Eunoia [Bucky Barnes]

chapter 43

Germany didn't exactly give Ava fond memories.

Walking along the white walls of the prison, her heart rate doubled as she saw the hallway begin to come to an end.

"He's just through that corridor." The guard told the three as he pointed ahead.

"Give us a sec." Bucky told him with a nod, turning to talk to Sam and Ava. "I'm gonna go in alone."

"Why?" Ava asked him, brows furrowed at the instructions.

"Last time he saw you, he dropped part of a building on top of you."

"I'm sure it wasn't a personal attack."

"A building, Ave." Bucky raised his eyebrows as Ava just scowled.

"And he turned you into the Winter Soldier. Really, I don't think we can compare 'Zemo Actions' when yours is far worse." Ava smirked as Bucky sighed.

"Look, you can come every other mission, I just need to talk to him myself." Bucky's eyes pleaded with Ava as she shook her head.

"Fine.. but be quick.. and safe." She stepped forward to give him a quick kiss on the cheek and began walking away, before her arm was grabbed by Sam.

"I think you're being real dumb, leaving us behind." Sam looked to Bucky as Ava crossed her arms.

"You're an Avenger. You know how he feels about that." Bucky explained.

"It's not like you two were known for frolickin' in the sun together." Sam argued back.

"He was obsessed with HYDRA. We have a history together. Trust me, I got it." Bucky told them before smiling slightly, walking away without another word.

"I sometimes struggle to see what you see in him." Sam spoke to Ava who smiled back. "He must have some real secret qualities."

"They aren't secret, he just doesn't let many people see it."

"That's literally the definition of a secret." Sam declared as he turned to walk into the waiting room.

"Just because he's not jumping around like a fairy doesn't mean he's not a good person." Ava fell into a seat as she crossed her legs.

"I'm not saying he's not a good person.. he's just.. interesting."

"He's unique. He cares about me, I care about him. We're both adrenaline junkies who used to live in the forties. What's not to love." Ava laughed as she looked to see Sam smiling up at the ceiling.

***

"What are you talking about? You want to break Zemo out of jail?" Sam asked Bucky who was shining a torch around a dark passageway. "Where the hell are we, Buck. Have you lost your mind?"

"We have no leads, no moves, no nothing."

"What we have is one of the most dangerous men in the world behind bars." Sam fought back.

"We also have eight Super Soldiers that are loose." Bucky reminded him.

"Bucky, Zemo would take any chance to mess with our minds, especially yours." Ava put a hand forward to feel Bucky's shoulder ahead of her.

"Super Soldiers go against everything he believes in. He is crazy, but he still has a code." Bucky kept talking. It was like there was no changing his mind.

"I've been on the wrong side of that code, we all have. He blew up the UN, he killed King T'Chaka and framed you for it. Did you forget that? You think the Wakandans forgot about it?" When Bucky looked to almost be thinking about it Sam was quick to correct him. "It's a rhetorical question. They didn't. I know why this matters to you, but it's pushing you off the deep end."