Chapter 5
It had been three weeks since the attempt on Bucky’s life, three weeks spent confined within a cell tailored to neutralize her abilities. The isolation was a constant, gnawing frustration.
“Buck, maybe you should stop drinking,” Steve said gently, removing the whiskey bottle from Bucky’s grip.
“Leave me alone,” Bucky grunted, pushing the offered bottle away. “Besides, it’s not like I can even get drunk.” He’d been spiraling ever since the confrontation, consumed by grief and the revelation that his baby sister didn’t even remember him.
“Buck—” Steve began, attempting to reach out.
“No, Steve! Don’t ‘Buck’ me!” Bucky exploded, his voice raw with pain. “It’s my sister who tried to kill me! All because HYDRA wiped her memory clean!”
“Uh-uh, hey, am I interrupting something?” Bruce asked tentatively, sensing the volatile tension in the room.
“We’re fine, what do you want?” Bucky snapped, taking another swig from his glass. Steve stared at his friend, a mixture of disappointment, sadness, and pity etched on his face. He wished he knew how to help, how to bridge the chasm of pain that had opened up within Bucky.
“We think we might have found a way to restore Y/N’s memories,” Bruce offered, his voice soft.
Bucky’s attention snapped to Bruce, his grip tightening on the glass.
“Follow me,” Bruce gestured towards the door.
Steve fell into step beside Bucky, his gaze filled with concern. Bucky, however, walked with a rigid stride, his eyes glazed over with the weight of his anguish. He just wanted his sister to remember him, to not want to kill him. He’d even settle for her not hating him.
“Ah! Finally, you’re here,” Tony greeted them with a flourish, hands clasped together.
“You said you found a way to bring my sister’s memories back?” Bucky questioned, his tone laced with suspicion.
“Well, we think we have,” Tony replied, a touch of his usual swagger returning.
That did little to reassure Bucky.
“Now, let me explain why we think we have,” Tony continued, pacing with energy. “Wanda might be able to enter her brain, access the stored memories, and pull them out.”
“How is Wanda supposed to do that? Is she going to shrink? We could get Scott to do that!” Bucky retorted sarcastically.
“Hold your metal arm, Bucky, I’m not done yet!” Tony snapped, earning an eye roll from Bucky. “Wanda can use her…special mind power weirdness to extract the memories.”
Bucky and Steve exchanged confused glances. They felt lost in this sea of 21st-century jargon, longing for the simplicity of the 1940s. After a lengthy explanation, Tony concluded.
“I don’t understand what any of that is, but just do it,” Bucky rubbed the sides of his temples, his exhaustion evident.
~*~ A short timeskip, brought to you by a bewildered Steve ~*~
Wanda, Bruce, Tony, Bucky, and Steve stood in the prison room with Y/N, separated by a thick barrier of nano-tech glass. Wanda’s fingers glowed with scarlet energy. Y/N stared at Wanda with intensity. As the streams of red energy enveloped her, her vision slowly dissolved into blackness.
“W-what is this?” she demanded, her voice laced with fear. No one answered.
For everyone else, everything appeared normal. But for Y/N, the darkness was filled with fragmented images, like fleeting scenes from her past flashing before her eyes. She saw pictures, felt emotions, heard voices—reminders of a life she had lost. She squeezed her eyes shut, desperate to block out the onslaught. She heard her name whispered, felt herself laughing, joking. She covered her ears with her hands, trying to silence the voices, to quell the memories. Slowly, she sank to her knees.
“Stop it! NO! I don’t want to see this! I was weak! pathetic! no!” She screamed, her voice raw with desperation.
*Flashback*
“Stevie! Stevie! look look, look what I drew!” Y/N beamed, holding up a crayon drawing.
“Wow! Y/N, it’s amazing! What is it supposed to be? It kinda looks like a man riding a… lobster?” Steve questioned, his smile wide.
“That is exactly what it is!” she giggled.
“Oh! haha.” Steve laughed.
“I have more to show you!” Little five-year-old Y/N grabbed Steve’s hand, dragging him towards her room.
*Another flashback*
“Steve?” Y/N spoke softly, her voice trembling.
“What are you doing here, little girl?” A man’s voice rasped, laced with malice.
“I-I was looking for my friend.”
“Y/N!” A voice yelled, and suddenly an arm wrapped around her small frame, lifting her off the ground. She let out a scream.
“PUT HER DOWN!” Bucky yelled at the man, his voice filled with fury. The man just laughed, swinging Y/N under his arm. She screamed again, terrified that she would be dropped. Bucky lunged at the man, punching him in the face. The man stumbled, releasing his grip on Y/N. Bucky scooped her up in his arms, running out of the alleyway, carrying her bridal style.
“What were you doing in that alley, Y/N?” Bucky asked, his voice laced with concern.
“I- I was looking for Stevie,” she whimpered, tears streaming down her face.
*Flashback ended*
The blackness faded from Y/N’s eyes, tears streaming down her face as the memories flooded back.
“I…I…I re-remember…. everything,” she stuttered, her voice choked with emotion. Slowly, she looked up, making eye contact with Bucky. A small, innocent smile touched her lips.
“If we let you out, are you going to try to kill us?” Tony asked, his voice laced with apprehension. Steve glared at him, his expression a clear warning.
“Why would I try to kill you?” Y/N started remembering all the innocent people she’s killed, even trying to murder her own brother. She started sobbing, realizing that she's a monster. Bucky looked at Steve, his eyes pleading for him to be able to hug her, Steve nodded, he walked towards a control panel typing in a code. The nano-tech glass retreated back into the walls of the building while Bucky ran to you. Hugging you tightly, never wanting to let her go, You just sobbed while in his arms. Oh how you missed hugging your beloved brother.
~*~ Another timeskip to the weekend, because I’m lazy alright! ~*~
It’s been a few days since I was able to get all my memories back. I get to have a room right across from Bucky’s, which is nice. I often sneak into his room at night because I have nightmares about my time during HYDRA. Bucky has been the best big brother ever, since we went through the same thing it’s almost like we have a better connection, except for the time I almost killed him a few weeks ago. Tony gave me something called an iPhone? It’s weird, they also have something called a meme? no, me mes? no no, Oh meme! they are kinda funny, I don’t understand all of them but I’m learning.
“Y/N! COME TO THE LIVING ROOM!” Bucky yelled, his voice booming. What could he want now? I walked out of my room into the living room.
“Yes?” I said sweetly.
“Y/N, this is Peter, Peter Parker. He is Spiderman,” Bucky gestured to the young man next to him, his brown curly hair complimenting his facial features.
“Nice to meet you Peter Parker!” I reached out my hand for a handshake.
“U-uh h-hey um, nice to meet you too,” he stuttered, taking my hand. “Wow, you have quite a grip.” He said, slightly rubbing his hand.
“Thank You!” I beamed.
I was really nervous meeting Y/N.
“Y/N! COME TO THE LIVING ROOM!” Bucky Yelled, we started hearing someone walking out of the hallway, it was Y/N, she looked so beautiful. Her (h/c) hair was in a tight bun. Stop it peter! you haven’t even met her yet! besides you like Liz!!! y-yeah! Liz! you’re crush since second grade!
“Yes?” Y/n said staring at her brother, her posture is waaayyy better than mine. Her’s is more straight, probably because she’s a trained killer or maybe because she was raised in the 40’s.
“Y/n this is Peter, Peter Parker. He is Spiderman” Bucky said motioning to me
“Nice to meet you Peter Parker!” she reached her hand it confused me for a second until I realized she was wanting to shake my hand.
“U-uh h-hey um, nice to meet you too” God! why am I stuttering?!?!? MAYBE CAUSE SHE’S A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG GORGEOUS KILLER WHO CAN KILL ME AT ANY MOMENT!!?!?!? oh wait I should probably shake her hand this is getting awkward.... OW WOWIE THAT IS A STRONG GRIP MAMACITA!! HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING OUT?!?!?!
“Wow you have quite a grip” nice save, Pete.
“Thank You!” wow, she has a great smile..... wait why am I thinking about all this!?!? I. LIKE. LIZ!!
“We will let you two young ones get to know each other,” Natasha said with a smile, but her eyes hinted at something else. She was up to something. Everyone nodded, and Bucky left me with Y/N in the living room.
“Shall we sit?” Y/N asked, gesturing towards the couches.
“U-uh yeah, sure,” I sat down, feeling incredibly uncomfortable. I’ve never been in the same room with someone beautiful, or even a female killer. I’ve been in the same building with male killers, just not a female one.
“S-so how are, um- how are you adjusting to everything?” I stammered, desperate to break the silence.
“I’ve been doing alright. Tony gave me something called an iPhone? I don’t know how to use it really well and I’ve been looking at these things called memes? I don’t fully understand them, but since you’re my age and from this time period, could you help me understand them?” Y/N asked, her voice soft.
“Y-yeah sure,” I nodded my head.
“Okay! Excellent!” She smiled. Wow. Her smile is the best.