Experiment 14

[12] Memories that we call

(Italic text is supposed to be her dream)

Claires POV.:

When Sam and I found Steve we headed to an abandoned building to hide Bucky from the police and even the rest of the Avengers.
While they placed Bucky somewhere I stumbled to another room that had an old couch in it. I just laid down exhausted. I couldn't handle one more minute of standing.
Sam and Steve had everything under control now so I let myself go for a while and slipped into sleep.

A bar. I was standing infront of a Jukebox and just put on a Song.
I turned around and saw a familiar young man. He waved to me with a smile and then pointed to the bar. The man took of his Jacket and then got to a barstool to sit down. I walked away from the Jukebox and sat myself next to him.
"So you're back."
He said still looking somewhere in the distance.
"Well I wasn't gone for long."
I responded also not meeting his face.
Then he turned to me.
"You know, I don't get it, why don't you just go home again? This City is bad for you and you know it."
The man stopped for a while, searching for any type of reaction from me but added
"All the criminality, people get hurt or even worse, get killed."
I chuckled and shook my head finally looking back to him.
"So you think I can't defend myself?"
"No, no I didn't-"
"Yes you did. It's sweet that you're worried but I like it here and I'm not gonna go back. I'm just not."
He shook his head defeated. I decided to go home and got up but heard his Voice again
"Hey, where are you going?"
I turned around and smiled
"Home, I'm tired."
"Okay but be careful."
I nodded and headed to the exit. When I felt the cold evening air hitting me I zipped up my Jacket more and turned into an alley next to the bar.
After a while I felt like someone was watching me. I sped up my paste and then looked behind me.
As soon as I turned back I felt something hard hit me.
Everything was black now.

Someone was shaking my shoulder and I grunted.
"Come on, you need to wake up."
I heard Steves Voice next to me but I didn't want to wake up.
Did that really happen or was it just a weird dream and who was the man? I put my thoughts aside for a while. Even though I wanted to know more, just anything.
"Why? Something happened?"
I asked, my eyes still closed.
"Bucky woke up and we need to properly introduce you to him. He still has no clue why you're with us."
Rogers replied and I slowly rose from the dusted Couch.
We got up and he walked me to the room next door.

I saw that Sam and Steve somehow managed to keep Buckys metal arm pressed into a machine so he couldn't escape again.
Sam was here too and chuckled when I came in, I probably looked like a mess after my sleep.
"Finally sleeping beauty is awake."
I just rolled my eyes at Sams comment sarcastically.
"So this is Claire Harvey and she actually just became an Avenger a few months ago."
Steve announced and Bucky finally averted his eyes from the ground and looked at me.
"So, you're the girl that can shock people"
Bucky said with a small smile.
It was the first time I actually heard him talking to me.
"Yes. All thanks to Hydra and their dumb experiments."
I replied crossing my arms.
"How long?"
He asked short.
"3 years apparently but they got me out of there."
I responded looking back to Sam and Steve.
Bucky just nodded but still looked at me like he wanted me to explain more.
But I think he could understand that I wasn't going to talk about it now or in the near future. I didn't wanted to go trough those dark memories again.

"Claire we also have to ask you something."
Sam said getting more serious.
"Okay, Shoot."
I responded and then Steve spoke up.
"You remember the psychiatrist that was in the cell?"
I nodded and he carried on.
"He caused the bombing in Vienna and he wanted the location to a siberian Hydra base. There are others that were brainwashed and are gonna be the next "Winter Soldiers" but they're in cryo, frozen. We want to stop him but we could need some help.
Are you with us?"
I paused for a second. There were still other experiments?
"I thought I was the last one that came out alive?"
"Well apparently you weren't but if you don't want to-"
Reassuring Sam I responded
"Don't Worry, I'm in."
Steve nodded and stated
"Well now we just have to meet the others."
I got confused again.
"Others?"
"Yep. We got Clint, Wanda and a new one, Scott Lang on our side. We'll have to meet them and then get to the airport."
He replied while Sam continued
"And don't think this will be an easy ride. Tony and the others who signed are going to want to stop us. So get as much rest as you can until then."
I just nodded again and let out a loud breath.

Another fight. Against our own people, well thats just awesome.

A while later

Somehow Sam and Steve were able to get a car. They wanted to meet Sharon for the suits and the shield. We stopped far away from the city.
Only Steve got out of the car while Sam was in the front seat, Bucky and me were in the back.
Then Bucky broke the silence
"Can you move seat up?"
Sam didn't even look back and just responded with a cold "No."
I couldn't stop myself from laughing a bit.
"What?" Bucky asked confused.
"Nothing" I replied and just avoided his gaze.
When I looked back to him again I saw him and Sam smirking.
I tried to see what grabbed their attention.
Suddenly Steve and Sharon weren't talking anymore.
They kissed and now I was slightly smiling too.
At least Steve had someone who could make him happy in that way.
Then I felt Bucky turn his head to me.
He was holding his gaze to me a bit too long.
"What?"
"Nothing"
he replied smiling a bit.
But then Bucky spoke up again.
"How long do you know Steve?"
"Like I said, since he got me out of the Hydra base but we've been better friends since he became my neighbor."
I responded while I looked back out of the window again.
"But you hated him when he drags you to go on a run with us."
Sam said chuckling and I agreed smiling
"Oh god, when he's running he gets annoying as hell."
It got into a comfortable silence again and I began being lost in my thoughts.

I had to think back to the dream. The way Buck looked at me reminded me of that young man in the bar. I knew him from somewhere.
That dream had to be real, it had to be a memory. Maybe after this is all over I could search for that bar, maybe the man came there often and I could meet him. Even though I didn't even know his name.