"Hands up now! Where is she!?"

Light flooded my eyes. I knew that gruff voice. Loundlow, the HYDRA general that had controlled me. They'd found me. God no. The hairs on the back of my neck rose and my heart beat increased to a frantic symphony in my chest.

Bucky sat up - his hair was a mess and his eyes frantic. "What the hell?"

"Loundlow," I whispered, my cheeks cracking from the dried tears on them. "He's found me."

"Who?" Bucky sat up straighter, running a hand through his hair.

"A general from HYDRA." I sat up. I still had my clothes on from yesterday. "I need my room."

"Why?" Bucky stood up, flexing his metal hand.

"My dagger, my weapons." I stood up, looking at my crutches. It was time to leave them behind. To expose to everyone who I really was. "He'll have men."

"I'll distract him." Bucky reached under his bed, taking out two guns. "Here."

"Thanks, soldier." I took the small revolver. "Be careful, Bucky."

Bucky smirked, kissing me softly. "You too, doll. You remembered."

"Really? Again with the nickname?" I shook my head, walking to the door.

"You know you love it, doll." Bucky laughed. "Ready?"

"Yes," I whispered, slowly opening the door.

Two armed guards walked past. They had two guns strapped to each thigh and one gun in their hand.

Hot breath was on the back of my neck. "I'll take the one on the left."

"I guess I've got the one on the right," I whispered, sneaking into the corridor. I looked to see Bucky smirking as we crept behind them. I nodded, pointing at the guards. I pressed my palm firmly to the guards mouth, using my right metal leg to knee him in the back, hard. He went limp from the lack of oxygen. I gently lay him on the floor. Oops... I may have paralysed him. I saluted to Bucky as he lay his guard down.

He smirked. "Time for a distraction, doll."

I snuck into my room, sticking the gun in the back waistband of my jeans. My backpack was heavy in my hands as I placed it on the bed. I grabbed my dagger, sticking it into my pocket - a black design with serrated blades that had slit far too many throats. I shivered - the thrill of a fight was igniting a side of me I had tried for so long to destroy.

I pulled my hair into a tight bun, heading out of the door. The grief I had felt last night had been replaced with a hot rage which now flooded my veins. How dare HYDRA not let me grieve in peace...

"You!" I just had time to turn slightly before I was slammed into the wall and cuffed. They were cold against my skin. Shit. I was marched into the living room. Everyone was sat on the floor, guns trained on them.

"My dear, how nice of you to finally join us." I looked into a pair of black eyes. Loundlow.

"Bastard," I growled, pulling against the grip of the soldiers holding me. The anger grew, I wanted to kill him.

"Is that any way to treat your saviour?" Loundlow motioned around the room. "I saved her from death, gave her a leg and this is how she repays me. She leaves me."

"You almost sound emotionally involved." My muscles tensed as I pulled harder. I could break free from them, it was just a question of when. The guards tightened their grip on me. There were guards everywhere, guns pointed at everyone. I had to be careful what I said, it wasn't just my life at risk.

"I am." Loundlow kept his gaze on me - black eyes empty.

"Are you trying to make me sick?" I gagged, freezing.

"My dear, you will be under my control again." Loundlow smiled. He wasn't very old, a lookalike of Ian Somerhalder really, but with a jagged scar down his cheek. I'd put that there. He traced a hand down my cheek. "Longing."

No.

"Never, you sick bastard - go to hell," I snapped. Something hit me in the head. It hadn't knocked me out. But I could pretend it had, it was my only way of saving the Avengers and everyone else. I let my legs give way as I shut my eyes. The guard caught me.

"No, Zoe!" Sharon.

"Silence!" A guard and the click of a bullet.

"Take the cuffs off, soldier," Loundlow snapped. "She doesn't need them now."

"Let go of her!" Bucky. No.

A loud bang sounded.

No! I had to stay still. I heard Bucky groan as another bang sounded. He'd hit the floor. Please say Loundlow hadn't shot him anywhere vital. I couldn't lose him as well as Becky.

"Take her away!" Loundlow groaned. That's good - Bucky had shot him too.

I swayed as they carried me away, into the lift. The lift doors closed behind us.

I slowly gripped the handle of the dagger. The lift button hadn't been pressed yet. One... Two... Three... Now! I stabbed the guard holding me in the chest. Quickly withdrawing the blade and driving it through the skull of the guard in front of me. I jumped from the dying guard's arms, spinning around. A gun was in my face. I kicked the gun with my right leg, bending it in half. Grabbing it I shoved it back into the guard's stomach, causing him to bend over. I drove the dagger into the back of his neck and spun round to another gun. Two more guns. I put the dagger back in my belt strap quickly. Reaching forward, I grabbed both of the guns, arms crossed. And spun again both of them shooting at the ceiling. I pulled the gun forwards out of their grasps. I found the triggers and spun round to shoot both of them in the head. Anger coursed through my veins that I'd locked away for years.

Pushing my hair out of my face, I hit the lift button to open the doors again, both of the machine guns resting on each shoulder.

"And so I'm going to-"

"Zoe!" Sharon cried interrupting Loundlow as the lift doors lunged open.

Five bodies lay at my feet. "Did I step on your moment?" I smirked.

Loundlow stood in the middle of the room a bullet wound to his arm, gun posed at Sharon. The main reason the Avengers were standing down - if they tried anything Sharon would die. The guard next to Pepper tensed.

Loundlow started to clap. "I see you haven't lost your touch Miss Frost, nor your brutality. You're still a monster."

"You still hire crap guards." I carefully stepped over the bodies, then stopped outside of the lift.

Loundlow tensed. "One more step-"

"And what? You'll shoot her? Catch up Loundlow, you're in a game you can't win. You should at least try to lose with some dignity," I spat, gripping the machine guns tighter.

"I'll kill her, soldier," Loundlow warned, pressing the gun to Sharon's temple. Her eyes met mine - wide and panicked. The Avengers stirred, they were helpless right now. "Pain." Another word.

A guard pointed his gun towards me. A shot sounded, Sharon wasn't dead. The guard next to me fell to the ground at the sound of the gun shot to my right.

I looked to see Bucky gripping his arm, blood staining his shirt. Loundlow stood in the centre of the room, vulnerable. No more guards.

"Time for you to die." I smiled sweetly at him jumping down the steps.

"Ninety- six. Seven more words and you'll be useless to them, in fact you'll be the one pulling the trigger." Loundlow already had his finger on the trigger, loading the gun for Sharon. "In fact, I don't need you alive to get your blood samples, but I can't do much with you when you're dead. So I'll just kill her instead."

I gripped the guns tighter. All eyes were on me.

The back of Sharon's neck was now glistening with sweat. The tension in the air was strong.

"Then kill me, take me back to HYDRA, do whatever you want with me." I dropped the machine guns to the floor, putting my hands up. "I'm the one you want, not her. She has nothing to do with this."

Loundlow laughed, his face contorting. "If you insist, if you die you won't have to explain your leg to everyone, how you worked for HYDRA and killed hundreds of children." He pointed the gun at me. "It is such a sadness to see something so lethal be lost."

It was now or never. I slid my hand into my pocket. My daggers handle was nestled in my palm. Hopefully Loundlow's aim was as bad as his trash talk.

Someone leapt in front of me - a red shirt, long brunette hair and a metal arm.

The gunshot sounded.

Bucky dropped to his knees, falling on his side. It all happened so quickly.

I looked from Bucky to Loundlow, meeting his black glare with my own venomous glare. "No!" I yelled throwing my dagger.

It found Loundlow's leg. Red blossomed from his wound, rushing down his leg.

I dropped to my knees, pressing my hands to Bucky's wound near his right shoulder. It looked like it was just a deep flesh.

"You idiot, you got shot twice," I said, pressing harder on the wound. Red weaved its way through my fingers, warm on my skin. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I don't know." Bucky tried to move, grimacing. "Ow."

"Stay still, okay." I stroked Bucky's cheek. A red line appeared on his tanned skin.

"At least I'm gonna die in the arms of an angel," Bucky laughed, wincing.

"You're not going to die, Bucky," I whispered, watching his blue eyes as they stared up at me.

"Step away from him." Loundlow's voice was too near. Cool metal touched the back of my head. "Help me."

I gently removed my hands from Bucky and stood up. Red fell down my wrists and dripped onto the floor. There was a lot of blood, maybe it wasn't a deep flesh wound after all...

"Now help me, bitch." Loundlow jabbed me in the back with the gun.

I looked Sharon straight in the eyes, a massive smirk forming on my lips. "Of course." I had to hurry otherwise Bucky would go into shock and it would be too late.

I twisted around, kicking Loundlow in the side with my right leg. His gun fell to the floor with a clatter.

I kicked Loundlow in the head. A rugged punch was aimed at my head which I dodged easily. Grabbing his wrist, I spun under his arm and pushed his shoulder out of its socket. "Bastard."

I stepped back watching Loundlow struggle. "You're a bitch."

"Oh I know." I smiled at him before kicking him the balls. "You're a-"

"Zoe!" I looked over to Sharon. "Language."

Something hit me hard in the back of my left knee causing it to give way. I stuck my right leg out and skidded around in a circle onto my knees. Only to have to lean backwards to dodge a side kick aimed at my head.

I put my hands behind my head and leant back on them to kick Loundlow in the chest. I hung upside down doing a handstand before standing up. I grabbed the fallen gun and aimed it at his head. "Go to hell, you bastard."

Loundlow smirked. "The effects of the drugs we pumped into you day in and day out to solve your little rage problem will wear off eventually, sweetheart and all you'll see is red both in your eyes and on your hands. Hail HYD-"

"Stop." A red hole appeared in between his eyes. I'd shot him. His limp body fell to the floor. I'd killed him. I'd killed Loundlow. Without a second thought. Like the winter soldier I was supposed to be. Like a monster.

A guard stirred to my right, reaching for his holster.

I stood on his hand with my right foot. A crack sounded followed by another crack as I kicked him the head.

"What is your leg made of? Metal?" Sharon was looking at me, eyebrow raised.

"Yes, it is." I didn't look at her as I reached into Loundlow's pockets. Nothing.

"W-what?" Sharon asked, looking up at me from her position on the floor. She hadn't moved at all. No one had but Bruce.

I went over to Bucky as Bruce knelt beside him."Yes my leg is made of metal."

Sharon stood up. "Like-"

"Yes like Bucky's arm, Sharon." I raised my trouser slightly to expose the shiny metal which reflected the light of the rising sun.

"Oh."

"Is he okay?" I asked Bruce as Steve knelt beside me.

Bucky laughed, smiling at me. "I'm fine, doll."

"Yes." Bruce nodded. "Steve, help me take him to the lab I need to s itch this before he loses anymore blood."

Steve helped Bucky up, the pair hobbling away with Bruce.

I stood up, wandering over to the seating area where everyone else had gathered. None of them looked at me and Sharon sat staring down at her hands. She was my best friend and I never told her. My hands were still stained with red, with Bucky's blood. I looked to Sharon. "I suppose I should let you ask some more questions. You need to know after all, you're my best friend." Sharon sat stunned as I sat cross legged on the floor, picking at my fraying shoe lace. Her mouth pressed into a thin line, she didn't acknowledge my comment or move.

Tony coughed, his eyes trained on me - curious and cautious. "Can I ask you a question?"

I turned to him, my hands now in my lap. "Shoot." Poor choice of words considering what had just happened... Bucky, he had to be okay. He would be okay, he was with Bruce and Steve.

"How long were you with HYDRA?" Stark was fiddling with his watch, no doubt a gadget of his that transformed into part of suit of his.

"I joined in ninety-six. Willingly I was there for six years, then unwillingly for seventeen years until I escaped now in 2019," I said, keeping his gaze. "Of course I had no idea it was HYDRA until the whole project insight thing in 2014 when HYDRA lost their main soldier, Bucky... " I trailed off. "But I did know of the awful things that they did, I was aware of them when I was there for six years. I guess I was so numb I just let it slide past me. For a while I became a robot just following orders - emotionless."

"Is there anything you can tell us about HYDRA?" Fury asked, sliding down his sunglasses.

"Nothing new," I said. "I'm still remembering my time there - the only parts I remember were those who I killed. Every single one of them..." I looked back to my shoes, pulling at the now loosened thread.

"Are you sure?" Fury pressed.

"Of course I'm sure." I glared at him. "How am I supposed to know, I was wiped after each mission. How am I supposed to remember everything? I don't even know their god damn names, just their faces and their screams and the way they pleaded with me before I looked them in the eyes and ended their life." I was lucky I remembered who I was.

"I was just asking," Fury sighed.

"Sure you were." I looked back at Sharon, dropping my shoe lace. She was looking at me now. She seemed distant. "Anything you want to ask me?"

"Do you...errr... Do you have a red star?" Sharon was talking about the Soviet Union star.

"Yes, on my hip and ankle." I kept her brown gaze.

"Does it hurt?" Sharon tapped her right leg.

"No." I hugged my right to my chest, resting my chin on it.

"How did they attach your leg?" I looked over to see Natasha raising her eyebrow at me.

"I honestly don't know. I don't even remember what happened half the time." I shrugged as agents filled into the room clearing the guards bodies.

"I've seen your eyes before." Natasha shook her head, red hair falling across her cheeks.

"We were both trying to kill the same person, I had a mask on." I stood up, lifting my top up to show a bullet wound. "You shot me."

"Oh."

I laughed. "I knocked you out, so we're square."

"What's that other mark?" Sharon was pointing to a scar in the shape of a 'p' on my hip.

"It's on my pant line it says 'fucked up'." I shrugged letting my top fall back into place. "It's nothing." I said the two words far too quickly because it wasn't nothing, it was a rather large something.

"Oh." Sharon looked wounded, shaking her head.

"That's as far as anyone ever got." I winked, if only it were true. "I haven't dabbled in that department much."

"So you are a good girl," Sam chuckled.

"It would seem so," I laughed.

"Ow." We looked over to see Pepper rubbing her tummy. "Just a kick." She put her hand up to calm us. She was paler than normal yet she still glowed. She wore pregnancy well.

"Put this on." I slipped off a pain band - it had a placebo effect - something to do with magnets. It helped with the pains I got in my hip anyway.

"What is it?" Pepper asked, sliding it onto her wrist.

"A pain bracelet." I smiled at her.

"What does it do?" Stark asked, eyeing it on Pepper's wrist.

"It'll make her feel better, it uses magnets or something," I explained.

"Does it even work?" Tony stood up. He was short and had no effect on me. My mind flickered threat. An agent handed me my dagger.

I nodded my thanks to them as Stark advanced. "I mean I'm not trying to be rude, but it doesn't work for you. You still wince every now and again when you walk." He stepped closer to me.

I stepped back.

Stark shrugged, glaring at me. "Everyone else seems to be oddly calm about the whole HYDRA thing but I'm not. They killed my parents. I mean look at you, you're-"

"Stop," I tried to warn him. Please, just stop. I'd held off the vision for so long... Loundlow was right, it was coming back.

"No. I don't think we can trust you. Friday picked up a signal from your neck coming from somewhere in New York. Guess where it was coming from?" Tony's voice rose.

I swallowed. "HYDRA." My other side was taking hold, the winter soldier was pushing through my barricade. The barricade I had spent so long building to conceal the other side of me. That I'd almost forgotten about. Was so close to forgetting about.

"Stop," was all I could say before it took over me. My whole body was twitching. I shut my eyes blocking it out.

"Stop Tony." I looked to see Bucky standing in the lift. What the hell was he doing? He wore a sling and a different top but he walked as if he hadn't just been shot twice.

"Why?" Tony poked me in the chest.

I was helpless to watch as my hand flickered for my dagger.

"She's going soldier - you're a threat right now," Bucky said, still walking towards us.

I stood totally still, unable to move. I knew this all to well - my soldier side was waiting for orders. Something touched my arm. Nothing. I couldn't respond. I had no orders.

"She has no idea what she's doing." Bucky shoved me. Hard.

I immediately responded with an aimed punch at his head. Bucky caught it with his left hand twisting me around, holding me close as his metal arm slipped around my waist. His other arm was behind me in its sling.

I heard a whisper in my ear as I watched my body helplessly. "I don't want to dance, doll." That was what he said before... At the HYDRA base, that was what he said when we first met when we were training.

That was all I needed, my muscles were mine again. I was me again. The memory had broken the soldier, for now. "It's me."

"How do I know that?" He was still whispering in my ear.

"Is this just an excuse to touch me?" I hissed quietly.

"I'm still not persuaded, doll."

"You're an asshole you know that right, snowflake," I said trying to pull away from him.

He let go. "The princess is back." He smirked at me as I turned to look at him.

I rolled my eyes at him as I made my way back to my room.

"Friday, monitor Miss Frost's-"

"Tony!" I heard Pepper shout. "Just leave her alone! She doesn't mean any harm."

I stopped waiting to see his reaction. Tony just looked at the floor. And so he should, he should feel guilty for what he did.

"You shouldn't push her," Bucky said. "She'll just end up loosing it and killing you."

"And you know because?" Tony glared at Bucky now.

"Because I've been through the same thing," Bucky snapped.

"Tony!" I heard Pepper scold as I turned to head to my room.

I stormed into my room, slamming the door behind me. Except it didn't slam. I spun around to see Bucky catching the door and slipping into the room before I could do anything about it.

"Get out." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"No." Bucky crossed his arms, left arm on top. Was he trying to tell me something? My leg was just like his arm... No, he needed to get out.

"Get out now," I warned him. "You're hurt and need to rest."

He didn't budge. "No."

I rolled my eyes and turned around, tensing before I swung my right leg to hit him in the face. His left hand caught my leg, holding it there.

"Really?" Bucky asked smirking, as he pushed my leg higher.

"My leg doesn't go that far," I complained as my foot towered above my head.

"Mmmm." Bucky kept going.

"Ow," I whimpered, my left leg shaking, my knee was bound to go. It did.

Bucky let go of my leg, catching me.

I just glared at him, struggling.

"Let me in," was all he said.

"No." He let go of me as I stepped back.

"Why? You kiss me, then you shut me out again. You remember our six months together and make all of these promises but as soon as you think you're endangering me you push me away. Am I just a game to you?" Bucky went to walk out.

"No don't walk out, please," I begged, exchanging weight from foot to foot. "I just... They've found me, again."

Bucky stopped.

"I don't... I can't... Bucky I don't want you to... I can't let you get hurt." I felt a single tear slide down my cheek. "I can't loose you. Last night I remembered them pulling us away from each other and the how it felt, it felt so wrong and horrible and it's been bugging me all day. I don't want to be alone again."

Bucky turned around, his face portraying nothing.

I hurriedly wiped the tear from my cheek. I couldn't be vulnerable like I had been yesterday.

"Hey." His arms were around me before I could do anything about it. His right arm out of its sling. "Don't cry, there's no use crying over spilt milk. I know what it's like to be alone, doll."

I wound my arms around his waist. "I'm not alone." I hiccuped looking up at him. I was tall, but not as tall as him. He raised his eyebrow at me."I've...(hiccup) got...(hiccup) you." I'd cried harder than I'd thought.

Bucky laughed. "Yes you do, doll. Yes you do."

I hiccuped again. "Damn."

"Try standing on your head." Bucky stepped back from me.

"Seriously?" I shook my head. "No."

"You like that word don't you, no." Bucky walked past me to the iPod docking station. I'd listened to it the other night. "What have you been listening to?"

"Stuff." I shrugged.

"Can you waltz?" Bucky turned around, his eyebrow raised.

"I went to dance school with Sharon, so yes I guess so." I walked over to him turning the dock on, Shot at the night by The Killers started to play.

"Can I have this dance?" Bucky offered me his hand.

I took it. "I suppose."

We swayed around the room. I was trying desperately to avoid his eyes, so I turned my head to the side.

"You need to look your partner in the eyes," Bucky whispered in my ear, tightening his grip on my waist, pulling me closer. My heart was officially doing backflips. "For a waltz."

I turned to look at him, our noses touching. His blue orbs directly in front of me. I gulped, remembering the electricity he caused.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Bucky brushed our noses together. "Us men from the forties treat women with the respect they deserve."

I locked eyes with Bucky. We were breathing the same air, we were that close. I looked down at his lips to signal what I wanted to do. He nodded, glancing at mine. His hand left my waist as spun me around and then pulled me to his lips.

"Give me a shot at the light, give me a moment..."

His lips felt right against mine as we swayed. I wound my fingers into his brunette locks, our lips hungry. I was kissing Bucky - James Buchanan Barnes - a man I'd fallen for before. The man I wasn't going to push away, I was going to hold onto him as tightly as I could. And keep my promise to Becky: don't do anything stupid. I pulled back slightly. "Bucky?" I asked.

"What, doll?" He asked, our foreheads touching.

"I love you." I kissed him softly. "And I'm not going to push you away. I said I would come back to you and I did so I'm not going anywhere."

"Good to hear, doll," Bucky chuckled, running a finger down my cheek.

"Now will you please go and rest?" I begged.

"Hmmmm..." Bucky tilted his head to the side, making his lips look even more attractive from a new angle.

"What?" I asked, tapping his arm.

He flinched. "On one condition. As you wouldn't want to lose me." He grinned, pulling me closer, his hand on the small of my back.

"Okay." I raised my eyebrow.

"One more kiss please, doll." He smirked.

"Asshole." Bucky only laughed at my insult as I stood on my tiptoes, giving him a quick kiss. That was until he gripped my left hip tighter and used his other hand to lightly hold the back of my neck to keep me in place. I suppose it didn't matter... As long as he didn't drop dead...

I gently bit his lip as I laughed against his lips. The two of us spelt one word: trouble. I grinned into the kiss, as long as I was with him I didn't care what we were doing.