The Forgotten ❤️

Chapter 3

Victoria ends up spending the rest of the day in her room. When she wakes up the next morning she finds a box outside her room full of more clothes. She finds a hoodie and new leggings and puts them on before heading down to the kitchen. She realized she hadn't had anything to eat since she got there. She entered the kitchen to find Steve and Natasha at the table along with a tall long black haired man with big green eyes.

His gaze met hers as she entered the room, "hey. I'm Loki."

Victoria half smirks back and turns to the other side of the kitchen to find Bucky making breakfast. She stood for a minute deciding if she wanted to stay. She finally decided she was too hungry to leave just because he was there. He handed her a plate of eggs and toast. His eyes searched hers, trying to find something familiar. She could see he was apologizing with his eyes, he wanted so much to remember her, but he just couldn't. "Thank you Buck." She takes the plate and sits at the table next to Steve as everyone watched her. "What?"

Sam sits at the table across from her, "Steve is the only one that calls him Buck. He's usually the only one that he lets call him Buck."

She turned back to Bucky and found him watching her along with everyone else. She feels her face turn red, "I'm sorry. I must have pulled it from Steve's head." She looked down at her plate and avoided their looks as she ate.

After breakfast Steve asked her if she wanted to spar. "I want to see what you can do, if that's okay?"

"Sure Steve." She walks to the training room with him.

Steve watched her as she removed her hoodie displaying her toned stomach and arms in her sports bra and leggings. He left for the locker room, coming back in sweats and a t-shirt. For the first time she really studied him. He had dirty blonde hair that fell in his face, occasionally covering the gentle blue-green eyes. The same eyes that told her she could trust him. His shoulders broad, his arms and abdominals bulging under his shirt.

They both chose to remain barefooted as they began. She could tell Steve was taking it easy on her. He was pulling his punches whenever he did make contact. She concentrated for a second, making him feel anger as he lunged at her much harder than he had been. She had just managed to dodge him as he lunged again. This time as he did she was able to plant her foot squarely in his chest, sending him backwards on the floor. She instantly sent calm to him as he stood back up and she laughed. "You were taking it easy on me. Don't be mad."

When she thinks he's about to reprimand her for using her powers on him he instead laughs. "No. You're right. I was going easy. I won't anymore. You can clearly handle yourself."

She walks up to him, them both out of breath. She touches his chest, "tomorrow? We'll try again."

He doesn't say anything, just nods. She wanted to use her powers to read what he was feeling, but she used every ounce of self control she had not to. Instead she left him alone in the training room.

Steve watched her walk away, his chest still slightly hurting from her kick. There was something about her that stirred something about him, but he didn't know what it was or how he was feeling. He was drawn to her, even if he couldn't explain it.

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Natasha and Wanda decided to take Victoria shopping for bonding, and to get her out of the compound for a bit. They finished lunch, "I'll pay," Victoria pulled out a card, "Tony gave me his credit card. Apparently he has a lot of money?" Victoria shrugged as Wanda and Natasha laughed. After lunch they helped Victoria pick out some new clothes; jeans, shirts, blouses, dresses and new shoes. They even talked her into buying some formal dresses because apparently her brother enjoyed throwing parties even now.

"So, you won't talk about whatever has gone on with you and Barnes, but what's up with you and Steve?" Natasha decided to be nosey on the car ride back to the compound, bombarding Victoria with questions.

"Um, there's nothing going on, why? He makes me calm." She watched a look pass between Wanda and Natasha, "what?"

Wanda looked back at her, "well he broke up with his girlfriend right after you got here."

"Oh, I'm sure that doesn't have anything to do with me." It couldn't have. He barely knew her. She couldn't deny she felt comfortable around him. And she certainly couldn't deny how attractive he was, or how attracted she was to him.

"Yeah, if you say so Victoria."

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Victoria sits on the roof patio of the compound late that night after everyone had gone to sleep. She had been having trouble sleeping. She liked it on the roof, it was quiet. She could be alone. She heard someone walking behind her, making her jump up.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was up here." She stands up and turns around to find Bucky looking at her.

He turned to leave her alone but she stopped him. "Stay. It's fine." She sits back down on the table, looking over the compound and motions to the spot next to her. "Just don't say anything. Okay?" She felt nervous and angry and sad sitting so close to him. He who was now a stranger to her. He who didn't remember her.

Bucky just nods and sits next to her. After sitting there for what seems like forever he finally breaks the silence. "I'm sorry I can't remember you. Something tells me I really wish I could remember you."

Victoria starts to cry silently sitting next to him as she turns her face from him.

"Can you show me?" He placed his hand on hers, making her look up into his eyes. She closed her eyes and placed her hand on his head, her thumb caressing his forehead. She takes a deep breath and releases as she brings up the memory of The Winter Soldier killing her parents. But there were pieces missing. Like a movie tape that had been altered. He took her that night. She had been in the backseat, but it wasn't in his memory. And she couldn't change that. She couldn't make memories appear, or bring them back.

"I can't. I tried. I'm sorry. I'm not there anymore. I don't know why. I can only show you my memories."

She went to pull her hand from him, but he grabbed it, placing it back on his head, "then show me your memories." He sees her hesitate as he grabbed her other hand, placing both hands on his head, "please."

She pulled her hands away, "I don't know if that's a good idea Buck."

He grabbed her waist, pulling her to him, tears in his eyes. "I know I know you. Please."

Victoria rested her head on his, her hands on his neck, "you don't remember me."

Bucky didn't say anything as he moved a hand to the nape of her neck, pulling her lips to his. Victoria moaned as she pressed her body firmly to his. She pulled her mouth from his, resting her head on his again, "James. I'm sorry. I can't." She leaves him alone on the rooftop before he could say anything else to her.

Bucky sat out on the roof, now alone. There was something about her that felt familiar, but he couldn't remember her, no matter how hard he tried. And she called him Buck, as if they were friendly. He never let anyone call him Buck, except for Steve, and no one ever called him James. But that was because Steve really knew him, the real him. The him that wasn't The Winter Soldier. He knew that people still saw that first when they met him. And there was nothing he could do to change that. He felt that there was nothing he could do to redeem himself in the eyes of those around him all the time. When he first saw Victoria she had only fear in her eyes, it was a look all too familiar to him. But now when she looked at him, it was different. And it wasn't just one thing. There was more than just fear there, he just didn't know what it was. He felt something for her, and he knew she still did too.

He left the roof, pausing outside her door. He didn't say anything as he opened her door, closing it quietly behind him. Victoria didn't say anything as she stood in the middle of the room, watching as he approached her. She moaned as he gently lifted her, his lips finding hers. Her tongue urgently found his as he gently laid her on her bed, pinning her under him. She forgot how much she missed his touch as his mouth moved to her neck, "oh Buck."

He pulled away from her, both of them out of breath, "I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have done that. It just felt natural."

He started to walk away, but she grabbed his hand, "because we've done it so many times before. Sleep here with me? Please." She scooted over, laying under the blanket and motioning for him to lay with her. She watched him hesitate but lay next to her as her head found the nook of his neck, covering him with the blanket too.

Bucky closed his eyes as Victoria projected a memory of hers on him. It was of them laying just like they were now in her cell back at Hydra. They calmed each other, and he felt they had loved each other. He pulled her closer to him, wrapping both arms around her.