A World Changing Fangirl

Chapter 24

Tony, Steve, Sam, Nat, and I just sit in silence. No one has spoken. The only sounds to be heard is the vent and the occasional light flickering.

"Okay, so why did you call me in here?" Tony lets out a sigh.

"Well, I hope that we can tell you something about a person, so they can join the Avengers. We want your approval," I say.

"And by want you actually mean need. If I don't give you approval, something will happen?" Tony points out my word choice.

"Let's go with that," I say and my lips pressed together in a thin line.

I project an old picture of Bucky Barnes from his time in the army onto the wall. Tony looks at me confused.

"Am I supposed to know who that is?" Tony asks me.

"This is a picture of Sergeant James Barnes of the 107th. He was Steve's best friend until he died in action," I explain.

Tony looks over at Steve who is trying to pull through this tough conversation.

"Rogers I - "

"It's okay Tony," Steve reassures his teammate.

"Right. Well, before Bucky died, Steve found him strapped to his chair in a HYDRA base," I pause and change the picture of Bucky to a picture of the Swiss scientist.

"This is Dr. Zola. He and Schmidt, the leader of HYDRA, were trying to perfect the supers serum without Eriskin. They captured and killed many members of the 107th. One of them being Bucky. They were experimenting on him with the serum.

When Bucky fell off a train, he was believed to be dead for 70 years. Except the experimental serum saved Bucky's life. This wasn't known until a year ago.

HYDRA captured Bucky after his fall and tortured and brainwashed him for 20 years. They used him for his own purposes. He's still alive today because HYDRA kept him frozen when he wasn't being used."

Tony looks around the room in shock and horror as I explain what had happened.

I look over at Steve who has tear slipping down his face.

I continue on with my presentation, if that's even what you want to call this.

I pull up my next picture. A picture of the Winter Soldier.

"This is the identity that HYDRA gave Bucky. They erased any memories that he had before he was taken. He was no longer Bucky Barnes.

Last year, when these three were dealing with the whole SHIELD versus HYDRA situation, they had a run in with the super soldier. Which leads me to the three of you."

I turn to them and so does Tony.

"Steve, before you knew the Winter Soldier was Bucky, what did you think of him?" I ask.

Steve hesitates, but he answers the question.

"I thought he was a cold-blooded killer. He tried to kill Fury. It didn't look like he had any humanity," he answers sadly.

"Natasha, you had a run in with the Winter Soldier years before this, what was your experience?"

"I was terrified. He was skilled and wasn't afraid to do what he did. He killed and didn't even blink an eye," she said firmly, not showing how much it affected her.

You can see how terrified she was though. The lack of eye contact and cold tone says it all.

"And Sam, you didn't know anything about the Winter Soldier. What were you thinking when you first saw him? When he attacked you on that bridge."

"I didn't know what to think. All I could think about was getting the hell out of there. We didn't though. That man knew how to take us down. It was like he was an animal. He wasn't human," Sam explained.

"Steve, who was Bucky Barnes? What was he like?" I go back to Steve.

"He was the guy that helped me get through the death of my parents. The guy that was with me when everyone else thought that I was just a skinny dork. He always included me even if I didn't want to go. He always talked to me to girls trying to find the perfect one for me. He's more than my best friend. He's my brother," Steve laughed and smiled as he described his friend.

"Steve, when you were on that helicarrier with the Winter Soldier, you tried to tell him he was your friend. Why?"

"Because he didn't know me. He didn't even know himself. I said his name and he couldn't even think of why. He nearly killed me."

Aha!

"Nearly is the perfect word. Now, Tony, the Bucky Barnes was tortured for 20 years. Why do you think that is?" I ask and he just shrugs.

"It's because Bucky Barnes kept fighting. Eventually, they had to switch his brain off in order for him to do what he wanted. Bucky had no control over his mind or his body. He had to find a switch to turn his brain back on. His switch is Steve. Bucky didn't kill Steve because Bucky remembers him now.

Bucky and the Winter Soldier are just like Bruce and the Hulk. Bruce and the Hulk have a switch, Natasha. Would agree that Bruce isn't present while the Hulk is?"

"Yeah, I guess," Tony says.

"And would you agree that Bruce feels guilty for every death or injury that he has caused?"

"Yeah, but he had no control over it," Tony shrugged.

"So, would you agree that Bucky Barnes is a victim rather than a villain?"

"Yes."

"That's good to hear. I have one final thing to discuss here," I pause and turn back to Steve and Natasha.

"When you were in New Jersey last year what did you find out?" I ask Steve and Natasha.

Steve and Natasha looked at each other and then back at me. I nod in encouragement.

"Tony, the Winter Soldier was responsible for your parents' death," Steve says quietly.

Tony tenses up and looks around the room in shock.

It was quiet for a long time. I didn't say anything and neither did Sam, Natasha, or Steve. We kept quiet out of respect.

"I, uh, I need a minute," Tony stands up and walks out of the room.

I look back at the three of them who look just as tense.

"Hey, that went way better than expected," I say.

"What were you expecting?" Sam asks.

"I expected Tony do what he did last time. Blast Bucky's arm off, take Cap's shield back, try to kill you and then go after Bucky," I shrug.

"Well then, that did go better than expected," Nat finishes.

"Indeed."