Different as Night and Day (Winterfalcon)

Truth is a Cruel Creature...

Bucky's POV

The Asset was flying over Afghanistan. The Mission was to protect a man who HYDRA considered very very valuable. Which meant to protect him and assassinate any threats.

The Asset saw something flying in the distance. It flew the high-tech jet closer, seeing it was a man in a bird-like suit. One was red and one was blue.

A Russian voice crackled over the intercom.

"Shoot one down Soldat. Then report back to base."

The Asset took aim. Firing easily and watched as the man in blue tumbled down, the man in the red suit screamed a name and flew after him.

He didn't catch him. The Asset watched them, hoping maybe it'd feel something. Shame. Remorse. Guilt of any form.

In the back of The Asset's brain it felt something crying. It didn't know and it didn't care. It's Mission was complete.

It turned the jet, heading back to base.

It got back to base, the HYDRA Agents roughly grabbed The Asset out of the jet, one shocked it with an electric prod. The back of it's neck tingled and, like a good Asset, it's head responded instinctively by going blank except for the mission.

They sat it down in front of the cryo chamber and The Handler came up to it.

"Mission Report."

"One Threat taken out. The other reached to save him, and failed. The Threat was using some form of new technology with wings, probably pararescue."

The Handler smiled, satisfied with The Asset's work.

"Would The Asset like to know who it took out?"

Was The Handler testing the Asset? Making sure it wasn't curious or anything? The Asset didn't respond, simply staying silent.

"Riley. The target you shot down. That was his name. The one who tired to catch him was Sam Wilson. You were correct, they were both part of an American pararescue experiment."

The Asset stayed silent again. So, after a few moments, the Handler waved his hand dismissively. The other Agents grabbed it roughly, shocking it's neck again.

They forced it into the cryo chamber immediately. It didn't even struggle, too dazed from the shocking. They attached a drip to it's hand, attached tubes to it's mask, and strapped it's arms down.

The cheap drugs hit it's system making it feel more numb than it already was. The screaming in it's mind was muffled. And the voice in the back of it's head was silenced.

Then all it felt was cold. Sweet sweet cold. The peace that froze the constant static and screaming in it's brain.

Sam's POV

Bucky was jerking in his sleep. He was cold, freezing cold.

I watched him, half in concern but mostly worried about what he was seeing in his nightmare.

I spoke softly, hoping he'd hear me. "Bucky it's ok. I'm right here." I grabbed my ear com, and put it in. If he spoke in another language, I had the com programmed to translate any language.

He spoke in Russian (yay prepared!!) and I listened carefully:

"No. Please I didn't know it was him. It was a far away shot I didn't know he was gonna be there."

I whispered "Bucky, who? What happened?"

"I-I didn't know he was pararescue. Please I'm sorry."

My blood ran cold. I hated to do this but it was the only way he'd respond right now. I know this made me just as bad as Zemo. As HYDRA. As every single one of those Handlers. But if what I thought was what he was talking about. I needed to do this.

And Winter would give me the truth.

I spoke, trying to keep my voice level. "Soldier Mission Report."

He stiffened in his sleep. Hearing me speak in English he switched easily.

"One Threat taken out. The other reached to save him, and failed. The Threat was using some form of new technology with wings, probably pararescue."

...could he be talking about what I think he's talking about...? My voice was cold and void of the usual kindness. "What was the threat's name?"

"Riley."

I shot up from underneath Bucky, making the ex-assassin fumble from out of his dream. I was shaking. My whole body shaking half in anger and half in despair.

Bucky. He killed Riley. I felt like I was gonna throw up. A roaring storm built in my mind sending a tornado of nausea ripping through my stomach. Thunder and lightning crackled, destroying my common sense.

"Wha what happened...? Sam...? What's wrong?"

I stared at the man I love. He looked confused. He couldn't have killed Riley. No. No maybe it was just a dream? Please. I needed the hope I was wrong.

"Did you kill Riley?" My voice sounded breathless. I couldn't find air, every ounce of it escaped my lungs. The winds of my nausea and anger ridden tornado tore all of it away from my lungs. I couldn't breathe-

"Sam I-"

"DID YOU KILL RILEY?!" I yelled, watching him flinch. I was so angry. Just so so angry. Riley. Out of all the Winter Soldier's victims. If he killed Riley-

He took away the only light I had. He had taken away everything from me. The man I mourned for years of my life. The man I was ready to die for.

"Sam I'm sorry. I didn't know. HYDRA made me-"

"Answer the question Soldier." I hated this. I hated that my voice sounded so cold. But I needed to know.

He dropped his eyes to the ground, hanging his head low. Bucky spoke slowly.

"I shot him down in Afghanistan. On HYDRA's orders," his voice sped up as he got up, walking toward a fuming me. "But Sam I'm sorry it wasn't me you gotta understand-"

I threw my hands in the air. "NO I DONT HAVE TO. YOU KILLED RILEY!! YOU KILLED THE MAN I LOVED!! YOU KILLED THE ONE PERSON WHO MEANT ANYTHING TO ME!!!" I was inches away from him. My voice filled with rage and hurt.

His small whisper came after a charged silence. "Sam. Please. I'm sorry. I get I killed the person you loved. I get that he meant a lot to you. I get that I'm a horrible monster who means nothing. But-" he paused, hurt and pain evident in his face. "I'm sorry."

Tears streamed down my face. Leaving their hot salty marks. I felt bile rise in my throat but I bit it down. Instead venom rose mixing with the toxic words building in my mouth. I spat them out:

"But it doesn't bring him back."

Bucky staggered back when he heard the words, like he'd been hit by the freight train he'd fell from. He had his eyes down, looking at his feet, but I could still see the tears trailing down to his chin. He looked small, afraid of my rage.

I didn't care. Or that was the lie I told myself right now. That I didn't care at all. Rage mixed with the hurt in my own chest. My eyes were boring holes into his head, my chest heaving from my borderline breakdown. The nausea had settled down but I knew it would come back.

I heard Nat walk in and her voice echoed in the quiet room. "Hey are you guys ok I heard yelling-?" She stopped, seeing us clearly in the middle of something. Truly this was probably an interesting sight, the two star-struck lovers in their first heated as hell fight.

"Yeah. I'm fine." My voice was still shaking, the anger still lingering and his broken small presence wasn't making it any better.

I walked out. Where I was going I didn't care. The tornado in my chest raged and I could breathe because my nausea was overruling everything else. I just needed to breathe. And get away from the person who killed Riley.

A/N: Helloz ik this is kinda choppy/doesn't make sense but anywayzzz. So yeah happy readings and tysm for reading!! Feedback/suggestions always welcome!! Comment, like, and vote all that good stuff!!