A/N: Sorry, readers, needed to revise this one again. Hopefully, this is for the last time. :)

It was amazing to see how peaceful Rebecca Proctor looked while sleeping. Despite the brutal treatments she'd undergone and the multitude of medications running through her veins, there were no traces of pain or discomfort in her slumber. Just undisturbed quiet in her features.

Outside, rain was still falling steadily and at times heavily, which thwarted any plans to go for a jog that day. That didn't bother Kim, though. She hadn't slept at all, and wouldn't be in good enough condition to go running anyway. She wished she could attain the level of peace displayed so easily by her grandmother while she napped, as opposed to the torrent of emotions still raging beneath her chest. It was because of what had taken place only last night: a strange man had emerged from her backyard and revealed himself to be James Buchannan Barnes.

She sighed, deeply and slowly. James Barnes. Bucky. Her great-uncle. The hero she'd come to know only through the stories told by her grandmother, and through the letters he'd written while in the army. The man she admired for his selfless acts of courage, and for his ability to put the needs of others before his own. One who died decades ago while serving his country.

But that last fact turned out to be untrue. He'd been standing right in front of her, and there was no denying the resemblance she saw to the man whose portrait hung downstairs.

Did she dare to believe it? That this man really was her uncle?

Sergeant Barnes may have died, but the Winter Soldier lives.

The Winter Soldier. That strange name only intensified the confusion in her heart. She chewed on her lower lip. Could it be an elaborate hoax? Perhaps some clever ploy set up by HYDRA to manipulate her? Could the man have just been an excellent decoy sent to convince her that he really was Bucky?

Who did this to you?

HYDRA.

The thought of his metal arm sent shivers through her. Normally, the sight of a prosthetic didn't faze her; she saw them in various forms at the physical therapy center, and even donned numerous models of her own for research purposes. She still couldn't get over how similar it was in appearance to hers, but something about his was vastly different. From what she could determine, it was more than just a replacement limb. The way it was shaped, the natural movement of the metal fingers, the impossible strength it possessed as it nearly crushed her body to him. If anything, it was more like an extension of him. What had happened to warrant the need for this artificial arm?

She swallowed, wishing she could be absolutely sure of what her head and heart were trying to tell her, but at this point, she really didn't know what to think. Bucky Barnes; the Winter Soldier. Who was he?

All I can tell you is that they destroyed the mind of someone I care about.

Destroyed his mind, Steve had said. He might no longer be the man she used to hear about, and that was what scared her.

But his eyes…God, she couldn't get the image of them out of her mind! The pain in their depths was one of the most haunting sights she'd ever seen. Combined with the pain were glimmers of guilt, and shame, and longing, and sorrow, all as he looked at her. The hardness of his exterior could mask none of it. What had happened to create such a broken man?

Those eyes. They'd seen right into her…

Uncle Bucky.

At ease, soldier.

Mutely, she shook her head, crossing her arms. All her life, she'd believed him to be dead. How could this have happened?

Think of Steve Rogers, and it may be less difficult to accept.

Steve. He should have been the first person she contacted, should have told him she'd found the man he was looking for, the one with the metal arm. Should have told him that the man blamed HYDRA for his current state, just as Steve had accused. His best friend and comrade throughout the years back from the dead. She owed it to Steve to call him.

Except…she didn't. Steve had kept this a secret from her since April, and some part of her was…angry at him for not being honest with her. No, she wasn't ready to confront him. Not yet.

A slight movement of Rebecca's right hand caught Kim's attention, the elder woman shifting slightly beneath the comforter before settling once more. Kim released the breath she'd been holding. Grandma, she thought. Staring at her only made matters worse. How could she ever tell her about this? Should she? If Bucky was alive, then that meant Rebecca still had a brother out there. Didn't she have a right to know? Could she accept the news in her condition? Or was it best to let her aged heart rest with the notion that her brother had died honorably in the fight against HYDRA and the axes powers back in World War II?

She didn't know; perhaps Steve underwent a similar debate when it came to telling her the truth. How she wished that Rebecca was still capable of speech, for she was desperate for her guidance.

Grandma, I need your help; what would you tell me to do? Funny thing was she knew exactly what her grandmother would say: You're an adult now, Kim, and part of being an adult is figuring certain things out on your own. It's not always fun, but welcome to my world. She sighed again at the bittersweet memory. It was one of the last things she'd said to her before the stroke.

I have no choice but to figure this out on my own. But how?

The only way you know how, another part of her answered.

But will it work?

You'll never know unless you try; and really, do you think you can let this go?

She knew the answer to that one, too.

Jen then entered the room with fresh linens in hand, snapping her from thought. "Alright, time for me to get her bed changed, so I can take over for a while," she said quietly, glancing at her watch. "It's only two o'clock. Hope this rain lets up so you can get your jog in at some point."

Kim didn't respond, even though she'd heard.

Jen looked at her. "You okay, Kim?"

She blinked. "Yeah. Yeah, just tired."

"You definitely look it, sweetie," she went to the drawers to put away a few clothes. "Taking care of an elderly relative can really take its toll on you, but I have to say: you do an amazing job with your grandma. It's clear you both have a lot of love for one another."

She offered Jen a weak smile. "Thanks, Jen." She meant it.

"Why don't you go take a rest? Looks like a nap might do you some good right about now. Plus, if it does clear up, you'll have the energy to go for a run later."

Though awfully tempted by the suggestion, a different idea was dominating Kim's mind, telling her what she needed to do in order to begin finding answers. Rest wouldn't come until she gave into her psychological demands.

Standing and shoving her hands in her pockets, she said, "I'll rest later. I have some research I need to do first."

"Ah, something you're doing for Mr. Stark?"

For her benefit, she gave a slow nod of assent. "You know him: always has some sort of assignment for me, even in the summer."

"Come on, you just graduated from your courses last month; doesn't he think you deserve a break?"

She half-shrugged. "Hey, at the very least, he gives me things I don't mind researching." That was true, even though she had other intentions.

Thankfully, Jen conceded. "Okay. I've got her, so take as much time as you need."

That she would definitely be doing.

Steve had said it was for the best that she hadn't looked into HYDRA's files, but she refused to remain ignorant, especially if they'd been hiding information pertaining to her family. No matter how much online data might have been seized by the world's governments, they could not entirely erase the digital fingerprints that the SHIELD leak left behind in cyberspace.

Kim, now downstairs at the dining room table, was busy doing research on her laptop. Music played from her media player, since she didn't want Jen to become suspicious of her activities. At least she could make it seem like she was up to typical eighteen-year-old antics.

She stared at the screen, almost disbelieving what she saw. For the past hour or so, she'd been scouring various websites for as much information as she could find. What she discovered was that there was much out there regarding HYDRA. This was understandable, considering how the organization had grown beneath the guise of SHIELD since the 1940s. It could take months for a person to go through everything, perhaps even years.

However, her focus remained on one topic as she sifted through all the possible HYDRA information: the Winter Soldier. She swallowed hard as she opened yet another file, her eyes meeting the image of a man clad in dark clothes and an eerie mask. Everything she found regarding the acts he'd committed was straight out of a nightmare, and soft shuddering breaths passed through her barely parted lips. Agent of HYDRA. Subject born of Dr. Arnim Zola's genius. Expert in marksmanship and Soviet weaponry. Assassin extraordinaire. Responsible for at least twenty-four high-profile assassinations over the last half-century. To her surprise, she'd recognized several of them as key figures from her history classes in school: a scientist from Brazil who'd made strides in finding a cure for a specific strain of cancer; a Tibetan monk from 1974 who had the potential to become the next Dalai Lama; President Kennedy in 1963; he'd even been present in India to ensure the assassination of Gandhi didn't go awry; they were all people whose contributions would have made the world a better place in the future. Her stomach dropped when she ran across a newspaper headline announcing the deaths of Howard and Maria Stark.

Tony Stark's parents. So it hadn't been an accident after all. When she'd first seen that within the Winter's Soldier's files, she wondered if Mr. Stark knew about it.

The Winter Soldier killed them all, she thought, slowly shaking her head as she continued reading the reports. He killed Director Nick Fury; he tried to kill Steve during the HYDRA uprising in D.C. He tried to kill my friend.

And then another thought occurred to her: Steve said Bucky was a sharpshooter, and an excellent one at that…

The most appropriate of song lyrics chose that very moment to play from her speakers.

Why did you come here, just to break my heart again?

Why did you come here, just to sever my last remaining thread?

Why did you come here, just to watch me fall again?

Why did you come here, I'm on the edge…

She released another shaky breath, then let her head fall into her hands. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, she knew it was true. Since the moment her mind recognized his face, her heart knew. The man who'd come to her was, indeed, her Great-Uncle Bucky. Alive. In the world. Part of her life for the first time.

But that also meant Bucky was the Winter Soldier, and therefore an agent of HYDRA. His resemblance to the man in those photos was too uncanny.

Bucky Barnes. The Winter Soldier. Bucky Barnes is the Winter Soldier, she thought. Her great-uncle, the man she'd admired and loved from afar...it was him. He'd murdered all those people for an evil organization's gain. Her hero, her inspiration for all things good in life.

The thought made her chest ache terribly, and she began weeping silently into her palms. Always, she'd envisioned him watching over her from Heaven, making sure she was on the right path. Even if she knew she'd never meet him, there was no harm in daydreaming that he was there for her. When she was little, she pictured him scooping her up in his arms and holding her tightly to him, whether she was happy, sad, excited, or just wanted the comforting embrace of someone she trusted and loved. She'd dedicated so many physical therapy sessions to him, and even imagined him watching her proudly as she began walking again. Anything she did in life, she always included him in the back of her mind, wanting to keep his presence real, even if only in spirit. It never ceased to give her strength.

But now, she was so conflicted. Why would he join the enemy he once fought so hard to destroy? Why would he do such terrible things to people who didn't deserve to die? This was the man she admired since she was young...Had she been a fool for doing so?

Who are you?

I was hoping you could tell me.

The thought of his pain-filled eyes entered her mind once again, and she felt her heart clench until she couldn't breathe. He'd been so shattered in appearance when he'd looked at her, and she knew there was something more she wasn't seeing. What that something was, she had no clue, but she felt her heart breaking for him.

Then she found herself reminiscing on her field trip to the Smithsonian only a few months ago, when she had visited the exhibit on Captain America. While the story of Steve's life was fascinating, her primary interest was in the details included about Bucky. His life served as the example Kim wanted to follow, especially after her suicide attempt. He made her realize how much good one could be capable of in his or her life, and she'd made it a goal to find out just how much she could accomplish. Because of him. For as long as she could remember, her greatest wish had been to meet the war hero who was her great-uncle.

I agree with the boy; I wish he'd had a chance to meet you.

Guilt stabbed her repeatedly in the heart. She had met him. In a bitter twist of fate, she'd unknowingly done so. Bumped right into him in the very place honoring his memory. He'd seen her; spoken to her; read the letter she left behind; knew the details from the darkest days of her past…and he'd eventually found her.

She remembered her conduct when he came to her, and what he tried to say: You're Sergeant Barnes' niece, and that makes you my—

She'd stopped him before he could say "my great-niece." At the time, she just couldn't let herself believe it. Out of fear, she denied his words and ordered him to leave her sight.

You found me, and I pushed you away...

She sobbed, and in the back of her mind, she was glad the music muffled the mournful sounds. She was hurting. Hurting in very a familiar fashion that reminded her why she'd once been put on anti-depressants. It wasn't just because of the guilt coursing through her veins, but also because of an overwhelming feeling comparable to a sense of…loss. Like she'd lost a part of herself that she'd been cruelly denied due to circumstances of the past, and yet yearned for all her life. She'd lost her uncle because she'd been too afraid to accept the truth.

Oh God, she thought, eyes squeezing tightly shut. What if I never see him again? What if I really have lost him forever?

Uncle Bucky, even her inner voice sounded like a harsh whisper. I don't want to believe it. I don't want to believe that you could be capable of doing such terrible things, but you did. You did! What am I supposed to think? She pleaded silently. Why did you become the Winter Soldier? What's happened to you? These files say you did horrible things, but I saw who you were behind your eyes last night. You're not that man; I know you're not! So who are you? Who should I believe you to be? Help me, please help me.

Help me…

An insistent shaking at her shoulder startled Kim awake.

"Whoa, I'm sorry!" Jen said. "Didn't mean to spook you, but you can't be comfortable sleeping there. Why don't you head up to bed for the night?"

"Huh?" She lifted her head from the dining room table. When had she fallen asleep? How long had she been out? "Oh. What time is it?"

"Just after seven," she went to wash a few dishes in the sink. "I came down a few times while you were asleep, but you looked so exhausted, I didn't want to wake you."

To her surprise, she recognized the waning light of the late-day sun streaming through one of the west windows. It must have stopped raining just a short while ago, though humidity was still thick in the air.

She glanced at her laptop; the screen had gone black. Sleep mode; just as she had fallen into. Good thing she'd thought to plug in the power cord earlier so the battery didn't drain. She was just glad she'd dozed off before Jen had a chance to see her crying.

"Guess you'll have to get your jog in tomorrow when I get back." Jen said. Then she asked, "Who was that guy on your laptop, by the way?"

Kim gave her a sideways glance. "What guy?"

"That one in the mask," she loaded a few items into the dishwasher. "The first time I came down, your laptop hadn't gone into sleep mode, and I just caught a glimpse of him on the screen. Looked kind of freaky."

"Oh, that." It only took her a moment to come up with, "Just a still shot from a new Nine Inch Nails video."

Jen gave a laugh. "I see. I've heard of them, but I'm not a big fan of their music. Way too heavy for my taste."

"Really good to exercise to, though," she went on, trying to sound as casual as possible, "especially if you have an overwhelming urge to just punch something. Helps to get the negative energy out of your system." She was rambling, but Jen laughed again, and despite the worries presently in her heart, Kim couldn't help but give a small smile at the happy sound. "Guess I needed the cat-nap."

"What you need is a solid eight hours of sleep in your own bed. If you don't rest up, you won't be in any shape to take care of your grandma, you hear me?"

"Yeah, I know," she conceded. "But I haven't danced for her yet."

Jen gave her a tolerant smile. "She'd understand if you took one night off, okay, Kim?"

Having another idea in mind that she kept to herself, she half-shrugged. "You might be right."

"I know I am," she smirked. "It's my job to look after people, remember? That includes you, even if you're not my patient," she went back to cleaning the rest of the kitchen. "So why don't you head up now? I'd rather know you're up in bed before I go. I can take care of everything down here, then I'll be on my way out."

She'd gone up to her room as advised, but that didn't mean Kim was ready to call it a night. Once she heard the front door click shut with Jen's exit, she sat cross-legged on her bed, opening her laptop once again. Since there was no doubt in her mind that the Winter Soldier was, indeed, Bucky, there was no point in trying to prove their connection. Not anymore. It was time to move on to something else, and that was to discover what had led to Bucky's transformation into the HYDRA agent. Was it of his own will? Did he have a legitimate reason for siding with his enemies? How did he become affiliated with HYDRA to begin with?

They were answers she was having difficulty finding on her own, so it was time to enlist the help of someone who could help her. For a moment, she thought about the family she had left: Grandma; Aunt Laura; Steve, who was like family to her. That was it. She could count on one hand the people she had in her family, and still had fingers to spare.

Then she thought of Bucky. Cold-blooded killer or not, he, too, was family, and nothing mattered more to her than that. As such, she felt a responsibility to find out what happened to him. She had to know. For his sake, as well as her own.

Clicking the Skype icon, she found the number she wanted and requested a video call. Probably won't be available, she thought, touching fingertips to her cheeks. They felt very warm, and were probably red from the tears she'd shed. He might be in the middle of dinner, or some business matter for Stark Industries, but at least I can let him know that I'm trying to get in—

To her mild surprise, the call was accepted, and she was met by the image of Tony Stark on the other end of the video feed. Whoa, lucky break. At first, he wasn't looking at her; judging by his goggles and his concentration off-camera, he must have been tinkering with something in his lab.

"Been almost a week since you've updated your blog," he said nonchalantly. "Not getting distracted by boys, are you?"

She knew he'd meant it in jest, but her eyebrows shot up. If only he understood the irony of his question.

Then he actually turned to look at her, and any trace of amusement vanished from his features. He lifted the goggles, and when she saw his concerned brown eyes, something inside her finally relaxed. "Hey," she exhaled. She wasn't sure what else to say.

"Hey yourself," he frowned. "You look like hell, kiddo."

Unable to help it, the corners of her mouth twitched upward. Since she'd met him, one of her favorite traits about Stark was his blunt honesty. He'd always tell it like it was, even if a person didn't want to hear it. She appreciated that. In a way, it reminded her of Grandma, who could be brutally honest if she found it necessary.

She didn't doubt the truth of his words, either. Lack of sleep and a great deal of crying probably left her looking like a wreck. "Kind of feel like hell."

"Your grandma?"

He was already well-versed on Rebecca's condition, and insisted on the latest updates straight from Kim. But she gave a bare shake of her head. "It's not about her, Mr. Stark—"

He cut her off with a wave of his hand. "We're long past formalities, Kimbo. It's Tony. Please."

The knot in her stomach loosened even more. For some reason, he made it a point to be gentler with her than with most people he dealt with, and right now, it was a relief. "Tony," she restated.

"Better. Now, what is it, Kim?"

She licked her lips. "You know the SHIELD and HYDRA files that were leaked back in April?"

"You kidding me? It was like Christmas came early for this good little boy."

Yep, typical Tony Stark for you. She hesitated just a moment. "So you've gone through HYDRA's files."

"It'll take years to go through everything, but some of the information I've seen so far would give most people indefinite issues with insomnia."

She gave a nod. "I don't doubt that," she said flatly.

His brow furrowed at her statement. "Sounds like you might know more about them than you're letting on," he leaned onto his elbows. "So what is it, Kim? What exactly are you looking for?"

Stark had more insight than most people gave him credit for. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I need your help. I need you to tell me everything you know about a HYDRA agent called the Winter Soldier."

Song lyrics from "Edge of the World," by The Cruxshadows