Chapter 14 – Becoming an Avenger
I sat at the bottom of the staircase in the main room of the Avengers tower and listened at the Avengers (which now included Thor) spoke about a sceptre that belonged to Thor's brother Loki.
"We need to get it back" Thor said. I listened as the Avengers agreed to help him and also take down HYDRA bases as they went.
"Let me help" I said, getting everyone's attention.
"You don't even know how to fight, last time I checked" Tony stated. I looked over at him and shook my head in anger.
"You have no idea what I've been doing for the past two years; I spent the last two years learning control over my abilities and learning to defend myself" I told him. There was a sudden rage and I held my heart.
"What is it?" Steve asked.
"I have to go" I told him and ran out. I could feel where it was coming from, the Smithsonian. From Bucky. I hailed a taxi and headed in Bucky's direction.
When I arrived, I ran into the museum and in the direction of the Captain America exhibit where I saw Bucky wearing a cap, jeans and a jacket. I walked over to him and rested my hand on his shoulder.
"It's just me" I told him. He looked over to me and showed a hint of a smile before he turned back to the Bucky Barnes tribute.
"I was close with Steve, and they say I died a hero" he said.
"Steve and I were a mess. He dove a plane into the ocean and I let myself be kidnapped and experimented on." Bucky turned to look at me again.
"That punk" he mumbled and I laughed.
"You used to call him that all the time" I told him and he smiled.
"What did I call you?"
"Lanie" I replied and he smiled.
"I think I remember that. Because of Lois Lane?" he asked and I nodded.
"The Lanie to your Superman" I said and he put his arm around me.
"Can we go outside and talk?" I nodded and walked with his outside where we sat on a bench and he waited for me to talk.

"How much do you remember of yourself before HYDRA?" I asked and he sighed and looked to his hands, while I kept one hand on his back and the other on my lap.
"I remember a double date, I remember falling out of the train…" he started.
"Do you remember this?" I asked as I pulled the engagement ring from my pocket.
"How did you get that?" he asked, his eyes wide.
"Williams gave it to me after we came back from our first mission at HYDRA" I told him and he opened his hand. I place the ring in his palm and he examined it closely.
"Do you mind if I keep it?" he asked and I hesitated. "It might help me trigger more memories" he told me and I nodded.
"Where are you going to go? I know Steve has a friend of his trying to find you" I said.
"I'm going to go to Bucharest. There's a safe-house there and it's off the grid, nobody will find me" he told me and then looked me in the eye. "I hope."
"I won't say anything, and nobody can force me to" I promised. "I'll protect you, I promise."
"I remember that I love you, that I wanted to settle down with you and buy a house and I wanted us to have children together. I wanted it all, with you" he said as he cradled my head in his metal hand, a hand that had ripped doors off their hinges and that had beaten my brother to death. He leaned forwards and kissed me, gentle and warm. It was a familiar kiss, one that I hadn't felt in decades.
"I love you" I said when the kiss finally broke. He kept his forehead against mine as he smiled.
"Pretty good for a guy that hasn't kissed someone in over sixty years" he chuckled and I joined with a giggle.
"Muscle memory" I told him. "Your body remembers certain things on its own."
"Are you going to come with me?" he asked.
"No" I replied and he looked surprised. "You need to heal and find peace with yourself before we can move on" I told him.
"But-"
"Here" I handed him a cell phone and showed him mine. "Yours has my number and Steve's. Call me if you decide to move away from Bucharest and I will call you if I decide to come join you" I told him.
"Did you tell Steve that you're here?"
"No. If you wanted him to find you then you would've told him yourself" I said and Bucky sat back in his seat.
"Thank you."
"Call me whenever you want" I told him and kissed his cheek before standing up. "I love you Bucky."
"Goodbye for now Lanie" he said as he stood up and watched me walk away.

I walked back into the Avengers tower and Steve and Tony instantly cornered me.
"Where did you go?" Tony asked, well more of demanded.
"I had to get some air" I told him.
"Was it him?" Steve asked. I knew he meant Bucky but Bucky didn't want to be found, not yet.
"No" I lied.
"Nat and Clint have graciously offered to train you how to fight" Tony told me and I looked over to the two who were standing by the couch, watching us.
"You're officially an Avenger" Steve smiled and I nodded.
"I guess I should go and thank the two of them" I said and headed over to the couch. Nat and Clint perked up as I reached them and smiled.
"Congratulations kid, you're one of us" Clint said and I rolled my eyes.
"I'm older than you, both of you" I said and Nat smirked.
"Yeah Clint, don't mess with her" she teased and I smiled at the playfulness of the two. You could see that they were best friends.
"Yeah, girl power" I joined in and Nat laughed and hi-fived me while Clint shook his head.
"Please no" he said and it made Nat and I laugh even more.
"Bye Hawkeye, I'll see you later" I waved as Clint rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.
"You and I are going to be great friends" Nat told me and I nodded.
"That would be great" I said and I slid into the seat beside her to see what she had been watching on TV.

Reviews:
Georgianna: Thank you so much for your review, it made my morning to see that you have enjoyed the story! The bullying I went through was not just from school, but from family too and that was the part that sucked the most. The fact that the people who were meant to support me and have my back, were also bullying me; telling me I'm fat and that I'm not good enough and it still stays with me even now. My Mum is my rock, my hero and I wouldn't have even come this far without her support.
I'm glad to hear that you are healing from your bullying, I know it can be depressing, upsetting and aggravating to go through it all. But once you get away from the bullying, you start to heal and find confidence in yourself again.
Thanks again for your review!