One-shots/Short Stories

Bucky Barnes - Part II

Home - Part II
Stark grabbed Loki's sceptre with his iron suit hand, and started making his way out of the HYDRA base. He stopped, however, when he saw a cryogenic chamber. Curious, he slowly started to make his way to it. "JARVIS?" Stark called out. "Any heat signatures coming from this chamber?"
"Yes sir, and from what my scanners are showing me, it is a female that is inside there."
   "A female, huh? Maybe it's Spangles true love." Stark said jokingly. Peering through the head window, he found the peaceful-looking woman familiar. "Huh. . ." Stark mumbled. "JARVIS, face recognition?"
   "Anastasia Mary Smith. Born in 1918, best friend of Steve Rogers and girlfriend of James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes."

***

Steve barged into Stark's lab loudly, interrupting the billionaire and Banner from their studies on Loki's sceptre. "Seriously? Give me a panic attack, will you -"
   "Why am I only just hearing now about Anastasia?" Steve asked angrily.
   "Who?"
   "Don't play tricks on me now, Stark." Steve said angrily. "The cryogenic chamber? Ring any bells?"
   "Oh yeah! The lady Dad mentioned a couple of times." Stark pointed to the corner of the lab. "She's right there."
   Steve quickly went to the chamber and stared through the window. It was definitely her. He knew his childhood friend. "Why haven't you gotten her out yet?" Steve questioned.
   "We don't know what will happen when we take her out." Banner explained quietly. "Who knows what HYDRA has done on her. Besides -"
   "Loki's sceptre is a tiny bit more important." Stark interrupted, holding his thumb and pointer finger close together. "After this, we can open the chamber and check out her state. Do you think you can wait that long?"
   "Sure, I guess. I mean -" he stared at her face sadly. "The last time I saw her, I told her that her boyfriend died in front of my eyes. Next thing I know, she's gone. Never seen again."
   "Yikes. . ." Tony winced. "Well, you'll get your answers soon."

***

They all stood on the opposite side of the glass wall Stark had quickly set up, watching as the man himself started to carefully open the cryogenic chamber. Steve was excited to see his friend again, but was also worried for her. What did HYDRA do to her?
   Stark opened the chamber, catching Anastasia's form when it was about to fall face first down to the ground. "It's going to be some time for when she wakes up." Stark called over to the remaining Avengers - as in, Steve, Wanda, Vision and Natasha. Clint had went back to his family, Thor went back to Asgard, and Bruce was MIA. Pietro? Well, you know what happened to him. . .
   Stark carefully placed her on the makeshift bed in the room, Steve and the others walking in the room. Steve went to her side, staring at her sadly. Wanda stared at her curiously. "Do you want me to wake her up?" Wanda asked him. "I can wake her up for you."
   "No," Steve shook his head, "who knows what HYDRA did to her. She needs to wake up naturally." He placed a hand over Anastasia's cold one. "Funny how Bucky and Anastasia are still alive after all these years. . ."

***

Bucky entered the abandoned base of HYDRA's in Sokovia, eyes analysing the place. He started roaming the area, trying to find it - the cryogenic chamber. Bucky was remembering things; he was remembering a woman. And he saw that woman before. Whenever HYDRA threatened him, they'd pull her out and for some reason, he always complied to make sure she wouldn't get hurt. He didn't know her, yet he wanted her to be safe. Why? It didn't matter; he knew enough of her to save her from the wrath of HYDRA. But it seemed someone had beaten him to it. . .
   He found the place the chamber was supposed to be at, only to find it empty. And from what he could tell from the dusty ground, it was recently removed. A feeling of dread and anger came at him. His one chance at becoming the Bucky from the forties was gone along with the most important woman.