen man. His eyes were closed and his features showed no sign of distress. He looked calm and one thing was for sure. He looked a lot better than the last time she saw him, less tortured.

"He's in cryostasis," T'Challa explained from behind her. "Which means he is-"

"Pretty much frozen," Cassidy finished for him, mindlessly. Her eyes darted around her face and then lowered. She settled on a nub, where a arm was supposed to be attached.

"From what we have gathered," T'Challa continued. "Hydra would unfreeze him when needed, but keep him in a tank similar to the current one he is in, when he wasn't."

"They would use words to program him," Steve added.

"So, freezing him would undo their brainwashy type thing?" She turned to face the two man and was met with a couple of raised eyebrows. "You know the iron grip they had."

"He was still somewhat under their control, yes, but- Let's just say their was a little more Bucky and a little less Winter Soldier."

"Since he's been on the run for sometime now," T'Challa cut in. "They do not have the same control, but unfortunately, those words are still planted in his head."

"So, if someone were to get a hold of those words-"

"Someone already has. Which is why we need to find a way to undo whatever Hydra did before-"

"Someone else figures out the magic words aren't just please and thank you," Cassidy said cutting Steve off like he had done with her.

She ignored the look Steve threw her way and focused her attention on the monitors sitting behind the soldier. "What are those?" She asked sliding past Steve before either of the men could answer.

"These," T'Challa said coming up beside her. "Are for another day."

Cassidy couldn't help but let out a disappointed sigh as the man called out for someone in his native language. "Well," she breathed out as she ran a finger along the outside of the monitor.

At least she had something to look forward too.

"You know Clint."

Steve and Cassidy walked side by side down a decent sized stretch of hall. They were accompanied by two, very serious looking women. Ones, T'Challa had explained to be warriors. Steve's comment, although she would've preferred worded as a question, came out in an accusing, interrogative way. It was a tone that didn't sit well with her. His eyes were focused on the unoccupied hall in front of them, not on her. She glanced sideways at him.

"We have briefly worked together," she said passively waving off her annoyance. He nodded silently with a small hum and they fell silent. It was only after a few minutes passed when Steve opened his mouth to speak again.

"It's just that-" He paused, like he was trying to piece together the sentence in his mind. Cassidy took a deep breath and swallowed down every sarcastic thought coursing through her mind. If he had been anyone else, and this any other situation, she may let her true thoughts shine through. But, this man was as serious as the predicament she was in. "I thought you worked in the labs," he offered. "At least that's what Coulson told me."

"For the last leg of my career," she replied honestly. "I worked as a scientist, but I was originally trained as a field agent."

"So, you and Clint-" he paused again. "You've been on missions together?"

"Like I said, a few." It was an understatement. She had been on a lot of missions with Clint, but that was unimportant. "Though, I don't see how that has any value here."

They fell silent again.

Cassidy couldn't help but think, 'how awkward is this?' If you didn't count the incident on the plane, and she didn't, this was the first conversation the two had exchanged, just them, and it wasn't going ideally. She resigned to picking at the side of her apron and stealing glances at the man beside her. She grew up learning about the all American guy, who threw a shield like no one else's business. But, that wasn't the man walking beside her.

Steve Rogers, although a super soldier, was only human, and humans can only go so far.

"So, uh-" she let go of her apron. "About James." It sounded weird referring to the Winter Soldier as James. Because, even though seeing him look so peaceful in cryo should've been proof enough, the fact he had a name, made the solder seem like an actual human being.

For the first time since the two had begun walking, Steve looked over at her. He stopped mid-step and spun to face her, causing her to stop in her tracks as well. She bit down on her tongue as Steve scanned over her. Cassidy now understood how uncomfortable he must of felt as she, openly, had a good look at him back at the Shield facility.

It was like he was looking for something, something she doubted he would find. Especially, with her. Cassidy didn't consider herself unattractive, but she wasn't something to look at either. It was just a known fact, there were more attractive women out there. She was the spitting image of her grandmother and although her grandma was a real beauty during her younger years, and still had been, Cassidy didn't know how to play to her more attractive traits as much. His eyes finally settled on her and she found herself unable to look away.

"What did you say your last name was?"

"Um-" she said gulping. Her stomach knotted up as he looked down at her with distant eyes.

"I never told you my name, Coulson- did." She instantly regretted her 'know it all' statement. "Scott."

Steve tore his gaze away from her eyes and looked down at nothing particular. His eyes focused, burning a hole into the floor, and he drew his eyebrows together. He wasn't glaring, per say. Cassidy decided that Steve just had really serious thinking face.

She couldn't help but wonder what exactly her was thinking about.

Suddenly, she became aware of the fact there was a woman on either side of them and grew hot in the face. There was no doubt they were watching the awkward exchange. "I hope you aren't going to judge my usefulness on how well my last name goes with my first."

Cassidy's words snapped Steve out of his thinking trance. He glanced back at her, purposely missing her eyes and turned. "Of course not," he answered starting again at a quick pace. Cassidy followed his suit, trying her best to keep up. "I'm sure you're tired. We can talk about Bucky tomorrow."

Cassidy wiped the condensation off the mirror in front of her with the towel she used to dry her hair. It left the mirror with water streaks, but she could see clearly enough to get a good look at herself. She let out a content sigh and took a step back to get a better view and man did she look tired. The bags under her eyes were stood out, and her face was still slightly flushed from vomiting earlier. Her eyes were dull, face in a permanent frown, her hair still contained remnants of a cake batter incident from earlier in the day. She figured it would take some time to fully get everything out of her hair, though.

She dried herself the rest of her body off in silence, put on her undergarments, and then slipped on the clothes that had been folded neatly on her bed for her. She decided the shirt was a little too baggy for her taste as she pulled her arms through the sleeves and let the rest of the shirt fall over her torso, but she deemed it inappropriate to complain. After all, at least it was better than her work shirt, which forever held the stench of baked goods. She rolled her eyes at herself and pulled on the sweats which thank goodness, had a draw string to adjust the size. Cassidy wasn't a real skinny girl, but the clothes seemed to be made for someone much bigger than her, perhaps a man.

She gathered her things off the floor and entered the bedroom. It was kind of cool having a bathroom off of the bedroom. In her apartment, she was forced to go down the hall, and to the left, and it wasn't the kind of journey she enjoyed taking in the middle of the night. She stuffed the used clothes in the laundry hamper sitting outside the bathroom door and immediately took to the bed.

It was a big mattress, covered with fluffy blankets. She was thankful for the coolness of the room. She no longer felt like she would melt into a puddle of goop because of the heat. Cassidy pulled the blankets back and settled into bed with a satisfied hum. As she drifted off to sleep, Cassidy was, for the first time, not regretting her decision to tag along for the ride. Because, she was currently laying in the most comfortable bed she ever had the pleasure of sleeping in.

A/N: Okay! So, Thursdays don't seem to be working out. I honestly haven't found time to post and things will be tight seeing the school is starting up again. I will post when I can and, hopefully, try to figure things out. Anyway, here's the fourth chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it.

What did you think?...Let me know my reviewing! Lillyxox