Connections

46: Not the Only One

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Steve, Sam and I waited in a abandoned warehouse. I stood in the doorway of a room as I stared at Bucky. We kept his vibranium arm trapped in a vice. I leaned back in on the doorframe as I studied him. What the hell was that man doing with that journal?

I held tightly to my side. I could feel the bleeding had stopped however, the cut Bucky landed on me was deep. Probably going to need to stitch myself up later. I stood up quickly as I saw Bucky began to wake up.

"Steve, Sam." I called out. I heard footsteps come up behind me as the both stopped and stared. Bucky slowly lifted his head groaning in pain. He looked over at his arm, noticing that he couldn't move out. His eyes shifted towards me as he groaned again, barely able to sit himself up. Steve walked in front of me in case something happened. Keeping a distance between the two of us.

"Steve?" Bucky said tiredly. Steve stared at him for a second looking at him, not sure if he should trust him yet. With him just calling out Steve's name made a part of me fill with excitement. Happiness to see the old Bucky back. However, I learned not to act on it after our past encounters.

"Which Bucky are we talking to?" Steve asked. Bucky sighed and looked up at Steve. A small smile falling on his face.

"Your mom's name was Sarah." Bucky groaned. Steve began to move forward as if accepting the answer. I held my arm out to stop him knowing it wasn't enough. I looked at Bucky as our eyes met.

"Give me something you can't read in a museum." I asked. Bucky nodded and looked around the room as if trying to find an answer. I watched as his eyes closed tightly. I was about to give up on him but then he started talking again. A small smirk landing on his face.

"The first night we spent together you woke up from a nightmare and freaked out because you realized you were stuck in our time." His eyes shifted away from mine and down to his dog tags that were around my neck, "I gave you those. Told you to keep them on nights we were together. That was was the first time you told me you loved me."

I took in a sharp breath as a smile slowly built on his face.

"Then we-"

"Okay! That enough." I said quickly. Steve dipped his head and thinned his lips, as if trying to keep in his laughter, meanwhile Sam let out a small chuckle. I looked at both of them angrily. I quickly turned back to Bucky as he nodded with a sly smirk on his face. Yup, Bucky was back.

"You can't get that in any museum." Steve said. Sam let out a loud laugh as I quickly hit his stomach. I turned back to Bucky and shook my head and let out a sigh of relief. He just gave me his usual cute smile.

"You and me?" I said softly.

"Always, forever doll." he replied. His eyes shifted down to the blood on my side. His sweet smile dropped to a face of concern. "What did I do?" He asked quietly. Steve sighed as he clenched tightly to his arms.

"Enough." He answered simply.

Bucky groaned again. He leaned his head back against the chair. I couldn't help but feel bad. I could see he was upset over this.

"I knew this would happen." Bucky began to speak, "Everything Hydra put inside me is still there. All he had to do was say the god damn words."

"Bucky who was he? How did he have that journal?" I asked walking forward a little bit.

"I don't know." Bucky answered quickly. Steve walked forward as well, dropping his hands down.

"People are dead. The bombing, the set up. The doctor did all that just to get ten minutes with you. I need you to do better than 'I dont know'" Steve said. His tone was serious. I just stared at Bucky concerningly. He paused, thinking back to his conversation with the man.

"He wanted to know about Siberia." Bucky said quietly. He looked over to me, "Where we were kept. He wanted to know exactly where."

I took in a sharp breath as I began to think back about my time in Hydra. Steve looked at me and studied my face. I opened my mouth as Steve looked at me concerningly. I felt my heart begin to race.

"Why?" Steve asked looking between Bucky and I. Bucky clenched his jaw, the concern of his face matching mine.

"Because he's not the only Winter Soldier." I whispered. I took in another sharp breath as Bucky looked away from me. The shame setting into him. I tensed as I thought back to when Albrecht showed me the Winter Soldier program. That area was hidden deep in that compound. Probably never found from when the Avengers broke in and got me out.

"Layla." Steve called out concerningly breaking me out of my memories. I looked at him confused as his eyes shifted down to my waist. I followed his eyes as I noticed the blood spreading even more on my shirt. I guess me tensing up opened the cut back up.

I sighed and moved out of the room quickly. I walked over to the first aid kit I had found in here. I lifted my shirt up a bit as I began to wrap my wound. I listened as Bucky explained who the people in the cryo-chambers were. They were worse then Bucky.

 I finished up and pulled my shirt back down. I turned and noticed Bucky staring at me. His face concerned and angry. They had taken him out of the vice. He sat there leaning his arms on his knees gripping tightly to his hands. I took a deep breath. I could tell he was blaming himself.

"Said he wanted to see an empire fall." Steve said as he looked to Sam.

"With these guys, he could do it." I said as I walked back into the room. I looked at Steve and took a deep breath, "They speak thirty languages, can hide in plain sight. Infiltrate, assassinate, destabilize."

"They can take a whole country down in one night." Bucky finished for me, "You'd never see them coming."

I looked over at him and crossed my arms over my chest. Steve stood silently processing what we both just said. This was bad. If he awakened those soldiers it would be chaos. But what was he aiming for exactly?

Sam walked close to us as we both turned to him. We huddled close as Sam crossed his hands over his chest.

"This would have been a lot easier a week ago." Sam whispered.

"If we call Tony..." Sam began to talk.

"He won't believe us." I cut him off. Tony was the last person I wanted to call. He would turn Bucky in immediately. Not even give us a chance to look for the actual enemy. Especially now with the accords. He was dead set on following them. I sighed as Steve turned to us.

"Even if he did, the accords would stop him. We're on our own." Steve said quietly. I nodded but then thought back. Sam looked at me with a slight smile. Both of us having the same realization.

"Maybe we're not." Sam said. I tilted my head towards Sam. Curiously wondering who he was thinking about.

"Wait who's you're guy?" I asked.

"The bug." He answered simply. He noticed the confused look on my face. We weren't thinking the same person, "Who's yours?"

I smirked a bit, "Hawkeye."

Steve looked between Sam and I confused. I looked over at Steve then back at Bucky. Bucky just sat there quietly, his eyes not leaving mine. I took a deep breath, figuring out the plan.

"Call Sharon. We'll get our stuff back. When we do...I'll phase Bucky and I to a safe place. Do some recruiting along the way." I said simply. "Meanwhile with our recruits, find a way to get us a jet. Come get us when you do."

Steve nodded understanding the plan. I just kept looking at Bucky. I knew this was going to start a fight between the Avengers. I knew I couldn't be there. Tony already knew how to restrict my powers. I would be out of the fight before it even started.

I took a deep breath. This wasn't going to be good. However, for Bucky...it was worth it.