I Walk The Line (A Bucky Barnes Fanfiction)

Chapter 6

It surprised me that I didn't get any punishment right away after that stunt. They did, however, increase the security around me. They even told Connor to keep an eye on me. They also stopped giving me cigarettes. That I didn't mind. I'd gotten used to life without them.

They wiped Winter again. He didn't remember anything, not even my name. I decided against telling him about what he did. It doesn't matter anyways. It was just in the heat of the moment.

I got to meet my new team. Connor had trained them (read: used as punching bags) while I was away, but they still needed work and I was more than happy to help them (read: mess with them). What made it even better was that they were all cocky and very strong. They thought they had a chance. Sexist pigs.

They'd already heard rumors about me when I met them. Before I even came in, I heard them shuffling and talking in low voices. Everybody had already heard about me almost offing myself for Winter. I didn't really mind them talking about it, as long as it wasn't during missions or training.

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A few weeks passed. The moronic gorillas that I called my team found a new topic to gossip about: apparently, Connor and I were in a secret relationship. Finally, it started getting on my nerves. I lined them all up. "Okay, listen up. I've been tolerating this gossiping for weeks now and it's getting annoying. I don't want to hear another word about anything other than what we're doing during these exercises."

"Way to put them in their place." I turned around to see Lascombe leaning against the door frame. "You wouldn't mind another member, would you?" He asked, pointing at Winter who stood right behind him. I shook my head. "Come in, Soldier", I told him.

The rest of my team looked very uncomfortable, to say the least. Connor, who was standing beside me the whole time, elbowed me in the ribs. I looked up at him. He was frowning at Winter. "Since when does he need a team?" He whispered. I just shrugged and faced Lascombe.

"What do you want me to do here, doc? He's already more advanced than us", I said. Winter walked up and stood on the other side of me. I felt Connor shift further away slightly.

"He just needs to watch so he knows how you guys operate during missions."

I frowned. "We're going on a mission together?" He didn't answer, he just turned around and left. I cursed him under my breath and turned back to my team, just to see that they'd all taken a few steps back. The whole situation was giving me a headache.

"What are you waiting for? Go back to work. Another word about me and Connor and you get to spar my bestie over here", I said, pointing my thumb at Winter. I felt his glare on the side of my head. "Watch them, not me", I told him. He turned his head slowly, and stayed still for the next two hours. And by that I mean he literally did not move a muscle.

After a few days, everyone seemed to get more comfortable with Winter observing our training. To be fair, it was hard even noticing him. He'd stand in a far corner, arms crossed, and he'd just watch us.

I, on the other hand, was kind of distracted by him. It was weird. Usually, his presence made me calm. Now, I couldn't even describe it. All I knew is that I could not stop staring at him.

I decided to go up to him one day. He glanced at me as I was walking over, but not longer than a second. I stood beside him for a while.

The mysterious mission Lascombe mentioned was still haunting me. Winter is the best agent HYDRA's ever had. He'd never needed backup before. Why now?

"So what's the mission?" I blurted out. He stayed silent. I noticed Connor looking at us, frowning a bit. I looked up at Winter. "Tell me."

"I can't", he said through his clenched teeth.

"Come on. We're supposed to work together, I have to know what's going on."

He looked down at me, clearly mad. The look he gave me was enough to make the toughest people cry. To me, he looked like a furious puppy.

"I don't know what it is yet."

"That's bullshit."

His jaw clenched. He glared at me angrily and I glared back. "I. Don't. Know. Leave me alone." I nodded and went back to training.

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About a month later, Connor and I were called to the conference room for a meeting with doctor Lascombe. Finally, we got to find out more about the mission. Connor obviously wasn't as excited as I was.

Lascombe was waiting for us with Winter. I noticed a few files on the table next to them. Lascombe was drumming his fingers against his thigh.

"Okay. Here's the mission." He tossed us two files and handed one to Winter. The first picture I saw was of a blonde man in a blue and red outfit, carrying a shield. My heart skipped a beat. I quickly glanced up at Winter. If he recognized him, he didn't show any sign of it. 

As I shuffled through the papers, I saw something that caught my eye. It was a short summary of Captain's work with SHIELD. Nick Fury was obviously listed as his superior, but that wasn't what got my attention. Next to Fury's name was a singe word - deceased. I felt a lump in my throat.

"Who did Fury?", I asked as casually as possible.

Lascombe glanced at me, then moved his head to indicate Winter. "We sent him out a couple of weeks ago."

I just nodded, unable to show any sign of grief. Lascombe continued: "That does not concern you. Captain America is your task."

"So, we gotta kill America's greatest treasure?" Connor spoke. The doctor nodded. I gulped, biting my lip. Lascombe explained the plan. We had a few more days, apparently. I wasn't really listening to him. Pushing the saddness aside, I was working out my own plan. This... this could just be the break I needed. And I had to be ready.