Lost Souls Brought by Forgotten Memories - REHASHED

The moon was the only source of light in the clear May sky, and the leaves and grass were still wet from the rain earlier in the day. The man in all black was sitting on a log, arms crossed as he and his daughter looked down the hill at the base in the valley. She was fiddling with the contraption she'd built from parts and pieces from a junkyard and he arched a brow at her, "Do we need to move again, Angelina? I thought you had a signal."

“I did.” Angelina huffed out a sigh as she stared at her invention as she fiddled with the dial, being careful not to get overly impatient and ruin her device or even getting on to a radio frequency that didn’t work. “I thought I did.” Her teeth raked at her bottom lip, blue-green eyes flicking to the base and into the contraption in her hands. “Oh!” She turned the dial when she heard the crackling of a radio and a female voice, “Poor little ants, thinking that they knew how to fool me with a false jam.” She grinned, “Why are they worried? It’s not like they know we’re up here.”

"Captain said to go over there!" came the hiss on the radio. Bucky stiffened at the voice, paying more attention to the contraption. That was Black Widow.

"I am on it already!" was the response, this voice a bit lower and thicker but also whispered. Scarlet Witch.

"So...we have three people. One or two more, at least. This is a small base, they don't need theatrics..." Buck murmured.

Angelina hummed. "You said Uncle Steve likes being a drama king though." She pointed out to him. "I guess not during missions. He's a friend, so I won't hurt him. I promise. But what about the rest of them? Do we go in?"

His eyes softened and he reached out, patting her head and giving her hair a gentle ruffle, "If we go in...they might ask us to come with them when it's all said and done. We don't know what they're in there for. The eagels will want to get their talons in us. They're no better than the snakes. These guys are neither."

Angelina watched him for a while. His face might express his tenderness, but his mind was a whirlwind. To go in or not to. He knew that protecting Steve was important. It was practically ingrained in his psyche. She knew that Steve had the rest of the memories that he had lost, and that they were important to him. She looked back at the base, listening to her little box that was whispering orders and patterns. "I think the bigger question is if we want to meet Uncle Steve and his friends. I think the eagles and the snakes can go fuck themselves. I think that Uncle Steve won't let the eagles or the snakes touch us. You told me this yourself, tată. Uncle Steve isn't a very good solider. Which is probably why he gets injured a lot. And jumps from buildings. And helicopters."

"I haven't...seen Uncle Steve since I almost gave him a new face," Bucky grumbled, "When I remembered him and then promptly went back for you." He had been working on 'want' with her since they went on the run. What they wanted and what they needed were two very different things. Even as he taught her it was okay to want things, he often had trouble telling himself the same thing. So...what did he /want/ to do?

The answer was so simple he didn't even need to ask it, as he got off of the log, "Let us go, then, fetiță. Companion. Anyone colorful is no monster."

Angelina beamed and she placed her little box inside her backpack and took out a few of her knives. Once she was armed, she happily trailed after him, skipping here and there and just ecstatic.

~*~

So far, the stealth mission was going as planned. Steve took care of the perimeter while Hawkeye was their wild card, hiding in the vents and sometimes getting to look outside to makes sure that no surprises were heading their direction. Wanda was easily mesmerizing her victims so that they would stay in a nice, pleasant dream while Natasha went on her way without too much of as hassle.

However, a couple of shadows caught the corner of Steve’s eye and he froze in place. One of them looked to be really young, a child. The other was a hulking mass of black. He reached for his com. “Heads up, civilians are around.”

“You sure they’re civilians?” Natasha’s cool voice answered. “There’s not a city near us.”

“I don’t know what else they could be. They’re heading towards the base. I can try to cut them off.” Steve said. “Wait…” The girl had disappeared. Did she fall? Did she run away? The black shadow had stopped in it’s tracks, watching the base before squaring his shoulders.

Something about that was…eerily familiar. “What’s everyone’s status? I’m going to see what’s up with these folks.”

“Be careful, Steve.”

"I am nearly finished on the East side taking care of our enemies," Vision's calm voice responded, "Is the intel we are here for almost within range?"

"The North side is clear now, too," Wanda responded next.

"West is fine. I got Natasha's back going South," Clint echoed.

Steve approached the shadow and his eyes widened as he recognized the person. Bucky's gaze turned away from the base towards him. His gaze was still haunted, but not ice cold like they had been. His face was gaunt, shadowed with terrors untold. However his posture didn't indicate that Steve should back up. In fact, the way he turned towards him was as old as time itself. "I thought I recognized you." Steve said after a moment of looking at him. "What are you doing here Buck?"

"Companion heard a signal. Decided to investigate. Stumbled across this whole setup." Buck spoke frankly. He and Steve were at a standstill, neither moving closer or far away. "We were on the hill for a while."

"Companion?" Steve asked blankly. "Was that the second shadow?" He pressed his com to his ear. "Hey, heads up. There's someone else in the base with us. They're good if you see them attacking the bad guys."

"I wanted..." Bucky started to say, and then his squared shoulders dropped.

Steve watched his friend in concern. He took a tentative step forward. "You wanted...what Buck? Is there something in the base that we need to get for you?"

"The base is of no concern to me," Buck frowned, yet again wondering what they were there for. He met Steve step for step, only taking one when he did, until they were just a few feet apart, "I wanted...to see you."

Steve's heart flew and cracked. "Hell of a time to want to see me." He said, watching his friend and resisting everything he had to pull him into a hug. He instead reached out and gripped Bucky's shoulder. He projected the move so that if Bucky didn't want to be touched, he could move away. "I'm glad you're here regardless. We're just after intel. Stealth." He explained carefully. "It's supposed to be a in and out mission, but...well...who knows."

"When is it ever an in and out mission? Something always happens. My standing here is a testament to that..." Bucky felt like he was souring at the contact. He had too much training to school his expressions to let it show, however. "Our last meeting...wasn't the best. I've remembered quite a few things in the last two years, yet...not enough. Not as much as I would like. How was newspaper in your shoes ever comfortable?"

Steve laughed. "It wasn't. I was small and I didn't have a lot of circulation. They made the shoes last longer, and kept my feet warm just a tad." He took his hand off of Bucky's shoulder and smiled at him. "Do you want in?"

"In? Into the Avengers?" Buck asked skeptically, "Steven, I was almost successful in rearranging your face. Our fight was all over the news for days."

"Well, I could get you into the Avengers if you wanted me to." Steve smiled. "It'll be a team vote, but we can make it work. But I was talking about this mission. Do you want to help us?"

“Steve! I thought you said if someone’s fighting bad guys, they’re on our side!” Natasha’s voice shouted in his ear.

Steve's eyes widened. "Widow? What's going on? What's happening?"

"I'm being attacked, that's what's happening. I could use some support. Is the Solider there with you?! Can he call her off?" Natasha asked.

"On it." Steve let the com go and looked at Bucky. "You did tell your Companion not to attack us...right? She's attacking Natasha right now. We need to go in and see what we can do to get her to back off."

This really confused him, and had she gone off and attacked anybody else he wouldn't have really cared, but Natasha... "Tell them no one else is to touch her. Natalia can handle her until we get there. I know she can. I don't know your other friends as well."

"Natasha keep steady. Everyone else back off from the fight." Steve snapped into the com. "We're coming in."

~*~

It wasn’t hard. The area was pretty well kept and clean. Everyone had their own sections and there wasn’t a lot for her to do. The base wasn’t huge, but the interior was of that like a maze. A few times she had some close calls. A glint in the vents, a man who was red and yellow, and a girl who was red too. She made sure any stragglers weren’t going to be caught /near/ them. However, she hid their corpses since she doubted they wanted to see it.

But things turned when she saw a woman in a black cat suit running up the stairs, heading South. Her hair a fiery red. Almost…familiar. Like a story that her tată would tell her. She didn’t hesitate. Any story that her father told her about a redhead probably had something to do with Hydra. She followed her half-way up the stairs before shoving her hard. “Hello!” At first Natasha was surprised, but then recovered when Angelina threw a punch to her face. Natasha dodged and threw a punch back. Angelina recognized that she was trying to hold back in her fights, and decided to up it by taking out her bowie knife.

Things grew crazy after that. Natasha had her tasers out as well and they both began fighting again, this time more to injure than to subdue. Natasha pressed her hand to her com and shouted at Steve. It alarmed Angelina and tried to use it to her advantage. Natasha quickly grabbed her arm and pulled up, dislocating from her elbow. Angelina burst into laughter, causing Natasha to stare at her as she used the distance to slam her foot against her knee.

Natasha fell but grappled Angelina to the ground as well. She grabbed at Natasha’s hair and pulled hard, and Natasha tazed her on her side, making her scream and giggle. She got back onto her feet first while Angelina had to find a way to get back up but Natasha was fast. She pinned her hard and pressed against her broken arm, making Angelina squeal.

"Destul!" A deep rumble boomed, "Companion! Friendly! Not a monster!" he ordered, "Natalia, back away. I'm here now."

Natasha carefully got off the girl and watched as Angelina looked horrified. She quirked an eyebrow up as Angelina rolled over and looked at the voice that spoke. "You told me people who are colorful are friends!" She pointed at Natasha. "Did you mean hair too?!"

Bucky clicked his tongue. Red was soviet. Red was Hydra snakes. Yet, Natasha was neither. "That is my fault. Forgive me, Natalia. Yes, Companion. Hair, too." He cursed as he watched her get completely to her feet instead of half her body hidden by the staircase, "Vino la mine..." /Come to me,/ he sighed, "I will fix that so you can fight again."

Angelina nodded and ran down the stairs, completely ignoring the wounds that were given. She held out her arm that was broken to Bucky with a smile and blinked when she saw Steve. She wanted to greet him, but she knew that walls listened and saw everything. It wouldn't be safe to do anything of the sort. He snapped her arm back, Steve and Natasha wincing, but she giggled a little.

"Move it slowly, let it take," he reminded, before turning back to them, "I am sorry. I cannot tell you anything. Not here. I don't trust the walls. You were gathering intel, Natalia?"

"I was." Natasha nodded her head. "I'm almost at the room. Then it's a matter of downloading and getting out of here."

"Then go, we can handle things from here," Bucky promised, watching her turn up the stairs for the second time. He turned to Angelina and fussed over the other bruises and injuries she'd gotten. 'They're going to heal too quickly...if you're careful, you can go explore and check for more monsters...' he told her mentally.

Angelina perked up and she nodded her head. Apparently letting Steve see her heal was a bad thing. "Gonna go." She said as she skipped and hopped her way through the building. Steve was half-expecting her to start breaking out into a song from the way she happily ran away.

"She's...interesting." Steve said slowly, uncertain of what he just witnessed.

"She is...my pride and joy," Bucky hummed, watching her with a fond expression, "I trained her."

"She held her own against Natasha. That's a big thing." Steve smiled, looking at Bucky's expression. He made a mental note to make sure that the kid was alright when she came back. Her poor arm was probably going to be hurting like hell once the adrenaline wore off. "You did good Buck. How long was she taught with you?"

"Whenever they brought me out of cryo...She's twenty-two. I had to calculate that since there'd be such big jumps...say from thirteen to seventeen," Buck glanced back up the stairs. He just...hoped Natasha hadn't figured anything out besides that. He was thankful at this current moment in time that Angelina's eyes were just enough of a blue-green to throw Steve off. Had they been completely blue, he would know just from that.

Steve nodded, understanding that this was a sore subject and probably hard to talk about. Clearly, Bucky had a soft spot for her. He took her out of Hydra's reach. Probably traveled with him after S.H.I.E.L.D fell temporarily. Though, he couldn't shake it off. Her smile. Her smile was so much like Bucky's back in the old days, it was like looking at a mirror. He didn't let it bother him too much. For all Steve knew, it was just something that Bucky rubbed off on to her. "Is the Friend/Monster thing you were telling her about something that helps her figure out things in the confusion?" Those who were trained in battle knew opponents, but Steve knew well how hard it was to keep things together and to make sure that no one shot at each other, friendly or not.

"In a way, yes...but we also established it a long time ago because she can...lose herself. Bloodlust. She looses track of where she is and who's she's fighting. Knows only to kill," Bucky shook his head, "Hydra didn't like sending her in with their troops since they'd die in the crossfire. It's one thing if they die to you, but another when it's someone else entirely. They didn't want to kill her since she's strong, useful, but didn't know how to control her. So. They send her on a mission with me, knowing I can handle her if something goes wrong. Of course they did, but I also noticed she would avoid me. Kill around me. She's even saved me more than once. I asked and she pointed at my arm. It's shiny and bright. Those we fought wore dark clothing. I suppose that's why Natasha was attacked as well."

Why would Hydra create something they couldn't control besides another asset? What kind of advantage was that? Steve wondered if they created more like her, just like he had wondered a long time ago if they had made other mutants like Wanda and Pietro. He was thankful that the girl was loyal to Bucky, even if i it was because he had something to identify himself with in the mess of it all. Did they know that they would lose two weapons instead of the one? Probably. Steve knew that their freedom came at a price. He knew that they were risking their freedom by being here and he knew without a doubt in his mind that Bucky wouldn't hear of going back. End of the line, and all that jazz. "I'll keep it in mind." He said slowly. "Is Natasha still in danger now or is she going to be okay?"

"Companion will know not to attack the one with red hair now," Bucky nodded, "So now the enemies are cleared out and she's getting intel, you will be meeting up with the others soon? You said it would be a group vote if there was a decision to make me a part of your team. What would happen if the majority ruled no?"

"We'll burn that bridge when we get there Buck." Steve said as he shifted his shield slightly in his arm. It felt weird just standing here and not fighting. "Though I will say that if the majority vote is no. I'll still find a way to bring you to our team, but only if that's something you want. I don't...want you to think that I'm trying to keep you or trying to hold you hostage. You and your Companion both deserve freedom."

"I am going to do a check around. I won't leave without telling you so," Buck told him, also feeling antsy. Too much talking. Talking brought secrets. These walls were made by snakes and he felt like he said too much. Turning without another word, he stalked towards the other hallway and turned it, cutting Steve off from his light of sight.

Only.

That made him panic.

It was similar to when he was still new to being a father once they escaped two years ago. He'd remember before, then it would all get wiped away again. Whenever she would leave him, he would feel like he couldn't breathe. Looking up, he decided he would give sniper support, joining Clint in the rafters. Poor guy had no idea and nearly broke his own cover when Bucky snuck up on him, ghosting through the building like he knew it like the back of his hand.

"If Steve was really serious about making you apart of our team, I'm voting we get you a cat bell." Clint hissed as he gritted his teeth. "My heart feels like it just /died/. Natasha told me you were a good ghost. But fuck if she didn't say anything about you being a sneaky one."

"Ghosts are meant to be silent," Buck arched a brow at him, though took a position on the other end of the catwalk, retrieving his sniper rifle on his back, "A cat bell wouldn't be very efficient, though the mental imagery is amusing." He gave Clint the barest hint of a smile, "So would that be a vote yes? I doubt many would really vote for me to stay. I've destroyed so many lives..." including Steve's, and Angelina's. Though, he didn't think about that one often when she was near.

"Not that girl's." Clint said as he grinned back, surveying the outskirts of where Natasha was currently located in. Since he didn't hear her breaking bones or making people suffer, he knew the room was secure and since he was watching hers as well as anyone outside of it, it was secure as can be. Even more so now that he had the Solider by his side. "I saw her attack Natasha and I had a half-of-a-second debate on whether or not to shoot her. I have a tranquilizer arrow. But then you called her off and she let you re-break her arm. You. The Terror of the Century. That tells me a lot more than any old file. Also, I know a thing or two about brainwashing."

"She's known me since she was five, though with...very long breaks in-between. Honestly, I don't know /how/ she trusts me," He knew why, but it still didn't make sense to him. He might as well have been a dead beat dad. Who knew what they did to her while he slept. He tried not to think about it too much and they didn't talk about it, either. "Care to enlighten me on that last bit?"

"Let's just say don't be on a god's bad side." Clint replied. "And maybe you won't be possessed to do something stupid. Like attempting to murder your boss and comrades. It takes a good hit to the head to get back into gear and believe me...Natasha shows no mercy in that." He shrugged. "Kids are weird, man. They trust the first thing that shows them any love and any mercy and are loyal until you give them a reason not to be."

"That might be it," Buck agreed slowly, and went to move to look on the other side of the catwalk when alarms started blaring in his ears, causing him to crouch down by reflex. Cursing, he looked at Clint, "The computers must have trips on them. We need to leave right now. Anyone who wasn't taken care of will be pouring out of every nook and cranny," he looked through his scope and already saw doors opening.

"Widow!" Steve's voice crackled over the com. "Tell me you have the intel. Everyone else, move out, move out swift. Cover's blown. No use in trying to hide. Fight if you have to but not a priority."

"I have the intel. Leaving the room." Natasha replied back.

"Tony is on his way with the quinjet," Vision's voice responded, "Wanda and I will cover as you come out."

"I'm going to find the girl." Before anyone could protest, Steve headed off. He knew that he should've provided both Bucky and the girl with a com. He hoped that Bucky was already out, or at least somewhere with a good eyesight and range. He knew it had to be one of the two. The girl? If Bucky left, she'd be with him, but she didn't pass his way. He could hear his friends giving each other locations, and statuses as they headed their way out, Wanda and Vision working /magnificently/ together. It's really a sight to see, looking at red and yellow in the air.

He found Companion knocking a Hydra agent to the floor and smashing his knee cap in. Steve winced in sympathy as the Hydra agent howled in anguish and held his knee tight to his body. She seemed to debate for a moment before thrusting her knife into the man’s throat. The screaming stopped with a gurgle and nothing more. She removed her knife, slid it across her jeans, and looked over at Steve.

She smiled, brightly. Warmly. They were two best friends that were colliding with each other at a park. Steve couldn’t return the smile as he noticed that there was an agent, just a floor higher than Companion who took aim. He moved swiftly as the shot rang out.

One moment the Companion had beens standing there and when Steve had moved, she had turned around to see what it was that had shot at her. But the flying disc of a shield went passed her, causing her to turn around and she felt herself being shoved. She watched in muted horror as the shield collided heavily against the man’s head, knocking him back and Steve’s pained groan.

She turned to him, blue-green eyes widened as she watched the shield come back to his gauntlet like the world’s huge boomerang. “Uncle Steve.” She whispered. It was too late for her to take revenge. He got it. She quickly started shoving him. “Go. Go.” She said loudly. “No. You’re gonna fall. Come on.” She felt her voice raise in panic.

“I’m okay.” Steve said as he winced. “It was a gaze.”
“It was NOT a gaze. He shot you. He sho-“ She took a hard breath in. “Can’t panic. Won’t panic. Come on. Come on.” She continued to shove him, keeping her knife close to her and a bette eye out in case someone tried to do that same trick again. She was so dumb. Why? Why did she let herself get distracted.

Her father was going to murder her after he gave her a lecture about watching her surroundings.

This is how she almost died with the train.

This is how she got lost on the evaluators.

“You got lost on a elevator?” Steve couldn’t help but to ask.

“Yep. I went up and down a lot.” She replied, hoping to God that Steve didn’t hear anything else.

Maybe she was thinking too loudly?

Oh /shit/.

“We’re almost there. Almost.” She encouraged. “Keep running. Run run run! Run, Forrest, run!”

Gunfire and shouting and cries of pain continued to echo around them while they ran towards the exit. Soon grass was beneath their feet and Vision used his yellow crystal to mow down several agents who came out after them. Not a moment later, Natasha, Clint and Bucky followed suit.

"Shit.../Companion/! The backpacks!" Bucky cursed as he paused a bit too long, a bullet hitting his metal arm and he threw a backhanded punch at an agent, "You're faster! Go, I got Steve," he ordered as he skidded up to Steve's side and easily manhandled him, slinging an arm across his shoulders while the patriotic man clutched his side, blood soaking through the fingers of his gloved hand, "What the hell?" He muttered.


Steve watched the girl run away, zigzagging like a bunny rabbit. “Nothing too serious Buck.” He assured. “She’s alright too.”

"Tch..." Was all the noise he made, continuing to run and gun it with Steve limping beside him, providing him cover with the shield when necessary. Vision and Wanda were leading them towards a lake nearby where he saw a huge flying shadow descend and it's back end lower down so they could jump onto it. Natasha came up to him and she and Clint hauled him up the ramp, but he refused to go any further, turning back towards him, "What are you doing? Go sit your ass down. I told you I'd tell you if I was leaving."

“Are you going to go and find where she ran off to?” Steve asked, Clint gripping him tightly. He could almost see Natasha and Clint giving each other looks.

“<She’s going to be fine.>” Natasha responded in Russian. “<Didn’t you train her? She’ll figure it out.>”

"We're not taking off without her," Bucky snapped at Natasha, a flicker of surprise crossing her well-trained features.

"We won't," Wanda lighted down beside Bucky, using her red magic to deflect an RPG aimed for the quinjet's propellers, "What did she leave the group for?"

"She went back to retrieve our gear from the forest," Buck answered as he scanned the trees. There, her white hair glaringly obvious in the moonlight, as she darted towards them, hauling two backpacks on her shoulders, "In, in!" He said. In a swift motion he grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder, then picked her up around the waist as she tried to dart by, and hopped onto the back of the quinjet, Wanda floating inside by him and he walked up as it started to close, bullets hitting the floor around his feet. Once fully inside, he plopped her down on the floor. The little shit giggled at him. 'It's not like you were weighed down by /mine/. I keep telling you to clean out your duffle bag, Anzhelina.'

"That's a pretty name," Wanda said offhandedly, then jumped as Bucky turned to her sharply.

"You, too?!" Buck asked. 'Read minds?!'

"Um...yes...should...I not say anything?" Wanda shrunk back, Vision coming beside her, his arm around her shoulders.

"Let us focus on one thing at a time. That will come to light as we go," Vision tried to diffuse the situation.

"Please tell me there's no more," Bucky pleaded, wincing visibly.

"Just us," Vision said calmly.

She set her bag down and watched as Steve stumbled over to a chair. She pursed her lips together in worry as she watched his wound like her own gaze could heal it. She blinked when she noticed that Steve was watching  her back, his smile half-way on his face. “Are you going to tell us what this name of yours is? Not fair that Wanda knows it.”

“She reads minds, so everything’s fair game.” Angelina replied as she sat down on the edge of the seat, watching him with a furrowed brow. “Your heads all weird.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. You keep switching gears.” Angelina explained.

“I guess I’m just not too sure of what I need to think on.” Steve winced as he shifted. “Ow. Skin re-healing.” He didn’t miss thew ay she pursed her lips. Like she was holding back a secret, or her own concern.

“Is the bullet still stuck in there? We gotta rip it out if it is.” Angelina frowned.

“Keep telling you. It’s a gaze.”

“I don’t believe you in the slightest.” Angelina huffed.

“What? Did Bucky tell you that I’m a liar?”

“Just that you were horribly bad at it.”

Natasha grinned at that line. “Oooh Steve. That’s challenge.”

“You know what Romanov?”

"Steve, is the bullet actually stuck?" Buck folded his arms at the Captain. He was too wired up to sit down yet, though he wasn't pacing.

Steve's shoulders slumped. "Yeah."

Angelina went into her bag and pulled out a Captain America tin lunchbox and opened it up. It had be pretty pathetic if Steve could be touched by that someone filled up his lunchbox with nothing but first-aid things. Gauze, butterfly stitches, scissors, bandages, sanitizing wipes. He had to take a breath. He wondered, just wondered if it was Bucky's idea or if it was the Companion's who heard the stories of how many times Bucky had to patch him up.

"Second." Angelina said as she walked over and sat down next to him. "I'm going to cut fabric. You're probably already healed. Wait till we land? You're going to eagle's nest right? They have medics? Oh no..." She looked at Bucky. "T-Bucky eagle's base!"

Bucky's throat tightened and he stared firmly at Steve, "Eagles is referring to SHIELD. You can't protect us there, can you?"

"It is pretty hard to break through a wall of Avengers," Wanda smiled wryly, "They won't be happy, but I do not see why we cannot."


"I'll protect you both even if I can't." Steve said sharply. "We know that you were brainwashed Buck." He looked at the Companion. "Bucky told me a little about how you fight. That he trained you. But I doubt we have a file on you, so you're safe too."

"Tony?" Vision called to the cockpit as Clint headed that way. Clint had already given his two cents, and didn't feel the need to repeat himself, "What are your thoughts on this?"

Tony leaned back, letting the jet go on autopilot. After he had seen the file on 1991 and the accidents, it had taken a /lot/ of time and thoughts about what he wanted to do. He knew everyone's perspective on it. Natasha hesitant, Clint willing to see where it went, Steve adamant as hell that Bucky could be brought into it. "Let me ask a question with my own question. Whose the kid? Why does she matter so much to you? Romanov said you were a sucker for kids."

"<I didn't say that you were more fond of girls than the boys, but you always had a heart towards us.>" Natasha looked over at Bucky. "<I had presumed that it was because of your sister.>"

"You think he stole a kid?" Steve asked, looking at Tony incredulously.

"I just want to know what it is that makes him human," Tony replied. "Rather than a machine that we're all so fond of crossing. Well that you're so fond of crossing."

"Maybe that he /is/ a human?!" Steve snapped. "Jesus Tony...."

"He has a point." Angelina couldn't help but to add. Steve looked at the Companion incrediously. "We're not like you. We don't think like you. We're not human. Not like what he's implying. Ta-Bucky is part machine, part human. I'm part animal, part human. Well. I say part animal. I...don't know what I'm "part" of. Just that human is one."

Wanda and Vision looked towards each other, had an internal debate, and looked over at Tony, but Vision spoke, "The girl is loyal to Mr. Barnes. She will do what he does, and if he cooperates and gives us no reason to doubt him, then neither will she."

Tony hummed. "Alright. Only because Vision is the second genius on this ship."

"What I don't count?" Steve quipped.

"Sorry, I should've specified. Second genius whose department isn't "I'm gonna puncha ya in the face, the Star-Spangled Banner way." Tony replied.

Buck's lips twitched in amusement, before he finally sat down in the seat beside the one Angelina vacated, "Angelina is her name. I do not have to use her code name here."

"That is a pretty name." Steve smiled as he looked at Angelina who blushed a bright pink.

"Thanks." She murmured, twisting the fabric of her jeans in her fingers.

()
The darkness was and wasn't his friend. It made his mind go wild. They got back shortly after midnight, but it was now four a.m. and he had yet to sleep. Angelina had passed out in the bed given to him for the night, but he had gotten up shortly after. He didn't feel any safer in these walls, but at least he knew if someone tried to mess with him, they'd answer to Steve and his friends. He hadn't expected any of them to back them up, let alone all but Tony. Tony was expected, however. Sighing again into the night air, he looked up at the stars. The eagles nest was out in the middle of nowhere just outside of New York City.

Steve walked outside, hands in pockets and walked over towards where a silhouette was lying down on the ground, staring up at the world. He made as much noise as possible so that Bucky didn't feel threatened or feel like he was being invaded. He sat down, keeping a nice, but close distance away from him so that he didn't feel like he was being suffocated. "Normally I'd be able to find you outside because of the smoke." Steve said, breaking the ice. "The future's only gotten weirder Buck. Better and weirder. Sometimes I think I'm in one of your sci-fi novels you used to love so much."

"It's a crappy boat we're in, isn't it?" Bucky asked rhetorically, "Smoking...I don't anymore. I remember I used to, but the taste is disgusting." He turned his head to look at Steve. Watched his face in the fading light of the moon. "I wonder if the weight your holding hasn't reached it's peek yet, or your bones just keep breaking and reknitting each time it shifts. My being here hasn't relieved any of it, just made more problems."

"Problems that are easily solved and fixed." Steve said, his jaw twitching. "I let you go once, Buck. Once was enough." He sighed, letting his legs go long and falling backwards, pillowing his head with his arms. "I failed you." It was simple statement. "I failed you and I failed getting rid of Hdyra when I took the plane down. What I did...it made no difference and I think that's the hardest thing to swallow. When I took the plane down, I erased all possibility of getting you back to me sooner. I don't know if you could ever forgive me for that. I don't know if you should."

"You were so sure I was dead, that you didn't even go looking for my body," Buck agreed quietly, "I knew something was wrong with me long before the train. I knew the night I agreed to follow you. I didn't get drunk, and you saw the pint I had. I was...simply in denial." He looked at the stars again, "I forgave you a long time ago, and every time after that, when I would remember and then they would start the cycle over again." 

"I guess it's me who doesn't forgive then." Steve said quietly. "I should've seen the signs. Demanded you to go home. Should've forced you to take that honorable discharge. But I didn't. What they did to you...you didn't deserve any of it Buck."  He took a breath in and out. "Now you're here...and it's like people don't realize that WW2 isn't over for me or for you. You were a POW of seventy years. Yet they want to create you into a monster you aren't. The infamous assassin? I won't deny it. I won't deny that you're good at killing, good at stealth. Good at what you do. But you're good at what you do because you were forced to. What would they do? If they were in your shoes? Shoot themselves in the head. Eat a bullet. Maybe a few of them would have the guts to try and survive. But could they do that knowing the world was out to get them? You're strong Buck. You're so strong, and even after all of these years I still admire that strength. I still admire you."

"I imagine it's been about the same amount of time for us...I'm only twenty-eight in my head, and my body. It's been ten years since I got caught in the web and sent overseas, then years slowly passing by as I froze and got unfrozen only to take care of their dirty work," Bucky sat up now only to move sideways and lean on his elbow, head in his palm as he observed the blond. He didn't even know the half of it, but most of those scars trying to find the wires weren't easily visible, especially under long sleeves. "Is that why you keep fighting? Fight to forget? Hoping you'll actually die this time?"

"You know? I don't know." Steve admitted as he looked at the stars. "At first, it was all I knew. Then I started wondering. Do people really need me or do they need my symbol? The longer I asked that question, the more I realized no. No. Oh sometimes I do protests and I see things changing a little faster when I have my reputation. But it also brings the bad. It brings the people who used my image, my voice, to do godawful things. What would Captain America do. I don't mean to preach Buck...but where did the Christian kindness go? Where did the people who looked out for each other run off to? Where's the good? The good...the good is hidden Buck. Oppressed and silenced. Churches used to be about a safe haven. Now it's just...awful. It's about separating people, putting them against once another. Trying to force beliefs into government standings I hate it. I only ever wanted to do good Buck. To fight a fair fight. To protect people."

He let the silence stretch for a bit and he continued. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm fighting because I have nothing left. Just hanging on a prayer that maybe...that maybe I /am/ fighting for the good. Maybe it's the only way for me to keep myself /from/ dying. What about you Buck? What makes you stay alive?"

He reached out and placed his metal hand on Steve's chest, feeling the rise and fall of it, the hitch that he actually touched him before it continued at a slower pace, "Keep in mind...I was a machine for most of these years. I did what I could to survive. I didn't want to die, so I fought, but I didn't want to go back to the Chair, so I would stay out longer than I should a lot of the time, which made them angry. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Then...everything changed...twenty-two years ago, in the real world. Maybe three or four, to me."

Steve took a breath and looked over at Bucky. Twenty-two years ago was pretty fucking specific. He knew better than to press. Bucky would talk, would answer. He was acutely aware of how he was breathing, remembering how Bucky would put his hand on his chest when he was having an asthma attack and telling him to breathe with him.

"If I told you what I'm about to tell you would make you hate Hydra even more, would you believe me?" he toyed with the draw strings on Steve's hoodie.

"I believe you." Steve said honestly giving him his full attention. "Bucky...what happened twenty two years ago?"

"I was on a mission. Something Natalia would berate me for, but I lost focus. I got distracted and I was drugged. Poisoned, really, but it was pretty shit poison since my body was fully recovered a week later. Botched the mission because of it, and the people I was after got away. Well. The one who poisoned me thought I was really attractive, apparently." Bucky sat up completely, back ramrod straight, "They punish me, force me under. Five years later, they bring be back to finish the job. Same area and such. There was a little girl, dark brown, nearly black hair, blue-green eyes. The building I detonated almost crushed her. I saved her, instead of letting her be one of the casualties of war. Fixed up her bruises and was trying to get her to sleep in an abandoned house I'd been in. When Hydra came in and tried to take her from me...I saw red. I tore the place apart trying to keep them from her. At the time, I didn't understand it any better than they did. Mission. Protect. Confirm. They were threatening her safety and I wouldn't have any of it."

He tilted his head up towards the stars, "They back off finally, leave me alone, allow me to have her while I finish my mission they had me out for, deciding to punish me later. In the meantime, I tried to find out where she came from. She had been given up for adoption at a local hospital and put in the orphanage. It wasn't until I saw the name of the mother that I understood. Later, Hydra did blood tests to confirm what I had found."


Steve closed his eyes, trying to regulate his breathing. Trying to keep himself from doing something stupid. Bucky was raped and the woman had his daughter. "What did they do to her?" He asked, trying to keep his voice as steady as he could.

"I don't know. That pisses me off, because I really don't." Bucky growled, "I was put on ice again, woke up next when she was thirteen and her hair was pure white from stress."

Angelina. Steve took another breath, trying to fight back the tears and the lump in his throat. How his stomach turned. "You taught her how to fight." He recalled that conversation. Her hair white from stress, and she was still under stress. He sat up quickly and rolled onto to his feet, his hands stuck into his pockets. "They couldn't use her unless they used you." He remembered this as well. "...Was the name at least yours?"

"Yes...she had a different name, since they had to put something on the birth certificate, but when I found her scared and crying I called her little angel, and she perked at that. It evolved into Anzhelina. I have been calling her Angelina while we are on the run," Bucky continued to sit on the grass, now no longer staring up at the stars and the fading midnight blue that was turning into purple as it neared 5 a.m. He watched Steve with a soft expression, "She's my blood, Steve. I trained her, but I missed most of her life. I was terrified when brought her with me, hiding from the snakes. I was more or less a dead beat dad. I never wanted that. I never wanted this for me or her. She's the reason I fight, Steve. The injuries Natalia gave her? Gone. Her arm? Sore now, but healed by morning. Those backpacks? Hers is the heaviest of the two."

Steve bowed his head, his stomach still turning and his body going red hot. He remembered this feeling before. It was always before he either got sick or was about to punch someone in the face. Or at least try to punch them in the face. He gripped his palms tightly, letting his nails cut his skin. He was sad, angry, and so heartbroken. Bucky tried to care for his little girl, and wasn't given too much of a chance. He wondered what unspoken horrors Angelina went through in order to make her go underneath so much stress. "I remember....she let it slip. She called me Uncle Steve." It was when he was shot, she had whispered it, but he had been so focused on the fight it didn't register. "I...you told her about me? I mean, I know you said somethings...but enough to make her consider me family?"

"Yes...I would tell her everything I remembered. She would also gather it as I thought about it. If you didn't figure it out on the jet, she's a mind-reader just like Wanda and Vision. She did say your head's all weird, too," Buck finally stood, "She loved you before she even met you, Steve. That tin can of a lunchbox isn't just for kicks."

Steve felt a few tears fall down his face and he quickly wiped them away, completely and utterly touched. "God Buck." His voice broke and he felt his throat catch a sob. "I knew her smile was familiar. She smiles like you. Carefree and like cat who just got the canary." He took another breath. "Fucking hell. Fucking..." He tried to calm himself down but he knew his tears were falling faster and he was trying to keep himself from falling apart. He didn't need this. Bucky didn't need this. Not his pity. But he was so...angry and anguished. He was mad that Angelina had gotten so hurt. She must be so scared to let Bucky know just what they did. He didn't know how to feel about the woman, but he was /fucking/ pissed that his best friend was raped. Raped and his child unknown for five years. "You're right. I hate Hydra even more." He admitted, swallowing thick.

Strong arms wrapped around Steve and Buck nosed his neck, matching tears brushing against Steve's skin, soaking into the fabric of his hoodie. The next instant, they were squeezing and holding each other with as much strength as they dared. "I have her birth certificate...and the papers for when we legally changed her name. I've known this is something I've wanted since I remembered. I want you to be her Godfather, Stevie."

Steve gripped him tightly. "Of course I'll say yes. To her. To any child you have you want me to watch over." He sniffed before sobbing. "Stop making me cry, you jerk. I don't even know if I'm crying happily or sadly or what the hell you're making me do."

"Both," Buck grunted, chuckling quietly, "Let me bunk with you tonight? I'll grab her, and she can sleep between us? You need this...I've cried a lot in the last two years, but when was the last time you let go?"

"Fuck if I know. Sure Buck. I can bunk with you. Just as long as Angelina's comfortable." Steve pulled away and wiped away his tears. "And just so you know, I know Angelina will say the same exact thing I'm saying right now: you are the best father in the world to her. You're not dead beat."
~+~
The next morning was a skip in his step and a heavy weight in his heart. He woke up feeling like he was just beaten up by a strong super solider. Bucky and Angelina happily waited for him so that they could go grab breakfast together. Angelina chatting all the way down, more or less about the people and the base. How she knew where the security cameras were and how she was happy that there weren’t any ears in the buildings.

“The walls aren’t chatty here. Not yet. But they like seeing things.” She told him.

Once they discovered that there was a gym that they could use, Bucky took up the offer and Angelina immediately protested to come with. Steve was the last one behind since he wanted to go for a run first. Bucky called him a punk, and Angelina merely smiled a bright and happy smile.

“Go run those thoughts!” She had yelled.

Now he was coming back, a towel placed on his shoulder and a water bottle in hand when he saw Agent Thomas standing at the window of the gym. She was a nicely built woman, with clothes that were a little less crisp than what normal agents would wear and her hair tied up in a ponytail, the tips of her hair green.

In the gym, Angelina and Bucky were doing weight lifting. Angelina’s mouth was moving, while Bucky was maintaining focus. “Agent Thomas?” He questioned looking at the woman. “What are you doing here?”

"Hmm? Oh! Mr. Rogers," she jumped from watching them and turned to him with a hand on her chest, "I was assigned the morning shift, and heard about our new guests from the night crew. I was curious, so decided to check them out. So that's your friend, James Barnes?"

Steve smiled as he turned back to the window. "Yeah." He wasn't certain if he was allowed to say that Angelina was Bucky's daughter or not, and decided that until he asked, he'd keep the secret for as long as he could. "That's him and his Companion. They wanted me to work out with them. You know, you could call me Steve."

"If we're doing first-name basis then call me Calla," she smirked at him, "How was your run? You look different today, if only just a bit."

"Different bad or different good?" Steve asked as his lips twitched. "Okay Calla."

"I'm not too sure. Your eyes are a contradiction themselves. Super serum or not, you didn't get your beauty sleep. Yet, you're bright. Your shoulders aren't nearly as tense as they usually are," Calla shook her head, "I'm sorry, I can be a bit too observant for my own good sometimes."

"I had a lot of weight taken off of me last night, but in order to do that, I lost a lot of sleep." Steve admitted, looking back at the window and blinked. Angelina's face was pressed up against the glass and she grinned as she stepped backwards and drew the biggest hear that she could in the air. Bucky was grinning behind her. "I'm sorry I can't stay and chat. I got two people's asses to kick in weight lifting. You can stay if you want."

"If you think I won't be intruding, I would like that," Calla nodded, and walked in behind him, finding the bench at the side to sit down on.

"Who's the Agent?" Buck murmured to Steve as he came closer, brows furrowed in concern. She looked harmless enough, but who's side was she on?

"Agent Thomas. Calla." Steve murmured softly.

Angelina watched the woman walk to the bench and she rocked on the balls of her feet. A part of her wanted to go and see who this woman was. The other part knew that if she skipped out on weight training, she'd have to push double time before dinner or after. She looked over at Steve. He was thinking loudly again. About Bucky's suspicions. About what was talked about last night. She knew that a lot of things came to light. It was in the way he was smiling now, and the way his shoulders didn't tense. The look around his eyes though...that was the biggest change. She felt bad. She knew her father's past wasn't happy and she knew her story was just as sad. "How do we play?" She asked after a moment of tense silence stretching. "We need to entertain. We're being rude."

"We can just continue as we were," Buck answered, "Pull-ups on the bars, Steve?" he tilted his head. "You did bars already, fetiță, so work on your legs next."

"Leg press." Angelina cheered as she ran off towards the weights, closet to Calla. She hesitated before she started pulling the weights off of the machine and rolling them to the where the weights were and grabbed the ones that she knew her legs could handle, plus resistance. She rolled them cheerfully back to the machine and looked over at the agent again. Once more she hesitated before she placed them on the machine and looked over at her father and Steve. Both of them standing underneath the bar, clearly talking the stakes. "Men thing." She said aloud, in benefit for the agent who was watching.

"I'm Calla," she responded, smiling at her, "Men can be confusing. Even worse when they're best friends who know each other so well. Seeing who groans at the end is always the best part, because then you get to hear through their complaining what they get for losing."

"Uncle Steve told me." Angelina said, watching the agent curiously. "I'm Angelina. People are the confusing ones." She said as she got into position pressing her legs up against a platform and when she pushed her legs, the hooks for the machine came undone and allowed her to take on the full amount of the weight. She brought her knees and the platform close to her chest before pushing it away from her again. "You don't look like an agent."

"It's the hair, isn't it?" Calla brought her hair forward to scrutinize it, but she looked back at her, marveling quietly at the amount she was handling.

"Its the way you think." Angelina replied back. "You're not scared of us. Of me. Of tată. Well. Of tată more. Everyone knows him here. I think that's why the eyes are watching harder. But the walls aren't chatty yet."

"Surveillance," Calla nodded, pulling her hair from it's ponytail carefully and she combed it out with her fingers little by little, then started making a side-braid, "They are just making sure you two aren't going to attack anybody. Barnes' rep as the Winter Soldier isn't the greatest. You are an unknown. I read up on him as the hero who gave his life for his country along with Steve. Why should I be afraid of someone like that? Brainwashing...abuse...it all comes in many shapes and forms. Conditioning. That sort of thing."

Angelina nodded as she finished her set and pushed the machine back into a lock. She got up from her position and looked at Calla. “He’s a hero.” Her voice inflicted her pride. “He does what he can, when he can.” She looked over at Bucky. “He feels like he fails. More often than not.” Her eyes looked to the floor before turning her head away. “I’m not unknown. People just don’t know how to look. So. I’ll keep the vultures guessing.” She  watched Calla for a moment. “How do you do that?”

"The thing." Angelina gestured to her hair.

"Braid? This is just a crappy braid, I don't have anyone to do my hair for me, but my head was hurting from the ponytail. Would you like me to braid your hair?" Calla asked her, smiling. She reached into her pocket and pulled out several rainbow color bands, "I can give you several since one braid in the back would be short."

"I like the colors." Angelina said as she stood up and sat down down in front of Calla. She saw Steve look over and his smile on his face. She wondered what her tată was thinking. Would he like this? "Another reason you're not an agent. You don't belong. If you belonged, the walls would chat more."

"It's a good thing they aren't, then, huh? C'mere, I think I know what I want to do," Calla grinned and started working with Angelina's hair, combing it with her fingers and slipping into a rhythm.

"She really doesn't act like the other agents I've seen," Buck said as he let himself go from the bars, "Do you know anything else about her?"

"She started six months ago. But she's in a whole other world than the one I'm in." Steve said also dropping from the bars. He watched the girl's chat, Angelina's eyes closed and relaxed. Calla easily going with the flow of whatever conversation came to pass.

"That didn't stop you before," Bucky drawled, eyeballing him, "We woke up in different worlds. What's so different about getting to know her world or getting her to even understand yours?"

"Wait...what are we talking about?" Steve looked at Bucky confused.

"Peggy. Peggy was in another world, too. Didn't stop you then, why should it stop you now? Geez," Buck smacked him upside the head and did a few stretches before he sat on the lower bars and hung upside down, his workout shirt riding up his stomach, and he started doing sit-ups, using his legs to hold him on the bar above ground while he did curls, "She obviously knew what she was getting into joining S.H.I.E.L.D."

Steve rolled his eyes. "I thought you having memory problems would make you stop trying to marry me off. I have an idea!" Steve gave Bucky his winning USO smile. "I'm going to find Angelina a boyfriend."

Bucky paused, looking at Steve upside down and giving him an 'are you serious?' expression. "Good luck with that. I might actually applaud you if it works."

"Why do you say that? She's cute." Steve gestured over to Angelina. "Has a bit of a speech problem, but she has that charming smile of yours. Any guy will be knocked out flat to have her on his arm."

"That is if she doesn't bite his dick off," Bucky deadpanned.

"If he took it out before Angelina consented to anything, I'd go for that. Painful and disgusting..." Steve wrinkled his nose. "But deserved if he's trying to force her into something that she doesn't want or consented to." He paused only for a moment. "Has that happened?"

Bucky only continued to do his curling sit-ups, "So why is Calla in a different world than you, per se?"

"I meant we had different jobs and that keeps us from talking." Steve replied. "Though if you and Angelina are going to be staying here a while...do you guys have clothes? Do you need anything for your bags? I need to talk to Tony...and see where he stands with everything."

"You have permission to tell him only if he doesn't budge," Bucky grunted, "We have clothes, but it's always the same four shirts and two pants, not counting our workout clothes we're wearing. The ones we wore yesterday are in the wash."

"We're not prisoners, so we can do what we want." Steve said softly. "We can get you a wardrobe. At least...something for you when you come home. I never want you to feel trapped, Buck. Not you nor Angel."

"I know that, and I'm not implying it, Stevie," Buck promised gently, stopping again and looking at him with soft eyes, "The first few days are going to be the roughest. I wanted to see you, remember? So...we'll stay, unless given a reason to leave. Yet, we just showed up. I'm not cleared of anything. Blood is still on my hands. Angelina needs to be registered so you're her next of kin, because I don't want her to be alone again. A lot of things need to happen and it's going to take time. I know that, too. It still puts me a little on edge with all of the eyes on me."

"Don't blame you. S.H.I.E.L.D's more paranoid than Natasha and that's saying something." Steve looked at Bucky. "Sorry. I'm just...wrapping my head around the fact that I don't have to searching for you anymore. That you are...right here. That Angelina is here. That I get to know you both again. What do you want to work on first? Getting cleared or Angelina?"

"Do you have to ask? She will always be before me. They used her as a reward and punishment system because they know I'll always choose her," Bucky sighed and did a few more curls before slipping off and rolling, looking up just as Angelina came barreling towards him, her hair all done up, "Well, aren't you as cute as a button?"

Steve watched highly amused as Angelina did a twirl, more or less for her own amusement. "She's not S.H.I.E.L.D." Angelina looked at Bucky squarely. "She's good for Uncle Steve."

"Wait, not S.H.I.E.L.D?" Steve was a little alarmed. Did Angelina mean to say that she was Hydra? No. No. Steve didn't want to assume things yet.

"Not Hydra either." She assured. "She's like us, tată. Doesn't belong anywhere. Not here. Not Hydra." She looked back over at Calla who was smiling at them. "Doesn't know where to belong to. Like you don't, Uncle Steve." She suddenly changed course, tapping her chin with her finger. "If Uncle Steve likes Calla then he should go for it. I could do it for you."

"No." Steve stared at Angelina. "Your father already did enough setting up dates for me."

"..." Angelina stared back at Steve, trying not to blink. Steve caught on to the game and they both just watched each other. They could hear Bucky's amused laugh as they played the staring-game. "Then find me a boyfriend. Double-date with me."

"What." Steve blinked and lost the game, making Angelina grin happily. He shook his head and Angelina took up a defensive posture as they had another stare-down. "I was just teasing Buck."

"You were also kinda serious." Angelina told him. "You want us to be happy." She blinked and lost the game, this time making Steve grin. "I like that. No one thinks of that."

"We've been on our own for some time, of course no one thinks of that," Bucky got onto his knees and brought her into a tight hug. Looking down he also noticed that the two braids in the back made a heart-shape as they were tied together at the tails. During her spin he hadn't caught it. His heart shuddered and he looked towards Calla who tensed in surprise before she looked away shyly, a smile on her lips.

'Steve's going to be very stubborn about the dates. He was very much in love with one person before and being on ice ruined that. Give him a little time. You also haven't met anybody yet for him to throw at you,' he added with a chuckle and pulled away, patting her head, "So, Uncle Steve wants to take us to do clothes shopping. Do you want to do that later today? Or would it be too crowded?"

Angelina remembered the stories of Peggy. The woman with the red lipstick. There weren't many of them. Bucky would tell her that they were Steve's stories, not his. She knew better than to touch the memories of the dead.

"We can go. I don't mind. Might be too much." Angelina sucked her lips in, looking thoughtful. "Might not be. Won't know till I go there. Where? Mall?"

"Mall. Thrift. It's wherever you and Buck feel good." Steve promised. He didn't miss that Bucky mentioned crowds. He would have to talk to Wanda about her abilities in mind-reading. Angelina's was different, but...it would help to get some perspective.

"I trust you." Angelina said simply, relieved.

~*~

Thrift shopping had been more their style. Cheep clothes, though they had taken Calla with them under the guise that she was 'watching' them. She and Steve had managed to help them find a good bundle of things to choose from, and once they were satisfied, they went back to the eagles nest.

Now it was after dinner at around eight at night. The base was settling down and night crew shifted out with the day. Calla said goodbye to the three of them, and now Bucky and Steve were off again to do their own thing. This left Angelina alone to her own devices.

The walls had eyes like they normally did, constantly watching the goings and comings of whoever it was that roamed the hallways. Some midnight agents were around, giving her suspicious looks as they got into their stations wherever that might be. She knew that everyone had rumors, had stories about why she was here. A hostage that was found and unable to be claimed. The Solider who was trying to bargain his freedom by blaming his crimes on a young girl. Some believed her to be a mutant. Others. Angelina wasn't sure what they believed.

Tată told her things like this happens. Rumors fester and spread. Some good. Some bad. She didn't like the looks given to her and the walls were starting to become tight. Eyes watching. Suspicious.

She felt something bump into her and she enclosed herself further until she heard him speak. She looked up at him. A man dressed in the most /casual/ way he could with a suit and tie. The tie barely was hanging around his neck and there were a few buttons open on his undershirt. He dressed like a slob. It was comforting. "Sorry." She said, her voice quiet. "Didn't mean to. Wasn't paying attention."

"Hey, it's alright," the young man ran a hand through his sandy blond hair, watching her curiously, "Are you the new girl? Been hearin' a lot about you."

She wasn’t exactly certain what he meant by that. New girl? She blinked at him owlishly. Was she new? New usually meant something about being new to a place...wasn't it? "Don't understand. But if you're hearing things then it's me." Angelina agreed after a moment.

"People just keep talkin' about your appearance. Freaks them out. White hair, bright eyes," he tilted his head at her, chocolate brown eyes taking her in, "I'm Agent Wicker, but you can call me Dylan, if you want to. What's your name?"

"Angelina." Dylan. She gave him another once over. "I don't scare you." He was interested. Not in a bored way either. He wanted to /know/. "I wonder why they're bothered by that. They seen blondes before. It's almost the same thing. White is the almost the same shade as /blonde/. Just not Steve's blond. His is like sunshine. Mine's like snow. Oh...maybe that's why their freaked?" She touched a strand before shrugging. "Its okay. I'm scared of me too. Best to be scared than to be confident. That's how bad things happen. That's how bad guys win. It's a slippery slope."

"Confidence can scare people in it's own way, too," Dylan said. He really didn't understand what all the fuss was about. She was cute, dressed in raver's jeans and a comfortable top. The color combination was a little weird, but she was probably new to the whole fashion thing anyway. He looked over his shoulder before jabbing his thumb over his shoulder, "Would you like to walk, Angelina? You looked bored. I just started my shift and I don't have anything to do."

"Okay." Angelina nodded and followed him. "People kept staring at me weird anyway. Didn't feel comfortable. I thought the walls might close in. I'm usually bothered by crowds, but they're...they're different here. People. They remind me of snakes." She shuddered. "Anyway. Do you only work at night?"

"Usually I do mornings so I have the afternoon free, but Calla and I switched a shift. She needs to have the days free so she can keep her shop open, and works here at night," Dylan explained, "So tonight I basically have a clopin. Here from eight until like, four in the morning, go home, sleep for a few hours, get back here around ten."

Angelina nodded. "I hate that when I had to travel. Arrive, sleep, leave." She shook her head. "Hard. Really hard. That's kind."

"How are you doing, anyway?" Dylan had his hands in his pockets, shoulders back but otherwise at ease, "It's only been what...a day? You got here after midnight last night, so yeah. Is your bed too squishy? I heard people from war can't sleep on soft beds. I imagine it's the same if you've been sleeping on a forest floor most of the time."

Angelina shook her head. "Don't need lots of sleep." She explained, doing a miniature skip. "Have to keep shift." She looked around at the building for a moment. "I don't get...asked the question. How am I? It's a...bad question. Usually leads to bad things. I know you don't mean it that way. You want to know. You're sincere. It's good. I like that about you. I don't think you're S.H.I.E.L.D either. Not like the rest of them. It's weird. Normally places tată and I are at are lively. Not with people. History. Why does this feel like a hospital? So clean. But so, so bloody."

She paused. "I'm okay. In answer to the question."

The corner of his lips turned down a bit, "You're okay, but you could be better. Tată...what does that mean? What language is it?" Clean and yet bloody. She didn't think he was S.H.I.E.L.D. yet she'd only just met him. Was it how he looked? Was it because he actually /talked/ to her instead of staring at her from across the room like she was some sort of punk or emo kid at school that the preppy kids detested? It was nice she called him sincere.

Angelina watched Dylan for a good moment before shrugging. "My dad." She smiled brightly. "You'd like him. He's the best. He's a sniper. He knows how to shoot. He's also really good at finding places to hide. I liked playing hide and seek with him when I was younger. It was really fun. He has blue eyes. That's why my eyes have some blue in them. He's really tall and he's strong. Real strong. He's missing an arm, but he doesn't let that stop him! Well, he's technically missing an arm, he wears the metal one 'cause they made him. The snakes." She clarified and continued. "He's sad sometimes though. When he looks at me. A lot of regret. A lot sad. But I know he loves me. He makes sure to tell me and show it to me."

Bucky, Steve's friend. Dylan stared at her in disbelief before he broke out into a grin, "Bucky /Barnes/ is your /dad/? The war hero? It's no wonder where you get your good looks from. So, do you have his strength and stuff, too? I wouldn't recommend a metal limb, really, but after watching Full Metal Alchemist, Brotherhood, I mean...it's definitely got a bunch of uses. As long as it doesn't shatter every time he gets into a fight, which it looks like it hasn't. He was going to town beating on a lot of stuff when he came knocking two years ago."

"Wait. What's Fullmetal Alchemist? It sounds like a cool superhero name." Angelina grinned brightly and blushed slightly at the "good look" comment. "I know I'm strong." She mused. "I'm not a good sniper. I could shoot! He taught me how to shoot! I like building things. I know how to kill with a knife! I'm really proud of that."

"That would certainly come in handy on the battlefield. I can shoot, too, though I'd never be as good as Natasha," Dylan grinned back at her. He pulled his phone out from his pocket and after fiddling around on it for a few seconds he handed it to her, "That's what I'm talking about. It's both an anime and a manga. I prefer Brotherhood since it follows the manga more closely."

Angelina took the phone and looked at the picture that he presented with her. "Can we watch this? Read this?" She asked, giving him the phone back. "I'll have to borrow something. Laptop. Maybe Tony? I could ask him. I don't think he'll mind me asking him. We can watch it or read it. However you do it."

"I'd have to bring my books from home, but we can watch it tonight if you'd like I think I'd be excused from showing my face if I'm keeping you entertained. I have a laptop in my locker. We can go to your room and chill there," he beamed at her brightly.

"Yeah." Angelina smiled back. "Movie marathon! I hope this doesn't get you fired."

"I don't think a certain red, white, and blue guy your dad is friends with will let that happen, once he hears about it," Dylan shook his head, "This is going to be great."

~*~

"So apparently in the anime world the whole metal arm thing is really cool," Bucky told Steve as he chewed on a croissant with eggs, ham and cheese on it.

Steve had to really pause and take note of what Bucky said in order to not give him a deadpanned look. "Is it Dylan who gave her that?" He would bet his shield that it was. Dylan was notorious for dropping anime references that made other agents and some of the Avengers look twice. "I was wondering when he was going to get someone into his world of anime. It's not something all of us understands, so I'm glad Angelina can be translator."

"She told me Dylan was going to bring her the manga books the anime they were watching was based on, so she could show me," Buck nodded and chomped out another bite. He paused and looked out the glass panes that showed off the main yard and the trees beyond it, "I've been meaning to ask, do you live...here? Or the Tower? Both? I know...I sort of...totally shot up and compromised your apartment two years ago. It was a nice apartment, too. I'm sorry."

Steve smiled softly and shook his head. "I stayed there because of Peggy." He explained softly. "I stay in Brooklyn now. I sometimes stay at the tower. But only when it's after a mission and I'm too tired to travel and just want to sleep or just take a shower before I go. Tony understands. Calls it my Malibu."

Bucky paused a bit, before he finished off his breakfast, going to drink his water now. Brooklyn. Where they grew up. "What do you do to keep busy while you wait for the next big thing to come around? We went to the mall yesterday...that was interesting. Angelina enjoyed herself, at least, and Calla was wonderful with her. I don't mind her so far."

"I draw. Wander." Steve also finished off his food and pushed the tray back. "Used to keep my time busy looking for clues about you. Angelina never came up in anything that we ever found." He paused on that. "I keep debating with myself on whether or not I want to go down that particular rabbit hole. I know it pisses you off that you don't know...but I guess I should ask the question of "do you want to?" or do you think I'm jumping ahead? That I shouldn't try?"

Staying quiet for a moment, he stared down at his cup. He wasn't sure. That sort of thing... "I guess it would be a scenario where I wouldn't know how I'd react unless I had it in front of me. Would I destroy an entire Hydra base? Would I stay calm and plot their imminent demise instead? I have no idea. I do and I don't want to know. I won't stop you from looking. Your career seems to be in worrying yourself to death, anyway. Even with me sitting here in front of you...you're still not satisfied. You're still not happy."

"I got to take care of my best guy." Steve's smile quirked up slightly and then it left just as fast. He looked down at his hands, his fingers interlaced with each other, squeezing all the blood from his fingertips. "I guess I'm just...hoping. I'm just looking for a bit of hope. I know I'm not going to get it. It's Hydra. But. I see her and I listen to her speech. I notice how she categorizes things. She said Calla's not S.H.I.E.L.D and she hangs around Dylan. Is that something that she does? Or is that something that's new?"

"New...completely new. She's never left my side unless I give her a direct order to do something. When it's completed she returns right to me," Bucky shook his head, "Even on the run, she would...get lost without my guidance. Lost in elevators...I almost lost her to a train. She's become more free since we broke away, doesn't need to be with me twenty-four seven, but still. All night with Dylan until she passed out? That's...an achievement. What startled me was that it was an immediate thing. Didn't ask me, didn't wait to get to know him. Just did it."

"She told me about the elevator when she was rambling to keep me from bleeding out." Steve chuckled just a bit and he paused again. "I don't know her well Buck. But all I can think of is that she's either finding people to save so that should you and her decide that this is a Hydra Base or that your freedom is at stake, you're not hurting people that means something. Or. She's just gaining independence. Fuck could be both for all I know. I'm sorry. I don't mean to do that." He rubbed his forehead. "I'm so used to be "on" all the time, I don't really know how to turn "off"."

"Do you have any idea how dirty that last line was?" Buck put his chin on his palm, elbow on the table as he smirked at Steve.

"Oh my god no. No. Not /you/. I don't need /you/ on the damn bandwagon of "Let's Get Steve Laid"." Steve groaned, running his hand down his face. "You just want to see me die from embarrassment."

"I think everyone's in the "Get Steve Laid" bandwagon and that's mostly because we like to pretend that you're a virgin." Pepper said as she walked into the room, her high heels clicking against the floor as she approached. She sat down next to Steve and smiled warmly at Bucky as she offered her hand. "I'm Pepper Potts. I'm going to help you and Angelina the best that I can."

"Word gets around fast. It's only day two." Buck shook hands with her with his flesh one, too scared about his metal one with such dainty fingers, "How do you intend to help us, exactly?"

"Steve told me that you wanted to be cleared of all charges." Pepper took out a pad of paper from her skirt pocket and a pen, clearly ready to take notes. "He also told me that you had something that you would probably want to tell me about face to face." She raised an eyebrow.

Buck swallowed thickly, "I do. On both accounts...though all charges might be hard to do, considering how many people want my head on a platter and a steak through my heart," he sighed, but then straightened, "I have a daughter. Biological daughter, not adopted. Twenty-two years old."

Pepper wrote it down, Steve looking over her shoulder impressed by her sharp scrawl. "Okay. Are we missing her and she's still Hydra or is she here with you?"

"My daughter.../is/ Angelina," Bucky told her firmly.

Steve grinned as Pepper didn't even let that derail her. "I met her when I was coming over here. Didn't say too many words to me. Well. Besides that I was nice and that you'd like me. A woman with few words." She said as she looked back up at Bucky. "So Hydra's probably after her. Do you know if she's wanted? By any government?"

"Angelina has some powers...not too sure how she got them, as neither I nor her biological mother had them," Bucky explained softly, "Hydra is after both of us. I know I'm wanted, but as for her? Not that I am aware of. Her existance has been almost null and void. I kept great care to keep her that way even before I regained a portion of my memories. No 'shadow' following me around. If anything, she looked like any other civilian and was dismissed."

"So what exactly do we need to worry about?" Pepper asked gently, pen still at the ready to make more notes. "In regards to Angelina?"

"She's not...alright in the head, according to many. The type that would need to be put in a mental hospital," Buck rubbed his temples, "No doctors of that kind. I just...want protection for her. I want Steve as her Godfather. Since she's my daughter, or even because she's been with me for so long, people would want her locked up. Guilty by association. If her next of kin is Steve, the /icon/ of /America/, then they can't touch her if something happens to me."

Steve felt his heart break and shatter. He knew that protesting about Bucky's fate wasn't going to do anything good. But he also knew that this was Bucky's way of giving Steve something to live for should Bucky die for the second time. To protect his only flesh and blood. He had one hand under the table, squeezing his fingers into his palm to keep in anything he wanted to say. He did promise. He told Bucky no matter the child, or who it was with, he would say yes.

Pepper took a breath and let it out, as she wrote it down. It was much slower than the notes she previously wrote and she looked up at Bucky. "There's many ways we can clear your name. It'll take a trial and it's going to take a lot of work." She started flipping her pen up and down her fingers as she continued her thoughts. "We can do many things. Public opinion is a /huge/ thing. But of course, we'll need a damn good lawyer too." She stopped her pen. "But you have to understand that putting her underneath Steve's care isn't going to stop the press. It isn't going to stop people wanting her thoughts. The good thing that we have, is that Angelina cannot go on stand. She cannot testify. But since she can't testify, that's going to cause a storm. People are going to demand evidence. Blood work and the mother." She rolled her eyes. "I'm telling you this, because in their eyes...how can the Winter Solider raise a child? Now for us? This is good. We can /prove/ this. You're in recovery." She looked at Steve. "I think you're going to have to play the USO dancing monkey for a bit Steve."

"What do you need from me?" Steve asked, trying to clear his throat from the lump that was forming.

"If Captain America is not just Angelina's godfather, but makes the public statement /first/ about who Bucky is, who the Winter Solider is, we can very well have a case ready and made. It's going to cause a storm. But that storm? Should everything go to shit? How many countries do you think may or may not offer asylum? Due to Captain America saving them? It's calling in favors and I know you hate that. But it's something for the worst case scenario. As well as for the best. The more supporters you have, the more Congress is going to be willing to side with you. They can't afford allies to be lost."

"I have Angelina's original birth certificate, and I'll have to be there to hold her hand for an update on the blood tests or she'll try and kill the doctor. The mother's dead and she put her up for adoption," Buck nodded solemnly, "I will always put her first, just as I told Steve. How long would you say it would take for the bunt of the storm to pass? She and I might need a safe haven."

"If the storm's a good one? A month." Pepper nodded. "If worse comes to worse? I'd say a bit longer than that. Why not come to Avenger's Tower?" She looked at Bucky curiously. "We have the equipment for heavy surveillance on public floors, but everyone's personal floor and rooms are clean? Not only that, should we need to schedule a press conference, they really won't have /any/ power in our domain. We can limit them and we can monitor interviews if that's what it comes down to."

"That all sounds like a very good idea. That's a place even I would not mess with as the Soldier. Not when people such as Wanda and Vision exist there and everyone else," Bucky's shoulders dropped just a bit in relief, "Being cooped up there would be better than some log cabin in the woods."

"So. When do you want to get the ball rolling? If I were you. I'd go to the Tower first before Steve makes his announcement. We have labs there so we can get the test. You do know we don't have to stick her with needles. We can just swab her mouth and yours and check DNA that way. Hydra are more and more barbaric every time I hear things..." Pepper shook her head.

Bucky looked at Steve and was about to open his mouth to agree, when he recalled something and what came out instead startled him, "What about Agent Wicker and Agent Thomas?"

Steve looked at Bucky confused. "What about them Buck?"

Bucky didn't hesitate, "They're Angelina's friends."

Steve remembered, Angelina didn't have many of those if any at all. Calla and Dylan both had wound up on her list of people that she trusted and liked. Without Bucky's guidance. He turned to Pepper. "Guests are probably a bad idea." Pepper nodded slowly. "But what if we can turn it into an assignment of sorts? Just...something to keep Fury happy as well as other people?"

"You mean give the impression that they're still underneath S.H.I.E.L.D's watch when they aren't actually? Not a bad idea." Pepper mused.

"Could they even be transferred? Work under you or Stark? I'm just...wondering. I don't know how you'll make this work," Bucky furrowed his brows, "How'd you make it an assignment?"

"We'll tell Fury we need two people for agents and Steve highly requested Wicker and Thomas." Pepper mused. "Fury would be pleased, because it means that you're both still under S.H.I.E.L.D's watch, but what he /doesn't/ know is that those reports we're gonna send? Fake. All of them. Tony enjoys making stuff up. Of course we could do that, too Transfer them. It'll save me the trouble of having to /screen/ everything Tony does."

"They're not S.H.I.E.L.D so you can't use them as assignments." Angelina bounded into the room and sat down next to Bucky. She unloaded books from her arms. All of them were of anime with /many/ different titles. Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, Fruits Basket, Fushigi Yuugi. He could see Bucky's confused expression as he looked up at Angelina. "Manga." She grinned. "All the art styles are different. Uncle Steve would get a kick out of that. Dylan said that he plays things called 'video games' and he's gonna show me one on his laptop sometime. Well "Video" and "computer" are different, but it's the same kind of thing. Laptop have keyboard controllers some of them, while others you can /actually/ use a video game controller. It's hard to explain. He asked me what games I was into and I told him I liked card games. He mentioned one called Cards Against Humanity." She shrugged. "Apparently you have to be a horrible person or a comedian. I'm gonna shoot for horrible. I don't think I'm all that funny."

Bucky filtered through her rambling piece by piece before he nodded to her, "I was telling Uncle Steve that you watched something with Dylan where the main character had a metal arm, too." He picked one out of the pile that had the title she mentioned to him before, tilting his head at it before he showed it to Steve, "I've heard of Cards Against Humanity. Apparently it's meant to be offensive, so horrible sounds about right. You can be funny without trying, Anzhelina," he patted her head, "You have a sort of dark humor, some would call it."

Steve took the book without question to see what it was that was talked about and nodded. It probably was pretty interesting. She was right about the art-styles being all different too.

"So if Wicker and Thomas aren't S.H.I.E.L.D then it's an easy transfer." Pepper nodded, flipping her notebook closed. "Do you want to leave now? I can wait for you to pack so that we can all leave together."

"All we have are our backpacks and the clothes we got yesterday when we went shopping with Agent Thomas," Buck stood up from the cafeteria table, grabbing a few books while Angelina took the rest, "Anzhelina, why don't you go find Dylan again? His new job starts as soon as we leave the building. Miss Potts...you'll have to contact Agent Thomas so she doesn't come here later and get bombarded."

"I can do that." Pepper said, easily taking out her phone.

"I'll pack myself. Whatever I have here can go straight to the Tower." Steve said, standing up and placing his hands in his pockets. He followed Bucky and Angelina, still feeling lighter than he had a few years ago, a few days ago.

~*~

"Never in my life did I imagine I would set foot in here," Dylan mumbled as he walked through the doors of the Avengers Tower with Angelina and the others, only a small box full of what he had had in his locker in his arms, "Just...what am I supposed to /do/ here? Should I go talk to Mr. Stark?" he looked at Pepper.

"We'll figure something out." Pepper said soothingly. "For now, I believe Angelina was very hyped up for game night. She was talking to Bucky about it. Lucky for you, Clint and Wanda are very aggressive when it comes down to playing video games, so we have a lot of consoles and games to chose from. Though laptop ones are on you."

"I...don't have any console games with me, so I'll check out what's available, but I'll probably just go home and come back with mine later. I'm sure you'll whip me up a schedule when you're able," Dylan said, though it was mostly to himself now, "How...do I find out where to go to check it out? Where should I put my stuff? I'm sorry for all my questions I just...have no idea what I'm doing." Dylan shifted uncomfortably, his brain going a mile a minute trying to sort things out.

"I'll email you the schedule and whose training you if you need it." Pepper answers smoothly. "Guests have a floor that's just below the Avengers. It's basically like a hotel floor with a lot of rooms. Bucky? Are you wanting to stay on the guest floor or Steve's?"

Bucky paused at that, thinking he was just going to bunk with Steve anyway, but...if Steve had said his area was like his Malibu, he didn't want to intrude too much. "I think I would be comfortable staying on the hotel floor during the day, Angelina and I with different rooms if we want to do different things, but then...if you're alright with it, Steve...she and I sleep on your floor at least? The couches I'm sure would be just fine, considering we slept on forest dirt."

"Sure, if that's comfortable for you." Steve said gently. "I have a guest room on my floor if you want to use it instead. My space is yours and Angel's."

"Uncle Steve's a sap." Angelina whispered to Dylan.

"I can see that," Dylan grinned at her, "Wouldn't you be, though, if you were in his shoes?" he whispered back.

Angelina hummed. "I don't know. If it's tată maybe. Uncle Steve maybe. You maybe. There's a lot of maybes. I don't know if I'm sappy enough."

Laughing, he nodded, "Okay. How about we go up to that hotel floor and we'll just focus on laptop games? I'll worry about console things later."

Buck watched as Angelina nodded happily, excited, and they headed for the elevators, the AI FRIDAY startling them once the silver doors opened, but Dylan looked super relieved. The doors closed, cutting his daughter and her new friend from his vision, and he took a heavy breath, "Do you drink coffee or tea this time of day? Do you even drink tea?" It hit him he'd been talking so much about himself that he didn't know anything about Steve besides what his memories so graciously decided to reveal to him.

"I drink both." Steve smiled as he lead them to a different elevator and he pressed the up button for his floor. "I drink coffee in the mornings, depending on what's happening on the afternoon and what went on during the night is all a coin toss. Rainy days are definitely tea days and I'm in the mood to read."

"What do you read?" Buck asked, enjoying the elevator ride and being so close to Steve without...any eyes at all on them. The elevator footage probably never got looked at unless there was a report. He allowed himself to lean against the railing with him, his backpack hanging off of one shoulder, "I don't know when the last time I read something was that wasn't an application for temporary work."

"Fantasy is my go-to. Historical novels are another. I try to make sure that my historical novels are at least set in other countries. So that I can get to know them more when I go through the book and research the customs and what not." Steve shrugged. "My favorite books is Memoirs of a Geisha. That was a good book. The Other Boleyn Girl was amazing too."

"I remember there being a movie about the Geisha one," Buck nodded, "It looked really lovely. I binge-watched a lot of Disney movies with Angelina because I remembered the Wizard of Oz. I think we're pretty much caught up except for the Princess and the Frog and Frozen. The last one we watched was Tangled."

"She'll love the Princess and the Frog. I wasn't too crazy about Frozen. Oh it had wonderful plot twists. But the hype..." Steve sighed loudly as the elevator dinged and they entered his floor. "The hype is what killed it Buck."

"I believe it. It's image is painted everywhere," Buck nodded and he heaved a sigh of complete relief when they left the elevator, "So what kind of tea do you have?"

~*~

It was wonderful night, at least temperature-wise. Calla had been shocked to say the least when she got a voicemail message from Pepper Potts of /all/ people saying she was now hired as staff for the Avenger's Tower, taken from right under Fury's nose. Pepper had since sent her a new schedule and she was basically doing the same thing, nighttime security through the entire Tower from the bottom up, the last floor she was able to enter being right below the hotel room floor. What number that was escaped her right now. FRIDAY was more than willing to block access for her in case she pressed the wrong button on the elevator. Last thing she wanted to do was enter in on one of the Avengers while they slept. That wouldn't go over well.

She kept her suit for tonight, though Pepper did put in the e-mail that dress code was a bit more lax, as long as it was practical. With the temperature right now, she wished she'd worn something else. Humming to herself, she stepped out of the elevator as it stopped on random floor number five thousand. It looked to be a lounge area, with huge windows showing the clouds that were coming in. Sitting at one of the round tables by said windows was a certain blond man and she walked up to him, "I didn't expect to find any form of life this time a night, unless I should expect all of the Avengers to be night owls?"

"Depends on the Avenger, but it wouldn't hurt." Steve smiled as he looked over his shoulder. "I was just re-looking over my speech. Though, knowing me, I'm going to abandon it before I even get to the podium. Pepper already knows that I tend to do that, so it's not going to be a PR disaster."

"That's right...I remember Dylan texting me telling me you're going to do some sort of announcement for Bucky?" Calla pulled out a chair and plopped down in it, arms folded on the table, "Speeches spoken from the heart and on the spot are better than what's written down. Then it doesn't feel rehearsed."

"And it means more time to put your foot in your mouth." Steve smiled slightly as he looked back at the papers. "I'm declaring Bucky as a WW2 POW. Then, I'm going to demand that they clear him of all charges. We'll see what happens. Did Pepper tell you what you were training as yet?"

"Just that I'm nighttime security. I don't need any training since that's what I've been at the S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ for six months. I patrol the Tower on all the floors F.R.I.D.A.Y. allows me on. Lots of walking, nothing really extensive. Dylan has more responsibility as daytime security. He's been declared Angelina's personal bodyguard. Not that she needs a /bodyguard/ per se, but it's easier than saying the Companion has a Companion, eh?" Calla smiled, "So he gets to be with her his entire shift. Not that /he's/ complaining at all. He's just worried she won't like him being with her all the time like that. He really doesn't want to upset her, since he finally has a friend besides me he can talk to about all his games and stuff."

Steve chuckled. "I think she'd be open to a conversation about what's too much and what's too little. I think she'd really, really like that kind of conversation about boundaries. She's a bright kid." He folded his arms on the table and leaned, thinking. "If you....just found out that you're responsible for someone and this someone you know went through some really, really horrible things. Would you look for those horrible things? Or would you let it be?"

Calla stared at him for a bit, but it was a calculating look she had in her pale green eyes, not a dumbfounded one. After a moment she pursed her lips, "I think the real question is what would you do with the information if you had it? How would it change things?"

Steve thought about it for a moment. "I think I just want to know how much I fucked up." He said after a moment. "I know what I damned Bucky into. I know everything and I know there's things that are hidden, I know that there's things that aren't in his files, but I can take a wild guess. When I damned him, I did it to two people. Two people I fucked over by not going after him when he fell off the train. I hear his regret when he talks about her. He's so, so proud of her, but it kills him that he's seeing her as an adult. It kills him that her hair is whiter than snow. It kills me that it kills him. It kills me that I know his hell, but I'm failing on knowing even a /slice/ of it.I know Bucky told me that he forgives me, but like I told him I can't forgive myself. Not when I didn't jump after him. Not when I damned his daughter too. He told me he didn't know what he'd do if he saw what they did to her. He said that he didn't know if he wanted the information or not. He did say he wouldn't stop me, he knows my curiosity is a pain in the ass. But what would I...do? I don't know."

A deep breath, "So, allow me to bombard you here. If you knew everything there was to know about Bucky and Angelina? Would you treat them any differently? Would you look at them in pity or proudly that they survived it all? Would you be happy knowing? Would you wish you never looked? Would you be satisfied? Would you rest or would you renew your fire to destroy everything Hydra made? Would you even know what to do with /yourself/? Would you breathe or find something else to scrounge up?"

A pause, then she let out another breath, "You don't have to answer all of that. I'm just...digging deeper, because...you asked."

Steve thought about it. "Not in pity." He said after a moment. "After everything they been through, pity is the last thing they need to be looked at. Pride? That's a given." He thought about the rest of her questions and he sighed. "Nothing good will come out of knowing. I know." He admitted quietly. "She kept this secret from Bucky for so long, I wonder. Does she know how fucking proud I am of her? Does Bucky? Does she know that Bucky's so fucking proud of her too? Does she know that she doesn't have to carry something that heavy with her? That it's okay to let it down, to let someone else carry it? That we can't that we wouldn't judge her for it? Maybe I should be telling her this and not searching for a file, but at the same time I just wonder if she has Bucky's stubbornness and nothing will be figured out unless I have the file."

Calla's expression turned soft and the corners of her lips turned up just a bit. She offered her hands and shrugged in an 'I don't know' posture, "I really don't have any advice for you, buddy. I can only answer questions with questions to help you sort out your own head, which you've done pretty well so far. Maybe you should have a little Uncle and Niece moment, hmm?"

Steve nodded before laughing a little. "I'm still trying to stop feeling giddy when I hear that I have a niece." He admitted to Calla, a light blush on his cheeks. "I /am/ sorry though for bringing the mood down and what not. I know you didn't really come here to listen to me bitch about things you couldn't answer."

Calla did smile wider now, "Nah, see, I didn't see it as a downer at all. You needed help, and I helped...in a way. I asked the hard questions. Probably could've been harder, but you know, I just skimmed the surface, took what I saw and put it into words. You have a bit more of a firm grip now instead of grasping at straws. That's a win, yeah? I think for now, focus on helping them before you dig into their past. Give a damn good speech, win the hearts that matter, flip off those who won't listen, and look at Bucky and Angelina and smile. That information you're itching to get your hands on can be put on the back burner, man. They need you in the now, for their future, not in the then and what's already happened."

"Have you ever considered being a therapist?" Steve couldn't help but to tease her.

"Ha, no, just a painter," Calla shook her head, "This is just a side-job to afford to keep my home business open, order supplies and other stuff. I wonder what my paycheck from Stark would be like...geezus, I didn't think of that," her eyes widened suddenly, "Pepper didn't mention a pay change so I have no idea."

"Better be prepared to have a bunch of money thrown at you." Steve had to smile at her reaction. "But I wouldn't kick up a fuss. Tony's a sentimental. He'll just throw even more money at you if you say that you shouldn't have whatever pay he's giving."

Calla nodded, "Yeah, okay. I'll take your word for it. You know him a lot better than I do, of course. I haven't even met the guy yet. I actually haven't met any of the other Avengers..." she shifted in her seat, "It's really nerve-wracking. I don't know if I'll even get along with any of them. I guess...since anyone can be awake at night, only time will tell, right?"

Steve nodded. "I think you'll get along alright. I mean, you're Angelina's friend. Bucky takes that into high consideration. He's actually the one that demanded that you and Agent Wicker were with Angelina." He stood up. "I know that doesn't mean a whole lot, but I know that the rest of the Avengers might get curious and yeah, time will tell. The real insomiac in this Tower is Tony. So you'll probably see him more often than not."

Calla followed suit, looking out the windows at the storm that was coming ever closer. She heard the rumbling now if only just a little, "What are you going to do now?" Angelina's friend, and Bucky had been concerned for them. "The sudden job change makes more sense now."

"I'm going to try to get some sleep before Bucky wakes up and realizes that I'm down here and starts up a lecture on how I need sleep." Steve smiled at Calla. "How about you? Off to Patrol?"

"Yeah, and hopefully get off before the storm hits, but that's unlikely," Calla shrugged, "Good night, Steve. I hope you sleep alright. What time is the speech supposed to be?"

“Mid-morning.” Steve replied. “See you around, Calla.”

"I won't be there physically, but I'll be watchin' you. Show them who's boss," Calla winked with a thumbs-up and gave him a little wave before she headed off her own direction.

Steve walked up to the elevators and headed to his floor. When they dinged and opened, he padded quietly into his apartment. The city lights drenched the living room in a soft light blue glow and he could hear the traffic buzzing by with soft sounds. He noticed a blanket on the couch and he walked over to it.

Bucky was fast asleep, an arm curled around a pillow and a blanket tightly tucked around him. His face looked a little peaceful. There was still a furrow on his brow and his lips were curved down. Steve sat on the coffee table, watching his friend’s sleep.

His friend was right there. His best friend in the whole world was sleeping on his couch. Tomorrow he was going to do the riskiest thing that he could and announce to the world that James and Winter were the same person, but came from a separate background than what people believed. He knew that he was putting his shield, Captain America on the line, and honestly it was the best feeling in the world.
He closed his eyes and bowed his head. Calla told him to do a niece and uncle moment with Angelina. To talk to her. To shower her in love and pride. Steve swore to do the same to Bucky. To shower him in love and pride, even if they both think that they don’t deserve it. That they did too much wrong and guilt was too overpowering.

“‘Till the end of the line.” Steve whispered softly as he stood up and brushed a strand of hair away from Bucky’s face. It said a lot that Bucky was still asleep. It meant that this place was safe. That this was good for them. He stepped away from the couch and headed to his own room.

After the speech…he’ll work on Angelina and Bucky.

()

The clicking of heels was familiar. Whether it was a comforting sound or not was up for debate. Buck was staring at the TV in the lounge quarters, standing and gripping tightly to his biceps. Steve's voice rang in his ears as he gave his speech in a firm voice. A commanding voice. His face set and determined.

And he was right outside.

He couldn't be there with his own friend because it would terrify the crowd. Pepper was with Steve. Tony on his other side.

He /wanted/ to be. He belonged on Steve's left flank watching his six goddamn it.

"It's not the first time we had to watch him crucify himself on live television." Natasha said abruptly as she sat down on the arm of the chair, watching Steve. "He knows about the Red Room."

"You gave him a file on me after everything went to hell in a hand basket. My torture, my cryo-sleep, who I killed, how I tipped the world here and there. Of course he knows about the Red Room," Buck grunted, "I bet I could probably find that file in his belongings somewhere, if I wanted to know what he knew."

"I could give him a file on Angelina." Natasha said dryly, watching Bucky give her a look. "It's good Hydra kept her out from any prying eyes. It's one thing saving you. It'll be another thing entirely saving her. I'm not dumb. He's already torturing himself with the knowledge of what your file contained. I'm not going to hurt him with another. Not when there's no point. Agent Thomas spoke to Steve about it. Talked him out of searching."

"Not for very long. He'll find it on his own without any of our help. Then...I'll know, too..." Buck's face fell, and he chewed on his bottom lip, "I never looked, even though I had the chance. I can guess, based on my own, what she went through. Poking and prodding and electric pulses and cutting and so much more. Just to see what she can take. She has scars and lots of them just like I do and she has my healing capabilities."

"You don't want to know." Natasha watched him carefully, assessing.

"I could be real mean, but I won't. No, I don't want to know." He wanted to say 'would you?' but that...he wouldn't ever tear at those wounds. He respected and did care about the redhead more than Hydra ever wanted him to be. She wanted, he knew that. She was wonderful with children. "Traumatic experiences will often be blocked by your own brain, and so there's things of my own torture I don't remember, especially from the beginning. At all. Which...is why I won't look for that file you gave him, either."

Natasha nodded and looked at the T.V. "For the best. Otherwise I think you'd have a hard time moving on. I heard Dylan managed to get Angelina in his nerdom. I also heard Tony bitching that F.R.I.D.A.Y got hacked too."

"...what?" Buck turned to stare at her now, "F.R.I.D.A.Y. got /hacked/?!" That was very compromising and he felt his blood get icy.

"Ease down." Natasha shook her head from side to side. "We're not in trouble."

"Then...what aren't you telling me?" Buck furrowed his brows deeply.

Natasha grinned. "Come on Yasha. Do you need a hint?" At his dark look she sighed. "No fun. Fine. Anzhel."

Eyes widened comically and his jaw even dropped. His daughter hacked Tony's AI? Once the shock passed and his quick mind caught up he grinned wolfishly. His /daughter/ hacked /Tony's/ AI! "She did build a radio to catch frequencies which is how we even found you guys. I didn't know she was /that/ good." She deserved a really good reward. He wondered if he could ask someone to take her for ice cream or pizza. He certainly wouldn't be able to leave for a while, but Angelina hadn't been mentioned yet. That would be the second wave when Pepper had the DNA results.

Natasha smiled warmly. "I knew that would put you in better spirits." She crossed her legs and watched as Steve started answering questions from the press. "She's very tech savvy." She complimented. "It's starting to make sense why people don't make sense to her."

"I wonder if she would like Vision..." Bucky murmured and he finally, /finally/ went over and sat down next to her, sinking the couch with his weight but she kept her balance nicely. He reached out and touched Natasha's hair, feeling how soft and fluffy it was at the ends, "You look real nice with short hair like this. Classy."

"You still do that." Natasha's eyes softened and gently brushed her fingers against his. "She'll adore Vision and Wanda. The mind-reader team. I'm certain that Tony's going to come up with some clever quip to name all three of them and we'll be stuck with it for the rest of our lives."

"That'll be a great day, because that'll mean we're really a part of the team," Buck laced their fingers together. He didn't have romantic feelings for her anymore, but... "Before I remembered Steve, you were the one person I could call friend. You two are pretty much neck and neck. Sorry...for that bullet. I'm also sorry I didn't have enough time to dress your wounds properly. At least you lived."

"At least I lived." Natasha echoed back and smiled at Bucky. "If we had to categorize these relationships then you and I both know that all we were was passion and fire. We would burn out. You and Steve are in it for the long haul, but whether that means couple or not is up to you. Though, I can see a fourway happening between Calla, yourself, and Steve and whatever woman you manage on your arm."

His face flushed a deep color, and he squeezed her hand just slightly before letting her go, slinging his arm over her shoulders instead, "That is if Calla and that woman like each other well enough. I'd be happy if they let Steve and I be together in private. I'm remembering those feelings piece by piece. All I want is to touch him freely, but...I don't want to move too fast. I'm sure he's waiting for me, but I'm not ready yet in spite of what my wants say."

"Smart move." Natasha grinned and reached out, gently squeezing Bucky's shoulder before getting off of the couch. "The woman you're gonna be in love with, I'm certain is going to make all the rest of us have higher standards for our own love lives. Not because of your past. But because of the type of lover she'll be to you. You deserve that. You deserve Steve, too."

Bucky pouted at the loss, but he was noticing his need for touch wasn't just for Angelina or Steve, and Nat wasn't really a touchy-feely person. He'd overstepped his bounds. Ah well, he'd make it up later. "Thank you very much, Natalia. I needed this talk."

"As did I." Natasha winked and walked away, just as Steve walked away from the podium on the street.

~*~

Angelina swung her legs back and forth as Dylan was up at the counter ordering a pizza. She understood that it was a good thing, because she managed to hack into F.R.I.D.A.Y, but to Tony’s annoyance. She also was kind of curious. Tată didn’t always give her tangible rewards for doing something good. A touch on the hair, a kiss on her forehead, his eyes sparkling with so much goddamn pride and his voice when he’d husk in Russian that he loved her was normally what she got. But being on the run for the past two years, the small rewards grew. He’d find small, tangible things. Usually things that she could build, but sometimes it was a shirt or a doll or something he believed that she’d enjoy immensely for a job well down.

It made her both incredibly happy that tată felt like she did a really good job on hacking F.R.I.D.A.Y, and it made her feel proud of herself. She had thought that it was trouble-worth. Since she did compromise everyone’s safety doing it.

Dylan came back with a meat lover's slice for himself, and a pepperoni for Angelina. Since she'd said she didn't know what kind of pizza she liked, he figured it would be best to start small and work her up to more or different ingredients, "I'll have to buy a custom pizza for you when you wanna try something else," he grinned, "I love stuffed crust or the fluffy pan crust. Thin crust is kinda like cardboard."

"Stuffed crust is with cheese." Angelina remembered reading it on the menu. "Now that the press thing is over and done with, we have to do me next. I mean. Prove that tată is actually mine and I'm his."

"That's right," Dylan nodded and sat down beside her in the booth, sliding her her plate, "I think even after that people won't pay you much mind, but go after Buck a lot more. It's very sad...two hours later and all the media sites I visit are blowing up about it. The news outlets are spinning their own stories and who knows what sort of things the newspapers will say by tomorrow."

"I could say something." Angelina took a bite of her pizza. "I know social networks. I could write an essay. I could get them to think. People don't think. They see and they want. It's a violent kind of want, but it's a want. It's funny. When these things happen, no matter who it is, people turn into animals...and animals turn into decent people."

"It's interesting thinking of it that way. I think my world...the nerd world...will be a lot more accepting. See, we just gotta get people to /say/ something. Don't /let/ those with the worst opinion speak the loudest. Teamwork, banding together. It's tricky, especially when people are shy, but if they get riled up enough they will break their own chains," Dylan looked up at the ceiling, "I can help you set up some accounts on like, tumblr or something. Unless you got some. I don't think an essay is what people want. Words, actions...that does a lot. Pictures. Seeing you and Buck in domestic settings. That'll be hard since if they see Buck they might do something drastic."

Angelina's lips were firmly pressed. "He's my tată. I can do pictures. They don't bother me. I can do a tumblr account and we can do different things." She took another bite of her pizza, chewing a round a pepperoni as she continued. "They're going to want my story." She set her pizza down carefully.

"Putting pictures on tumblr and telling stories with the pictures sounds like a great idea," Dylan beamed at her, "That's one way to do it. Tag the crap out of your posts. We can post short videos on there, too. You can ask Stark for a phone to take those vids with and have a tumblr app and all that. I can do the same. Get Calla in on it, too!"

Angelina mirrored his beam. "Videos! Kinda like eyes, but much more fun." She happily took a few more bites of her pizza, enjoying the pepperoni and cheese before setting it down again. "How long do we have outside the Tower?"

"You know, Buck just asked me to take you out for pizza. I wasn't given a time limit or anything of the sort, so...I would say, until you want to go home," Dylan nodded to himself before he focused on his food for a minute now it'd cooled off a bit.

She supposed it made sense. Calla worked only nights, and no Avenger could go out without the paparazzi trailing after them like a cat being bated with catnip. She took another bite of her food, chewing a little thoughtfully as her mind ran through different ideas of what they could do. She knew that Dylan felt...well...a little out of depth. He was taking it into stride, even more so since he was able to hang out with her (not even in his thoughts did he think of it as "bodyguarding").

"Let's do something." She knew she was asking for trouble. Crowds and people and crazy things were bound to happen, but she didn't know what /Dylan/ needed. She just knew that the Tower was too much for him, and she knew what that was like.

(The walls closing in. The skin itching to the point where she had to tear it off. The eyes that never ceased. The people whose thoughts screamed loud. Louder and louder till she wnated to rip out her hair and scream.)

She didn't want to see him lose it. That was kind of her job anyway.

"Well, Calla told me you already went to the mall...how about somewhere more quiet? Central Park?" he racked his brain, "There's a butterfly house somewhere, I'd have to look it up. There's also the Museum."

"Butterfly houses? Museum?" Angelina perked up. "That sounds like fun. Central Park. I never been. I hear it's supposed to be really, really big."

"It's huge, and it even has a couple like, ponds and tiny lakes in it," Dylan grinned at her, "We can go there for today. I think we'd be able to get you out of the Tower easier than Bucky once your announcement is made, so we can save the butterfly house and Museums for field trips or something. I gotta look up the butterfly house location, anyway."