The Winter Soldier

The End

Later on that night,

Elise had found him. The one she had searched for... for years. The one she was going to kill because he attempted to kill her father. She found him after a day. He couldn't hide very well. Maybe that was why they had got caught after a few months all those years ago.

He was walking down a dark alley. Alone. Lost. He hadn't heard her approach him but she kept her distance. "Bucky." She called out softly. It was still odd to call him that. She used to call him "Steel" or "Star" but Bucky... It was different.

His body tensed as he stopped walking. From behind him, she could see his shoulders stiffen. His head turned to the side yet he still hasn't turned around. "How did you find me?" He asked. His voice low and broken.

She chuckled. "I'm an agent and a spy. I can find anyone." But him...for years until now.

"You've come to bring me back?"

"Quite the opposite, actually." He turned around when she said that.

"Why would you help me?"

She hesitated to answer. "I just want you to be safe."

"Why?"

Taking a deep breath, she blinked a few times. "Do- do you remember me?" She asked. "I know you said my name before; but do you really remember me?"

He didn't answer for a long time. His eyes scanned her as if he was trying to decipher his haunted memories from his good memories and find out which category did she fall in. Flashes of the past with her quickly passed his vision. When he looked into her eyes, he could see her. He could see them. They were in love. How could someone so perfect...someone who seemed, in his eyes, to have it all—want him? A damaged, brainwashed, broken, lost assassin who could barely remember his own name. He knew Steel or Star before he knew James Buchanan Barnes, shortly known as Bucky. "Yes." He said barely audible.

He spotted a flash of hope in her big, hazel-green eyes. They were beautiful; but he didn't deserve to see them. "Well, then, you'll know that you're very special to me." She shuffled her feet. "I know I tried to kill you and I'd apologize for it but I'm not sorry." Blunt and honest. "But, someone once told me that 'we can't judge anyone based on their past, instead, focus on the future and live through the present with peace.'" She quoted what he had told her many years ago. "I can't promise you peace...that's something you gain on your own; but, I can provide support, a secured home—guaranteed that nobody'll find you—and money."

"Why should I trust you?"

"At this point, I'm not asking for you to trust me yet." She told him. "I'm lending a hand to my fiancé—I mean, a friend."

"Fiancé?"

"Is French for friend." She quickly covered before clearing her throat.

Somehow, he knew she had lied about that. He peeped the cover up; but decided to drop it considering she was the only person offering to help despite everything he had done. "Okay; but, I can't stay in one spot for too long."

"Leave that all to me." She smiled at him. "I know places where television and news are irrelevant or non-existent."

"Okay."

She clapped her hands together quietly. "Awesome, lets go." He hesitated for moment. "I promise that I'm not setting you up, okay? If I'm lying, you can kill me. Your access has been granted."

She motioned him to follow her. They walked away next to each other with a space in between. She had walked him to her car. They both got in and she drove off.

---

They found a place the next day in Bucharest, per request of Bucky, in a fake name. It was a small studio apartment. Elise wanted it to feel homey for him but he denied it, feeling like he didn't deserve that either. The apartment was already "furnished" if you call a thin bedspring mattress right on the dining room floor, and a small, dinner table with just two chairs on the sides, furniture.

Elise took a seat in one of the chairs as he took the other one. It was silent between for awhile while they looked around the small apartment. Both having totally different things on their minds. She was thinking about how would she break the news to him. Yeah, she promised to protect him and he was protected; but, she was keeping a secret. It wasn't a big one but considered the fact that he was counting on her to be there, it would be disappointing to him.

He, was thinking about....her and Steve. She was being nice yet real with him. She risked her career or status to help him when everyone else cut him off and looked at him like the scum on the bottom of their shoes. She was different and even though, she tried to kill him numerous times, she was able to look passed his past to help him. And, maybe, just maybe, it was his past that gave her the notion to help. How ironic. But, it was more. Apparently they were a thing. They were a thing called 'fiancé's' and if he had education right...they were engaged to be married. The flashes and the look in her eyes when she looked at him proved just that much. She was in love with him. Or, maybe still is.

"I'm leaving tonight." She broke the silence.

He instantly lifted his head up to her. "Why? Where are you going?"

"A special mission in another galaxy."

"How long will you be gone?"

"Awhile." She said shortly. "Oh." She pulled a device out of her bag. "This is a communicator device. When I'm there you can communicate with me...if you'd like."

He slowly took the device out of her hand, not knowing how to use the darn tool. She caught onto the look he had on his face. It was pure confusion. She showed him how to work it. She bidded her goodbyes to him and just as she was about to leave, she stopped.

"Can I show you something before I leave?" She asked.

He stared at her for awhile before nodding his head. "Sure."

She got him regular, civilian clothes with gloves to cover his hand and a hat. She helped him put his hair in a down ponytail before they left out. She led him to the quinjet at the roof of the apartments before flying off.

She took him to Smithsonian Museum then led him to the Captain America exhibit. "You want to find more out about your former self?" She asked but it was rhetorical. She gestured to the exhibit. "Most of what you need to know is here." She told him while leading him to a display about himself. Staring pensively, Bucky didn't respond, he just read everything with just his eyes. Elise took a deep breath before looking forwards at the display in front if them.

After a few hours there, Elise flew Bucky back to Bucharest to his apartments. She made sure that the quinjet was invisible. She didn't want to draw any unwanted attention to them. After walking him back to his apartment, she went back up to the roof and took off. The Andromeda Galaxy, here she comes!
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Azria Curse Will Return.