A/N: Welcome back to the second part of Bucky and Catherine's story! In honor of my story reaching 200,000 reads, I wanted to give you a new chapter. I have no idea how frequently I'll update given the fact that at this point the Falcon/TWS hasn't come out. I'll also have to watch each episode multiple times more than likely to see how to piece it into my story. For now, I'm going to keep the epilogue chapter in, but if I decide to change anything, I'll delete it. I really do hope you enjoy it though ❤️
Two Weeks after Endgame
"Bloody fucking hell!" Catherine yelled, slamming her phone on the kitchen counter.
Bucky and William both looked at one another, slightly alarmed by Catherine's word choice. A string of Russian cuss words followed her outburst. Whatever phone call she just had wasn't good.
"Will, why don't you go to your room while I...conciliate your mom." Bucky suggested.
"What does гребаный идиот (grebanyy idiot-fucking idiot) mean?" William asked standing up from the couch.
Bucky's eyes widened. "D-Don't say that. Please."
"But mom said it." The child argued.
"I know, but mom is an adult and you are not. Just give me a few minutes with her and then we can get ready for baseball practice?" He suggested.
Catherine leaned her elbows against the counter, hands buried in her face. She felt a warm hand on her lower back, knowing her husband was behind her.
"я удивлен, что ты все еще знаешь русский (I'm surprised you still know Russian)." Bucky whispered into her ear.
She stood up straight and turned around so she could face him. She could see the concerned look in face that hadn't gone away since the final battle with Thanos. Thanos. Even just thinking his name was enough to send her over the edge to a breakdown. Bucky noted the dark circles under her eyes, the hollowed out cheeks. She was a mess. A beautiful mess. Rightfully so. He wrapped his sturdy arms around her, pulling her close and she leaned her head against his chest.
"I had a good teacher." She attempted to joke.
Bucky smiled to himself. "Do you want to talk about your little outburst?"
Catherine sighed and took a step back from Bucky so she could look at him. "Not really, but I have to. I'm being court martialed. Well, technically all of us, but the United Nations picked me to stand trial."
"Court martial? Why?" He asked confused.
"The Sokovia Accords. Technically, the whole Thanos ordeal violated them. Every single one of us violated them. The United Nations wants to try us and see if us going against the Accords was worth it." Catherine explained.
Bucky scoffed. "Worth it? Really? This is how they repay us, by putting us on trial? What would happen if they say it was against the accords?"
Catherine looked down at the ground and then back at her husband. "We'll all be thrown in international prison. Rhodey and I may get off easy since we signed the accords. Peter is just a kid so he'll probably be sentenced to a juvenile federal prison for a few years. The rest of you are looking at life."
"When is the trial?" Bucky asked.
"A few days. In DC."
"I'm going with you."
"Absolutely not. You're number one on the list of people they want to incarcerate. Some people still believe that the Winter Solider poses a threat."
His jaw locked, body tensed at the mention of his former alias. Catherine may have forgiven him for his actions, but the world had not. He didn't know if he could ever walk down the street again without people giving him fearful looks. "Is there anything I can do?"
She shook her head. "Probably not. I'm just going to have to talk my way out of this one."
Bucky brought his hand up to her chin, lifting it up so she would look at him in his eyes. "Well, if there is anything Stark's are good at, it's talking."
She tried her best to smile at Bucky's joke, but all she could think about was Tony now. If he was here, he would know exactly how to handle the court martial issue. She fucking missed him like hell. It had only been two weeks since his death and she was still struggling with the loss of not only him, but Natasha and Steve as well.
"Tell me what's going on in that beautiful little head of yours." Bucky sought after she went quiet a glazed look in her eyes appeared.
"I-I just miss Tony, well all of them. So much." She whispered brokenly. "I would do anything to bring them back. Bruce tried everything. I guess Dr. Strange was right. There was only one way. Tony was never going to stop being...a hero. Not until he died. And Steve...Steve was never happy after he went into the ice. Natasha, she didn't-" Her voice cracked.
"Didn't deserve it?" Bucky tried to finish.
"She was always there for me, from the moment I met her. She was like an older sister." Catherine added.
Bucky licked his lips, trying his best to get his mind to work to comfort him. Although it had been awhile, since he had his brain put in a blender he still struggled sometimes. Shuri, Steve and Catherine were the only things that truly helped him. He mourned Steve just as much as Catherine, if not more. He knew Steve was unhappy, but it did sting slightly that Steve left not only him, but the entire team.
"Instead of mourning them, try remembering all the good things. Write them down. Writing thoughts down helped me when I was on the run. And live for them. Live for their memory and everything they did." Bucky spoke softly to her, rubbing small circles on her lower back.
Catherine smiled up at him through tear filled eyes. "You're so wise."
"Well Catherine, I'm only 100 years old." He joked.
"Can I come out of my room now?" William asked, peeping out of his room.
Bucky and Catherine couldn't help but giggle at their son. Bucky motioned for him to come back into the living room. The young child sat on the couch and peered up at his parents. "What language were you speaking mom?"
"Russian." Bucky answered.
"But how do you know Russian?" He asked further.
His parents both looked at each other. Never once had Catherine told the true story of how she met Bucky. She always felt he was too young, even now she felt it. She also didn't want their son to know that their dad was a former assassin. He didn't know that his dad has really over 100 years old either.
"And we learned about World War II in class, but you told me that dad fought in that war with Uncle Steve. But, most of the other kids who had family in the war are really old and dad isn't old." William continued.
Neither of his parents said a word. They didn't exactly know how to explain a complex situation like this. Eventually, she knew the truth would come out.
"Well," Bucky began, not even knowing where to start. "I was born March 10, 1917. When I was older, I enlisted in the Army to fight in World War II. Uncle Steve, wanted to fight too, but he was too small, small like you. However, a doctor developed a medicine to help Uncle Steve get big and strong. During the war, I...got really hurt, and these bad guys...helped me. They gave me the same medicine, but I lost my arm. While these bad guys helped me, they trained me to do bad guy things. When they didn't need me, they made me super cold. And that's why I look younger than I am and that's how I know Russian."
William looked at him, surprised but intrigued. "So, you're super old?"
Bucky laughed and ruffled his son's hair. "Yes, Will, I'm super old."
"But how does mom know Russian?"
Catherine needed to think carefully about how to explain her knowing to William. She couldn't come right out and say that Bucky kidnapped her as a toddler. "Your dad taught me. He trained me actually. You know how I said I used to be an agent? Your dad helped me become that agent."
"Do you think dad could train me too?" William asked excitedly.
"Maybe one day. When you're much, much older. For now, enjoy being a kid." She said sincerely.
She wanted nothing more than for William to have a normal childhood. That was easier said than done given the he fact that all of his family were heroes. She heard her phone ring, again, and she stood to grab it. The caller ID read unknown. Strange. Not many people had her number. She excused herself from the room and lifted it up to answer. "Hello?"
"Is this Agent Catherine Stark?" A female voice asked.
Catherine felt her jaw tense. "Depends on who's asking."
"Melinda May." The voice told her.
Melinda May. She had heard of the agent. She was a legend in SHIELD, but she never had the pleasure of meeting her.
"Judging by your silence, you've heard of me." Agent May added.
Catherine cleared her throat. "I have. What can I do for you?"
"The Director of SHIELD would like to meet with you." She answered
"The Director?" She asked confused. "If Fury needs me he has my number and he knows where I live. Besides, SHIELD doesn't technically exist anymore."
"Fury isn't the director of this SHIELD. Fury operated under Hydra's SHIELD. We're rebuilding it. But the director wants to meet you." May explained.
"Do you know why?"
"I'm not sure. We're located in DC. I can send you the address."
"Okay...this doesn't weird at all, but I'll meet him. I'm done with SHIELD though. I have a family now. I have to attend a trial in a few days in DC. I can meet this director then."
Catherine hung up the phone and walked back out into the living room, an almost peeved expression on her face. She wanted to leave Hydra, SHIELD, the Avengers all behind her. She wanted to focus on her family, but no matter how hard she tried, it always came back to her.
"Everything okay?" Bucky asked as she walked back into the room.
"Remember all those years ago in Berlin when I suggested we run away. My offer still stands."
"That bad?"
"The new director of SHIELD wants to meet with me."
Bucky made his way over to her and pulled her into a hug. "Everything is going to be okay Cat."
A/N: I know some people might have not watched Agents of SHIELD yet or at all so you may not knowing who Melinda May or our new director is. It's okay! It won't affect the story that much. Thank you for reading.