the next morning

"think that'll hold her?"

"no."

"it's literally the strongest chain we have. and she's tied up in every possible way. sam ties really strong knots."

"it's not gonna hold her."

"bitc-" they sigh. "why not."

"because it wouldn't hold me."

"she's gonna be sedated!"

"would you guys stop bickering? she's waking up."

her eyes open halfway, drooping from the drugs, yet dark. sam, steve, bucky, and natasha are in a circle around her. "where the hell am i." virginia's voice is raspy and deep. she struggles against the chains and grunts in frustration. her dark raven hair, now messy, hangs in front of her face.

"underneath brooklyn." steve says, with that stupid stern hero look on his face. "bucky?"

barnes steps forward, i have no idea why that walking flag keeps calling him bucky. "do you remember me?"

she rolls her eyes before resolving at the normal icy glare. "james barnes, white wolf, winter soldier, my dearest partner."

he frowns. "and do you know who you are?"

"yes."

everyone pauses, waiting for her to continue.

barnes sighs. "let me rephrase that. who are you?"

"you know who i am." she scoffs, annoyed. "virginia petrov, black wolf, winter soldier elite." her dated russian accent shows when she says her name.

"there's no winter soldier elite."

virginia glares at bucky and stays silent.

"alright, she obviously doesn't remember either of you." sam interrupts. "so shall we move on?"

"agent!" natasha yells. "your time to shine!"

and with that, a lady dressed in grey walks into the room, smoking a cigarette. she stops in front of petrov, who's head is down, and lifts her chin up, fast, but not harsh. virginia's eyes widen a bit. the lady smirks, her red lips twisting. "dear, dear, ginny. always knew how to kick ass, but never watched where she was going." she takes a hit on her cigarette and blows it out on virginia's face. "do you know who i am?"

the soldier's glare fades, but she stays silent, eyes now fully awake. the lady in grey snaps her fingers in front of virginia's face. she flinches. the lady continues talking. "ah, remember that old bar we mixed drinks at? frankie's saloon? good times. oh, and those two girls who wore white gloves and always stuck their noses in our business? it was absolutely hilarious watching you lose your cool and kicking their asses."

virginia sniffs in sharply and whispers, "please stop."

the lady continues, not missing a beat. "and i remember the day i first met you. we were thirteen. you were a hurt little girl, who spoke very little. and you wore that bright yellow ribbon in your hair. of course, you hated that ribbon." virginia groans painfully. "but they made you wear it. be a good girl, they said. and that's when i came in. i ripped that ribbon right out of your hair, and we made a run for it. out of that stiff, miserable prison they called a school, and up into the rooftops."

"stop! please just...stop."

"ginny. tell them my name."

"c-carrie ann adler." her voice shakes.