Skyler runs, she runs for her life. She's been wanting to do this since she came her (yesterday evening) and she knows that she's dead now.
"Skyler! What are you up to?" Sam asks when he and Steve see her run.
"Hiding." Skyler manages to pant out.
"Hiding, from who a-" Steve asks, but he's interrupted by no one else than Anthony Edward Stark.
"SKYLER! FOR THE SAKE OF GOD, LEAVE MY SUITS ALONE FOR ONCE!"
"HIM!" Skyler shrieks as she races past the two heroes.
"Just use some magic. You can do that right?" Sam asks her, one eyebrow raised.
"Oh, yeah, right. Sorry, I sometimes forget I can." She answers embarrassed. She winks at the two, and snaps her fingers, teleporting to Natasha.
"Hey, Nat. Can you help me for a moment?" Skyler asks innocently. Natasha jumps, startled, before turning to her.
"With what, Sky?"
"I kinda painted Tony's new suit."
"Skyler, you shouldn't paint his suit green every time he makes one." Natasha scolds, disappointed.
"But this time, it was pink. I left a note that people like weird costumes. I mean, look at Steve!" Skyler defends herself, crossing her arms against her chest.
"Skyler, you're going to apologise and help Tony clean his suits. Or I'll be forced to tell-"
"Who are you going to tell? Fury? What's he gonna do? Fire me from S.H.I.E.L.D?" Skyler mocks, not noticing how Natasha's face drops.
"Sky... Fury's dead. S.H.I.E.L.D fell apart, one week ago. It was corrupted by H.Y.D.R.A. We've all already lost our jobs." She tells the young girl. Skyler feels her head spin. The words get to her.
"W-where's Clint if he isn't on a mission?" She asks with a small voice.
"Clint is on... a holiday. Actually, he kind of retired from S.H.I.E.L.D before it collapsed." Natasha explains.
"Was Bucky involved with H.Y.D.R.A?" Skyler suddenly asks, realising that this can't be coincidence.
"Well- uh... That's not my part to tell." The red haired ex-agent mumbles.
"Alright. I'll leave it. For now." Skyler leaves the room with those words, her mind engines rambling with thoughts. Who is this Bucky Barnes?
∞∞∞
At dinner that evening, Skyler's lectured, not only by Tony, but also by Steve. Not that Skyler listens. Her attention is trained on a certain newcomer.
"So, Skyler, do you understand that you shouldn't paint on my suits again?" Tony interrupts her thoughts.
"Yes, yes, I do. Completely. Believe me, it'll never happen again." Skyler assures him. Tony breathes out, relieved and focusses himself on his food.
"You're definitely going to do it again, don't you?" Sam asks her on a whispering tone.
"Yup." She whispers back. Soon after, everyone is just talking and joking with each other.
"So, Bucky. What made you decide to contact Steve again?" Skyler bluntly asks, knowing that this will cause a reaction. Indeed it does. The entire table is tense.
"Since when do you and Steve have contact again, actually?" She adds curiously and on a sugar sweet tone. Or, how others would take it, that tone meant dangerous. Only Natasha knows what's coming, but she's too late to stop Bucky from answering.
"Well, Steve and I met each other a week ago. He had some business for S.H.I.E.L.D and he walked into me." The guy answers carelessly. Skyler hums.
"So, you were a H.Y.D.R.A agent. Tell me, were you known as The Winter Soldier?" Skyler asks, but it's more like a conclusion. Steve chokes his drink and again, the entire table is tensed.
"Wait, how do you know?" Tony asks, utterly confused.
"Natasha told me that one week ago, S.H.I.E.L.D collapsed, for it was corrupted by H.Y.D.R.A. Well, since then, I've looked through the old archive of the organisation that calls itself H.Y.D.R.A. I found that there's a assassin working for them called The Winter Soldier. Appearance: shoulder length brown hair, and a metal arm. Now, Bucky says that he and Steve met again one week ago, when Steve was doing business for S.H.I.E.L.D. The only business Steve could've possibly been doing, was fighting H.Y.D.R.A, and we all know Steve. When he has a mission, that's something he's working on 24/7. Clear as crystal." Skyler explains, ignoring the stares of everyone but Tony.
"You should stop hanging out with Cassidy, Sky. She has Sherlock-influence on you!" Tony jokes.
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#backontrack! What do you think about it? I really want to thank you for all your nice comments.
- lots of love