the strongest avenger (2)

twenty nine

"How was it?" I ask Bruce as he comes back from his first counseling session.

"It's therapy. Not counseling." He makes his way over to the pantry.

"They asked us a lot of questions." Thor says as he sits down next to me at the island.

"Where do we have to go?"

"The new headquarters. I'll send you the address."

**

"Let's go."

I look up, still sitting at the island, to find Bucky staring at me from across the way.

"It's one thirty, we have time."

"I don't like to be late."

I sigh and put my bookmark in the pages, setting it to the side. Bucky and I go down to the garage silently and he leads me towards a...a bike. A motorcycle.

"I'm not riding that."

He just sends me a look over his shoulder as he sits down on it. Steve had a bike, but I never rode on it. I always used my Corvette that Tony got me for my twenty first birthday. I would have to get a new one now.

"How'd you even get a bike?" I cross my arms.

"Tony gave us all money."

"Not that much money."

"Economy's not doing good, I got it cheap. Now let's go."

"We're taking a car."

He huffs and gets off the bike, but then he lifts up the seat and pulls out a helmet.

"You'll be fine. Put this on." He tosses it to me and I bite my lip.

"Fine. But if I fall off I will literally kill you."

"Just get on the fucking bike."

I glare at him as I pull the helmet on and wrap my arms around him. I cling to his shirt as we take off out of the garage and onto the main road. There's a few cars, more than there has been, so he weaves in between them.

I yelp as he jerks right and I close my eyes.

"Do you even have the address?" I yell over the air roaring past my ears.

"Yes!"

I groan as he makes a sharp left and dig my hands into his form, trying to not fly off the back.

"Slow the fuck down!"

His body shakes with laughs and so I pinch him in response. After another minute of trying not to puke, we slow down and pull into the lot of a tall building.

I let out a relieved sigh as I look up at the skyscraper. The window panes reflect blue from the sun, and I can see some jets in the distance along with moving trucks.

They must have been transferring their stuff from the other location.

As soon as we pull into a spot, I let go and jump off the bike, shoving the helmet into James' hands and then leaning over with my hands on my knees.

"Are you good?"

"I need a second." I let out a few breaths, glad that the nausea passed. "I almost puked on you. Driving like a fucking maniac."

I straighten and run my hands over my hair, flattening the strands that were sticking up.

I glare at him as we walk into the new SHIELD headquarters. The woman at the desk seems to recognize us and she directs us to the third floor.

The doors of the elevator start to close, but then a hand reaches in to stop it. I purse my lips as Sharon Carter jumps into the elevator.

She spares me a glance but then looks at Bucky, batting her lashes.

"Hello Bucky. Nice to see you again."

He just nods at her and I stifle a laugh. I have absolutely no idea why Sharon has an issue with me. The last time I had seen her, I was sixteen in Berlin.

Thankfully we were on the third floor, meaning we didn't have to ride with Sharon too long.

As the doors close behind us, I turn to the metal man. "She likes you."

He just grunts in return as we walk down the hall towards room 26. Where Dr. Ames is.

"Oh come on. When was the last time you got laid? The 30s or 40s?" I look over and see him stone faced, eyes trained forward. "I say go for it. Get some, ya know."

"And when was the last time you got any dick?"

"Two weeks ago."

He jerks his head around to look at me, his eyes moving over my face.

"What? Is it that hard to believe that I can get laid?" I scoff and cross my arms.

"Who?"

I roll my eyes at him. "Your best friend Steve."

He starts to chuckle which confuses me slightly. "You're not his type."

"And he's not mine. It's just quick fucks. No feelings."

He hums next to me and thankfully we arrive at the room. A sign next to the door reads 'Doctor Alyssa Ames'.

I sigh and knock on the door, opening it when I hear a 'come in'.

The lady sitting at her desk looks up, her light brown hair blowing from where a fan sits on the floor next to the window. She smiles wide at us, dimples forming on her cheeks. Her red lipstick shines in the light.

I give her a close mouthed smile as I sit in one of the armchairs across from her desk. Bucky sits on my left.

"Hello, you must be Talia," she looks at me and I nod. "And you must be James."

"Call me Bucky."

"Okay, so let's get started."

"I have a question first." I say, leaning slightly forward. "How many of these sessions do we have to do before we're cleared?"

"At least three. After three I assess on whether or not you're ready for assignments."

I nod and lean back, getting comfy.

"So I need to ask you both these starter questions, the basics, and then I'll fill out my chart here. Okay?"

We both nod in response.

"Full name?"

I roll my eyes, surely she knows our names.

"I'm required to ask them even though I know who you are."

"James Buchanan Barnes."

I let out a sigh. "Talia James."

"Age?"

"23."

"106."

I turn and look at James, a little wide eyed, but then I remember he and Steve grew up together.

"Parents?"

"Winnifred and George Barnes."

"Tony Stark and Pepper Potts are my adoptive parents."

Alyssa continues to nod and write down on her clipboard.

"Any medications? Medical history?"

"PTSD." Bucky says, shifting a little in his seat.

"Anxiety and depression. I'm on Prozac."

"Okay...that works. So," she sets down her clipboard. "you can call me Alyssa or Dr Ames, whatever you prefer. So...how are you guys doing?"

I look over at James, raising my brows at him.

"Ladies first." He mumbles.

I sigh and grit my teeth. "To be honest, I want to hit something."