Book One of the Shadows Series: Shadow of Redemption

First Steps

TW: mentions of near death by accidental blood loss

As she walked down the empty hallway, she spotted Bucky and Sam outside of the meeting room. They seemed to be in a lighthearted conversation, as Sera could see them smiling and laughing. But the two spotted her and Sam patted his friend's shoulder, walking off. He nodded to Sera as he passed her. But Bucky stopped by her side.

"Hey, kid." he said, a small smile on his face. It took effort for Sera to return it. "We are going to be working on finding out what HYDRA did to you. And how to fix it. In the meantime, Yelena and I are going to be training you. Okay?"

She nodded, her gaze distant. She was nervous to train because of what had been happening the past couple times. "Hey," Bucky said softly, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "How are you holding up?"

Sera looked up at him, her blue eyes clouded with confusion and pain. "I don't know, James. I don't know what to think anymore."

He nodded and guided her to a nearby table. They sat down and she put her head in her hands. Bucky moved to sit beside her, his presence a steadying force. "It's a lot to take in. But we're going to figure this out. You're not alone in this."

She sighed, running a hand through her brown hair. "I just... I don't understand these powers. What if they make me a threat? What if I hurt someone? The scientist said that I used them after I was injected, so I wouldn't remember using them. Or how to use them."

Bucky shook his head. "You're not a threat, Sera. You're a victim of HYDRA's experiments, but that doesn't define you. We'll help you understand your powers and control them."

Sera hesitated before speaking again. "There's something I want to show you."

She rolled up the sleeve of her left arm, revealing a tattoo on the inside of her wrist. It was a stark, black number: 11. Bucky's heart tightened at the sight.

"This was their mark," Sera said quietly. "Their way of branding me. Experiment Number Eleven."

Bucky reached out, his fingers gently brushing the tattoo. "I'm so sorry, Sera. I can't imagine what you've been through." He thought that that was the right thing to say, even though he had gone through similar things. She faced him. "But what he said in that room. About how many assassinations you had. I mean, I don't know you that well yet, but I don't think that you're a killer."

"I was. And just like you, I remember them all."

Her voice wavered as she continued. "You know, one time, I tried to cut it off. The tattoo. I thought if I could just get rid of it, I'd be free. But I almost bled to death. They found me and punished me for trying."

Bucky's grip on her hand tightened, his anger at HYDRA's cruelty mixing with his determination to help her. "You're stronger than they ever gave you credit for. You survived, Sera. And you're going to keep surviving."

Tears welled in Sera's eyes, but she nodded. "I'm just so scared, James. I don't know what the future holds. What if they come back to find me?"

Bucky wrapped an arm around her, offering a comforting embrace. "If they do, we'll protect you, okay? But none of us really know what will happen in the future either. What we can is face it together. One step at a time."

For a moment, they sat in silence, the weight of their shared pain hanging in the air. But in that silence, there was also a sense of solidarity and hope. They were not alone, and together, they would find a way to move forward.