It felt like deja vu as her car pulled up to the stairs of the Senate Building. Eight years ago she ascended these same stairs to clear Tony's name. Today she was clearing all of the Avenger's names. She stepped out of the car that the government had sent her in and all eyes turned onto her. The crowd quieted. The cameras stopped flashing. It was as if everything ceased. The crowd that lined the street held signs that read 'Thank you' or 'Rest in Peace.' It was eerie. Normally the paparazzi would be shoving microphones in her face, but instead they stood to the side as she walked up the stairs.
Maybe some of the world was on their side after all. She nodded for the guards to open the doors and everyone inside the room turned to look at her.
Flashback
Age Eighteen
Hydra Base
Catherine sat across the table from James as he flipped one of his knives in his hand. His blue eyes were downcast and she could tell he was in deep thought. "Penny for your thoughts?" She asked.
He brought the knife down in front of her face and it pierced the table. "Never let your guard down." There was a small smirk on his face. Sometimes, he liked to surprise her. "You need to learn what to do during interrogations."
She cocked her head. "I figured I would just talk my way out."
The Solider rolled his eyes and stood from the chair. "The first thing you need to do is read the room. Find out their approach. Sense their feelings. Most of the time the person you're talking to isn't going to hurt you. They have people to do their dirty work. Use your assets."
"My assets?" She questioned.
"You're young, female, attractive."
"You think I'm attractive?" She observed.
"Catherine..." he warned. "Keep your head up, shoulder's squared. Don't let them see you scared, even if you're terrified. Don't let them talk over you. And yes, talk your way out. Do whatever it takes."
He stood behind the chair she was sitting in, hands on either side of it. "Be unreadable, unpredictable. Don't let them get the upper hand and they will try since you're a woman."
Catherine listened to every word he spoke. The older she became the more protective James had become. He did not want her to fail and she didn't know why. Her eyes shifted to the knife still stuck in the table. Her hand wrapped around it and she stood quickly. She turned around and with all her body weight she pushed James back with it. The knife landed on the skin of his neck. "Никогда не расслабляйся (Never let your guard down.)" she spoke in Russian.
"Хорошая девочка (good girl.)" He whispered. His words threw her off slightly. She looked up at him, not moving the knife. She wished she could read him, know his every thought. She felt cold metal wrap around her wrist. James pinned her body against the wall, her arm behind her, him standing dangerously close behind her. She could feel the warmth of his body against her's. Her heart rate was picking up, she had never been in such a compromising position.
Catherine didn't fight him. She stood just as motionless as him. He brought his hand up, knuckles brushing against her side softly. He felt her tense under his touch. She hadn't been expecting him to touch her so intimately. And then he let her go.
Bucky's words echoed through her head as the room came into view. Read the room. It was full of the most powerful leaders in the world. They wanted her to feel intimidated, out of control. She walked down the aisle and took her seat at the front of the room. She locked eyes with Secretary Ross and her jaw locked. She had a few words she wanted to say to him, but she refrained from doing so.
"Agent Stark. Thank you for joining us." Ross said.
Catherine cleared her throat. "Did I have a choice?"
A few laughs were heard in the room. "Let me begin I'm sorry for the loss of your brother as well as Vision, Steve and Natasha." Ross continued.
Don't let them get the upper hand.
"If you were sorry you wouldn't have called me to stand trial two weeks after his death." She pointed out.
"Agent Stark, as you know, the events that occurred five years ago were a violation of the Sokovia Accords. As well as the ones two weeks ago." The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. "And we need to determine how to prosecute those involved."
"Prime Minister with all due respect, if those accords weren't in place, we would have stopped Thanos five years ago. But instead the Avengers were spread out across the world." Catherine addressed him.
"Agent Stark, you signed those Accords." Ross informed her.
Unpredictable.
"Only because I would be thrown into prison. Were any of you there five years ago? In New York? Wakanda? Space? No. None of you were. We were doing your dirty work. We were the ones risking our lives. For five years those of us who survived the Blip blamed ourselves. For five years, every time I went out into public people would yell at me, blame me for their loved ones being gone." Catherine stood from her seat which clearly made everyone nervous. "I've dedicated my life to help others and never asked for anything in return. How about you ask the people outside how they feel about the events two weeks ago? I'm sure none of them are mad at us or think we should be taken to prison. They're just happy to be with their friends and family again. So, no. I won't sit here while you slap my hand and tell me we did wrong, because we didn't. We did what was right. We always have. You don't have anything on us. And you can try to lock us up in cells, but there will always be other's to take our place. There will always be Avengers."
"Sit down Agent Stark. We still have one more thing to discuss." Ross said. "The Winter Solider."
Catherine's whole body tensed as an imagine of Bucky appeared on the screen that sat on the left side of the room. She tried her best not to react. Not to show emotion.
"You see Miss Stark, most of us still believe the Winter Soldier is a threat and that he should answer for his crimes." Ross continued.
"Sergeant Barnes was under a form of mind control during certain events. I've seen it done myself. The more he fought it, the worse it was for him. He wasn't himself." Catherine explained.
"Such kind words for a man who killed your family and kidnapped you."
"Do you really think you can bring him in? So many have tried before and failed." Catherine asked.
Ross clicked the remote and another image appeared. It was Bucky at William's baseball practice. "I know exactly where he is. Cute kid. Looks just like his father. I think you know Sergeant Barnes more than you say you do Agent Stark or should I say Agent Barnes."
She was thankful weapons weren't allowed in the court room otherwise she would have done some damage to him. Only a handful of people knew about her marriage to Bucky. They had barely been married for a day when the Blip happened. And no one had questioned who William's father was. Now the whole world knew.
"Have I struck a nerve?" Ross asked.
"He's a good man. A better man that you. Any of you. I'm sure all of you sitting across from me have done some awful things. You are politicians after all. You won't bring James in. He did nothing wrong. Hydra did it to him. I can send you footage of it if you would like. And don't you ever threaten my family again." Catherine stood up. "I think we're done here."
She took the copy of the Sokovia Accords that had been at the table she was sitting at and moved to walk out of the room. The room erupted into voices and the sound of cameras going off. She threw the copy of the accords in the trash as she pushed her way through the doors. She had won. This time.