A big thank you to everyone who has reviewed &/or fav/followed this story.

Also, a big thanks to my beta, MommaGotABuzz.

-PaleWolfsHowl

Winter- or was he even Winter anymore?- silently agreed with Eyepatch. "Can't be sure who to trust." But first and foremost his mind was focused on what Eyepatch had said about Banner. Why had the doctor needed something like that? And why hadn't it worked?

It had always seemed suspicious that an ordinary human was in the group of super-powered humans. Natasha was a trained assassin - with incredible skill. And An-Actual-Archer Clint was an actual archer.

But The Doctor… He was just human. Ordinary. A doctor. But, Winter felt an odd sense that he was in fact forgetting something. Again.

Yes, he was now able to remember his young childhood - his teens - the years in the war. But there were still blanks in the time spent with Hydra. Which was odd, he would have thought there would be more blanks in his time before Hydra. Not during it.

Now, onto another matter, the ... gods. Now, if he had been told Norse mythology was true back before the war, he wouldn't have believed it. He hardly believed it now.

But, from what he'd seen of the elder god, Thor - he could see why - possibly - Sylvia had decided to wait before bringing him into the room. Winter knew without a doubt that he would've classified Thor as a threat, and attacked.

Now, on the other hand, the younger one, Loki - Well, Winter felt oddly protective of him. In his years at Hydra, he had learned how to read people, to tell their emotions apart. Even if Loki was some ancient god or celestial being or whatever, Winter could tell he was scared.

That was all he was. A scared kid - Winter didn't know how the others all missed it.

Loki didn't have the aura of an adult, he didn't even act like one. At most, Loki was mentally in his late teens.

Yes, Loki had been alive much, much longer than Winter had been. But the gods obviously aged slower - mentally and physically.

And Winter could see the haunted look in his eyes. One that Winter understood explicitly. Whatever Loki had done to Earth, whoever he had killed - Winter highly doubted the young god had been in full control of himself.

Winter was very grateful for the fact that he had learned how to recover from a panic attack quickly, otherwise, he'd have to think all of these thoughts later.

He wasn't stupid. He knew the only reason he was able to pull himself back together was because of Steve - who was acting a little overprotective. Not that Winter could blame him.

[inside a bank vault, the HYDRA agents fix Bucky's metal arm

He sucked in a sharp breath, narrowing his eyes. He felt Steve stiffen against him, his arm constricting around Winter's shoulder tighter. He pressed himself tighter to his brother. He knew what was coming. He knew he'd have to control himself … if he lashed out. He could hurt someone. He didn't want to hurt someone.

Not Stark.

Not Natasha.

Not Banner.

Not Clint.

Not Thor.

Not Loki.

He couldn't live with himself if he did that.

And never, ever, Steve. He would rather die than do that. Not again. Ever.

and as they do so he has a brief flashback to his old life after he was recovered by Zola and the HYDRA agents]

Dr. Arnim Zola: Sergeant Barnes... [he has a flashback image of falling from the train - at the edge of the mountain. Steve is reaching for him - trying to save him]

He can feel Steve tense even farther, slightly shaking. He couldn't pry his eyes off the screen - blinking at it with wide pain-filled eyes as he remembered falling.

He suddenly can't breathe. Falling. He was falling. He trembles; he knows he isn't actually falling - but it feels like he is. He can feel the sensation, the air rushing past him. He can still hear Steve screaming his name.

Thankfully, Loki breaks the tension in his weird way. "A train, seriously?" The young god asks incredulously. Winter blinked at him, pulling in a breath. He could feel warmth returning to his body.

"Wh… what?" Steve managed to ask after a moment, the black-haired god shrugged, blazing emerald eyes blinking lazily. Though Winter could tell he was tense.

"A train? The Telling of Future said he'd fallen. I had assumed it was something cooler than a train." The young god shrugged. Winter raised an eyebrow at the sullen god. Definitely young mentally, then.

He wasn't offended, not really. Loki was obviously just speaking his honest thoughts, and Winter couldn't help but be slightly amused.

Stark let out a surprised huff of laughter, his brown eyes softening slightly - still cold, as he gazed at the young god.

Steve Rogers: Bucky, no!

[he then has a flashback to after he's picked up by Hydra agents]

Dr. Arnim Zola: The procedure has already started. [through Bucky's eyes we see Zola and the Hydra agent amputating his left arm and replacing it with the new cybernetic metal arm. He was awake for the surgery.]

"What the hell?" Natasha was the only one able to speak, but she looked sick to her stomach. Stark's face was pale, and his hands tightly clenched, eyes haunted. Banner had bitten his lip, eyes wide. An - Actual - Archer Clint has his hand on Natasha's shoulder, squeezing it in what must have been a painful grip.

Thor looked sickened, but more used to scenes such as this. And Loki … he was trembling slightly, his green eyes wide - not in the haunted way Stark's were … the young god's eyes were filled with real fear. He looked like he was having a flashback.

Steve has pulled Winter even closer to himself, and the Assassin didn't protest.

Winter shook his head a little, unfortunately, much worse things had happened to him than that.

He was okay, he wasn't going to panic.

He was fine.

You are to be the new fist of HYDRA. [to his men] Put him on ice. [we see Bucky being frozen]

"How…?" Stark's eyes were full of questions, but he wasn't stupid enough to ask them at the moment. Though Winter could practically feel the man wanting to know everything.

He rolled his icy blue eyes, waving a hand absentmindedly at the billionaire. "I don't really know how it works. It just… freezes my body? Same way Stevie got frozen, I'd assume?"

Tony nodded, obviously planning to look more into it. Looking to his side, he could see Loki sneaking looks at him - eyes widening as he was caught, and immediately looking away.

Poor kid, he looked like he just wanted a hug or something. Glancing at Thor, he could tell the older god was concerned as he looked at his younger brother.

But there seemed to be something stopping him from comforting the younger, obviously related to something that had happened in the past.

Winter turned his gaze away from the brothers - who couldn't possibly be related, they looked nothing alike - before he could make the already nervous god more anxious.

Steve's arm tightened around him, and Winter hugged him back.

Stevie would not be liking whatever Possibly - Sylvia showed them next.

[after which he comes back to the present and knocks over the HYDRA agent fixing his arm]

"Oh heck yeah!" Exclaims An - Actual - Archer Clint, throwing his fist into the air. Winter smirked as the rag - tag team all jumped on the lighter subject.

"Nice hit, Barnes!" Natasha said, her grin devilish. Winter smirked back at her, shaking off the last of his panic. Which would stay away… as long as they didn't show the Recalibration Chair being used on him.

"Yes, for a mortal, that was quite extraordinary," Thor smiled at him, his blue eyes crinkling up happily. Loki seemed to relax a little at his brother's enthusiasm. Steve gave him a slight shove on the arm.

"Remember that bully… his name was Brent? If I remember correctly. By the swings, back in fifth grade…?" Steve trailed off, looking at him curiously, aware that Winter might not remember.

He did, however, remember. His smirk turned into a smile at that, he remembered hitting that kid quite hard for a small kid.

"Yes. After he stole your lunch?" Winter tilted his head a little, and Steve nodded. Stark and An - Actual - Archer Clint looked at them curiously.

Winter explained with a slight smile. "He stole Stevie's lunch, so I'm pretty sure I hit him across the face, then kicked him in the stomach." He said fondly.

Steve nodded, "That's what I remember."

Natasha smirked at them. "Aw, did The American Mother used to get picked on?" Stark smirked at that too, and Loki tilted his head a little.

Steve glances at the young god, before sighing and explaining the joke to both Norse gods.

The young god snickers delightedly, his bright green eyes narrowing with mischief. Thor rolls his eyes, smiling softly at his younger brother.

Most of the group relaxes a little. They'd most likely been prepared to defend themselves against Loki at a moment's notice.

[Rollins points his gun at him to stop him from attacking any further]

Steve snarls at that, and all relaxation melts away. Loki's eyes go from playful to stone-cold, and Winter sucks in a breath.

[as Pierce enters the bank vault Bucky is being held in]

Scientist #1: Sir, he's...he's unstable. Erratic.

"Jeez, I wonder why," Stark growls sarcastically, his eyes staring at Pierce and the scientists with a hateful gaze. Winter feels a burst of gratitude towards Stark - even after he'd killed the man's parents, Stark is still willing to give him a chance.

Stark still got angry on his behalf…

Tony was a good man.

[Pierce enters with Rumlow and some other HYDRA agents and goes over to Bucky]

Alexander Pierce: Mission report. [Bucky: looking blank, doesn't respond]

Mission report, now. [Pierce moves closer to Bucky and suddenly strikes him hard across his face. His head whips to the side with the force of the blow.]

Winter flinches, unable to stop himself, recoiling from the image on the screen. Steve's arms tighten around him. He wants to bury his head in Steve's collarbone - but he can't look away from the screen.

No matter how much he wants to, he knows he needs to see this. The only way he'd ever be free of the trauma … free of Hydra … the only way it would get better was to escape. He can't run from the truth or try to forget it.

He's been Hydra's puppet for years, and he never intends to be like that again now that he is remembering himself. He might never have to see any of them again, but for his last few … hours?… He might as well try to accept what happened to him.

He'd hate to leave Steve again, but if it was for the blond's safety … well there was nothing he wouldn't do for him.

Bucky Barnes: The man on the bridge... [he has a flashback to Steve calling him by his name] Who was he?

Loki's brow furrows slightly, "Do you not have your… memories or something?" The young god asks, once again speaking rather bluntly.

Winter nodded, "I only regained my memories recently - in the past few hours. Things have been coming back" No one must've explained it to the young god - at least not in much detail. Thor probably didn't know much about it either, because Winter highly doubts that future Steve and future Natasha had exactly been happy about the situation.

So, Loki probably only knew he'd been a 'villain' for lack of a better word.

Loki seemed to be thinking over what he said, and the movie resumed.

Alexander Pierce: You met him earlier this week on another assignment.

Bucky Barnes: I knew him. [Pierce sits in front of Bucky]

Steve sucks in a breath, "You… you remembered?"

"I couldn't ever … really forget you," Winter said, awkwardly aware of how vulnerable his voice must sound.

The others look away, even Loki, letting them have a moment of 'privacy'. Winter looks at his best friend, and brother in everything but blood, with a fond look.

Alexander Pierce: Your work has been a gift to mankind. You shaped the century, and I need you to do it one more time. Society is at a tipping point between order and chaos. Tomorrow morning we're gonna give it a push. But, if you don't do your part, I can't do mine, and HYDRA can't give the world the freedom it deserves.

Bucky Barnes: But I knew him.

Even Stark and Natasha looked shaken by Winter's future self's response. Winter bites his lip between his teeth, so … even after only just seeing Steve, in a fight - his future self had recognized Steve and knew he was important?

He didn't know exactly what Hydra had done to him, but … he knew it must've gone wrong somehow - because their main priority should have been to erase any and all memories of Steve.

Obviously, they had, but not very well.

He stared at the screen, almost taken aback by how his future self's voice had sounded.

But I knew him, not, I think I knew him, there was no question. That means Hydra would activate the Chair.

[Pierce turns to the scientists]

Alexander Pierce: Prep him.

Scientist #1: He's been out of cryo-freeze too long.

Alexander Pierce: Then wipe him and start over.

[Bucky looks at Pierce's retreating form with resignation. In defeat, he allows the scientists to insert the black mouthguard as the metal restraints close over his arms and legs. The Chair tilts backward, and the machine hums as its metal conductors come down over his face and head. Bucky screams in pain as the crackle of electricity reverberates throughout his head. His body spasms violently as electricity surges through his nerves and the tendons in his neck bulge with the tension as they begin the process of wiping his brain. He screams again in agony as Pierce leaves the room.]

Gasps of shock echo through the room - even though Winter had briefly explained earlier how Hydra wiped his memories and conditioned him. He knows they hadn't fully been prepared to see it.

He's shaking. He can't breathe. The Chair. He can still feel it, the burning pain, the agony exploding in his head.

He can feel the rubbery taste in his mouth - he can feel phantom lightning coursing through his bloodstream. It's all he can do to stop himself from screaming now.

Steve is stiff as a board, staring at the paused movie with such hatred that it almost scares Winter himself.

Steve's hands curl into tight fists as he glares at the screen. Snapping out of it, Steve pulls Winter into a tight hug.

He's aware of tears falling down his cheeks, as a million memories of the Chair flash through his mind.

…But something is wrong, not with Steve - though he was very, very angry, and rightfully so - but with… Loki.

Glancing up from where his face had been buried in Steve's neck, he can see Loki out of the corner of his eye.

The young god is deathly pale, his eyes haunted. What had been shown on-screen must have triggered something in the kid. Memories are powerful things, they can be both good and bad … but whatever Loki is remembering isn't just bad - it's nightmarish.

Thor is looking at his brother with a twisted kind of regret on his face - like he wants to help his younger brother but doesn't know how.

Whatever had happened between them had left a chasm - deep and full of unsaid things and unspoken regrets. Cuts and bruises left unhealed and infected, and as time went on, the distance between them became greater and greater.

Without thinking too much of it, Winter frees his arm from where it was wrapped around Steve and gently grasps the young god's arm.

Loki looks at him with a shocked expression but doesn't stop Winter from pulling him closer.

The poor kid practically melts into his side, burying his face into Winter's neck. It's only then that Winter realizes he'd used his left arm - the weapon - to pull the young god into his side, and Loki … isn't afraid of it.

So wrapped up in his thoughts, he hasn't even noticed the looks of stunned - shock and confusion on the other's faces.

Thor, especially, looks like he was going to faint.

But Winter doesn't notice.