The Stark curse

.3

Avengers Compound

"Hello. Can I help you?" Cassidy asked. "Nope, I just wanted to see if it was true Tony having a daughter," the man says with an amused grin as he moves past Cassidy. She looks back at him shocked did he seriously welcome himself into her room like he owns the place? "Excuse me but I don't think I invited you in, who are you by the way?" Cass asked slightly annoyed. "Well, I'm not a vampire so I don't have to ask to be invited anywhere I go where I please, I'm Pietro since you are so curious to know Pietro Maximoff." "OH, your speedy boy... Hydra talked about a set of twins who survived the testing from the scepter in Sakovia. Where is your sister?" Pietro opened his mouth ready to answer but there was another knock at the door they both turn and see a woman standing in the doorway. "Pietro you can't just barge into the new members' room, hello I'm Wanda it's a pleasure to meet you." Wanda comes closer and hugs the girl. Cassidy is slightly taken back by such kindness but gives her a few pats on the back. "Hello, Wanda I'm Cassidy." She says trying to force a grin.

Wanda looks over to her brother "Come on Pietro let's leave her alone so she can get some rest...NOw Etro." As they are walking out of the room Wanda turns back to the girl. "Oh hey, we are going to be training in the gym tomorrow if you want to join?" "Sure I guess, that is if I can my way around here." Wanda gives her a small smile and walks away. Cassidy goes and shuts the door turns off the tv and heads to bed.

As Cassidy lies awake in bed, her mind consumed by thoughts of Soldat and the nightmares from her time at Hydra, she can't help but wonder if he's thinking of her too. The weight of guilt weighs heavily on her, knowing that he had endured punishments because of her. She recalls the moments when Soldat had come to her rescue during missions, always there to save her when she found herself in trouble. As she lies in the darkness, Cass contemplates their complicated relationship. The bond was forged through shared experiences and their connection as survivors of the testing in Sokovia. She wonders if Soldat is haunted by the memories of their time together, just as she is.

With each passing thought, Cassidy's heart grows heavier, longing for some form of solace or resolution. She knows that finding peace within herself and reconciling her past actions is essential for her own healing. Only then can she truly move forward and perhaps find a way to reconnect with Soldat, if that is even possible. As the night slowly fades into the early hours of the morning, Cass remains lost in her thoughts, seeking answers and hoping for a brighter future amidst the shadows of their shared past.

9 A.M. at the Hydra base

Soldat is sitting in his cell. He whispers to himself, "God I'm so dumb I should have done more than just sit there on that stupid bike." He's thinking of a way to get back to her and how he can escape this hell hole. He needs to get Steve's attention but how. He stands up and starts pacing back and forth brainstorming ideas but gets interrupted by someone slamming on his door. "Soldat" shouts the leader at the base. "We spotted Captain America..take care of it." Soldat thinks this is how I get his attention.

An hour or so later Soldat sets off on a jet to Germany where Steve was spotted just hours ago. After a long ride, they finally land, he steps off and was instructed to go to a building and camp out to draw Rogers to him. He heads to the building and opens the door to a room that was already set up to look like he's been there for a while. Soldat stands back in a corner out of sight and waits.

Steve finally gets to the room and starts searching around trying to see what he could find on his long-lost friend. Soldat comes out of the shadowed corner and Steve turns around shocked to see him. "Bucky?" Steve asks with disbelief. Bucky goes to swing and misses, Steve comes up and clocked him right in the face. Bucky stumbles back a few feet, "I don't want to fight you Bucky." Steve says already exhausted. "I don't want to fight you either," Bucky takes a deep breath. "I came to get to Cassidy. Is she okay?" "Yeah, she's alright no thanks to you and your men." Steve's expression is stern but he can see in Becky's eyes that he's truly concerned and desperate to know. "So who am I really talking to the winter soldier or my friend?" "Your friend Steve, now we don't have long they are going to bust through here in 30 seconds, we have to move!" Steve busts a window open and looks out to find a place to land. "We're too high up we need to go down!" Steve tells Bucky looking back at him. " Well, it looks like we are going to have to fight our way out this time," Bucky says standing in front of the door waiting for them to come through the door.

BOOM! The door crashes down to the floor and soldiers come through all the windows and doors surrounding the two men. Steve and Bucky are back to back fighting off all the soldiers they can. Bucky pushes his way through the door and jumps down the stairwell two stories and busts through another door running through and crashing through the window and landing on the roof of the building next door, Steve follows behind outrunning the soldiers. They run back to the jet, get in and take off. "We can't go back to the compound just yet buck I have to make sure you are back to your normal self, a friend owes me a favor so your gonna stay there for a couple of days." Steve tries to say as calmly as possible. "No, I get it yeah do what you think is best. Just don't tell Cass I'll be there when you think I'm ready."

Steve drops Bucky off and thanks the man for doing him this favor on such short notice and that he'll be back when the man thinks Bucky is ready. He walks back onto the jet and heads back to the compound. He sits in the pilot seat wondering if what he's doing is best for him or best for Cass. Hopefully, Cassidy doesn't think ill of him once he brings Bucky back to the compound not knowing how the two's relationship is.

Bucky on the other hand was now conflicted as he was sitting in front of Steve's friend. He then starts running tests on him trying to break this curse Hydra put on him so many years ago.

As Steve stands outside Cassidy's room, his hand hovering over the doorknob, he can't help but feel a mix of anticipation and anxiety. He knows he has to keep the truth about Bucky's presence from Cassidy, at least for now, and that thought weighs heavily on him. He understands the importance of trust in building a solid foundation for their newfound companionship, and he worries about the impact this secret might have on their relationship. After waiting for a while with no response, Steve reluctantly accepts that Cassidy might not be in her room or perhaps doesn't want to see him at the moment. Disheartened, he decides to retreat and retire to his own quarters. The weight of the day's events and the burden of keeping Bucky's return hidden from Cassidy weighs heavily on him as he lies in bed.

In the silence of the night, Steve's mind races with conflicting thoughts. He questions his decisions, wondering if he's truly doing what's best for everyone involved. The memory of Cassidy's face, her trust, and the potential disappointment she might feel if she learns about Bucky's return without his knowledge haunt him. Steve desperately hopes that Cassidy will understand his intentions once the truth eventually comes to light. With a heavy sigh, Steve tries to find solace in the fact that he's doing everything he can to help Bucky regain his true self. He hopes that once Bucky is ready, they can face Cassidy together, as a united front, and rebuild the trust that might be shaken by the secrets and uncertainties that lie between them.

As sleep finally claims him, Steve finds temporary respite from the weight of the world on his shoulders, knowing that tomorrow will bring new challenges and the opportunity to confront the truth head-on.