The Winter Soldier

Trust

We were all in complete shock. Fury was alive. We all saw him die on the operating table three or four days ago. It was like seeing a ghost. We were all seated around the room, Nat, and I both in chairs while Steve and Sam were nearby. Dr. Fine was next to Nat tending to her wound after he gave me an ice pack to put on my ankle. I added a healing spell to help speed up the process. The last time I sprained my ankle was when I first started checking up on Christine Palmer's cat. I got out of the apartment fast but I forgot her apartment building had stairs. Luckily it was my dad's day off when I got home and even though he wasn't home all that much, he sure as hell noticed the swelling in my ankle. It was moments like those that made me join mystic arts. Moments like those that made me join S.H.I.E.L.D. And moments like those that made me the Avenger I am today.

I shake the memory away and look up from my ankle to the group. "While Nat and I were training, Fury ordered me to come with him. I followed him to the car and while we were on the road, the police start ambushing us. We were trapped. Most of my training was Hand to hand combat and firearms. Fury and I fought back as much as we could to get away, and once we thought the smoke had cleared, we both see the Winter Soldier." Laura said explaining her side of the story which made Steve look in her direction. "You saw Bucky?" Steve asked and she nodded as she handed us some granola bars and water bottles. "I was knocked out after the car exploded. The winter soldier.... Bucky, drag me out and took me hostage and brought me to the HYDRA base. That's how I found out about Pierce and that my 'boyfriend' was really using me to get to you y/n. I escaped when Pierce ordered him to go after you guys." She finished off. "Told ya I didn't have a good feeling about Rumlow." I said nudging Laura with my Elbow which she chuckled a bit.

We then turned our attention to fury when we hear him clear his throat. "Now the big question is, how did you survive?" Steve asked. "Lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver, and one hell of a headache." Fury said listing off his broken pieces. "Don't forget your collapsed lung." Dr. Fine said pointing out. "Let's not forget that. But other than that I'm good." Fury said trying to lighten the mood. I raised my hand a little bit. "Need me to put a healing spell on that?" I asked and Fury waved his hand. "Nah, I'm healthy as a horse now." He said. Natasha then spoke up. "They cut you open. Your heart stopped." She said. Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the heart down to one beat per minute. Banner developed it for stress. Didn't work so well for him, but we found a use for it." Fury said. Steve then pitched in his question. "Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell us?" Maria then answered for Fury. "Any attempt on the director's life had to look successful." "Can't kill you if you're already dead. Besides, I wasn't sure who to trust." Fury said.

I look over at Laura and take a deep breath. "Can I speak to you in private Laura?" I asked. Sam then put his hand on my shoulder. "What about your ankle?" I brushed his hand off and stood up with no problem. "I'm fine Sam." I said as I led Laura and I out of the room and into the hallway. I didn't know what emotions to feel. Anger.... Confusion, frustration, happiness? They were all in one ball when I saw Laura alive and well. I stop as soon as we know we are out of earshot. "Why didn't you tell me about your name? Why didn't you say your real name is Laura Lang?" I asked. Laura turned pale before letting out a deep breath. Because my dad. He's in prison. He's not a murderer or anything he just.... He got ripped off from a job and drove his bosses car in his pool. I have a sister too. I moved to New York to see if I could find a job that would bail him out of prison. But then I met you and you became my best friend. You reminded me of my dad. Your personality, your cooking, and even the fact you cry during 'fault in our stars'. The only people who knew my real last name are my aunt and uncle, and Fury." She explained. I completely understood where she was coming from. She was protecting her identity like me. "I'm not mad at you Laura. It's just.... This whole thing..... ever since the Soldier first attacked.... I was scared he got to you. I was scared I wasn't going to hear this if he killed you." I said and Laura pulled me in for a hug in which I hug back. "I was scared to. Ever since New York. Every time you do Avenger work I'm afraid it's the last time I'm seeing my best friend." She said understandably. I part the hug and wipe away a tear. "I'm tougher than I look." I said and she playfully punched my shoulder. "We both are." She said.

Moments later we get to another room and we all sit around a table. Natasha was already patched up and we all take our seats. Fury then picks up a younger photo of Pierce. "This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize. He said peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility. See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues." Fury said as he sat the photo back down. "We have to stop the launch." Natasha said looking from Fury to Steve. "I don't think the council's accepting my calls anymore." Fury then opens the case in front of him and reveals three hard drives. "What's that?" I asked as I lean forward taking a closer look. "Once the helicarriers reach 3,000 feet, they'll triangulate with insight satellites, becoming fully weaponized." She explained how Insight fires its targets. "We need to breach those carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own." Fury said as an animation showed us the location of where the database was. "One or two won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work. Because even if one of those ships remains operational, a whole lot of people are going to die." Maria finishes.

I sit up in my seat and look at the drives in the case. "We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers is HYDRA. We have to get past them, insert these server blades, and maybe, just maybe we can salvage what's left." Fury quickly explained knowing Steve wouldn't fully be comfortable with the plan. Steve then quickly spoke up. "We're not salvaging anything. We're not just taking down the carriers, Nick. We're taking down S.H.I.E.L.D." Steve said. "S.H.I.E.L.D. had nothing to do with this." "You gave me this mission. This is how it ends. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s been compromised. You said so yourself. HYDRA grew right under your nose and nobody noticed." Steve said getting a little heated up. "Why do you think we're meeting in this cave? I noticed." Fury said. "And how many paid the price before you did?" I asked backing up Steve.

Fury was hesitant before he spoke again. "Look, I didn't know about Barnes." He said looking back up at Steve. "Even if you had would you have told me? Or would you have compartmentalized that too? S.H.I.E.L.D., HYDRA, it all goes." He says. Laura then looked at Fury. "He's right." She said and Maria nods. Fury then looks at each of us looking for someone to lean on his side. "Don't look at me. I do what he does, just slower." Sam said and I give Sam a smile. "Well.... Looks like you're giving orders now, Captain." Fury said as he leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

It was officially the day of the launch. Nat, Laura and Maria were getting into their uniforms as I was sitting on a chair. "Thinking about how I was going to get in those helicarriers while they were in mid-air. Sam would probably be helping Steve get into one and I can't exactly use my portals without knowing what the other side looks like. That's when I get an idea and get up and walk out of the changing room, Sam coming with me. "You ready?" Sam asked. "Always ready." I said giving him a smile. Honestly I could see the two of us becoming good friends. We get to the top of the Dam and see Steve. "He's going to be there you know." I call out. Steve glances at me then back to the tree line. "I know." "Look, whoever he used to be and the guy he is now, I don't think he's the kind you save. He's the kind you stop." Sam said obviously not wanting anything bad happen to him. "I don't know if I can do that." "Well he might not give you a choice. He doesn't know you." I said and he turned to me and Sam. "He will." Steve then looked at the tree line once more. "Gear up. It's time." Steve said as he started walking. I smiled when he said that. Almost made me think if  he read my mind. "You gonna wear that?" Sam asked. "No. If you're gonna fight a war, you gotta wear a uniform." Steve said as he looked over his shoulder. I then catch up to him and open up a portal for him which led to the Smithsonian. Steve looked at me confused then smiled a bit. "You didn't have to do that." Steve said. "And risk you getting your face on a museum camera? In your dreams." I chuckled and closed the portal after he walked in and I open one of my own. "And where are you going Mage?" Sam asked and I smiled at him. "To gear up. See you soon." I said and walked through the portal and closed it behind me.