Winter Is Coming (A Bucky Barnes Fanfic)

Chapter 9: Hail

"We build statues out of snow, and weep to see them melt." -Walter Scott

***

"Harley, is this really important enough to go to S.H.I.E.L.D. now?" Bucky asks, following Harley down the stairs at an uncomfortably fast pace. Bucky feels heat when he steps where her foot had just been.

"Yes! This is about Hydra; it's potentially dangerous!"

At the mention of Hydra, Bucky jumps the last few stairs and stops in front of Harley to block her way. "What about Hydra?"

"You'll see." Harley pushes past him. "We can't talk about it here."

The cold night whips around their figures as they start toward S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, but only Bucky shivers. Out of habit, he scans the rooftops and skies for choppers or threats.

"Barnes, Conrose, what are you doing here?" Fury asks as they enter the lobby. He looks like he is just leaving.

"I remember something," Harley says rapidly.

"What is it?"

"We can't talk here," she says, glancing around at the late workers. "It's about Hydra."

Without another word, Fury turns and walks back upstairs with Bucky and Harley close behind him. After calling Steve to join them and making sure the office is secure, Fury lets Harley launch into her memory.

"Hydra unfroze me right before you took them down. I was being brainwashed as the hellacarriers were being shot out of the sky. There was chaos after that, and I was easily able to slip by unseen, which was a miracle because I was confused as hell," Harley begins. "As I was about to leave, I heard some people talking about how Pierce was killed, and they said they were planning revenge already.

"I don't know who was talking--I couldn't see them--but they said that they wanted to take S.H.I.E.L.D. down for good this time. They said that the only way to do that is to have more than just one trained super soldier. They said something like: 'If we want to win this time, we need a golden trio of power.' I think they were talking about us three."

"You, me, and Bucky?" Steve clarifies.

"Yeah, they want Bucky and I back, and they want Steve too. Steve was the biggest reason they lost, so they want to make sure he's on their side this time."

Fury leans on his desk, arms crossed loosely. "Did you know that one of the symptoms of that serum is fake memories?"

Harley falters. "You think this isn't real?"

"I'm almost entirely positive," Fury says. "Without Alexander Pierce, Hydra is helpless. There's no way they can still be functioning. I personally killed Pierce off and watched Hydra fall apart because of it."

"He has a point." Steve nods. "Hydra is very leader-dependent. Maybe it's all in your head."

"It's not! I'm serious, this is going to happen," Harley insists. When she looks around everyone is doubtful, even Bucky. "Fine, don't believe me. I'll be saying 'I told you so' in a few days."

Harley starts to leave and Fury calls after her, "Hydra is a lost cause now; the only way they're coming back is in history books."

***

"I knew you'd come see me eventually," Loki says grimly. "You remember, don't you?"

Harley doesn't give anything away. She knows that Loki can use anything she says against her. "What do you know about Hydra?"

"You know more than me," he claims. "I just know that they're after you and your friends."

"You can read minds?"