LIGHTNING ▷ BUCKY BARNES [UNDER EDITING]

10| TOUGH EXTERIOR

"Hi." someone spoke from behind her. Valerie has been standing in front of her window for the past fifteen minutes, staring absentmindedly at the buildings surrounding the tower and the people walking past it. "Hello, mister Banner," she replied, turning around from the window to face the man leaning against her door frame. "Bruce." he insisted. Valerie invited the man inside her room but he just gave her an appreciating smile and declined. "We had camera's placed in mister Barnes' room," Bruce started explaining and Valerie breathed in a sharp breath. That's why Steve was there to stop her from hurting Barnes so fast. They were monitoring him. "I'm here to offer you a word of advice... try and keep your powers under control."

"Excuse me, mister- Bruce," she corrected herself as she strode towards the scientist at her door. "If I knew how I would've done it already."

"I guess we should do tests to find out how we can keep your powers under control." Valerie took in the words of Bruce and slowly nods her head. The power racing through her veins always got the worst out of her, it was almost as of it was controlling her instead of the other way around and she desperately wanted to have control over it before she lashes out on anyone again. "Yes, we should." Bruce was satisfied with that answer and gave her a courtesy nod before turning his back to her and leaving her room, closing the door behind him and leaving Valerie back alone in her room.

The woman's head was spinning again and she desperately needed fresh air to calm her mind. She grabbed her coat and threw it over her upper body before striding towards her door.

She swung the door of her room open just to be met with Bucky Barnes. Which wasn't someone she was expecting to see walking around freely. He looked down at her, the fear he had in his eyes earlier that day was gone. His fear was replaced with suspicion. Her breathing was fast and she couldn't remain eye contact as her eyes flickered between Barnes and Rogers. She slowly cocked up an eyebrow at Steve, asking him what he was doing in front of her door with that movement. "Winn Miller might be alive." Steve suddenly said, not giving Valerie the chance to breathe. Her brown eyes remained on Steve's blue ones as she progressed his words. Her lips parted open and the faintest words left her mouth which was almost unheard by both Steve and Bucky, "I thought he was dead."

Steve sighed and nod his head slowly before breaking the eye contact between him and Valerie, "That's what we all presumed but..." Steve looked at Bucky who was still staring down
at Valerie. She looked hopelessly back at him, her eyes searching his for an answer.

"They never intended to give back Winn, not after what they did to him... they changed him mentally and physically. Drained him from his humanity like they did with me and enhanced his hate towards the Avengers which made him a powerful asset to them." Bucky explained, never looking away from Valerie's face as he said so.

She looked so strong. As if the words didn't do anything to her but looks were deceiving because Valerie Jones was screaming inside her tough exterior.

"And what do you mean with changing him physically?"

"They gave him powers."

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