Lady Snow-Bucky Barnes

PROLOGUE

          The human mind was the scariest thing of all. It could decide to love, to destroy or do both; it could even decide to destroy itself.

          For her, destruction was never on her mind but it came to her anyways. Love was destruction and the mind decided that, apparently, that was best kind of delightful horror to crave in her life. Her mind was a disease that way, crippling her with love like a sick fantasy.

         She supposed she wouldn't have it any other way though. Because how could you regret the thing that made you and destroyed you? The human mind really was scary or maybe that was just life.

         ______

          Eira sat on the couch in the center of the room, facing the person behind the desk. She had her legs criss-crossed in front of her and she was picking at the end of her jeans.

           "So you've been having nightmares?" the blonde man behind the desk asked.

              Eira shrugged, "Some."

              "Have you talked to your friend about these nightmares? He's very worried for you," he said which made look towards the door where she knew Steve waited outside. He was the one that wanted her to come here, to get help.

              "I don't want to burden him," she answered. Although, she supposed screaming in the middle of the night put a burden on him considering he always ran into her room to check up on her. He'd always asked what her nightmares were about but she knew the topic would make him sad and she didn't feel like she deserved to be.

               "Alright, then why don't you talk to me?" he suggested.

               Eira shook her head vehemently, "I don't-I don't want to talk about my nightmares."

               "Then what do you want to talk about?" he questioned and she looked at his blue eyes carefully. He introduced himself as Nathan. He was Dr. Hart, employed by SHIELD, and currently her therapist.

                 "I don't want Steve to dislike me," she said thoughtfully.

               "Why would he do that?"

              "I...scream at night and it probably bugs him," she shrugged and looked towards the door again. "I'm a burden."

                "I can tell you that's far from what he thinks," he said which made her look down. He continued. "I can tell you he thinks very highly of you and only wants the best for you."

               She sniffled as tears formed, "I don't deserve it."

              "Why do you say that?"

                She shook her head as she started to cry and she wiped her tears with the back of her hand, "Nothing. Forget it."

               She looked towards the door again where Steve waiting outside for her, wanting her to be okay. Steve, who had no idea that she was the frost bite in his life.

             The roaring started in her ears and she put her hands over them. She could remember it clearly.

               The war. Bucky. HYDRA. Bucky. Her mistakes.

               And a memory flashed through her mind...from seventy years ago.

           ______

        The roar of the flying machine she was chasing muffled everything else. She wasn't going to be fast enough to catch it but she didn't have to be.