Winters War

Chapter 12:

There is mostly silence as we walk down some random street. No cars pass, no kids playing on a playground, no people, no.....nothing. Just silence. Bucky and Sam also remain silent up a head of me. Part of me wants to talk to him, pull him aside and tell him I'm sorry, but I can't. I just can't.

He's not my Bucky anymore and no matter how much I desperately need him to be, he never will. My Bucky died the moment Steve passed. He didn't care anymore about anything. Bucky only cared about himself and the pain he was feeling, he didn't care about us or what he was breaking. He only cared about himself. 'No he doesn't. Bucky has always cared about you.' I tell myself, 'he loves you and he loves Storm. He would never purposely hurt you'.

That's when I hear a voice suddenly speak beside me causing me to flinch and step back. "Hey it's Black Falcon!" Two kids sit on a small wall along the sidewalk, a basketball in ones hands. "Everything okay?" His voice is calm and quieter than usual. "Yeah I'm fine."I tell him. Once again back to silence. I guess calling him by his actual name really is taking it's toll on him. Honestly good though maybe this way he will finally leave me alone.

I can't deal with everything right now. Like I said my Bucky is gone, time to move on with my life. Pick up the pieces that are left behind and continue forward. To my surprise I follow closely behind him though as we approach some steps. Bright sun beams dance across the brick steps in the cool fall air. For a split second I can feel it's warmth as I step into it.

Closing my eyes I try and tune out the world and find peace. For the first time in a long time I only hear silence, the warmth of the sun warming my rosy cheeks. Small bits of wind blow through my air giving a cool bite as it enters my lungs. "Everything okay?" Sam asks me. "Just enjoying the sun for a moment longer."I tell him softly. The metal door bangs as Bucky knocks, from there silence falls.

Water droplets hit the stone floor. Everything is cold, damp, and dark. Bars barricade the window and the small opening in the heavy door. I try to rest but the floor makes that impossible. Goosebumps were constant in my skin as I preyed for his warmth. Sleep deprivation would always begin to sink in when the sun final exposed itself to the dark world. Multiple times I would think of my mornings back home, Bucky would run his hand up my back as the sun would break. His heartbeat made it easy to relax and sleep. Sometimes I would run my hand up his chest to the nape of his neck and try to pull myself even closer, if it were possible. He would always chuckle.

The door finally opened, there was no point in screaming or fighting anymore, I was too tired to bother trying. They didn't even bother to really restrain me anymore, the guards would just walk at my sides, never saying a word.

A sudden touch on my arm makes me jump, my eyes growing wide. Bucky stands there, concern now competing with the sadness on his face. "Come on, we are being let inside." I nod as he almost attempts to reach for my hand but I just shove them in my pockets and walk past him.

I stand beside Sam as we face an elderly black man. White hair coats the top of his head and his facial features. He stands with a bit of a hunch that doesn't seem to go away, possibly something do to old age. He sure is built though. The mans arms are bigger than my thighs it seems. " Isaiah." "Look at you."he says with a deep raspy voice. "This is, uh, Sam and Blue. Sam, Blue, this is Isaiah."Bucky tells us, "he was a hero."

"Pleasure to meet you."I say to him, my hands still firm in my pockets. "What kind of name is Blue."he says. "It's more of a nickname, my actual name is Sapphire but everyone calls me Blue." He just nods and gives a small smile. "He was one of the hero's they Hydra feared the most, like Steve. We met in 51."adds Bucky. "If by met, you mean I whupped your ass, then, yeah."Isaiah says, "we heard whispers he was on the peninsula but everyone they sent after him, never came back."

My eyes drift to Bucky, he just looks down at his shoes while Isaiah speaks. "I took half that metal arm in that fight in Goyang, but I see he's managed to grow it back. I just wanted to see if he got the arm back. Or if he came to kill me." "I'm not a killer anymore." This strange smirk spreads across Isaiah's lips as he begins to speak again. "You think you can wake up one day and decide who you wanna be? It doesn't work like that. Well maybe it does for folks like you."

For a split second there is just silence until Bucky has the nerve to speak again. "Isaiah the reason we're here is because there are more of you and me out there."he tells him. "You and me."Isaiah responds coldly. "And we need to know how." "I'm not gonna talk about it anymore."he snaps as he throws a metal tin into a would door frame. I flinch and begin to turn on the sparks but Bucky had already placed his arm in front of me, trying to keep me out of harms way.

Isaiah approach's Bucky making me step back, not knowing Same was behind me I back into him. He rest his hand on my back to give stability and comfort but it's not very comforting. I'm charged up and ready to go, if they won't fight back then at least I'm ready. "You know what they did to me for being a hero?"Isaiah begins, "they put my ass in jail for 30 years. People running test, taking my blood, coming into my cell. Even your people weren't done with me."

"Isaiah"Sam begins but is immediately cut off. "Get out of my house!"the old man shouts. Bucky turns around and gently grabs my arm, getting a lovely little shock as he does. He flinches slightly and continues to hold it as we walk out. If my power was up as high as it could go he would be on his ass right now.

"Sam." "Why did you tell me about Isaiah? How could nobody bring him up?!" I look between the two of them as I try to keep up. "I asked you a question Bucky."snaps Sam. "I know." "Steve didn't know about him?"Sam continues. "He didn't know, I didn't tell him." "So you're telling me that there was a black Super Solider decades ago and no body knew about it?"

The sound of a car approaching gets closer as sirens turn on. They stop bickering for just a moment to notice a police car pulling up along side us. "Hey." "What's up man."Sam snaps. "Is there a problem here?"one of the officers ask as they step out. "No, we're just talking." "We're fine."I tell them. "Can I see your Id?" "I don't have Id, why?" "Man seriously." I just remain silent. "Miss?"one asks. "What?" "Id?" I press my lips together before saying, "listen I just got back from being held prisoner half way across the world, so do you think I have Identification on me?" "Blue."Bucky warns. I just roll my eyes.

"Okay sir just calm down."the other says to Sam. "I am calm, what do you want? We were just talking." "Just give him you Id so we can leave."Bucky tells Sam. "No, I'm not giving him shit. We're just talking." "Hey, hey, is her bothering you?"the officer asks. "No he's not bothering us."Bucky tells him. "Do you know who this guy is?"I finally interrupt, "take a good look at him." "These guys are Avengers."whispers the other cop. "Damn right we are. Is about time you figured it out."I snap. "Blue not helping."Bucky says.

"Oh god, I am so sorry, Mr.Wilson."the officer apologizes, "I didn't recognize you without the goggles. I'm really, really sorry about this." Another siren sounds from behind us. My nerves begin to increase as I start to turn my voltage on again. I'm not liking this, something is wrong. The cops that were talking to us leave but I watch everyone's every move. "I didn't tell anybody because he had already been through enough."Bucky answers Sam.

Once again the officer approaches but this time Bucky's last name rolls off his tongue. "There a warrant out for your arrest."he says. "What?!"I say. "Look the president pardoned him for all that." "Not for that. You missed your court-mandated therapy. It's like missing a check in with your PO. I'm sorry Mr.Barnes your under arrest."

Bucky doesn't speak as they place the handcuffs on him. "So that's it, you just take him?!"I argue. "I'm sorry Mrs.Barnes it's the law."and with that they lead him away, leaving Sam and I standing in the middle of the road.