d.c.

It took longer than what Sharon had said for Isabella to be questioned. It was five days of her hiding out in the room she was given, refusing to come out for even five minutes of sunshine.

The only human interaction she got was an interrogator that gathered information about her before it was presented to Congress.

Bucky stayed there with her, but she avoided him like the plague.

"Mrs. Barnes, I hope your visit to Washington is a little better than last time..." a senator said with a weak smile.

Nobody seemed to find what he said amusing.

Isabella was at the Capitol, surrounded by high-ranking government officials and senators. Behind her sat Bucky, Sam, Sharon, and Rhodey.

Isabella answered every question they asked. What she had been doing, if she was blipped, why she didn't reveal herself, and how she even survived the events in 2014.

"I'm just gonna ask what we're all wondering here," a man wearing so many stripes even that Rhodey was jealous, "how did HYDRA even get a hold of you in the first place?"

"I don't know, General. I can't remember."

"You had some history with the Strategic Scientific Reserve. You worked on the front end of the operation, as a telephone operator in New York. Does that ring a bell?"

"No, it does not," Isabella said, suddenly wishing she could jog her memory just a little.

"You were last seen entering your Brooklyn home in July of 1952, you were reported missing three days later. Do you recall any of that?"

"No."

It was more routine questioning. The same questions her interrogator asked, more of them fact checking her answers.

She was excused for a one hour break. Sitting in a conference room, Isabella let out a loud sigh.

Bucky sat a cup of coffee in front of her, "black, with a splash of milk and half a sugar packet."

She eyed him suspiciously, "how did you know that?"

"I know you."

"Knock knock," an unfamiliar male voice said, the door opening.

"Torres!" Sam said, "the hell are you doing here man?"

The two shook hands, and the man looked at Isabella with his hand held out. She took it, shaking his hand.

"I'm Joaquin Torres. I ratted you out to Wilson... sorry."

"Oh, so you're the culprit," she lightly said, feeling her insides warm up at the coffee entering her system.

He smiled lightly, placing his hands in his pockets. "I wasn't even sure it was you... but the resemblance was scary. It was the other guys in my unit that told our boss."

There was a brief knock on the door followed by Sharon stepping inside.

"It's looking good for you."

Isabella felt her shoulders relax. She couldn't lie, the prospect of being able to at least live legally free felt good. Everyone but Bucky eventually left to go get lunch, he decided to stay back when Isabella said no to food with them.

"What's wrong?" Bucky finally asked, eyes scanning her face. He knew that look, he never missed the slight furry of her eyebrows whenever something was on her mind.

"I'm stuck in a marriage," she quietly said.

He straightened up, "what do you mean?"

"I can't leave you, I-" Isabella looked at him when she heard him sigh, almost angrily.

"You can remember laws from back then but not me?"

"Do you think I'm fucking choosing to not remember you?"

"Well-"

"That's not what I meant."

Bucky nodded, fingers tapping the table. For once he found himself avoiding her gaze.

"Things have changed," he dimly said, "it's legal- you can leave if you want. Just- please not right now. Let's get this settled. Please."

Isabella gazed at him for moments. She felt no love towards him but she could feel his hurt, she could almost hear his heart cracking. And then, she remembered that she is still human.

"Okay."

He looked at her, surprised.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Isabella went back into the courtroom shortly after. The decision made was one that she knew was coming due to what Sharon had said, but she still found herself surprised.

"Mrs. Barnes, to be frank, we have no place in treating your case any differently than your husbands," a general began, making Isabella wince at the word husband, "you were both in very unfortunate situations out of your control. Due to this we have decided to grant you a full pardon... under one condition."