Only Hope

Chapter 9

Peter and I were halfway to his house when I got the feeling that we were being followed.

"Peter take my bag and run to your house" I whispered.

"Wait why".

"Someone is following us" I said.

"Will this is New York, there is always someone following you" he said.

"No. I think I know this person, and they're not good people".

"Fine I trust your gut, just be careful" I handed Peter my backpack and he ran off.

I stopped and turned around to face a man. He had a baseball cap and messy clothing on. His hair was long and dark brown and he had intense blue eyes. I knew his eyes.

He was walking towards me. I grabbed his arm and shoved him into an alley. He didn't try and stop me.

"What the hell do you want" I growled holding him against the wall with my forearm.

"You're a lot stronger than the last time we met" he grunted.

"You have no idea" I mumbled "now why were you following me".

"I wanted to keep tabs on you".

"You tried to kill me and you didn't even know who I was".

"I knew exactly who you were. My orders were to keep you alive. I shot you to save the world" he said.

"Yeah well I'm still alive and if you wanted to kill me you should have just let me drown in that lake. You're the reason I need this" I pointed to my arc reactor.

"I knew that you'd probably live. I just wanted Hydra to think that you were dead".

"Why did you want to keep tabs on me".

"Needed to know if Hydra did to you what they did to me".

"Why do you care" I hissed.

"Because if you were with Hydra none of us would be alive" he stated "I want to help you".

"I can't accept that. I don't need your help. I'm fine on my own" I still had him pinned to the wall. I dropped him and started walking away.

"You may not know it, but I've know you since you were a baby" he said. I started running.

What did he mean. Did he mean that he knew me back in 1943. Did he mean that he knew me when I was unfrozen in 2002. The questions flowed through my head.

I eventually got to Peter's house and Aunt May let me in. "Will you look worried. What is it" she asked.

I had my hands on my knees. I felt like I could pass out.

"Winter Soldier" I breathed.

"Peter could you come down here for a minute" Aunt May called "Will it's going to be okay. You're safe now".

"Will" Peter was standing on the stairs "is everything okay".

"No" I sighed.

"Peter do you know who the Winter Soldier is" Aunt May asked.

"Not really" he lied "Will why don't you come upstairs".

I followed Peter to his room and collapsed onto his bed. I had run about twenty blocks in under ten minutes.

"Was he following us" Peter inquired. I nodded.

"What did he want".

"He said he wanted to help me" I was staring at the wall.

"Why. He tried to kill you".

"He tried to kill me to protect the world. He said that he knew me when I was little" I said.

"Wow, that's huge" Peter said "are you going to call your dad".

"No. I can't. He won't let me leave his sight ever again".

"Will you need to tell an Avenger".

I knew exactly who I was going to call. I grabbed my phone and called Sam Wilson.

"Hey Will, why are you calling me" he picked up his phone.

"I ran into the Winter Soldier" I stated "promise me that you won't tell my dad".

"Will you cant hide this from him forever, but fine I won't tell him for now. Just tell me what he did".

"He was following me and I shoved him into an alley. He said that he shot me to try and keep Hydra from using me to destroy the world. He said he wanted to help me and he said that he knew me when I was young" I explained.

"Will I don't know what to do about this. Are you still in New York".

"Yeah I'm in New York. I'm not staying at the tower though it's not safe" I stated.

"Will if the Winter Soldier followed you, then wherever you're staying isn't safe. Come to the New Avengers facility. It's safe here, you can train with us maybe teach us about high class threats just get away from wherever you are" Sam said.

"Sam I need to stop running. I've been on the run for months. I've lived in constant fear since the Ultron incident. I need a normal routine, a normal family" I said.

"I can respect that. Be safe Will" Sam hung up.

"Who was that" Peter asked.

"His name is Sam Wilson. I met him in DC" I explained "he's been tracking the Winter Soldier for Steve".

"Oh okay" he said "here's your backpack".

"Thanks Pete".

Peter showed me a spare room where I could sleep, but I think we both knew that I wasn't going to get any sleep for a while.