Veronica Barnes: Trained to Kill

XI.

Date: 4/9/2016
Location: Berlin, Germany

            Veronica sat on the toilet, the lid closed, busy cleaning her wounds. She had a few cuts on her from smashing through the glass and hitting the cement, but overall was fine. She couldn't stop thinking about Bucky; how he didn't remember her, or say anything to her.

There was a soft combination of three knocks on the doorframe and she looked up, Peter standing there looking at her, his hair wet from his shower and a small strip of bandage over a cut on his forehead.

"The, uh...the door was unlocked," he told her. "Is it okay if I come in-?"

She nodded her head, looking back down at her leg and placing a gauze pad soaked with rubbing alcohol on it, wincing slightly.

"That...That looks bad," he stuttered, leaning his back against the bathroom counter and placing his hands on it, jumping up to sit on it. "Are you sure you're fine."

"I-I'm fine, Peter," she spoke, her voice cracking. The girl reached her hand up to wipe a tear. Peter looked down at her, worry in his eyes. "I need to...to shower if that's okay-"

He nodded his head, jumping down from the counter. "Yeah. Yeah I'll just wait out here if you want me to?"

She smiled, standing up. "Yeah, I'll be out in a few minutes."

He walked out of the bathroom and Veronica shut the door, starting the water up before undressing and getting in. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her head flushed and hot. She washed her hair quickly, the blood from the various cuts on her body washing down the drain. She stood looking emotionless at the shower walls, the door pulled shut, before she slid down the wall, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs, burying her head between her knees as she cried. She hadn't cried in a long time, but it was as if everything that she had bottled up spilled out all at once.

There was the soft three knocks on the door again. "Veronica, are you okay?" Peter's voice asked.

She swallowed slightly, trying to control her voice. "Yeah...Yeah I'm f-fine." She failed at concealing her emotions.

"...are you crying?" he asked, tone calm and caring.

She swallowed again, standing up and turning off the water, stepping out and wrapping a towel around her body before opening the door. Peter pulled her into a hug, the girl's tears continuing to fall down her face and hit his shirt.

"He...He didn't remember me, Peter," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I know he was brainwashed and it was over sixteen years ago but-"

"-but you're his daughter," he replied, his voice soft as he tightened his arms around her. "You think he'd remember something like that."

She nodded into his shoulder before pulling away and wiping her eyes. "God, I'm sorry," she responded. "It's stupid. I shouldn't cry-"

"It's fine to cry, Veronica," he reassured her. "And don't apologize. I get why you'd be mad."

She nodded her head and looked down at her body, just wrapped in a towel. "I'm...I'm going to change. Will...Will you stay with me tonight?"

The corners of his mouth curled up into a small smile. "Yeah, of course."

...

           Peter's arms were wrapped around Veronica's waist, her back against his chest, the two sleeping peacefully. The soft snores of the two mixed together to make quiet noise in the practically silent room.

The sound of metal hinges filled the room, both of their eyes opening as a shadow grew on the wall they faced, the figure approaching. Veronica tapped Peter's hand twice, and he moved it away slowly to not make too much noise and movement as she reached her hand under her pillow, pulling out a small hand-held gun. Peter's eyes widened when he saw it, but stayed silent as the girl waited until he was close enough and jumped up, twisting and pointing her gun at the figure as Peter quickly fastened a web shooter on and shot webs across the room, turning on the lights. He rolled across the bed, standing behind Veronica, her gun leveled at the persons head.

"B-Bucky?!" she asked. "What the hell are you doing in my room at midnight?!"

He looked back and forth between the two, his hair long. He was dressed in normal clothing, his metal arm hidden by his jacket and gloves. "I-I remembered who you were and I was going to say something to you before Sam shot you out the window," he spoke, his eyes looking oddly soft given his physique. "Tony talked to me after you left; told me you asked about your mom because she wasn't on the birth certificate?"

She nodded her head. "Do...Do you remember her?"

He smiled slightly, looking down sadly. His eyes traveled back up and met hers, the girl lowering her gun and laying it on the bed. "Yeah, I remember her. But you said she was shot on your second birthday?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah. By you. I watched the life drain from her eyes as she laid on that floor and I was carried out of the building kicking and screaming..."

"Veronica...she isn't dead," he whispered. "You...You saw her today, actually."

She cocked her head to the side slightly, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes in confusion. "What? What do you mean she isn't dead? I watched her die..."

Bucky let out a sigh, Peter rubbing her arm in comfort. "In 1998 I was on my second year of brainwashing, somehow still able to hold on to my sanity; my memories. I was in my cell room, staring at the ceiling when I heard the knock on the door and she approached me with the idea to reach Steve to come and try to rescue me, so we began our planning. By the time you were born I was already brainwashed and couldn't remember a thing, and your mother watched you; Natasha watched you."

Peter widened his eyes. "You're saying Black Widow, one of the most badass women in the world is her mom?" he asked.

Bucky looked at him confused. "Yeah- who are you again? Spider-Boy?"

Peter looked down at the ground, embarrassed. "Spider-Man. My name's Peter, though."

He nodded. "Yes, Peter. Natasha is her mom. Now, who died back then is beyond me but I...I just wanted to meet you. I'm leaving for Wakanda tonight, and won't be back for awhile. I've hurt too many people."

           She looked up at him with understanding eyes. "I hurt people too. I...I'm the 'Angel of Death'," she whispered, ashamed. "I killed hundreds of people..."

He nodded his head. "But the people's lives you took were bad people. I'm just a killer, nothing else. You're a vigilante." He turned and began to walk back to the window he entered through, but turned his head back. "It was nice to meet you, Veronica, and I hope you don't hate me for almost punching you today."

She walked forward and wrapped her arms around him carefully, hugging him. "It's alright," she replied. He wrapped his arms around her as well, but carefully so his metal arm wouldn't hurt her. She stepped back, looking up at him as he stepped back through the window. "See you soon, dad."