Control (Avengers Fan Fiction)

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Natasha had to leave to give herself and Scarlett space.

"She hates HYDRA." Natasha spoke as she entered the conference room. The Avengers were silent. All of them were to afraid to make any comment or even to breathe the wrong way. "Don't walk on eggshells around me, guys. I don't want special treatment."

Steve nodded his head and looked down to the screen Scarlett was on.

"She's angry about being in HYDRA."

"Do you blame her?" Bruce said quietly.

"No but that doesn't mean she should feel obligated to serve them." Clint gently shook his head.

"They've given her a home." Tony stood up from the table. He stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I mean, it was a shitty one but she doesn't know anything outside of them. They gave her structure and order."

"Why doesn't Barnes feel that way?" Sam nodded to Bucky, who was staring intently at Scarlett.

"She was with them since she was a kid. Barnes wasn't." Bruce answered. "And they had to erase his memories to make him compliant. With her, she learned at a young age what she was and wasn't suppose to do."

Silence fell around the room. Bucky stood up suddenly and left, the door slamming shut behind him. Natasha watched him with her fingers over her mouth. She couldn't let Scarlett know. If she did, the outcome could be deadly.

"I'll go check on him." Sam sighed out and pushed himself to his feet.

"I'll go, Sam." Steve shook his head. "You know how he likes to find a reason to kick your ass."

"I'm sure he'd like to try. Punk ass." Sam muttered under his breath.

———

Steve found Bucky on the top floor of the Tower on the balcony.

"How's the view?" Steve spoke from the doorway, his hands tucked into his pockets. Bucky shook his head. He was leaning against the railing, his eyes on the street below. "What's up with you, Buck? Is it something one of them said?"

"No." Bucky sighed out. "I-I can't.... Piecing together what I remember is fuckin brutal."

"I don't doubt it." Steve moved closer to stand a few feet away from Bucky. "Wanna talk?"

The Winter Soldier was silent for a few minutes. How would he word what he wanted to say?

"I have dreams sometimes that are about things I have trouble remembering. I've been.... I've been having dreams about Romanoff."

"What kind of dreams?"

"Kinda like the memories I have with Scarlett. Training and.... and blood."

"The Red Room was a Soviet thing. Do you think you know Romanoff from the Red Room?"

His blue eyes flickered up to meet Steve's. The Captain nodded his head softly. He understood his best friend's silent words.

"Talk to her about it."

"I.... I'm afraid to say something first. If I say it and it's wrong...." Bucky shook his hand, running his fingers through his hair.

"She'd understand if you ask."

Bucky nodded his head, eyes falling to his hands. Not remembering sucked.

———

One Week Later

Scarlett absentmindedly tugged at the chains bounding her cuffed hands to the table. She was so tired of sitting. It made her anxious to not do anything. She was trained to always move. Staying still meant death. Over the past week, she had been silent, only giving the Avengers snide and sarcastic comments here and there.