Hey everyone! This is a very short chapter, so it's one of two I'll be posting today. I hope you enjoy it!
Like usual, I don't own the characters or their pasts.
X_X_X
"Where are we?" the Witch asked the Soldier, taking his hand in her own.
"I'm not sure. I think we might be in New York," he answered, looking around.
Old buildings could be seen in the distance and the houses, though covered in snow, were obviously also of an older design.
The pair stepped back as two kids ran past them, a little brunet boy was running with a blond one following a few feet behind.
"Is that…?" the Soldier trailed off as the kids turned and revealed a smaller looking Captain and Soldier.
"You knew each other as kids?" she asked.
The brown-haired boy, Bucky, took his gloves off and handed them to the small Captain. Upon closer inspection she could see the paleness of the little blond boy and she had to control herself so she wouldn't scold him for being out. He looked like he would fall sick any second.
"I remember he got sick that day," the Soldier said.
Suddenly the scene shifted and they were now in a small apartment. The boys were on the couch with the Captain burrowed under a pile of blankets, his skinny arms barely able to hold up his bowl of soup. Next to him sat Bucky in shorts and a t-shirt, eating cereal. They were both entranced by whatever they were watching on the TV.
"Come," the Soldier said, gently pulling her arm.
They took a step back and the image blurred, the colors mixing into one another before forming another picture.
They found themselves in HYDRA's lair. They watched helplessly as Bucky screamed after each injection a doctor gave him. The small, bow-tie wearing man would only smile and take notes.
They saw as Bucky was beaten up for resisting. They saw when the metal arm was burned into his stump and even in memory they could smell the burning flesh.
The only evidence of time passing was the aging of those around them. People came and went, with the only one remaining the same being Bucky.
The scene around them changed again and they see Bucky, who now resembles the man standing next to the Witch.
He was lying on a bed with his arms crossed behind his back and a lazy smile on his face.
The Soldier tensed and she looked at him.
"What's wrong? Do you remember this?" she asked.
"Yes," he said, closing his eyes.
A door opening drew her attention to the memory and she choked on air as a naked redhead walked out of the bathroom. Her long red waves seemed to glow around her.
"Natalia," the man on the bed said with such gentleness that left the Witch breathless.
"Soldier," the woman answered with a smirk. She pulled the blanket covering the Soldier and tossed it teasingly to the side. The Witch felt her entire face and neck burn as she finally realized that the Soldier was naked in the bed.
The redhead, Natalia, crawled on the bed and made her way to where the Soldier rested.
The Witch turned to hide her face in the chest of the man next to her right as the redhead lowered her face to his pelvis.
"I'm sorry," he said, reaching up to run a hand through her hair.
"It's fine," she said, although she knew she'd be thinking about that for the rest of her time with the Soldier.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled away as far as she was able to. The Soldier didn't let her go though, so she had to watch her surroundings within his arms.
She held back a groan as she saw the Soldier and the redhead kissing passionately in a darkened room. This time they were both fully dressed in all black and when they pulled apart, the Witch could see their eyes shine with unshed tears.
"We fought," the Soldier said. His voice vibrated under her hand that was placed on his chest.
"About what?" she asked.
He shook his head.
"We fought HYDRA. They found out," he said.
His words caused the scene to shift again and she saw as the redhead was fighting against the ropes and soldiers that held her back.
On the other side of the room, the Soldier was being dragged back into a large metal tube with a small window on the door. As soon as he was shoved in, the scene changed again and they were back where they started on the moving train.
Then they were pulled forward and found themselves looking into into the small window of the tube. The Soldier was shirtless and frost covered his entire body with white icicles clinging to his hair.
Again, the scene changed and they saw Bucky fighting with skinny Captain, Steve, about wanting to join the army.
A blur and they were in a dark room, watching as Captain America saved Bucky from being taken hostage by HYDRA.
"What's going on?" the Soldier asked as memories whipped past them.
Falling, being put in cyro, waking up to be told of a mission.
"We're nearing the end," the Witch said as the memories spun around them.
Waking up one day to be told he'd be teaching, going into a room full of other winter soldiers and being repeatedly beaten as he taught them how to fight.
Waking up again and being told the same thing only to see two underfed and unkempt siblings holding on to each other.
"This is recent," the Soldier said as they watched him fight with Pietro and Wanda.
Getting his ass beat by Pietro when he used his powers; being distracted by Wanda's beauty when she used hers. Their stolen kisses and innocent touching.
Pierce asking about what he had with her. Waking up again and being told his partner had been compromised and had to be wiped before they could be reunited. Watching Wanda screaming as her memories were ripped from her.
All these moments in time whipped around them, voices combining into a constant scream as cold air shot at them from all directions.
A scream tore from their lips as they were ripped apart and both of them fell backwards onto the bed they were on.
The were both drenched in sweat and panting quickly.
"Oh my God," the Witch gasped out.
She sat up and crawled over to where the Soldier lay.
"Soldier?" she asked hesitantly. There was no reply as he laid there staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Bucky?" she asked softly.
He blinked and slowly sat up. Their eyes connected and the Soldier threw his arms around her as he broke down into tortured sobs.
The Witch held on tightly as she stared into empty space.
"Oh my God," she repeated in horror.