The Before [Prequel- Part 1]

James

~~~Catherine's pov~~~

"Nat..." Steve murmured worriedly.

"She's okay, Steve. She's a survivor." I put my hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"That's not Bucky. He wouldn't do that. I need to find him." He got up quickly and headed out the door.

"Steve, wait." I followed him out. "I agree you should find Bucky. But we need to make sure Nat's alive first." I said quietly in the crowded street.

He nodded. "Yeah, you're right. But how are we going to get to Vienna-"

I grabbed his wrist and teleported in front of the now crumbling UN building.

"We're here." I shrugged, looking around for my red-headed friend among the crowd.

"Please, don't do that without warning me." He held onto a nearby railing for balance.

I smiled. "Not a chance. Now, call her. Maybe she has her phone on her."

He got out his phone and dialed her number.

"Pick up. Please, pick up." He tapped his foot anxiously.

Honestly, I don't blame him. I mean, if Loki was the one caught in the explosion, I would be even more concerned than Steve is right now.

"Hello? Nat! Thank God! Are you okay?"

I didn't hear her response, but I'll assume she's okay from the smile on his face.

"I'm going after him. But I'm glad you're alright." Then he hung up.

"Where to, Captain Rogers?" I asked, giving him a mock salute.

"For you, back to the compound. You don't have a history with Bucky. He won't know you."

Oh, Steve. Poor, simple, Steve. If only you knew.

"And how exactly are you planning to find him? Just show me a picture, and I'll take us there."

"You can do that?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

I can't. But I don't need to. I know James better than Steve thinks I do. I'll just lock onto a memory of him and teleport us wherever he is.

"Okay, then." He took a picture out of his wallet. "Here." He handed it to me.

It was a picture of him and James in the 40s.

He looked so happy and carefree in that picture. So free of the pain and trauma Hydra gave him.

"Let's go. Uh, but first, maybe you should..." I trailed off and used my magic to make his combat suit and shield appear on him.

"How did you....." He shook his head, not bothering to question it further.

"Do you want me to give you a heads up this time, or should I just-" I instantly teleported us to a small apartment.

"Stop! Please!" He begged me, holding onto the wall next to him.

~~~Steve's pov~~~

How is she Tony's daughter? Because unlike her father, she scares the hell out of me.

I looked around the apartment, but there was no one there.

"We should call Sam. Maybe he could-"

"He could what?"

Sam was now standing in front of me with Catherine.

I turned to the young teleporter. "Really?"

"Hey, don't blame me. You were taking too long."

I rolled my eyes. "I literally said one sentence! You know what? Nevermind. Sam, what's going on?"

"Interpol has been ordered to shoot Barnes on sight if they find him. They're heading here now, so we have to hurry."

"Okay, head to the roof. Keep a lookout."

"Got it."

Luckily, he had his wings on him, so he just jumped out the window and flew up to the roof.

"Catherine, I need you to get back to the compound. Like I said before, you don't have a history with Bucky, but Sam and I do. So-" I stopped short as a figure stepped out of the shadows and into the dimly lit kitchen area.

Bucky.

~~~Catherine's pov~~~

That's when I saw him step forward.

My breath caught in my throat. It's him. It's really him.

"Do you know me?" Steve asked after a moment of silence.

"You're Steve. I read about you in a museum." He answered cautiously.

"What about me?" I stepped out from behind Steve. "James."

His eyes went wide as he seemed to recognize me.

"Kit-Cat? Is that you?"

I almost cried at the sound of his voice.

"It's me." I stepped forward and hugged him.

My brother's back.

"I'm sorry I didn't come back for you. I tried, but-" I blinked back tears as I looked into his blue eyes.

"It's okay. I got out eventually, didn't I? The day they told me you escaped was the happiest day of my damn life." He gave me a soft smile.

"What the fu-"

"Breach! Breach!" Sam yelled over comms, cutting Steve off.

A grenade smashed through the window, and Steve covered it with his shield as it went off.

A sniper started shooting, so I used my magic to help James block the window with a mattress.

Interpol was trying to breach the door, prompting me to use my magic, throw a table, and jam it shut. "We gotta get you out of here." I grabbed James' shoulder. "Sam, status?"

"Radio says they've identified Steve and me. They don't know you're here yet."

"Great. I'll teleport us out."

"No." Steve shook his head, "If we suddenly vanish without a trace, they'll know it was you, and you'll get arrested. You didn't sign the Accords."

"I'm not about to leave you two here!"

"Kit-Cat, he's right. From what I've seen, the Sokovia Accords are no joke. Leave. We'll be fine." James assured me.

"Promise me you won't get into too much trouble?" I felt tears start to form.

I gave him one last hug and teleported onto a nearby street.

I need to get back to the compound. But teleporting that many times made me weak and tired. I don't know if I have it in me.

My question was answered when I tried to teleport again and passed out on the sidewalk.