What Matters {B.Barnes Daughter} ✔️

~Forty-Three: Bribe~

After Stephen had sent Peter to bed so he could rest, he, Loki, and Lizzie sat down at the table to eat something. 

The two men couldn't help but steal glances at Lizzie in disbelief at her presence. They had so many questions to ask, but most of them they feared she wouldn't know the answer to. 

Suddenly, Loki's voice pierced through the silence.

"Lizzie... do you want to get away from HYDRA?"

It took her awhile to answer. Her eyes remained fixated on her plate when she finally did.

"I've been trying for eight years."

Loki's face fell, but he was grateful she at least knew what HYDRA was doing to her, that they were awful people.

"Well...now you have us. And we're going to help you," he said, giving her a nod accompanied by a small smile. 

She gave a slight nod in return.

"Who were you guys to me?"

Loki smiled softly, glancing over at Stephen. His eyes were glistening with either guilt or sadness, and Loki couldn't tell which one.

"Guardians."

"And the other one?" she asked, directing to her eyes the room where Peter was currently resting.

"A brother."

Another silence, then Lizzie's quiet voice seemed to erupt through it.

"HYDRA wanted him to be my partner."

{ * * * * * }

Bucky entered the lounge with a confident stride, a box of Poptarts tucked safely behind him. He careful approached the God of Thunder, who was sitting on the couch, reading a book with a scowl imprinted on his face. 

He looked up when he heard footsteps, and gave a nod in recognition to Bucky. "Hello, Soldier of Wi-..."

"Okay, for the millionth time... just call me Bucky. It's not that hard," Bucky said, sitting down on the couch across from him.

"My apologies," Thor said, turning a page in his book. 

Bucky gave a small sigh in reply, readying himself to bribe the God of Thunder.

"So... I haven't seen Loki around in awhile. Where's he?"

Thor gave a loud sigh. "He's in Asgard, on important business, I suppose. I attempted to assist him, but he immediately sent me back here."

Bucky let out a hum, nodding his head. 

"I see. Do you have any idea what he was doing?"

"No, not really. He appeared to be visiting an old friend of his, by the name of Adria. I doubt he was simply visiting, though, they haven't spoken in years. More than likely, it had something to do with her unique abilities."

"Which are?"

"She's extremely gifted in the art of memory recovery."