Bucky was his best friend and they had been through a lot together over the course of their violently long lives, whether it was fighting off bullies in the streets of Brooklyn or blowing Europe up trying to get to Schmidt.

They were more than best friends, they were brothers in all ways but blood and they would always be there for the other in their time of need, and right now Bucky needed him. He didn't say it like the stubborn mule he was, but Steve just knew. He could see it as plain as day even if the words were not spoken out loud. Bucky needed him, now maybe more than ever.

Steve kept a watchful and observant eye on Bucky as he followed him into the room to see Yelena stiffly sitting at the table as she stared down at her untouched plate of food. She raised her head to stare at them blankly as they both came to stand in front of her. Her thick, long brown hair hung loose and framed her inquisitive almond shaped brown eyes. She didn't look like Bucky all that much, except for the small but discernible cleft in her chin which was barely noticeable and Steve could see that they had the same nose.

She was rather petite all around, and if Steve had to guess she was about the height he was before the serum if not smaller. She seemed to have not one ounce of fat on her, instead, she was lean and muscular which would be attributed to the training she endured in Hydra's hands.

She was a strikingly beautiful young woman and Steve's heart panged at the sight of her. She was so young and innocent looking, except for her eyes. Her eyes spoke an entirely different story than the rest of her, the abuse she was forced to endure showing through. They looked hard and worn down, much like the eyes of a soldier who had seen more than anyone should ever have too.

It made Steve's blood boil because she shouldn't be wearing those eyes. She was just a child and no child should ever have to bear the weight that those eyes held. Just what had Hydra done to her?

"Hello Yelena," said Bucky in a calm and soft voice. Steve recognized that tone as being the one Bucky used on scared children during the war, which there was always an abundance of.

He remembered a small village in Italy that had been practically obliterated by the Allied bombings during the Campaign for Italy and all the children who had been left orphaned. Bucky, Dugan, Dernier, and a few other men from the 107th had set about repairing some of the toys as best they could. Bucky had also helped make paper boats for some of the children who no longer had any toys and he would talk to them in that very same manner as he carefully folded the paper into the desired shape.

The memory was fleeting, but it brought back feelings of nostalgia that Steve hadn't realized were there. It was funny how just the smallest of actions could bring back a memory such as that, but Steve wasn't complaining.

Yelena remained silent as she stared at him blankly before moving her eyes over to Steve. She looked at the two of them, assessing them and whether or not she was in a safe situation or not. She was alert as her eyes darted between the two men and Steve could see her posture become rigid with caution.

"Yelena," said Bucky as stepped closer to the Captain, "This is Steve."
"I know," she blankly said staring at Steve with a solid blank expression.

Steve felt uncomfortable under her hard gaze and shifted his weight awkwardly as he turned to look at Bucky who seemed just as lost as him with his words.
Steve knew that Bucky was really trying to keep himself together, and he was impressed at the way he was handling the situation but at the same time he could sense that there was a lot of tension between the two.
"It's uh nice to meet you," said Steve politely with a smile to her. She only continued to glare at him, not bothering to show courtesy or politeness to him.

"I assume you are here to tell me what will be done with me," she said turning to look back at Bucky with an unwavering gaze.
"Yes," said Bucky scratching his head, "we have talked it over and we've decided that you'll stay with me and Steve in New York."

Yelena a surprised look crossed her face before it was replaced with her legendary cold and emotionless face. She was trying not to show emotion because to her it was a weakness, and there was no room for weakness in Hydra.
"Why New York?" she asked crossing her arms.
"Tony Stark offered to let us come live in the tower there," said Bucky.
"Tony Stark?" she asked, her right eyebrow raised, "the Ironman?"
"Yeah, unless you know any others who own a metal suit with that name," said Steve.

Yelena stared down in her lap weighing the importance of their words.
"Why would he do that?" she asked.
"I don't know," said Steve looking at Bucky, "I guess you'll have to ask him that."
Yelena considered his words quietly, "when do we leave?"

"Tonight," said Bucky staring down at her, his eyes softening upon seeing her trying to hide being distraught. He too was distraught, but Bucky had always had a way of hiding how he really felt and if you didn't know him like Steve did, then you could easily fall for the act.
She simply nodded and cast her eyes downward and it made Steve's chest hurt. In that moment she looked so scared and confused, and why shouldn't she?

Everything about her life was changing and all she could was sit silently as her life was completely torn up from the roots.
"Is there anything you wish to take with you?" asked Bucky softly.
Yelena perked up and looked like she was trying to decide if there was anything worth taking.
"I guess there are a few things," she said after careful consideration.

"Okay," said Bucky as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked over at Steve with a desperate expression. Even Bucky could tell their conversation wasn't going anywhere, but he was at least putting forth some effort to try and talk to the girl. But he was so out of his element and Yelena was at least being somewhat polite, but at the same time she was reserved and emotionless. And Steve felt like he was sandwiched between the two and their failed communication attempts.

"What will happen to Baron Fleischer?" asked Yelena breaking the silence and interrupting Steve's thoughts. He could visibly see Bucky beside him clenching his fists tightly and his lips drawn in an angry scowl.

"He's going to be tried in a court of law," said Steve, beating Bucky to the punch, "and then he will convicted and sent to a Federal Prison."
Yelena frowned, "what are the charges?"

"Espionage, treason, criminal intent, exploitation of a minor," said Steve listing off only a few from the list. There was a lot more to the list including sexual assault and murder, but Steve didn't dare mention that, "and a few other things."

"What you consider crimes, Hydra sees as necessities," said Yelena, coming to Fleischer's defense, "he only did what needed to be done for the greater good."

Steve's heart sank and Bucky's shoulders sagged at her word. He had actually dared to hope that they would have a civilized conversation without her defending the very people who had abused her for years.

"The greater good?" asked Bucky, "Hydra isn't doing all this for the greater good," he said as he closed in on her.
He looked positively angry, but not at her. He was angry about the fact that she had been so brainwashed that she couldn't recognize the abuse she had suffered at their hands.

"Hydra doesn't care about anything but their own sick agenda and their willing to use anything and everyone to achieve that. They don't care what happens to you or anyone else," he said motioning to her, "they only used you and when you weren't going to be of use anymore they would've disposed of you and gotten someone else," he said gritting his teeth.

"He's right," said Steve coming forward, "Hydra only used you like they used him," he said looking at Bucky, "but they can't do that to you anymore, Yelena. They have no power here, you're free of them and you no longer have to listen or do as they say."

"You're words are lies," hissed Yelena, "I owe my existence to Hydra, without them I would not exist and you know that."
"We're not denying your existence," said Bucky shaking his head. Hydra did indeed create her and he could not deny that. But he also could not deny that he was angry that Hydra had even done it in the first place without his knowledge. But he wasn't about to deny her existence and if given the option, he would've let Hydra do it anyways. "But just because they created you doesn't make them good people. Yes they created you, but they didn't do it because they cared about you."

"Oh and I supposed you do?" she asked challenging him but stopped suddenly when she saw the hard look on his face.
"Yes," said Bucky defiantly, "I do care about you," he said pausing to take a deep breath, "I didn't know about you and if I had I don't know what I would've done, but I know now," he took another deep breath," And to me it doesn't matter how you were brought into this world, I'm just sorry that I didn't do anything to get you out of there."

Yelena paused as she studied the man in front of her and weighed the meaning of his words. She was surprised because she did not expect such a deep and meaningful response from someone let alone the Winter Soldier himself and Yelena knew that he was not lying. He honestly did care about her and that scared her more than anything.

Nobody had ever cared about her like that, and she was confused as to how she should deal with that.
"You," she said looking him in the eye, "care about me?"
He didn't look away as he nodded, "more than Hydra ever could."

Yelena's eyes darted over to Steve looking confused and lost all at the same time, he could tell this was probably the first time someone had told her that and really meant it.

"Even without the serum?"
Yelena had grown up hearing that she was a failure because she was just normal. She didn't have any of Bucky's serum because she was the product of a failed experiment, so why would he care when no one else would?

Bucky looked so lost at the statement because she shouldn't even have to ask that question, but of course Hydra would tell her that she was failure, and why would anyone care about a failure? His own daughter thought so little of herself simply because Hydra had told her too, but she couldn't see that that did not matter to him at all. She could've be bald and green and he still would've come for her, not because he was obligated too, but because he didn't want another person to suffer at their hands. Especially if that someone was his daughter.

"Even without the serum," said Bucky with a serious face.
"But," she paused, "why?"
"Yelena," he said taking a tremendously deep breath, "I don't care whether or not you inherited the serum and I know for a fact that no one else is going to care about that either."

Yelena looked down at the table and bit her tongue in deep thought as she tried to grasp the meaning of his words, which only seemed to confuse her even more than she already was.

"I should go pack," she said as she sat up straighter. She was trying to change the topic of the conversation because she felt vulnerable, and it was quite understandable considering the circumstances.
"I'll come with you," said Bucky standing up.

She simply nodded as she stood up and walked over to him as he held the door open for her.

Steve was going to follow, but he felt like maybe this was supposed to be a private moment between the two, so he stayed back and watched them leave.
He sighed heavily as he rubbed a hand across his face and let out a scowl. It was quite obvious that Yelena was trying her hardest to remain indifferent, but he could see the confusion and conflict that was raging inside of her. Bucky's words had obviously affected her in some way, but Steve couldn't tell if it had been in a good way or a bad way.

Either way, Steve knew it was imperative that Bucky proceed with caution because he had a feeling that if he didn't, Yelena would become even more closed off than before.

But at least she knew that there were people out there who cared for her and who would fight for her.

Even if she didn't know it.