(1) Wild Cat (B.Barnes)

Chapter Eight

Steve and Peggy walk through the facility, it's tiny really, only refurbished to house Tati and for Project Rebirth, once the project was over, everything but the cell was scrapped. Steve glances to Peggy but she keeps her eyes forward. She's nervous about this. Tati has been unpredictable and Peggy doesn't know how she is going to react. They enter a small room, one wall covered in a mirror. Peggy clears her throat and motions to the glass. Steve raises an eyebrow and approaches cautiously, he's not sure what he's going to find on the other side. Steve's breath catches slightly.

"Tatiana?" Steve asks under his breath staring into the cell, Tati is sat on the small cot picking at a bread roll. Steve's eyes soften into sadness seeing her all locked up like this. "What is she doing here?" he asks.

"You know her?" Peggy asks back at him, Steve nods.

"She...she was Bucky's friend" Steve whispers.

"She's....enhanced" Peggy admits, Steve looks at her. "Sort of like you are...only" Peggy sighs a little. "Only she was born into her....gifts" Steve looks back to Tati and then sighs.

"Find Bucky" Steve tells Peggy. "He needs to be here for this"

"Are you sure?" Peggy asks, Steve nods.

"Yeah, and then she's leaving with us" Steve tells her firmly, not leaving any room for argument. Peggy nods and then walks away leaving Steve to watch Tati sitting there, alone. She looks so alone. Bucky is going to blame himself for this. For leaving her to this fate. Even if he didn't know that this would happen. Tati blinks a little and then looks up, seemingly meeting Steve's eyes behind the glass. He seems surprised, unsure if this is one way or two way glass.

"She can't see you" Howard states behind him at a table, Steve looks back at him. "She just likes to stare at the glass"

"Why is she in there?" Steve asks, Howard stands and moves to join him.

"Erskine made a deal" Howard answers. "He would work with the SSR, if Tatiana remained in a secure apartment...she broke those terms....." Steve shakes his head.

"And locking her up was in the best interest of who?" Steve asks. "Certainly not hers" he answers himself.

"She's dangerous" Howard points out. "Extremely dangerous" Steve raises an eyebrow, Howard nods. "I'll be right back" Howard states as if suddenly remembering something. He turns and leaves the room. Steve shakes his head disappointed that they'd lock someone up for being different. How easily this could have been him.

.................

Later: Steve glances away from the glass as the door to the room opens and Bucky walks in, Peggy hangs back letting them have this time.

"What's going on?" Bucky asks approaching Steve as he yawns, he had been mid-nap when Peggy had appeared and disturbed him.

"Urm...well...I don't really know how to say this" Steve starts and then nods towards the glass, Bucky frowns and turns, his eyes instantly find Tati.

"Kitten" he whispers stepping closer to the glass. "What the hell?" he asks starting at her. "Steve, what the hell?"

"She's Erskine's...daughter" Bucky snaps his head around to his best friend.

"Because that suddenly explains why she is locked up like some kind of animal?"

"She's enhanced" Steve admits. "Dangerous, apparently"

"This is not okay" Bucky hisses at Steve.

"I don't agree either" Steve counters. "But it's their rules..."

"And you're their new poster boy...do something?"

"I already did" Steve points out, Bucky pauses slightly.

"Oh" Bucky whispers.

"She's coming with us" Steve adds with a small smile. "We're taking her out of here" Bucky nods and takes a breath. "You really care about her, huh?"

"She's all I thought of in that place, when Hydra had me...when...they did those things to me...." Bucky admits. "She was the only reason I kept fighting....because" Bucky's voice breaks a little and then he shakes his head. "I made her a promise..." he adds softer. "And I didn't want to die without telling her that..." Bucky looks to Steve who seems to understand.

"Buck" Steve whispers, Bucky shrugs.

"I owe my life to that promise" Bucky admits. "I owe my life to her..." Steve raises an eyebrow. "And to you, of course" Bucky adds with a smirk. The two of them share a look. "So...can we get her out?" Bucky asks impatient. Steve looks to Peggy in the doorway, Bucky follows his gaze. Peggy smiles softly and nods.

"I'll...go get the keys" Peggy takes a deep breath and looks to the glass worried. "Hope she doesn't claw my eyes out" she mumbles, Bucky pulls a face as Steve raises an eyebrow. Peggy heads out of the room again and Bucky turns back to the glass, his fingers touching it as he watches Tati. She looks so....sick in there. So...caged and pained. He knows just how that feels. And he never wanted it for her. He's still recovering, till tired and aching in places but this is good, seeing her is good, that's all he wanted. And they have her caged like a villain. Like a...criminal. Bucky hangs his head clearing his throat knowing he's getting upset. 

"I'm sorry, Bucky" Steve tells him, Bucky shakes his head.

"You weren't to know" Bucky whispers. "How were you to know?"

"Gentlemen" Peggy states behind them again, they both turn to her. "If you would follow me" she nods behind her and Steve and Bucky share a look before doing just that. They walk behind her as she leads them into another room. Howard is already there waiting for them, stood in front of a table that holds a suitcase sized box. And behind him and two SSR agents, heavily armed and ready. Bucky shoots Steve a confused look. Steve shrugs back.

"Alright" Howard states and looks to the two agents. "Stand ready" he tells them. "You know how she's been" they both nod, check their weapons and then follow Howard to the cell door.

"What are you doing?" Bucky asks motioning to the guards. "This whole thing is ridiculous"

"Barnes" Peggy warns slightly. She knows he means well but they've been dealing with Tati for months.

"No, come on" he argues back. "Armed guards...a cell...what is wrong with you people?" Howard nods a little and holds out a key.

"Be my guest" Howard tells him, Bucky looks to Steve who nods a little. Bucky takes a breath and takes the key from Howard and then moves to the door.