Connections

29: Falcon

I managed to hotwire a car before heading to the destination. I leaned my head on my hand that sat on the side of the car. My mind immediately went to Bucky. Images of him flashed with the Winter Soldier. I squinted my eyes against the sun beaming through the windshield. 

He's dead. Bucky is dead.

I repeated those words over and over again. My mind couldn't shift away from The Winter Soldier's eyes. I felt a shiver move down my spine. Why did he react the way he did around me? He had a chance to kill me or even had a chance to take me back to Hydra. Why didn't he?

I turned the wheel before turning up to a small house. A large field surrounded it. I looked over seeing a simple black car sitting in the driveway. I grabbed my stuff and pulled my hood up before stepping out of the car. I stood in front of the house before walking up to the door.

I slammed my fist on the door multiple times. Loud bangs echoed the porch. I put my hands into he pockets of the hoodie. I turned my head around and looked at the area surrounding behind me. So far no one has followed me. If they don't find me they don't find Steve. I heard the door shift behind me before opening up fully.

I quickly turned around as a tall slender man stood in front of me. He looked at me concerningly as he shut the door behind himself. He shifted his head as if looking down at me, eyes glaring.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked. I had never seen this man before. He scoffed before crossing his arms over his chest.

"You're in front of my house." He answered emphasizing on the word 'my', "I should be asking who you are." He answered. A small smirk landed on his face.

I glared at him a bit. I deepened my hands into my pockets. I quickly looked behind me making sure no one was watching.

"Where's Steve?" I asked. My voice became more agitated.

"I don't know a Steve." He answered quickly. I looked at him once more. He was lying. I could read it easily on his face. I shook my head as a smirk landed on my face. I quickly reached towards my back and grabbed the pistol hiding in my jeans. I pulled it out quickly and aimed it at the man.

He staggered back a bit and held his hands up in front of him. I just stared at him for a second as the sweat began to drip down his face.

"Look I've had a really long day. I need to talk to Steve. Now you either open that door and show me who you're hiding behind it," I quickly cocked the gun and shifted it back towards the man, "or I force my way through."

The man and I were at a stand off. I watched as he tried to think of a way out. I just tilted my head. My eye was slightly swollen from getting hit around and blurring my aim a bit. This wasn't like me at all but I needed to talk to Steve. If there was a chance Bucky was still alive-

My thoughts became interrupted as the door behind the man opened up slowly. I looked up as Steve walked up. He held his shield in his hand looking like he was ready to fight. He looked over at me with a confused look on his face. I quickly moved the hood off my head with my other hand as I recoiled the gun back into its safety spot.

"Layla?" Steve spoke out. I let out a sigh of relief as I slowly walked up. Steve retreated his shield back into the house before looking back at me. Another figure walked up behind the two men. Tall, slim, beautiful. Natasha.

"What happened to you?" Steve asked crossing his arms over his chest and looking at me concerningly.

I walked up the steps of the porch, "Killed some Hydra agents. Fought the Winter Soldier, stole a car." I answered nonchalantly.

I walked up to the door and shoved my way past the man. I patted my hand on his chest a few times before nodding and saying "Sorry about that." He rolled his eyes at me before following behind me into the house. I looked at Steve and Natasha. Both of them looked pretty beaten up.

"What happened to you two?" I asked.

"Zola happened." Steve answered simply. My eyes opened widely. Zola was one of the scientist that worked with the Red Skull back in the 1940's. Things were starting to connect again. I nodded my head before settling myself into the house.

"All right, your story is better." I scoffed.

We all sat around the table as I explained to Steve and Natasha what had happened to me. The man who's name I learned was Sam, walked up to me with a cup of coffee. I just sat there staring blankly at the cup. My head was spinning from all of this. Steve discussed what happened to them before moving to discussing how they were going to stop a missile strike. Sam brought up how he could help before setting down a file. The file was filled with a classified military project called Falcon.

My mind with elsewhere as they discussed me slipping in to grab the tech. The soldier's eyes slipped into my mind again. My brain searched for any answer I could think of. The missions. Him removing his mask. However they all end before I could see his face. Bucky then entered my mind. His smile eliminating it.

I bit my lip before quickly getting up from the chair. Everyone stared at me as I walked out of the room. I heard Steve say, "I've got it." before following behind me. I slammed the back door open before stepping into the backyard. My mind felt like it was splitting in two. Trying to dig deep into the suppressed memories was slowly killing me.

I put my head in my hands on my face and pushed onto my eyes. The pain began to subside. I felt my heart racing. He's dead. I saw him die. Bucky is dead. I repeated it over and over in my head. However, those eyes kept kept flashing in my mind. Steve stopped behind me on the steps and placed his hands into his pockets.

"So, did something else happen?" Steve asked. I stared out into the open field in front of me. I didn't want to bring it up. He'd think I was crazy.

I slowly turned to him. My breathing becoming heavy and short. "I saw his eyes, Steve." I answered. My voice was shaking along with the rest of my body. Steve tilted his head at me. He was trying to figure out what he meant. "I saw the Winter Soldier's eyes. Blue. Exactly like Bucky's."

"Layla..." Steve trailed off. He walked up to me slowly. I shook my head before looking back out into the fields.

"Steve, I know it sounds crazy. I know its impossible." I started to stutter. I walked up to Steve frantically, "I know it doesn't make sense. But I've looked into those eyes many times before. I've got a feeling that I did it before with Hydra as well. What if-"

"He's dead, Layla." Steve cut me off. His voice was stern but sounded concerned. I shook my head as I felt the blood began to boil. Steve stepped closer to me and set his heavy hands onto my shoulders. "We both saw him die."

"Steve think about it. Nothing would keep me loyal to Hydra unless-" I tried to speak.

"No, Layla." I turned back to him as he dipped his head to level with mine, "I know you miss him. I miss him too. But this is becoming unhealthy." He gripped tighter onto my shoulders. He sighed before letting go. "It's Hydra playing tricks on you. Getting you worked up so you'd end up back in their grasps. Don't fall for it."

I sighed. He was right. I needed to not focus on it. I nodded my hand as he gave me a soft warm smile. He's dead. I saw him die. Bucky is dead. I repeated it again in my head. Steve wrapped his arm around my shoulder as he lead me back into the house. I know Steve was right, but a part of me still could help but think what if.