The House in the Field

“We should get in touch with Tony or Bruce they could remove the tracker from his arm.” Steve spoke as they headed to a street Steve had never revisited. Both Ava and Sam looked at him with the same look on their faces, shock. “I’m just saying, its technology it plays to their strengths they are scientists.” Steve tried to justify himself but to no avail.
“He’s a wanted man and the last person Tony probably wants to see.” Sam said firmly. “Can’t we ask that Agent Carter if she knows anyone?” He suggested as Ava rolled her eyes.
“I can do it.” She stated, this time it was Steve and Sam’s turn to look shocked. “What? I’ve studied the guy and I know a fair bit about technology and him.” She looked up at them with a challenging look.
“How?” Sam asked defensively. To say him and the metal armed man only ever threw punches or insults at each other whenever they met, he sure wasn’t about to let him go into the hands of a stranger.
“Not important at the minute. There he is.” Steve interrupted their exchange any further.
“Remember into his neck.” Wanda commented as the other three nodded before getting out of the car.

The Captain pulled down his baseball cap to cover his eyes, whilst Sam pulled up his hood heading in the other direction to meet round the block. Ava slipped down the alley before running up to the connecting one on the other side of the block. She waited patiently leaning against the cool concreate wall as she listened for his unique sound, absent minded twirling the necklace she kept in her left pocket. He was getting louder and she waited until she could hear the Captain and Falcon until she made her move.
“Help! Help me please somebody!” She shouted as she heard him close. She could sense his apprehension. He was trying to hide and he didn’t want to get himself in a situation that showcased his abnormality to the public. He couldn’t trust anybody, but then there was his true nature, his Bucky nature – where he couldn’t see anyone get bullied. Fighting within his head of what he should do he quickly made the decision when he heard her soft cry. Turning the corner quickly with both his fists clenched ready to save the owner of the voice, he was shocked to see her stood there.
“You found me.” He commented as he saw her reach further into her pocket, looking around he saw no one near.
“I told you, I’d always be watching out for you.” She told him truthfully, pushing off the wall with her foot before slowly walking over to him. He was about to say something as she pulled out the syringe from her pocket. His reaction time didn’t fail him, he quickly grabbed her hand squeezing harshly until she dropped the sharp object crying out for real in pain. She was almost certain if he squeezed any tighter or longer her bones would start to crack, she tried to pull him off her as he moved her further into the alley backing her to the wall before shoving her in to it. “James please stop. I’m trying to help you. Listen to me. Follow my voice James please.” She pleaded with her voice and eyes as he once again dragged her away from the wall and slamming her back into it. She cried out feeling her hair get matted with the blood that was escaping from her head. Using the wall as leverage she pushed off it pushing him into the opposite wall with a grunt escaping his lips. “Follow my voice James. Try to remember me.” She breathed out quickly, her hand going to his chest as he stood there staring at her.
“I remember you. You tried to kill me.” He spat out swiping his leg causing her to fall to the ground, he was instantly on top of her metal arm raised ready to finish her.
“I’m not going to hurt you James. I can’t do that to you and the James I know is still in there wouldn’t do it to me either.” She whispered to him, her eyes welling at the stranger in front of her. She thought for sure that he was about to take her out as she saw his fist start to lower towards her face before she closed her eyes. She quickly snapped them open when she felt a heavy weight on her chest to see the assassin slumped on it, his forehead on the wet cobble at the side of her face as she looked up over his should to see Falcon and Cap stood there holding the syringe.
“You ok?” Sam asked holding his hand out to help her once Cap had picked Bucky up, which she grateful took as she stood shaking.
“Never been better.” She mumbled.

“What do you remember Bucky?” Steve asked nearing the solider as Ava stayed behind sitting in a chair behind him in a corner.
“You were smaller.” He mumbled looking at Steve with sadness in his eyes. “You were always getting into fights that you had no chance in winning. You’d get beat and beat but you ‘can do this all day’.” He quoted his friends infamous saying. “You were so stubborn.” He smiled slightly when he saw Rodgers do the same. Movement from the corner caught his attention as he saw her sat there looking down at her fingers that she was picking it. Steve watched Bucky’s expression closely, getting ready to interject should he need to. Bucky stared at her for seemed like the longest time, studying everything about her; her appearance, her posture and her features. They seemed familiar but he couldn’t place where he’d seen them before. Frowning he looked down noticing his hand twitch realisation hit him like a tonne of bricks as his eyes snapped back up to look at her, misery covering his face. “I nearly killed her.” He whispered, it was Ava’s turn to look up at him. She blinked thinking she’d momentarily escaped to a place where all her hopes came true, but the sad sight in front of her told her she hadn’t.
“Do you recognise her?” Steve asked cautiously. He didn’t want Bucky to flip back into Winter Soldier mode and he didn’t want to cause any more upset to Ava. Slowly Bucky shook his head no as Ava turned her face away to hide the hurt from him.
“I feel like I should do. You’ve come to me many times, but, I just can’t remember.” He shouted out the last part as he got frustrated. He was angry at those who had wiped his brain so many times he didn’t even know where he was born; he was angry at himself more for letting it happen to him. Taking a deep breath Ava steadied herself as she walked confidently over to Bucky. His icy blue eyes falling on her clear bright ones as she neared him.
“You have a tracker in your arm that needs to be removed, HYDRA find you quicker because of this. I can remove it for you but I need to know that that’s ok with you.” She spoke coolly deciding that until he recognised her she wouldn’t hope any longer. He watched as she put on her mask, a side that even if he had his memories he’d never seen. Not towards him anyway.
“Do what needs to be done.” He whispered watching her closely as she just nodded before walking out of the room without another word spoken.

Notes