Winters Phoenix

Chapter 22

Celeste's POV

Landing my jet at the destination I make sure that everything is set before walking out of the jet. I notice that both Stark and the kid are following me though I ignore them though and as normal quickly put up a shield around my jet. I arrive soon after to where the governor is for the press conference.

Noticing that the governor is just starting his speech I am glad I made it on time. I just stand in the crowd listening to his speech making sure that everything he says is correct. I don't say anything to anyone as I start to read his mind making sure he is also going to say what he promised yesterday. When reading his mind I make sure that my eye colour doesn't change.

I feel two presences on either side of me though I ignore them knowing one will be Tony and more then likely the other being the kid who I have still yet to learn his name.

Waiting for the speech get to the part where I have a feeling the crowd won't like I start to get slightly anxious. This is due to not only, not telling Bucky about my deal with the governor but also the reaction from the crowd. I realised while reading the governor's mind that he decided to talk about Bucky's release which made me slightly angry but managed to calm myself a bit. The next thing he says does however surprise me.

"The next matter at hand and one I am sure not a lot of people are going to like that much to start with is the Winter Soldier's release. Now not everyone will know his records and to be honest with everyone even I don't know his records are to the full extent. The Winter Soldier is getting released like the rest of the captured Avengers. He will be put on house arrest, 24/7 surveillance, attending therapy and some other conditions to his release. I would like for someone to come up here to talk about some of his crimes that he has done since they apparently know a lot more about him." The governor said and when I was reading his mind at the same time I could tell he was talking about me making me sigh. I walk to the stage and glare at the governor making him shrink back into himself a little. I stand at the stupid podium and start my speech.

"I would like everyone here to know that I didn't know this was going to happen so I don't actually have a speech prepared.

Not many people know me, this is because one I like it that way and two it was the way I was brought up and trained. The way I was trained and raised is not one I like to share but just know that no one deserves that amount of pain. This goes for Winter Soldier as well who was forced into an electric chair so that the terrorist group could completely wipe his memories to the point he doesn't even know his own name. Trust me this is not a fun experience as anytime you mess up in this group you get that chair and some died in it due to their brain being completely fried to the point that the person died because of it.

This is only one example of the torture that you go through in training and even before and after missions. When on missions you don't know what you are doing and even after that you don't know what you have done. You only remember if you regain your memory.

This happened with Winter Soldier and I can tell you now if you asked him when he is in that persona he wouldn't be able to tell you his real name or what he did as a kid. He would only know what he did on missions but remember that isn't the real him. The real him hates what Winter Soldier him did.

Even I hate the things I was forced to do and if I could remove those memories I would. If I could change the past I would. But that doesn't happen for people like us. I am not saying what we have done is excusable but I am saying is give us time to re adjust to the world and even for Winter Soldier, the modern world. A lot of people are going to want answers to questions that I am not going to answer now and maybe never will. But do know that Winter Soldier is trying to get better and he is going to have forms of punishment that a lot of people wont like. But it is his punishment and when he starts to get better with everything and his punishments are at least semi over I know he will do amazing as a hero if people let him. Though this wont be for a long time as there is more then a lifetime of healing he has to do not just mentally but also physically." I said before I leave the podium taking calming breaths to not show any powers right now.