James was relieved that the questions his mother asked him were all fairly easy. Of course, he didn't know about anything that had happened since he was seventeen, but she mostly only asked him questions that had to do with his childhood. It felt like the interrogation went on forever before Natalia abruptly stood up, and slowly walked around the table they'd been sitting at.
Even though James had always instinctively known that his mother, no matter how scary she was to the bad guys, would never ever hurt him, he found himself feeling frightened anyways. It was like she'd somehow figured out how to give off an even more dangerous aura than before, and James really hoped that she believed he was who he said he was.
He was pleasantly relieved when she yanked him up out of his chair and pulled him into a tight hug. Then she leaned back, ruffled her hand through his hair, and turned to look at the man with the metal arm. "He is my James. But this whole situation is quite curious." She turned back to James. "You answered several of my questions incorrectly."
James furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to think back over all the things he'd been asked. He couldn't think of any he'd gotten wrong, other than the two or three that he'd admitted to not being able to remember because he'd been too young at the time. "I don't know what you're talking about. And you even just said you know I'm me!"
Natalia nodded once. "Yes. There's no denying that you are my son. Or at least some version of him. What you got wrong were just small details, and perhaps it's from a faulty memory, or perhaps there is some other explanation. You said you were brought here by a woman named Wanda, right? What is the last thing you remember?"
James felt confused about the quick topic switches, but he did his best to keep up because he knew that his family was his best chance to get back to his own time. "I was just at her house, complaining about some personal stuff, and then everything went red, and I woke up like this in Peter's apartment."
"Hm."
Before his mother could ask him anything else in that sharp voice of hers that he wasn't used to hearing directed at himself, there was something that he had to know. "Torunn mentioned something about a funeral. Who's was it?" From the way she'd said it, it had to be someone important. James knew that the superhero gig was a dangerous one, and he braced himself to hear the news of who had died.
Instead of answering his question though, Natalia only scowled at him. "Don't mention that name here. It was bad enough to hear you talk about her in the past, but I cannot stand you talking about her now, as though she has any right to have any presence in this place of refuge."
He certainly hadn't expected anyone to ever be so hostile towards Torunn. This attitude must be the reason that she couldn't come here. And it confused the hell out of him, because he couldn't have ever imagined a world where Torunn was disliked by anyone other than supervillains. Then his eyes widened as he considered that. He thought about what it was specifically that he'd said before Wanda's powers had exploded out. Hadn't he said that he'd wished everyone could swap moral roles so that he and Torunn would have a chance of being together? Was Wanda really powerful enough to create an entire alternate universe after hearing a single teen's annoyed ranting? It was insane, and yet…
His thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of a cold and heavy metal hand resting on his shoulder. "He was my brother." James blinked a few times as he tried to figure out what the stranger was talking about. "Not by blood, but we were brothers. He was assassinated three months ago on the steps of the court house before he could be brought in to face his trial." James couldn't think of anyone he knew who'd be on trial for anything. Though if his theory about what Wanda had done was correct, then maybe it was possible after all. He waited with baited breath for this strange man to tell him who had died. "Stevie didn't deserve what-"
James knew that the stranger was still talking, but he found himself completely zoning out. How was that even possible? His father was dead? But he'd always seemed so invincible, so untouchable. He couldn't just be gone. And even in some crazy mixed up world where everyone was different than they were supposed to be, surely Steve would be the same, right? He was one of the most annoyingly good people that he'd ever met. How could Torunn still be a superhero if his own father wasn't? Then again, why had he just assumed that Torunn was a hero? What if she was just as warped as everyone else?
None of this felt like it could be real. How could he possibly live in this world, where all the good in the people he loved was simply gone? He'd always been a bit of a rogue element amongst the Avengers, and even he'd always considered himself a hero. But to think that he was the best of them now was sickening, and just plain sad.
He sank back down into the chair he'd been sitting in before. "How…?" he wasn't even sure of what exactly he was asking. He just knew that he needed answers right now. He needed to know more about this messed up world. And then he'd figure out a way to track down Wanda and make everything right again.
Natalia must've interpreted his question as being about his father's death, and she let out a feral sounding snarl. "It was all her fault." James almost asked who, but then he figured that the disgust in her voice had to be about Torunn somehow. He waited patiently to hear the rest of the story, even as his eyes burned from the tears that he was forcing back. "She's always thought of herself as above the rest of us, and we were content to let her play hero for a while, since she was family. Our interactions were minimal, but amicable for the most part. Until she betrayed all of us more horribly than I ever would've expected from a goody two shoes like her." So at least Torunn was still a hero after all. That didn't make any of the rest of this make sense, though.
She didn't say anything else, and just kept taking deep breaths. The stranger continued in a deep growl. "There was an unspoken agreement that she would stay away from us, and us from her, at least in professional settings. Despite our differences, we trusted her to at least keep her word. But then one day, she called the tower, sounding frantic. Said she was in desperate need of help. Stevie and Thor went to help her, and walked right into a trap. They were both arrested with her help. She'd helped build a prison that even super strength couldn't break through, and she took Mjolnir away from her own father. There was going to be a trial to determine their fates. It was all a joke anyways, since we all knew what the outcome was going to be. But on the way in, some vigilante opened fire. Didn't hurt Thor, but even Steve's not impervious to bullets."
James could feel himself breathing faster and faster, and he wondered if this is what it felt like to be having a panic attack. How could the great Captain America ever be a bad guy? And why would Torunn not protect him? No, he couldn't blame Torunn for that. If the Avengers were truly villains, then it was her job to bring them to justice, and she couldn't have known what the consequences of that would be.
Even though he didn't blame Torunn, he could still feel a horrible searing pain in his chest. Even if this wasn't his world, and that hadn't been his Captain America, it was still his father who had been killed.
James jumped up suddenly. "I have to go. I have to try and find Wanda so that she can send me back home. To my real home, at the right age, where the world still makes sense."
No one tried to stop him as he rushed towards the elevator, though the metal-armed stranger slipped onboard at the last second. "Is the world that you're from really so different?"
James nodded once. "Yes." He wasn't sure if anything bad would happen to talk about home, but he didn't think so. He couldn't accidentally change the future since he'd traveled forwards and not back, and this wasn't even the right world anyways. "The Avengers are supposed to be the good guys. They go around fighting crime and putting an end to evil alien invasions, and they save people. I just don't understand how any of you can be anything but that." He peered over at the stranger. "I don't even know who you are."
The stranger offered a very small and uncomfortable smile. "Your dad named you after me. I'm surprised he's never talked about me before, at least. I'm James Barnes, but most people just call me Bucky."
Even as the name was said, James realized that it did sound familiar. He'd never actually met the man before, though. In all of this stories, Steve had always said that Bucky had died back in the forties. He wondered if the Bucky of his world was still alive too, and if he could find him and bring him back. Surely that would make Steve overjoyed. "I think I've heard of you," James said softly after a long pause. "But you've always just been a name in my bedtime stories, sorry."
Bucky didn't seem bothered by that. "At least he remembered me. What more could a guy ask for?"
They reached the lobby of the tower a few seconds later, and James started towards the front doors. He frowned when he realized that Bucky was following him. "What are you doing?"
"This is a dangerous world, and it isn't the one that you're used to. Someone's got to make sure that you don't get yourself killed."
James blinked a few times, then frowned. "Earlier, all Peter had to do was give a mean look to a cab driver for a free ride, and he's not even that intimidating looking. Shouldn't people know just by looking at me that I'm not someone to be messed with?"
Bucky smiled, and gave James a brief pat on the back. "You've never really bought into the whole bad guy routine. Or you did, but you were unwilling to act on it. Love can make a guy do crazy things, you know? You never split from the family, but you made it clear that you didn't want to be involved in illicit activities, and everyone respects your decision."
"Wait- love? Who am I in love with?" It felt like a stupid question, since he had known he was in love with Torunn for longer than he could remember, but maybe it was someone different in this world. Why would Bucky smile about anything related to Torunn if he blamed her for Steve's death?
Bucky's grin widened into something mischievous looking. "Oh? I guess you didn't meet the lucky lady in your world. Too bad, really. You make such an adorable couple." It felt strange to hear such a big, muscular dude use the word 'adorable'. "Her name is Katherine, but she just goes by Rin. Is that name ringing any bells?" James shook his head, and tuned out Bucky as he described the woman that James was apparently in love with. It was all just too surreal. And James knew that he'd never be able to have feelings for anyone other than Torunn, which meant that he needed to get home fast so that he wouldn't ruin all of the relationships that belonged to the James of this world. Or would this world even continue to exist once Wanda fixed everything? It was hard to say for sure.
James summoned a cab, and slipped in, though he was startled when Bucky's metal hand was suddenly in between the door and the car frame so that it couldn't be shut. Bucky slipped into the vehicle, and slammed the door behind him. He tilted his head as he looked at James, clearly waiting to find out where they'd be going.
It was definitely irritating to have a babysitter. He didn't even need a babysitter when he was seventeen, let alone now that he was an adult with pretty impressive looking abs. He leaned forward to tell the driver Wanda's address in a quiet voice, but he got the feeling that Bucky had heard it anyways. That super soldier serum was quite the amazing creation.
James didn't even know for sure that he'd find Wanda in the same home she'd had in his real world, but it was the only place he could think of to start, considering the fact that none of the people he'd spoken with seemed to recognize the name at all.
It didn't take long for them to reach their destination, and it wasn't until James stuck his hands into his pockets that he realized he didn't have any money on him. It was something that he should've thought about earlier before leaving Peter's place. Bucky looked almost smug as he pulled out a small wad of cash, and handed over the exact change for the fare.
Then they both got out of the cab, and James took in a deep breath before knocking on the unfamiliar looking door. The place had a much gloomier feeling than when he'd last been here, and even Bucky looked a little uncomfortable in the neighborhood, which was seedy and run down.
The door opened less than an inch a moment later, and there was clearly a little gold security chain stopping anyone from shoving the door open the rest of the way. Of course, that would be completely useless against two people with super strength, but James couldn't blame the residents of the area for feeling scared about what could possibly happen.
The woman who was peering out at them had eyes and hair that were in the same shade of shocking green. She had a small frown on her face as she looked out at her visitors. "Who the hell are you?"
James tried to offer what he hoped was a friendly little smile. "My name is James, and I'm looking for someone who might've lived her before you. Her name is Wanda Maximoff, and-"
The door suddenly slammed shut, and James blinked a few times, wondering what he'd done wrong. Did he come across as a creep, showing up at a stranger's home in search of a woman? But then a moment later the door swung open all the way. She'd only closed it to unlatch the chain. She took a step back. "Come in. You never know who's listening." James started to walk in, but he glanced back when he heard a very firm, "Not you. I'd have to be crazy to let one of you in here."
Bucky scowled. "Fine. I'll wait right outside. If anything happens to him, I'm taking it out on you."
James shivered with some fear at the intensity in Bucky's voice. It didn't sound like this was the first time he'd make death threats. The green-haired woman didn't look at all impressed by the threat, though. "Fine. Now go away." Then she slammed the door shut on Bucky's face, and locked it up again. She turned to face James, with her hands on her hips. "Now you are a new face. Are you with the Avengers?"
James wasn't sure how exactly to define his relationship with the supervillains of this world. "I was born into them, but I'm not like them," is what he finally settled on saying.
The woman nodded once, and she seemed to be satisfied. She motioned for James to follow her, and they walked down a small hallway, and into her living room. She pointed to the couch, and James sat down. She sat in the chair across from him, and he got a strange sense of deja vu. "So. You're James. I'm Lorna. Now do you want to tell me why you're searching for my sister?"
James felt floored. Wanda had a sister? Since when? She had a twin brother, who was supposed to be a part of the Avengers, but he'd never heard either of them mention having another sibling, and James had always considered himself to be pretty close with Wanda. "I didn't know she had a sister."
Lorna narrowed her eyes. "Then how did you know to come here to ask about her? Though you did mention her having lived here, and I have absolutely no idea where you got that idea from." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Still, if you didn't know about me, then it's a pretty damn big coincidence that you came here to find her."
"I swear that this is where Wanda used to live. I'm not exactly from around here. Well I am, but I'm not. If you're Wanda's sister, then you must know about what she's capable of, right?" Lorna gave a single terse nod. "Well her and I are friends, and I was complaining about certain unfair qualities of the world, and then her powers came out and the next thing I know, I'm waking up ten years later in a world where everything that I know has been flipped around. She's probably the only person who can send me back home."
Lorna frowned. "And I'm supposed to just believe you about that? Who's to say that I don't point you in the right direction, and then find out that it was a trick, and you kill her, or worse?"
James quickly shook his head. "If you're her sister, then you must have powers too, right? I mean, if both Pietro and Wanda do, then you should too, which means that you could just read my mind and see that I'm telling the truth."
That didn't seem to relax Lorna at all. "I'm not like them. I take after our father instead." James tilted his head curiously, but didn't say anything. He just waited for what would be said next. A moment later, James watched as many different things in the room started to rise up and float around. "If it's got metal in it, I can move it."
James couldn't help feeling awed by the display. While many people found him impressive because of his strength and stamina, he was nowhere near as strong as his father because he only had diluted serum in him, and he found other kinds of powers to be much more interesting. "That's amazing," he whispered.
Everything landed back exactly in the right place a moment later, and Lorna nodded, apparently happy with James' praise of her power. "I know. And I also know that I can trust you."
That was good news, but James couldn't think of anything he'd done during their short meeting to earn that. "Thanks, but why…?"
Lorna's shoulders slumped down. "It was about ten years ago that my brother and sister decided that they needed to go into hiding. They had suffered through horrible experiments, and there were plenty of creeps who were still eager to dig their knives in. I agreed to help them get away. Very few people knew about me or my relationship to Wanda and Pietro, because we have different mothers, and I was raised in a foster home anyways. Before they dropped off the grid for good, Wanda told me that you'd show up some day. She's always been good at just knowing things. She didn't tell me why you'd come or what you'd want, though. But she told me to trust you. So I will. I can't show you the way to my sister, because at this point, even I don't know where to find her. But I will do everything in my power to help you get home."
James leaned forward to take one of Lorna's hands and give it a squeeze. "Thank you so much. I don't think I'll ever be able to tell you how much your cooperation means to me. I really just want to go home, you know?"
Lorna smiled as she stood up. "Yeah, I know. Now you should probably get going before your pet gorilla breaks down the door. Come back as soon as you can, without any company."
James nodded. "I will. Thank you." Then he hurried back outside, and found Bucky patrolling around the building with a suspicious squint to his eyes. When he spotted James, he arched one eyebrow, and James shook his head. "She had no idea where to find the person I was looking for." That was the truth, so James didn't have to worry about lying. Bucky nodded once, and raised his arm to hail a cab. James gulped, and hoped that he really would be able to get home. He never thought that he'd miss it so much.
