Forged in the Stars : Bucky Barnes

11. Team Building

The following weeks were spent with long hours of training trying to get everyone ready and coordinated enough that any mission wouldn't be a total shit show. It was like everything that happened in Sokovia had made most of the team bond in only the way fear of imminent death can, but Sam and Stella weren't there. To say the girl still held a grudge against the Sokkovian would be an understatement, Steve was constantly on her asking her to talk to her but she just wasn't ready yet. They were currently on the training room floor and of course, the two redheads with powers were paired together to fight. 

"Okay girls I expect a fair fight you aren't aiming to harm each other but other than Vision you two are the only ones evenly matched with one another, there's no telling how many other enhanced people may be out there, we still haven't found Holbrook." Steve stood on the catwalk about the training floor looking over the session he had set up. "We are doing a simple capture the flag exercise first to secure the other flag and bring it back to their base wins. Are you both ready," Steve asked them receiving nods from both and they quickly turned their attention back to one another.

"I'm not holding back this time Wanda, unfortunately, I'm horribly competitive and I have yet to lose a capture game," Stella said with a smirk slightly lowering her body and preparing herself for either a sprint or liftoff depending on what Wanda's first move was.

"Good I was worried that your old age was starting to make you slow and that's why I kept beating you."

"You have five minutes starting now!" A timer sounded and lit up on both ends of the training area and within seconds Wanda was up in the air and Stella pushed off from the ground using her power to push her even faster. She brought the earth up to capture one of Wanda's feet and slam her towards the ground too quickly for her to even process. At the last second, Wanda freed herself turning with shock written across her features. Stella gave her a small shrug as she kept running over to the other side to capture her goal leaping over mats and equipment that was meant to replicate rough terrain. Wanda completely forgot the other flag and made a beeline for the copper-haired girl sending energy blasts toward her, Stella's powers instinctively protecting her.

"What the hell is that?" Nat asked coming up to stand next to Steve along with Sam and Vision.

"What do you mean? It's Capture the Flag they will never work well together until they have reached a common ground," Steve replied.

"Nah man, first off we all know Stella's competitive nature can be one of her worst traits. Secondly, Wanda thinks she hates her already and is defensive this could cause a rivalry," Sam interjected.

"That actually wasn't what I was talking about at all, I do think this will work Stella needs to feel like she won over Wanda and we all know how guilty she gets after injuring anyone. She'll finally talk to Wanda and before you know it they'll be attached at the hip. I was referring to the fact that every single one of Wanda's attacks is being blocked and thrown from Stells. She not even paying attention to Wanda, it's been happening a lot here lately nothing is touching is her, not a single attack."

Steve looked back over to the girls and it was exactly like Nat said Stella's powers were deflecting every attack of Wanda's without her even being aware of it. Wanda was throwing attack after attack and all of them were rolling off Stella with ease reaching out to hit the mats around her instead of her body. 

Stella lept over a final mat, the flag in her sight, and slid to duck beneath a beam skidding to a halt when Wanda screamed and landed in front of her and grabbed either side of her head forcing her way into Stella's mind. Suddenly the two girls were in an inky black void standing opposite of each other their chests heaving from exertion.

"What the hell did you do Wanda?" Stella sneered.

"I don't know I have never done anything like this before." The sky above them started to take shape looking like galaxies and stars shining and swirling over them. If they peered close enough they could see memories playing within the swirling clusters of planets and stars in the distance. The two took small steps looking at the sky overhead "it's like I am in your mind, but a place that you created as a safety. I have never seen anything like this, it's, beautiful." Wanda said in awe her Sokovian accent present.

"Well get the hell out," Stella replied "you know how I feel about you traipsing about my head. I don't trust you in here after last time and this was a pretty poor attempt to win."

"You know, I have lost people too you aren't the only one in pain I have tried apologizing for what happened I thought we were doing the right thing." The sky around them started shifting as Stella's anger rose turning a dark shade of maroon making the pair look like been doused with a merlot. 

Memories of every bad thing were prominently splashed across the sky, the cop who told her mom was in an accident. "Get," the moment she learned Bucky fell from the train and Steve went into the ice, "Out," Howard and Maria "Of," Bucky being the Winter Soldier "My," the visions Wanda had shown her and every single nightmare she had ever had flickered like a damaged disk across the sky of her memories, "Mind!" She screamed before calling forth a swirling storm of fire, wind, and pieces of the ground from outside shot through the windows, vines growing and ripping Wanda away from her and pinning her to the wall. She rose several feet off of the ground flames whipping from her body and swirling around her like a tornado the color of violets her eyes taking on the same shade. The team who was on the catwalk quickly made their way into the room shielding their eyes from the harsh change in light. 

"Stells," Steve yelled, "what are you doing?" Nat held him back from walking forwards noting the tears rolling down Stella's cheeks.

"I don't think she knows Steve I think it's a defense mechanism."

"Stella, I need you to listen to me okay? It's me it's Steve you are safe it's okay, you're okay Nightingale." Steve pleaded using the nickname that he hoped would be enough to pull her out of this. 

Silent sobs came from Stella she felt trapped stuck behind this wall unknowing what was happening around her she could hear the muffled yells of voices from the other side but couldn't make anything out. Then, a single word shot through her mind the voice saying it was not the right one but it was enough for her to hold on to. "Nightingale" it echoed through her head growing louder and louder "Nightingale"  she snapped her head to the side her eyes returning to their normal color and the vines that once held Wanda retreating. She put out her hand towards the flag and it flew towards her hand, once it was firmly in her grasp she dropped to the floor like a stone the wind dying away and flames distinguishing. 

Steve was the first to make it to her side feeling more concerned and worried for the girl than he ever had been before. "Stella!" She was completely limp and unconscious as he cradled her and wiped the tears and hair from her face. "Nat, get Dr. Cho!" he ordered. Even Wanda joined them worry etched across her face, she had been told Stella was always one who made it out safe. She was always careful and she hardly ever got injured much less something like this. "I'm sorry I don't understand what happened it's like her mind caved in on itself."

"Wanda after we get Stella into the infirmary I need you to explain everything that happened. One second you enter her mind the next this."

"What do you mean it was like ten minutes?" 

Steve motioned to the timer on the wall as it ticked down its final seconds.