May 1st, 2015 - Queens, New York
"I don't understand the appeal." Andrew said honestly as they walked across the busy street, looking up at their destination as they drew closer to the building. "You'd think that a God would have a better taste palate."
A few months ago, AJ had been showing Thor around the city when the two had stumbled upon this little shop in Queens that the God now claimed had the best sandwiches he had ever tasted -- something the sign above them promoted proudly: Best Sandwiches in Queens .
AJ chuckled, "I don't understand either, but he loves them." She grabbed her nephew's arm, tugging him toward the deli-grocery. "And who knows how long until Thor comes back to Earth." She said, trying to hide the sadness in her tone.
She hadn't wanted him to leave, but AJ knew that Earth wasn't his home and that he needed to get back to his -- he was the prince of Asgard and his presence was needed. But Thor had quickly become one of her closest friend, and she wasn't ready to let go of him. The God of Thunder had been a resident on Earth for a few months to help the Avengers put an end to Hydra, as well as searching for Loki's scepter. AJ had grown used to his company, to his friendship. They made a good team -- it would be odd going on missions without him.
The sound of Andrew laughing caused AJ to get out of her own head and focus on the task at hand. The two walked into the shop, a bell sounding off above their head to let the owner know that customers were now in the store. AJ smiled politely when the man behind the desk gave her a little wave and then went back to helping the people at the counter. "Jay, our world is always on the verge of some sort of alien invasion or world ending war — I doubt he'll be gone long."
AJ couldn't help but roll her eyes, it seemed that her nephew had inherited his father's dramatic nature. She remembered thinking that Henry Frost was the most dramatic little boy growing up, and she had been sure that it would not change with age. Henry was too much like their older brother Charlie, a man who swore up and down that their neighbors growing up were actually spies for the Germans and that the 'Frost' home was being monitored closely by the Government. Oh, Charlie, he definitely was more dramatic than AJ's other brothers -- that was until Henry was old enough to start expressing his own opinions.
She wished she could have been around to see it, to witness her little brother growing up and listen to his dramatic rants just as she had Charlie's. But, if she had -- she wouldn't be standing here this very moment teasing his son.
It was hard to know that they were the only remaining members of the Frost family. AJ would wake up in the morning after dreaming of her brothers or her mother and father only to remember that they were all gone, leaving her absolutely devastated. Andrew was the only thing left that she had of her family, which was probably why she continued to hold onto him so tightly. AJ knew her overbearing behavior must be frustrating for her nephew, but after spending months without him the thought of losing him again was just more than she can handle right now.
She was already about to say goodbye to one of her very favorite people in the world, not knowing when she was going to see him again -- AJ didn't want to have to let go of Andrew either.
"Well, until the next big world ending," she said using air quotes, "catastrophic event happens, Thor will have his favorite treat." AJ grinned as they moved to stand in the short line, waiting to pick up one of Thor's favorite things to get while on Earth.
"I never used the word catastrophic," he mimicked his aunt by using air quotes as well.
AJ chuckled, her eyes briefly catching a glimpse of a cat lying on top of the glass case above the counter that kept the food warm. She grinned, moving away from Andrew to pet the cat. "Hold my spot."
"Wait -- how many are you getting him?" Andrew asked as his aunt walked away.
"All of them," she said back as went to pet the cat, rubbing under its chin causing the sweet animal to purr loudly.
"—You're buying them all?" Andrew said loudly as AJ continued to pet the cat. "Don't you think that's a bit much?"
She smirked at that. "I'm not charging them to my card." She said back.
"Must be nice being Tony's favorite!" AJ heard Andrew say under his breath, causing her to laugh.
"Well aren't you handsome," AJ said affectionately as she continued to pet the cat, the animal nudging its head against her fingers as she scratched behind its ears. The sound of glass shattering, followed by a woman saying, 'holy shit,' caused AJ to look away from the cat and over to where a woman was standing with wide eyes, a bottle of milk shattered on the ground. "Are you okay?" AJ walked over to her, looking around the shop to see what might have caused the woman to react that way. Had someone hurt her?
"You," She breathed out as AJ moved closer, hand thrust out now and her finger pointing to AJ. "-Y'you you're,"
"Aunt May, are you okay?" A young boy came running around the corner only to stop abruptly when his eyes landed on AJ, nearly knocking his aunt over in the process. "Oh my God." The boy whispered under his breath in a high pitched tone. "-That's,"
"Yup." The woman nodded her head over and over again as she grabbed the young boy. The two were speaking in hushed tones to each other but their eyes never once left AJ.
"Ned!" The young boy shouted, startling AJ a bit with the way his voice rose sharply in pitch. Soon enough, another boy who looked around the same age walked around the corner, large in the waist, darker skin and greasy black hair that looked like it needed a good washing. The smaller boy smacked his hand against the larger one's chest a couple of times until the boy looked over to AJ.
The boy's eyes went wide and his breathing grew louder, mouth open to say something but unable to get any words out.
"Hi." AJ said sheepishly, giving them a little wave.
"Ms. Frost," The woman said as she walked forward only to quickly stop, "-Can I call you Ms. Frost?"
AJ chuckled. "You can call me AJ. Everyone else does."
She inhaled sharply and nodded her head a couple more times before she moved to stand in front of AJ. "I just want to say what an honor it is to meet you, Ms. Frost -- AJ," She corrected herself. "You are such a positive role model for young girls and women all over the world." She rambled and the boy who AJ had assumed was her nephew covered his face in embarrassment, causing AJ to grin in amusement. "Both you and Black Widow show that girls -- women , are just as strong as our counterparts and that not all superheros have to be men."
"Can we get a picture?!" The boy who she believed was named 'Ned' asked, digging through his pants to find what AJ was assuming his phone.
AJ smiled. "Of course." She agreed. "And thank you." She said to the woman. "You are very kind to say those things."
"All true!" The woman said, taking Ned's phone and shoving the two boys towards AJ. She fussed with the smaller one's hair only to have him grumble under his breath that she was embarrassing him in front of an Avenger.
They took a few pictures, AJ alone with the two boys, with the two boys and the woman, and one alone with each of them. It was odd -- she hadn't gotten this kind of attention before. Yes, people had asked to have their picture taken with her, but soon after she was asked if Iron Man or Captain America were with her, or what it was like working with Thor, or The Hulk. So, this warmed her heart and brought a genuine smile to her face.
"Thank you so much for taking pictures with us, Ms. Fr- AJ ." The woman said with a big smile. "And can I just say -- your interview with the senate after D.C was," The woman pressed her hand to her chest and closed her eyes while breathing out. " powerful ." She smiled, opening her eyes again to look at AJ. "I think I re-watched it maybe fifty times." She admitted and then did something that caused AJ to inhale sharply; she quoted her testimony. "To anyone who may be watching, Adelyn Frost survived. I'm alive. I'm still here."
"Always." AJ finished in a whisper.
"Still gives me chills!" The woman said, rolling up her sleeve to show AJ her goosebumps.
"I cannot sell you all of my sandwiches -- do you have any idea how long it would take for my guys to make them all? They aren't pre-made, they are prepped right here in front of you and I have other customers!" The owner of the shop argued with Andrew.
"I'm willing to pay double." AJ heard her nephew arguing.
Those words the woman had quoted to her -- it had been a message to Bucky. One that she prayed he saw and understood. He did, her mind told her. Why else would he have gone to Camp McCoy?
"Ms. Frost," one of the boys said, the nephew of the woman. "I saw on the news that they are in the process of re-doing that Captain America exhibit in the Smithsonian -- do you think this time you will be included?"
She blinked in surprise. That was news to her. "They're re-doing it?"
The three of them nodded their heads and the large one, Ned, began to speak next. "Yeah, the Smithsonian released a statement saying that they are re-doing the entire exhibit so that there will no longer be any mentions of the Winter Soldier."
Her stomach dropped and AJ balled her hand into a fist, fingernails digging into her skin, leaving crescent moon shapes on her palm. "When?"
"-Jay," Andrew hollered for his aunt. "Can you come here -- this guy won't take the card."
But AJ focused on the three people in front of her. "When are they taking down the exhibit?"
Ned shrugged his shoulders, "Uh...soon?" It was clear that he didn't know.
"I'm sorry -- I have to go."
She left, walking past Andrew who quickly grabbed the card back from the man behind the counter and chased after AJ. She hurried out of the store and tried to wave down a taxi. "Whoa, whoa -- what the hell?" He grabbed AJ by her arm only to have her yank away from him.
"I need to get back to the Tower."
"Why? Is everything okay?"
"No!" She said loudly, trying to keep calm. But her mind was screaming at her that yet again, Bucky was being erased because of things the Winter Soldier did. It wasn't fair. Bucky didn't do those things. No, hell no! She was not going to let that happen.
"What happened?" Andrew asked softly, his hands moving to rest on AJ's shoulders. It helped, her nephew kept her grounded in that moment.
"Did you know about the Smithsonian?" AJ asked him. Andrew sighed and looked away from AJ while he frowned. She shook her head in disbelief, her anger becoming unbearable in that moment. "Why didn't you say something?" She raised her voice.
He sighed. "Because there's no stopping it, Jay." Andrew told her. "Believe me, when Steve was told what was happening he fought like hell against it but...look," He shook his head. "Jay, I know you still love Bucky, but he has killed a lot of people and not everyone is willing to look past it like you are." Her eyes narrowed into a glare at her nephew. Andrew sighed again. "I'm not saying that to piss you off -- I just, Jay, you gotta see why the government doesn't want the exhibit associated with the Winter Soldier. Be realistic."
She shook her head. "No. The man they honor in that exhibit for giving his life to try and stop Hydra...he is not the Winter Soldier. Bucky was a person before Hydra wiped his brain and he was good and I refuse to let one more person erase that part of him again."
Andrew frowned, moving his hands off of her shoulders and letting them drop to his side. "I'm sorry." He told her softly. "But there's nothing we can do to stop it. Tony has had all his lawyers working on trying to figure out a way to stop it from happening but...I'm sorry -- there's no fighting this. The Winter Soldier has killed too many important people for the government to just look the other way." AJ closed her eyes for a moment before she opened them, looking at Andrew one more time with a glare before she walked away to the other side of the street. "Jay! C'mon!" He hollered.
But she continued to walk.
Andrew knew when to let his aunt cool off on her own and when to stop. She was glad for it. She needed time to think, to be alone where she could try and fight off the urge to freeze all of Queens in rage -- she needed a place that brought her peace.
Which was how she ended up in Brooklyn where the World Expo had been held all those decades ago -- where she had realized that no matter how hard she tried to fight it, she did have feelings for James Buchanan Barnes.
_
Andrew paced outside of his aunt's bedroom. She had gotten back to the Tower after the sun had already set and still refused to talk to him. He wasn't surprised. Stubbornness ran strong in the Frost family -- he wouldn't be surprised if she continued with the silent treatment for a few days. But right now, he couldn't stand the silence. It set him on edge -- he could hardly concentrate. With each hour she spent locked away in her room, Andrew grew more frustrated. And it wasn't just him that AJ was icing him out -- it was Steve and Tony, too. They had kept this from her because all three of the men knew she would not react well. They knew that she'd do something rash like steal the quinjet and demand the Smithsonian keep Bucky in the exhibit. Or, freeze the entire building if they said no to her.
Andrew knew that AJ was too close to this -- and to be honest, so was Steve. But Andrew was able to be more rational than AJ about these kinds of things. Steve understood that the Winter Soldier was something Hydra created, something forced onto his best friend without his consent. But he also understood that there were families out there of his victims who demanded justice. Steve wouldn't give them Bucky -- but he could give them this. He could allow the Smithsonian to take down the exhibit without putting up a big fight over it.
Tony, on the other hand, was doing his best to stop it from happening.
"You know this will kill her, right?" The man had argued with Steve and Andrew. "That small part of the exhibit is all that Adelyn has left of Barnes -- or, who he used to be, and you're just willing to roll over and let this happen?" He directed at Steve.
"You think I don't know that?" Steve had retorted . "It's all I have left of him, too, Tony!"
"Then stop this from happening!" Tony had yelled in frustration. "This is your exhibit -- tell them no, tell them to keep Barnes a part of it or to get rid of it completely!"
Andrew didn't think that Steve should do that. Captain America was a historical icon and just because The Winter Soldier now tainted that name -- it didn't mean his honor should be stripped completely. And yes, Andrew knew that Bucky and the Winter Soldier were not the same person deep down, but...Theodore Adams had been Andrews friend. Andrew and Brian had been close to Theo long before AJ had awoken from cryostasis. They had all joined the academy together around the same time, and the reason Theo had been even considered as a candidate for AJ's partner while she worked with S.H.I.E.L.D was because Brian and Andrew had vouched for him. Theodore Adams had been a good man, a good partner, and a good friend. And the Winter Soldier had slaughtered him like a damn animal. Andrew had been too busy blaming his aunt for the death of his twin, sulking in self-pity and refusing to even leave the confines of his home that he hadn't even gone to his old friends funeral after Theo had been killed by the Winter Soldier.
Theo had been good and Andrew had seen just how much he had cared for his aunt -- bordering on the line of love perhaps, but that didn't matter. He was dead. Killed by the Winter Soldier -- a man his aunt still loved despite everything.
"She come out yet?"
Andrew turned when he heard a soft voice from behind him. Sara. He felt his anger start to fade and a calm wash over him as he looked at her small frame, hair up in a messy bun as she wore a pair of worn out jeans and a large yellow shirt, two sizes to big. He couldn't help but smile softly at her. But then he remembered what she had asked him.No. AJ hadn't come out. He shook his head and sighed. "Not yet." He told Pepper's assistant, a young woman who enamored him completely.
Sara walked over to him and Andrew spotted that she was holding three large bags with a very distinct smell. He couldn't help but chuckle. "I heard you saying to Steve that you weren't able to get the sandwiches for Thor because the owner didn't believe Tony actually gave you his card to use," Sara smiled in amusement. "I'm a bit of a frequent flyer in that shop whenever I run errands in Queens and I use the Stark company card each time I go there so," She held out the bags for Andrew to grab. "I went out and got these for you."
Andrew took the bags from Sara, smiling fondly at her as he did so. "You didn't have to do that, Sara." He told her.
She shrugged her shoulders innocently. "Figured it might get you out of the dog house with your aunt -- which, is still so weird to say." Sara said honestly with a laugh. "I mean, when Pepper told me that I was going to be looking after AJ's nephew who had finally just woken up from a coma I thought you were going to be like...four, maybe ten...not," She used her hand to motion to him. " You ." She decided on the word.
Andrew closed his eyes while smiling and shook his head. "I hope you're still not disappointed."
Sara was grinning at him when he opened his eyes again and he could feel his heart beating rapidly against his ribcage. "I don't think you could ever disappoint me, Andy." He playfully winced at the nickname and Sara chuckled while taking a step backwards and away from Andrew. "She'll forgive you soon." She said with a warm smile. "Who can stay mad at you long anyway?" She teased.
Andrew felt his face heat up, a sure sign that he was blushing, and quickly looked down at the ground to hide it. Sara was... different. She had helped look out for him when he first woke up from Terrigenesis, getting him anything he might need while tests were run on him , and even afterwards. He really liked her -- the only thing stopping him from making a move was their age difference. AJ kept telling him that it wasn't that large of an age difference and added that Thor was dating Jane and was much older than her. That didn't help -- he knew she meant well , but Andrew couldn't stop thinking about how that when he was a certain age -- she was ten years younger. On his twenty-first birthday when he got shit-faced with Brian and spent the night in the drunk tank -- Sara was eleven. Still in Elementary school!
But he did like her.
A lot.
"I knew I smelt something delicious!"
Andrew looked up to see that Sara was now gone and Thor was quickly approaching. He nodded, handing the man the bags once the Asgardian was standing in front of him. "It was a going away gift from Jay." Andrew told him as Thor dug into the bag and pulled out a sandwich. He grinned at Andrews words and moved to walk towards her bedroom door but Andrew stopped him by placing a hand on his chest. "She's not really in a mood to talk right now." He told Thor, quickly dropping his hand when Thor gave him an odd look. "She's uh, she's pissed off at me...and Steve...and Tony too." He listed. "Oh, and the US Government."
"Hm." Thor said, unwrapping his sandwich before taking a bite. "What did you three and the US Government do to upset her?"
Andrew huffed out a laugh at Thor's words. "Well," He started with a shake of his head. "The US Government pissed off AJ because they want to tear down the Captain America exhibit in the Smithsonian and re-do it all."
"Ah, yes. The Smithsonian. Adelyn has taken me there." He nodded, taking another large bite of the sandwich. He swallowed the large bite and looked back to Andrew. "And why is she upset with you, Stark, and Steve?" He asked next.
Andrew sighed. "Because we didn't tell her about it." Thor gave him a look of disapproval, not liking that they had kept secrets from AJ and Andrew repressed his need to roll his eyes at the God. "We kept it from her because the whole reason the Smithsonian is tearing down the Captain America exhibit is to remove all mentions of Bucky, her,"
"Her lover."
Andrew made a face, really not wanting to think his aunt being anyone's lover. "Former." He corrected Thor but quickly continued to speak before the God could correct him. "--She's upset with Tony, Steve and I because we aren't fighting against the US Government to stop them from tearing down all mentions of Barnes." Tony is fighting for her, Andrew thought. But not her best friend and her nephew. He frowned at that thought. "I get that Bucky was her first love and that it's hard for her to let go of him but,"
"She loves him. You said so yourself, Andrew. I don't believe she'll ever stop." Thor told him, his words surprising Andrew.
"I know she still loves him."
"Do you?" He asked. "The exhibit is the only way for AJ to be close to him right now while he is away. And now that is going to be taken from her." Thor took another bite of his sandwich and then proceeded to say. "Honestly, I'm surprised she hasn't gone to the museum and torn the building down brick by brick until they swore they would not tarnish his memory by wiping him from existence."
"--That's exactly why we didn't want her to know about it. Because when it comes to Bucky, she doesn't think rationally! She is willing to let go of these terrible things he's done while under Hydra's control and just sweep it all under the rug like people didn't die! People who she cared about!." Andrew huffed and shoved his hands into his pockets. "She doesn't think, she just...trusts that he's still the man she was in love with and not that psycho Hydra turned him into but... Bucky Barnes in one way or another, is going to be the death of her and I refuse to let that happen. She is going to lose her life defending him and...I can't lose another family member."
Andrew had gone with Sam and Steve to search for Bucky before he had gone through terrigenesis, but ever since he had woken, he was starting to see things more clearly every single day. And one thing he saw was that Bucky Barnes was his aunt's weakness and that if he didn't kill her himself , someone else would just to get back at him. And yes, Andrew had gone with Sam to Mexico to search for Bucky while the Avengers and his aunt were in Sokovia -- but it was mostly because he felt trapped . When had found an opportunity to leave the lab he'd been practically kept prisoner in, he'd ran with it without thinking about the consequences. Luckily he hadn't gotten hurt nor had Sam. But coming home yet again to tell AJ that there was no trace of Bucky had been awful. The way her eyes had shown nothing but heartbreak and sorrow and how she'd force a smile on his behalf, not wanting to make him feel bad for failing. It was too much.
Thor frowned. "I don't want any harm to come to Adelyn either." He admitted. "But who she chooses to love...none of us have any control over that." Thor finished the last of his first sandwich and pulled out another. "And for the record; I don't see this man as her downfall...I see him as the one thing that has been keeping her going, that has kept her fighting. She loves him more than you could possibly imagine, I've seen it. And if there's a way to save his memory for her, I would do it." Thor handed Andrew the sandwich before he walked past him and over to AJ's room, knocking on the door with a powerful force that caused Andrew to jump a little at the noise.
"Give me a second, Thor." AJ called out from her room, somehow knowing it was him just by the knock.
Thor looked over his shoulder at Andrew. "We have plans." He told him. "And uh, if she's still upset with you...personally, I wouldn't be here when she opens the door."
Andrew rolled his eyes in irritation because he knew that Thor was right. So, he walked down the long hall with one of the disgusting sandwiches Thor loved so much and went to find a place where he would actually be welcome. He took the elevator down to the labs where Kai and Bruce were working with Tony on something 'top secret' -- he hoped that they wouldn't kick him out the moment they saw him because other than brooding with Steve, he had no place else to go to wait out AJ's silent treatment.
_
Somehow, Andrew had managed to get the sandwiches for Thor. It made AJ feel a little guilty that she had iced him out, but she needed time to herself; time to think about each side – especially the side of people who had been hurt by the Winter Soldier and who feared him. And then, of course, her side. The side that knew Bucky Barnes, the man they honored in the Captain America exhibit, would never do those things if he was in control of his own mind. She also knew that if someone else were the Winter Soldier -- any other person in the world, AJ wouldn't fight so hard to save their memory. Andrew had been right, she wasn't thinking rationally. Hell, AJ hadn't even thought rationally back in the 40's when it came to Bucky -- she had jumped out of a freaking airplane in the middle of a warzone for the man, before a time where she hadn't even admitted to herself that she even had feelings for him yet.
She looked over at Thor who was occupying the space next to her as they sat on the ledge of Stark Towers roof. He was eating his sixth sandwich and looking up at the stars, his long blonde hair pulled back into what Andrew had once referred to as a manbun. AJ frowned, knowing that Thor wasn't just looking up at the stars -- he was likely dreaming of home.
"You miss it?" She asked him.
Thor nodded, making a low humming noise.
"Will you miss it here?"
The man chuckled and nodded his head again. "Asgard is my home." Thor told AJ, still looking up at the nights sky. "But Midgard has become my home, too."
AJ looked away from him and up at the stars. "It still blows my mind that there are other realms beside our own." She confessed, smiling a little when Howard came to her mind. "Tony's father would have loved to know that. I can picture his reaction now if I try hard enough," She chuckled, imagining a world where Howard was still alive and sitting with Thor and AJ on the roof as they talked about different realms and alien technology. "He'd be so amazed by it all."
"Do you miss him?" Thor asked and AJ nodded. The god sighed and set his wrapped sandwich down on the ground. "Grief is infinite." He told her, causing AJ to look over at him with a frown.
"Loki?" She asked him.
"Yes." Thor admitted. "And my mother."
AJ moved her hand to Thor's leg and gave it a little pat. "When I was seven my Grandfather died." She began to tell him. "That man was one of my favorite people in the whole world, and at seven years old -- I hardly understood the concept of death. So, my father sat me down and said, Everybody dies, Addie." She mimicked his voice , causing Thor to chuckle softly. "But know that even though we cannot see Grandpa, he's still sees us. He's up in the sky watching over us all and keeping us safe. Even if someone dies -- their memory won't. So hold onto those memories and don't let them go. The good, the bad, the sad. Hold onto them tightly and you won't ever feel alone. And when you feel a little gust of wind when you're thinking about them...you'll know that they're thinking of you too." She patted Thor's leg again. "As long as you keep your mother...and even Loki," She said his name dramatically causing Thor to smile. "-As long as you keep them in your heart...they're never really gone."
Thor sighed while smiling and wrapped his arm around AJ's shoulder, pulling her into his side. "I will miss you, Adelyn." He admitted. "You're the little sister I've always wanted."
"Well," AJ wrapped her arms around his middle in a hug. "You know, you are always welcome to stay." She said playfully but meant the words she said. "I mean -- Asgard seems pretty amazing but do they have The Best Sandwiches in Queens?" She teased and Thor chuckled. "Or Jane Foster?" She asked next. "Where is she by the way? I thought you went to London to pick her up for the party?"
"We uh," He cleared his throat and let go of AJ. "We decided it was best to end our relationship with me going back to Asgard."
"No!" AJ frowned. "Jane is amazing! She's smart, funny, beautiful! " Thor nodded his head in agreement, sadness showing in his eyes. And that's when AJ realized that it wasn't the two together who came to this decision; it was Jane alone. "Oh, Thor." She said sadly. "I'm sorry, buddy."
"According to Jane, long-distance relationships never work." Thor said with a shrug of his shoulders.
She frowned again and took his large hand in her small one. "If two people are destined to be together, Thor...they'll find a way." AJ told him. "I have hope that you and Jane will find your way back to each other again."
Thor smiled while looking down at their hands. "I have hope for you and your love too, Adelyn." He said, causing AJ to smile.
"Yeah," She said softly. "I think you're about the only one who does."
Thor looked to AJ and frowned. "You've given up hope?"
"God no!" AJ denied quickly, feeling awful for even thinking about giving up hope on Bucky. "No, I haven't...it's...I heard you and Andrew talking outside my door."
Thor nodded his head, understanding now.
"I don't think he'll ever understand why keeping Bucky's memory alive is so important to me. It's just...Bucky has had his memory wiped so many times -- everything that he was, everything that he loved or cherished was wiped from his mind and...I don't want the same to happen to his part in the exhibit. I can't go back in time and save Bucky from all the pain he's suffered , but ...just rolling over and not putting up a fight to keep his memory intact -- it kind of feels like I'm failing him." AJ admitted, voice breaking a little. "I don't know where the hell he is or even if he still remembers who he is but...I can't sit back and have someone erase him again."
"Take it back." Thor told her causing AJ to look up at him with a quirked brow.
"Take what back?"
"His memory." Thor said. "Take it before they can erase it." He then sat up and held out his hand for AJ to take, pulling her up as well. "We'll go now and take everything that has to do with Bucky from that museum."
AJ laughed, "Thor -- it's illegal to steal from the Smithsonian and ever since Steve stole his suit back...security has been tight."
"J.A.R.V.I.S will assist us and we'll be quick."
AJ bit down on her lower lip, seriously contemplating it. "I wouldn't even know where to begin." She said with a laugh. "Most of the stuff is footage kept on encrypted files to keep people from stealing."
"That's where I come in."
AJ and Thor looked behind them to see Natasha standing on the roof now too, already geared up.
"Steve technically can't help and since Tony has already put up quite the fight -- he can't be seen breaking in either, but you haven't made a fuss about it yet, so if we went together...we could easily gather all things that have to do with Barnes. We'd be out before security is even notified."
"You do realize that the first place they'll search is here , right? We will never be able to get away with it." AJ told Natasha in dry tone.
"Ye have little faith, Adge." Natasha smirked. "You really think I'd be dumb enough to let you stash it all here?"
The Farm. AJ knew just from the look Natasha gave her where all of Bucky's things would be going.
"So," Natasha stepped forward, tossing a bag to AJ and Thor, which the God quickly caught before it could go over the roof. "Are you in?"
Thor opened the bag and AJ peaked inside, seeing the gear they used while doing stealth missions. She pulled hers out and then handed Thor his. "You had some made for him?"
Natasha shook her head. "No -- those are Kai's. I had no idea Thor would be willing to do this but Kai was more than happy to welcome his services. You know he's anti-government." AJ chuckled. Yeah, she knew. "The two are around the same size and Thor is able to do something that Kai can't."
AJ quirked her brow and when she looked over at Thor, his brows were raised as well.
"He can create a nasty storm that would knock out every power source in the Smithsonian. So, I'll ask again...are you in?"
AJ inhaled sharply and laughed. "What the hell," She shrugged her shoulders. "Let's do it."
_
May 2nd, 2015
AJ and Natasha had left early in the morning with Clint on some disclosed mission that Steve hadn't thought too hard about -- he was just glad when AJ gave him a warm smile and actually spoke to him before the three former S.H.I.E.L.D agents left together. AJ had been in a rather chipper mood considering that when he had last seen her, she wouldn't even look him in the eyes. Steve should have known there was a reason for why she was in such a good mood this morning -- but the second that he heard the sound of AJ's laughter, Steve pushed aside any suspicion he might have.
When AJ had come home the night before, after finding out about Bucky's part of the Captain America exhibit being taken down, she hadn't looked mad -- no, she had looked defeated. Broken all over again. It reminded him of how she had been after Bucky fell from the train. Steve swore to himself that he'd never allow AJ to feel that way again, not if he could help it. It was bad enough that each lead they had on Bucky ended in a dead end and her hopes of ever being reunited with the love of her life were crushed -- but now even his memory was being taken from her? Steve knew that there was nothing he could do and prayed AJ would be able to see reason and understand why it needed to be done. It was easier to give into the government on this issue than it ever would be if they ever found Bucky -- but he knew it'd take her some time. He, however, didn't think she'd be able to see reason so fast.
"Cap?"
Steve looked over his shoulder and saw Maria Hill standing next to Sam, his friend giving him a look that could only mean one thing; AJ got herself into trouble. It was the easiest look to decipher. But it wasn't a look of disappointment -- it was a look of 'deny until you have the facts and then come up with a lie to cover for her' -- they all loved AJ and were willing to protect her, even from herself, but Steve still had no idea what exactly she had done now.
Maria held out a tablet to him. Steve made his way over to where she and Sam stood, taking the tablet from her hands and watching as the news broadcasted a story about how the Smithsonian had been robbed the night before.
He licked at his lower lip, swallowing hard as listened to the news anchor report that it was the Captain America exhibit that had been broken into and that all memorabilia of the Winter Soldier had been stolen. He handed the tablet back to Maria when the news anchor began to speak ill of Bucky. "Hydra?" Steve suggested. But he already knew who had broken into the museum.
Maria gave him a look and rolled her brows. " Sure ," She said sarcastically. "We can go with that."
Natasha and Clint had to be in on it. They must have helped her. Steve felt guilty that he hadn't been the one by her side on this mission -- but he trusted Natasha and Clint with AJ.
"D.C experienced quite the electrical storm last night around the break-in." Maria told him next and Steve closed his eyes, trying to fight back a smile of amusement. Thor . Of course Thor had helped AJ too. The Asgardian adored her. "Knocked out all power sources within thirty blocks of the Smithsonian, including the museum as well. Even the backup generators were fried.
"Odd." Steve said with a shrug. He looked over to Sam and watched as he moved his head to the side, hiding his smirk from Maria. "Must be that Global Warming stuff Banner is always going on about."
Maria raised her brow at Steve. "And I can assume that everyone here was all accounted for." She questioned. "In case anyone were to show up wanting answers."
"Movie night." Steve looked over Maria's shoulder and saw Tony walking in with Bruce, Kai, and Andrew. "Sorry -- it was a last minute decision, Hill, otherwise we would have invited you." Tony walked over to Maria and took the tablet out of her hands and swiped his finger across the screen before typing furiously onto the tablet. "See." He then handed back the device to Maria. "In case anyone has any questions."
Steve raised his brows in confusion and peered down at the tablet Maria now held. It was security footage of them all together with a timestamp from around 9pm-4am. Which was odd seeing as that had never happened.
Maria narrowed her eyes at Tony and then to Steve suspiciously. "Get your stories straight." She told them. "I'm sure it's only a matter of time before you all are served a warrant to search for the stolen items." She said, smiling softly now. "And maybe put me in the footage too." Maria told Tony, pressing the tablet into his hands now. Tony raised his brow in amusement and Maria simply shrugged. "I need an alibi too and my would-be alibi is in the footage watching," She squinted at the screen with the footage still playing. "Die Hard? Really?" She then looked to Steve. "Have you even watched that movie?"
"No, and he didn't pay attention to it last night." Tony answered for Steve. "He was too busy doing a crossword puzzle because he is, in fact, a old man. Right, Grandpa?"
Maria shook her head with a smile but left the group. Banner, Kai, and Andrew made a move to stand with Sam, Steve and Tony. "I hated Die Hard." Andrew said and Kai scoffed.
"That's blasphemy, bro." He replied. Kai then looked to Steve. "Where's she stashing Barnes stuff?"
"Not here, I assume?" Bruce spoke up.
"We still don't know if it was even AJ." Steve said, not wanting to jump to very obvious conclusions.
Tony let out a bark of a laugh. "Yeah, sure."
Thor chose that moment to walk into the room they were all in and watched as they all turned to face him, brows raised, waiting for an answer. Thor looked to each one of them and shrugged his shoulders innocently. "I know nothing."
Steve closed his eyes and smiled while shaking his head.
"If anyone asks -- we were all here together last night watching the movie Die Hard." Andrew told Thor causing the man to knit his brows together.
"It's a classic," Kai said, walking over to Thor and clapping his hand against his shoulder and the two walked off together, Steve only briefly catching Kai asking Thor about some asgardian liquor followed by loud laughter.
He didn't question it. Steve was glad that AJ managed to get Bucky's things before they could be destroyed and that they were in her possession. He still didn't know where the hell she was hiding it all, but maybe that was for the best.
He texted AJ about Thor's asgardian booze, asking her if the liquor of Gods might be able to get him drunk. AJ had replied with a smiley face.
Test your hypothesis, Stevie and you'll surely find out. See you soon xx.
Steve chuckled and slid his phone into his back pocket, thinking that's exactly what he would do tonight. A good send off for Thor and a silent celebration of Bucky's memory not being stripped away by the US Government. He shook his head in amusement. They had broken into the Smithsonian before, but he had only stolen his old suit. Since then, new laws had been passed to keep something like that from ever happening again, but Adelyn Frost had once jumped out of a airplane into a warzone to save Bucky -- no law was going to stop her from doing it again -- even if it was just for his memorial.
When it came to James Buchanan Barnes, Adelyn Juliet Frost would do just about anything to save him.
As would Steve.
