Broken Arrows and Tangled Webs

Don't Be Afraid

A.N. So I think that I'm gonna move my update schedule to every other week, just because I am working on some gifts for my friends in university and because of COVID I just found out that I am gonna need them done almost a month earlier than I had planned, so I'm trying to dedicate more time to finishing that and for that reason, this story is going to get moved to the back burner for a little bit.

"Are you sure you're okay with this kid?" Bucky asked Torren for what had to be the fiftieth time that day.

The young girl pulled at the sleeve of her jumpsuit, though it wasn't in a nervous manner, rather she was making sure that everything was fitting her properly. They tried to have Torren take the form of someone that had roughly the same size proportions as Natasha, though they weren't perfect and some aspects of the suit need to be checked in on before they jumped.

"Stop worrying over me Sargent Barnes, I know what I am getting myself into and if I could manage to help no only our universe but help shape another one as well, I am going to take that chance."

Bucky smiled a sad smile, "Maybe you didn't need all that training we gave you, you're pretty similar to Talia already."

The girl smiled, "I take that as a compliment. I mean it's not the same as being compared to Captain Danvers, but it's pretty close."

A voice crackled to life over the intercom, "Everything ready?"

The two turned toward the glass window that separated the room that they were currently in from the control room. (When SHIELD had offered to help rebuild the Avengers Compound they made sure to also recreate the time machine, although with a few more safety protocols). At the desk were Talos and Soren, who had personally requested to handle the machine for this particular trip. The two agents gave a thumbs up and soon the portal whirred to life.

"Get ready to visit Norway kid," Bucky said over the coms unit before the two shrank down enough to be able to enter the quantum realm.

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"Are you sure she's here?" Torren asked after the two landed in a marshy field that held dilapidated looking trailer house.

"If what Steve had told me was right, this should be the place." Bucky felt odd mentioning his boyfriend, as Bucky knew this mission went not only behind Steve's back but also the back of everyone else on the team. "Stay behind me just incase though," Bucky said, taking a step ahead the young girl.

The two slowly made their way toward the trailer. Bucky scanned the field as they went and became more and more concerned with the lack of traps that were present. Natalia always made sure to cover herself, which means if there weren't any traps outside of the house Natalia felt comfortable with what she had in the house to protect her. That could be very bad for Bucky and Torren if their discussions went south, and to make matters worse the grey sky that had been hanging over them ominously decided it would be a great time to get rid of the water that it was holding.

"Are you in there Natalia?" Bucky asked, knocking on the trailer's stormdoor and praying that Natalia would give them at least a few seconds to explain themselves before they opened fire.

"What was my nickname for you?" A voice replied.

A question that neither SHIELD nor The Red Room would know the answer too? What have you gotten yourself into Talia?

"Yasha, though when I had to wake you in the mornings it tended to be ugh," The soldier answered, a smile playing across his lips.

The door opened to reveal the spy, her hand already on her sidearm.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be Wakanda getting your brain put back together. And who is she?" Natalia gestured to Torren who while being slightly behind Barnes was showing no fear of the situation at hand.

"It's a long story and I would to not have this thing rust over," Bucky gestured to his arm. "So would it be okay if we came in. You can check us for weapons if you want."

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Natasha's P.O.V.

Natasha still couldn't believe what Barnes had just told her. He and the girl – who was apparently part of a shape shifting alien race – had come from the future and wanted for Natasha and the girl to switch places.

"Won't people be curious about the fact that I had been reported dead?" I asked sitting at the circular kitchen table with the lunch that I had been making before the two ended up on my doorstep.

Barnes shrugged, stealing one of my crackers, "After the whole half of the planet dying and then coming back thing, people are a lot more open to the impossible turning out to be possible. Plus, I am sure that SHIELD's PR team can manage to come up with some sort of bullshit answer."

I turned my attention back to the girl, "And you're positive that you want to do this? You'll be trapped here, at least until this timeline figures out how to do time travel...if they ever do."

The girl, Torren, rolled her eyes, "You're just as bad as him," she gestured to Barnes with her head. "I know what I am getting into and I'm fine with it, besides what's to stop me from dropping a few hints in some scientists head about time travel."

"Stark would be a good one to try and talk to if you can. Mention that if the doc in Back to the Future can do it, he should be able to as well."

I noticed that Barnes shift uncomfortably at the mention of Tony, maybe the two still hadn't come to terms after finding out what The Soldier had done to Tony's parents.

"We wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't needed Talia," Barnes said, his voice somber. "The team needs you. Barton needs you. Hell, I need you."

I looked down at my ninety-nine cent noodles for a few minutes, absent mindedly stirring them with my fork. The trailer is slight with the exception of the drops of rain that were targeting the window.

"I'll do it," I say after a few moments of consideration. "If it's what the team needs I'll do it. I will need an hour or so to let Torren know everything she needs to know. I'm sure you tried to brief her as much as you could, but even you don't know everything about me." I stood up and pushed the bowl across the table to Barnes. "Here since you kept stealing me crackers."

I grabbed Torren's arm and made my way to the place that passed as a bedroom in this sad trailer, my head and heart heavy...yet oddly certain that I made the right choice.