The Life of Veronica Stark

Chapter 17

Roni's POV:

It's the day of Peggy Carter's funeral and the day the Sokovia Accords are being signed. Nat wanted me with her in Vienna, but told her I have to be with Steve right now, he needs me. Sam is with us too. He's such a nice guy.

The service is beautiful and Peggy's niece, Sharon, gives a touching eulogy. I see Sam and Steve give her confused looks. Did they not know that she was Peggy's niece? After the funeral I let her and Steve chat. He's told me about her and from the way he talks about her, he likes her.

But nothing can compare to the way he talks about Peggy. The guy is still in love with her. "When I came out of the ice, I thought everyone I once knew was gone. When I found out she was alive..." "She had you back too." I tell him. "Do you know who all signed?" He asks me.

"Tony, Rhodey, Vision." I say. "Clint?" "Says he's retired." "Wanda?" "TBD." I tell him. "Nat is in Vienna right now for the signing. She said there'd be a jet for you if you want one." I tell him He looks at the ground.

"Just because it's the path of least resistance doesn't mean it's the wrong path." I tell him. "Then why aren't you signing?" He asks. "Like Wanda I am still thinking it over." I say. He looks at me to explain why.

Sighing I say, "I also have to put in the variable that I am an enhanced now and there are more things that apply to me and Wanda and Vision than there is for the rest of you." I say. "Then why are you here. I can't sign it Roni, I just can't." He says.

"I know, and I'm here so that you aren't alone." I say. A second later I have him pulled into a tight hug. When we pull away I look up, smiling at him. "Come on, Sam is waiting outside." I tell him. He nods and we walk towards the exit of the church. On our way out he spots Sharon.

"Uh, I'm gonna walk her back to her hotel room, talk to her about things. You and Sam go back to the hotel." He says. I nod. "Good luck Steve." I say. He nods, walking over to the blonde woman while I go and stand beside Sam. We stare at the two retreating figures.

"So he really didn't know?" I ask him. "No, neither of us did." Sam says. "Come on, let's head back to the..." I trail off when I catch a glimpse of a tv screen. "Roni? What is it?" I hear Sam asks, shaking my shoulder a little bit. I don't say anything, just point.

"Oh my God. Come on, we need to get Steve." He says. I nod and we race in the direction Shannon and Steve went off. We finally catch up to them when Sharon is about to enter the elevator. "Steve you really need to see this." I say, frantically. "What?" He asks. I turn to Sharon.

"Is there a tv anywhere?" I ask. She nods. "In my room." She says, confused. "Let's go." I say. We all pile into the elevator and head up to Sharon's room. When we get there I rush to turn on the tv. I see the title at the bottom of the screen. United Nations Panel Bombed.

They list the casualties and then they identify the suspect. "James Buchanan Barnes. The Winter Soldier." The guys says. I eye snap to Steve to see his reaction. He jaw tightens. "I have to go to work." Sharon says. "Go." I say. She nods.

"Come on, we need to change and figure out what we're going to do." I say. They nod and we leave Sharon's hotel room and race to our own.

I quickly change and then leave, meeting the boys in the lobby. We put on hats and glasses to conceal our identity a little bit. We walk to a cafe and while Sam and I order something to eat Steve goes out to call Nat. When Steve comes back I'm happily eating my fries.

"She tell you to stay out of it?" I ask him. He nods. "Maybe she has something there." Sam says. As the two talk I zone out and think back to the footage. The picture they captured was obscure, you couldn't really see his face. Now most people would just look past that and forget about it.

But I trained with S.H.I.E.L.D. for years, I've learned to tell who someone is by the way they hold themselves and they physique. Steve once showed me surveillance of Bucky and from just that and the picture on the tv screen I can tell the man who bombed the UN wasn't him.

The man was too scrawny and his shoulders we too straight, Bucky walks hunched over as to go unnoticed and is way more built than that. Whoever did this will pay. I hear Sharon come and leave and look at Steve. "Bucky didn't bomb the UN." I say. He looks at me confused.

"How do you know?" He asks me. I smile at him. "I'm a trained ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, I can tell if the person is the same person from two pictures. Remember that surveillance shot you showed me a few months back?" I ask. He nods.

"Well the guy from that picture is less confident in himself, less gloating and more secretive with his posture. He is also more built that the guy from the UN bombing." I tell him. Knowing flashes in Steve's eyes. "Come on, we need to go." Steve says. I nod.

We exit the cafe and head towards the car we're renting. "Where are we going Steve?" I ask him. He looks at me. "Bucharest." He says. I nod. Here we go again.