The Disappearance of Jessica Stark

7. Morgan

February 2015 

"You know, I never told you this but last year I saved your life"

"Wow, Captain America saving my life? What an honor"

      Steve chuckled, pulling out a red Gatorade from the stainless steel fridge. It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon and Steve had just finished his workout. I sat at the kitchen counter munching on cheeze-its with math homework laid out in front of me. Steve closed the fridge door and walked back to the counter, cracking open the bottle "but seriously, I did. Hydra targeted you and Tony last year"

      "I'm not surprised" I was in the middle of solving an equation, and tapping the eraser of the pencil on my lips "we are some pretty dangerous people" I said, not minding the fact that I could've been assassinated "Wait, so what did Hydra do? Did it have something to do with what happen in D.C?"

      "Yea" Steve nodded, taking a sip of his drink "SHIELD built these new heli-carriers, each of them had the power to take out millions of people at a time" my eyes widened in surprise "and as it turned out, Hydra had been growing inside SHIELD, which you know, and they were planning on taking out millions of people on the east coast. You and Tony were on that list"

      "Jesus" I dropped my pencil "I would have been shot dead! Dang Cap, you're the best. But let's not forget that I saved your life as well" I said in a joking tone.

"Really?" He raised his eyebrow "enlighten me"

"I, uh... I shut the portal" I pointed out. Technically Natasha helped me there though.

      "Fair" he shrugged with a smile, I had gotten him there. Over the past few months, Steve and I have grown closer as friends. He spends most of his time here at the tower. At first, the thought of knowing Captain America blew my mind, but now that he's my friend.

      I've come to realize that his friendships are true, he makes the most out of the relationship. He wants to know and hear about you, he puts you first. I've never had a friend like that.
We talked for a few more minutes, and the topic of Bucky came up again.

"What was Bucky like?" I found myself asking.

      "Bucky?" Steve breathed his name, sitting down in the stool next to me. I had totally disregarded my Math homework by now "Bucky was my... best friend, my only friend" he seemed lost in another world, or another time "He was there for me when my parents died, and every moment after. And then this happened" he raised up his broad arms, motioning to his Captain America body "we became partners on the battle field, he had my back and vice versa..." he fiddled with his Gatorade bottle "and then I lost him"

      I know the story, he fell from the train. He should have died, but whatever Hydra did to him when they captured him the first time helped him survive the fall. He was tortured, brainwashed, frozen. I felt pain in my gut at the thought "how's the search coming? Anything new?" he asked me, regarding Barnes.

      A few months ago, Steve asked me to help him search for Bucky. Sam Wilson is also on the search for him too "No" I sighed "sorry"

      "Hey, don't worry about it" he patted my shoulder and stood up from the stool "thanks anyway"

      I watched him leave the room. I could still feel his loss. Bucky Barnes had returned, he didn't recognize Steve. He pulled him from the river, and vanished. I remember watching the heli-carriers fall from the sky in D.C last year on the television. He was sure that his long lost friend was regaining his memory, and he had faith that one day he'd heal.

      My family has been tied to Bucky since the 40's. It started with Peggy who knew him, and then my Mother who fell in love with him, and now me. Somebody who dropped everything to keep him safe. That's why I couldn't be on my own Fathers side, I felt obligated to Steve and Bucky. It was my job to do the right thing.