A/N :Hi, I'm still alive. Sorry for the sporadic updates, but I write whenever I have a free moment and sometimes one chapter can take weeks.
But here you are!
Katherine Barton told herself when she had her daughter, that the days of crazy was over. There would be no more putting her life in danger, no more taking unnecessary risks. One day in Bucharest changed all of that, and now she finds herself in a small room, with the walls painted an awful shade of blue staring at herself in a two way mirror.
She tilts her head slightly to see how bad the gash on her forehead is. It stings, but it doesn't look terrible. Her eyes trail down to her dirt covered clothes and the bruises on her knuckles. The entire thing was just so bizarre. German officers burst into Bucky's apartment and bullets went flying. Adrenaline took over, because she can barely even remember much of what happened. By the time everything finally slowed down, Bucky and Steve were gone, somewhere, she doesn't know because she ends up in the middle of the street surrounded by guns all seeming to twitch at the chance of putting her down. And now she's here waiting. Her eyes glance back up to the mirror. She knows there's someone on the other side, someone looking right there staring, studying her. With a shake of her head, she turns and walks back over to the only thing in the small room. She walks over and sits, and folds her hands on the table.
"At some point I hope you figure out the whole torturous wait thing is more annoying then anything." Katie muttered with a yawn. "You know what, I'm just gonna take a nap." the woman dropped her head to the table, closing her eyes and as if on cue the door finally opened, and she heard the sound of heavy footsteps.
"Sit up Banks." came the serious voice of Secretary Ross. Katie let out a heavy sigh, before sitting back in her seat and folding her arms over her chest as she watches the man take a seat across from her. The man silently stares at her as if waiting for a reaction. Katie simply tilts her head before turning back to look over to the two way mirror. "You have no idea how deep in the shit you are right now." Katie turned to the man with a quirked brow. "Conspiring with a terrorist-"
"Before this even begins, where is Bucky?" Katie asks and Ross scoffs with a shake of his head.
"I would worry more about yourself right now Ms. Banks." Ross said and Katie turned away, when he once again called her by a name he knew wasn't hers. "Buchanan Barnes, set an explosive that killed a dozen world leaders. And then we find him and he's with you. An accomplice."
"You're a sad, sad man General." Katie replies and she can see the slight twitch of his eye at her refusing to use his correct title. "Bucky didn't set an explosive, and I'm not an accomplice to anything. During the UN meeting, Bucky and I were in Bucharest where we were found."
"You know I would be inclined to believe you if I didn't have video evidence placing Mr. Barnes at the scene."
"Well if you have video evidence, then I would have your tech guys going over the footage, because it's fake." Katie replies with a shake of her head. "Whoever really blew up that building wanted you to think Bucky did it, wanted you to go after him and wanted you to bring him here."
"And why would said person want that?"
"You know I don't know but I figure since we're all here, we'll probably find out pretty soon." Katie replied with a shake of her head.
"SHIELD really did a number on you, didn't they." Katie turned meeting his eyes. "Well Ms. Banks I think you should know that you'll never see sun light again, you'll never see your husband, or your daughter." Ross stood to his feet and buttoned his jacket before glancing back over to the woman. "I'm finally gonna bury you." the man turned and headed for the door.
"Proof." Katie finally said and the man stopped and turned to her. "You have a story, implicating Bucky, somehow implicating me. So you have a video proving Bucky set those explosives, what do have on me besides an innocent trip to Bucharest."
"We found you in his apartment!" Ross snapped turning back to her.
"You found me in an apartment alone. Apparently it belonged to Bucky, but you have no proof that I knew that."
"You shot at officers-"
"I shot at men with guns who didn't identify themselves before they decided to spray that apartment with bullets." Katie countered as she looked up to the man's eyes. "Try again. What's my crime?" the Secretary was silent, but the anger was oozing off of him. "Why am I being kept in this room?" the man growled under his breath before turning and storming out of the room. Katie rolled her eyes before once again dropping her head to the table. Her head turned to the watch on her wrist watching the seconds tick away.
Tony was confused. He didn't like to be confused, he didn't like not knowing the ins and outs of everything,but right now Tony paced back and forth in the office where Ross told them to stay put. He glanced over to Steve who sat watching him. He and Sam were brought in just moments earlier with Natasha.
"Explain it to me again." Tony said, still pacing, still trying to wrap his head around the story Steve just told him.
"Tony it doesn't matter how many times he says it, it won't change anything." Natasha spoke instead annoyed as she watched the man. "She was there. This whole time everyone thought she was in danger, she was with Bucky."
"But why?" Tony asked finally stopping and turning to Steve. "She had to have told you something."
"Tony I didn't even know Katie was missing, and when I found her there-" Steve shook his head because he too wasn't understanding the situation. "She wasn't in danger." he turned back to Tony with a nod. "And she didn't look like she was forced to be there."
"She went to Bucharest to find Bucky." Natasha stated still trying to piece this together. "How did she even know he was in Bucharest?" the woman shook her head before glancing out the office. "I should go make sure her mouth isn't getting her into any trouble." the woman stalked out of the office. Sam glanced between the two men, and the hostility was too much even for him.
"And I'm going to go wait in that office." Sam replied before slipping out as well.
Steve glanced over to Tony who shook his head, letting out a deep sigh.
"Maybe she was doing what she always does." Steve said suddenly and Tony turned to him. "Maybe she was trying to save someone. Trying to save Bucky."
"Well she should've been trying to save the people in that building from your old pal Bucky!" Tony snapped before once again pacing. His head felt like it was going to explode, so Tony finally dropped into one of the seat around the briefing table.
"Tony, she-"
"She's an idiot." Tony replied bluntly, turning to the captain. "Like she's really a complete idiot. She risked everything, everything, and-" Tony shook his head. "I don't even know if I can get her out of this."
"You think she's sitting in a room waiting for you to get her out of this?" Steve asks and Tony looks over to him. "She's like me I guess. I see a situation going south, and I just can't ignore it. I wish I could."
"No you don't."
"No, I don't." Steve replies with a slight smile. "Sometimes-"
"Sometimes I wanna punch you in your perfect teeth. But I don't wanna see you gone. We need you, Cap." Tony says before reaching over and grabbing the folder from the middle of the table and sliding it over to Steve. "Until further nothing's happen that can't be undone, please... sign. We can make the last 24 hours legit. Barnes gets transferred to an American psych center instead of a Wakanda prison." he shakes his head. "With a lot of begging and pleading, my kitten can return to her farm."
"I'm not saying it's impossible." Steve says looking down to the contract. "But there would have to be safeguards."
"Sure." Tony says with a nod. "Once we put out the PR fire, these documents can be amended. I filed a motion to have you and Wanda reinstated."
"Wanda?" Steve asked in confusion. "What about Wanda?"
Natasha found herself in the room that over look the interrogation room that currently held Katie. She couldn't help the small curl of her lips as she looked into the room to the woman who was practically napping. She wasn't showing any fear, or nervousness which is one of the many lessons taught at SHIELD. When caught by other government agencies you were innocent until proven guilty, and the play died with you.
"I have to let her go." a gruff voice spoke from behind her. She heard the moment he walked inside, but chose not to acknowledge the secretary. "That woman has single handedly caused more damage in the last forty eight hours with cyber terrorist, assault with a deadly weapon, conspiring with a known terrorist and I have nothing to pin on her. I'm being told to let her go."
"That woman in there told the world the sky was falling." Natasha said studying the woman who finally sat up and began rubbing her eyes. She glanced back to the man. "And it was. You're being told to let her go because someone, somewhere above your head doesn't want her locked in a room. They want her out there." she turned back to Katie. "They want her somewhere they think her mother will come for her."
"You think this is about Angelicka Berkeller?" Ross asked and Natasha simply shrugged. Ross walked over to the window and looked out to the woman. "No, the truth is that woman sitting in there is one of the biggest assets any government agency could ever have and the problem is she knows it." Natasha turned to the man. "We could use her help figuring out what happened last night."
"According to her, Barnes was no where near that meeting." Ross replied with a shake of his head. "She's lying, and I would like to know why."
"Well I doubt you figure out what she's up to with her in that room." Natasha replied and Ross let out a deep sigh.
"Until this investigation is over she stays in this building, and there will be eyes on her at all times. She does not have access to anything with a motherboard." Ross replied before turning to Natasha. "Hell I better not even see her use a calculator, do you understand?"
"Yes sir." Natasha replied and Ross took one final glance toward Katie before muttering something under his breath, and turning and stalking out of the room. Natasha turned back to Katie and just rolled her eyes before stalking out as well.
When Katie heard the door once again open, she noted the high heeled steps that seemed to get closer.
"So are you the bad cop Natasha?" Katie asked opening her eyes and lifting her head to see the woman take up the seat in front of her.
"No, I'm the friend." Natasha said and Katie sat back in her seat with wide eyes. "Not yours, but the man you left on a farm. The man you let worry about you." Katie turned away. "What the hell were you thinking? You have a husband and a daughter and yet you somehow find yourself linked up with a possible terrorist in Bucharest."
"Bucky is not a terrorist." Katie replied turning back to the woman. "Whatever video you have of him it's a lie."
"Well it doesn't matter now."
"Where is he?" Katie asked and Natasha shook her head. "Natasha-"
"Ask about your husband, your daughter. That is the only thing you should worry yourself about." Natasha said. "I mean you have that life you've been fighting for. That life you tore down a whole agency for, and yet it just wasn't enough."
"I love my husband." Katie replied turning back to the woman. "And I love my daughter. What happened with Bucky doesn't change that. Me being in Bucharest was doing what I thought was right."
"And what was that?"
"Being an Avenger. Helping those who need help." Katie replied with a shrug. "For some reason, I thought that's what we did." with that the woman stood to her feet. "Ross doesn't have a case against which is why you're here."
"Fine, you're not charged with anything, but you are to remain at this facility until the Secretary says you are free to go."
"Or until he finds something to pin on me." Katie muttered before walking around the woman toward the door. "Where is Bucky?"
"You are to go no where near Barnes." Natasha replied standing as well and turning to the woman. "I'm not even sure why you would want to. You are to steer clear, keep your head down and maybe you can get out of this without ruining the picture perfect life you want for your daughter." Natasha reached past her to open the door and gestured for her to walk out. Natasha walked out as well and Katie rolled her eyes, but followed. "There is a briefing room upstairs, it's where Steve, Tony and Sam are waiting. That is also where you'll wait."
"You know I would rather not get the third degree once again. Look I get my decisions have not made much sense to anyone, but they made sense to me and I would rather not have to defend myself." Katie replied as they stepped onto an elevator.
"You know the truth is you don't have to defend yourself to anyone here." Natasha replied before taking her phone from her pocket. "You will go to prison if you're seen with this, but you are going to covertly take it from my pocket and excuse yourself to the bathroom where you will call your husband and defend yourself to him." Natasha placed the phone back into the pocket of her jacket and waited until the doors opened. Once they did, both women moved go out, bumping into each seemingly by accident, giving Katie the opportunity to snag Natasha's phone from her pocket and slip it into the waistband of her pants. The pair walked down the hall, when Katie spotted the women's restroom.
"You know what, I have to pee." she said stopping and turning to Natasha who simply nodded before watching the woman head into the restroom while she stood to keep watch.
Once inside, Katie made sure to peek underneath the stalls and was glad that it was empty. With a deep sigh, she walked into one of the stalls and took a seat on the toilet before pulling out the phone. She looked at it for a moment, dreading to even dial his number but she knew she had to.
"Just do it." she muttered before dialing the number and bringing the phone to her ear. She listened to the incessant ringing, a part of her wishing he just didn't answer and she could postpone this conversation for a little while long, but alas she heard the click and his voice followed soon after.
"Nat, what the hell is going on?" Clint's voice snapped. "I've been calling you all day. What's going on with Kat?"
Katie didn't say anything right away, she still felt too guilty, too afraid to be in this inevitable conversation.
"Nat, what-" the man stopped letting out a deep sight. "Kat?"
Katie closed her eyes and dropped her head because there was no escaping this. "Hey Bart." She heard the sigh of relief that escaped him and she feels even more guilty for making him worry.
"What happened Kat? Why did I have to imagine my wife being kidnapped by rogue HYDRA members who probably were torturing her to get information about her mother?" Clint asked and Katie couldn't even say a word. "You gotta tell me something Kat, cus I don't get it. We had a deal. It's us, you and me against everyone else and for the past three days I didn't know where my wife was." she still had no words. She was sure nothing she said would make this conversation easier. "Damnit Katie!" Katie opened her eyes because she rarely heard him say her name, and now to hear it with so much hostility only meant he was truly angry. "You need to explain what the hell happened!"
"I don't know." was her reply.
"You have to do better than that." Clint replied. "I know you. I know every decision you make is carefully thought out, so I have no doubt that you know exactly why you got on a plane to Bucharest to meet Bucky Barnes and right now I need you to tell me."
"For the past couple of months I've been getting these weird phone calls. Someone would call, I would answer, but they wouldn't say anything." Katie said.
"And you didn't think to tell me about this?"
"The calls were harmless, and there was nothing you could do to stop them."
"I could've talk to them, told them to stop calling my wife before I found them and killed them." Clint countered. "What does this have to do with Bucharest."
"The calls were from Bucky." Katie replied. "I was riding the elevator, heading to a plane, on my way home and he called again, only this time he finally spoke and he-" Katie shook her head because this was hard to explain.
"What, he asked you to fly to Bucharest?"
"Actually no. He didn't ask me to do anything, but I listened to him. Heard the uncertainty in his voice. He was lost and I thought I could help him."
"So you leaving the country was completely your decision, because you thought you heard something in his voice?"Clint asked and Katie shook her head because she knew he wouldn't understand. "You know all that talk about getting back out there, I thought it was just talk, but it wasn't was it. This, you going off to save this guy was you really choosing that life you want instead of the life you had. With me, with our daughter."
"That's not fair. There is never a choice, I choose you, I choose Tai, but I can't just stop being me. You weren't on the call, but I was and he needed help and he called me."
"He hurt your brother, killed hundreds of people, and I'm not even adding in that meeting with the United Nations." Clint argued. "There was absolutely no reason for you to feel obligated to help him."
"Well sometimes you don't actually need to have an obligation to help someone. Sometimes you just do it." Katie replied. "Look I've been in this bathroom for a while and at some point someone is going to come looking for me and find me with this phone I'm not supposed to have."
"When are you cleared to come home?" Clint asked.
"I don't know. Whenever Ross stops trying to put me in prison." Katie said and she heard the man sigh again. "He has nothing. I'm coming home."
"I need you to make sure it stays that way Kat." Clint urged and Katie once again closed her eyes and buried her face in her palms. "I need you to do whatever you need to do to come back to us, understand?" Katie didn't say anything for a moment. "Kat-"
"Clint the last thing you will ever have to do is tell me to come home. I don't care where I am and what I'm doing, someway, somehow I will always come back to you and my child." Katie replied and the pair just sat in silence for a few moments. "You called me Katie."
Clint let out a sigh. "I know, and I didn't like it."
"Neither did I." there was another beat of silence. "I love you Mr. Barton." his response wasn't immediate, and the woman lifted her head with worry.
"You have absolutely no idea how much I love you Mrs. Barton." Was Clint's reply and a small smile came to Katie's face. "Just come home because I have no problems coming to get you."
"I'm very much aware of that." Katie replied. "I should go, I'll talk to you later if I'm able to steal a phone again."
"Well I'll be here when you do." Clint replied. "I will see you soon Kat."
"Yeah you will. Give Tai a big hug and a kiss from me."
With that the woman ended the call and once again dropped her face to her palms. She wasn't even sure how she got herself into this situation. She had every intent to go home and just live her life, but something happened that even she can't explain.
Suddenly she heard a very throaty laughter, so familiar and yet so bone chilling. When she lifted her head she was no longer in that small bathroom stall, but she was surrounded by a sea of stars. The laughter snapped her from her shock and she turned to see the monster that usually haunts her dreams. She always found it strange how distinct his features always were, there was never a change. It didn't matter if she were asleep or awake, but that face was something she could never forget.
"I'm not sleeping." she spoke suddenly and she once again heard him laugh. "I don't think." she turned back out to the stars, feeling that same comfort. She remembers the faint thought popping into her head about wishing she was here just for a little while, but she didn't expect it to actually happen. "How-" she turned back to the being that always seemed to cause a chill down her spine. "You're not real."
"And yet here I am." he replied, a very sadistic smile pulling at his lips. She watched as his eyes trailed over her and she followed them suddenly struck with something glowing on her chest. She pulled her shirt to see whatever it was, was somehow beneath her skin. She placed a hand over her heart before looking back up to the being. "It is you."
It was the loud banging that brought Katie back to reality. Back to that small bathroom stall confused and kind of scared. She jumped to her feet and pulled open the door to see Natasha.
"I called you and you didn't answer. Were you asleep?" Natasha asked and Katie's eyes trailed around the stall.
"It's the only thing that makes sense." Katie replied turning back to the woman and handing her back the phone.
"Well you can sleep when you get to the office." Natasha said sliding the phone into her pocket and heading out of the bathroom. For a moment Katie stood there, before following after her.
When they finally arrived outside the door, they heard raised voices from the other side. Both stood there before sharing a look.
"That's most likely your doing, so you should go in." Natasha said before turning and walking away.
"Chicken!" Katie called after her before turning back to the door. With a deep breath she reached forward and pushed open the door walking into the completely transparent room, and the moment she did all arguments stopped. Both men turned to her, but it was Tony who actually closed the distance He stood there just staring at her, silent judgement written all over his face.
"Are you alright?" asked Steve who couldn't wait for Tony any longer to finally speak. "I left you, I'm-"
"Don't Steve, I'm fully capable of taking care of myself." Katie replied giving the man a nod before turning back to Tony who had yet to utter a word. "What were you-"
"What were you thinking?" Tony interrupted the man and Katie simply shrugged.
"Well I wasn't Tony. That's the kind of person I am right, I just do things, stupid things, dangerous things, without thinking."
"You think this is funny? Think this is some kind of joke? Do you have any idea what you've done? The position you've put yourself in. Ross thinks you're some kind of terrorist-"
"Ross has always thought I was some kind of terrorist Tony." Katie countered with a shake of her head. "Now he just thinks he has some kind of proof."
"Doesn't he?" Tony asked. "He finds you shacked up with the murderer of the century and you don't think that warrants all sorts of bells and whistles."
"What were you even doing there?" Steve asked and Katie shook her head.
"I gave him my number a while ago, after the whole murder helecarriers and he was trying to make sense of what HYDRA did to him." Katie replied turning back to Tony. "I didn't expect him to call again . But he did."
"Asking for your help?" Tony asked and Katie shook her head.
"No." she replied as she ran a hand across her face. "He didn't ask anything from me, he just told me that it was hard dealing with the fall out of remembering who he was mixed with the memories of what he was turned into. He was lost and I know how that feels." she turned back to Tony. "I was lost, and then someone found me."
"Is this the part where I'm supposed to nod in understanding. Where I'm supposed to hug you and be grateful that you're safe and sound after nearly getting yourself killed."
"I don't know what you're supposed to do Tony. I thought I did. I thought you and me...we got each other, but I do one thing you don't like and you tell me to leave."
"That one thing could be the most important thing you could ever do." Tony replied with a shake of his head before reaching over to the table and picking up the accords. "You see this. It's just words on paper, but underneath is a promise. A promise that we will do whatever it takes to make sure that body count doesn't get as high as it has."
"Tony, a piece of paper doesn't control that!" Katie snapped angrily as she pointed to the paper. "When we're out there, and the shit hits the fan it's not a piece of paper that is going to tell me to go left when deep down in my gut I know I should go right. It's not a piece of paper that's going control the bad guys who don't fit into the specific perameters of the accords. It is our job to save lives, not a piece of paper."
"Well then we're failing at our job!" Tony snapped with just as much veracity as he tossed the accords back to the table. "People are dead, people who didn't need to die, because we weren't thinking before we acted. Much like you deciding to hop on a plane to visit a known murderer. It was stupid as shit!"
"Tony!" Steve said deciding to intervene. He took a step closer and Katie simply held up a hand to stop him.
"Don't Steve." Katie said, her eyes never leaving the dark look of Tony's. "That's not how we work. Tony has feelings, opinions about my decision making and he has the right to say them. Just like I have the right to say I think he's a coward for signing that piece of paper."
"Really?" the man replied with a shake of his head. "You know what I can't be in this room anymore. It's just-" he turned to Katie with a look the broke her heart a little bit. He didn't say another word before storming out of the room. Katie closed her eyes and let out a deep breath, trying her best to not show how painful it was to watch him walk away from her. When she opened her eyes she looked over to see Steve walk over to her.
"I know it was stupid Steve, I know it made no sense, but to me-"
"I know." Steve replied and Katie let out a sigh. "Just, when you get a call for help that takes you half way around the world, call someone. Call me, because despite appearances, we are still a team and we have each others backs. Deal?"
"Deal." Katie replied before he suddenly brought the woman into a hug. "Why are you hugging me?"
"Because you need a hug." Steve replied and Katie let out a snort before bringing her arms around the man as well. He was kind of right.
"He didn't do this Steve." Katie whispered.
"I know." came Steve's whispered reply. "Something just isn't right about all of this." suddenly the door opened and the pair pulled apart to turning to see Sam walking inside.
"Sorry, I was getting weird looks out there." Sam said walking over.
"It probably won't be any different in here." Katie joked before walking around and taking a seat at the table. She dropped her face to her palms, letting out a deep breath.
"Is she alright?" Sam whispered over to Steve as the pair looked over to her.
"I'm still not sure." Steve replied as he turned to look out of office waiting for someone to finally tell them something about what was going with Bucky.
Clint had long ended the call with his wife that actually helped him breathe a little bit better, and yet he was still nervous. He wanted to believe that she would be on a plane back home, back with him so they could get back to their normal, but for some reason he knew that wasn't going to happen. Clint stood on the porch, cell phone still in hand as if waiting for another call. He heard the creak of the screen door behind him, and soon Matthew appeared beside him.
"Ross has Rinny." Matthew informed. "She was found in some apartment that belonged to Bucky Barnes, and when officers attempted to arrest him, she aided in his escape, even firing at officers." Clint turned to Matthew who looked more serious then he'd even seen the man. "You already knew didnt you?" Clint only nodded in reply. "I'm still trying to figure out how my sister could help the man who tortured me." he turned to Clint with a shrug. " Like, how could she?" Clint let out a sigh and turned back to the always peaceful sight of his farm.
"You know I think I've come to grips with the fact that my wife's brain is probably the darkness, and most unpredictable place in this world." Clint replied with a slight smile. "I can't even imagine the levels of complexity and madness that happens in there everyday." he looked back over to his brother in law. "What I do know is that despite the craziness, despite the things that don't make sense to anyone else, to her there is reason. We can't always see that reason which makes understanding her, which makes forgiving her sometimes that much harder."
"I don't know if I could forgive this." Matthew replied with a shake of his head. "This was reckless, this was just plain idiotic. And now she's put herself in the middle of a possible terrorist threat." he looked back over to Clint. "Why? Because she was trying to save someone who can't be saved."
"You know I'm just as angry at her right now, maybe even more than you, but there is one thing I know about that woman and it's that she stopped believing that people couldn't be saved a long time ago." Clint turned back to the house and let out a sigh. "How much have you told them?"
"Just the facts. She was an idiot, went to Bucharest and now she's a prisoner of the government." Matthew replied. "Why?"
"Nothing, just something feels off about them being here. It seems like they're hiding something." he said turning back to Matthew who shrugged as he turned away. "Maybe they're not the only ones." Matthew turned to Clint with a quirked brow.
"What?" Matthew replied. "Dude, I'm CIA. I'm always hiding something." he replied with a shake of his head when suddenly his phone rang. He slipped it from his pocket and glanced at the number. "Work." he said before skipping down the porch steps disappearing around the house.
When Mattew finally got out of ear shot, he quickly answered the phone, bringing it to his ear.
"Agent Hill."
"Still not an Agent, Agent Black." Maria replied, the annoyance very clear in her tone. "I got your very vague message, what can I do for you."
"I need whatever information I can get about Cynthia Chambers' time with SHIELD." Matthew said. Maria didn't say anything right away and the man let out a sigh. "I want to believe the sound of my voice has just rendered you speechless, but I doubt that's the case."
"You know I think it's the fact that you're calling me, talking about a person I have never heard of, with an Agency that no longer exists on a line that I highly doubt is secure."
"Fine, I will meet you in person, but I need that information." Matthew replied and Maria let out a loud sigh.
"Look Matthew, I get being in the CIA, you've gotten accustomed to getting your way. I personally blame Jackson for making you think that you were some kind of golden boy. The truth is you're no different than any other CIA dickhead who thinks they walk on water."
"Hill enough with the flirty banter, I will sleep with you when this is all done, but right now things are happening and I need that information."
"I'm hanging up now." Hill replied.
And so the line went dead. Matthew growled in frustration before dropping the phone from his ear. He turned back to the house as the unbelievable story of something that can't possibly be true played over and over in his head. He suddenly turned at the sound of footsteps, not really expecting Martin to be the one walking toward him.
"What are you doing out here?" Matthew asked, his tone short, making his attitude known before the conversation could even begin.
"Came to see if you had any news on my daughter." Martin says cautiously walking over to the man.
"No more than what I told you earlier." Matthew replied. "At the moment she's safe. We just hope she doesn't do anything stupid that can change that." not wanting to go any further with this conversation, Matthew attempted to walk past the man back to the house, but Martin took a step to the side to block his path.
"We should talk."
"I don't think so, since the last conversation we had kind of exploded my brain. So I think for the duration of your stay, me and you don't speak until I can verify any of the shit you told me."
"And how do you plan on doing that?" Martin asked. "The only people who know about this is me and my wife back in the house and she doesn't even know I told you."
"Why did you tell me?" Matthew asked. "What was the point in telling me anything about this if you had not a shred of evidence to show me."
"Because at some point we're going to have to leave, and when we do we're going to need some one here, someone who can watch her, who can protect her."
"You know, Clint probably would've been a better choice in my opinion."
"He also would've tossed both of us out the moment I told him the story that is impossible to believe." Martin replied with a shake of his head. "Look this isn't something we can talk about and it's definitely not something you can take to the CIA. Me and Cindy will figure out the truth and when we do, we will come clean, but until we do this needs to stay under wraps."
"As under wraps as it can be I guess." Matthew muttered before brushing past the man, bumping his shoulder and not even sparing a glance back.
At some point Katie started counting the people walking by the office. They all couldn't help but glance over to Avengers in a box and so she decided to blatantly stare right back. Soon a new face appeared in the conference room.
"A receipt for your gear." the woman said handing some papers to Sam.
"Bird costume?" the man read with obvious offense. "C'mon!"
"Hey, I didn't write it." the woman said turning to Katie. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you." the woman held out her hand. "Agent Sharon Carter."
"SHIELD turned CIA." Katie replied looking down to the woman's hand. "No offense, but I'm being held here against my will, I'm not going to shake your hand." Sharon smiled, but dropped her hand back to her side. "I'm going to assume you know who I am, read some thick file with my name on it, right?"
"Well yeah, but I've also met your brother." Sharon replied with a slight chuckle. "And he is a talker."
"That he is." Katie replied with a nod. She watched as the woman turned and covertly walked over, her hand reaching for something and the next thing she knows a video feeds she's sure they're not supposed to be seeing is suddenly playing. Katie stood to her feet and walked closer, her eyes on Bucky who seems to be trapped inside some chair that looked too familiar. It reminded her too much of the Specialist who could tie you to a chair and absolutely nothing you did could get you out.
"I'm not here to judge you. I just want to ask you a few questions." an accented voice spoke and Katie tilted her head slightly to really focus in on the voice. "Do you know where you are, James?" Bucky didn't say a word, the hard look on his face never wavering. "I can't help you if you don't talk to me, James."
"Who is that?" Katie asked turning to Sharon. "Who is that talking?"
"Uh, a Doctor Theo Broussard." Sharon replied, "A psychiatrist hired to question him, why?" Katie turned back to the screen.
"My name is Bucky." the man replied finally answering the question.
"What are you thinking?" Steve asked turning to Katie whose eyes stay on the screen.
"I don't know yet." Katie replied with a shake of her head. She listened closely to the conversation, listened to each men talk.
"Why would the task force release this photo to begin with?" she heard Steve ask, and she glanced over to him to see his eyes on Sharon for the answer.
"Get the word out, involve as many eyes as we can?" Sharon answered the most logical thing she could think of.
"Yes, because when there is a crazy homicidal maniac running loose, you want as many people looking at him as possible." Katie replied before glancing over to Steve. "How many of those unnecessary casualties do think that could've possibly created?" she shook her head before turning back to the monitor. "But it got the intended results. Him, right here."
"Right. It's a good way to flush a guy out of hiding. Set off a bomb, get your picture taken. It got 7 million people looking for the Winter soldier." Steve added glancing back to the confused look of Sharon Carter. She was still trying to understand where they were going with this.
"You're saying someone tried to frame him?" Sharon asked.
"No, Steve is still confused about how weird and coincidental this is suddenly happening." Katie replied still staring at the monitor. "I, on the other hand know for a fact that he was framed ,since I was actually with him."
"No offense, but you were with him for a couple of hours. Can you honestly say that it is impossible for him to have been in Vienna, set up those explosives and then flew back to Bucharest where he didn't expect to run into you?" Sharon asked and Katie turned away because logically speaking it was possible. With a remote detonator the explosives could've have been planted at any point and time.
"You're right, it's possible." Katie replied with a shrug. "I still think he was framed and I'm sure if someone would let me actually prove it, so will all of you."
"And how would we do that?" Sharon asked and Katie turned back to her.
"Get me that video and a computer." she replied and Sharon just shook her head.
"Yeah, I believe that would cost me my job, and I'm not taking that risk." Sharon said and Katie rolled her eyes as she turned back to the monitor.
"Tell me Bucky. You've seen a great deal, haven't you?" the interrogator asked.
"Where is this guy from?" Katie asked looking over to Sharon.
"Switzerland I believe." Sharon answered, her eyes going back to the screen as well. "The head of the JCTC hired him on to talk with Mr. Barnes."
"Who's the deputy?"
"Everett Ross." Sharon replied noticing the shake of Katie's head as she turned back to the interrogation.
"Of course it is. Well then Agent Carter I'm going to need to get a call to Mr. Ross." Katie replies as she closely watches the screen.
"And tell him what exactly?"
"That Swiss doctor Theo Broussard is possibly dead or being held captive and that man doing an almost perfect Swiss accent is an imposter." Katie replied and all eyes turn to her. Katie's eyes went to Natasha who she noticed just outside the office, listening to the interrogation as well. The assassin turned, meeting Katie's eyes before quickly taking out her cell phone.
"And how would you know-" before Agent Carter could even finish the question the entire place went dark, and red lights began flashing. The agent's eyes turned to both Katie and Steve who only wanted to know one thing. "Sub-level 5, east wing." without needing anything else the pair bolted out of the room.
Katie attempted to follow Steve through the dark halls, but she suddenly spotted Natasha heading a totally different direction and she stopped. It would never fail that Natasha Romanoff usually had the intel that no else usually had and so Katie turned and began following behind the woman.
"How does an imposter just waltz into a government facility?" Katie asked from behind the woman. Natasha glance back to the woman for a moment before pushing through to the stairwell.
"I'll be sure to ask whoever is in charge of this shit storm." Natasha replied as the woman practically jumping down the stairs. Both women were out of a breath the moment they reached the first floor, but that didn't seem to stop them as they heard gun fire from the other side of the door. Natasha reached forward, pulling open the door and the first thing they noticed was bodies lining the floor. Katie knelt down to feel for a pulse.
"Still alive." she whispered as she stood back to her feet. "Who did this?"
"I'm going to take a wild guess." Natasha replied as she followed the sound of commotion.
"How would Bucky even-" Katie stopped as she followed behind the woman. "The imposter let him go. But Bucky wouldn't hurt these people."
"Then explain that." Natasha said glancing around the corner and Katie took a cautious step forward where she saw Tony and Bucky engaged in a brutal fight. She noticed the iron glove Tony had that he clasped over the gun Bucky had in his hand and pulled the trigger without hesitation. Bucky then threw a punch knocking Tony out. Katie didn't even think before running over to Tony.
"Hey." she said, dropping down to her knees beside Tony and turning him over so she could see his face. He was unconscious, so she tried to shake him a bit to wake him up. "Tony, wake up." she placed a hand on the side of his face and dropped her forehead to his. "Tony, please wake up."
"You almost sound like you care." Tony's voice croaked and Katie lifted her head to see his eyes open. He could see the flash of pain that passed over her eyes, before she attempted to stand, but he grabbed her arm. "Fine, I'll admit that was was dick thing to say."
"It was." Katie replied looking over just as Bucky slammed Natasha on one of the tables. Out of nowhere another man appeared, and with a hard kick caused Bucky to stumble back. "How do I know him?" she helped Tony to his feet and the man glanced over to the fight as well.
"Prince T'Challa." Tony said. "I hear he has a thing with cats." Katie turned to him with a quirked brow and he simply shrugged. Tony turned, and Katie followed his eyes to see the men had somehow made it to the level above them. Katie moved to try to help, but Tony caught her arm.
"What are you doing?" Katie asked trying to pull from the man's grasp.
"No what are you doing?" Tony asked. "I mean you're good, but you taking on a psychotic super soldier is way too dangerous."
"Tony, this...him doing this just doesn't make any sense. I think that interrogator did something to make this happen."
"That may be so, but it doesn't change the fact that he seems to want to murder anyone who gets in his way. I doubt that you will be any different." Tony countered.
"You almost sound like you care." Katie replied finally able to pull from his grasp.
"I do, but for my god kid who I figure still needs a living, breathing mother." Tony replied and both turned just as the prince landed on the floor. He stood up, glancing around before meeting the eyes of Katie and Tony.
"Where is he?" Katie asked taking a step forward and T'Challa just shook his head before running off. "Fuck!" Katie began spinning around, trying to think of where Bucky would go. A sudden idea popped in her head and without a second thought she went running, ignoring Tony who tried calling after her.
There would be way too many people outside, and right now Bucky just needed to get away without any more hassle. That's what lead Katie upstairs she hoped lead to the roof. She didn't think she would make it up all those damn stairs, but the moment she spotted the door that would lead to her destination, her feet picked up speed. She pushed through the door and saw Bucky headed to a helicopter that was sitting on the roof.
"Bucky!" she called his name, but he didn't stop. "Bucky, what's going on?!" the man finally stopped and turned to her and the moment she saw his eyes she knew there was something different about him. "You're not Bucky."
"No, I'm not." he growled and Katie tilted her head slightly, taking another cautious step forward.
"You've been activated." Katie replied with a shake of her head. "What is your mission?" Bucky didn't reply before turning and heading to the helicopter. "Was ist deine Mission, Soldat?!" Bucky only opened the door, before turning back to the woman. "Bucky-" he turned to her and began walking toward her. "what are you-" she began backing away, sure she wouldn't be able to out run him if he chased her, and even more sure she probably wouldn't be able to take him on in a fight. "Hey, I know I can't beat you, but it will not stop me from trying." he reached for her, and she backed away, before throwing a punch. He only grabbed her arm before jerking her forward, bringing their bodies together. Katie looked up to his eyes and could see the emptiness behind them. "I know you're in there." without warning, the man grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder and began carrying her toward the plane. "No! Put me down!" she tried to pull out of his grasp, but he was too strong. The man tossed her inside the helicopter before climbing inside him self and starting the engine. "This isn't happening!" she tried to climb over him, only for him to push her so hard, that she hit her head on the side panel.
After that things got blurry. She could feel them moving ,but not in the way they should. Then there was crash before they were moving again, but it felt more like falling. The last things she think she remembers is water.
Lots and lots of water.
Author's notes:
Once again so sorry for the long wait. I hope you're still enjoying the story though.
German Translation
"Was ist deine Mission, Soldat?!"- "What is your mission, soldier?!"