Chapter Sixteen: The Winter Soldier

"You're my mission!" (Bucky)

"Then finish it, because I'm with you until the end of the line." (Steve)

-The Winter Soldier

Bucky was balancing himself on a tree as he watched what was going on across from him. It seemed that for the first time Katherine had been ambushed. He had seen her exiting the apartment and being ambushed by the red head agent, Katherine held up a pretty good fight until Katherine strangely froze and the agent had managed to punch her unconscious.

Now a blond hair agent was tying her up, he was probably going to take her towards his own headquarters. But he could see that Steve wasn't dead yet, he wasn't awake, but his left leg was twitching indicating that he was still alive. He would have to step in, now that Siren wouldn't be able to finish the job.

"Charles," he said to the speech monitor located in his ear. "They have captured, Siren I'm going in to rescue her-"

"No," Charles said on the other end. "Kill her. Kill Siren."

Bucky stopped short, "But she's one of us."

Charles said darkly. "Not anymore. She shouldn't have allowed herself to be captured, if they managed to interrogated her, they will find out everything. Kill her Winter Soldier that is an order."

"Copy that. Over and out."

"Wow, nice punch." Peter complimented Natasha as he web sling next to her. "Think you could teach me?"

"I don't think you can handle it." Natasha said as she rubbed her injured cheek. "She's a pretty good fighter, if she hadn't frozen she would have probably been able to fight me."

"Why did she stop?" Clint asked as he tightened the ropes around Katherine's wrists tighter.

Natasha shook her head. "I don't know. She simply just froze."

"Well, that's good for us, isn't it?" Peter pointed out.

Clint and Natasha exchanged gazes. "In a way. Barton and I are going to take Siren to headquarters, wake up Rogers, through some stroke of good luck she didn't kill him."

Peter nodded. "Gotcha." He went towards Steve and started shaking him awake. "Steve, Steve wake up."

Steve opened his eyes. "Siren!" he practically yelled.

Peter chuckled. "It's a little late for that buddy." He said as he helped him up. "Don't worry Nat and Clint got her."

Steve and Peter headed outside and Steve froze when he saw a dark figure looming. He stopped Peter. "What is that?" Natasha, Peter, and Clint followed his gaze.

Natasha flinched. "The Winter Soldier."

In a second, Bucky managed to reach their apartment his gun ready. He managed to shoot Clint down with tranquilizers darts before he could even touch him while he grabbed Natasha by the hair and threw her across the window.

Ignoring Steve and Peter, he grabbed Katherine and was soon out of their sight again.

"Peter, follow them try to get their location, don't lose them." Steve ordered. Peter nodded as he left.

Steve helped Natasha up, there was glass all over the floor on Katherine's former apartment. "Are you ok?"

Natasha nodded as she wiped some blood from her face. "I'm fine, get Siren. I'll take care of Barton."

Steve nodded.

"Stark!" Steve yelled into his headpiece.

"Yeah, Cap?"

"The Winter Soldier has taken Siren, I need you and Parker to search the air, and I'll try to get an exact location. We can't let them get away."

Bucky dropped Katherine on the roof on top of another set of apartment buildings, jolting her awake. She let out a low gasp and she looked around with frightened eyes. "Winter Soldier." She realized that her hands were still tied. "Damn these Avengers, they are more trouble that they are worth untie me."

Bucky's expression was cold, but he didn't move. Katherine frowned. "Are you ok?"

Bucky pinned her to the floor, his hands around her throat, cutting off all air supply. Katherine's eyes widened in pain and bewilderment as she realized what was about to happened. "No, Bucky." She tried to unclasp his hands from her throat, but her lack of oxygen and tied hands was slowly taking her strength as well.

"Please. . ." Katherine wheezed through small breaths. "I'm your friend."

A flash of recognition passed through Bucky as he slowly let go of Katherine's throat. Katherine gave a pained gasp as she rolled over to her side. He flinched when he felt something coming towards him. He turned around and grasped Steve's shield easily, before throwing it back at him in his direction

Steve, followed by Peter and Tony easily catch it. Steve took one glance at the Winter Soldier and saw his friend even through the metal arm and tangled hair. "Bucky."

"Who the hell is Bucky?" he scoffed as he turned around and looked back at Katherine, who was still on the ground and had difficulty catching her breath.

Steve saw the marks of metal fingers and even Steve could tell what was happening. He saw the way that Katherine inched forward as if trying to make enough space between herself and Bucky. Bucky's eyes traveled towards her as if debating to kill her or not.

"She's your friend," Steve said quoting back the only thing that he could remember. He didn't know if Siren and the Winter Solider were really friends, but Siren hadn't killed him, so he felt that he owed her her own life as well. "She loves you. She's lonely and she's scared too."

"Uh, Steve." Tony said. "I really don't think that this is the right time for a pep talk."

Steve ignored him as he turned back to Peter. "Take Siren back to Bruce, he'll heal her."

Peter looked alarmed. "Before or after she busts my head open?"

"She wants to know the truth about HYDRA as well, and she won't hurt you right?" Steve said looking at Katherine. Katherine gave a slow nod. "Good."

He saw as Peter and Katherine left and Steve readjusted his shield. "Stark, don't get in the way."

"What?" Tony snapped.

Steve turned to Bucky. "Bucky and I have some unfinished business."

-End of Chapter Sixteen-