Bucky Barnes' Daughter

Chapter Thirteen

I sat on the bed in Banner's labs waiting for him to come draw my blood.  It took some persuading on his part to get me to agree to this but I knew he was curious about my mutations.  Most people want to understand how the mutant X gene works but I feel like he would be able to understand my mutations more if he also had a blood sample from Lev.

I shake my head trying to forget about my brother but all my thoughts are consumed by him.   It's been over two weeks since he attacked me and I know from experience that this would be the time when he would attack.  He always waits until I let my guard down to pounce.

I could run away and leave all of this behind me, but the Avengers were my family now.  I couldn't leave even if I wanted to.  They would find me before Lev would and then they would be hurt in the crossfire.  So either way, someone will pay for the blood dripping on my ledger.

One way or another someone will die and I just hope it will be someone I can live without.  But even after my brother has done so much to hurt me, I can't stop loving him.  My brother is still in there and if I could just find a way to bring him back, everything would be fixed.

But, I've tried so many times to get through to him. Usually, it just makes him want to hurt me more.  Make me feel the same pain he was experiencing.  HYDRA used that to their advantage.

So, it doesn't matter.  In the end one of us will be dead.  If he does end up killing me, I jsut hope he never finds his way back to reality.  The guilt would eat him up inside.  Killing a stranger is one thing but your other half is an entirely different story.

"What are you thinking about?" I flinch at the sudden intrusion into my thoughts but then I look up quickly realizing that Banner was studying me.  At that same moment, I realized I was gripping the edge of the bed so tightly my knuckles were turning white.

"Nothing really."  I lie letting go of the bed trying to seem more relaxed than I really felt.

"Are you sure you're up to this?"  Banner asked.  I knew he was concerned about me but I wanted to make it seem like nothing was the matter.  That my thoughts weren't trying to suffocate me.

"Of course."  I force a smile.

He moves a table between us.  Instinct kicks in and I numbly follow a routine that was drilled into me at a young age.

HYDRA was always doing experiments on my brother and I. So I learned that cooperating with the doctors meant I wouldn't be tortured more than need be.  If I refused and pulled out the IVs or fought the guards as they strapped me down to the operating table, I would be whipped until I lost consciousness.  After about three years of fighting it, I gave in and became their obedient little soldier.

"You're doing it again. " Banner gently tells me as I snap back into reality.  "Are you thinking about your brother?"

"Нет."  I reply quickly then I remember that I needed to speak English here.  "No not this time."  I tell him honestly.

"What were you thinking about?"  I wince when he ties the tourniquet around my arm.

"Some bad memories."  I reply.  "Mostly about the experiments HYDRA did.  They liked to study my brother and I when we were younger.  They never quiet understood how they created us."  The

 needle goes in.  "I guess a lot of people didn't understand Lev and I.  We're opposites in so many ways but being twins, people expected our powers to be identical.  But I always assumed that because we were fraternal twins that of course we would be different."

"Did they ever figure out why you two were complete opposites?"

"I overheard someone say that it was our father's DNA who messed up our genetics."

"I wish I could study your brothers DNA also, but I'm fortunate to get to study yours."  He applies the gauze to my arm after the needle is removed.

"I know they used to study us while we were in our animal forms also.  Do you want me to shift for you?"  I wasn't that afraid of needles any more.  I hated them with a burning passion but after being stuck so many times, I've given up fighting them.

"If you're okay with that."  I nod as he wraps the sight up.

I took a deep breathe before slipping into my cat form.  I could already feel the blood loss from a few minutes ago taking effect in my small cat body.  It wouldn't harm my human side if I could manage to keep in this form long enough to get my blood drawn.

"I have never seen such a cute cat before."  Tony says as he appears out of no where.  I mew quietly as I lay down.  I wasn't a very big cat so I knew that Banner would have to draw blood from my jugular vein.

I wanted nothing more than to change back into my human form, but Banner needs the blood from my cat form to fully comprehend my mutation.  So, I close my eyes and expose my neck for him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I slept about six hours in my cat form after getting my blood drawn.  I was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep the pain and blood loss away.  While I was sleeping someone put a blanket over me, which was nice because sometime in my sleep I shifted back into my human form and blanket kept me warm.

When I finally woke up, I managed to make my way back to my bedroom, where I proceed to continue napping.  I was too tired to really worry about anything but if I had been paying attention, I would have known my brother was coming to get me.