The Before [Prequel- Part 1]

Excuses

~~~Tony's pov~~~

She's been gone for four and a half hours!

I have no idea where she is or if she was kidnapped by Hydra!

If something happened to her...

I was sitting in her room, trying to figure out where she went, but then the door opened, and guess who walked in?

My very grounded daughter.

"Where were you?" I asked slowly, gaining her attention.

She jumped. "Dad! You scared me!"

"I scared you?! You've been missing since nine and just showed up now! At 1 a.m! I scared you?" My eyes widened in disbelief. "I thought you'd been kidnapped again!"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't want you overreacting about where I was."

"Okay, then. Where were you?" I asked again, now standing in front of her.

"I was looking for someone."

What?

"You were looking for someone? Who?"

"You know how Steve and Sam have been looking for that guy, Bucky?" She sighed.

"Yeah?" Where was she going with this?

"Well, I kind of know him. So when I got a lead on where he was today, I went to look for him."

"How do you know him?"

"We met while I was in Hydra. He helped me a few times, and I just thought I should return the favor." She shrugged.

"Hydra? Wait. Is that the guy you told me about when I rescued you? It was Bucky?" I questioned, recalling the stories she used to tell me about him.

"Yeah. Only, I knew him as the Winter Soldier or sometimes James. I couldn't find him, though. I'm sorry for worrying you." She bowed her head, and I saw tears in her eyes.

Well, now I feel bad. She was trying to do the right thing.

"It's okay, Cat. I was just scared that they took you back." I hugged her. "Go get some rest. We'll talk more about this tomorrow." I ruffled her hair and walked out.

"Goodnight! Love you!" I called out once I was in the hallway.

"I love you too, Dad!"

~~~Catherine's pov~~~

I. Can't. Believe. That. Worked.

Woohoo! I'm not gonna die tonight!

I laughed as I fell back onto my bed.

But the laughing subsided when I thought about James. I wasn't completely lying. I did know him. And he did help me while I was at Hydra.

He kept them from wiping my memory.

I'll start looking for him tomorrow. He deserves that much.