Steve Rogers has a little sister, Norma Grace Rogers, who became an Army nurse during the war. Captured in Italy, Grace is taken by HYDRA, unbeknownst to Steve and Bucky. They find her frozen in a forgotten HYDRA outpost 70 years later, her memory g...
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Bold Text = German
The next morning dawned bright and clear, and Grace proved herself strong enough to stand. Bucky joined Steve in going to see Grace that morning, and Pepper joined them at Steve's request. He thought she might feel better knowing there were other women around.
"Good morning, Grace," Steve said as they entered the room. "You remember Bucky?" Grace nodded. "This is a friend of ours, Pepper." He pointed to the blonde.
Grace smiled slightly and nodded back, looking unsure.
"Would you like to take a shower?" Pepper asked. "It's been few days, and I'm sure you'll feel better when you feel clean."
Grace just stared uncertainly.
"It's okay," Bucky said. "Just answer honestly." Slowly, Grace nodded, abscently toying with a lock of her hair.
"Well, then, come right with me, we'll get you all cleaned up," Pepper replied, motioning for Grace to follow her. Grace complied without a word.
Steve shook his head sadly. "She's so different than you were, Buck. Sometimes, she acts like herself, just no memories. Other times, she more like the Winter Soldier."
"Her...programming...was not as..." Bucky began and had to swallow thickly. Stece gently laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. "...not...as thorough as mine. They only wiped her once, according to the files JARVIS translated. I suspect they meant to do more, before the war ended and forced them to abandon the lab."
"Guess that's good news," Steve said without humor.
"Yeah; she's not as messed up inside as I am," Bucky sighed heavily..
"Buck-"
"It's true, Steve, and you know it," he retorted. "I might never remember everything; I never be that happy-go-lucky guy you remember again."
"I know, Bucky," Steve answered. "All I want is for you to be you, free of HYDRA's hold. That's all I want for both of you."
"Punk," Bucky muttered as he gave Steve a one-armed hug.
"Jerk," Steve whispered back as he reciprocated the hug. "Let's find something for Grace to wear when she gets out," he added, releasing Bucky. "Clint helped me order some things that are similar to what Grace used to wear. Maybe it will help her to remember."
They went up to Steve's floor where JARVIS said the boxes had been taken.
"Agent Barton requested that the order be rushed," the A.I.'s cool, British voice answered. Opening the boxes, Steve and Bucky decided on a blue cotton dress and some leather soled slippers. Steve also dug out a package of hair pins in case Grace wanted to do her hair. They got back in the elevator and pressed the button for Tony and Pepper's floor.
When the doors opened, they headed through the living room towards the guest bedroom.
"Miss Pepper?" Bucky called out.
"We're in here," she answered. "In the guest room. It's the 21st century, boys, so come on in."
Steve blush and Bucky swallowed slightly at her implications of it being a woman's room, but Bucky pushed forward and opened the door. Pepper was sitting on the beige comfortered bed with an eye on the bathroom.
She glanced at the dress and slippers in Steve's hand. "I take it you two didn't think about undergarments," she said dryly with knowing look. Steve blushed even darker and muttered something about not know what to get. Bucky just shrugged. "Don't worry, Steve," she grinned sympathetically. "Nat and I are way ahead of you." She nodded to a small pile of white and lace. Steve and Bucky carefully averted their eyes to Pepper's amusement. "Let's see what you have here." She held out a hand to Steve and took the dress from him. She held it up and gave it a once over. "You're giving her a grandma dress to wear?"
"It's not a grandma dress," Steve defended. "She had one almost exactly like it before the war."
"It's not like she's gonna be in a fashion contest," Bucky added, rolling his eyes. "Besides, Steve thinks maybe it will help her to remember."
Pepper cocked her head. "Well, I guess it might." She took the undergarments, dress, and slippers to the bathroom door. "I have clothes for you; may I come in?"
"Yes," came the soft answer.
Pepper slipped into the steamy bathroom. A few moments later, the water shut off and Pepper came out, closing the door firmly behind her. Grace came out a few minutes later, wearing the and slippers with a towel wrapped around her head.
"Hi there, Gracie," Steve smiled. To him, she looked swell in the "grandma" dress. He remembered many nights when she came out of the bath just like this and to the radio with him.
Grace looked up at him, but did not respond. However, they could see a questioning look in her eyes.
"Is something wrong?" Pepper asked. "If there is something you need or want, it's alright to ask for it. We won't hurt you."
Grace stared down at the floor for several seconds before looming back up and hesitantly asking, "Why does Stevie call me Grace? Have told you, I am just Schatten."
"Because it is your name," Steve answered.
"Have no name."
"You do now. Your name is Grace Rogers."
"Why?"
"Because you are HYDRA's no longer," Bucky spoke up. "HYDRA left you to rot in Italy. We found you frozen in a cryo-chamber."
Grace nodded slowly. "Schatten remembers the freezing. There was great cold, then great sleepiness."
Bucky nodded. "That is the freezing."
"HYRDA will come for me." Grace said softly.
"No, they won't," Bucky said, stepping closer to grip her shoulders. "I was once HYDRA's too." He shook his head sadly. "They did not care about you. They had me."
She stared at the metal hand resting on her shoulder. "The Soldier..." she breathed. "You are the Winter Soldier."
"I am HYDRA's Fist no-"
"I was trained for you," she said, speaking over him, reverting back to German. "We are to be a team. You are HYDRA's asset, and I, yours."
"They left you in an abandoned base for over seventy years," Bucky answered in German. "The Soldier had many missions in that time. They forgot about you, Grace."
She stared down at her feet. "I was not ready," she whispered. "The freezing was one of my punishments," She raised her eyes to his. "but I am ready now, Soldier. I am sure of it!"
"I am the Soldier no more!" Bucky cried, switching back to English. "And you are so much more than a shadow!" he added in a choked voice. How he wished he knew why he wanted to crush her to his chest and never let her go; why did he want to find the ones who "trained" her and strangle the life out of them with his bare hands. The fingers of his flesh hand tentatively brushed her cheek. "You are a...rose...a...beautiful rose." he whispered.
Steve watched the exchange with hope. Maybe one of them would remember something soon.
