Captain America Bucky Barnes Winter Soldier Steve Rogers Fan Fic - The Constant

Chapter Fifty-Six:The Winter Soldier & The Constant - December 1991

Breakfast is quiet; he doesn't speak, just takes what you give him. Then half an hour later they come for him. There is a slight change in what is happening; they want to reinforce his programming. They have not told you this but you have seen it happen on rare occasions before. This will not leave a lot of time between training and sending him out on the mission. You know you will not see a lot of him this time. This means there will be no time for him to remember you, and the loss makes you ache inside.

The day goes slowly for you. You gather his clothes and anything they have said he will need. You have spoken to his team and know when he needs to leave; midday on the 16th. You are not required to function as an exit point so you will not be going with them but you know this already.

When he returns, he acts a lot like the day before but this time he is bleeding and impatient with you when you try to help. He is not over the extra programming yet and you are concerned for his health. Then they expect him for training; they need to check his skills before sending him out and when he comes back he is tired and grouchy. You can see he aches but he won't let you near him.

"What would I want from you, whore?" he snarls when you offer to help him.

He sleeps well that night.

*

The 16th December 1991

He knows he is ready for his mission.

He knows his target.

He knows where the assassination will take place.

He knows his work is important.

He knows it is to create order in this chaotic world, peace.

He does not know they have lied to him.

That they always lie to him.

He is geared up. He has stowed his weapons in the car, and his team are ready.

Just before they are due to leave though he gets a call to return to the main room. He does not know why but he complies, throwing his jacket into the car, tells the team he will be about an hour and then goes back into the building. From the main room, they lead him back into Programming.

He will always follow orders.

Jackson Caldwell has read the programming report and is concerned over the fact they had to reinforce this mission several times. He has ordered a barrage of tests in Programming which takes another hour. He wants to ensure the Winter Soldier knows his mission, knows what he must do.

His team wait for him.

If only Caldwell had left well enough alone, the mission would have been a success and only one person would have died, not two - but this is fate, and how fate works.

When The Winter Soldier hasn't reappeared after ninety minutes, Adam phones down to Programming.

The confused technician on the other end alarms him. "But...he left us about 20 minutes ago."

*

You spent the morning filling in reports and gathering things together. When he returns on the 18th they will allow one day and then he is to go back into cryo, and you will follow 24 hours later.

When he left your room you told him to be careful. He did not say anything, just frowned at you. Then he was gone.

You go down to the cryo room to talk to them to make sure everything would be set up, you were tempted to watch him leave the base but you decided not to. Better this way.