Yes, another chapter yay! Thanks to the lovely Crazyfangirl1234 and everyone else who supports my story!
~ PaleWolfsHowl
Natasha watched Steve interact with the man who had once shot a bullet through her. Not that she held a grudge, but still. The Winter Soldier, or Winter, was pretty messed up in the head. She understood why he might lean on someone as strong a canable as Steve. But she couldn't fathom why Steve was acting the way he was.
How he looked at The Assassin when Winter wasn't looking reminded Natasha of how she'd seen a close pair of brothers look at each other. It was odd. So very odd.
She felt Clint take her hand, and she exchanged a look with her boyfriend.
[disguised as a civilian dressed in a hoodie,
Snickers were heard at the mention of Steve's disguise.
Natasha could practically feel the disapproval radiating from Winter at Steve's lack of hiding skills.
Steve goes back to the hospital to retrieve the flash drive from the vending machine but sees it's gone, then Natasha appears behind him chewing some gum, in anger Steve pushes her into a room]
More snickers were heard at that, and Natasha had to smirk. Oh, how she loved herself. Wait what? Since when had she been Tony? Horror went through her at that thought.
Steve Rogers: Where is it?
Natasha Romanoff: Safe.
Steve Rogers: Do better!
Natasha Romanoff: Where did you get it?
Steve Rogers: Why would I tell you?
Natasha Romanoff: Fury gave it to you. Why?
Steve Rogers: What's on it?
Natasha Romanoff: I don't know.
Steve Rogers: Stop lying!
Natasha Romanoff: I only act like I know everything, Rogers.
Natasha pouted at that line, why'd she have to say that? Though really, that conversation was comedic gold. Clint seemed to agree, because he was smirking, as was Tony.
Steve had raised his eyebrows at her, and Winter looked bored. Bruce looked like he was contemplating the goods and evil involving bubble gum.
Everything was back to normal, except instead of Thor, they had an unstable, Hydra controlled, Assassin.
Steve Rogers: I bet you knew Fury hired the pirates, didn't you?
"Most undoubtedly." She said, smirking as Steve rolled his eyes at her.
"Sometimes, Natasha, sometimes." Captain America groaned, and Natasha saw Winter pat his shoulder. Though she doubted he really felt bad for Steve.
Natasha Romanoff: Well, it makes sense. The ship was dirty, Fury needed a way in, so do you.
Steve Rogers: I'm not gonna ask you again.
Natasha Romanoff: I know who killed Fury. Most of the intelligence community doesn't believe he exists, the ones who do call him the Winter Soldier. He's credited with over two dozen assassinations in the last fifty years.
Everyone glanced at Winter, who looked shameful. But then he did something that shocked everyone. He bowed mockingly, like someone would after acting in a play. Everyone chuckled, even though it was horrible, it was still good that The Assassin was now comfortable enough to make that joke.
Steve Rogers: So he's a ghost story.
"Well, I'm not dead." Winter seemed to be out of control of himself, at first he'd been so quiet, now he couldn't seem to shut up. Steve rolled his eyes.
"Ya, I know. I can clearly see you." That was definitely sarcasm in his voice.
".. But can you?" Winter asked in an odd voice, slightly whispery, and right out of a horror movie.
Steve just rolled his eyes, and shoved Winter a little.
Natasha just watched in bemusement. How had this happened? They barely knew each other. But Natasha was starting to doubt that, maybe Winter had known Steve before the war? It was possible, after all, Winter could be hundreds of years old for all they knew.
Natasha Romanoff: Five years ago I was escorting a nuclear engineer out of Iran, somebody shot out my tires near Odessa. We lost control, went straight over a cliff, I pulled us out, but the Winter Soldier was there. I was covering my engineer, so he shot him straight through me. [she pulls up her shirt to show him the scar on the side of her stomach] Soviet slug, no rifling. Bye-bye bikinis.
Winter looked at her awkwardly. "Er, sorry, 'bout that." The man said regretfully, was it just her or did he have a tint of an ancient now? Unhearable to untrained ears, but she could hear it.
Whoever the man had once been seemed to be slowly creeping back.
"Wasn't your fault." She dismissed it, and Winter nodded, before staring at the screen again.
Steve Rogers: Yeah, I bet you look terrible in them now. [there's a hit of a smile from Natasha]
Natasha Romanoff: Going after him is a dead end. I know, I've tried.
"Dead end you say? I wonder why? It's not like you're tracking a mind controlled Assassin or something.." Tony said sarcastically, making Winter huff in amusement.
"It's a dead end in more ways than one." He said cheerfully, making Steve smirk and whack him lightly on the shoulder.
[Natasha holds up the flash drive] Like you said, he's a ghost story. [Steve takes the flash drive from her]
Steve Rogers: Well, let's find out what the ghost wants.
"No. Don't do that! You'll die." Winter complained, looking at Steve, and Natasha could've bet he was pouting underneath the muzzle thing.
Steve shrugged. "I'm hard to kill." Winter rolled his eyes.
"Sure, whatever you say."
Natasha smirked at the two men, this was going to be amusing if Winter kept this new found confidence. Though it seemed like he was trying to keep his mind off of something.
[Pierce is holding another virtual meeting with the World Security Council]
Alexander Pierce: Nick Fury was murdered in cold blood. To any reasonable person, that would make him a martyr, not a traitor.
"Ugghh." Natasha groaned at the man on the screen, like honestly? This was the man who'd ordered Fury's death!
Even though it was hard, she was determined not to blame this on Winter. It wasn't his fault.
Councilman Rockwell: You know what makes him a traitor? Hiring a mercenary to hijack his own ship.
Councilman Singh: Nick Fury used your friendship to coerce this council into delaying Project Insight. A project he knew would expose his own illegal operations. At best, he lied to you. At worst...
Alexander Pierce: Are you calling for my resignation? I've got a pen and paper right here.
Councilwoman Hawley: That discussion can be tabled for a later time.
Alexander Pierce: But you do want to have a discussion.
Councilman Rockwell: We've already had it, Mr. Secretary. This council moves to immediately reactivate Project Insight. If you want to say something snappy, now would be a good time.
Natasha grimace, this game was getting more and more dangerous as it went one. Like Russian Roulette, she remembered that game well. Ah, the good 'ol days.