Marble Statues ⏃ Captain America [4]

ten

10. | UP AND UP

THE FLIGHT TO SOKOVIA was long and silent.

Tony and Clint were at the front, talking quietly to each other. Bruce sat far away from the Maximoff twins, who stood off to the side away from everyone. As Christina caught Bruce's eye, he quickly looked away. She knew he was annoyed with her for being against him and Tony, and she knew that he was angry about what Wanda had done to him.

Thor and Vision were seated together but not talking. Steve was on his own and her heart hurt as she looked at him, perhaps it was the fact that she missed him or maybe it was the look on his face—that serious and concerned look.

Careful not to draw too much attention, she moved over to him and sat down. She had expected a surprised look from him, though all he did was turn his head toward her with wide, tired eyes.

"Do you remember when we went to that old army base?" Steve whispered. "Back when we were still trying to figure out what was going on with SHIELD?"

"I remember," Christina answered quietly, ignoring the sudden shock that ran through her at his face being so close to hers again.

"Zola had shown us so many things that HYDRA had done...Howard Stark's picture came up," Steve trailed off.

Chris furrowed her brows, bringing forth the memories of that day from the back of her mind. She remembered the giant computer, the strange, computerized face of what used to be Zola, and how he'd shown them files of what HYDRA had managed to do underneath the guise of SHIELD. She also remembered the heart sinking feeling when the truth of her parents was revealed—that they were HYDRA spies all along. The files of her parents, Nick Fury, and Howard Stark were somehow connected.

"Yes," she breathed out, nodding her head. "HYDRA killed him."

They both glanced over at the front at where Tony was sitting, his back to them.

"Everything HYDRA did, almost everything, was with the help of the Winter Solider." Steve explained. "I think Bucky killed him."

The words resonated in her head a few times before she was drawn back to the conversation. Her heart pounded in her chest, that Bucky—rather the Winter Soldier—could've killed Howard Stark. Christina knew that if Tony found out and if Bucky were to ever be located...all hell would break loose.

"Oh, God," she whispered, eyeing Tony warily as if he could hear their every word. "Steve, Howard wasn't the only person killed that day."

His eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Tony's mom also died...she was in the car."

"We're five minutes out," Tony called, turning around in his chair. "Get ready, guys."

Steve and Christina shared one finally look before they stood. He began to tighten the straps on the back of his shield around his forearm, making sure they were secure.

Christina situated her twin blades on her back and holstered her guns, saddened by the fact that Steve would go back to avoiding her. Though she was comforted by the fact he trusted her enough to tell her about Bucky, she still didn't know where they stood.

"Chris—"

"Sitma," interrupted Thor, handing her the comms earpiece.

The Quinjet jolted, nearly making them all stubble where they stood before shooting an irritated look at Tony. He turned back to them with a sheepish expression on his face.