"Your mission briefs are in the folders." Maria Hill gestured to the small stack of manila envelopes marked 'classified' in front of her before clicking a button to begin a three dimensional holographic presentation. "The objective is straightforward and this is not believed to be a combat mission. Your goal is to assess the base and retrieve any potentially valuable information pertaining to HYDRA's resurgence and future plans. The base has been abandoned for years now, or so we believe."

Natasha, Steve, and Charlotte sat around the sleek conference table, their attention focused on the display shimmering before them. The room was dimly lit, the lights turned down to enhance their view of the hologram.

"As you can see, the target location was heavily fortified when it was previously occupied," Maria explained, her voice calm and authoritative as she rotated the display with a wave. "We don't know how many of those security measures remain in place, or if they're still monitored at all. Our objective is to gather as much intel as possible without triggering anything that would tip them off that we're on their trail.."

Steve nodded in agreement, his expression serious as he surveyed the holographic map. "We'll operate with caution," he remarked, his tone measured. "We won't draw unnecessary attention to ourselves."

"I appreciate that, Cap, but you're not the one I want to hear that from." She raised an eyebrow in Charlotte's direction.

Chewing on the end of her pen, Charlotte didn't notice at first. When she felt the eyes of the other two land on her, she pulled her eyes away from the hauntingly familiar insignia on the outside of the building in front of her. "What? Me? What would I do?"

"Crash a quinjet. Almost blow yourself up. Have a subconsciously triggered psychotic break and try to kill everyone in the vicinity." Maria shrugged nonchalantly.

"Hey," Charlotte held her hands up defensively. "I haven't given you any reason to think I'd do the last one."

"Bucky Barnes might disagree." She folded her hands across her chest. Her tone was always so even, impossible to detect if her dry sense of humor was showing or just her pragmatic, no-nonsense work tone.

Leveling a glare at Maria that didn't phase her one bit, Charlotte sat back in her chair and mock bowed. "You have my word, I will try my absolute darndest not to lose my mind and rain hellfire down on half of Eastern Europe."

"Much appreciated." The smallest smirk tugged at Maria's mouth before she moved on.

Charlotte listened intently, her mind already racing with strategic possibilities. Jokes aside, she knew this mission was crucial, not only for gathering vital intelligence but also for proving herself as a capable member of the team. This was her first official mission as an Avenger. She knew the reasoning behind both Steve and Natasha going with her, despite it just being an intelligence mission, was multifaceted. First, there was a possibility that the base was still in undercover operation and they would be walking into a trap. Second, there could be an alarm system in place that would alert any remaining HYDRA forces of their breach and draw them into an ambush. Finally and least pleasantly, Charlotte knew that she was somewhat of a loose cannon. Although she'd proven herself with the attack on the compound, she hadn't worked in an organized mission format before and she was going to a place with significantly traumatic ties to her past. This wasn't the facility where she'd been held, but entering any HYDRA territory at all was bound to bring back dark memories. Having two of the most seasoned Avengers with her would be to protect her from everything waiting for them, and to protect everything else from her.

Forty five minutes later when they'd walked through the interior renderings, the terrain map, and the mission plans ad nauseum, Maria concluded the brief and excused herself.

"You ready for this?" Nat elbowed Charlotte as they stood to head towards the locker room.

Rolling her eyes, Charlotte tucked the manila folder under her arm. "How can I not be with Agent Hill's heartwarming vote of confidence?"

Steve strode up between them as they crossed into the hallway. Putting his arm around each of their shoulders, he joked, "You'll be just fine. You're with two veterans here."

"Hey, don't make me sound old, Rogers." Nat shoved his arm off of her shoulder and pointed a warning at him. "Let's not forget I'm the youngest one here by many, many decades."

"You ever think they put two of the oldest on a mission with you to keep an eye on you?" He grinned. Nat simply flipped him off and pressed the elevator button to bring them back upstairs to the residential floor.

When they reached the common room, the chaos of dinnertime greeted them. "Perfect timing, grab a plate," Wanda called out from her position behind the stove, serving herself what looked like lasagna. They jumped in line, grabbing and filling a plate before joining the rest of the team at the table. The aroma of marinara and freshly baked bread filled the air as the team settled into their unofficial assigned seats, like every other night.

"So, Cap, did Maria give you any more gray hairs?" Sam quipped, raising an eyebrow as he shoveled a steaming forkful into his mouth and immediately winced.

Steve chuckled, shaking his head. "She tried, but I think I've still got a few years left. Charlotte, on the other hand…she took the brunt of it."

Across the table, Wanda turned her attention to Charlotte, a concerned furrow marring her brow. "How are you feeling about the mission, Charlotte? Nervous?"

Charlotte flashed a reassuring smile. "Nervous? Me? Please." She spread the pasta around on her plate, learning from Sam and letting it cool down. "I think you'll remember that I was born without the 'self-preservation' part of my brain. Well," She held up her wrist, the thin metal bracelet jangling as she wiggled it. "Born, programmed, whatever."

"Why was Maria giving you a hard time?" Calla frowned. She'd been joining them for dinner almost every night since she and Sam had finally gone public with their relationship.

"Maria," Nat answered for her. "Was reminding us all to keep a low profile, Charlotte in particular. She pointed out that Char hasn't exactly done that, lately."

"Then she proceeded to give examples," Steve added, fighting his grin as Charlotte rolled her eyes. "It was difficult to contest."

"I'm feeling a little victimized." Charlotte reached for the basket in the center of the table holding the rolls.

"So did I when you tried to rip my head off." Bucky deadpanned, tugging the bread basket just out of her reach. "Both times."

Pausing, Charlotte met his gaze as she stood, leaning over the table towards him. "Cry me a river." She plucked a roll out of the basket in front of him, returning to her seat. "You better hope I don't find the HYDRA secret to brainwashing or you'll be doing my bidding all day, every day, Barnes."

Bucky cocked his eyebrow and ran his tongue along the inside of his lower lip. Steve, knowing all too well that the look on his best friend's face meant nothing good, chose that moment to chime in. "Charlotte will do just fine. It'll be an easy intelligence mission and we'll be right back here in two days. Just try not to miss us too much."

The rest of the meal passed in a blur of the usual good-natured jabs, tossed rolls, and laughter that felt too lighthearted for Charlotte, knowing she was walking straight into the belly of the beast she'd so narrowly escaped from in just over twelve hours. When the dishes were done, lights were flicked off, and bedroom doors were closing, Natasha caught Charlotte's arm before she disappeared into her room.

"Charlotte, you're more than capable of handling this. Just trust your instincts and rely on your training." She gave a warm smile and a reassuring squeeze. "Try to get at least a little sleep tonight, okay?"

"Deal. Thanks, Nat." Charlotte did her best to return Natasha's warm smile, knowing all too well she wouldn't be sleeping a single minute that night.

The locker room was quiet, the only sound the soft hum of the overhead lights as Charlotte meticulously checked her gear. She ran her fingers over the smooth surface of her suit, double-checking the straps and fastenings to ensure everything was secure. The night had been agonizingly long as sleep continued to evade her. Part of it was her nerves, the way her stomach writhed and twisted just thinking of stepping foot into a HYDRA base again. Part of it was fear of actually falling asleep and finding herself in the midst of an all too familiar nightmare, waking her in a cold sweat. Some of them got so bad she didn't know if she'd have the balls to step onto the Quinjet if she had one.

So she just didn't sleep.

When her alarm had finally gone off, it somehow felt like a mercy from her own thoughts in the dark doom. She was up and out the door in less than a minute. By the time Steve and Natasha joined her in the locker room, she was almost fully suited up.

As she worked, her mind raced with the same thoughts that had kept her up all night. Thoughts warning her that this was a mistake. That she'd narrowly escaped with her life and freedom and to go back into enemy territory was to make a gamble with both. Taking a deep breath, Charlotte forced herself to push aside her doubts and fears. She knew she couldn't afford to let her emotions get the best of her, not when so much was at stake. Although this was a relatively low octane mission, the implications were heavy. Gathering information on HYDRA could prevent future attacks, stall their plans for growth. Today's mission could be the catalyst to prevent everything she'd lost sleep fearing.

With a final glance in the mirror, Charlotte straightened her posture, meeting her own somewhat bloodshot green eyes in the reflection. They looked more confident than she felt. Good. I can play a part with the best of them. Her hands absently patted down her body, feeling for the guns holstered on her hips and thighs, the belt fully stocked with tech.

"Takeoff in ten, Char." Nat called over her shoulder before leaving her alone in the room.

Giving her a half-hearted two finger salute, Charlotte watched her disappear fully before bowing her head. She wasn't sure quite where she stood on religion, but in that moment, she prayed to anyone who would listen to just let her make it out again. Whatever awaited them, she could handle it so long as she made it back to this place with these people. So long as she made it back home.

"Hey." A low voice snapped her out of her stupor. She opened her eyes to see Bucky, hair tousled and messy, eyes looking as sleepless as hers, standing in the doorway. He wasn't dressed for an early morning workout, instead wearing dark sweats and a hoodie.

"Hey," She took a step towards him. "You look like hell."

"Good morning to you, too." He scowled. "I'd ask if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but something tells me you didn't sleep at all."

"What tipped you off?" Charlotte grit her teeth.

"I didn't hear you wake up in a panic." Bucky didn't break her gaze.

Pausing, she shifted her weight, folding her arms across her chest. "You can't have a nightmare if you don't sleep."

"You need sleep to be at your best today. If you're foggy, if you miss something today ––"

Charlotte cut him off, holding a hand up as she moved to push past him. "Look, if you're just here to lecture me, I'm really not in the mood for ––"

"I'm not." Vibranium fingers gripped her waist just above her belt. Setting his jaw, he met her eyes again. "I just wanted to say…just be careful." A moment of quiet passed between them. "You will be okay. You're out, and you're never going to be trapped again."

From the ever-so-slight break in his voice, Charlotte knew he was talking to himself just as much as he was to her. She also knew it couldn't have been easy to drag himself out of bed at the ass crack of done to come get touchy feely. It wasn't lost on her.

"Thank you, Bucky." Her words came out breathless. Seeming to realize his hand was still on her waist, Bucky let go. Charlotte caught his hand in her own and gave it a squeeze as she offered a faint smile. "I'll see you in two days."

"See you in two days."

As the Quinjet sliced through the dark skies en route to Eastern Europe, the atmosphere among the trio was surprisingly light. The hum of the engines provided a steady backdrop to their low conversations, the cabin dimly lit. The sun had finally come up, driving away some of the ominous thoughts of the night along with it. Charlotte was again absently checking her gear when Natasha, sitting across from her, leaned back in her chair with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"So, Char, are we gonna talk about when you and Barnes disappeared in New York?" Natasha's voice was teasing, her smile knowing.

Charlotte rolled her eyes, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. "Oh, so first you want to cockblock, and then you want to gossip."

Steve, looking over his shoulder from where he was maneuvering the jet, raised his eyebrows. "I'm sorry, was there a need for a cockblock?"

"I guess we'll never know." Charlotte shrugged.

"Oh, come on!" Nat nudged her chair with a boot. "First it gets all tense and awkward during the game, then you disappear to 'get another drink'," She made air quotes with her fingers. "After which, Barnes mysteriously also needs a refill. You're gone a few minutes, you both come back flushed with a disappointing lack of messy hair or undone buttons."

Charlotte rolled her eyes, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. "Well, if we're calling out cockblockers, Sam was the one who interrupted in the first place.".

Steve, now so invested he'd switched the Quinjet to autopilot, turned around in his seat.. "Sam interrupted what, exactly?"

"I mean," Charlotte flushed with a laugh. "I don't know. Bucky was about to kiss me,, I guess—"

Natasha interrupted, her voice triumphant. "Ha! I told you, Rogers! Pay up. Fifty bucks."

Steve chuckled, holding his hands up in defeat. "Alright, alright. You win."

Curiosity gleamed in Natasha's eyes as she turned her attention back to Charlotte. "So, that's a far cry from your usual interactions. How do you feel about it?"

Charlotte shrugged nonchalantly, waving them off. "I don't know, we were both pretty drunk."

Natasha and Steve exchanged a knowing glance before Natasha spoke up again, her tone more serious. "Come on, Charlotte. We know there's something between you and Barnes. You two wouldn't be at each other's throats as much as you are if there wasn't something deeper there."

Steve nodded in agreement. "Nat's right. No one can deny the tension whenever you're in the same room. Have you ever noticed how there's always someone ready to jump between you two?"

"Yeah, we thought it was to keep you two from tearing each other apart, but maybe it's actually to keep from tearing each others' clothes off." Nat winked, causing Steve to shake his head.

"Fuck…off…" Charlotte laughed, swatting at Nat's feet, propped up on her arm rest.

"Ladies, please." Steve waved a hand between them, mock breaking up the spat. "Listen, for what it's worth, and don't tell him I said this…Bucky wasn't that drunk last weekend."

Charlotte sighed, her playful demeanor fading as she grew more introspective. "It's just... confusing, you know? I don't even know where to begin."

Natasha leaned forward. "Well, for starters, Barnes is not the easiest to read."

"That's for damn sure."

Steve nodded in agreement. "But don't underestimate him. Bucky's a good man, Char. He just needs someone who's willing to get past the walls he's built around himself."

Looking down at her hands, Charlotte shook her head before meeting Natasha's gaze. "Honestly, I don't know what's going on with him. Us. It's like... one moment, we're just roommates, teammates –– whatever. Then, we're talking at two in the morning because we both had nightmares and we're bonding over this shared trauma bullshit. Then he's jumping my ass like he hates me. Then we're almost crossing a line we've never even approached, and the next, it's like we're right back to being roommates."

Natasha's expression softened. "It's tough with Bucky. He's been through a lot, and sometimes, he struggles with letting people in. Even those he cares about deeply. Trust me, if he didn't care, he wouldn't get so…aggressive."

Steve nodded, his face serious now. "Nat's right. Bucky does care about you, Charlotte. Maybe he's just trying to protect you — and himself — from potential pain. I mean, if he doesn't know where you stand then he's not likely to put himself out there at all."

Charlotte listened, her brow furrowing. "I get that, I really do. But it's just so frustrating feeling like I'm constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. How am I supposed to even figure out how I feel when it's like we have four different relationships happening at once?"

"Well," Steve shrugged. "Which relationship do you want to stick?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, Rogers." Charlotte narrowed her eyes. "Why don't you ask your bestie and report back to me, hm?"

"Buck and I don't really talk about things like this." He chuckled.

"What do you talk about? Medicare? Viagra?"

"Not viagra." Nat pretended to check her nails, this time sending Steve's face into a full blush as he turned back around to take the controls. When his back was fully turned, she held her hands up, miming a significant length between them as she winked.

"Oh, gag me," Charlotte stood up from her chair and stalked towards the back of the jet.

"Don't ask me, ask Barnes!" Nat called after her disappearing figure.

Flipping her off over her shoulder, Charlotte was thankful Nat couldn't see her grin.

The icy winds howled outside the decrepit structure that once served as a HYDRA base, nestled deep in the forests of some country Charlotte had never even heard of. Its walls, blanketed by a thick layer of snow, muffled the sounds of the harsh environment outside. The Quinjet was stashed just outside the treeline, cloaked in stealth mode.

Steve, Natasha, and Charlotte approached the entrance with practiced silence, their movements precise. They were thankful for the quickly falling snow covering their tracks as they walked, finally reaching the entrance. The door was ajar, hanging crooked on the lower two hinges, swinging gently in the frigid breeze. Aside from the whistling wind, the creaking of the door was the only sound across the eerily silent clearing. Nat shot Charlotte a sidelong look, one final check to make sure she was okay before they crossed the threshold. Nodding, Charlotte fell into line behind Steve as they stepped out of the elements and into the dark building. A thick layer of dust swirled up from the ground as their boots disturbed it.

"Looks like no one's been here for years," Steve whispered, his shield ready as he peeked inside the shadowed hallway. "But stay sharp. We don't know what's left behind."

Natasha nodded, pulling out her compact field device. "Charlotte, you're with me. We need to find the main server room. There's a good chance they left data behind, not expecting anyone to come back to this hellhole."

Charlotte nodded, ignoring the way her stomach turned as she followed Natasha, her hands hovering above the pistols holstered on her hips. This building was hundreds of miles from where she'd been kept, but the interior similarities were uncanny. From the smell of gunpowder and antiseptic to the haunting emblem stamped on every door, the only difference was the lack of lowlife psychopaths crawling the place. The hallway was lined with old propaganda posters, the edges curled and the faces faded. Every step they took kicked up a new symphony of dust, dancing in the beams of their flashlights. She fought to stay present, stay in the headspace of an Avenger on a mission rather than a terrified girl in way over her head. Pretend. Play a part. Be like Natasha. Her breathing evened out as she forced herself to observe Nat, to catalog her every move. The slight bend to her knees as she crept forward, the way her head swiveled from side to side as she cleared each room, even her heart rate, faintly perceptible through her armor. As Charlotte tailored her own movements to those of Natasha, she felt her own heart rate slow. Mimic. Emulate. That's what she was good at. That's what would get her through this.

Reaching the server room, the door creaked as they pushed it open. Charlotte tried not to cringe at the loud noise, the fear that it would awaken some long dormant evil in this place. Inside the room, rows of ancient computers and servers hummed with a surprising flicker of life, the green lights blinking in the semi-darkness.

"Looks like we're in luck, electricity hasn't been cut off here," Natasha murmured, setting up her device to interface with the HYDRA technology. "Char, keep an eye on the door. I need a few minutes here."

Charlotte positioned herself by the doorway, her senses heightened. The silence was oppressive, filled only by the distant whir of outdated machinery and Natasha's steady breathing as she worked.

Minutes stretched into an eternity. Charlotte's thoughts drifted to Bucky, to both of their sleepless nights. She wondered if he'd been on missions that took him back into the belly of the beast, if he'd been as terrified as she was.

A soft beep from Natasha's device cut through the silence. "Got something," Natasha announced, her voice a mix of relief and urgency. "There are references to a new base of operations, coordinates embedded in an encrypted file. I'm downloading it now."

"Good work, Nat," Steve's voice crackled over the comms, ever vigilant. "Wrap it up. I don't like how exposed we are here."

As Natasha hurriedly collected the last pieces of data, Charlotte felt a shiver that wasn't from the cold. It was the realization that this mission, seemingly quiet, was just the precursor to something much larger. They were on the brink of uncovering a resurgence that could threaten their fragile peace. She'd told herself she just had to get through this mission, to quell her fears for today, and then she could breathe. This data…the trail to a new base, the source of the attack…this was far from over. A chill ran down Charlotte's spine and she prayed Natasha didn't notice.

With the data secured, they retraced their steps, making their way back towards where Steve was positioned at the entrance. As they emerged into the final hallway, the biting cold seeped through the broken door, washing over them with a sobering chill.

"Let's head back," Steve said, his voice resolute. "Good work you two. We need to get this to SHIELD."

With the data secured and the team poised to leave, a sudden, inexplicable intuition halted Charlotte. "Wait," she said abruptly, her voice echoing slightly in the now silent corridor.

Steve turned, his brow furrowed in concern. "Charlotte, we need to move. It's risky to linger."

"I know, but... I remember something," she insisted, her voice threaded with uncertainty. Her mind was flickering with disjointed memories, not her own but somehow familiar—whispers of conversations overheard from her past.

Natasha looked concerned. "What is it?"

"There's... a basement. Hidden. I'm sure of it. They mentioned it once, back when I was being briefed on potential locations to track Buck––the Winter Soldier to. They thought he might try to target the smaller bases when he got free. They were especially concerned with beefing up security for this one…this place was important, not just a random outpost."

Steve's tactical mind battled with his protective instincts. "We don't have much time," he warned, but his gaze softened. "Make it quick."

Nodding, Charlotte led them down a forgotten hallway, her eyes scanning for any sign of a concealed entrance. Her hand brushed against the wall, and she felt a subtle, almost imperceptible seam. Pressing against it, a portion of the wall gave way, revealing a narrow stairwell spiraling down into darkness. Both of them covered their mouth with their arms, avoiding the cloud of dust and debris that flooded the air.

"Good call," Natasha murmured, lighting the path with her flashlight as they descended.

The air grew colder as they reached the basement, a small, shadow-filled room that reeked of secrets long buried. Along one wall, files and documents were preserved in sealed cabinets. Natasha quickly began sifting through them, her hands skilled and efficient. Charlotte did the same across the room, making quick work of the folders there.

Charlotte's heart thudded painfully as she pulled out a dust-covered file marked with a stark, black HYDRA stamp and the words "Winter Soldier Projekt."

Breath catching in her throat, Charlotte opened the dusty file with trembling fingers. She skimmed for only a few seconds before slamming it closed, heart pounding. The contents––the little she saw–– were chilling. On the first page alone, there was a detailed log of the original experiments conducted on Bucky during World War II, complete with photographs and medical reports. Considering the folder was at least two fingers thick, the thought of what else was contained in those pages made her want to vomit. She turned her attention back to the cabinet and found another two folders marked with the same project name.

"Find anything?" Nat crossed the room before her eyes landed on the folders in Charlotte's hand. "Oh, shit…this...this could be the parts of his past he's still trying to piece together."

Charlotte's expression was grim. "He deserves to see this. Whether or not he reads it is up to him."

Silently nodding, Natasha grabbed a stack of files she'd deemed important enough to take and turned for the door, Charlotte right on her heels. With the additional files secured, the gravity of their discovery pressing down on them, they ascended back to the ground level. The mission had been a success, but had unearthed more than they had bargained for, casting a shadow that would follow them back home.

"Let's get out of here." Steve said again, his voice firmer this time, an edge underlying his calm as he read the expressions on both women's faces.

As they emerged into the gray, sunless day, the German landscape bleak and unwelcoming around them, Charlotte felt a mix of triumph and trepidation. They had retrieved crucial information, hadn't been intercepted or ambushed, and yet…this felt like they'd taken a massive blow. The emotional implications, especially for Bucky, loomed large—her heart ached for him and the pain he'd face when they got back.

They quickly and quietly ascended the ramp into the Quinjet, taking their seats as Steve took them out of enemy territory. When they were safely soaring above the clouds, Natasha motioned for him to let her take over. "Take a look at what Charlotte found." Her grim voice caught his attention.

Steve shifted in his seat, the low hum of the Quinjet the only noise as he turned and faced where Charlotte was seated. He noticed the tight set of Natasha's jaw, the unusual tension in her shoulders. Charlotte sat looking equally somber, eyes glassy, a thick file clasped tightly in her hands. The atmosphere was thick with a kind of urgency that made his stomach tighten.

"Steve, it's about Buckyt," Charlotte said quietly as she handed him the file. Her eyes were shadowed, suggesting she'd already seen the horrors it contained.

Taking the file, Steve felt the weight of it, not just in physical terms but in what it represented. He opened it slowly, almost hesitantly, the pages filled with dense text and black-and-white photographs that made his stomach convulse. As his eyes scanned the documents, detailing operations and experiments carried out during the war, his expression darkened.

He paused on a photograph, a stark, haunting image of Bucky strapped to a chair, machinery and wires surrounding him, protruding from everywhere imaginable. Bucky hadn't even liked the doctor when they were kids, so this…Steve's hands trembled slightly, the image hitting far too close to home, a vivid reminder of his failure to protect his friend when he needed him the most.

Natasha watched him closely out of the corner of her eyes, her voice softening. "We had no idea about some of these details. The depth of what they did—"

"It's monstrous," Steve interrupted, his voice rough with emotion. He continued flipping through the file, each page turn revealing another layer of the nightmare Bucky had endured. Reports of prolonged exposure to mind-altering techniques, physical endurance tests, and surgical manipulations filled the pages.

Closing the file abruptly, Steve looked up, his eyes clouded with pain and anger. "We shouldn't be reading this. Not before he does…I mean, fuck," His uncharacteristic swear jarred Nat and Charlotte. "I mean, do we even show him this? Or does this just set him back? He's worked so hard, he's finally been getting past some of the nightmares…I just––"

Charlotte reached out, her hand briefly touching his arm in a gesture of support. "It will be hard. Really fucking hard. I…I would want to know, though."

Steve nodded slowly, the resolve setting into his features. "We'll leave it up to him, give him a choice. We owe him that much." He let out a slow breath as he put the files into an empty seat next to Charlotte.

As the Quinjet cut through the clouds, the cabin was filled with a tense silence, broken occasionally by the soft clacking of buttons and the murmur of the aircraft's systems. Charlotte sat near the communications array, her fingers absentmindedly tapping against the metal surface, her mind racing with the weight of the files just a foot away from her. The atmosphere of the ride home was a far cry from the ride there, laughter and jokes felt impossible at the moment. They hadn't even called back for the mission report, putting it off as long as possible as they debated whether or not to submit the files to SHIELD's official records, where they'd be available to everyone in the organization. When they could ignore the comm requests no longer, Steve finally gave in.

"Patch through to Maria Hill," Steve instructed Charlotte, his voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of urgency.

Charlotte nodded and quickly set the frequencies. A moment later, Maria's voice filled the cabin, clear and commanding. "Report, team. How did the mission go?"

"We secured the intel we were after," Natasha replied, glancing at Charlotte with a hint of concern. "But there's something else, Maria. It's about Bucky—files from his time with HYDRA during the war. They were hidden in a basement, in a concealed wing of the base. Charlotte located it. These files are…we'd like these to be handled with the utmost discretion."

There was a brief pause. "Understood," Maria responded, her tone turning somber. "Standard protocol dictates a full briefing with all operatives. However, I'm aware of the sensitivity of this information regarding Sergeant Barnes."

Charlotte's voice was quiet but firm as she joined in. "Maria, I think it might be best if I briefed him privately first. This is personal and could be quite a shock. He trusts me, and it might be easier for him to process this with someone he's close to. Of all of us…" She glanced at Steve, praying she wasn't stepping on his toes. "I understand this. What this will be like. I would want to be able to process it privately, maintain some dignity."

There was another pause, longer this time. "I understand the delicacy of the situation," Maria finally said. "You have the go-ahead, Rossi. Brief Barnes privately. Depending on his reaction and the relevance of the information, we can decide how to proceed with the rest of the team. You have official clearance to classify the information until then."

A collective breath was let out across the cabin.

"Thank you, Maria," Charlotte said, her relief palpable even through the static of the comms.

"Stay in stealth mode, we'll see you when you get back. Good work, team." Maria signed off, all business as usual.

Steve sat back, concern etched on his face. "You okay with this, Charlotte? It's a heavy burden and Bucky doesn't have a history of reacting…well to difficult information."

She took a deep breath, leaning forward and bracing her elbows on her knees. "It needs to be me. There's a level of…shame that comes with finding out what was done to you. What you couldn't stop. As much as he loves you, both of you, it will be harder to hear from you. Me? I'm already a walking reminder of his past. I understand it better than anyone. If he gets mad, I can take it, but…it needs to be me."

Steve nodded, giving her a faintly reassuring smile as he turned back to the control panel.

For the remaining hours of the flight, the Quinjet soared through the sky, carrying its crew and their heavy cargo of secrets back home, each member lost in their own thoughts about the implications of their findings.

It was early evening by the time they touched back down at the compound.

Steve and Natasha had given Charlotte reassuring nods as they left her alone in the locker room, holding the files and steeling herself for the hardest conversation of her life. Deciding that waiting would only make it worse, she set off to find Bucky without even changing out of her uniform.

The final rays of sun streamed through the windows of the training room cast long shadows as Charlotte entered. The sound of punching and the rhythmic thud of a heavy bag swinging greeted her, slightly echoing in the large space. Bucky, his hair clinging to his forehead with sweat, was relentlessly driving his fists into the bag. He paused, breathing heavily, as he noticed Charlotte standing in the doorway.

"Hey, you're back," he greeted, a small smile fleeting across his lips. "Glad to see you made it out and didn't shit the bed," Noticing the seriousness of her expression and the file clutched in her hands, he grabbed a towel, wiping his face as he walked over to her. "What's wrong?"

"Hey, Buck." Charlotte shifted, the file almost feeling heavier in her grasp. "It's something we found at the base. It's about... It's about you. From during the war." She offered it out but he only stared at it.

Bucky's demeanor shifted as he read the label, the lines of his face hardening. "Who else has seen it?"

"Nobody, Bucky. I found it, and I've kept it safe. Only glanced through it enough to know it's important, and personal." She met his gaze firmly, conveying her sincerity. "Even Steve didn't feel right reading it. It's been with me since I found it."

He nodded slowly, his eyes dropping to the file then back to her. "And if I decide I don't want to know?"

"That's completely up to you," Charlotte reassured him softly. "We've classified it from SHIELD. This is yours, Bucky. Only yours. You don't ever have to read it if you don't want to."

Bucky took a deep breath, the internal struggle evident in his eyes. After a long moment, he reached out and took the file from her. "Will you... stay?"

"Of course," she replied without hesitation, her voice gentle, albeit a little breathless from her own nerves.

They moved to a corner of the room where a small bench sat. Bucky took a seat, Charlotte settling beside him, close enough for support, yet giving him space to breathe. He opened the file slowly, his eyes scanning the first page, the photos paperclipped in. As he flipped through, his body tensed with each page turned, the horrors of his past laid bare in black and white.

Charlotte watched him, her heart aching with each crease that formed on his brow, each slight twitch of his jaw. It wasn't difficult to avert her eyes from the file, knowing that the information contained there was not only deeply personal to Bucky, but highly likely to fuel her own nightmares. When he finally closed the file somewhere around the halfway mark, his eyes were glassy, his face pale. His body was rigid, as if bracing against a storm. Abruptly, he stood up, the file slipping from his hands and fluttering to the floor, papers scattering across the floor. His breath came in short, sharp gasps, and then he crumpled in front of a trash can in the corner, his body convulsing as he vomited violently.

Instantly, Charlotte dropped to her knees by his side, her hands tenderly holding back his hair, rubbing absently up his back. She stayed close, unafraid, as he shuddered with the force of his reaction.

When the waves of nausea finally subsided, Bucky shifted, leaning his back against the cool metal of the wall. Charlotte turned beside him, her hands trailing across his shoulders, tugging him towards her. Bucky leaned in, his body trembling as silent tears began to stream down his face. With a gentle but firm touch, she pulled him closer, letting his head rest against her chest. His arms wrapped around her waist as his shaking intensified.

Charlotte held him tightly, her hand soothingly stroking his back, creating a small sanctuary against the rest of the world. They remained there on the floor, the only sounds in the room being Bucky's soft cries and the muffled sounds of the outside world going on as usual, unaware of the pain only a wall away. She didn't even feel the tightness in her muscles from sitting in one place for so long, didn't feel the hard floor beneath her. All Charlotte felt was the warmth from Bucky, the damp tears soaking into her skin beneath her suit, the shaking of his body against her.

She lost track of how long they sat there. Lost track of her hunger and time and the rest of the world. As far as she was concerned, her world was contained within the four walls of this room. There wasn't a force on Earth that could take her out of it.