Winter's Weakness

Decisions

I followed Bucky through the compound, making sure I wasn't seen. As he walked into the meeting room I used my super soldier hearing to listen in. Smiling when I realised how pissed off he was.
"What is so important that it couldn't wait?" Bucky barked out at what I assumed was a room full of Avengers. Even without being a Winter Soldier his anger was felt throughout the room, that much I was sure of.

"For a start how you're playing house with an assassin." A voice I didn't recognise snapped back.

"EX! Ex assassin!" Sam immediately came to my defence and I couldn't help but smile. I knew I liked him for a reason, another thing I'd never admit out loud. I got the feeling if I told him that he would never let it go.

There was a slight pause before Natasha spoke. "Bucky you have to see why she can't be trusted." That surprised me. Wasn't she just like me once upon a time?
Something Bucky addressed pretty quickly. "If anyone should understand second chances it's you Nat." There was a pause and I couldn't help but bite back a laugh as Bucky put her in her place.

"She's going nowhere." Bucky was adamant about me staying. "The only one she wants to hurt is me." He wasn't wrong but even I wasn't sure if I wanted that anymore. In fact I wasn't even sure what I wanted. After Rumlow, everything had crumbled inside me.

"If we push her away, she'll only resent us more." Steve added his opinion, one that surprised me after everything I'd put him through. "Her revenge was based on Bucky leaving her behind."

"Something I won't do again." Just hearing him tell them seemed to soften something inside me. Not that I'd admit that to anyone other than myself.

"She suffered because we didn't do our jobs." Steve defended me yet again, making me start to regret what I'd done to him. I needed to get myself under control, this wasn't me, I don't do regret. Life's not a bed of roses and you do what you have to to survive.

"So that excuses all the violence and the killing?" The voice I didn't recognise argued back. I nearly went in, ready to rip into him for judging what he didn't know. I was stopped by Steve defending my actions yet again. "She cleaned up after Hydra, not once has she harmed anyone innocent."

Finally. Someone pays attention! I'm a bitch, I'm not heartless.

"Yet she wanted to tear our world apart. Her words." Tony snapped.

Steve came to my defence once again. He really does see the good in everyone. "We left her to endure goodness knows what. Took away the one good thing in her life Tony. Wouldn't you want revenge for that?"

There was a pause before I heard Natasha's voice. "After everything she did to you. Why are you defending her?"
I couldn't deny it was a question I wanted answering too.

"If she wanted to kill me, she had every chance to."
I expected him to carry on explaining why he was adamant to defend me but Bucky interrupted him. "She used you to hurt me. After Rumlow, I'm the last name on her list."

"In red and underlined, remember." Sam teased him and I had to bite back a laugh. I knew that Bucky would be glaring at him about that comment.

"Bucky what did he do to her?" Nat asked and I nearly burst through the door to stop Bucky talking. Yet the words that left his lips kept me in my place. "That's her story to tell, not mine."

There was a pause before the young girl spoke, Wanda. "Let me talk to her, I can find out what she wants." I knew what the little witch girl was capable of and I wouldn't have anyone in my head. Not now not ever. I've been there and done that, I won't do it again.

That was my breaking point. I stood and pushed the door open. "Or you could just ask me." I stated as I walked in, throwing out as much confidence as I could muster. All their eyes fell on me, I finally put a face to the voice I couldn't recognise. James Rhodes, Stark's best friend, War Machine or some other crap title I didn't really care about.

Nat scoffed as she stared daggers at me. "And we're supposed to believe you?"

I had to hold back a laugh at her attempt to belittle me. She wasn't as intimidating as people made out. "I don't much care if you believe me sweetheart."

Bucky walked over to me, placing his hand on my cheek. "You're supposed to be resting doll." His eyes searched mine, gauging my mood. I noticed the way Natasha watched us. It instantly clicked as to why she wanted me gone so much. She had a thing for Bucky. Something in me flared up, I may not be with him but I didn't want anyone else to have him either. I wrapped my arms around his neck, smiling up at him before placing a kiss on his nose. He knew I was playing a game by the way his eyes rolled at me.

I stepped away from him, my gaze meeting Nat's jealous one. "If you guys want me gone, that is more than fine by me, but I'll be taking Loki with me." I could hear the way their breaths all hitched. They knew it was more than an idle threat. I also knew it was only a matter of time before they realised they didn't have a single thing to keep me here. The only reason I hadn't left yet? Bucky. I was still getting over my breakdown and as much as it pained me to admit it, I needed him. With a smug smile I turned to the rest of them. "I'll leave the choice up to you."

Spinning on my heel I walked out of the room with a smile on my face. Part of me wanted to go and see Loki but the idea of being near that cell had my heart racing. So I headed back to Bucky's room, ready to make a plan for leaving.

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A/N: Sorry I know this one is shorter but the next chapter will be worth it, I promise! 😁

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