Chapter 2- String of Lies

"String of lies, we always compromise for you. String of lies, you know there's nothing left to do."

~String of Lies, Goo Goo Dolls


Steve had been gone for hours, but Bethany didn't mind. She missed him, since his presence was calming, but she wasn't about to lie to herself and say that his overbearing was a comfort. In fact, for someone who claimed to know just how much he understood Bethany's desire for freedom, he was failing, miserably. And okay, she understood. It was only a few weeks ago—or at least in her memories—that she had got him back. But even then, she would slip away to do her hair and get dressed. If SHIELD had pulled her away from an assignment before the whole Tesseract thing, then she probably would've said yes.

Probably.

But it was nice to spend a few hours with Tony. His being with her didn't seem overbearing. It didn't seem like he was desperately waiting for her memories to flood back, since she knew that's what Steve was waiting for. And in truth, Bethany was curious about what of the lost two years seemed to be so important to Steve. Yeah, their marriage was a big thing. But she knew about it.

Tony wouldn't tell her anything. Or her fellow SHIELD agents. They all kept quiet, and Bethany knew that they were only following what she wanted. Because she did want her memories back. She didn't like being lost. But she also knew that in two years, a lot could change and she didn't want people just to tell her what she has missed. She wanted to remember for herself.

She was, however, grateful to just be with Tony. They talked about science and mechanics and joked around. They conversed freely, but Bethany knew that Tony was walking on eggshells, trying to hide something from her. She allowed it. She was just happy to talk to someone other than Steve. She cared for him. She really did. And she loved that he was taking care of her, and still concerned for her. But she also knew that Steve's entire life couldn't revolve around her.

Bethany laid down her hand, smiling slightly as she beat Tony's cards once again. He grumbled in defeat, leaning back in his chair. "Best five of seven?" She offered, but only received another grumble.

"How are you so good at this?" Tony asked, clearly annoyed at her success. "You're recovering from multiple burns, broken bones, emergency surgery and a concussion."

"Ah, I see. You wanted to take advantage of my weak state," Bethany concluded, shaking her head with amusement. "I may not look completely fine, but I feel completely fine."

"Yeah, about that," Tony continued, crossing his legs. "I was talking to your doctor. He says that the last of your brain swelling only went down yesterday."

"Okay," Bethany spoke, not following.

"You would've felt it," Tony explained. "You would've felt it all. Still feel the burns. That doesn't concern you?"

"No," Bethany admitted. "Not now, anyways. Despite popular belief, I don't actually like pain. It hurts just the same as everyone else. I just get over it quicker. Pain mostly lies in the fear of it, and not pain itself."

"Didn't you once say that pain makes us human?"

"Maybe," Bethany nodded, not remembering specifically saying that, but admitting that it was something she would say. "And I do believe in that. We don't want to suffer through pain, because it keeps us in line. But let's admit it. I've crossed the line many, many times. Listen, kid. The only reason I'm not worried right now is because of Steve."

"You don't want him to see you in pain?"

"Partly," she allowed. "But with him here… I feel human. I feel whole. And I know it's been two years and we're married and I probably wasn't so head over heels happy with his mere presence before, but just seeing him? I feel something. It may not be pain, but it's something."

"You were," Tony began, adding more as a small frown of confusion overtook her face. "Head over heels happy with Steve. It was quite nauseating, really. Sure, you two fight. A lot. But you make up. A lot."

Bethany smiled to herself, looking quite proud of the information. "That's nice to hear."

"That you made up?"

"That we were able to make something as confining and constricting as marriage work," Bethany explained. "When I saw the ring, my entire past floated back to me. Back to the last time I was put in a situation where I was tied down."

"I know," Tony assured. "About your little… mistake."

"It wasn't little," Bethany corrected. "It was colossal."

"Yeah, well we all know. And we all understand why you did it," Tony promised.

"Doesn't make it right," Bethany pointed out. "That all aside, I quickly realized that maybe being married to Steve… I guess it wasn't as scary. It still feels too soon for me, but Steve doesn't seem to want to push me, and that really helps."

"You're not going to dye your hair black anytime soon?" Tony teased. "Brooding with depression and mourning for your once lover?"

Bethany shook her head with a soft chuckle, fingering the tip of her braid, a braid Steve had put in place. "It was brown, for the record. I mean, I'm not going to lie. I miss it. But with Steve here… I feel out of place with it. I literally have a new head on my shoulders."

"But what about emotionally? You made a change of goals and ideas after Steve came back, but it took a while."

"It's… it's weird," Bethany admitted. "Looking at it…" She let out a long sigh, trying to gather her words. "The last thing I remember is Stuttgart. Being under Loki's spell. And despite knowing that he's dead, and that the world survived his terror, that scares me. But I feel good. I-I feel part of my old self. The part without Steve. Fleeting, but I feel it. And that darkness? Terrifies me. It's tempting to go back there, because nothing can hurt you. But happiness? That's just as tempting."

"So you want to be happy," Tony concluded. "You want to be the wife that Steve remembers."

"I don't know who that girl is," Bethany pointed out. "I don't know who I want to be, kid. I don't even know who I am right now. I'm just… gonna go with the flow."

"Well, all I need from you is to be my bad ass aunt," Tony supplied, Bethany letting out an abrupt laugh. "All Steve needs from you is love."

"Yeah," she agreed softly. "That's the other thing, Tony. We're married but… I haven't told him. Or at least, in my memories. In my experience. I haven't told him that…"

"But you have," Tony added softly. "He's heard it a hundred times a day. That's what matters to him. He knows. And as much as he wants to hear it from you, he knows that it's true. Even as you are now."

"I want to say it," Bethany admitted. "It does make it easier knowing that up to this point, it's all worked out. That I haven't… fucked it up."

Tony was the one to let out an abrupt bought of laughter this time. "You have. But so has he. You were on good terms before the explosion though. So even though you both have, 'fucked it up', it didn't really matter."

"Do you think I should say it? Just to get it over with?"

"No," Tony shook his head. "He'll know you aren't being sincere, even if you do love him. Look, when you said it the first time, it just came out. Surprised the hell out of all of us, but you let the moment overtake you. It should be like that this time, too."

"Yeah," Bethany nodded, confessing to herself that Tony's words were definitely the best way to go about it. "Thanks, kid. You're really… mature."

"Yeah, well, you were on my back for a while about growing up," Tony informed her. "I've done a lot of growing up these last years."

"Seems like everyone has," Bethany spoke softly. "Natasha, Clint, Bruce. You, evidently."

"The biggest growth belongs to you," Tony allowed. "Without a doubt."

"And here I am, reset back to May 2012," Bethany replied with a sigh. Her gaze was off focus for a few seconds before her brows pulled together, puzzlement on her face. "Hey, where's your arc reactor?"


"Hey man," Sam said as he came into the apartment. He moved to shake Steve's hand, but noticed that he was struggling with an arm holding Jamie and the other hand holding a bottle. "Need an extra hand?"

"Thank you," Steve sighed. "I don't know how she does it. Bethany. I've been alone with him before but-"

"She's supermom. Plus mothers just have a natural scent that babies love," Sam said, not knowing if this knowledge was supported by actual fact or just a myth. "Hand my godson over to me."

Steve nodded, handing Jamie over. The baby looked like he was going to cry for a quick moment, but when Steve made no move to leave the area, he calmed down. "He knows," Steve sighed, carefully touching a thick patch of curls on his son's head. "He knows something is wrong. And I don't know if I'll be able to leave the Tower again."

"You're gonna have to," Sam said, telling Steve what he already knew. "Bethany needs you too."

"I know, but… Theo and Jamie? They're hurting. They need more than just friends and a babysitter. They need parents."

"Right now, they only have a father," Sam reminded Steve. "When are you going to tell her?"

Steve sighed, sitting down on the couch, Sam sitting beside him. Steve looked at the bottle in his hand, now empty from Jamie's meal. "I don't want to," he admitted. "I don't know how she'll react. The Bethany from 1940? I wouldn't tell her. At all. Because I know how that seemed like the end of the world to her. But this one? We talked about kids, but as a future goal. Some moments, she's dark. Really dark. But others… I don't know, Sam. I really don't know."

"She'll find out eventually. Either way, man. She'll find out. And if she finds out any other way than from you-"

"I know," Steve nodded. "She'll probably react even worse than I'm imagining. I just keep hoping that with every blink, she'll remember everything. Then I think back to all the issues she's had with her mental health, and I get really scared. And lying to her… it's just one lie after another, and you know how bad I am when it comes to lying."

"How are you doing it?" Sam asked curiously.

"With difficulty," Steve admitted. "Lies are hard to keep up with. You just keep adding more and more and more. Just a giant string of lies. I know it's all going to get worse. And she'll find out. And if I keep lying to her, that'll hurt her even more since that was always something she could trust I wouldn't do."

"Focus on the future," Sam suggested. "What happens when she remembers everything and wants to start up on those non-aging needle injections?"

"I don't know," Steve admitted. "I can't… I can't lose her. I can't go through that again. All I could think about was her. And she'll be pissed when she finds out, but I barely thought about Jamie and Theo. I'm guilty as hell now, but-"

"You were caught in the moment," Sam nodded, assuring Steve that it was understandable. "Grief, pain? Man, it does some pretty intense stuff. And in case I'm wrong, this is the woman who went almost seventy years as some kind of badass agent that only exists in sci-fi movies. She knows. That woman in that hospital bed? She knows. She's very aware. It's recent for her."

"I want her to age," Steve continued. "But I also don't want her to get hurt. And it seems like we can't get one without the other. Ultimately, the decision is up to her. And I want to be included in the decision making process, but I don't know. I wouldn't have an answer for her. This. This was, in every circumstance, non-threatening. It wasn't a mission. It wasn't a dangerous area, at least to our knowledge. And as much as it scares me…"
"It could happen again," Sam finished. "No, I get it, Cap. I do."

"What am I supposed to do?" Steve asked, wanting an actual answer.

"You're supposed to be there for her," Sam answered. "No matter what. If she gets the memories back or not. If she wants to age or not. But you also need to be here for your kid. For Theo."

"How am I supposed to do that? Balance the two. Not that Bethany is overly needy, but at least I can control the information she's exposed to when I'm there."

"Dude, just tell her," Sam suggested. "Bring it up casually, and see what she says. But ultimately, you can't keep this from her forever."

"I have to tell her about SHIELD, and the Avengers and Bucky… Not to mention her brother's death," Steve sighed. "It's too much, it'll break her heart."

"Theoretically, having a baby shouldn't be the worst piece of knowledge on that list. It's the best, in my opinion."

"But I still don't know which Bethany I'm dealing with," Steve sighed.

"Then find out," Sam added, as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

"It's not that simple," Steve protested tiredly.

Sam nodded. "It is, actually. How many times do you think you've gotten to know Bethany? Once when you met her. Again when you woke up. And probably all over again when she got pregnant and her entire life and priorities changed. And along that line, she probably changed time and time again. Am I wrong?"

"No," Steve allowed.

"No, exactly," Sam said, looking to Jamie for a moment as the baby babbled. "And every time you got to know this ever-evolving Bethany, what happened?"

"I-" Steve trailed off thinking about it hard, the answer hitting him like a tonne of bricks. "I loved her even more."

"What about the Bethany you returned to did you love?" Sam asked, clearly having an end goal to this experiment.

"That she… she was confident. I mean, she was always confident, but on a new level. I knew she could take care of herself, but I still wanted to take care of her anyways. And this Bethany… she let me. On most occasions. It was like, despite knowing she could take care of herself, she appreciated someone else doing it."

"Anything else?" Sam encouraged.

"She was strong. Not that she wasn't during the war or before the accident, but… strong willed. Mature. Infuriating, but…" Steve let out a sigh, a small smile on his face. "It was nice to see her like that. It was nice to see how far she came. She wasn't this young woman I fell in love with."

"And she was sexy as hell with all that leather and the dark hair," Sam added.

"Watch it, that's my wife," Steve teased, a goofy smile on his face. "Yeah. Yeah, but she still is, though."

"Okay, but what about the Other Bethany, the most recent one, did you love the most?" Sam tested.

"That she was a good mother. And a good wife. That this wasn't something she originally wanted, but you couldn't guess otherwise with how she is with Jamie. That she's not afraid to cry, and equally not afraid to call me out," Steve listed. "It's weird, laying it all out like that. Same woman, but so many differences."

"But which one would you want the most?" Sam asked carefully.

Steve looked to Jamie for a moment, smiling as his innocent son looked up at him, his mouth slightly ajar. His big blue eyes looked back up to him, a smile splitting his face. Steve couldn't help but reach forward and touch Jamie's foot lightly. "A mix of them both, actually," Steve realized. "I don't think there needs to be two different Bethany's. I think what would make her the happiest, which means I would be happy. I want her to cherish her family, and continue to be a good mother. But I also want that fire in her that she had when she still worked for SHIELD. It… it kind of sizzled down."

"So bring it back to me. How do you feel about who Bethany will become?" Sam questioned.

"Excited," Steve realized. "Hopeful. But what are the chances that I'll get that combination?"

"Slim," Sam answered. "But possible. Right now, you need to let her grow. The way she wants to grow. Ultimately, when it comes down to it, what she needs, what she'll always needs is-"

"Freedom," Steve whispered, receiving a nod from Sam.

"You can't be the one trying to force something onto her. But you do need to tell her about Jamie. But make sure you stress that you understand that this might not be what she wants right now. But ultimately, she wanted kids in your future, right?"

"After the Chitauri invasion, we both agreed that kids was in our future."

Sam shrugged, as if that was answer enough, but added some words nonetheless. "It may be quicker than she would have assumed, but I think you can find a way to get her to find herself, while also accepting being a wife and a mother."

"You have a lot of faith in me," Steve said, looking to Jamie as he began to babble.

"I have a lot in faith in both of you," Sam corrected. "I'm planning on sticking around for a while, if that's okay with you."

"As long as you need," Steve smiled. "Although, Theo is in our spare room. I'm sure Tony has a place for you to stay."

"I can stay in a hotel," Sam laughed.

"I mean, if you really want to," Steve allowed. "But having you here would be for my own selfish reasons. Jackson hasn't had a day to relax in a week. I could really use another pair of hands around here."

"Oh, so I see how it is. Basically, I'm your babysitter," Sam teased. "But that's technically why I came here. You sounded so helpless on the phone."

"Is it that obvious?" Steve asked softly.

"You're hiding it well," Sam began. "But everyone knows how much that woman means to you. How much your son means to you. And right now, you have to balance the two separately. Not together, like normally."

Steve nodded, looking to Jamie again. Steve put his arms out a little, waiting for Jamie's reaction. When he copied his father's movements, Steve smiled and collected his son from Sam. Kissing the top of his head, he refused to think about all the bad things that could come from this experience. Whatever the future would bring, they would work as a family to find an answer, even if that's what Bethany didn't want. As much as he was willing to give her freedom, to see who she would become, Jamie wasn't just a fantasy. He was real, and he needed his mother. The question was whether or not Bethany could be that for him.


Steve watched carefully as the doctor explained how to care for Bethany's burns. The woman was exasperated, reminding her medical team that she was in fact a doctor herself, but they ignored her and continued to teach Steve. He knew that they didn't trust her. That she would assume that since there was no pain that there was nothing to be concerned with. Steve, however, understood that there was still a lot to be concerned with. The burns were only one thing. The lost memories another. But with her not feeling any pain, she may begin to question humanity, since pain was a huge factor towards earning that and losing it.

Since she mostly spent the week on her back, Steve was shocked when he saw the extent of the burns gracing her pale skin. He could see where the bookshelf had pressed against her and held her firmly as the fire burned around her. He watched as the doctor sterilized and wrapped her torso accordingly before leaving the room so Bethany could get ready.

"Did you bring my makeup?" She asked delicately as she pulled on some leggings and reached for a fluffy green sweater.

"Yeah," Steve replied, handing her the bag. He had picked out his favorite things; black kohl eyeliner, pale powder and deep red lipstick. All three things she used during the war. As she dug through the rest of the bag, where Steve had only just threw extra pieces of makeup in there since he wasn't sure what they did, Bethany seemed to realize his game.

"So what? You can get all modern and I can't?" She teased, sitting on the bed with her legs tucked underneath her. Pulling over the bed tray, she set up her mirror and began her work.

"You don't even need to wear makeup," Steve replied. "You look beautiful as is."

Bethany gave him a pointed look. "Steve, half of my face is bruised and scabbed. I have to do something."

"I brought a hat and sunglasses," Steve explained. "You can cover up that way, if you so please."

Instead, she just ran her fingers through her hair. It was in need of a good wash, even Steve had to agree with that. The reason why he had braided it the day before was to keep it out of her face, but now she seemed to be inspecting it. "The blonde will take some getting used to," she finally said.

It took a moment for that to sink in. Bethany had dyed her hair back to blonde for Steve's birthday, the time she set up an entire 1940's club so she could keep her promise and teach Steve how to dance. She claimed she dyed her hair because she no longer felt dark and depressed as her brown hair had suggested. But Steve also understood that a lot of that probably was because they had spent time away together, just the two of them, and realized that this time, they could make their relationship work.

"I mean, if you really want to, you could go back to brown," Steve suggested.

"I don't hate it," Bethany began. "It's just… weird. But then again, I'm already used to your hair. Well, kinda. I still miss the coif. But nothing time can't fix. And I have enough of that."

Steve nodded, watching as she brushed through it before dividing it in threes, clearly ready to braid it. "No, let me," Steve requested, moving to sit behind her and taking the tresses from her fingers.

"When do you think I can go back to work?" She asked softly. Steve couldn't answer at first. He really didn't know what to say. She had asked where Coulson and Nick were, and Steve told her the truth. They were working. They were doing SHIELD-related things that Steve wasn't privy to know. She had nodded and dropped the conversation, starting a new one about how her body didn't really feel like her own. Now that Steve had a hard time explaining. Because technically it was her body, but a body that was still recovering from pregnancy. She had lost the weight everywhere but her breasts, but her hips were wider and her body had gone through a lot when she was pregnant. It wasn't exactly the same body she was used to.

"I'm not sure," he settled with. In order to successfully lie to her, he was telling her half-truths. It hurt him to lie, but he knew that in his instance, it was for the best. "When you're better. And I mean doctor approved better," Steve continued, thinking about her returning to training opposed to work.

"Thanks," Bethany whispered when Steve tied off the end of her braid. "You said that there's reporters outside?"

"Yeah," Steve nodded. "I know you don't want to know about the last two years, but this you should know. People know who you are. And what you're capable of. A lot of them are confused about why you were even in the hospital. We've been able to push their questions away long enough, but they need to see you. In one piece. Thriving."

"They need to back off," Bethany corrected, making Steve smile. Whether hard-core SHIELD agent or mother of a five month old, Bethany hated the public and the tabloids. Either way, she wanted them to leave her alone. Steve knew that the only reason Bethany told the public about her past and her abilities was, in a lot of ways, for him. She never seemed to truly regret that decision, although it did bother her. Yet, it bothered him too, so he really didn't blame her.


Bucky watched as Kiley dipped her scone into her tea. She carefully moved the sopping pastry up and down, flicking off as many brown droplets as she could before moving it to her mouth. He gave her a soft smile, but her gaze was focused on the map laid between them on the table.

While the cold hadn't dipped down so low that they had to discard their clothing the night before, the tent that they purchased was small. Kiley had offhandedly said that it was a dwarf tent, but even the Seven Dwarves would be crammed in there. With lack of space, and a lot of supplies, they ended up sleeping right next to each other, arm to arm, leg to leg. When Bucky had woken up that morning, they had both turned to the right, Kiley pulled into a loose ball while Bucky had a protective arm wrapped around her. He stayed like that until she woke up. Neither of them had said anything.

Is she thinking about it? Bucky wondered for the eighteenth time that day. He was thinking about. It was almost three in the afternoon and he was thinking about it still. From packing up their tent, all the way into town and during their little haggle session with a used car owner, all he could think about was whether or not she was thinking about it.

"I mean, we'll be pushing the car, but it's not like we couldn't just find another way, right?" Kiley asked. Bucky stilled. He hadn't been aware that she was talking. He was so lost in everything that he completely forgot that they were making their travel plans.

"Come again?" Bucky said. "Sorry, I dazed out."

"Yeah, you've been doing that a lot today," Kiley noticed. "Is something wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

"N-no," Bucky promised. "Sorry, I guess I'm just tired, that's all."

"Yeah, the forest floor wasn't too comfortable, was it?" Kiley sympathized. "I guess we'll find out tonight if the car seats is any better.

Bucky nodded. That was the reason why they wanted the car. It was old. In fact, it didn't look like it had much life left in it. Besides it needed a fresh coat of paint, one of the rearview mirrors was hanging off and they had to use bungee cords to keep the trunk from popping open. But the seats tilted all the way back, and if they removed the headrests, it lined up perfectly with the back seat. Kiley fit across the length perfectly. Bucky's feet hung off the edge, but he didn't mind.

"I still feel bad about how much it cost," he spoke honestly. They had technically got a deal. Bucky was impressed on how well Kiley was able to haggle with the thief, the only word Bucky thought to be correct, since he had basically robbed them blind. But Kiley had drastically lowered the price, and got four brand new tires slapped onto the car.

"We need a way to get around," Kiley reminded him. "Plus, it'll be better than sleeping in the tent all the time. And honestly, eight hundred dollars isn't that bad. We still have a lot of money left. Our plane tickets cost more."

"Can I get you anything else?" The waiter asked as he came back up, another pot of hot water for Kiley. His English was impressive, but it was hard to decipher some of his words with his thick accent, being the reason why all they ordered were tea and scones. Although, Bucky opted for coffee.

"Can I get a to-go cup?" Kiley asked politely. "So I can take my tea with me?"

"Yeah, I'll see what we have," he promised as he slipped away.

Bucky watched as Kiley poured the hot water into her cup anyways, blowing it softly to cool it down. Some people were dedicated to their phones. Other to their country. Kiley was dedicated to her tea. "Might as well get back on the road," Kiley began. "You still want to do Germany first?"

"Yes ma'am," Bucky nodded. "Luckenwalde to be more precise. It says on the pamphlet that there was a HYDRA base there. I figure, either way, something should come up."

Kiley didn't nod or anything, but he could tell by the look in her eyes that she was nervous about what he could remember. She was supportive, undeniably. But she was worried that he would remember something that should be left forgotten and he could understand that. He just didn't know what things were the ones to be forgotten and which weren't.

She looked around the small café for a few seconds before her gaze attached in one direction. "She's out of the hospital," Kiley said, pointing to a television, which was playing the news. It was the same three clips played over and over, the caption being one that Bucky couldn't read, but he could only assume that the reporters were doing a segment on Bethany and her accident.

"Look at her face," Kiley whispered. While her features were majorly covered by a ball cap pulled low and sunglasses, not to mention, Bethany's hand shielding it away from the cameras, he knew what she was referring to. The still evident burn marks on her face. But Bucky had seen them when her skin was still charred, still burning. This was a drastic improvement. He knew that anyone else wouldn't have been able to heal the way Bethany's face was healing.

"They'll probably be wondering why she isn't healing," Kiley spoke, but Bucky wasn't sure whether she wanted an answer.

"She's healing," he provided anyways. "Those burns? They should be a lot worse. She's just healing slowly."

"They're still asking why," Kiley pointed out. "I don't think I've ever seen Steve that angry."

Bucky watched the footage as it started its loop again, but this time paying attention to the soldier. His face was hard, jaw set as he tried his best to get to keep people away from his wife. He had one protective arm around her body and the other pushed out to get some distance. "Isn't there a back entrance? Or a way so they wouldn't have to deal with the mob?"

"Yeah," Kiley nodded. "And they know that as well. But if they're going out this way, it's 'cause they want the world to see that she's alive. That she's up and healing and ready to cause havoc."

"They don't look happy though," Bucky surveyed. "They look pissed that they have to do this."

"They always are," Kiley replied. "And understandably. They don't want to be on display. They want to live their lives in peace. Peace," Kiley repeated. Her tone had changed drastically however. It came out full of cynicism and violence. As if she spat the word, attempting to rid it of her vernacular all together.

He knew that she had nothing against peace. Someone like Kiley needed peace. She was one of the one's who couldn't fight for the peace, but the peace would be fought for her. She was too delicate and innocent to be a part of the battle and the terror. No, the reason why she said it like that, and Bucky knew this, was because she was starting to question whether or not peace was an achievable goal for people like Bethany and Steve.

"It's laughable," Kiley explained. "The notion of peace after all of this. They deserve it. Everyone deserves it. But here's the thing with peace; in order for one to achieve peace, others can't."

Bucky had never thought about it that way. But he knew that she was right.

"I want to punch them," Kiley stated firmly. "All of them. I may work for media relations, but they push it too far sometimes. These aren't the Kardashians, who no doubt call the press and tip them off of their whereabouts. They don't have a reality show or social media accounts to document their entire lives. Bethany has the book and Steve the museum, but they aren't seeking attention. Neither were their ideas. And Bethany is using that money for science. Not for herself. God, I want to punch them."

Bucky chuckled at the thought. He knew she would probably end up hurting herself in the process, and he decided to tell her this. She was offended, for a few seconds before she laughed with him. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I do know how to punch though. My dad taught me. And he took me to the gun range a bunch of times. Okay, twice. But it's like a rite of passage in my family."

"So you can punch and shoot a gun? Definitely more impressive than I thought," Bucky noted. "Maybe you'll be the one keeping me safe and not the other way around."

"You don't want me being the one keeping you safe from physical harm," Kiley added. "Yeah, I can punch. But I don't exactly have much muscle on me. And my aim isn't straight. For shooting, I mean. For punching, it's pretty much on point. My go-to defense will always be a kick to the groin, however. Works every single time."

"I'll keep that in mind," Bucky replied.

"I always meant to ask Bethany or Natasha how to do some cool super spy moves. Never really got the opportunity. Or the nerve. Natasha can be scary."

"I can teach you," Bucky offered immediately. "How to punch with strength, how to hold your own. Fighting back, even if you don't make that much of an impact is still better than just letting yourself get punched."

"I'd like that," Kiley said with a bright smile. "No girl wants to be the damsel in distress. And in today's society, they want the ability to kick ass and look good at the same time. Can you teach me how to do cool flippy things? I've always wanted to do cool flippy things."

Bucky smiled at her softly and bowed his head in promise. "I'll teach you to do cool flippy things. But you have to promise me one thing."

"Yeah, of course," Kiley agreed eagerly.

"When you learn how to fight, how to hold your own… Those reporters?"

"Yeah?" Kiley asked, on the edge of her seat. Figuratively.

Bucky looked back up at the television for a moment, watching as the clip played over and over. The annoyance clear in what little of Bethany's face you could see. The frustration in Steve's posture. The fact that they almost lost each other once again, and that another son almost grew up without his mother and that these vultures were doing nothing but push forward like they owned the world.

Bucky looked back to Kiley, his expression stoic. He had thought a lot about himself, pitying himself and being jealous of others in the last few months. But looking around now, he was the one free. He opened his mouth, a small smile growing, but not a pleasant one. One that knew evil, both of people and the world.

This time when he saw Kiley going head-to-head with the reporters, a new vision popped up. "Promise me you'll give 'em hell."


**A/N: Currently working two jobs and trying to secure a co-op position for this fall. It's a lot of time that I can't spend writing, and it's truly heartbreaking. I'll do my very best to get these posted between Wednesday and Friday every week, but there might be weeks where it's priority is very low. Typically, this is number one, so it'll be a hard adjustment for me.

I do have an hour, paid lunch break. I try to write during then, because that may be the closest I'll ever get to being a paid writer, but I do get distracted in the kitchen. Not to mention, am a little uncomfortable with writing smut in the workplace. (My subtle hint of saying that there will be smut soon.)

Currently, however, taking requests into mind. I'll probably do a lot of flashback since I like those a lot, so if you have any ideas, I'm all up for it!

EdwardCullenfan2009: thank you :)

KnowInsight: Theo definitely has the worse of the situation, I agree. I am happy to announce that he'll get some happiness pretty soon. Well, before Age of Ultron.

Jo: Thanks about the picture! :D

Cotton Strings: Not at all! I agree, Bethany would do a lot differently. This is all apart of my plan to make her strong willed again. I actually really like what I have in store for her. Her relationship with Jamie will not be traditional, but I actually love it.

sarahmichellegellarfan1: fingers crossed!

FeliciaFelicis: The way Bethany gets her memories back will actually revolve around solving more than one plot point and set up Age of Ultron. However, just because she gets her memories back does not mean she'll return to being the Bethany that she was. I actually rather like the new Bethany who, for the time being, only exists in my head.

greywaters: It is! I tend to remember each reviewer :) I'm happy you like the story and my style! I work hard to make sure that the characters, especially the ones I've created, are as real as I can make them. None of them are perfect, but it's so much fun to develop them. I want people to read POVs from other OCs besides Bethany's and actually enjoy it. I definitely do a lot of research. Luckily, I don't have a hard time finding places to place my characters in. I have an overactive imagination.