Frostbite |The Alternate Timeline

Threats Don't Work On Me

We found the station that they had hauled Bucky to and got there as fast as we could. Sam tried making some calls as I argued with the person at the front desk. They weren't going to release him to us. Sam finally dragged me to a seat as we waited for Bucky's therapist to get out here and try to negotiate his release, but not before I cast a final dirty glance at the woman behind me.

Sam eventually spoke after a while, "Melanie, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," I shrugged.

"Do you think I did the right thing? With the shield? You knew Steve longer than me and I just..."

I turned to face him fully, resting a hand on his arm, "Sam, Steve trusted you with it. What anybody else thinks shouldn't matter. I think you did what was right for you. It's a lot to have thrusted upon you; I get it. You had no warning before he handed the mantle over to you. At the end of the day, it's your choice. Only you get to make it."

"Would you have done the same then? If he had given it to you?"

"I wouldn't want to be Captain America," I laughed, "but I'm selfish Sam. I would have kept the shield just so no one else could have it."

That got a laugh out of him. He shook his head and sighed. I nudged him with my elbow playfully and we were quiet again, watching the steady flow of people through the station. Eventually, he spoke again.

"You know, you get quieter every time I see you," he eventually said, "Is there something you need to talk about?"

I bit my lip, wanting to tell him about the secrets I'd been keeping. I felt guilty for lying. Sam was my friend and I trusted him, but I had promised. What was I supposed to do when my loyalties were pulling me in different directions? And at the cost of my own sanity? Then again, would telling the truth really solve anything or would it just create unease and hurt?

"No, I'm fine, Sam," I shrugged, flashing a convincing smile. Even if I did want to divulge the information, now was not the time.

He gave me a pointed look and said, "You're one of my best friends, Mel. I just want you to know, whatever it is, you don't have to deal with it alone. I don't want us to drift apart because of it either."

"That'll never happen," I assured him, "It's just- It's complicated. I'm still struggling with Tony's death... And then losing the connection to the Eldritch magic has been- difficult. I'll be okay."

Those weren't lies, but not the whole truth either.

"You keep saying that like its supposed to convince me, but it really sounds like you're trying to convince yourself."

A huff of air escaped from me, but before I could respond, a middle-aged woman approached us. She had to be Bucky's therapist. She brushed her dark hair aside and offered a hand to each of us.

"Sam- Melanie- I've heard a lot about you two. I'm Dr. Raynor. I'm James's therapist," she introduced.

"I doubt that's a good thing," I mumbled to Sam before saying, "So nice to meet you."

"Thank you for getting him out," Sam said, with a smile.

"That was not me," she admitted. Sam and I glanced at one another in confusion. Then who had?

"Christina. It's great to see you again!" a familiar voice called from behind us. John and Lemar had entered the station.

"You gotta be kidding me. You know him?" Sam inquired with a shake of his head.

"Dear lord," I groaned, rolling my eyes as people flocked to him for pictures. It was nauseating.

She nodded with a fond grin, "Yeah, we did some field ops back in the day."