Location: Secret Hydra base, Germany
Rumlow was standing in a room with ten other Hydra soldiers with guns pointed at the unconscious Winter Soldier. Two doctors were checking his vitals. A voice came over the intercom. "Mr. Bones, you know what to do"
"Yes sir" Rumlow said smirking
He looked over at the others and they avoided his eyes; they all fear him and he liked it that way.
"Herr Doctor when will he wake up?"
"Anytime now, but we could always shock him to wake him up" a doctor answered
"Only pain, do it" Rumlow said
The doctors pressed a few buttons on the console and then it shocked Bucky waking him up with a gasp.
"Restraints"
Metal restraints wrapped around Bucky's legs and his arms. Then a metal head guard incased his face keeping it from moving. Rumlow smiled at the sight.
"Good Mr. Bones, bring his mind back to the right side"
"Yes sir" Rumlow said and nodded at the doctors
They put a mouth guard in Bucky's mouth and then they put pads on his head and before they shocked him Rumlow wanted to talk.
"You got away from us"
"You just couldn't find me" Bucky said half muffled by the mouth guard
"But we did find you, we can always hunt a dog"
"I'll get out again"
"Not this time big shot" Rumlow said getting in Bucky's face "We are going to wipe that mind and plant you with memories, our memories that you'll need. I just thought you should know because the "You" you are now will be gone forever. Say good bye to your friend Captain America and your life James Buchannan Barnes"
Bucky's eyes widen and he said something while trying to lung at Rumlow.
"What was that?" Rumlow asked because the mouth guard muffled it
"Get that thing out of his mouth"
The doctor removed it "I will hunt you all down and kill you all! And you! I will split your skull and hang your corpse for everyone to see!"
"Sounds like fun, sad you won't remember this life and conversation" Rumlow said looking at the doctors "Do it"
The doctor shoved the mouth guard into Bucky's mouth and they shocked him sending searing pain into Bucky's skull making feel like it was going to crack in half and explode. He grunted in pain and shook violently as the intensity increased.
Rumlow smiled at the screams and the pain.
Location: Avenger Tower, New York
Natasha collected herself and she closed her eyes taking all emotion from her face and keeping it from surfacing so she felt nothing. The elevator pinged and the door opened and she let out a slight gasp as she saw Steve standing there holding a bag and wearing a tight white shirt with tan cargo pants with black running shoes. The sight took her off guard like the time in Sam's room. She looked at his strong chest and his abs and as they were hugged by the white shirt. He looked just like he did the last time she saw him.
Steve's eyes went wide when he saw Natasha in front of him in the elevator. He looked at her and noticed her hair was like before; wavy and it complemented her face. He slightly opened his mouth because he wasn't expecting to see her.
"Miss Romanoff" he said
"How many times Steve, Natasha"
Steve smiled and slightly blushed "Natasha"
"Going to the gym?"
"Yeah, uh you're back"
"Yeah, sooner than expected"
They both stood in an awkward silence then a voice broke the silence.
"Natasha!" Clint exclaimed and he hugged her
"Hi" she said calmly
"You changed your mind and came back"
"Changed her mind?" Steve asked confused
"I visited Natasha" Clint said
Natasha looked at him with a face.
"Ok, found Natasha and I stayed with her for a few days and tried to change her mind about coming back" he said smiling
"Oh, well you two can catch up again while I go workout" Steve said walking past Natasha and he pressed the third button below the top floor and the door closed and Steve wasn't looking at them.
Clint and Natasha stared at the door; and Natasha noticed that she was still In Clint's arms. She brought her hands down and he did as well.
"That was weird of him, didn't even stay to chat" Stark said
Natasha rolled her eyes as she heard the voice.
"Hey red, found time out of you vacation schedule to visit?" Stark asked eating a bag of blueberries
"I came back to stay" Natasha said
"Oh and it's because someone that got back as well" Stark said smiling
Natasha looked at him "NO, I came back because who is going to look after you, Bruce?"
"Oh, defense good move" Stark said
Natasha glared at him and he panicked and got out of her glare. Leaving her there with Clint.
"He's right you know. With the note I left and then you get back on the very same day as Cap"
"He's a partner" she said crossing her arms
"I did say I would find out who got to you" Clint said smirking while walking away knowing it was time to leave.
"I'd sleep with your eyes open tonight Barton" Natasha said at him angry
Why did they assume that the reason she came back was all because of Steve? When it clearly wasn't. She sighed then she heard a booming voice "Lady Natasha!" Thor said happy to see her. Natasha braced herself for one of his bear hugs.
Steve
Steve was in the gym hitting a bag and he was jabbing at it quickly. His mind deep in thought and he thought back to his time with Hydra and Red Skull. He started to hit the bag harder and he was gritting his teeth. He thought about Natasha and how grew jealous when he saw Clint holding her in his arms. He felt sweat falling down his face from his hair. He had the urge to hit Clint in the face. But what did he expect, of course they had a relationship. From the way they were in the helicarrier before the battle of New York, and how she wears a metal arrow on a necklace that she was wearing during their time on the run.
He brought his fist back and hit the bag as hard as he could and he sent it flying across the room; spilling sand all over the floor.
"Yo old man" Stark said
Steve rolled his eyes and sighed.
"What do you want Stark?" Steve asked hooking another bag up ad starting to punch it.
"You do know how much those cost right?"
"Is that all you wanted?"
"No, just making small talk. When did you start seeing red?"
Steve threw a punch and his hand went into the bag and out the other end leaving a hole with his arm through it; he looked at Stark.
"What?"
"When did you start tapping that?"
"Tapping what?"
"Oh, forgot not from this decade or time no knowledge. When did you start banging Nat?"
"Banging, I haven't been banging anyone" Steve said taking his arm out of the bag
"You still have you V-card, typical you leave for four months and you didn't have sex one-time"
"I was looking for Bucky"
"Oh that kind of relationship you're in to" Stark aid
"NO, you moron"
"What, there's nothing wrong with it? Everyone is different"
"Stark, I'm straight"
"Sure you are" Tony said walking away
"Just because I don't have sex with anyone, does not make me gay"
"It does in this decade" Tony said closing the door
Steve felt something in him snap and he kicked the bag sending it across the room, and he picked up another one and threw it across the room. He walked back to the locker room where his bag was. Wanting to kill Stark.
Tony
Tony was standing in the kitchen eating his blueberries. Clint was sitting on the fridge.
"I mean he could be gay" Tony said eating another blueberry
"I don't think so" Clint said shaking his head is disagreement
"Come on, he hasn't done anyone, what else could he be?"
"Old fashioned" Bruce said from the couch
"Like Cap is going to deny a hot woman" Stark said
"He has before, every girl you've ever try to set him up with" Bruce said taking his eyes off the book he was reading.
"How, they were all gorgeous" Tony said
"They are from this time and they are models and Steve is clearly not in to that" Clint said
"Right, he had a thing for a foreign agent" Stark said
"Her name is Peggy and she was one of the founders of S.H.E.I.L.D" Bruce countered
"Whatever, she was British and was a secret agent"
"She could kick your ass" Clint said
Tony chuckled and then his face quickly turned serious.
"What?" Clint said
"Cap is in to someone and my guess is our red" Stark said
"It seems like it, but I don't know" Bruce said
"Come on, they both show up randomly on the same day. That's quite a coincidence is it not?"
"He's got a point Bruce" Clint said
"What's your take on it point break?" Stark asked Thor
Thor looked up from his plate of pop tarts and swallowed his food.
"Lord Steven and Lady Natasha are doing the dirty?" Thor asked seeming to not even listened to the conversation
"You were sitting right there, you're going to tell us that you didn't listen to one word we said" Clint said skeptical
"Sorry Lord of bow, I don't pay attention to things that don't involve me"
"Of course you do" Stark said rolling his eyes "Ok I bet money on Cap and red"
"Of course you'll resort to betting money" Bruce said
"When you're a billionaire talk then"
"Point taken" Bruce said returning to his book
"Doubters" Stark said
"Doubters about what?" Natasha asked coming into the room hearing their whole conversation.
"Oh nothing" Stark said
"Steve's not gay" Natasha said taking a seat next to Bruce
"Wait you heard the whole conversation?" Stark asked slightly worried
"I'm a spy remember" Natasha said looking at him
"Oh of course I forgot about that" Stark said walking away
"What's wrong with Stark?" She asked
"Oh the time of the month" Clint said smirking
"Right" Bruce said not looking up from his book "Nat can you take your legs off of my lap?" Bruce asked
"What? Oh sorry" Natasha said noticing her lags were lying across Bruce's lap
She thought she noticed something but dismissed it, Bruce looked tense like he was trying to stay in control. She sat there grabbing the remote and turning on the television.
Steve
Steve was standing in his shower in his room letting the warm water massage his sore muscles. He let it hit his face and he was keeping his mind blank and empty taking the time to be at peace. Steve grabbed his shampoo after a few minutes and washed his hair and he rinsed it. He turned off the shower and stepped out.
He dried himself off and changed into a black shirt and he wore a navy blue jacket with light tan cargo pants. He wore dark tan boots and walked out of his room toward the elevator. He pressed the button and waited for the elevator.
"Where are you going?" Natasha asked
Steve didn't see her there and he was almost startled by her
"Out" he said
"Out huh" she said smirking
"What?" he asked looking at her
"Cap is going out" she teased
"Funny, it's just I need to get away from Stark"
"I know what you mean" she said
"Want to join me?" he asked
"Sure where are you going?" she asked smiling
"Don't know, just walking around anywhere"
"Well it sounds peaceful lead on"
"Maybe the park" Steve said as the door opened and he stepped inside
"Uh-huh" she said smiling and followed.
They exited the building and started their walk down the sidewalk. Natasha put her arm around his and they set off not worrying where they were headed. They occasionally stopped to look at the items in the windows. They went and ate at a restaurant.
Steve and Natasha were sitting at a booth waiting for their food to come out. Natasha sat across from him and he couldn't help but stare. He smiled and took a sip from his pop.
"So, did you find Bucky?"
"No and yes he found us" Steve said
"And?"
"He got away, but I did get a file on him and on other Hydra bases, but they were the ones I took down in Nazi Germany."
"You were in Russia?"
"Yeah, where else would I be looking?"
"Clint said you were in Austria" Natasha said drinking her glass of water
"I do have an apartment in Austria and I was there before Russia"
"Oh, and did Sam have a good time?"
"I would guess not" Steve said
Natasha laughed and smiled at him "That would be him"
"Yeah once I got the file, and not being able to find Bucky I decided that one day he'll show himself." Steve said
"Did you find anything else besides two files?"
"I found a third one" Steve said
"What was it about?" she asked curious
"It was about you" Steve said trying to be honest
Natasha's smile disappeared and her eyes went into full horror. What had he read, found out about her. How much did he know? She recoiled and sat back and looked down at the table not meeting his kind gaze with those blue eyes.
"I didn't read it" Steve said
Natasha's eyes slightly widened and she looked up at him.
"Did you think I did?" he asked
"Why wouldn't you?"
"It was my partner's past, it wouldn't be right to delve into it"
"You know, you are a boy scout" she said lightly chuckling with relief
"I was never a boy scout, I'm just respectful unlike Stark"
"You could say that again" she said
"Look Natasha, I figured that if you wanted me to know things about your past then you would tell me"
Natasha didn't say anything.
"But it was in your past, its wasn't the now you" Steve said putting his hand forward on the table
"It's still me"
"I've done things that keep me up at night, I understand. The thing is, is not to let those past choices dictate where I'm going"
"It's easy for you to say" Natasha said avoiding his eyes
"Natasha, I don't care about your past, I know the real you and I take pride in that"
"How do you know it's not the real me?"
"The real you is the one I have been with this evening, the one who can laugh and make a joke and smile, a real smile not a fake one you put on when you are on mission"
Natasha felt her throat tighten and she felt a tear come to her eye. She held it back and she didn't let the tear fall. No one had every told her about how much they don't care about her past. Others usually looked at her in disgust when they learn of her past; but then again Steve didn't know her past. What would he think of her once he knew?
The waitress brought out their food and they ate in silence; Natasha noticed a few glances from Steve as he ate a steak with mash potatoes and gravy with stemmed carrots and two biscuits.
Bucky
The room was full of screams and then they stopped and became deathly silent. Bucky was dripping in sweat and his head was hanging down with his long hair dripping sweat. Rumlow was enjoying himself, and he looked at the doctors and they nodded in approval.
"Mr. Bones, is our friend with us?" the voice asked over the intercom
Rumlow got close to Bucky's head and he looked at the worn out man.
"Hail Hydra" Rumlow said
Bucky slowly raised his head and looked at Rumlow with a blank glare "Hail Hydra" Bucky growled through a raspy voice.
"Very good Mr. Bones, get him to his quarters and give him his orders."
"Yes sir" Rumlow said signaling two Hydra soldiers to get Bucky.
They pulled him out of the chair and they dragged him from his arms and his boots skidded across the floor. They walked him down three hallways taking two right and one left then they opened a door and threw him inside. Bucky hit the floor hard and he didn't move. He laid there with a mind splitting headache and he couldn't move his body.
Clint
Clint was making himself a sandwich when Stark came back into the kitchen.
"Do you ever leave the kitchen, Legolas?" Stark asked opening the fridge reaching for a beer.
"Don't call me that and yes, I leave the kitchen on occasion" Clint said wrapping up the bread and twisted it.
"The sun is starting to go down and Cap left five hours ago" Stark said
"Are you spying on our favorite Captain?"
"First, he's our only Captain and second yes"
"What are you hoping for, sewing him and Natasha making out?" Clint said pausing as the image went through his mind
"Yes, god are you ever not right?" Stark said clearly sarcastic
"I'm wrong all the time"
"When?"
"I didn't think Nat would show up, she seemed pretty heart set on staying away"
"Look at that wrong for once, what about Cap and red, do you think they are together?"
"No, and I haven't seen anything to point me in that direction"
"God you are boring" Tony exclaimed
"No just patient"
"So you think there is something between them?"
"Stark, I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me"
Stark frowned and looked at Clint as he was taking a bite out of the sandwich he made.
"What do you mean?"
"Nat hasn't had a fun life, most of it was torture and killing. Cap seems to make her smile and have a good time"
"Don't you do that too?"
"Yes but in a different way, more of a cracking jokes the entire time"
"You did tap that didn't you?"
"If you must know, yes I did"
Stark let his mouth drop and he put his elbow on the island and held his head in his hands.
"Details" Stark said curious
"It was nine years ago" Clint said "And it was one time after a drunk party, I don't really remember it"
"You are… I can't even look at you right now" Stark said disappointed standing to full height and walked off with his beer in his hand.
Clint watched him disappear around a corner and he shook his head, how gullible can you be, of course I haven't had sex with Natasha, we're just good friends, I did save her life.
He chuckled at Stark's reaction then disappointment and he took his sandwich to the couch and he turned on the television and starting eating his sandwich.
Steve
Steve and Natasha were walking through the park as the sun was going down. Natasha had her arm around his but she still didn't look at him; he mind was off somewhere else. To a burning building and children screaming and then gunfire. She could smell the stench of burning flesh, she felt sick to her stomach. Steve looked down at her and he became puzzled she looked like she was in deep thought and he saw a tear come to her eye.
"You ok?" Steve asked
Natasha came back to reality and she was back in the park with the warm wind blowing behind her with Steve's scent in the air. She was clearly startled by his voice.
"What?" she asked looking up at him
"You ok?" Steve asked sounding and looking worried
"Yeah" she lied; she felt like crawling into a dark hole and never coming out of it.
"Old memory?"
"No" she lied again
"Ok" Steve said smiling and he looked ahead again
Steve knew that she was lying, but it was about her past. He knew she wouldn't share it. Steve led her to a bench and they both sat down. They sat in silence and Steve looked over the pond that was in front of them and he could see the sun setting and it gave the water a brilliant orange color. He smelled the air and he felt good, hopeful, calm, and loose.
"Thank you?" Natasha said bringing him back.
"For what?" Steve said looking at her; she still wouldn't look at him.
"For not reading my file" she said almost looking at him
"It wouldn't have been right to read it" Steve said
"I have done so many horrible things" she said trying to keep it together
"Natasha" Steve said softly
Natasha heard him but she didn't look at him. Steve put his arm around her and she got closer to him and put her head on his shoulder. Steve looked down at her and he could smell her hair. The scent made him become warm and he felt his ears getting warm and he wanted to kiss her. He held her in his arms and she stayed silent as she rested her head against him staying in the moment.
"Natasha, when you remember something horrible think of this moment, the peacefulness of it and the calm warm breeze." He said softly
Natasha closed her eyes and a tear fell down her cheek and soaked into Steve's shoulder. She closed her eyes and let out a shudder and focused on Steve's calm heart beat in her ear and she felt safe, in complete bliss and her mind forgot about her past and her evil deeds; she liked it. The sun slowly moved down and the water became bluer then the sun was gone, but Steve was still there, with her. Together.
Bucky
Bucky stood in front of Rumlow glaring blankly at him. Rumlow stood in front of him and a man was behind him. He stood tall and had a long black coat on and black gloves.
"My fellow man, the time has come to take out the Avengers" he said
"When do we strike?" Rumlow asked
"Soon, then their corpses will lay beneath my boot and we will control the world" fire burned in the man's eyes and he smiled.