𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 • avengers

9- Welcome To The Team

"I...knew your friend Barnes".

Steve nearly falls over by her words, his mouth slightly opens "What? How?".

"W-Well, I mean I've talked to him a few times before" She says nervously "In HYDRA, there were times were they let me out of my cell; and they only times they did were when I would be sent to calm down and stabilize his mind. They needed it to be calm before they...reprogrammed him".

"During those times with him, they would give me thirty minutes to stabilize his mind. I would usually do it by talking to him about pop culture, animals or even music. Slowly he began to trust me and remember me even when his mind kept getting scrambled and when his soldier side was activated" She began to fiddle with the ends of her sweater, Steve listening closely to every word she spoke.

Clearing her throat, she continued "I used to feel horrible while doing it knowing what they were going to do to him, but I would hide my opinions and reactions to prevent HYDRA questioning me and possibly hurting me and him."

Nadia sighed, looking back up "I secretly started to unlock small and unnoticeable memories in his head, to help him keep in touch with his humanity. The last meeting that me and him had, I decided to unlock a deeper memory; and it ended up being a memory of you and him".

Steve sighed, pursing his lips at her confession "Do you know where he is now?"

Nadia immediately shook her head "No, the last time I saw him HYDRA had dragged him to the machine that would scramble his mind. I was confused because they hadn't called me to help, until saw this..blonde old man who looked american walking alongside him.."

The soldier groaned lightly before shaking his head "Pierce.."

She nodded "Mhm. I only saw him twice, but both times whenever he was personally involved with a mission; lots of people end up murdered" Nadia closed her eyes, sighing "For the first time since I've met him, he was fighting the guards who always lead him to the room. I think...he was fully conscious of what he was doing, and freaked out. He kept..shouting for me, saying my name for the first time. He kept yelling and telling me to run".

Nadia broke out of her trance and sniffed, wrapping her own arms around herself and looked back up at Steve "After that, I never saw him again".

Steve stood silent for a second, then looked at the window. Nadia bit her bottom lip, waves of guilt washing over her "I'm sorry I didn't tell you right away, just with everything going on-".

"-Don't beat yourself up about it kid, the good thing is that you still told me" Steve gave her a reassuring smile while shrugging "After we took down HYDRA; well... most of it, I spent the past year looking for him and still came up empty handed. He needs my help, and maybe possibly yours".

Nadia nodded "I'll help you Steve, least I can do it for letting me stay here".

Steve shook his head "No, I don't want to drag you into something like this. You can pay me back by training here and becoming apart of the team".

The young girl shrugged "Alright, but am I going to have to wear some cheesy leotard costume when I go on missions?".

Steve scoffed and rolled his eyes "Bluntly shading my suit when I welcomed you here" He joked, making Nadia laugh her first genuine laugh in the past two days.