Fire starter (Ana X Bucky)

33

This is a THANK YOU for 1K views special update. It was meant for the regular Monday drop but you guys deserve an early drop. Love you guys!!

(Ana POV)

We spent all morning talking about Steve's plan to get the kids. He seems to know Sharon the best out of everyone so he used that in detail. He has noted Carter family homes, Sharon's safe houses, even her summer home in Vienna.

"Are you okay Steve?" I watched him as he stared into a picture. I looked over at James who nodded his head to the side for me to see what the picture was. It was an old black and white picture of a house sitting in the center of a field. A forest resting behind it. Flowers lined the second floor balcony, and a beautiful landscape surrounded the place.

"It was Peggy's." I could see him hold back tears. He sniffled a bit then took a deep breath, carefully placing the picture down into a file folder.

"Where was it? It looks beautiful." My voice was low and soft. I knew after everything he still loved her. It was the type of love that would live through the end of the world.

"It's in upstate New York, pretty close to here actually. She got it during the war. I told her she was crazy for getting realty at the time. She was strong willed like that." A small smile grew on his face.

"It's in? As in it's still there?" James was trying to be there for Steve as much as I was.

"Yea. She uh...she left it for me when she passed." A silence filled the room realizing what that meant. The entire time we were together he never went upstate. I doubt he has been there since he signed the contracts to own it.

"I'm glad you have a piece of her." I add before placing my hand on his. I felt terrible. He lost James, then her, then we broke up essentially losing me, and now the triplets. I had no idea how he was keeping shit together.

He cleared his throat "It doesn't matter now. What matters is finding where the kids could be." I take a deep breath glancing at James who gives me a solemn smile before lowering his head onto the details of Sharon's properties.

"Do you remember anything about where they had you?" James asked quietly

"Well you guys found me where they had me. They didn't move me. Just had me in a cell at first then kept me drugged and strapped down." I didn't look up at them. I knew the looks that were coming for me.

"What drugs did they have you on?" Steve asked. I wanted to believe it was concerned for the babies.

"I don't know. I just know one of them burned. They said it was to make the babies come faster..."

"It's called the Growth genome serum, it was invented in Germany to help speed up healing for severe trauma victims, it's supposed to be still in test stages." Bruce walks in with a file. He stands next to me placing the file in front of me. "I'm sorry.." He whispered placing one hand on my shoulder, then walked out. His eyes were red like he's been crying. I furrowed my brows looking at the file. 

"Want me to open it?" James gently spoke. I shook my head still staring at the file. It had the questions I have been drowning in. After a few more minutes I finally opened the file.

Looking at the content I couldn't help but tear up. I placed a hand over my mouth in shock. They altered my DNA. They drugged me with a serum to advance growth of the babies. It's why they were able to take them out so early in the pregnancy and survive. My DNA was no longer just changed to cause fires but...I was....It felt like the world was ending. Because..it was for me.

"Are you okay?" Steve got up slowly walking towards me. He knelt next to me placing his hand on my leg trying to get my attention. I could hear James sigh from across the table.

"The growth genome serum wasn't the only serum they used on me....but it's the worst." I can feel my body start to shake. I was trying hard to hold back tears. I had just gotten James, I was on my way to get my babies. Yet this...I was about to lose everything.

"Buck" Steve called for James to come over to me. He reached out to hold me but I stood up moving away from them both. I couldn't let myself think about this. The babies are our priority.

"So...We um..we will start at Peggy's..I mean Steve's house." I was breathing heavily, I could hear my voice cracking.

"Talk to us doll" James stood up but gave me the space I was needing.

"It's not important." I turned to face them after wiping the tears that had fallen. I quickly snap my fingers lighting the file on fire. "What's important is finding the triplets. So, we'll start at the house, then move on to Sharon's safe houses." I didn't look at them. I knew if I did I would break down. If I looked at James..my James. This will break him.

"You need to talk to at least Bucky, we know when something's wrong, you burned the file so we wouldn't see." Steve kept his voice soft and low to not anger me.

"NO..I...I said no. I-I can't...I can't talk about it now. Not while they are out there alone." James slowly walks up to me. He hesitates when I flinch, then tries to hold me again. This time I let him. I let out a small amount of tears. All I can allow myself to feel at the moment. I pull away from him still not looking at his face. He wipes the tears from my cheeks with his thumb then pulls my face up to see him by my chin.

"Remember what I said. I'll be here no matter what, whenever you are ready to talk." I nod then look away. This news of what they did to me was so much worse then the torture they put me through. And now time was running out. We had to move fast to get to my babies.

"Let's get ready to go." I walk out the room avoiding their concerned looks once more. I quietly head to the lab to talk to Bruce. I needed to know who else knew about this. I needed everyone to keep this quiet from James.

Entering the lab Bruce was sitting on his table covering his face. His glasses on the side.

"Bruce." I whispered. I didn't want to scare the Hulk out. He looked up with sorrow. He was crying.

"I...it wasn't easy keeping the big guy from coming out, knowing what they did to you." I ran over to him, kneeling next to him and bringing him in to a hug. I cried with him for a moment.

"Bruce..I need to know. Who else knows?" I pull away to look at him. He wasn't a good liar, but Natasha has been teaching him how to hide it better.

"Just us."

"Does ...you know...know?" I point up at Jarvis.

"He does...why?" He carefully puts on his glasses furrowing his brows.

"We need to wipe the information from the system. If Tony sees it...well he has a big mouth. I need this kept between us." Bruce stands up frustrated placing his hands on his hips.

"Why? This isn't a flu, they all need to know." His voice began getting louder. 

"Shhh. I can't let them know yet. I'll tell them..okay? Just...I need everyone concentrating on the babies, not finding me a cure."

"We can multitask..."

"And risk my kids? NO...fuck no Bruce. Promise me...promise me please..please, promise me you won't tell anyone and you'll wipe the information from the mainframe." I begged. I can't have everyone moving their concentration to me. I waited for what felt like centuries for him to make up his mind.

"Okay...fine..but on one a condition." I nod

"Anything, name it." I'll do anything to keep everyone looking for the kids. It's the most important thing in the world right now.

"You'll let me work on a cure. I'll keep it from everyone. I won't even be on the field so I can take the time everyone is out to do this."

"Bruce..." His insistence to help me was breaking my heart.

"Without this, the deal is off. You know your mother would want someone to look after you while you look after everyone else. Let me do this." A tear falls down my cheek. He was right, my mother would want that. I nod agreeing to his terms.