CHAPTER ONE: COINCIDENCE

BUCKY - NEW YORK CITY SHIELD COMPOUND

Bucky walked down the long hallways of SHIELD's New York compound. He'd just gotten off a jet from Germany and finished his debriefing after a short mission. It had been a couple months since they took down the flag smashers and he'd tried to return to normal but Sam's words kept floating in the back of his mind. He wanted to do good in the world and make penance for all the bad he'd done as the Winter Soldier. This was how he'd ended up at SHIELD.

The organization was out there, fighting the good fight, at least on the missions he went on. He'd done numerous rounds in dangerous parts of the world other agents had hesitated to volunteer for. He always felt better coming back though. He'd done some good and made the world a better place, even if it was only for a few people sometimes.

He continued down towards the main entrance and exit doors as agents greeted him. It was strange getting accustomed to people calling him Sergeant Barnes again like they had begun to here. It called to a much better past and time in his life. He hadn't committed so many terrors yet when he held the title. He nodded to the agents as he left the elevator and walked into the lobby. From the elevator opposite him walked out a familiar redhead. He recognized Wanda immediately and picked up his pace to catch up to her. For someone so small, she took large strides.

"Wanda." She turned and a little smile spread across her face when she saw him, stopping to turn around completely.

"Hey." He slowed to a stop in front of her.

"What are you doing here in New York?" He tried to return her smile, admittedly struggling. He still wasn't fully accustomed to the action.

"SHIELD brought me in to help with a case. They needed information and the guy wouldn't talk." He nodded and looked out at the large glass doors leading outside.

"Are you headed out?" He motioned towards the doors.

"Yeah, I was going to try and see some of New York before I headed back." She followed his gesture and they stepped outside into the warm spring day.

"Where's back?" Truth be told, he hadn't heard anything about Wanda since Tony's funeral last year. She'd disappeared, much to Sam's dismay. Bucky remembered him trying to track her down in honor of Steve's wishes to keep an eye over her but he hadn't had any luck.

"I'm in Washington. I found a small cabin out there, very quiet." Her smile showed her peace there.

"That's good." He looked around, trying to think of where he could recommend for her to start. His eyes caught those of a woman across the street staring at him. Her jet-black hair contrasted fair skin. She looked away and began walking before she disappeared as a bus passed. He shook his head, clearing his mind. He began walking alongside Wanda, joining the crowd on the sidewalk. "I would recommend seeing the 53rd street artists play. It always starts around noon. And Tracy's diner. Great burgers." She smiled.

"I'll make sure I stop by." He watched her scan him for a moment. "You seem better. Happier." He and Wanda had only met a few times. The first couple were when Steve had brought him back from being the Winter Soldier. He could only imagine what impression he'd given her then. Then, the battle in Wakanda and finally against Thanos. She'd only seen him as normal at Tony's funeral.

"I had some time to recover." She nodded.

"I'm glad." They continued down the path, heading towards 53rd street. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to help with the flag smashers. I don't get reception out there and I didn't hear about it until I drove into town one day. By then, you and Sam looked like you'd taken care of it."

Yeah," he sighed. "It was rough there for a while."

"Sam looks great though. Steve would be proud of him. Of both of you." He half-smiled. Steve- he was always the string that seemed to attach him to anything good. "You know, I miss him." Bucky looked over to her. "He was good to me- watched out for me."

"He watched out for all of us." He walked in silence for a moment, reminiscing about their friend.

"Are you working with SHIELD now?"

"Yeah, trying to do some good, you know?" She nodded.

"I tried but I don't have it in me to keep fighting after everything that happened. I just wanted some peace." Just as she finished, they came up to the street where performers had already started their tricks. Wanda gasped beside him when one did what looked like an impossible number of flips. Even though he'd seen the act a few times, it still amused him.

As he watched the performance, his eyes caught blue ones in the crowd. It was the same woman from earlier. She was now staring intently at Wanda. As Bucky shifted in front of her slightly, the woman disappeared as an act blocked his view for a split second. That seemed strange and impossible to be a coincidence. He looked around again but couldn't find her. He must just be paranoid as he always had been.

They stayed there a while longer until the shows ended. Wanda thanked him for joining her and said she wanted to keep exploring. They said their goodbyes and he headed toward his apartment. A pit started to form in his stomach though, trying to sense why he felt like something was off.

WANDA - NEW YORK CITY

Hard shoulders bumped Wanda as she maneuvered through the crowded New York City streets. Life moved fast here. Everyone looked like they were in a rush to be somewhere while she just eased her way downtown. She was in no rush and just ambled along, enjoying the warm day.

"Wanda..." Her head snapped around as she heard a low whisper in her ear. She looked around her but no one was standing there, just passerbys still knocking into her. Her eyes kept darting around but no one seemed to notice her, much less talked to her as they walked by. Maybe she'd imagined it. She continued walking but a moment later she heard the eerie voice calling her name again. It was further now and somehow muffled by the noise of city life.

She rubbed her ears but it called her name again and Wanda looked ahead at an old warehouse just beyond the flashy buildings in front of her. Without being able to understand why, she knew the voice was calling her there. She could feel her heart beginning to race. What was this? She had been able to get into people's minds and play tricks like this but who could be doing it to her? The very idea of it terrified her and begged her feet to run the other way.

The voice called again and this time Wanda could distinguish it as feminine. Against all common sense, she pushed through the crowd and towards the run down part of town. The building turned out to be an abandoned distillery, based on a yellowing sign. The walls were cracked and exposed the brick underneath. Wanda looked up at the tall warehouse before cautiously entering the doors in front of her. Her heels echoed in the open, empty space. It was dim inside, illuminated only by streams of light that came from what must have once been windows. It was just enough to see all of the dust particles floating around.

"Hello?" She called out but didn't see anyone. There were machines near the edges of the open floor she walked through. "Hello?" Nothing. She swallowed hard and knew this was a mistake. She spun around for the exit. Instead, she found a woman standing there, blocking the way out.

"Wanda Maximoff," the woman said in a low tone as she began to circle Wanda.

"Who are you?" A sly smile crept along the woman's lips.

"Agatha Harkness."